MAGIC AND MEDICINE SHARE THE SAME DNA
“MAGIC AND MEDICINE SHARE THE SAME DNA”— Dr. Ricardo Rosenkranz.
I was surprised and confused to hear this. It was March 2014 I was attending MAGIC AND MEDICINE class at Jeff McBride’s Magic and Mystery school in Las Vegas. I noticed doctors, nurses, dentists and many other health care professionals in the class.
The teaching by Dr. Rosenkranz and Jeff McBride gave me a new perspective on medicine. The first book of magic I read was SHOW DOCTOR. It was then I released that the old saying “Laughter is the best medicine” can also be “Magic is the best medicine”.
Next thing I know I am in the USA and practicing medicine as a cancer specialist.
Over 30+ years I did card tricks for my patients during their chemotherapy infusions. Patients and their caregivers loved it. I thought it was fun, my patients loved it and it was great marketing for my practice.
In my clinic’s tiny exam room, holding a patient’s hand or providing a tap on the shoulder gave them comfort. I wanted them to know I cared. Those movements were magical without any tricks/ deception.
In fact, the magic tricks I performed gave them delight and wonder. Like it should do. I just didn’t know or notice until I went to that fateful workshop where I learned that magic and medicine share the same DNA.
Magic and Medicine, they both have mysteries, they both give wonder and surprise. Neither works every time.
Can magic be done as an art of healing? YES
A great magic effect has a causality and a story. Many magicians perform magic with stories.
In my practice, some of my favorite medically-themed magic tricks are:
- Cut and Restored rope. (show a child a rope and cut the rope (his tonsils) and when the rope is restored, the child recovered)
- Making diagnosis by MRI. (Magically Revealing Images)
I believe any magic trick can be performed for its therapeutic benefit.
Let me end with a quote from the world-famous David Copperfield:
“Magic’s therapeutic benefits are not an illusion.”
— Krishan Mathur
