First Edition ble of Contents a About the Author «. Preface so Acknowledgements Considerations How to use this hook Sexism .. Slippery Stopes... Ag fine in the sand Leorne to praise Ms, Browne, not 16 bu Foundations "The Myth of the Cold Reading The Truth about Cold Reading . What's My Motivation? Metheds in the Madness ....... Jnterpretation - The Method Behind the Met dust the Pacts Ma‘am . Involvement: Sitter-desived Readings . Climbing Out on the Psycisio Lire fammunity via Uniqueness Dealing with Skeptics SummaiThe Dance The Dance 2} Beast with Two Backs ~ The Rhythm of the Di is it this one, or this one? How to Ask a Question ....35 Does this Make Sense? 0 cceccten 56 Multiple Choice . 58 Off Center Fishing oh. 59 Negative Question and the Method 6L Beware the Friendly’ Stereotype . Crafted Communication . . Data Collection fa.k.a. clip boards are for wussies} We have ways of mains you tale... Backpedaling The method as Method . Froject Misses into the Future... Projecting into the Shadows of the Past An Anecilote for the Problem ‘The Ethical Issue . Recapitulation .... The Dance and Method, a Summary - ‘fable of Contents Atiltudes Headgames 0... ecieeene va BL Private Readings Commitment . The Stance. . Who it’s not about. A Warning to Magician ‘Who it is about Performance Reading When Skeptics Attacks - Sacri To Read or Not To Read ‘The Nature pf the Beast . When THEY decide it’s ShowTime Going on Staze | woe We might as sel] T-shirts ...... Dance a Little Side Step... Team Effort fin ready for Conclusion... - De. Being Perfect... Performance Pieces The Old Gypsy Woman .. ‘The Everlasting Pendulum. Trick6 The Dance ja About the Author Brad Henderson has given private readings for over 10 years, Currently he makes his living as a performer of the magical arts. He is best known for his work as a mind reader and sleight of hand artist, Most notable is his work in the field of public speaking, where he teaches ‘these valuable techniques as tool to improve one’s communication skills Brad was production assistant and script consultant for Fox Famiiy’s Exploring the Unexplained televisions episode on psychic surgery. appeared on CBC’s Man Alive, was featured in a special “Psychics and Mindreaders” episode of the Weakest Link, and was showcased in the feature film “No Pain, No Gain.” He is the winner of numerous magic awards including best comedy magic for the state of Texas. Brad's writings include contributions to the Miracle Factory's “Mystery Schoo! Book”, Jon Racherbaume:’s acclaimed “MO”, Simon Lovells “Simon Says", Michael Ammas’s “Easy to Master Card Miracles” series, and “Easy to Master Money Miracles” series. For the latter. Brad served as co-writer, consuitant, and production assistant. He is also a contributing author to the best selling “Chicken Soup for the Grandparent's Soul”. Brad was a facilitator at Jeff McBride's Myste School and séctures for groups of magicians on special occasions, He may be teached through his website: wew.themindshow.com. “I Preface Preface How do you read minds? You know, like the paychies you see on TV. Skeptics say it's Cold Reading. Rut, if you read most cold reading books or listen to one of our skeptic friends and then watch John Edward or Sylvia Browne, it quickly becomes apparent that they are NOT simply cold reading. Or are they? In The Dance, Brad Henderson explores some of the more guarded secrets in the cold yeatier’s arsenal. With the techniques divuiged in The Dance you too can deliver readings 4s powerful as any ‘seen on TV, But it won't come without 2 price. The differences between the superstar psychic and the banquet show performer or talk show skeptic is one of understanding, attitude, and practice, Nothing comes easy, and the techniques taught herein will not tell you Show they did it.” But they are how it is done! With diligence, thought, and attention you too can give others: the most profound experience a human can have. You will reach into their minds and tell them about their past and their future. You will help others see the world around them more clearly and make them feel wonderful about being alive.& The Dance a Acknowledgements I would like to take this opportunity to thank severel people, without whom, this book could have never come into existence. First, Bryce Kuhlman, Richard Hatch, and Scott Wells provided a very thorough proof reeding of the initial manuscript. If you think their are grammar mistakes in this incarnation, yau should have seen what these pour guys had to wade thru, There help was greatly appreciated. Td also like to think Jeff Peyton, even though he Probably doesn't remember me. Jeff, a.k.a. Ers! Dr. Dees taught me more about reading in one sentence than most of the books ! have on my shelves, I would like to acknowledge Fred Rosenbaum, reviewer for The Linking Ring, for providing insightful comments on one of the early drafts, | say this not to curry favor with Pred'in hope of a favorable review; that would be unscrupulous. That's what the $50 check in his complimentary copy is for. (Pred, I swear it was there. Look on the floor. It must have fallen out when you opened the envelope.) Dan Harlan, an AMAZING cold reader in his own Tight, convinced me to include a deleted section on my personal ethics. ! hope they are of use to someone - they male little enough sense to me. Dan also has some very scathing opinions on the effectivencss of “established” psychological techniques. Hopefully you will have the opportunity someday to hear him talk about them. Fascinating Acknowledgments Finally, } must bow down to Ronn Brashear. The concept for The Dance was Ronn's and without his patience and persistence, it would never have been completed, You can ask him, it took iong enough. Ronn was not only the chief motivator, but was responsible for helping with every decision along the path to production. Seriously, Ronn is a dear friend without whom most of my