Your thoughs on people who proclaim themsevles psychic - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

BentNotTwisted · 12-30-2003, 07:33 PM

Eight years ago I met a woman who claimed she was psychic. She said she had some sort of spirit guide following her around and could communicate with it. I pretty much considered her a nut case until one evening we spent chatting over a bottle of wine. She started asking me about my family. I told her I came from a family of 10 children and that one of them had passed a way a few years before our talk. She asked me how he died and I said 'Why dont' you tell me?' She made several stabs at it which made me doubt her supposed ability. She said, cancer, heart attack, then she said AIDS. Considering he was my older brother it wasn't an outrageous guess. Still it was right on the money.
Then she asked the strangest thing. She wanted to know if I would be interested in talking to my dead brother. She said she would ask her spirit guide to try and contact him. I thought, what the heck. Maybe she'll try some more guessing games, get it wrong, and I'd be positive she was deluded. To condense what happened it seemed her spirit guide was able to talk to my brother and he had something important to tell me. My brother said an old high school girlfriend of his had been killed in an automobile accident and that she was trapped and could not move on to her next existance. My brother wanted me to try and help this friend of his, this ghost. What boggles my mind is this psychic only knew my brother was gay and that he died of AIDS. That's all I had told her. How could she know my brother briefly dated one woman late in his highschool years or shortly after. I never followed up to determine if the woman had died so I can't be absolutely sure of the woman's accuracy.
I know there are a lot of con artists who claim to have special powers and steal from gullible people. Have any of you come across legitimate psychics?

Crack · 12-30-2003, 09:17 PM

legitimate psychics... hmmmmm, I bend towards the reasoning that if they don't ask for money, or anything else in return then they are more on the level than the others who do. The cops sometimes use psychics to try and solve crimes that have been left unsolved by other means. You can't go through life doubting everything, even if it seems unreailistic and wierd. I tend to put the advice of psychics in the same boat as a stranger who gives advice about a personal problem. Sometimes they can be more objective than friends and family can be, but do you really want their advice?
~Crack

GakFace · 12-30-2003, 11:20 PM

the term Psychic has serioulsy been Construed. Psychic is not a SPECIFIC meaning. It is simply someone with paranormal powers.

Psychic - A person apparently responsive to psychic forces
Psychical - Of, relating to, affecting, or influenced by the human mind or psyche
--and--
Capable of extraordinary mental processes, such as extrasensory perception and mental telepathy.

Psychic doesn't mean what they can do, it just states they have an ability with their mind. Future Psychics are the ones that we see on TV all the time... They say they know the future and they also just want money. If they were true, they'd put their abilities to better use, like become a detective or something. Maybe a Body Guard (think Unbreakable). Things like that. But all those fake "Future Psychics" are what bring a bad name to the rest of us. I do fit in the Psychic category. I'm slightly Empathic to people, and extremely Empathic to spirits. I've talk to some other people who have talents and I asked them about the credit card thingy. "If they know everything, why do they have to ask for your credit card number?" Just because they can figure things out, doesn't mean they know everything. I don't know how it works for everyone, but they wont' always know everything, this is why they ask questions. They might have a good idea, but it wont' be as plain as words.. like in a written document... Thus they have to ask to get it clear.

Also as far as I am concerned, Future Psychics are not good. I can give two reasons why I will never go to them.

