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Yaniv Deautsch Special user Israel 529 Posts |
I was in the middle of a cold reading bit when the women asked me:'Are you doing cold reading?'
all i could think was:'Cold Reading? what is Cold Reading?' that was my answer. What do you think? What should i said? Do you have a better answer? Yaniv Deautsch |
Ian Rowland Special user London 889 Posts |
I think what you say depends on what impression you want to convey.
Some options... 1. The Profound Ignorance Ploy. "Did you say you're cold? Do they need to turn the heating up in here? Oh... what? 'Cold reading'? Not sure what you mean. We'll talk about that later, let me just deal with this interesting facet of your chart first..." 2. The Good-natured Deflection Ruse. Offer a simple, friendly smile, and a pleasant shake of the head as if this is a common, but forgiveable, error. Allow your voice to be filled with the weight of wisdom and experience. "No, I know what you mean, but that stuff's just for people who read tea-leaves for fun". 3. The Intellectual Wriggle Free. "Well, it could be argued that in some respects cold reading and that kind of fakery shares many characteristics of the genuine article. But it is improtant not to confuse the two, or else you may not get as much out of the reading as I want you to. It is good to be cautious, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water" (adjust colloquial expression to suit your language/culture). 4. The Loopy Logic Lesson. "This is for real. Cold reading is merely cheap imitation. There may be cheap copies of the Mona Lisa, but the real thing is still immensely valuable". 5. The Make-A-Choice Manoeuvre. "I'm not using cold reading or anything like that. I am doing my best to help you and share with you some of the insights I perceive. If this is what you want, we can proceed. If you want to be cynical and dismissive, then the reading is concluded. Which is it to be?". 6. The Geniality Kludge. "Well, sort of, I know what you mean. But not exactly. Cold reading is just about fuzzy guesses, like your horoscope in the paper. This is much more interesting and detailed. Shall we continue?" 7. The Desperation Ditch. Pull gun. Shoot client. Dispose of body cleanly and taking care to remove all forensic clues (watch 'CSI' on TV and take notes). 8. The Switchback Scenario. "Why do you say that? What's on your mind?" 9. The Flop. "Gosh, is that the time? I really must go. Sorry. Bye!" 10. The Drew McAdam. Say little or nothing. Get out of the situation as calmly and quietly as possible. Go outside. Slash tyres of client's car. Smile. Re-join the party.
www.ianrowland.com . Working Magic.
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Philemon Vanderbeck Inner circle Seattle, WA 4694 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-07-08 13:29, Yaniv Deautsch wrote: Actually, not a bad response... I'm curious, what was her reply? And if a client figures out you're doing 'cold reading' then perhaps it's time to re-examine your technique. :evilgrin: BTW, 'cold reading' is a term that is sometimes used by the shut-eyes to refer to a psychic reading that is done 'cold' (without any prior knowledge of the querent). Similar to when an actor 'cold reads' from a script they've never seen before.
Professor Philemon Vanderbeck
That Creepy Magician "I use my sixth sense to create the illusion of possessing the other five." |
Darmoe Special user Ohio 741 Posts |
I'll add to Philmon's note here... some in the New Age/Shut Eye world think a "Cold Reading" means "without" card or whatever... like an Aura Reading... following your gut, etc. Some use the term to refer to people that are hard to read e.g. they are cold vs. hot and easy to read.
Most shuteye types faint when they discover that such a psychological system exists... then again, if you find the old salts out there, they love to chat openly and honestly (with other "proven" Readers) about watching body language, etc. In short, they see it as "Honest" and logical "cheating" every salesman and counselor on earth uses... for that matter, we all use it we just don't realize it... go figure! Getting caught up using a Formulated Reading ain't hard to do and many a magician that think they know it all about this kind of work GET CAUGHT! Slight of mind is much more difficult than slight of hand... if you think you can BS clients with some of the tripe I've seen published as explanations to "how it all works" yuo might as well slash your wrist now. My advice would be to learn about PEOPLE... learn techniques other than what the magician's books tell you... like, use of the actual divination formulas (You'll be shocked as to how accurate you'll hit just doing that WITHOUT the psycho-babble magician's claim to be needed.) The other thing is learning how to passively control the sitter and control their focus... one of the reasons why I love Kenton Knepper's material on this topic. All else fails follow Ian's suggestion above... SHOOT TO KILL!
"I firmly believe that of all the Arts and Crafts of Mentalism, there is nothing more satisfying than one who is a first-class Reader. It is the ultimate in Mentalism..." - Tony Corinda * 13 Steps To Mentalism
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shrink Inner circle 2609 Posts |
HI..