best work would never actually make it into practice, Thanks.Considerations Considerations u NO esas Asicansnnsnnn How to use this book } think everyone interested in “learning cold reading’ searches for that holy grail of books which, having been read, opens wide the world of psychic reading, For years, ! searched in vain for such 8 book. Well, we can each stop looking right new, Not because this book will teach you everything you need to know, but because the book we described does not exist Fundamentally, cold reading entails risk-taking. ‘There is not now, nor will there ever be, a simple formula which one may memorize to generate a perfect reading, Why? Because people are not simple formulas. Each has a distinct personality and a unique history. We need both t@ recognize and respect this simple fact. What we can provide, however, is a breakdown of the processes involved in cold reading and a discussion of the tools used to navigate those processes. We car’ also offer some questions that one should consider before peginning their exploration. After that, it will be up to the reader to take the plunge and begin his or her journey into the world of psychic reading. } like-to believe that this book offers something poth different and valuable to the student of cold reading. Nothing would make me happier than to learn that those who have tried in the past to learn this skill finally discovered success after reading this book. Consequently, Jhave tried to address issues and concepts not commonly found in other texts.i2 The Dance ee ‘This book is about process rather than content. It attempts to question what cald reading might be. as well as help others grow in their understanding and their practice. It is not a beginnier’s book: therefore, one would be well advised to study this text after, or at least along with, some of the more traditional cold reading manuals. However, if you are new to cold reading, | hope that it ‘will encourage you to answer some critical questions that may shape the rest of your reading experience. ‘This treatise will include occasional digressions into the state of the art in cold reading, ethics, Neuro Linguistic Programming {NLP}, and the relationship of psychics to their clients. tt should go without saying that these are my opinions and, whether one agrees with them or not, | hope that the remaining sections on methods prove useful to all students. One should be warned that at times my language is intentionally harsh. [have spent hours trying to soften the “bad words" only to find the vehemence I attach to these issues has been diluted, 1 decided to keep many of those words in place as they accurately express the passion I feel towards the concepts being discussed. Thope you enjoy the time you spend with titis book, and 1 hope it gives you a better insight into what your intentions are and how best for you to realize them. And if may offer a “one word” summary of this entire text, would be simply: listen. Considerations 13 Sexism ‘The original draft of The Dance attempted to be non-gender specific in references to readers and sitters. it was also practically unreadable. I have adopted the convention of referring to the reader in the masculine and the sitter in the feminine. This is not to imply anything about the quality or prevalence of either cex in either role, only to afford us a clearer and more readable text, Many may argue that the effort was in vain, Slippery Slopes Let me get this out in the open. I do not believe in disclaimers and I see no problem with people pretending to be psychic. I do use the word “pretending” because to knowingly employ the techniques of cold reading shouts an unspoken admission that what one is doing is not “real.” It troubles me when cold reatiers come to believe that they may possess some sort of genuine gift. Self delusion corrupts powerfully. (Now, 1 do believe that readers often say extraordinarily accurate things, without consciously “cold reading” their client. However, it is my contention that the techniques of analysis have become so ingrained that they are merely “cold reading” on a ‘subconscious” level. ido not believe these are psychic flashes, but the results of someone internalizing a learned behavior.) Ethically it is important to realize that we are offering advice. Character readings, prognostications forid The Dance — the future, even the mere act of helping someone see a situation for what it is, or might become, will affect the way someone may choose to act. Let’s state that again. People will make decisions based on our “advice”. Though it is their choice to turn to us for counsel, I think ethically we must acknowledge that our words will carry great impori for this other human being. We must be prepared to deal with our sitters respectfully, and to take care of them as a dear friend might for another. If you are unwilling te accept this emotional responsibility, then do NOT become a psychic reader. Giving advice is giving advice. Whether a person turns to a psychic, psychologist, or friend, that person is choosing to accept advice from someone outside of himself or herself. Further, if they blindly accept that advice, they are placing authority in someone outside of themselves. Preferably, they will weigh the advice given against their own judgments and consider it in terms of the advice giver’s experience and expertise. Then, they will reclaim their personal authority as they make a decision based on what THEY see as being the best choice for their lives, It is said that above the entrance to the Oracle at Delphi were printed the words “Know thysell.” An ethical cold reader elicits information from their client, feeds it back to them, and ideally helps them see the situation or themselves more clearly than if they tried to examine their own life through their own clouded, Considerations 15 introspective microscopes. As long as we, the readers, do net