Had a Psychic Reading

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
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The objective reality of the existence or non-existence of "psychics" is not the subject. We are discussing the subjective reality of each person. It doesn't matter if they actually *have* psychic abilities, what we are discussing is whether they *believe* they have psychic abilities.

So what I'm saying is that you are involved in a community that mimicks what "real psychics" do. You are automatically biased in your information, because you are in a community full of people who will fake it.

If you're not in the actual community being discussed, your information is vastly incomplete and you can't make judgment calls on numbers.

Given the amount of people who attend psychic workshops, and the number of people who do readings casually (Far outnumbering the people who do it professionally, even within the metaphysical community), versus the number of magicians who think spitting a Barnum line counts as doing readings, I'm quite comfortable with the assertion that the majority of people doing readings think they are genuinely using some kind of supernatural ability.

Keep in mind, the metaphysical market is a multi- billion dollar market. The magic market is a fraction of that size.
 
Aug 25, 2017
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Pittsburgh, PA
The objective reality of the existence or non-existence of "psychics" is not the subject.
We kind of are slightly discussing the existence or non-existence of psychics, because the notion that I do not believe in real psychics has a direct impact on what my opinion of them is.

In the end, as Maaz has said, it doesn't actually matter if they believe that what they are doing is genuine or not...it's all fake. At some level, even if they were lead to believe that what they do is real...I'd would have to assume that at some point they would have to stop and think "Wait..." Because they want to believe...they will turn a blind eye and ear to the things that make it stand out as fake.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
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Your inability to separate opinion and rational observation is causing you to use faulty logic and make erroneous connections to back those opinions up. Kind of ironic, really.

Basically what you're saying is, "I think this, and if someone disagrees with me they must be wrong."

So I guess this discussion is over. I'll just drop one final tidbit - Scientists continue to study psi phenomena and the results are showing that there's distinct possibilities of psychic ability. We do not remotely know for sure that "it's all fake".

Been fun, chaps.
 
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Aug 25, 2017
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Basically what you're saying is, "I think this, and if someone disagrees with me they must be wrong."
That's actually not at all what I'm saying. My first reply actually said that "I tend to believe." That sentence directly communicates that it is my opinion. At no point did I claim what I said as fact and in fact actually agreed with you for the most part. The irony behind it is that the sentence of yours that I just quoted...was exactly the opinion I had of you.
 

obrienmagic

Elite Member
Nov 4, 2014
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www.obrienmagic.com
the cold read is dead on my situation. I suspect it is pretty common.
I could say "I feel a lot of negative energy in a part of your life, like someone is hurting, is that correct?"

Like DUH! of course there is some negative thing in my life unless i am perfect.
 
Jul 13, 2014
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Hi All

A person tonight said he was a spiritualist and I asked him to tell me something about myself. He then said this:

"I see a girl in your life that is suffering a lot and in a dark place. You worry that you don't do enough for her, but you should know you do all you can."

I was stunned. I have a friend who is suffering greatly with migraines and fibromyalgia and I do always worry that I am not doing enough to help her. Its an ongoing battle I have in my head.

I could not work out how he could have known this. Is this cold reading? I just dont know. This guy is a friend of mine, but I have never ever told him this situation in my life.
That is exactly what it is.
 

Josh Burch

Elite Member
Aug 11, 2011
2,966
1,101
Utah
I think Christopher is dead on with this.

This is my hunch. Your friend believes he has a psychic gift. Some might call him a shut eye. From what I'm getting, it doesn't sound like the guy is using any special technique or being dishonest at all. He probably has read a book or two on how to give psychic readings (probably a book by someone else who believes they are psychic) and has had a number of psychic readings himself. He's most likely regurgitating the type of reading that he has received in the past.

To back up what Christopher said about magicians and cold readings Bob Cassidy said this, "(I am) constantly amused by the number of magicians and neophyte mentalists who actually believe that cold reading is simply a matter of spouting out generalized statements like 'I get the impression that while you appear calm and collected on the outside, you are actually very screwed up on the inside, and might have a scar on your left knee or somewhere. You also have a friend with an A in their name.

