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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:04 am

Do they exist?

I was walking down the road and this lady who is walking by stops and says I'm giving such a strong energy that she needs to tell me that I don't need to do something. I was totally surprised that this woman knew I was thinking of doing this - as I've only told 5 people - who are very close friends.

How did she know?

She said I should come to her office and sit with her for an official reading. I then asked her to tell me what she gets from my friend - and it was only good things - also accurate - but mine was negative.

Why?

HOW did she know what she knows? SHOULD I go to her office for an official reading tomorrow?

I'm freaked out that she knew what she did. She was NOT fishing - she had DETAILS - details from my past and from my teenage years - SPECIFIC - and I did NOT give ANY leading information.

Anyone here have an experience to share?

I've NEVER been to a psychic before and always smirked at the idea. Now I am approached by one - and I have to admit - what she told me scares me.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:16 am

I think generally baiters are cynical - either that's what brings us here in the first place or after reading about lads for long enough we get cynical about everything.

I don't believe in psychics or any of that "mumbo jumbo" but then I've always been a cynic.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:32 am

So how did she know this specific info?

The only other explanation is that she's psycho and has followed me and listened to private phone conversations - and that is SCARY!

So either way - I am FREAKED OUT.

Being cynical - - can you explain how she knew what she did?

I am scared to death - I'm afraid to go to sleep in my apartment alone tonight!

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:34 am

I'm not ruling out the possibility that psychic powers exist.

But if they do, they're not possessed by people who solicit business from people on the street.

Without having any more details my instincts tell me: total con job.

Unless she named VERY specific events in your life then she was using her excellent read of people to gather enough information to make assessments. Not unlike that joke John Edwards.

Think about it: did she say anything that was wrong and then retracted it and corrected it but you forgot about it because you were focused on the fact she got somethings right? If so, she was fishing for information and ideas.

She's a business woman, that's all. In my opinion it's a scam like any other, except she will solicit your trust, not your greed... probably worse.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:38 am

I lkie the one's that ask where you live, how old you are, ect. "Hey, you're the psychic. You tell me. That's when it gets creepy too. Too much info going out. I'm just a secretive person.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:39 am

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

Do they exist?

How did she know?

...but mine was negative. Why?

HOW did she know what she knows?

SHOULD I go to her office for an official reading tomorrow?

Anyone here have an experience to share?

No

Lucky guess?

If yours was positive, would you be considering an "official" reading?

No

No experience, but it reeks of BS to me.

Eliza, you're giving such a strong energy that I need to tell you that you don't need to do something.... [whispers] Don't go see the psychic [/whispers] Laughing

Seriously, if she felt strongly enough about this "energy" that she needed to warn you, why didn't she just warn you and be done with it? This sounds a lot like AFF to me, just a different format (I assume the "official" reading will involve payment).

Just my opinion. Smile

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:42 am

Here is the thing:

I am trained to counsel people - and I can play poker - - I have a good face that is blank.

I offered NOTHING. I know people fish - so I knew if she was going to con - I wasn't giving her anything to fish for.

She knew SPECIFICS. She even had a year and told me how it tied into this. She said that she knows that I'm afraid of making a bad mistake and said EXACTLY what the mistake was. She said specifics. That is what scares me. It wasn't a fish. I did not smile - I did not frown - I just listened - with my neutral face. And she didn't ask for confirmations. She just TOLD ME.

I've always been cynical - I've always smirked at the idea of a psychic - - I've laughed at people for wasting money on them.

She just said that by walking by me - she felt this huge negative energy - and that with this decision I was about to make - DO NOT do it. She listed WHY. She knew specifics. Things I've only shared with 5 people lately. HOW did she know?

I don't know.

This is why I'm trying to figure this out....because I have a hard time believing in psychics - - so how did she know my info? The only other way would be to stalk me.........and why would she do that?

So I'm still freaked out.

Im also VERY tempted to go let her do an official reading with the cards - she said that there was some interference but the cards would tell it like it is.

Oh - one more thing...

Why was I (or am I) even thinking - "Should I go for an official reading?"