try to impose our will upon the sitter’s decisions, as long as we do not convince them to invest in shady business deals or scare them into paying for demonic cleansings, as long as we simply present that which they reveal to us in a manner intended to help them understand their feelings more clearly, then [ believe we are doing no harm. Can the reader make mistakes that might lead to the sitter choosing an unwise course of action? Of course But so can a psychologist or a friend. We must be as truthful and as accurate in our readings as we can, while always encouraging the sitter to rely on their judgement and evaluation before taking any action. As for fostering belief in superstition and non- scientific thinking, | contend that the sitter made this decision before attending our session. We are not indoctrinating others. We are only helping them, through a medium they chose, to gain a better understanding of themselves, their desires, and their immediate environment. Further, as will be detailed shortly, one can present “readings" outside the umbrella of supernatural methodology.the siti wa, sitt tan isc hin: adv ther aga the will dec! for Dely clier the: toe 16 The Dance ‘A jagged) line in the sand Ok. This is my personal statement of ethics concerning the use of deception in psychic practices. The ethical issue of placing oneself in a position of authority under the auspices of presenting advice in a psychic context will be discussed later. (see: The Ethical Issue.) What i want to discuss here is the ethic of the act of cold reading, as a form of communication and as a form of deception. 1 would Eke to say from the start, that my view on cold reading as deception is hypocritical. | realize this, but I'm ok with it, I will also say that one can adopt a methed of cold reading that climinates these ethical concerns, and has been my chosen pattern of work for the past two years. Basically, 1 see a difference between “pure” cold reading and the deceptive techniques employed by psychic entertainers who claim to be real and then go on to offer readings as an extension of their performances. (Being a “mentalist” ie. performer who does not offer a disclaimer js perfectly fine in my book. To require a theatrical performer to present a disclaimer is tantamount to mandating the actors at Les Miserables stop the show and remind the audience that Fontine is not really dead. Even in a one-on-one performance environment, a mind reading presentation needs no disclaimer. Our audiences should be allowed to judge for themselves. If they choose to believe that is their choice. 1 once quipped, “Let the audience believe what they want." I believe that to this day, But les maintain our focus on readings per se.) Considerations 17 ceca ‘The hypocrisy in my ethic results from the nagging truth that cold reading when coupled with any sort of psychic methodology, at its heart, is a deceptive technique. I will try to explain and perbaps this will give someone, somewhere, something to think about. Maybe it will help. Maybe it will only confuse matters. 1 will however offer a method on which readers cant base thelr cold reading practice that solves all hitherte offered ethical concerns. ‘The horny issue in my mind is the nature af the specific deception. | take issue to people employing deception in order to “prove” that they should be the one turned te for advice. The performer is using a tool in order to create the ilfusion they have a certain ability, which they don't. Purther, this ability they claim to have, often in no way follows from the tool they present in sorder to establish this ability. Allow me to say this another way, Using design duplication, tarot card matching, and center tears in order io establish one’s psychic validity is manipulative at best and hints at serious self-esteem issues at worse. If someone is turning to you for help because you told him or her the word in a book they are thinicing of, well that person just isn’t very bright and worse you are taking advantage of them. They are coming to you based on the assumption you have a certain power, and this power is reoted entirely in fraud. Further, and this is what | mean when I say the ability doesn’t follow from the tool, even if the performer really could tell them the word in the book they were thinking of, so what?38 The Dance How does this in any way qualify them to answer a personal question? But is this really different from knowingly employing cold reading techniques? | mean we're not really psychic, are we? Cold reading when presented as “psychic reading” is deceptive, is it not? Ai, the hypocrisy. { guess for me it boils down to this: Cold reading, depending on how it is framed, is not the same type of fraud as using a clipboard or center sear. Cold reading can exist in a pure state; a state free from claims of the supernatural, and one in which the tool and ability follow from each other. This is haw, of jate, | have come to present all of my readings. Cold reading, as | see it, is merely a dialogue between the sitter and reader. The reader can now call attention tc information the sitter is providing. When we use the techniques of cold reading we are extracting information and giving it back to the sitter, or we may offer adivice, or merely describe how the situation seems to be developing, based of course on the information they are providing. As this information ts derived from them, and as we are honestly trying to give them the best advice, then J think we are on "karmicaliy” safe territory. We are not uusing deceptive means to make them believe what we are saying. We are not throwing a bunch of smoke in mirrors at them to invest our words with power. We are merely saying thein, We are helping them te “Know Considerations 19 thyself.” As long as our intentions are clear, then both parties benefit from the situation, To perform “magic tricks,” if you will, in order to