talkmagic.co.uk

My rules for this post (and in the hope we don't descend into circular arguments and name-calling)...

1. respect others view points
2. no mass arguments
3. a pinch of salt
4. no "prove it then" statements if at all possible
5. no diving, bombing or weeing in the pool

Ok then, "what would a real psychic do?"...that's something i hear mentioned in many a book and dvd...what in your opinion is the behaviour of a real psychic? I know we've had similar discussions on it, but i'd like to read others views on the "nature" of what they deem (if they do) as real psychic ability...

Would they work in restuarants?
Would it be classed as entertainment?
Would they advertise the fact that they are truly psychic?
What do you class as psychic?
How do they establish/recieve their gifts/abilities?

I've slowly started to have a little problem with the claim of real psychic ability, not through anything definate, but kinda more of a question to myself...why on earth would a real psychic carry a bussiness card with that word on it?

There you go, i've re-opened the can of worms for you to gnaw upon...please dont fight...pm if you want to do that you naughty rotters...

wow abraxus... you sure know how to "play with fire". as a psychic you knew that already though right?

i think if you want answers to these questions, you should change their order since the question i have relocated as Q1 ultimately effects the other questions.

Q1: What do you class as psychic?
the dictionary defines psychic as someone who has abilities of the mind that fall outside the sphere of accepted scientific knowledge. for what it's worth, i personally dont believe someone can bend a spoon with their "mind". i am happy to accept that some people with great experience and hightened levels of perception can glean more from a subject than "Joe Average"... but i DONT call that "psychic". i call that great experience and hightened levels of perception.

Q2: Would they work in restuarants?
no. they would EAT at only the best restaurants serving the freshest, best prepared food... how would they know? they'd know...

Q3: Would it be classed as entertainment?
They would entertain themselves and others for sure, but not with their eating.

Q4: Would they advertise the fact that they are truly psychic?
no way... much more fun (and advantagous) not letting on you can read someone's mind, or explaining "who" actually bent their spoon... not to mention the fact those who wanted attention would receive more than enough free advertising just by winning the lottery every week.

Q5: How do they establish/recieve their gifts/abilities?
they would be born with such gifts. they could learn to improve and enhance them over time... but they would be born with the basics.

I would imagine a real psychic to be a deeply disturbed person. I do not think they would advertise it all, and only someone who had a true grip on it would be able to use their ability and try to use it for good.

I mean seriously, If you could see into the future what would you see? Most likely you would be plagued by visions of the deaths of people you didnt even know, murders, viscious assaults etc.. life would not be a bed of roses!!

Sure you might see some innocent things, even funny things but theres a lot more bad in the world than there is good.

I would HATE to be really psychic.. I think any psychic would probably be mentally ill by the time they hit their mid 20's!!

I find that calling myself a "psychic entertainer" gives the audience an idea of what to expect. I use the word "psychic" purely for the audience's information. Plus it helps to steer them away from thinking I'm about to bend balloons or something.

My "angle" is that I have psychic powers (whatever they may be) but that I use them to entertain people. But I'm not beyond directing a sneaky wink at anyone who expresses a level of scepticism. It gets them onboard and shuts them up.

Would a psychic really work in a restaurant and carry business cards. Well, why not? Even psychics have to earn a living. Of course a powerful psychic (I deliberately avoid the word genuine) would simply win the lottery every week. But that kind of thinking is very negative, and I always tell any specs who start to talk that way that they're ruining my concentration with their negativity. That and a wink generally shuts them up.

My shut eye punters of course know that I really am psychic. But that's another matter entirely.

In my infinite wisdom and knowledge about all things psychic I shall attempt to answer Abraxus's questions. I do wish he hadn't asked so many though.

First as to restaurants. Yes. Psychics do work in restaurants although I never have. Usually in North America they are termed tea shops and they hire psychics to do readings. I think they probably sit in one corner and people who want a reading go over to them. I have never seen it in operation but I do know that it exists.

Sometimes psychics are classed as entertainment and sometimes they are not. It depends on the situation. If you are booked by a company to do readings at one of their events you are paid a fee and a queue gathers when people line up to have a reading. The readings are brief and because of the queue they can be no more than 5 minutes long. These are entertainment readings and you are booked as entertainment.