It's because I was thinking of making a decision that is life changing. She told me NOT to. She said that the reason I was going to make this decision is because I have some kind of negative energy - she doesn't know what it is because of the interference and could tell me if we could sit quietly away from others and in her office.

She knew exactly what this thing is. She said that this person in my life who was trying to talk me into doing this is someone I need to cut out of my life or I will just keep attracting this person in my life and will make a huge decision that will make me unhappy and will affect my life - but if I cut this person out and do not do what this person has asked, then I will be happy. She said - but you keep getting drawn to this person - and it's due to a negative energy.

I don't know how she knows that this person has been trying to talk me into this. AS I stated - 5 people know about this.

Combined the posts. TS

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:49 am

Did she know your plan to steal our Grand Poobah's cat?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:50 am

What good will come of it? Would you really be comfortable making an important decision based on what someone that you literally "just met on the street" says? In the end you should make up your own mind regarding whether or not you actually do whatever it is that she warned you about. My gut reaction is if you are putting much value into what this person says, you've already made up your mind what you should or shouldn't do, you just haven't convinced yourself yet. Wink

EDIT>>> I hadn't read your last post at the time I posted this. Is there ANY chance that one of your 5 friends feel strongly against you doing this and could have set this up to try and sway your decision?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:58 am

I feel like I'm being baited.

If I were you I'd be very concerned as to how she knows these specific details. That's not psychic that's psychotic. Don't tell me she can read your mind, because, again, if she can, she wouldn't be soliciting business on the street.

If you've got spare cash, hire a private investigator to find out what is going on, if she approaches you again, get a restraining order.

Oh, one last thought, you're being punk'd?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:07 am

well...the idea that someone didn't like the idea of me making this decision and setting me up is possible....and I didn't think of that before. I can't hire a private detective, but I can fish with the 5 people who know - to see if any of them say anything.....I guess I'll keep this whole psychic thing quiet around them - and see if they ask or something. Thanks for giving me that heads up because if I would have my friends right here right now - I'd be telling them about this experience - and then they'd have the opportunity to feed off of it - especially if I was set up. So I'll be really quiet.

It was still weird. Maybe the decision I should make is to move out of this city - so many weird things happen here!

Edit: I just called my ex to ask him if there's any way someone in his family could know that we saw each other over the weekend and that we were discussing being back together. He didn't pick up his phone, so I just asked him to call me back.

Now - I did what the "psychic" said not to do - - contact the person she said that I needed to get out of my life....

(He and I are from two different cultures - and his family does NOT want us together - - about 4 years ago, they hired a private detective to find out why he wouldn't marry this one girl - and he came back with photos of us together. It was NOT good - so my ex and I ended up breaking up)

So the idea of his family finding out once again is possible. Or I have found a psychic who is saying - do not agree to get back with him, etc.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:34 am

Eliza

You�re having problems in your love life. You�re a woman, of course a man is asking you to do something you don�t really want to do. This bothers you. These things aren�t hard to pick up on.

If I were to say that if you go to this reading tomorrow you will be asked to pay a fee, does that make me psychic? Because really I�m not.

Quote:

Things I've only shared with 5 people lately

These five people weren't female were they? Females gossip you know.

Kidding really just kidding about the last part. But yes, maybe one of them put this person up to it. (I would lean more on her just picking up on the obvious)

** ACCOUNT CLOSED ** Joined: 15 Apr 2007 Posts: 766

@Eliza:

Good guess. She said the same thing to everyone. You just happened to be her "hit." We naturally remember hits more than misses.

Also, she did not tell you anything specific; you supplied the detail.

It is hard to analyze an anecdote not having been there, but many do what is known as "cold reading" which is just a glorified "20 questions." It is surprising how people do not know they give the information that a "psychic" then gives back to them. They will even deny giving this information until you show them a transcript of the reading.

Seriously.

However, frankly I have to repeat the observation of Penn Jillette--where where the psychics on September 10th.?

--J.D.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:38 am

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

Here is the thing:

I am trained to counsel people - and I can play poker - - I have a good face that is blank.

Eliza, we (humans) tend to remember things that people say that are important to us and our situation. We discount or "forget" what poeple say that is not related to us and our sitution. Kind of like when you buy a dress/hair cut/car and then notice all of the others who have a similar dress/hair cut/ car.

