"Cold Reading": Opinions? Experiences?
Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 18 Feb 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.
| Logiatrix |
18 Feb 2005 |
|
A long time ago, I witnessed something that I later learned is called a "cold reading" technique. A tarot reader began my mom's session with very little examination of the cards and only a cursory explaination of the spread. I noticed, though, that she was looking intently at my mom, but I assumed that was a her reading style or something. I was new to tarot, and I didn't know what to expect, so I didn't know any different.
Some time after that, I read a reference to "cold reading" in one of my tarot books. It sounded just like what my mom's reader had done. The author did not speak highly of the practice, and neither did other resources that I found on the subject.
Here's a couple of pages that explain what it is:
http://www.skeptics.com.au/journal/coldread.htm
http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/skepticism/blfaq_skep_cold.htm
I recently experienced another instance of cold reading by a "psychic" that kind of irritated me. That's another story, but the incident brought up some questions for me:
Is "cold reading" a viable tool for conducting a card reading?
Do we, as readers practice "cold reading" without even realizing it?
Is it ethical?
Is it even an issue--such as, if it works for the reader, why not?
:)
Thanx & Blessings...
|
| Dark Inquisitor |
18 Feb 2005 |
|
In my opinion , if you are purposely using cold reading techniques and telling people you are giving them a psychic reading, you are committing fraud. Doing this only serves to continue and help justify the denigration of all readers by skeptics and those hostile to it in general.
I prefer to know your name , gender, sexual orientation so I know how to apply the court cards, and your question. I don't want to see you in person . I don't want to know the background of your dilemma. We will not play 20 questions. If the tarot and psychic ability are not real, I have no wish to delude myself or anyone else.
|
| firemaiden |
19 Feb 2005 |
|
I cannot really acertain from the article what 'cold reading' is supposed to be - other than a sarcastic skeptics "guide" to something he does not understand.
I don't think very many tarot card readers are really out to amaze their friends with our "psychic" powers, rather we enjoy the challenge and the amazement of piecing together a story from our beloved tarot cards that we collect so avidly.
On-line readings of course, prevent us from doing any of the tricks listed there, the client does not speak, we cannot affect an accent, we cannot read their eyes, or social standing from their clothes, etc.
I would love to hear from those who often read live, to hear their rebuttal of this skeptic/aetheists guide. As one who began in that corner, I can say it is easy to negate something one has not tried, or does not understand. Let the nay-sayers learn to read first, and meet some of the hyper-astute readers on this site, and then we'll see...
|
| Fulgour |
19 Feb 2005 |
|
Most of the important decisions are made by a reader
before the cards are even dealt. How you decide what
you want to do, and why, will make all the difference.
If you find yourself struggling to find a meaning, relax.
Readers are a rare breed ~ and no two are ever alike.
|
| psychic sue |
19 Feb 2005 |
|
I do reading for people I have never met before. I can honestly say, with hand on heart, that I have not uttered a single word that did not come from the tarot, or from my psychic connection to the reader and my guides.
Of course there are fraudsters out there - let's be honest, people who come for readings are often struggling with one aspect of their life, and look for any crumb of comfort. That is why, we as readers, have to be 100% committed to what we are doing and choose our words very carefuly. Some people hang on every word you say, which is not healthy, but it happens.
The fraudsters use tried and tested psychology tricks, because they know that there is a lot of money to be made from the vulnerable.
I feel utter contempt for these people, who prey on others misfortunate.
I take comfort in the universal law of 10 fold return - ie; what goes around comes around.
|
| caridwen |
19 Feb 2005 |
|
I am familiar with this technique and this was how my first tarot reading by a 'professional' was conducted - and yes, it's a con. They are reading body language et al and not the cards. Further probing would probably have show they knew little of the card meanings themselves and would probably have been evasive had you asked. Buyer beware:(
|
| tarotbear |
19 Feb 2005 |
|
About three years ago I received what you are calling a 'cold reading' from someone. I was in Newport, RI and stopped in a storefront shop and got a reading from the owner. She had the Thoth deck and went through all the usual steps, but I was well aware the whole time that she was not using the cards much or at all, but was reading me instead. It was fascinating because except for one point she was dead-on accurate about what she was saying - to a fault! No one would be able to know what she was pulling out of the ethers with accuracy. She went on and on about it.
Suddenly she stopped and said "You asked another question, didn't you?" (I had asked three, as she had asked me to do and she went on about the first two.) Rather than prompt her - as I have said before I don't tell readers that I am also a reader - I said vaguely that I had asked about my 'writing.' She said -"Oh, yes! Your three books!" and went on about my books at length.