1. If they know the future.. then there must be no free will. If there was, they wouldn't really know would they?

-- OR --

2. Their power is beyond just knowing. Since Free Will exists, there are infinate possiblities about what you will do with your life. By going to a Future Psychic, you would merely be letting them CHOOSE one of the infinate paths for you. Personally I would rather keep my life in my own hands than to let someone pick it for me. (especially since you are usually paying them to fuck up your life)

BentNotTwisted · 12-31-2003, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GakFace

2. Their power is beyond just knowing. Since Free Will exists, there are infinate possiblities about what you will do with your life. By going to a Future Psychic, you would merely be letting them CHOOSE one of the infinate paths for you. Personally I would rather keep my life in my own hands than to let someone pick it for me. (especially since you are usually paying them to fuck up your life)

I too am skeptical of someone who can predict the future. Apparently my MIL likes to go to some Future Psychic in Las Vegas. MIL pays the woman big bucks to tell her how to live her life. This just boggles my mind. I'll live my own life the way I want, thank you very much. I guess for people who are too scared to make decisions that directly affect their lives it's an easy cop out. BTW, my MIL is semiretired living on a very limited fixed income. If that Future Psychic was any good my MIL should be rolling in money by now.

psicon · 01-01-2004, 01:40 AM

I agree with all of that was said so far on the subject.I personally consider psychic abilites a gift from God or what ever deity you believe in.It just irks me when I see these so-called"psychics" asking money for their services.I went to Sylvia Brownes' website and I was appalled to see that she charges over $600 dollars for a session. I mean God gives you this gift to help people not to fleece them.

Fire · 01-01-2004, 02:52 AM

in general I tend to believe that those that proclaim their abilities are phonies- I have had flashes of insight that i cannot explain, and it is not a comfortable thing - it is not "neat" or particularly interesting- it can be quite terrifying- and it does fuck severly with my hopes for free will- i do not get a choice in what I know, and sometimes it realy sucks as I have never been able to change it- I do not talk about this to anyone save very close friends, my wife, and family- i talk about it here because we are resonably anonomous and it might help someone else to know that there are other people with this thing- there are quite a few people that I have met that claim to be able to read cards, palms, the future, whatever- and to date the only ones that I believe in are the ones that do not volunteer this info untill you realy know them well- and never for personal gain.....

tecoyah · 01-01-2004, 06:51 AM

My mother is a well respected Holistic Healer, She is capable of things most would consider "miracles". I use reiki healing on a regular basis and can attest to the reality of energy manipulation. These things fall out of the borders of western societal norm, and yet are part of everyday life elsewhere.
paranormal abilities seem to be real in many cases, but as with all things must be taken with a grain of salt.To arbitrarily dismiss something of benefit, would seem a terrible waste of opportunity, and would accomplish nothing but closing the mind.

timalkin · 01-01-2004, 01:10 PM

As long as they aren't on TV or live in a purple house, I'd give them a chance. History has shown that the vast majority of these people are con men and thieves. You can obviously make a ton of money from the guillible.

MSD · 01-01-2004, 02:49 PM

I can read auras to an extent, I can "see" ghosts and somehow sensesome things that aren't there. It fascinates me, I research this kind of stuff due to whatever natural aptitude I may have. It helps me at times, but even if I could cure the sick and see the future, I wouldn't charge anyone for help. If I had the gift of healing or sight, I would assume that I was given it for a reason other than to make money.

jets · 01-01-2004, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MrSelfDestruct
I can read auras to an extent, I can "see" ghosts and somehow sensesome things that aren't there. It fascinates me, I research this kind of stuff due to whatever natural aptitude I may have. It helps me at times, but even if I could cure the sick and see the future, I wouldn't charge anyone for help. If I had the gift of healing or sight, I would assume that I was given it for a reason other than to make money.

I believe that there are people out there that have psychic abilities. I believe that most people that claim to have psychic abilities are probably just very intuitive people that are great at knowing what you want to hear. On many occasions I have come into contact with some of these people and I have never been totally taken aback by anything they had said; most of the time they simply try to tell you what has happened in your past and move into what happens next. I have always been intrigued by the whole concept and have been in concact with many people known for these abilities.

From my experience it's the people that go into little detail and focus on few things that have something real to offer.

BentNotTwisted · 01-02-2004, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jets
From my experience it's the people that go into little detail and focus on few things that have something real to offer.