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

Here is the thing:

I offered NOTHING. I know people fish - so I knew if she was going to con - I wasn't giving her anything to fish for.

These people are very adept at reading the most minute of changes in our face, body language etc. They make a living from it. Are you certain that you weren't looking pre-occupied as you walked by?

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

She knew SPECIFICS. She even had a year and told me how it tied into this. She said that she knows that I'm afraid of making a bad mistake and said EXACTLY what the mistake was. She said specifics. That is what scares me. It wasn't a fish. I did not smile - I did not frown - I just listened - with my neutral face. And she didn't ask for confirmations. She just TOLD ME.

I would need to spend very little time with you and I would be able to predict some things about you and your life too. It drives my wife nuts when I do that to people. I am NOT psychic, I am trained (PM me if you what to know in what...), and I am real good at it too.

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

I've always been cynical - I've always smirked at the idea of a psychic - - I've laughed at people for wasting money on them.

Often cynics are the best ones for "psychics" to work over... er... um... I mean on, because once one thing is guessed correctly, the cynic begins to doubt their reality base and then they give away more and more that "makes" the psychic "right".

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

She just said that by walking by me - she felt this huge negative energy - and that with this decision I was about to make - DO NOT do it.

Of course she did, you were preoccupied and were not prepared to be met with such a person on the street. Your guard was down. Also, most people are working on decisions all of the time. Just as hypnotists are able to judge those most suggestable, psychics are able to read their potential customers.

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

She listed WHY.

Did she or did you "hear" her list why?

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

She knew specifics. Things I've only shared with 5 people lately.

You also shared it with her in a way you didn't realize.

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

HOW did she know?

She didn't! She guessed using her knowledge of your demeaner, stage in life and reactions to her presentation.

If she had not "hit" something with you, you would have walked on and she would have tried her tripe on the next person to come along. If you don't believe it, take some time and watch her from a distance and you will she what she does.

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

I don't know.

I do!

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

This is why I'm trying to figure this out....because I have a hard time believing in psychics - - so how did she know my info?

She didn't

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

The only other way would be to stalk me.........and why would she do that?

Very doubtful, she wouldn't have time to do that (in most cases). What would she get out of it? A reading? For how much?

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

So I'm still freaked out.

This works to her favor! You are now her "mark".

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

Im also VERY tempted to go let her do an official reading with the cards - she said that there was some interference but the cards would tell it like it is.

See if she will wait to be paid until "it" comes out the way she predicts! You'll find out how "confident" she is in her con!! Shocked

[Yoda voice mode] Eliza, you are young and have yet to learn the ways of the force! [/voice mode] Laughing

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:48 am

I watched a programme recently with Darren Brown called 'Mind games'. He fascinates me, but he's also a bit Penn and Teller ie gives the game away.
Anyway, he got 10 people from all over the place, non of them knew each other.
He spoke to each one for about 10seconds, then went off to do a 'personal reading' for each.
When he gave them their personal readings, they each went off into a corner to read. Every single person said he was 90 - 99% correct. That he knew too much personal information about them to not be pshycic.
He then asked them to swap 'personal readings.' He had written exactly the same for each one.
Real pshycics? Dunno, John Edwards is incredible with the personal information he gives out.
Someone who stops you on the street and then tells you to go for an official reading? Sorry, con.
Just my very humble opinion Eliza Wink

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 86

Psychics

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:52 am

I have done a bit of research on psychics and their techniques. If you don't know their techniques, you won't realize they are being used, and you will be fooled if the person is good enough.

I suggest you read this article and click the links therein: http://skepdic.com/coldread.html. There are also a lot of great youtube videos about psychics, such search for psychic+skeptic. Do some deeper thinking on exactly what was said and you may realize that the reading was not as spiritual as you thought it was.

Also keep this in mind... For all you know, this lady walks down the street all day long approaching people and guessing at some problem in their life. If she guesses right in only one in a hundred people, it will be worth it for the hundreds of dollars she is going to charge you for how ever many readings she can get you to attend. Also keep in mind that many people have the same problems and they all involve similar details; Did she guess at something that is common among a lot of other people besides you?