establish eur powers is misleading. What we just accomplished in no way has any bearing on what we imight be able to offer a sitter. We can’t really tell them what word they're thinking of so we can’t really know what they are thinking, If we don't know what they're thinking, then how, as someone whe believes our demonstrated power is integral to the reading’s success, can we help them? A“pure” cold reader, however, cantalk to someone and tell them information about their personality and situation, We really can de that. When we employ traditional deceptive techniques, ali of the information sis being delivered from sources outside the sitter (clipboards, sleight of hand) and the reader is essentially creating for himself an aura of power and authority. It is hoped that the sitter will accept what is said based on this manufactured authority (and the authority of the demonstration, i.e., magic trick). in the pure reading situation, the reader is working with the subject, through the medium of a method, puiling information from the sitter directly through dialogue, and attempting to help them see pattems developing in their life. The sitter is the focus and the content is its own authority, Hopefully, the sitters will evaluate this information on its own terms and decide for themselves what value it holds for them.20 he Dance Unfortunately, many people will believe the reader because of the authority of the “psychic” imprimatur on the reading itself, Cold reading is not psychic, and therefore should not be given the authority a psychic experience should {if it exists} deserve. This is the difficulty, and the hypocrisy, within my ethical stance as | am a proponent of tarot cards and the like which necessarily imply the working of the supernatural ‘Though { tend to downplay this aspect in my own work, itis, nevertheless, omnipresent, Recently, however, [have abandoned tarot cards in favor of a mere honest “method,” that of actually reading the client. Ideally, the ethical cold reader would present himseif in this manner. He or she would state, ‘I am here to help you make sense of a problem or concern you have. | am going to listen to you, and study you, and based on my observations, I am going to tell you as much as | can about the situation that you find yourself in, and about you, yourself. I will say things that may have meaning for you, and together we will work through what I say and discover the information which you now currently seek” This is exactly what cold readers do. It is ethically sound. Further, | will contend that one can employ cold reading as a stated method and free themselves of ail ethical concerns. What does this mean? Well. it is possible to state that your gift is the ability to study and listen to people, and based on your experience tell them about their past, their personalities, and even their future, You can then speak of your skills as a method just like a tarot reader would speak of their cards. In short, you are claiming to do exactly what you are doing. Considerations 21 Does-this in anyway detract from the power of the reading? I can answer, unequivocally, no. It is, in fact, the method I have chosen tc adopt for the past two years. Later in The Dance, we will tall: about the importance of adopting a “method” and the benefits that entails, I come to praise Ms, Browne, not to bury her For those skeptics whe would like to offer this book as evidence that psychics are frauds, they can’t, Uniess they catch a psychic utilizing some sort of mechanical aid or a confederate, they can never offer concrete evidence that the psychic is merely “cold reading.” Cold reading, if it exists at all, is not a product that can be held up as proof. Crafted communication vemains, fundamentally, communication. Excellent communicators in a myriad of fields employ all of the techniques at the reader's disposal. ‘The only way to expose a psychic is to shaw proof of mechanical aid, collusion, or demonstrate clear intent to use fraudulent means to create the illusion of psychic ability, ie., cold reading. The latter, the only one a cold reader must fear, is practically impossible to prove.Foundations Foundations 23 ‘The Myth of the Cold Reading ‘There is ne such thing as a “cold reading.” It is the belief in this mythic creature that generates what I believe to be the central problem one ericounters in trying to learn these techniques. instructional materials currently available approach cold reading from this “entity perspective.” From the days of Nelson through the more modern works of Dewey, et al. authors have focused almost exclusively on the content of the reading, that cradle-to-grave script that will bow! over our sitters, those perfect lines that will really zing them, or various taxonomies of interest domains that no one can fail but be compelled by. ‘This, 1 think, is an inaccurate view of what cold reading fruly is and as such, instructional texts approaching the subject in this manner are destined to fall short. Although, for what they are, these are fabulous books, The student would be wise to stady all of them and evaluate each for their individual merits L would like te add that I am not a fan of the newer cold reading pamphlets that place cold reading under the auspices of NLP. To be quite frank, | find most books on NLP to be self important, self-serving. and self referential. Most of their claims, and the evidence they provide, are inconclusive and based on a pseudoscientific logic that would never hold up under critical serutiny. This is not to say that some of the techniques espoused do not produce results. Some of them do worl, but I contend not for the reasons that the NLP gurus would have us believe. i24 The Dance A A case in point involves a friend of mind who is 4 major NLP devatee. He had a show cancelled due to some bad press concerning hypnotists that appeared ine local newspaper. The organization decided