If I'm understanding your statement correctly you're saying people with psychic abiliities who are vague and give general references have something beneficial to offer. It may just be semantics but my interpretation of 'little detail' = 'not much detail' and 'focus on few things' = 'don't focus on specifics'. To me these types of people are the con artists that just guess and tell you what you want to hear.
Jets, please correct me if I misunderstood your meaning.

jets · 01-02-2004, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BentNotTwisted
If I'm understanding your statement correctly you're saying people with psychic abiliities who are vague and give general references have something beneficial to offer. It may just be semantics but my interpretation of 'little detail' = 'not much detail' and 'focus on few things' = 'don't focus on specifics'. To me these types of people are the con artists that just guess and tell you what you want to hear.
Jets, please correct me if I misunderstood your meaning.

I'm sorry. Sometimes I don't put enough thought into how I write things and it was kinda late

What I mean to write was "From my experience it's the people that go into alot detail while keeping focus on few things that have something real to offer.

BentNotTwisted · 01-02-2004, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jets
I'm sorry. Sometimes I don't put enough thought into how I write things and it was kinda late

What I mean to write was "From my experience it's the people that go into alot detail while keeping focus on few things that have something real to offer.

Thanks for the clarification, I whole hartedly agree.

Jay Francis · 01-04-2004, 12:26 PM

Cold reading and hot reading, sounds like to me. She might have been able to do some research on you. I think it was Steve Wright who said, if they're psychics, why do they have to ask you your name? For me, the phenomena doesn't exist. There are lots of good double blind tests for psychic ability, and lots of monetary rewards have been offered over the years. With no rock solid proof. I am doubtful of any phenomenon that defies the laws of physics.

01-05-2004, 04:05 PM

some are, some aren't
Only those who do not ask questions or try to read the future or ask for any item of significance are legitimite- they respect free will and also your privacy.

GakFace · 01-07-2004, 01:13 AM

I have had people "test" my psychic abilities... But I notice that i simply cannot just "conjure" it up whenever the hell I want to, but only when it is truely needed. Then again.. I don't have anything to prove when its not needed. Just like a Holistic Healer.. they can't heal you if your faking it.. and if you get a lot of pressure on you, you might just lose the concentration needed to perform the act. Most of mine take lots of concentration... more or less its a deep meditation for me.

Psicon I agree with you there.. God has allowed me such gifts, I use to them to help, not to be greedy.

psychicchick · 01-09-2004, 08:18 PM

I was always curious and extremely skeptical of all things not scientifically proven. I considered myself a sincere, outspoken, and sometimes practically militant, atheist. But since I enjoyed ghost stories, when my mother suggested that I read a book by a psychic she'd met at a party, I picked the book up. Everything this woman had to say made perfect sense to me. It explained absolutely every mystery I could think of. Souls and spirit guides and ghosts and psychics, the whole thing. So I read all of her books and eventually discovered that she teaches classes in my area. I figured it was intriguing, but...enh.

Then my younger brother was hit by a car, hung on in a coma for two weeks, and died. As a completely non-religious person, I had absolutely no beliefs of the afterlife to fall back on for comfort. The day after he died, I was thinking about how hard all of this was, and how alone he must be, wherever it is that he went. I heard a voice say "he's ok, it's just US who have to deal with this pain". It wasn't a real voice, but something in my mind, and it was clearly not one of my own thoughts (and no I'm not schizo). I was amazingly instantly comforted, and I was suddenly able to begin to accept his death. I don't know why, since I'd been hysterically miserable for 24 hours.

I began to ponder the thought that there could actually be something after this world. So I looked into taking a class from the psychic who wrote about the afterlife. Four months later, the day before my brother's birthday, I started psychic class.

Long story short, the things my psychic teacher taught me over the next 15 weeks, and the things I myself have been able to do, have turned me into a true believer in psychic abilities and in a world beyond the one we know.

anyhow, that's my 2 cents.

