Mediums and Psychics
We've seen them, heard them, and watched them. First off I would like to inform you that there are real ones out there and there are fake ones. I feel like there is so much media bombardment over them that I need to set a few facts straight. I will outline how to spot a fake one and what methods they use in case you feel the need to search one out.
Psychics to me are people that claim to have abilities to speak to the dead to see the future, speak to your loved ones, or see your future in the stars. They use some mathematical equations to generate a "generalized" statement. Let me say that word again..."GENERALIZED." If you say a statement that is overly generalized it could in fact apply to everyone. A lot of con artists use these generalized statements to get your money. So in my opinion don't pay for them. stick to the free ones if you really need to hear it. Let me give you an example. "I can see in your life you have suffered a great deal." Who hasn't suffered. That is life. We suffer and we prosper.
Mediums to me are people who claim to speak to the dead, can see the dead, or hear the dead ect. There are people in this world, unfortunately, that will prey on the emotionally suffering. These types of people will offer to get in touch with your loved one for a fee. I do believe in mediums more than psychics. The reason. The future is not a clear course of action. Everything we do influences and changes the outcome of life.
Speak with the Dead By Konstantinos is a book that has been sitting on my shelf for years. I read it once along time ago and felt that it had some very good points, but didn't realize its importance till now. As a kid you think of mediums and psychics as cool, but I had no idea there were so many fakes. In Konstantions book he talks about how to spot them and how to gather EVP's. The book was written in 2001. I am not sure if it is still in print, but if your serious about ghost this would not be a bad book to add to your collection.
The fakers
1.) They charge money. This is the biggest red flag to me. Most people with the gift of Mediumship often offer their services for free. Why? Because they understand the importance of helping people verses making a quick buck. Now, I know a few that charge, but they also have a small private clientele. They don't advertise and often work right out of their home.
2.) From the book, Speak with the Dead, He talks about two types of readings. Hot reading which is where a Medium or Psychic will pay a private investigator too get all of the information they can on one specific person. Cold reading which is a method used by most con-artists. Cold reading is a simply fishing for information by using questions and random guesses.
A.) To break it down. The medium sees someone walk in. Now they can sum a lot about that person by how they are dressed, or maybe even the expression on their face. Now for example. A woman wearing black walks in. Her face is sad and the psychic notices she has a ring on her left hand. So the psychic begins "fishing." "A man is here" they begin. Unfortunately the woman is so depressed and sad that she automatically assumes she talking about her departed husband. If the woman doesn't give out any information the medium will continue to fish. By saying something along the lines, "I see a name beginning with the letter B." Even if this is wrong, The woman will not notice because they are always asking questions. "Does this sound familiar to you?" "Do you know who this could be?" The medium can often cover this up by claiming there is more than one spirit in the room. Once the sitter is emotionally hooked, the medium has the lead.
Most psychic and mediums have a low accuracy rate. In the book he describes one famous psychic only have a 12% accuracy. By asking the sitter a series of question, the medium, can easily manipulate the information. Allow me to outline a conversation. (This conversation is not in the book, Its my own example based on the information in the book.)
Medium "I see a name that begins with the letter B."
Sitter "It must be Billy my cousin."
Medium "He is telling me he is better now, he is with someone else. They are showing me a car. Do you know what this means? "
Sitter starts to cry, " Billy died in a car accident with my husband Fred."
Medium "Fred is telling me that he is ok. He is also showing me someone else. A woman. They are hugging."
Sitter "My grandmother! Are they okay are they getting along well?"
Medium "Yes, I can see their smiling faces. I'm seeing some boxes. Do you know what this means? Can you tell me what it is?"
See how the conversation is. The medium or psychic is just randomly guessing as the sitter fills in the pieces of information. The Medium or psychic already knows the desperation of the sitter, why else would the sitter have chosen to come to them in the first place. That is what they prey on. The emotionally vulnerable. (Speak.29) Personally, I would stick to using mediums if your haunted. I wouldn't go searching for loved ones. It would be nice to hear if they are okay, but it truly won't help the grieving process. Which I recommend seeing a professional for. Grief is nothing you should just deal with. Go talk to someone about it.