If you think she is really real then send her to James Randi. Maybe she will finally be able to get that million dollar reward for proving her ability.

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 86

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

Edit: I just called my ex to ask him if there's any way someone in his family could know that we saw each other over the weekend and that we were discussing being back together.

Eliza_Doolittle wrote:

@juan - - yeah - he's an "ex" but he still bought my plane ticket and is paying for the hotel room and everything else - so the least I can do is give him the attention he wants. I am very aware that this trip is for ummmmm sex and that we are NOT going to be back together....and I'm ok with that - - he's VERY good in that department Laughing

Huh.... and to think.. I was going to post this:

lucky777 wrote:

Careful..... that's how it begins.

Does this make me a psychic!?!? I'm so excited! Twisted Evil

** ACCOUNT CLOSED ** Joined: 15 Apr 2007 Posts: 766

Prof. Emeritus Ray Hyman is an acknowledged expert in the field of cold reading. He began his studies as a student when the discovered--and believed in--palm reading. He started giving readings to help fund his education.

A roommate challenged him that if he told a "client" the opposite of what he felt the lines told him he would get the same result. So Hyman took him up on it. The woman he tried it on declared his reading unbelievably accurate. As Hyman realized, "people just want to talk."

Here is a nifty guide to cold reading. I should note that "hot reading" involves gathering information on people. This is very common in delayed reading. Psychic also compare notes. Anyways, without further ado:

1. Remember that the key ingredient of a successful character reading is confidence.

If you look and act as if you believe in what you are doing, you will be able to sell even a bad reading to most subjects. One danger of playing the role of reader is that you may actually begin to believe that you really are divining your subject's true character!

2. Make creative use of the latest statistical abstracts, polls and surveys.

These can provide you with much information about what various subclasses in our society believe, do, want , worry about etc. For example, if you can ascertain a subject's place of origin, educational level, and his/her parents' religion and vocations, you have gained information which should allow you to predict with high probability his/her voting preferences and attitudes to many subjects.

3. Set the stage for your reading.

Profess a modesty about your talents. Make no excessive claims. You will then catch your subject off guard. You are not challenging them to a battle of wits - You can read his/her character, whether he/she believes you or not.

4. Gain the subject's cooperation in advance.

Emphasise that the success of the reading depends as much on the subject's cooperation as on your efforts. (After all, you imply, you already have a successful career at character reading - You are not on trial, your subject is!) State that due to difficulties of language and communication, you may not always convey the meaning you intend. In these cases, the subject must strive to fit the reading to his/her own life. You accomplish two valuable ends with this dodge - Firstly, you have an alibi in case the reading doesn't click; it's the subject's fault, not yours! Secondly, your subject will strive to fit your generalities to his/her specific life circumstances. Later, when the subject recalls the reading, you will be credited with much more detail than you actually provided! This is crucial. Your reading will only succeed to the degree that the subject is made an active participant in the reading. The good reader is the one who , deliberately or unwittingly, forces the subject to search his/her mind to make sense of your statements.

Eliza, methinks this is exactly what is going on in this very thread.

5. Use a gimmick, such as Tarot cards, crystal ball, palm reading etc.

Use of props serves two valuable purposes. Firstly, it lends atmosphere to the reading. Secondly, (and more importantly) it gives you time to formulate your next question/statement. Instead of just sitting there, thinking of something to say, you can be intently studying the cards /crystal ball etc. You may opt to hold hands with your subject - This will help you feel the subject's reactions to your statements. If you are using , say, palmistry (the reading of hands) it will help if you have studied some manuals, and have learned the terminology. This will allow you to more quickly zero in on your subject's chief concerns - "do you wish to concentrate on the heart line or the wealth line?"

Read that one again, people. It is a very common tactic.

6. Have a list of stock phrases at the tip of your tongue.

Even during a cold reading, a liberal sprinkling of stock phrases will add body to the reading and will help you fill in time while you formulate more precise characterisations. Use them to start your readings. Palmistry, tarot and other fortune telling manuals are a key source of good phrases.

7. Keep your eyes open!

Use your other senses as well. Size the subject up by observing his/her clothes, jewellery, mannerisms and speech. Even a crude classification based on these can provide the basis for a good reading. Also, watch carefully for your subject's response to your statements - You will soon learn when you are hitting the mark!