GakFace · 01-11-2004, 05:19 AM

I would love to take her classes.

psychicchick · 01-11-2004, 05:23 AM

www.echobodine.com is her site. she only does classes in the minneapolis area but i know she travels around to various "new age" conferences

aarchaon · 02-01-2004, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by crackprogram
legitimate psychics... hmmmmm, I bend towards the reasoning that if they don't ask for money, or anything else in return then they are more on the level than the others who do....~Crack

Well thats all well and good but you can't ring up a plumber and say, "hey i don't think you're a real plumber so come to my house and fix my leaking pipes for free and i'll then decide if you're a real plumber or not." People have to eat, and you need money to eat.

skier · 02-01-2004, 11:09 PM

I'm kind of wondering if maybe the lady just forgot your brother was gay. It's not even that far a stretch to think even a gay man would have a girlfriend in high school due to it's repressed nature. Not to mention nearly everyone had a girlfriend in high school.

CinnamonGirl · 02-03-2004, 08:23 AM

Interesting thread...

My grandma is psychic, I guess what you'd call a "Future Psychic," although she does other things, too. And so, I grew up around it, and am probably more apt to believe things than others. As far as I know, she doesn't charge for readings, and mostly just does them for close family & friends. She told me once that it's a gift, and shouldn't be used to exploit others...

Hence my doubt when it comes to people that charge. I've paid to see two psychics...the first was pretty right on...she didn't get TOO specific, but she knew things she couldn't possibly have known, from conversation, from my clothes, etc.

The second was extremely vague. She had different price levels, and everytime I asked her to be a little more specific, I got a "give me more money, I'll tell you more stuff" line.

My grandma, though, right on the money (except she doesn't charge any...hehehe...) She knows when someone in the family is pregnant, before they do, usually. She did a reading for me when I was...hmmm...9 or 10, I think. I asked silly questions, though, nothing even remotely important. Even so, everything came true, as far as I remember.

cait987 · 02-03-2004, 06:39 PM

Psychics are a odd case, I will admit that there are some people who can do things that well, cant be explained honestly. Most psychics are around for one purpose and one purpose only and thats to make money. However, sometimes there are people who can go a bit farther then your normal phychics and it makes you wonder, because no person would know this much about you unless they acctaully looked into more about you.

I dont know honestly, I dont beleive in it but there are some odd things that people come up with however Ive never seen a person who can really do something amazing every psychic ive ever seen just wanted money and you could tell from the start due to this one line,

Quote:

give me more money, I'll tell you more stuff

Odd money sure does trigger those sudden memory fluxes aye?

Sun Tzu · 02-03-2004, 07:50 PM

Although this exsists http://www.randi.org/research/index.html

and has for quite some time. I believe everyone has the ability to DEVELOP areas of the mind that humans may not unlock for a very long time. Thats probably a good thing too; because looking at the Earth as a whole, humanity isnt ready for such.

Some indiviuals tap into it unexpectedly and either discard it as luck or similiar. While others mimic the situation which brought it out to strengthen it. Meditation is a good example.

Does anyone here believe that it possible for a humans to develop telekinetic abilities?

02-04-2004, 12:15 PM

Things to keep in mind regarding Psychics:

-If they charge, they aren't genuine.
-If they ask questions (age, name, "what happened", birthdate, etc. or ask for an item from you, they aren't genuine.
-We all have Psychic abilities- some are born with them being quite in tune, others develop and practice it.
-"Psychics" who read the future (predicting death, marriage, love, etc.) aren't genuine, as genuine Psychics know not to interfere with our free will. Those who believe what is told to them about the future can be simply brainwashed into thinking it will happen, therefore it is more possible of it happening.
-Check out annual Tarot/Psychic Fairs in your area. There is one here, I believe in the summer, where you meet them at their school/church and all the ask is for donations, but you don't have to pay anything. They will not ask any questions at all, just start reading about what has happened and what is currently happening- no interfering of the future.

cyclone · 02-04-2004, 05:46 PM

nice post Oshn

Sun Tzu · 02-04-2004, 09:06 PM

Oshnsoul; I just wanted to mention something- My mother definately has a gift. So did my grandmother. My grandmother had it in the form of either dreams or seeing visions. She used to tell me about them and they sounded more like descriptive superstitions ie- like a black bird flying into a house and cawing signifying someone close has died (just an example not specific to her) she always seemed to be right; but I would say she was more of a deeply spiritual person than psychic.

