Cold Readings

Cold reading is a technique used by psychics to determine personal information from people who they have no prior knowledge of. The skills and tactics required to be successful at cold reading make it different from a “warm” reading or “hot” reading. A warm reading involves the crafted use of what is commonly known as “Barnum statements” – those that seem personal but actually could apply to many people. A hot reading is one where the psychic has prior knowledge of the person receiving the reading.

One element of cold readings involve the use of high-probability guessing.  However, the second and most crucial element of cold readings are the ability of the reader to quickly and astutely pick up on subject signals. These signals allow a skilled psychic to reinforce positive responses while imperceptibly distancing themselves from negative responses. The combination of elements is what will allow the psychic to unlock answers and provide insights from the reading.

What To Expect From A Cold Reading

Knowing what to expect during a visit to a psychic will ensure a more successful and satisfying all-around session. An experienced psychic will use a combination of several techniques to perform the cold reading. One of the most basic techniques involves establishing cooperation. Believe it or not, just because someone chooses to employ a psychic doesn’t mean they necessarily are wholly cooperative. Cooperation, and a willingness to believe are essential to a meaningful psychic experience, and your psychic will need to know that you are fully on board with the experience. Remember, it makes no sense to employ a professional psychic if your intentions are hostile or combative.

After establishing cooperation, your psychic will then begin a line of questioning. Do not be surprised that the questions will be very general in nature at the beginning. Your responses to these questions will help guide the psychic to other, more specific queries as the reading progresses.

Analyzing Your Verbal and Non-Verbal Responses

A professional psychic will not just go by your spoken answers. They will instead be observing all of your responses – verbal and non-verbal. Some non-verbal responses include facial expressions and body language. It has been said the eyes are the window to the soul, and nowhere is that more evident than during a cold reading. For example the faster someone is blinking, the more nervous they usually are.

Eye contact is another major component of facial expressions. Eye contact can establish connections, and demonstrate interest or excitement. Avoiding eye contact can sometimes be considered a sign of guilt. Body language can include subconscious gestures like rubbing the chin, one’s stance or crossing the arms. Crossing the arms is generally seen as a putting up a type of protective barrier.

The beauty of these non-verbal responses is that they can sometimes be more telling than the spoken word. There are certain involuntary physical reactions that humans use in response to various situations, and a professional psychic will be able to discern your true answers despite the words that may escape your lips.

Knowing the basic techniques of questioning and to look out for body language is the bare minimum though. In fact, there are numerous cold reading explanations and tutorials available online. These are useful for setting your mind at ease before a professional reading. They can also make for an amusing trick to try at parties. But just as you would not presume to be a solicitor after only watching a few episodes of “Law & order, UK”, neither can anything you read online take the place of trained, professional psychic. Their skill and insight can help unlock questions and answers you may not even know you have.

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