A good practice when anyone challenges you in anything is not to resist,but to go in their direction, then transition them to where you want to go. For example in this context you could say something like.. " Well yeah I do in a sense use cold reading in that I don't know anything about you and am reading you cold . I'm not sure if I believe in psychic ability but over the years I have worked with many people and have developed an intution that gives me impressions about what they think and what might be happening in their lives. " I can tell sometimes from the way they hold themselves or the way they move that...for example I sense about you...." (go into a quick basic reading then ask them to hold up there hand and continue) You won't get any resistance because of the following. 1)You've shown no resistance in fact you have went in the direction they started. 2)you have defined cold reading to them. 3)You have taken away the possibilty of being challenged that psychics are fake. 4)You have replaced the controvertial "psychic" word with a plausible explanation. Which will make them curious. 5)You've started to read them. I have done the above on a number of occasions and the more I claim not to be psychic the more they claim it for me. |
mysticz Special user D.C. metro area 680 Posts |
If a sitter has cause to challenge or question you concerning whether you are using "cold reading" techniques, then perhaps you should re-examine how you are going about presenting your readings.
Using stock reading lines, the old Barnum statements, vague references, and generalized b.s. that is not intimately connected to a recognizable New Age/occult system will probably be challenged by any moderately intelligent sitter. The fact that someone has cause to even consider the possibility that you are using deceptive techniques reflects a serious deficiency your approach to this craft. Please remember that if you are to be believable as a psychic reader, you must learn a credible reading system and present it as if you were a shut-eye disciple yourself. Mindlessly using the baloney found in most "cold reading for magicians" books is both fatal to the veracity of your readings as well as your perception to others as a believable psychic. Keep in mind that there are no fast and easy methods you can buy to excel in this craft. Only study, practise, and dedication. However, if someone were to question whether I was using "cold reading techiques" (and in over 20 years of providing professional entertainment using psychic readings, no one has ever asked me that question), I would merely explain to them how the configuration of the mounts or lines I read in their palms reflected my observation in question. In other words, I can always explain my statements in the context of classical palmistry (or tarot, depending on which system I am using). Joe Zabel
Joe Zabel
"Psychic Sorcery" There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. -- Shakespeare's Hamlet I.v. 174-175 |
Huw Collingbourne Loyal user Devon, UK 201 Posts |
I wonder if those of you in this forum who actually do cold readings might clarify how you present them? Do you actually try to persuade a sitter that you are genuinely clairvoyant? Or do you tell them that you are doing a special type of mentalism performance?
best wishes Huw |
Philemon Vanderbeck Inner circle Seattle, WA 4694 Posts |
I tell them that I'm a tarot reader, rune caster, or dream interpreter.
Professor Philemon Vanderbeck
That Creepy Magician "I use my sixth sense to create the illusion of possessing the other five." |
mysticz Special user D.C. metro area 680 Posts |
I am hired as a psychic and that is how I present myself.
Joe Z.
Joe Zabel
"Psychic Sorcery" There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. -- Shakespeare's Hamlet I.v. 174-175 |
Darmoe Special user Ohio 741 Posts |
My position is a bit unique in that I never promote myself to be anything other than a "Psychic Entertainer"... it's on my business cards, table tents, etc. However, unlike many in this business I have some rather interesting credentials that envelope a strong reputation and family legacy associated with "The Pagan Way" and "Spiritualism"... to coins a phrase "It's a family traditions..."
My work as a legit speaker, teacher and writer within the Shut Eye market adds a kind of "assumed" status or image around me. Because I actually worked with and knew people like Louise L. Hay, Marrianne Williamson, etc.(for over 10-years) I have a reputable foundation that can be tracked... the whole of these things creating the best illusion in my arsenal -- that of a modern-day mystic/Wizard. Yes, I do define myself as a Psychic... I've shared my position on what that means, to me at lest, and why I do not see using that association as being misleading (it is merely people's misinterpretation and assumptions that create this idea). I do not claim any special powers but do claim some uncanny abilities that I've invested my entire adult life investigating and trying to better understand. Ironically, this "truth" also falls hand in hand with the circumstances noted above. To get to the point and respond to the proposed question by Huw... I allow folks to assume a heck of a lot. Sometimes it works to my benefit, sometimes it can prove a curse... but it is who and what I am and for me, "telling the truth" as it were, works!
"I firmly believe that of all the Arts and Crafts of Mentalism, there is nothing more satisfying than one who is a first-class Reader. It is the ultimate in Mentalism..." - Tony Corinda * 13 Steps To Mentalism
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Huw Collingbourne Loyal user Devon, UK 201 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-07-09 13:09, Darmoe wrote: Thanks for the replies. I find this all quite fascinating. On the one hand, a performer who is slightly 'economical with the truth' about his or her 'powers' seems to go against the traditional - what shall we call it? - "magicians' ethics". On the other hand, your clients are employing you to produce a certain effect and, by heck, that's what you are giving them! So, as long as they are satisfied, who's complaining...? I shall obviously have to do some more serious research into this whole subject. Once again, thanks for sharing your experience and opinions. best wishes Huw |
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