My mother on the other hand has feaked alot of people out (including herself and I) with her abilities. In the past it seemed as though she did it more for fun; like stating things about a person she didnt know- their parents names, exact birthdates, personal things people may have not wanted anyone to know about, etc. She has never asked for money because she never took it seriously. There was a period she put it to good use by using to counsel someone and help them process things going on in their life- never telling them what was coming. She stopped and hasnt done it for abut 3 years because people wouldnt leave her alone and they began telling their friends with them telling their friends and so on.

In any case the most effective means she used to start the "reading" was by asking for something sentimental from the person. The more emotional background in the item the better. She never did the John Edwards approach "asking questions", she simply told the person what she was seeing and then they would usually freak out. I've seen this done with other psychics that police used for missing persons. Like giving them ribbons or similiar. So I dont think that all that ask for items are fakes.
I do believe that our minds have the ability to do the same things without have such articles; they may be tools used for people at the beggining of their personal discovery- I dont know.

02-05-2004, 02:07 PM

Ya, sounds like they are both very intune with their awarenesses.

John Edwards moreso communicates with the spirits of deceased loved ones, and that he only gets motions, emotions, and gestures from the other side, so in asking questions, he can try to figure out what the spirit is communicating- it's quite different than reading someone in the physical world.

Johnny Rotten · 02-05-2004, 11:37 PM

I'm definitely on the fence when it comes to psychics. I've seen Edwards thoroughly debunked as a warm and even hot reader, and not even a very good one at that. His skill is in disorienting the client with a particularly quick flurry of questions, combined with some skillful editing that makes him look pretty good on tape. As the client tends to ignore the misses and grab onto hits, he and others in his niche get more leeway with their customers.

As with psychicckick, it was a book that turned me away from cynicism (which I think has far more overlap with skepticism than the skeptic crowd is willing to acknowledge). A series of books, actually, written by Beth Scott and Michael Norman, starting with Haunted Heartland. Unlike so many other "true account" compilations I've come across, Norman and Scott soberly investigate each phenomenon like professional journalists. There's no campfire cheesiness, no wishy-washy New Agey stuff (not that New Age material is necessarily "wishy-washy," of course), and no sensational speculation, unlike Hanz Holzer, who almost always places himself egotistically in the middle of the action, in my experience.

The cover art for all of Norman's and Scott's Haunted series is unfortunately extremely heavy-handed, which is why I think their work has been mostly overlooked, as it would immediately be categorized by a bookstore browser as being on the opposite end of the non-fiction spectrum, and hardly worth a serious peek.

So, although I still do not believe in physics as a profession and don't think I ever will, I think there's a lot more going on than most of us are aware of, and some people are definitely able to tap into that.

MrFailure · 02-06-2004, 04:43 AM

The closest thing I can say on this topic is that sometimes I get deja vu so bad, that I think I predicted something happening. I dont know if its deja vu, luck, or just chance.

GakFace · 02-07-2004, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by :::OshnSoul:::
Things to keep in mind regarding Psychics:

-If they ask questions (age, name, "what happened", birthdate, etc. or ask for an item from you, they aren't genuine.