net to bring hin in for the performance, He told me that he tried to create a “convergence”, or “schism”, or one of the NLP two-dollar syndromes inside this poor woman's head. He said, “if you don’t feel you're capable of marketing such a show, if you don't have the energy that you are willing te direct to its success, then maybe this is the best decision.” He says this is NLP. I disagree. I say it’s creepy. Is this a revolutionary cognitive technology, or is it merely guilt and insults masquerading behind a veiled attempt to manipulate others? Is this all that different from the school yard taunt of, “I don’t think you can. Prove it.” I think not, Some may argue that I have provided a bad example, particularly since this technique failed on our subject. | suggest, then, looking at any advertising piece for any NLP/cold reading beck and tell me if it's revolutionary or simply a hard-sell with a soft touch Further, many of these books continue to sell you on themselves throughout the text. I promise you, none of these techniques are-used here. | will let the content stand or fall on its own merit. NLP is a fim way to think about things, but it doesn't bear scrutiny. If you practice NLP on yourself, and it works, then more power #0 you. I'll never tefl someone to change a behavior if they feel it accomplishes Foundations 25. something positive in their life. But I do advise taking any NLP claim with a grain of salt until you can verify it for yourself, Now back to our previously scheduled program, Cold reading is not the reciting of a script of generalities. Nor is it speaking in obscure sweeping statements and hoping our sitter will leap from their seat and exclaim, “Phat one was right! Tell me more about that one,” ‘The concept of an “inverse pyramid of generality,” to begin broadly and narrow down to specific details, i impractical and can only hope fo create a generation of readers whe even the most credulous of sitters would ismiss as vague “fishers” far information. Cold ‘reading is neither a recitation of demographically researched data, nor a foray into stereotypes. Cold reading by its nature transcends each of these things, yet in defense of those whe have come before, includes these elements within its embrace. Sadly though, many readers hold strong beliefs that these techniques, on their own, actually work on people other than themselves. It always amazes me that the most easily duped, the strongest believers, are often those who profess to understand what's really going on the most, Once again, we learn never to underestimate the power of denial.26 The Dance cn The Truth about Cold Reading Reading is a collection of skills, techniques, and rocesses. Cold reading, fundamentally, is not about content; though content becomes the resuit of an effective reader's technique. Cold reading is about the relationship between reader and sitter: how thet relationship is developed; and how derived content is communicated by the reader and then interpreted hy the sitter Can a process like this be placed into words which someone can simply parrot and garner instant success? Can an actor read an acting book and by doing what the words tell him. to do, become an Glivier? Ne. Nor does buying the sheet music to “Les Etudes dieu Chronique” make the musician into Paganini Cold reading is, as 1 like te say, a dance. it is a process, not a product. I de nat “give a cold reading” like a salesman might hand someone an “off the rack” suit and try to convince them it fits. Instead, I tailor that suit as I guide them down the runway of their reading. It is an active process ‘that grows organically from the interaction between the reader and the sitter. It is not, nor ever can be, pre-packaged. Now we return to the original question: Can something so alive be taught cither from teacher to student or in the form ofa printed text? Well, musicians take lessons and improve. Actors read acting books and become better. So the answer is yes, But bear in mind, the trumpet player who only reads and doesn’t practice his evades never plays before a symphony. I encourage you to try these techniques. Take comfort in the fact Foundations 2 that if you adopt the attitudes suggested in this bool, “being wrong” will be the last of gour worries, in these next few pages, we will map the terrain of our exploration, from the private session to the dinner demonstration to the performance stage. We will explore how to maximize the impact of the relationship built between you and your sitters. We will discuss the psychological, emotional, and philosophical dynamics at play when it comes to “reading” another human being We will look at specific techniques that allow the reader to guide the sitter through a successful reeding. Finally, we will talk about maintaining accuracy and credibility even when one’s readings fall short of hitting the nail on the head. [Let's face it, this happens. It is a good reader that covers his or her mistakes well. Any psychic entertainer who professes that they never miss either thas never given a reading, making their statement somewhat true, or has never really listened to what their clients have to say. Once again we find someone suffering from a bad case of denial.) Finally, please note that most cold reading books approach the subject only from the perspective of 2 professional psychic reader. Many people who practice these techniques use them for the purposes of psychic entertainment. | will endeavor to offer specific techniques, which are suited to a performance venue and will enable the psychic performer to maximize the impact of his public cold reading demonstrations.28 The Dance er What's My Motivation? One of the first questions a reader must answer is “Why am { going to do this?” Many times psychic entertainers are attracted to the impact a reading has on someone. “That cold reading stuff, that’s powerful, awe inspiring,” really translates