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Alfred Borden New user 55 Posts |
Hello.
After deciding, which kind of readings I want to start with, I am now faced with the question how to best practice giving readings. I have read numerous times in the forum, that in order to become a good reader, you have to give a lot of readings and you have to be willing to fail. That is solid advice and I am willing to do that. The only problem is, I do not really know how. What would you advice me on how to get started giving a lot of readings? How did you get practice? I am also interested in your advice on how to get started in times of the corona virus? How can I practice, when I cannot really meet people? Thank you very much. |
The_MetalMaster Veteran user Indiana 320 Posts |
I perform readings doing trade shows, and home psychic parties. I got my start about six years ago giving them at Hooters! I remember learning the heart, head, and life line one week then met up with some friends there on a Friday night, and before you know it our table is swarmed with the Hooters waitresses. Every time I went back they all recognized me and always brought the new girl with them, and many more. This encouraged me to learn all about palmistry (and eventually the tarot, numerology, A-Z) I could give a good 20 minute reading a few months after I started. Now I could probably go much longer but rarely do. 5-20 minutes seems to be the average depending on where I’m booked. Good luck!
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Mr. Woolery Inner circle Fairbanks, AK 2149 Posts |
Are your readings meant to answer questions or describe the person? That’s a truly essential difference.
Description is a simple answer. Just pick random letters (Scrabble tiles) and practice stating the readings out loud. Have a photo or a stuffed animal or something that lets you practice eye contact. Just do it over and over until you can do it confidently. For answers, I suggest Dear Abby. These are real questions from real people. Don’t read her answer until you have answered the question yourself. Then compare. She is paid to answer these questions and must be at least decent at it to keep her job. If your answers consistently are as good as hers, you are really getting somewhere with it. After that, you have to start reading real people. Do your practice, then take it into the real world. I suggest aiming to give free readings as soon as quarantine is over. Of course, Skype and Zoom make it possible to do by long distance, but then you are generally reading folks you already know. Which is no bad thing, but it is reading for strangers that will make the difference. Patrick |
Mr. Woolery Inner circle Fairbanks, AK 2149 Posts |
I’m not in Iain’s league, but when we had a local Witchy shop, I used to give readings there 2 days a week, so I’m not totally ignorant about doing it cold. I did palm and tarot.
Patrick |
Jed Maxwell Regular user 133 Posts |
Could someone post video/audio of what they believe a "good" reading looks/sounds like?
I'll start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hta0ndC7Dqw |
IAIN Eternal Order england 18807 Posts |
I've asked to be banned
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ddyment Inner circle Gibsons, BC, Canada 2499 Posts |
As the OP didn't make it clear exactly what stage of practice is being considered, I'll just briefly review my overall thoughts on the matter. There are really four stages ...
1) Learn the chosen oracle. Learn the meanings of the various components of the oracle, and then learn their meanings in combination. This may seem obvious, but too many don't really learn enough about the oracle, and find that their readings very quickly run out of steam. Of course there's a related issue here: the choice of oracle. Again, too many opt for "simplified" systems that are easily learned, but contain insufficient depth to do serious readings. This may suffice for the entertainer who just "wants to add a little cold reading", but will prove woefully inadequate over the long term. There's a reason why oracles that are steeped in anthropological and divinatory history (cartomancy, numerology, astrology, geomancy, I Ching, etc.) are the long-time favourites. 2) Learn to give fluent readings to many different types of clients. There are on-line tools (I offer several here) that can get you through this stage. Whatever tool you use, make sure that it incorporates an element that describes the sitter, as you need to learn to give readings for a wide range of people without hesitation. 3) Start reading for actual people. Keep the readings short (no more than a minute or two) and free at first, and don't hold yourself out as an expert on the topic. In fact, I recommend that readers never proclaim themselves as experts, but always as "students" of the art. Let the clients come to conclusions based on how good you are, not what you (perhaps falsely) claim. When clients start to ask for longer readings, you're ready for the final stage. 4) Give longer readings for actual people. Again, depending on one's goals, this step may never be taken. If you do take it, though, be sure to master the earlier steps first. I've written a broad-based essay on the topic of cold reading in general, and you will likely find some useful information there. As you are likely aware, Richard Webster is the "go to" author for books about all aspects of reading (including the business). Richard has even written a number of free essays that offer suggestions to newer readers. Good luck!
The Deceptionary :: Elegant, Literate, Contemporary Mentalism ... and More :: (order "Calculated Thoughts" from Vanishing Inc.)
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Nestor D Special user France (Paris) 830 Posts |
Contact your friends to schedule one reading a day over Zoom (or any video conferencing system) with a maximum of them (it is harder to do if you read palms as you will have to ask them to take a picture, or better a scan, of their palm).
I can promise you that they will be entousiast at the idea of getting a reading (this step is even easier these days as everyone is in lockdown) The next step is to ask them to introduce you to two of their friends (if possible people that you don't know) that would probably also like a reading. Keep going until you have become an expert reader |
John C Eternal Order I THINK therefore I wrote 12941 Posts |
My only addition would be during walk around closeup gigs add your knowledge as it progresses to a short card reading or whatever oracle you’ve chosen.
Doug’s advice is golden. It’s really all you need, for now. You will get mired down in advice here in the Café. Take it judiciously. |
Silversleights04 Regular user Houston, Texas 182 Posts |
I don't really do standalone readings, but from what I've seen, if you put a listing on a public forum like Reddit or other social media offering "free personal psychic readings" you'll have plenty of practice sessions booked in no time.
If you still can't get eager volunteers online (I believe you definitely can), here's a fun idea: you could try to practice on a TV show/movie character? You usually get an introduction to the character to get an initial impression you can build off of, pause the video, offer your reading based on your preferred system to your preferred depth, and voila, practice! You can get pretty good at catering the reading to the subject based on initial impressions and the more intimately you know the character's story, the more specifically vague and vaguely specific you can make the reading. Happy reading friend!
-Magic sees Magic-
-Marco V- |
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