I disagree. The term Psychic doesn't just mean you know name age, credit card and so on. I have my abilities, where i'm more empathic than anything else, aside from that I'm extremely empathic towards creatures without a physical body, I.E. Spirits and ghosts. This doesn't mean I know the spirit's name, age ir anything.. but if I got a description.. then from a sense of communtion (rather tricky really, but years of studying it... I have interpreted it all pretty well).. I could possibly tell if you if they were here.. or with you. Of course, you'd have to be near me in order for me to feel their presence.

If you meant by Psychic as in, I know all about you? Well yeah I can understand the notion of finding them to be fake for not knowing your name or whatnot, but I've spoken with people who had that ability, or who's parents have had a similar ability. It just doesn't quite work where you know everything about them. I think name and age is... thats another category, you might be able to understand what someone has gone through, and what they are going through currently... or how some thigns have affected them, but none of this knowledge will give a person's name, nor their credit card number. If you're on a hotline asking for a credit card number.. then I think you're fake.... if not though, they have a fighting chance.

02-07-2004, 06:03 PM

^^Genuine Psychics won't pry too much though, they are to read your aura and see your life from that. Even some genuine psychics won't know all, because they choose to respect our privacy. They will speak of things that they know you will be comfortable with or think you should here to help you. They may ask a few questions, but not so much as to give things away.

gorilla · 02-08-2004, 07:49 PM

psychics = fraud
the people on TV, they have little helpers that pose as average people that make small talk to the audience and ask stuff like "who do you want to hear from?" "what do you think they'll say?" and other stuff like that. people cant tell the future, past, or any of that crap... its just like magic, it doesnt work

kurtisj · 02-08-2004, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gorilla
psychics = fraud
the people on TV, they have little helpers that pose as average people that make small talk to the audience and ask stuff like "who do you want to hear from?" "what do you think they'll say?" and other stuff like that. people cant tell the future, past, or any of that crap... its just like magic, it doesnt work

i hear ya on this, total bullshit.

erion · 02-09-2004, 12:08 PM

I was present at a tarot card reading that accurately predicted the birth of a child that hadn't been conceived yet. It was at a picnic a couple of summers ago and none of the people involved in the reading (except the person actually doing it) seemed to be taking it seriously.

Closest I've been to a "psychic", but since I know everyone involved (including the person reading the cards) I tend to dismiss the cries of "bullshit."

02-09-2004, 12:31 PM

I used to be skeptic about psychics until I met one, and also had psychic experiences myself. Not seeing in the future, but just a basic reading of someone- about what is going on in their life. Genuine psychics know only to help guide the person into realizing things, not telling them things they didn't know. They help open doors for issues, nothing more. To say that psychics aren't real, is to say that you have not experienced a genuine psychic. That is all. We have to learn to see the seperation here. To evaluate and think possibilities beyond what we have experienced. just because you encountered or seen a "fake" psychic, doesn't mean that there aren't genuine psychics out there. I am really not trying to argue this, I have respect for your views, but it takes an open, understanding mind of how real psychics work. They are out there. Read my previous posts fmi.

Sun Tzu · 02-10-2004, 03:33 AM

kurtisj and gorilla; what is your overall impression of the US Central Intelligence Agency?

BentNotTwisted · 02-10-2004, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by skier
I'm kind of wondering if maybe the lady just forgot your brother was gay. It's not even that far a stretch to think even a gay man would have a girlfriend in high school due to it's repressed nature. Not to mention nearly everyone had a girlfriend in high school.

I don't think she would have forgotten he was gay because we had just finished discussing my brother dying of Aids. As far as him having a girlfriend in high school, your point is well taken and it could have been a guess.

xim · 02-14-2004, 08:54 AM

I think there is nothing more arrogant than to assume you know so much about everything that since you havent been exposed to (whatever) before it must be hogwash.

xim · 02-14-2004, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by skier
I'm kind of wondering if maybe the lady just forgot your brother was gay. It's not even that far a stretch to think even a gay man would have a girlfriend in high school due to it's repressed nature. Not to mention nearly everyone had a girlfriend in high school.