into, “that cold reading stuff, that gives me power [over them}, they're in awe of me.” Of course, any person with the least amount of compassion can see how creepy this dynamic quickly becomes. In these situations, the performer/reader is seen both as “apart frons” and “abeve” his audience. A “hierarchy of worth” is created. While sometimes appropriate for star-making venues (such as the entertainment world), this interpersonal dynamic is diametrically opposed to the interpley that comprises the successful reader/sitter paradigin. (i find it interesting that today’s psychic stars have eschewed the Svengaii-like persona, John Edward, James Van Praagh, and to a lesser extent Sylvia Browne each adopt a very non-threatening, ‘’m on your side’, Tm just as perplexed and amazed as you’, demeanor. I don’t think anyone is willing to argue with its success.) A private reading is less a performance and more @ session: yes, a session, like therapy. The relationship between the two participants and thei: goals are exactly that of a therapist and client. The reader is working on behalf of and for the sitter, with a genuine interest in helping the sitter acitieve their desires. The client is there for help. While therapists often have egos as big as top name movie stars, the ideal therapeutic attitude would be one of servant, not seer. Foundations. 29 For those who would argue that a reader is unlicensed or untrained and thereby unqualified to engage in this dynamic, | will offer that this “dynamic” is not exclusive te therapists and is no different from two friends sitting across the table from each other and discussing their intimate problems. Anyone may offer advice, and each of us has the right to solicit advice from those of our choosing. As long as the reader is not offering legal or medical advice, then one can say ethically that no harm has been done. Ultimately the egocentric approach ie cold reading (in which the reader comes off as someone with power} is fundamentally at odds with the nature of cold reading itself. Even, | would add, if the reading were being delivered in a performance context. ; Receiving a reading is an inherently personal experience and, by its nature, centers about the receive: their feelings, thoughts, hopes, and fears. To refocus thi experience onto something outside the sitter (the power of the reader) works counter to the nature of the reading itself. So, one must ask, why are we going to do this and what character and presentational choices must we make in order to achieve our objectives? Much of my approach has been that of someone who has been working for the sitter. That will be detailed at great length in the section on Private Reading, Other approaches are of course possible {and some will be mentioned), but the practitioner must bear in mind they3e The Dance iessen the value of the reading by redirecting focus away from the reading itself. We must never forget the reading is about the person sitting across the tabie from us. It is never about us. Methods in the Madness How do we do what we do? Not in the cold reading sense, but in the psychic sense, What is the skill, power, or phenomenon that allows us to provide this valuable information to our sitters? Many readers consider the use of external sources such as tarot cards or the lines in a sitter's palm to be crutches. However, as | have found again and again, employing an observable technique has more impact and jends more credibility to your psychic practices than being an abstract “super-psychic Psychic purists who avoid an observable method fail into the trap of having to explain their gift. The only two rationalizations possible for a pure psychic reading are telepathy and clairvoyance, However, in order to *clairvoyantiy” read the sitter, the psychic would need to be sufficiently telepathic in order to discern their concerns and past history, or limit themselves only to statements concerning the sitter’s future. Telepathy as a method suffers from the condition of immediate falsification. When the reader is wrong, He's wrong and the sitter knows it. Further, if the reader were Foundations 31 tt truly telepathic he would be able to answer such trivial questions as, “What am | thinking now?” We never want to be backed into that corner. Ofcourse, many professional psychics work in this purist format. For a “sbut-eye” believer this approach is fae gnod as any other. But when a critical person begins to evaluate how they might spend their money, regardicss of the degree to which they are inclined to believe, this logical fallacy needs to be addressed. Interpretation - The Method Behind the Method An external method of reading such as tarot, rune stones, or even listening to messages from guardian spirits has many advantages, inst, a reading using an external method is not immediately-disprovable, as the reader is required to interpret the method. All external methods are necessarily interpretive As with a great work of art, some interpretations are better than others. If an error occurs, the method is not immediately decried for being untrue, only the interpretation is questioned. Depending on the performer's attitude toward his role gs interpreter and the degree of rapport that he has developed with his client, this will not necessarily hinder the reading’s suecess. Further, sometimes the method itself is unclear’ arid difficult te interpret on its own merit, Tarot cards fall in contradictory patterns and angels have a nasty habit of speaking too softly.32 The Dance Even “reading” a client is net without peril. One can easily point to certain word choices a sitter has made or their darting eve patterns when certain topics come up. Ag will be discussed shortly, the very fact they were ob- served remains significant even if the initial interpreta- tion misses the mark, Second, by using an external method it then becomes reasonable to bring the sitter inte