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Asian Fortune

Alain Nu: A Mysterious World Unveiled
By Winyan Soo Hoo

For Alain Nu, magic is no bag of tricks. More a mentalist than entertainer, the renowned magician teaches people to think creatively by tapping into the supernatural. His philosophy is simple: seek to amaze by way of uncanny demonstrations and mind readings, and encourage others to do likewise. The everyman supposedly commands such powers. Nu’s explanation is, however, a bit more complex.

“Some people view magic as a fraud or a corny illusion, but I believe that it’s become the art of exploring your dreams and fantasies,” he said. “You will be able to create the impossible, as long as you’re able to make it real in the hearts of people. I feel all magicians have an ability to amaze people into thinking about their own selves and new ways of doing things, even if people think it’s a hoax.”

Drawing influences from childhood, Chinese qigong and the Fortean philosophy, a theory that documents strange phenomena, Nu unravels mysteries through original techniques. He has, of course, bent spoons with the mind, hypnotized, mesmerized, and visualized all of what appears unreal.

“I have people blindfold me by placing coins on top of my eyes and the securing it with duct tape,” Nu said. “Once I’m in complete darkness, I can sense certain things around me which are not visible to the naked eye. I might divine the serial number on a dollar bill… It’s a little bit like a guessing game, but there are many psychological elements to it that make it subtler than that.”

Although Nu remains mum about his methods, he provides clues on how one can develop similar skills – he asks people to meditate on personal strengths and think outside the box.

“For instance, I always know when my mother calls before she does – I contemplate those kinds of topics,” he said. “I hope that people might question why they know that it’s going to rain before it actually rains, or how they execute proper verbiage to get what they want. Once people contemplate their abilities, they can hone in on their true talents.

Nu also claims that he can put two people under a hypnotic spell and cause them to sense the other’s feelings. Fellow magician and friend David London is one of the few people who have seen Nu’s repertoire develop over the years.

“I think he’s someone obsessed with mystery,” London said. “He is a mystery man; you are never sure anything he does. He is mysterious; his performance and demonstrations are also mysterious. He always floats between what’s real and what’s not.”

In the entertainment world, Nu’s enigmatic persona booked him shows are corporate and academic institutions nationwide and a television series on TLC called, “The Mysterious World of Alain Nu.” Beginning Oct. 23, Nu will tour state colleges with the first presentation at Louisiana Tech.

Minutes after he television series aired on TLC, Nu was surprised to find his e-mail inbox flooded with questions about serious ailments and requests for advice.

“My heart went out to all of them, but I feel my work is best appreciated an experience,” Nu said. “That and I don’t own a license to be a therapist.”

The show last aired in 2005, and Nu now has a different show in the works. This time he plans to collaborate with his wife Tanya, an electronic musicians, and London.

Nu’s projects are on a temporary hold as he takes on his most challenging act to date – life as a new father. A few months ago, Tanya gave birth to healthy baby girl name Nicolette, who may learn a “trick” or two from dad.

“The most magical thing that I’ve ever experienced New Year,” Nu said. “It worked out perfectly.”

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