Professional reading or what...?

[214red]

if you want a cheaper alternative, try a local clairvoyance demonstration, and ask her to ask her family in spirit to come through...

They only usually cost between £2.50 and £10

Or go to an equivilant of the college of psychic studies, they have cut price readings from their probationer sensitives, or even somewhere like the SAGB if you live in london

 

[alli cat]

Thanks red, I hadn't heard of those options. Will check them out. Allicat x

 

[Umbrae]

…It's almost like she's learnt a sentence for each card and then repeats that verbatum. I've heard of Richard Webster through friends on the magic forums; have you read his stuff then?

I find it fascinating that the "shtick" for the con job is so similar here to the one you describe there! It's almost like there's a con job school.

Um – I’m very familiar with RW’s (and others) writing for both markets. That other market has also been a passion of mine for many years (there's a very good reason I have more than one rubber chicken).

Magicians, for many years (especially the cagy ones) have been trying to figure out what we do and how we do it for many years.

They assume that we’re doing ‘tricks’, and have invented a ton of stuff so as to make themselves look like us.

There has been a school for Con-Artists for many years.

Back when Baroli was visiting Satin Angel, I took them to a magic store; shuffled in a box on the floor back in a corner and produce – a book of ‘Psychic Readings’. They were appalled.

Later I gave the book to Tehuti for a funny gift. She’s not told me how or if she got a laugh from it.

In May, the Magic Castle in LA will be hosting for the first time ever – a workshop on how to read Tarot. Genuinely. The workshop is being given by my friend, and fellow AT member, Scott Grossberg.

The Magic community is split. Most of them still think all readers are con-jobbers, cuz well – many of them are – many of them have purchased the crap that the magic community produces in hopes they’ll be ‘just like us’.

Times change.

And it behooves us to be, and live as examples, of what good readers should be.

 

[Chronata]

Oh wow! Heard about the Magic Castle workshop...glad to hear that there's an actual tarot enthusiast involved in it.

I can give you the most amazingly accurate cold read you have ever seen!
But then...I know all the tricks too.

When it comes to genuine reading(psychic or not)...I can do that as well. And I usually do.

But I have never gossiped about other readers while doing a reading. Good gods that sounds unprofessional enough right there!

I mean...seriously...didn't she realize she was on tape?

 

[shelikes2read]

If she was trashing the other readers who were right there at the same faire, the organizers of the event might be interested to know about her little tactic to sabotage other readers' business for the day. Maybe they'd prefer another reader, one who gets on well with others, to take this person's place the next time they have the event.

It's pretty evident, since she did this while knowing she was being recorded, that she sees no problem with her own behavior. That's as sad as it is appalling. I hope that whoever she read for that day has the opportunity to sit with a competent reader in the future, so they know what a proper reading should be like.

 

[Sheri]

Definitely NOT a professional reading!

Had I received that reading, I would not have paid for it and I would have lodged a complaint with the event host or organizer. Without even considering that anyone would actually pay any attention to what she said, that sort of behavior brings every reader there down as she is putting herself forth as an example of what a reader is like... especially if the people she reads for have never had a reading before or she is the only person there they get a reading from.

In most cases, the event host or organizer want to know this information. They spend a significant amount of money on the location and advertising, and yet are only as good and successful as the readers they have there. Poor faires don't last very long. Good ones are anticipated and well supported for years.

Sheri

 

[214red]

to be honest most events if the person has paid for a pitch dont give a rats a$$ what the readers are like, they have their money...unless its unlawful ofcourse. You might even find the woman has been praised by other sitters because some people dont know what a decent reader is.

Its par for the course when paying for a tarot reading, i got burned alot doing research before i decided to become professional. I learned alot about what i didnt want to be like!

I bet the woman took the money before the reading, your daft if you read for someone and let them pay you at the end. So you wouldnt have been able to withhold the money.

I do think if you complain, be fair. Not liking the reading is one thing, thats her style and is it fair to complain about her style of reading? However things like the backbiting, and the loss of reading time are legitimate complaints.

 

[alli cat]

Thanks everyone for your replies, there's a lot to be thinking about.

Shelikesto read and Chronata are right in that it does seem strange that she said those things whilst on tape - it makes me think she's not aware fully of exactly what she's saying. She told another story about how other people don't like her because she has a more 'professional' looking stand, so maybe she feels she's giving out what she says she's getting?

I hear what you're saying Sherri and I like to think I wouldn't have paid, but it's hard on the money front because I gave the money to a friend and she's not the sort of person who would feel able to refuse to pay, in fact I think she contributed to the whole debacle in some way as she was feeling so low she was like an open book in handing over information when probed and of course the cash! She feels really awful about it now but I've said it's best to think about it as market research for me and let it go.

I don't know about complaining to the organisers because I find situations like that difficult. As red says, I wouldn't complain about her style as we all have styles, but her lack of professionalism should perhaps be commented on. I will sleep on it and decide but in the meantime thank you so much everybody for your replies.

Have a great day/evening, Allicat xx