A spirit medium in action: On nighttime talk-back radio, a national radio network used the professio...

1. A spirit medium in activity:
A spirit medium in action:
On nighttime talk-back radio, a national radio network used the professional services of a spirit
medium for a couple of years. To be able to get guidance and messages from deceased relatives and
pals, listeners were encouraged to telephone during the program. Here was a situation to hear a
professional cool reader in activity over an extended amount of time and under states that are
unexpectedly controlled. The control consisted in the reality that, unlike face to face psychic reading
scenarios, there were no visual cues or clues. All of the information she had available about callers
was accessible to any listener. Although it'd have been possible for accomplices to call Betty, and for
her on such occasions to display "astounding" paranormal cognitive or clairvoyant capabilities, I
don't believe her readings ever entailed such lie. I incline to this belief because in the months that I
studied her Betty never once appeared to have advice about any caller, or the dead relatives of any
caller, which was not absolutely consistent with viewing her performances as cold reading that is
unaided.
Moreover, as a virtuoso reader that is cold she'd little demand for such subterfuge. A dazzling tech
of her profession, the grandmotherly Betty was able merely on the foundation of telephone
conversations that are freely broadcast to convince many callers and listeners that she could
communicate with all the dead. Nevertheless, just like a pianist gifted at improvization, her readings
were constructed from from a sizable, but not unlimited, set of elements, or "bag of tricks." In
listening to her, it was not impossible in the first hour or two to be very impressed by her skills.
Increasingly, however, one began to notice repetition. The readings were all different, but more and
more began to resemble one another, especially when they were readings directed at the same type
of caller. Using a tape recorder greatly facilitated the evaluation of her patterns of answer. As a
reader with several years of extensive experience, it was not impossible for Betty to catch subtle
hints to issues substantially more rapidly that most listeners and a caller's situation. The tape
recorder was really helpful in understanding this. A typical reading, in this genuine instance from a
caller named Maureen, might continue as follows:
"Good evening, Betty."
"Good evening, Maureen."
[ Though Maureen has talked but ten words, Betty -- or any listener -- can surmise that she is a
normally jovial man or at least tonight is in a joyful disposition, might have been raised in Ireland,
and is upwards of 55 years old. As distinct from several other types of caller, as though she's seeking
advice on an issue that is personal, or she will not sound recently bereaved.]
"Yes, I can, [Betty gushes.] since I have the most cheerful lady here beside me!
"Yes." [A note of hesitation.]
"And she practically jumped up and down!"
"That is right" [With more trust.]
"That is what she is doing at the moment! [ the voice of Betty reaches a peak of excitement, and then

2. becomes more serious.] Now, just as I was saying that, she was giving me a feeling -- in the
abdomen, not in the stomache -- and it's all tight. It feels emaciated but blown up. And she is having
trouble breathing -- it must have been that way in the ending"
"That's appropriate." [Betty's spirits usually identify themselves by head pains, difficulties in
breathing, weakness, and sometimes recounting their deathbed
http://www.ehow.com/list_6484896_tips-cold-reading-acting.html symptoms: obscure criticisms in
the thorax region. Auto accident victims tell of "chest pains."]
"Yes, yes, I was abroad when she died at home." [It is now clearer that Maureen is closer and Irish
possibly to 70 or 65 years old.]
"Gosh, there's a crowd of people around the full facts book of cold reading pdf her!"
"Is there? [Maureen is astonished ]
"Yes, exactly." [Betty responds with casual trust.]
"And my daddy?" [Maureen almost yells with delight.]
"Yes, he's there also."
"And is my brother there?" [ the reader is supplied by The enthusiastic client with all of the material
required.]
"Yes, your brother is there also. And look [ the voice of Betty is almost embarrassed.], I know this
sounds funny, however there are five grandparents here! [Betty frequently proposes a family friend,
aunt, or uncle who was important in youth.]
"Oh...[Maureen pauses.] Oh! That could be my Mum's English friend!
"And going back to that time, can we talk about a donkey cart?"
"Oh, yes!" [ A donkey cart will be a memorable attribute for nearly every man of Maureen's age and
Irish youth. Such a reference exemplifies Betty's broad understanding of ethnic organizations and
general public stereotypes; but notice the caution -- not "your family's" cart, but merely "a donkey
cart." It is left to Maureen to remember which specific cart Betty must "mean."]
"And the times which were associated with it -- you can really feel the enjoyment of that time."
"That is correct." [Maureen is emphatic ]
"Now look -- I"m being shown a row of houses, and they're apartment houses."
"Yes..." [Maureen hesitates.]
"And there are about four of them..."
[Silence from Maureen, signaling puzzlement.]
"Now bear with me here -- and I Have got a sort of red brick."

3. [ Longer quiet -- it must come as a surprise that some recollection is related by an elderly Irish
woman cannot to a description of common brick row houses, but the finest utilized people
stereotypes will sometimes fail.]
"Now, Maureen, this isn't where you lived!" [Betty speaks firmly.]
"No...no, it is not."
"But it is where...ah...[Betty is groping.]...ah...a dear friend dwelt! Can you understand that?"
"Yes." [Maureen talks without conviction: she's attempting to find who the buddy may be. Betty
quickly changes the subject.]
"Also, I am being handed a little posy of flowers. They are practically like forget me nots, but I'm not
certain they are -- and she is handing those to you."
"My mother is?"
"Yes, it is your mom."
"Oh, how pleasant!"
"And you know, Maureen, there's an anniversary coming up shortly -- a time of memory. It absolutely
was somebody's birthday." [With the many relatives of Maureen, somebody, living or dead, must
have a birthday shortly.]
"Oh, yes..."
"And that one sends their love to you personally too." [The ungrammatical "their" doubles the
chances of either "his" or "her," but this hardly seems necessary, as by now it clear that Maureen
will accept anything that Betty says, making, as Larsen so aptly put it, the reading fit herself.]
"And my brother [Maureen's voice takes on a melancholy tone.], is he happy?"
"He is happy now, he's telling me, and he's stressing the word now. He says, "She'll know -- you
don"t need to ask me more -- she will understand."
"Oh, I know... I understand." [Maureen sighs.]
"I'm having trouble keeping up with all of them here -- they're all packing in -- and they are all
happy."
Is my mother in law about?"
"Yes, she's."
"Is she happy?"
"Yes, she is. She was a bit of a discontented woman, she tells me.
"Yes! [Amazed.] That's correct!"

4. "But she says, "Well, you've got to learn contentment, and there is no reason we can not have
contentment here, because we have everything we desire."
"Isn"t that marvelous!" ....