All the input is appreciated!

If you are looking for a book on how to do any form of reading I can only recommend one. Everyone should own the Full Facts Book of Cold Reading by Ian Rowland

http://www.ian-rowland.com



It has taught me so much about cold reading.

Hi Ichazod

If you can get a hold of back issues of Bascom Jones "Magick" there is a wealth of information there. Someone, I don’t remember who, republished "Magick" but they left out what I think was some of the best material, the inserts that appeared with each issue.

In Magick. Dwight

Dwight,



Can you private message me about those inserts? I am doing the same with my magazine, AM/PM, and was wondering the reaction to them in the past as well as if they are still around or got tossed in the intervening time period.



Thanks,



Tom

Wooooah! Did anybody actually read the posting by mark Mcdermott? Having seen Mr Rowland up against a genuine tarot reader as part of a newspaper feature article, I can tell you that Ian’s methods and techniques left the "psychic" trailing in his wake.



If you want to "read" tarot, tea-leaves, mucus stained handkerchiefs or chicken entrails, the technique is the same – cold reading. And the only thing worth reading, because it contains everything you could possibly want to perform miraculous readings, is Ian’s Full Facts book – not “How to divine the stars” books. Trust me on this.

I have to disagree (slightly) with Drew here. I agree with him that a good knowledge of cold reading is invaluable to anyone doing tarot, astrology, runes, or whatever. In fact, an astrologer using cold reading techniques is going to do a better job, IMO, than one who is simply reading things based on what the books say. But I disagree with him that a working knowledge of cold reading is all you need. If you are planning to use the tarot as a prop, a good working knowledge of the deck is essential. The cards have specific meanings, and sometimes the people who ask you for advice will know what many of the cards mean (this is even truer in astrology, where telling someone that Capricorns are flamboyant chance-takers will destroy any credibility you have). Also, knowing the cards can help you get creative in your cold reading. It gives you a framework on which to lay sound practical advice. By all means, study the tarot if you are interested in doing readings, then use cold reading techniques to make your readings stronger.

There are a gazillion books explaining the Tarot, and in reality, any one of them would be fine. I suspect that if you’re using good cold reading techniques alongside the cards, the small summaries that come with most tarot decks will give you all the information you really need -- although having some extra information for embellishment would be a plus. That said, my standard reference is A.E. Waite’s The Pictorial Key to the Tarot.



I’ll also ditto the opinion that tricks done with a tarot deck shouldn’t look like a "card trick." In reality, tarot decks really did begin their existence as merely something to play games with (at least as far as most of the population was concerned -- there’s an argument to be made that they did have special meaning to the Templars) but that isn’t the public perception today, and let’s be glad of it. We should be milking their image as Something Special, rather than undermining it.



Of course, there are many fun ways to dress up a card trick so that is comes across as something more. I’m rather fond of using tarot cards for Rosini’s "Double Reverse." A brief reading can be based upon the spectators choice, while reversal of the cards proves the appropriateness of the selections. My selection is inevitably The Magician.

I spent the last few days intensely studying the Tarot, not as hard as I thought. Now I just need to get Ian’s cold reading book combined with practice & I will be set.

Thank you all for the input, you have been a tremendous help to me in sharing your experience.









_________________

Thanx,

Ichazod





"May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house."

Hi,

I read Tarot and Numerology. I would recommend the following books:

Tarot:
78 degrees of wisdom vol 1
78 degrees of wisdom vol 2
Classic Tarot spreads

Cold reading:
Anything by Herb Dewey
Anything by R. Webster

Making money as a reader:
Money Making Tarot Parties
Written by me contact me for information
dan.kirsch@hem.utfors.se

Yours faithfully

Dan Kirsch

The thing to remember about doing readings is many people take them seriously. And if you do them so should you. A reading though entertaining, does not fall in to the "now for my next miracle" category. While I'm not reccomending becoming a fortune teller, consider the querents feelings before attempting a reading. And as far as cold reading, ignore the Barnum effect & Earle's Classic reading. There are no statements that apply to every one
from
Ford

Hi guys!
For some spooky stuff, read dem old bones!
I found some small rings made of bone with carvings on them. I get the spectator to drop the bone rings onto the table as if it were an 'I Ching' reading (with sticks). If they are leaning on one another (something is weighing heavily on your subconcious). If one rolls away from the group (there is some issue you may be avoiding), and so on.
Hope this helps!

Ichazod,

Tarot reading, like all divination, is dependent on individual style and personality. Quality readings are creative and interactive. Just as some magicians err by following the script of a commercial routine rather than adapting the effect and routine to their own personality, so too do some readers err by delivering memorized script. I realize that this flies in the face of some cold reading experts (particularly those from the skeptic camp) but I find that readings produced by formula simply come off as, well, formulaic.

I find the greatest satisfaction from a combination of open-eye and shut-eye technique. Study of shut-eye technique will acquaint one with the history, keys, and symbolism of the cards. There are many decks and many keys for tarot. These are not in synch. There just is no agreed upon meanings for the cards through history. There are symbolic systems, cabalistic systems, intuitive systems, and others. One can select one such system and stick with it. Some borrow what they like from different systems to construct their own hybrid.