"This, (I point) out, has nothing to do with cold reading, which is an art based on years of observing and remembering things that people who have day jobs have no time to deal with."

Your friend was probably someone like this:


This lady honestly believes that she can look at someone and guess their star sign based on the traits they exhibit. If she was to give you a reading she would probably be better than 99% of magicians. She doesn't use a system though, she doesn't have a method. She'd use Barnum statements and she would cold read you, but she doesn't know that is what she is doing. She's just trying to use her psychic powers. We know that means she will be guessing and using her intuition a lot but she thinks she is following something more super natural.
 
Jan 26, 2017
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So say a friend of mine were to start believing he had psychic powers whilst doing all this^

Would it be wrong of me to tell him otherwise?
 
Jan 26, 2017
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Lol. I'm just keeping this in my head in case I do run across someone like that, or one of my friends visits some sort of shady place and comes back thinking he's Doctor Strange.
 
Aug 25, 2017
172
93
Pittsburgh, PA
Lol. I'm just keeping this in my head in case I do run across someone like that, or one of my friends visits some sort of shady place and comes back thinking he's Doctor Strange.
AS FAR AS I'M AWARE (trying not to make any unclear or incomprehensible claims here), everyone that has claimed to be psychic has been called out and failed. I have never been to one of these "Learn to be psychic" seminars/school/programs, nor have I ever pretended to be a wizard because I played DnD....but I can say, without much doubt...with an IQ of 155 (it shouldn't even require an IQ of that level), I would ultimately pick up on the fact that these "teachers" are simply teaching me to trick people and trying to get me to be delusional about my "ability." I'm not sure how someone could begin learning this stuff and not pick up on it right away. I THINK (not know) it's a matter of blissful willful ignorance tbh. Then again, that's just my opinion. lol
 
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Josh Burch

Elite Member
Aug 11, 2011
2,966
1,101
Utah
So say a friend of mine were to start believing he had psychic powers whilst doing all this^

Would it be wrong of me to tell him otherwise?

If it is truly apart of their belief system then I'd tread lightly. Some people believe in this stuff like they would a religion. Hindus, Christians, Jews, Mormons, etc. all believe strange things. When we come across a difference of belief with other people I think it's usually a good idea to respond with respect and if the time is right maybe offer how this belief system may be failed. Tread lightly though.

AS FAR AS I'M AWARE (trying not to make any unclear or incomprehensible claims here), everyone that has claimed to be psychic has been called out and failed.

John Edwards has been called out and many believe he still has psychic abilities. I know a performing mentalist who believes that Uri Gellar is the real thing. There are also MANY small time psychics and big time psychics that have not been challenged publicly, but even if they had that doesn't stop them and it doesn't stop the people who believe in them.

I have never been to one of these "Learn to be psychic" seminars/school/programs, nor have I ever pretended to be a wizard because I played DnD....but I can say, without much doubt...with an IQ of 155 (it shouldn't even require an IQ of that level), I would ultimately pick up on the fact that these "teachers" are simply teaching me to trick people and trying to get me to be delusional about my "ability." I'm not sure how someone could begin learning this stuff and not pick up on it right away. I THINK (not know) it's a matter of blissful willful ignorance tbh. Then again, that's just my opinion. lol

This same performing mentalist holds regular PK parties and metal bending parties. At these parties everyone is encouraged to stretch their psychic muscles and by the end metal is bent and people really believe that they have performed psychic feats.

Here's a video of a guy hosting a PK party in the 80's to give you an idea of what they are like:


People believe that they are psychic for the same reason that teenagers (and dome adults) believe in things like "Charlie Charlie are you there?" or in things like bloody Mary (legend says that if you turn around 3 times while chanting "Bloody Mary" in the bathroom all sorts of devilish things will happen). MANY adults believe in things like the Ouija Board. Maybe you don't but there are scores of good functioning adults that do.

This is at least one reason why ghost hunting is so popular. People go into the woods at night and experience very frightening things. They might experience something that they can't explain and attribute it to the super natural. They then go and spread the word to others that they believe in ghosts and they have had such and such an experience that "proves" it.