For legal reasons some psychics will say "for entertainment only" but you really are not an entertainer. When psychics come in from the US to work in Canada they class themselves as entertainers so they don't have to get work permits. To the great disapproval of Canadian entertainers foreign performers only need work permits on very rare occasions.

As for advertising they are "truly psychic" they don't have to. The punters assume they are. The word "psychic' is enough.

Abraxus's last two questions are the sort that start an argument. It is well known that I am not the type to get involved in conflict so I shall ignore them.

Besides I am tired out typing.

I probably don't get out enough but I've never seen Psychics advertised as being in attendance at restaurants or tea shops but I can see that the latter would be a good place to do psychic things. The main venue for these folks are at Psychic Fairs and there are usually a dozen or more psychics offering various services such as Tarot, Crystal Ball, Runes etc. as well as associated books, DVDs and similar products on sale. I've only ever stuck my head round the door of one of these Fairs but it certainly looked like a professional yet somehow light hearted get together and the people who'd paid £3 each to get in seemed very happy on the way back out again after an hour or so.

Hmm - if people ask if I bend a spoon with the power of my mind I say I do - and it's true, I do. But - what I mean by 'the power of the mind' that is a bit different from what they understand it to be. I think the same applies to the word 'psychic'.

Generally I don't worry too much about what to call myself - I let people to come to their own conclusions. When I perform I don't ask myself whether a 'real' psychic would do something this way, rather is what I'm doing believable - and is it true to me. But beyond perfoming 'effects' and stepping out and taking some risks - using my imagination, symbols etc. - I've had some very interesting experiences.

I also think that a lot of the need to scientifically prove whether something is real or not misses the point - it's kind of like mixing art up with mathematics. People and human dynamics aren't always logical

As to the questions:

Would it be classed as entertainment? - I think the answer is yes. There are many movies that speak to the soul, bands that are making a political statement, etc. etc. - they're still entertainment.

Would they work in restuarants? I think some would - it's a place where there are people - a place to connect. The question should maybe be what type of restaurant.

Would they advertise the fact that they are truly psychic? Some would, some wouldn't (some do - some don't )

How do they establish/recieve their gifts/abilities?
I guess that depends on one's understanding of the term. Possibly the same as one could view musicians - some are naturally gifted, others learn because they want to. (and some are deluded in thinking that they are - but aren't)

Lol - when I initially read this, I thought you were asking a question about physics and I wondered why this thread wasn't in the "Dove's Head."

It was only when I started reading it, that I realised I'd misread psychics for physics

D'oh

Well, seeing how I can't help you with your pyschics question (I may have been able to help with a physics question ), I will now leave you and this thread in the capable hands of those that may have something relevant to contribute

I'm quickly discovering that you don't label yourself or define your "abilities", others do.

i actually forgot to say that i feel that psychics are people with heightened sense(s)...that's all...

they are more in tune with their fellow man/beast...but i feel the power of the word "psychic" has quite a hollywood meaning to alot of folk...

so, i think that a real one, wouldn't label themselves as "psychic" they just normal folk, who are just more sensitive than the average bear...so they wouldnt feel inclinded to "advertise" the psychic ability as such...it would just be natural to them...

i think that's the confusion for me, if i were psychic and performed magic..i would definately keep the "gift" secret...as to me, that would tip the method!

"ah! you're psychic! what number am i thinking of?"
7...im psychic...

"ok, im thinking of a simple shape, and another inside that..."
oh, that would be a triangle inside a circle..im psychic...

i dunno, perhaps im over simplifying it

Maybe it's better to just say something like, "Good evening, I'm Tomo and I'm, well, let me give you an example of what I do. Please quickly think of a number..." etc. and let them find their own meaning in the effect you have on them.

it might confuse people if i introduce myself as Tomo though...

i think i just have an ironically mental block over it all...probably cynical too...

moonbeam wrote:I will now leave you and this thread in the capable hands of those that may have something relevant to contribute

Mandrake wrote:

Scotty wrote:Ye canna beat the laws of psychics, Jim!

..... Okay, maybe not

..... Oh and by the way Mandrake - how did you know that my name is Jim (well, James actually, but I sometimes get called Jim/Jimmy )

Are you psychic

abraxus wrote:it might confuse people if i introduce myself as Tomo though...

Ha ha! Good point. My first draft said ""Good evening, I'm <insert name here> and I'm, well, let me give you an example of what I do. Please quickly think of a number..."