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A recent endeavor of mine has been to strengthen my ability as a cold reader.

Its a topic Ive known of for a while and even did a little experimenting a couple of years back. I can give a cursory reading and get reactions but nothing to spectacular.

Ive read most of Kneppers Work on the subject, I recently read Craig Browning work along with Herb Dewey's. Ive never used a tool before (oracle as they are called in Craig's book) Such as tarot, palmistry, runes, or numerology. I cannot find a way to make them mesh with my preforming character. I have always went the route of claiming psychology and giving explanations in the realm of there posture facial expressions etc.

Ok now my question.

from what I understood from specifically Herb Dewey's book is that by indivuating the reading to the person through use of something like there birthday, the numbers formed by there name, or there shuffling the tarot cards. Causes them to perceive the reading as more accurate. Is using the explanation of reading body language accomplishing the same thing? Does body language qualify as an oracle?

a charming cheat

I understand Martin Macmillan of International Magic has just produced a two set DVD on this subject. I know the presenter personally and can confirm that he is a genius of the first magnitude. That is the route you need to go in these matters.

First you need to define what kind of reading you wish to do. A short reading for entertainment purposes or a reading with more depth where you get into people's problems. If your reading lasts more then 10 15 minutes you are getting into the deep stuff.

Incidentally the Herb Dewey book is a load of old cobblers. I did cursorily read Kenton Knepper's book on the subject title "Completely Cold" I am afraid it left me completely cold.

I want to strengthen my cold reading ability for those moments where I dont have anything set up and need to do something completely off the cuff. As of this moment I cant see using it in my show. Ill look into the dvd set thank you for the advice. And I agree on Completely cold it was not at all helpful for the route I wanted to go down. Kneppers works of Mind Reading And Wonder Readings were much more helpful.


A charming Cheat

Paul Voodini's Reader of Minds is quite possibly the best book on the subject.

Lord Freddie wrote:Paul Voodini's Reader of Minds is quite possibly the best book on the subject.

Many thanks. I concur.

It can be found here BTW: http://www.lybrary.com/reader-minds-p-29045.html

If your persona uses psychology or NLP, why not use some kind of psychological test like Docc Hilford's System 88 or Knepper's Ennematics or S.A.R.? You could even use Rorschach inkblot test.

Happy reading.

I tried cold reading, my wife made me turn the heat on. There went that.

I have a psychic feeling that we are at cross purposes here. And it is a common mistake. What magicians see as "cold reading" is not the same as what psychics visualise when they hear the word.

It seems you are not charging a fee for it but just want something quick for entertainment purposes only. It also seems that you are not visualising using an oracle such as Tarot cards or Rune Stones.

The International Magic DVD will of course be the best route of all. However, I would suggest that you focus you energies on the first DVD which explains Palmistry and Chinese Numerology. The second DVD will focus more on serious readings with the Tarot Cards. You can do the Palmistry and the Chinese Numerology completely impromptu since for the first virtually everyone has a hand to read and for the second only a piece of paper and a pen or pencil is necessary.

In fact in your situation I would recommend the Chinese Numerology best of all. You won't need any of that fake "cold reading" nonsense and have a genuine divination system which does not get into people's problems and only takes a minute to perform. Extremely accurate too. You can do it on the back of your business card and give it out. This is one business card they will not throw out.

The International Magic DVD is one route. Another route is to investigate the work of Richard Webster who is the main authority with this stuff. In fact, apart from the International Magic DVD I would ignore anyone else. His work on Chinese Numerology would be of particular interest to you.

Richard just purchased my memoirs "The Lives of a Showman" and this book gives an insight on how a real psychic works. They often start out as fakes but end up doing it for real.

The first step towards improving your cold reading skills is to get rid of everything Kenton Knepper wrote. It is over-rated. There is far better stuff out there.

System 88 by Docc Hilford could be what you are looking for. Ask three questions and you can know everything about a person. I love the concept. Unfortunately the final product left me underwhelmed, but that does not mean it is not a very good product in the right hands. Just didn't suit me.

Google face reading - that might meet your requirements. You do a cold reading based on facial features. There is a new book out on it, though I don't have it or the details. The beauty of palmistry is that you have your oracle to hand (literally) when called upon to perform.

I can thoroughly recommend Paul Voodini's Reader of Minds, and his Palmistry for Magicians. I also recommend Mark Lewis's DVD set, which I am looking forward to getting. I was at the workshops; there will be useful information there, unlike Kenton's Completely Cold.

I said lots of rude things about various people on my DVD. Alas, I think Martin is going to bleep them out. I think he is going to be selling the DVDs (there are two in the set) in Blackpool providing I can exert myself today to do a blurb of some kind on the back of one of them.

I am dead tired. I wish I had the energy. Still, after an hour of sleep perhaps my brain cells will be sufficiently refreshed.

There is an ESP card reading system out there, which may suit your needs or else card sharks ink blots could be used for a reading.

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/sutra329278.php&highlight=

This FREE Book will give you all the resources you'll need to know about

http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/learning-to-cold-read/14358013

Craig Browning wrote:This FREE Book will give you all the resources you'll need to know about

http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/learning-to-cold-read/14358013

Congratulations, you win the Shortest Post Ever From Craig Browning award.

Free is a good price. I have been told that giving books away free is a fantastic marketing device. I have never figured out why.

mark lewis wrote:I understand Martin Macmillan of International Magic has just produced a two set DVD on this subject. I know the presenter personally and can confirm that he is a genius of the first magnitude. That is the route you need to go in these matters. ...

Rev Lewis, do you have a name for the DVD set? I looked but couldn't find it.