Ghosts are only a step away from psychic abilities and in 2017 most of the world still believes in ghosts. If you believe in ghosts is it too far fetched to believe that you can talk to or be guided by those ghosts or other unseen powers?

Here's a scientist that was convinced that he witnessed psychic phenomena:


Here are a couple videos claiming that they can teach you how to be psychic, I'm fairly certain that all of the people in these videos believe they have real psychic powers. Even if they don't, look at the comments. There are a ton of people who think that they are actually learning a skill here and they believe that they can become psychic:



 
Aug 25, 2017
172
93
Pittsburgh, PA
Now there was a thoughtful, insightful and intelligent reply.

You mentioned a few points that actually hit home for me and that is the "ghost" aspect. I see ghosts differently than the idea of spirits. I see ghosts as something more scientific than religious or theology. The human body is made of nothing but energy right down to molecular or atomic level (scientific fact). Energy never ceases to exist (also scientific fact...popularly stated by Einstein). When you combine those two concepts, you have the perfect ingredients for what some consider "ghosts." Whether this energy has the ability to think, speak, instruct or guide after departing the human body...no clue. However since I also don't believe in the stereotypical idea of "ghosts," I'd have trouble thinking that such could communicate. Of course that is also just my opinion, based on my experience (or lack of direct personal experience with "ghosts").

I hope no one misreads that and feels sleighted by thinking I inferred that they were "wrong." Just input to a, now, adult transfer of ideas on the topic.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
So say a friend of mine were to start believing he had psychic powers whilst doing all this^

Would it be wrong of me to tell him otherwise?

Is their belief in having psychic powers hurting anyone?

Does it give them some kind of comfort or confidence? ie: is it helping them?

Would challenging that belief actually improve their quality of life at all?

Could challenging that belief cause them harm? ie: Could convincing them that they don't have this special gift actually be damaging to their confidence or self esteem?

Is the reason you are considering telling them otherwise based in your own ego and feeling the need to be "right" about it?

I follow a simple rule: And it harm none, do what thou wilt. (No I'm not Wiccan, it's just a good way to live). There's a lot of people out there that believe things that don't appear to be objectively true. But it's not hurting anyone, and they are happier to have those beliefs, so removing those beliefs would be an act of causing harm.
 
Sep 30, 2017
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@gamedesign ~

Although you come across as confident, sometimes you have doubts that you are as good at what you do as people think. Deep down you know what you need to do to really become the best but that involves a lot more effort on your part.

You have a friend or relative who is in a long term relationship but you don't think they are truly happy. You need to let them find their own way.

You are thinking about making a change or decision in your life, but you are worried if it will all work out. You have to trust your instincts on that one.

There is a member of your family that you are upset with but you don't know how to go beyond it. You just need accept that they will never change.

The things you are saying are very vague though, this was not as vague as these examples.
 
Sep 30, 2017
5
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"You have a gray cat" is not vague either but this is also part of a cold read Darren Brown performed, as was "You drive an economy hybrid vehicle."

Don't get me wrong I do understand that this can be cold reading. It was just so weird. I wish I could get to the bottom of it and prove either way haha I am thinking of pressing my friend for specific details. What do you think?
 
Jan 26, 2017
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Don't get me wrong I do understand that this can be cold reading. It was just so weird. I wish I could get to the bottom of it and prove either way haha I am thinking of pressing my friend for specific details. What do you think?
As stated above the statement presented was incredibly vague. It's your own brain that is saying that it was super specific because you have associated the statement with a very specific example.
 
Feb 1, 2017
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235
If done correctly, be it magic or displays of psychic ability, people want to be fooled. If you're a good magician. If you're entertaining, engaging, the audience will want to see you succeed, which by definition means they want you to fool them. That is what we do.

I think the same goes for displays of psychic ability. Cold reading whatever. People want to be fooled. People want to believe in this stuff. There is a lot of things in life we cannot control. That scares people. Makes them uncomfortable. Getting a reading by a psychic will tell a person more about themselves. More about their life. And what this does is gives the person more control.

For this very reason I do believe someone claiming to have real psychic powers is very dangerous. This can easily be misused.

But I also don't agree with someone trying to disprove mystical things just because it doesn't fit into the framework of their beliefs.
 
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