Do I care if she used the cards or not? Hardly!
|
| MeeWah |
19 Feb 2005 |
|
I only briefly perused both articles so their examination is not thorough; however, the general approach appears to be that of debunking a technique known as "cold reading".
I do not quite understand the negative connotations of this. My understanding of the technique is reading without prior knowledge of client &/or nature of concern.
I started reading using that technique because I knew nothing about the reading process & had no points of reference. It was with the curiosity of the very young & inexperienced in life. My subjects were in-person friends/classmates; their parents; strangers by referral. The results startling & enlightening at both ends.
Based on those very early experiences, I have generally preferred little to no background client information; to not include a specific question; however, need not exclude birthdate or birthdate & gender. Reason for approach based in the understanding less information avoids undue influence or a slanted reading. Can be more likely to direct a focus to a more pertinent area--so may or may not relate to the concept of cold reading. (I do accept a general reading request or a more specific query that indicates the life aspect of concern such as a relationship, job or career, location, etc which can exclude the specifics.)
That said--I read via e-mail, online (including the interpretive presented in Your Readings Forum) & in-person.
With the e-mail/online venues, there are no visual nor physical clues to influence a reading. I use either cards I throw or those by querent. I do not always receive feedback but those I have received indicates the accuracy or pertinence not affected by the lack of personal information & lack of actual contact with the individual along with a couple of negative feedbacks.
With the in-person venue, the "cold" approach with lack of personal knowledge of the client &/or query does not adversely affect the results. I look primarily at the cards & also the eyes. The physical appearance by way of dress or demeanor so not a barometer of information as those can be contrived. Usually request that all comments & questions be reserved until the end of the session to ensure an uninterrupted focus & again, to avoid inadvertent influence.
|
| rainwolf |
19 Feb 2005 |
|
I have a different outlook on a 'cold reading'. Correct me if im wrong, but if i dont want any bias, i just use a CC without asking what their question is, only asking them waht suit it would be in (in lamemen terms). I make the question up by looking at the cards and seeing the conflict. It takes a little time to piece them together and make an accurate question, but usually i am very accurate, esp when they dont want me to know their question (which they usually say everything once im done). Ive heard of the cold reading you have described above, but i have never been read like that, but in a psychology class we read an article on that which may be the reason people are so skeptic. The coldest reading i go down to is just asking what domain the question is (work, problems, relationships, finance, anything stemming from those). Again, correct me if im wrong with the name of that kind of reading.
|
| firemaiden |
19 Feb 2005 |
|
Umbrae's posted article from his Process threads is an elegant example of a "cold reading' as defined by that skeptic's article, and a discussion of what it is and what it isn't. It was interesting to re-read it in light of the articles posted above.
|
| jumptothemoonyea |
19 Feb 2005 |
|
"Umbrae's posted article from his Process threads is an elegant example..."
thanks for posting this link, this is amazing article, one of the reasons, we are doing this... brings us higher, closer to ....
|
| Dark Inquisitor |
19 Feb 2005 |
|
I think there is misunderstanding about the term cold reading itself. Some use it to refer to reading without any prior knowledge of the querent , not using physical cues, etc. Which is what I think MeeWah is referring to.
But the more widely publicized meaning is the one that can be construed as a con game and directly contradicts the one above. It consists of just using detection techniques to develop a general profile and using questions to covertly ellicit information and feed it back to the client as psychic information.
In tarotbear's case, the reader may have been genuinely psychic and giving an honest reading . Just not bothering with card meanings . Some people don't need cards and only use them stimulate a psychic flow, or the meanings they have made up on their own are so divergent they don't seem to be connected to the cards at all.
|
| Logiatrix |
19 Feb 2005 |
|
The links in the original post are quite representative of what I found when I did a search on the subject. In fact, it's that very negative representation of this technique that triggered my questions.
However, I picked through that "Google" page again, and found something I'd overlooked in the first round; I thought it was strictly an advertisement then.
However, I found another page on that site with a more positive perspective:
http://www.ianrowland.com/ItemsToBuy/ColdReading/ColdReadingWhatIs.html
Personally, I don't think I know enough to have an opinion; I've only gathered tidbits online, with smatterings of science or fact, and a lot of articles like those in my first post.
The rest of my education is coming from all of you, here on Aeclectic.
:)
|
The "Cold Reading": Opinions? Experiences? thread was originally posted on 18 Feb 2005 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.
|
