Cold Readings

I read this interesting article recently where the photographer's conceptions of the person they were photographing completely influenced the photos they took - at the end we have 6 great images,  very different from each other,  and it started me thinking about cold readings.

I start every reading with a cold reading - that is,  when I don't know anything about you or your situation and just tell you what the cards tell me.  I love the cold readings,  that's where the magic happens. 

You shuffle 78 pieces of cardboard and then I can tell you some really pertinent things about your life.  Sometimes it just blows people away (wow,  that's exactly what's going on!) sometimes we have to dig a little deeper to get what the cards are trying to tell us.  But I always try to make the reading truly 'cold' and don't let you tell me anything about your situation until I've seen the cards,  so you can get the sense of revelation too.

Seeing the Truth

I read this fascinating article the other day -  about a writer’s experience with a con man/murderer and how he heard the wrong notes of the story but ignored them, and then felt so betrayed at the end, when the truth came to light. 

I remember doing a reading some time ago with a young woman, in her early twenties, talking about life and job choices,  the usual questions. But when she asked about her future she drew these cards –

Devil / Emperor / 8 of swords 

I suppose I could have lied and made up some story but the cards made no sense to me in the context we had been talking about,  and I said as much to her.  I described them in detail – addictive/negative patterns, a dominating, controlling man/situation, a strong sense of being trapped, but if she was willing to see clearly she could find a way out. 

And then she told me that she had lied to me, she was not a student,  but rather a call girl,  and those cards described how she was feeling perfectly.  I had not suspected her of lying, I had no cause to, but the cards… they see the truth even when I don’t. 

After that truth was revealed, the reading became far more productive.  
 
I was reminded of this when I saw this other piece in the New York times -  Chicago University is asking us if we can spot the liar through body language…   Can you?