the interpretation process. This allows the sitter to bring the specifies of their question into light as they attempt to make sense of the method's indicators, assisted by the guiding hands of the reader, The method allows the sitter tp participate in the reading process more actively than if the reading depended entirely upon the internalized gifts of the psychic. Lenjoy asking a sitter to look at a card te comment on any of its elements that seem to stand out in their sind, ‘Then, by careful questioning, | encaurage her to explore how these symbols may reflect certain specifies of their life, It is amazing the depth of symbolic interpretation an “amateur” sitter can reach. Another favored tactic is simply to ask why a sitter has chosen to use certain words when describing a probiem or person. Once a sitter was concerned over a relationship decision she had to make. Specifically, she was falling in love with a young man who was in the seminary. As you can see, this was a daunting decision for both of them; however, she kept using the word “difficult.” In. truth, there was nothing “difficult” about her relationship decision as she had described it to me. Rither they would decide to be together or they wouldn't. Foundations 33. en The choice was dramatic, but not difficult. So, | asked, “why is it you keep saying that this decision is difficult when in reality that which you have described to me is reaily just dramatic.” She paused and replied, “You're good.” See, there was a difficulty hidden in there that she had not been willing to address herself. By calling attention to her actions, and asking her why she was making those word choices, it forced her to see the difficulties that were repressed even to her own inner eye. Some may argue that allowing the sitter to interpret their own “method indicators” would demystify the reading and render the reader obsolete. (By “method indicators” we are referring to the data that is created or obtained by engaging in the process of the reading itself. It is from this data that the content of the reading is derived, Cards in a tarot reading, words written in script by the sitter, a client’s wringing hands when the topic of family is broached, and the voices of a spirit are all examples of potential method indicators} As to demystification, consider the number of people who've purchased runes, tarot cards, or ouija hoards from their storekeeper, played with them, and used some simple text to guide them in their interpretations. Even though they are clearly bringing the ‘details to the table,” they invariably are amazed at ‘the method's ability to reveal that which it does. The validity of the method is confirmed and they are often more amazed because it worked so easily for them.34 The Dance Foundations 35 Now if they, an amateur, can produce such amazing results, how much better then would their experiences become when aided by a knowledgeable guide? The credibility, necessity, and even powers of the reader as “method expert” are confirmed. Finally, using an external method allows for ve- interpretive back-pedaling. Ifyou make a claim, and that claim is denied, you can then re-interpret the method's indicator ‘perhaps by looking at the next card or rane} and continue to use the method’s system to recant your original statement, The interesting thing is that by discussing what in the system led you to this erroneous conclusion, people will not only see how your statements were true, given the “facts at hand,” but will tend to ignore the original faise statement completely. Now that more information is present, everything becomes clear. ‘The reader does not lose credibility since the indicators were confusing. Consequently, no attempt need be made to save face. Often the holes we dig for ourselves are the hardest to climb out of. Relying on the snethod is an ever-present rope from witich we can pull ourselves from the deepest of pits. Lastly, a miss followed by re-interpretation can often be spun into a strength for the method itself as it is now seen to possess an effective self-correcting mechanism. Just the Facts Ma‘am Anything we say is more likely to be believed as trae if cur claim is supported by accompanying evidence ~ whether or not that evidence is accurate or even makes sense. (‘Nine out of ten people think this dict soft drink tastes more bke this regular soft drink.” Tastes more like this regular drink than what? They never say. Than motor oil? Than broccoli?) Hence the ever popular use of statistics. The reader should always describe that which made them say what they did. Which card made you si there is new love on the horizon and which rune means a toubling relationship in their past? If you make a claim and point out what in the system made you believe those statements true, your assertion will be granted 2 higher Gegree of credibility than the claim alone. This was brought to light early on in my career when I would offer tarot readings at parties and deliver a standard, stock cold-reading script, [found it interesting that sitters would often ask, “Now where do you see that?” At first | thought they were trying to prove that I was wrong, or imply that I was saying something general. Admittedly, { knew I was a charlatan and assumed they were on to me. Actually, their intentions were quite to the contr I learned thet whenever | said something that wasn’t entirely consistent with the sitter’s perception of affairs, something they perhaps didn’t believe were true about them or their situation, they would ask to see what36 The Dance — jn the cards made me say what i had. They did this, it tums out, because they inherently believed that 1 had the ability to tell them the truth and that the system was working in spite of this apparent miss. They were Prompted to ask where ! had “seen” this clue, not in order to challenge me, but in order to see for themselves what was really there. They