| In this article I'd like to discuss cold reading techniques. | | | | Psychics who have been blindfolded, shielded and |
| What they are....but MORE importantly, what they're | | | | completely removed from their clients have given |
| NOT! Why is this so important? Because much really | | | | astonishingly accurate readings in lab conditions. |
| solid evidence of genuine psychic abilities and powers | | | | Tests like those done at the University of Arizona |
| has been "falsely" painted with the cold reading | | | | Veritas Program (where many mediums were studied |
| brush...making otherwise GENUINE psychics look guilty | | | | by believers and skeptics alike) would almost make |
| of the same sort of silliness that frauds and fakes | | | | cold reading so unlikely to explain some of the amazing |
| commonly use themselves. | | | | results....as to be ridiculous! |
| Okay... but what IS it anyway? | | | | And of course... a whole lot more serious studies as |
| Very simply, the process of formulating well thought | | | | well - including ones done by very prominent |
| out "guesses" based on statistics, to appear like you | | | | philosophers and scientists like William James, Sir |
| are psychic. (when you are really just playing the odds) | | | | Arthur Conan Doyle (the Author of Sherlock Holmes |
| What would be an example of cold reading | | | | and a BIG believer in the abilities of many mediums of |
| techniques? | | | | his day) and too many other "big names" to mention |
| Body language for one. A "medium", for example, that | | | | here. |
| tells a woman of 75 that her "husband has just | | | | But the #1 reason why cold reading is NOT a good |
| passed" can clearly be guessing that based on her | | | | explanation for psychic abilities? |
| age, right? A man who coughs repeatedly during a | | | | Because NO skeptic or "de bunker" has been able to |
| reading may be an obvious smoker, or have | | | | demonstrate cold reading successfully, with |
| emphysema. or problems with the chest. A young | | | | ANYWHERE near the same level of accuracy as |
| couple who comes in for a reading, and looks nervous | | | | psychic mediums we see on TV...or on the telephone. |
| and in grief....most likely has lost a small son or daughter. | | | | (like John Edward, George Anderson and other |
| There are all sort of "tells" that people give off that | | | | famous phone and "stage" psychics) |
| make cold reading reasonably easy... and in certain | | | | Did you know, for example that James Randi (the |
| conditions, it's not tough to see where people are | | | | famous magician and de bunker and founder of the 1 |
| taken in by this style of psychic session. | | | | million dollar psychic challenge) did SO badly |
| So does this sneaky technique explain ALL psychic | | | | "performing" a cold reading on a studio talk show |
| skill and ability? | | | | audience that they literally ended up "canning' the entire |
| Absolutely NOT! And what the skeptics and de | | | | episode! It's true...and while you won't hear it often, the |
| bunkers will not tell you is that in some cases....it's | | | | simple truth is that a good psychic...really IS a good |
| IMPOSSIBLE to use cold reading as a logical | | | | psychic! (no matter what the skeptics try to convince |
| explanation for many really impressive feats | | | | you they're doing to fool you! |
| performed by all sorts of psychic studies. | | | | |