8. Use the technique of fishing.

This is simply a device to get the subject to tell you about his/herself. Then you rephrase what you have been told and feed it back to the subject.

One way of fishing is to phrase each statement as question, then wait for the reply. If the reply or reaction is positive, then you turn the statement into a positive assertion. Often the subject will respond by answering the implied question and then some. Later, the subject will forget that he/she was the source of the information! By making your statements into questions, you also force the subject to search his/her memory to retrieve specific instances to fit your general statement.

9. Learn to be a good listener.

During the course of a reading your client will be bursting to talk about incidents that are brought up. The good reader allows the client to talk at will. On one occasion I observed a tealeaf reader. The client actually spent 75% of the time talking. Afterward when I questioned the client about the reading she vehemently insisted that she had not uttered a single word during the course of the reading. The client praised the reader for having astutely told her what in fact she herself had spoken.

See?!!

Another value of listening is that most clients that seek the services of a reader actually want someone to listen to their problems. In addition, many clients have already made up their minds about what choices they are going to make. They merely want support to carry out their decision.

10. Dramatise your reading.

Give back what little information you do have or pick up a little bit at a time. Make it seem more than it is. Build word pictures around each divulgence. Don't be afraid of hamming it up.

11. Always give the impression that you know more than you are saying.

The successful reader, like the family doctor, always acts as if he/she knows much more. Once you have persuaded the subject that you know one item of information that you couldn't possibly have known (through normal channels) the subject will assume that you know all! At this point, the subject will open up and confide in you.

SEE?!!!111! [!--Ed.]

12. Don't be afraid to flatter your subject at every opportunity.

An occasional subject will protest, but will still lap it up. In such cases, you can add, "You are always suspicious of those who flatter you. You just can't believe that someone will say something good about you without an ulterior motive".

"I can see you have a great deal of untapped potential. You feel that your mother/husband does not recognize your needs. While you respect them, you need to be your own person!"

13. Remember the Golden Rule - always tell the subject what he/she wants to hear!

from Guide to "Cold Reading"

Other useful references:

Cold Reading

Trick of the Psychics

Confessions of a Quackbuster

That last one has a lot of links to a lot of articles.

--J.D.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:12 am

Doctor X, is there anything you're not an expert in? Your mental acumen astounds me.

http://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=59334

Psychics, mediums..... it won't end pretty.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:41 am

If this woman does a 'proper' reading (what's she charging BTW?) away from all your 'negative energy' then I suspect you've already inadvertantly given her enough info to be able to 'pad out' what she's already told you. The techniques of Cold Reading are very subtle and clever.

I can tell you for free that from the tone and brief details you've given about this Big Decision that you are already very conflicted about it and you know it's going to end in tears just like it did the last time.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:51 am

IWM hit the nail on the head. People like Derren Brown are not using psychic ability, yet they can pull off exactly this kind of stunt. He does stuff I cannot explain, like taking two people on the street, and have one "mind read" the other's address, but he says it is just psychological tricks and reading people's body language. Illusionists and magicians do the same thing, and they don't claim to have special powers. I don't find it hard to accept that these things are possible by developing normal talents to a higher degree than most people, even though I find it hard to see how they can do it so well. Smile

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:14 am

@Elize

Despite everyone�s elaborate posts, all who have given you great advice. But listen to NN, he knows what he�s talking about. He is trying to help you. Steer clear from this psychic. Make your own decisions based on what you know in your heart. Don�t allow some stranger to make decisions for you.

This psychic is not a psychic. She perceives things well bases on your body language and your demeanor but that is about it.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:23 am

I think we all have a degree of 'psychic' ability but it's called intuition, instinct, empathy, common sense, observation, emotional intelligence, etc. We underestimate the human ability to pick up the subtle signals and information we inadvertantly give out. It's a shame that some unscrupulous people decide to cash in on it, usually to vulnerable people who need guidance or reassurance in their lives.

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:29 am

Ghost wrote:

But listen to NN, he knows what he�s talking about.

psst... no I don't. Really... Laughing

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