wanted to figure out if they may have been incorrect in their perceptions and sometimes feared that the cards were revealing a side of them they perhaps did not even recognize. Interestingly, sometimes I would be right and they would ask to know what | had seen in order to confirm that this, usually happy circumstance, would most likely come to pass. Of course, as a reader with a shred of self-honesiy i must admit that sometimes this was not the case, I would just be wrong. However, the fact that this exchange repeatedly occurred led me to reconsider what I believed Was going on inside my clients’ heads. It was this revelation, among others, that led me to many of the techniques presented here. In short, sitters trust the method simply because it exists, in spite of the human errors that may hinder it for the moment. Meny people when “reading” merely “say stuff." I know it sounds terribly simpie, but always Support your interpretations with references to the method and you will find greater success in all of your statements. Foundations 37, SEE ELL Involvement: Sitter-derived Readings Methods may be imaginative and non-traditional, Almost anything can work. However, the credibility of a method is in direot proportion to how much it is seemingly derived from the sitter themselves, be it behaviors, decisions, personal history, ete. For exampie, shuffling cards, choosing runes, doodling, handwriting analysis, personal guardian angels, and numerology are al! derived from behaviors /qualities contributed directly by the sitter for uniquely related to them, as in the case of angels}. The sitter becomes the foundation of the reading’s structure. Further, by deriving the method's indicaters from date generated by the sitter, they now find themselves having something at stake in the reading process. If we base “quality” type statements regarding the sitter’s character or attitudes on their contributions, they will be more readily believed Studies show (sound familiar?) that when people commit to an idea or belief in a public forum, they are much more edsily persuaded to act in accordance with those stated beliefs. For example, a large group of people were asked if they supported environmental planning. Of those that agreed, one group of subjects was asked to sign @ petition of support. A month later all subjects who agreed to support environmental planning were asked for donations to an environmental fund. Those that signed the petition were reminded of such. The bumber of contributions received was staggeringly higher from those subjects who had signed the petition than38 The Dance from those who agreed to supporting the cause, but had not made a public commitment For those who are skeptical about psychological studies such as this (and I applaud you for being so} please note that the above description is incredibly brief, but a quick trip to any major university brary will arn up several studies like this that demonstrate the power of social influence. ] went to a time-share presentation once thinking that the free trip they promised would actually he worth the trouble to receive it. At the beginning, there was an interview. He called it “getting to know me.” Basically he Jed me to admit that I was a successful person, that I valued the time I had with my family, that 1 deserved time off, and quality activities for my leisure. 1 mean, who wouldn't agree to these things? At the “close” when T passed on the offer, all of these things were dredged up. *So do you not want to spend time with you family? I thought that was important te you? You're doing OK for yourself, aren't you? } mean it’s not like you can't afford this, is it?” Etc, it was very hard to say no, because he was using my own words against me. if anyone wants a week of a time-share in Canyon Vista, Texas give me a call sometime. Seriously, I did not bite, I called him on sehat he was doing and told him J found it manipulative. If we reference the sitter, their qualities, their choices, their words as the basis for our interpretation, then the sitter wili tend to accept our statements as they are no longer ineffable opinions, but claims which follow from data provided by therm themselves. Further, if you link these claims to positive statements about the client's Foundations 39 ea ncoa e personality or intelligence, then they will all the more be inclined to accept your assessments. For example, “This card indicates an intelligent person with a keen insight into people’s motivations, 1 see you can often have difficulty really getting to know and trust someone. To deny haif of the statement would force them aiso to deny the other half, the one in which they found themselves complimented. {t's amazing what types of mental gymnastics peopie will perform in order to justify something to themselves that they so much want to believe as true, You know, come to think of it, 1 de have a hard time getting to know people, Is this as manipuiative as what our salesman ‘engaged in previously? Maybe. But I think that in this case we must consider our goals. Is it to make someone ‘buy something they don’t want because they feel guilty, ores it te give the sitter what they want - a detailed, accurate reading? Sitter-derived reading structures can engender powerful emotional connections. Do not discount them. Palm reading'is a classic example. There is something very intimate about a palm reading, it simply feels good. Plus, we KNOW the reader is talking about US, to US. it’s almost as if two lovers are speaking intimate! For a more vicarious example, remember when you were in schoo! and you finished the picture for the day and you couldn't wait for the feedback you were about to receive from your teacher, or it being bestowed in the place of honor upon the refrigerator door? Now compare that toa doodie or signature that is about te be evaluated ‘by an expert. Don't you secretly wish for them to say