Speak with the Dead.Konstantions.2004 edition, llewellyn Publications.
Psychics to me are people that claim to have abilities to speak to the dead to see the future, speak to your loved ones, or see your future in the stars. They use some mathematical equations to generate a "generalized" statement. Let me say that word again..."GENERALIZED." If you say a statement that is overly generalized it could in fact apply to everyone. A lot of con artists use these generalized statements to get your money. So in my opinion don't pay for them. stick to the free ones if you really need to hear it. Let me give you an example. "I can see in your life you have suffered a great deal." Who hasn't suffered. That is life. We suffer and we prosper.
Mediums to me are people who claim to speak to the dead, can see the dead, or hear the dead ect. There are people in this world, unfortunately, that will prey on the emotionally suffering. These types of people will offer to get in touch with your loved one for a fee. I do believe in mediums more than psychics. The reason. The future is not a clear course of action. Everything we do influences and changes the outcome of life.
Speak with the Dead By Konstantinos is a book that has been sitting on my shelf for years. I read it once along time ago and felt that it had some very good points, but didn't realize its importance till now. As a kid you think of mediums and psychics as cool, but I had no idea there were so many fakes. In Konstantions book he talks about how to spot them and how to gather EVP's. The book was written in 2001. I am not sure if it is still in print, but if your serious about ghost this would not be a bad book to add to your collection.
The fakers
1.) They charge money. This is the biggest red flag to me. Most people with the gift of Mediumship often offer their services for free. Why? Because they understand the importance of helping people verses making a quick buck. Now, I know a few that charge, but they also have a small private clientele. They don't advertise and often work right out of their home.
2.) From the book, Speak with the Dead, He talks about two types of readings. Hot reading which is where a Medium or Psychic will pay a private investigator too get all of the information they can on one specific person. Cold reading which is a method used by most con-artists. Cold reading is a simply fishing for information by using questions and random guesses.
A.) To break it down. The medium sees someone walk in. Now they can sum a lot about that person by how they are dressed, or maybe even the expression on their face. Now for example. A woman wearing black walks in. Her face is sad and the psychic notices she has a ring on her left hand. So the psychic begins "fishing." "A man is here" they begin. Unfortunately the woman is so depressed and sad that she automatically assumes she talking about her departed husband. If the woman doesn't give out any information the medium will continue to fish. By saying something along the lines, "I see a name beginning with the letter B." Even if this is wrong, The woman will not notice because they are always asking questions. "Does this sound familiar to you?" "Do you know who this could be?" The medium can often cover this up by claiming there is more than one spirit in the room. Once the sitter is emotionally hooked, the medium has the lead.
Most psychic and mediums have a low accuracy rate. In the book he describes one famous psychic only have a 12% accuracy. By asking the sitter a series of question, the medium, can easily manipulate the information. Allow me to outline a conversation. (This conversation is not in the book, Its my own example based on the information in the book.)
Medium "I see a name that begins with the letter B."
Sitter "It must be Billy my cousin."
Medium "He is telling me he is better now, he is with someone else. They are showing me a car. Do you know what this means? "
Sitter starts to cry, " Billy died in a car accident with my husband Fred."
Medium "Fred is telling me that he is ok. He is also showing me someone else. A woman. They are hugging."
Sitter "My grandmother! Are they okay are they getting along well?"
Medium "Yes, I can see their smiling faces. I'm seeing some boxes. Do you know what this means? Can you tell me what it is?"
See how the conversation is. The medium or psychic is just randomly guessing as the sitter fills in the pieces of information. The Medium or psychic already knows the desperation of the sitter, why else would the sitter have chosen to come to them in the first place. That is what they prey on. The emotionally vulnerable. (Speak.29) Personally, I would stick to using mediums if your haunted. I wouldn't go searching for loved ones. It would be nice to hear if they are okay, but it truly won't help the grieving process. Which I recommend seeing a professional for. Grief is nothing you should just deal with. Go talk to someone about it.
Speak with the Dead.Konstantions.2004 edition, llewellyn Publications.