I generally use the Waite-Coleman cards (and variations). I follow the symbolism of the cards and build my reading from the story that builds out of the symbols in the cards dealt. Some readers do excellent work just from their knowledge of the cards.

Joan Bunning has a terrific Website and a book "Learning the Tarot" which is based on the Waite-Coleman style decks. http://www.learntarot.com/top.htm
What I like best about her direction is the descriptions she provides of the cards. I learn the cards by keeping a journal and drawing a new card each day. I describe the card in detail in the journal and fill in what I can about the symbolism of the details (e.g. a white lily, a red rose, a cloud, flames, an orb, etc.) There are several dictionaries of symbolism (generally) and "Tarot Companion" by Tracy Porter provides a guide to tarot symbolism. To be complete I find that I must use numerous sources and do some research. But then, degree of completeness is a matter of personal style, not a necessity.

Add to this some open-eye cold reading technique in order to introduce character reading, past hits, and issue identification. When I do a spread, I point out some details in the cards - which is a great way to control the sitter's attention - then I build a story that these selected elements of the cards tell (there are at least a dozen or so in each card, so the varieties of stories are limitless) and weave cold reading work into the story.

A wonderful source that melds knowledge of the oracles with cold reading technique is Oort Journal, a quarterly newsletter for the professional cold reader, put out by Philemon Vanderbeck http://www.elementalent.com. A best-of collection of Oort articles is available at magic shops.

If you are interested in the keys (a set of interpretations of the cards), the "Tarot Dictionary and Compendium" by Jana Riley collects together the keys of 15 traditional Tarot interpreters for each card, allowing for easy cross referencing. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0......-8649532

I hope this is useful data.

Question: is anyone interested in talking tarot lore and interpretation?

In good spirit,

Jon

For the beginners in Tarot Reading, know that Joan Bunning created a second free on-line tarot course called Tarot for Beginners. The course has 8 completely new lessons and uses her online book Learning the Tarot as the supplementary text.

Tarot for Beginners runs for 5 1/2 weeks. A new lesson, assignment and short quiz are posted twice a week for the first four weeks and then there is time for extra study. There is an optional message board where you can ask questions and share with your instructor and fellow students.

Tarot for Beginners is free via the Barnes and Noble University.

Next class will begin on 5th of March. See you there!

It's already been said...but I thought I'd put in my two cents. As much as I don't want too many mentalist to know about this book, I feel obligated to mention it again.... Ian's FFB. Thats all you need. The cards, the crystal ball, the stones, don't mean nothing,..(IMHO)unless you really are psychic...they are their to help you out, and to make the sitter comfortable that what you are saying is in part due to the cards/ball/stones. I also believe very much in what Ruthchild once said about readings.
I'm just paraphrasing now. Something along the lines of "If a magician places a coin in the left had to make it disappear, he must look intently at the left hand and believe the coin IS IN THE HAND, even though its not.
The disappearance is that more credible. So to then the reader must believe he is giving a genuine reading. They trust you. You are dealing with people's lifes here. You must be kind and believe in what you are doing.
The book you need to get,..you already said you know so, no need to mention it again.
I know my readings have been phenomenal because of the book. Thank you Ian.

My two lira's....sorry Uro's .

Enrico.

Dear Jon,

Thank you for your kind words regarding my humble publication.

If anyone would like to check out a sample article and obtain ordering information, they can visit the OORT website at:

http://elementalent.com/oort.htm

(It's not directly accessible from the main page.)

Also, I've compiled a bibliography of good resources for the cold reader that's also available online at:

http://elementalent.com/biblio.htm

Thanks!

Thank you all for the advice, I am doing Tarot readings more frequently now. I have drawn from many sources & everyone has been absolutely thrilled with the readings. I even have people coming back to me to tell me how accurate the reading was.

I am really enjoying this alot, thank you all again for the great advice.

A lot has been said about which book to buy or what web site to check out. I am going to take a moment and go a different direction. I offer this for informational purposes only, for those that may be able to use it. It is not my gig, but who am I?

Ok, if you are doing Tarot readings, to what end are you doing them? If you are doing a reading and discover (insert whatever you like), what are you as a reader going to do for your client? If you actually have a client then you goal, is clear, "To separate your client from their money as qucikly as possible, while providing some kind of service."

If during the process of conducting your reading, your may find it useful to offer a tarot spell (at an additional cost of course or for simple presentation effect), to solve or help with (insert whatever you wish). This being the case, I would suggect the following books:

Tarot Spells by Janina Renee

Tarot: Your Everyday Guide: Practical Problem Solving and Everyday Advice by Janina Renee

I would like to stress, this is not my gig. As someone who was at one time, in the know with Pegan's WICCA and such (MM to any on this list), the above books are considered good starting points.

Just me,

Kevin

In several previous posts, the use of Cold-reading has been recommended as being better than conforming to Tarot books. The point is that many querents familiar with Tarot-meanings will expect the reader to conform to certain specific meanings. In that case, the use of Cold reading would be better if used with TEA-LEAF reading. That is because Tea-leaf reading is basically a RORSCHACH ink-blot test, therefore NOT confined as compared to Tarot.

I agree with Ford Kross!!!!