not me

12-30-2003, 07:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
BentNotTwisted Optimistic Skeptic Location: Midway between a Beehive and Centennial	Your thoughs on people who proclaim themsevles psychic Eight years ago I met a woman who claimed she was psychic. She said she had some sort of spirit guide following her around and could communicate with it. I pretty much considered her a nut case until one evening we spent chatting over a bottle of wine. She started asking me about my family. I told her I came from a family of 10 children and that one of them had passed a way a few years before our talk. She asked me how he died and I said 'Why dont' you tell me?' She made several stabs at it which made me doubt her supposed ability. She said, cancer, heart attack, then she said AIDS. Considering he was my older brother it wasn't an outrageous guess. Still it was right on the money. Then she asked the strangest thing. She wanted to know if I would be interested in talking to my dead brother. She said she would ask her spirit guide to try and contact him. I thought, what the heck. Maybe she'll try some more guessing games, get it wrong, and I'd be positive she was deluded. To condense what happened it seemed her spirit guide was able to talk to my brother and he had something important to tell me. My brother said an old high school girlfriend of his had been killed in an automobile accident and that she was trapped and could not move on to her next existance. My brother wanted me to try and help this friend of his, this ghost. What boggles my mind is this psychic only knew my brother was gay and that he died of AIDS. That's all I had told her. How could she know my brother briefly dated one woman late in his highschool years or shortly after. I never followed up to determine if the woman had died so I can't be absolutely sure of the woman's accuracy. I know there are a lot of con artists who claim to have special powers and steal from gullible people. Have any of you come across legitimate psychics?

12-30-2003, 09:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Crack Misanthropic Location: Ohio! yay!	legitimate psychics... hmmmmm, I bend towards the reasoning that if they don't ask for money, or anything else in return then they are more on the level than the others who do. The cops sometimes use psychics to try and solve crimes that have been left unsolved by other means. You can't go through life doubting everything, even if it seems unreailistic and wierd. I tend to put the advice of psychics in the same boat as a stranger who gives advice about a personal problem. Sometimes they can be more objective than friends and family can be, but do you really want their advice? ~Crack __________________ Crack, you and I are long overdue for a vicious bout of mansex. ~Halx

12-30-2003, 11:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
GakFace Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go!! Location: IN, USA	the term Psychic has serioulsy been Construed. Psychic is not a SPECIFIC meaning. It is simply someone with paranormal powers. Psychic - A person apparently responsive to psychic forces Psychical - Of, relating to, affecting, or influenced by the human mind or psyche --and-- Capable of extraordinary mental processes, such as extrasensory perception and mental telepathy. Psychic doesn't mean what they can do, it just states they have an ability with their mind. Future Psychics are the ones that we see on TV all the time... They say they know the future and they also just want money. If they were true, they'd put their abilities to better use, like become a detective or something. Maybe a Body Guard (think Unbreakable). Things like that. But all those fake "Future Psychics" are what bring a bad name to the rest of us. I do fit in the Psychic category. I'm slightly Empathic to people, and extremely Empathic to spirits. I've talk to some other people who have talents and I asked them about the credit card thingy. "If they know everything, why do they have to ask for your credit card number?" Just because they can figure things out, doesn't mean they know everything. I don't know how it works for everyone, but they wont' always know everything, this is why they ask questions. They might have a good idea, but it wont' be as plain as words.. like in a written document... Thus they have to ask to get it clear. Also as far as I am concerned, Future Psychics are not good. I can give two reasons why I will never go to them. 1. If they know the future.. then there must be no free will. If there was, they wouldn't really know would they? -- OR -- 2. Their power is beyond just knowing. Since Free Will exists, there are infinate possiblities about what you will do with your life. By going to a Future Psychic, you would merely be letting them CHOOSE one of the infinate paths for you. Personally I would rather keep my life in my own hands than to let someone pick it for me. (especially since you are usually paying them to fuck up your life) __________________ RoboBlaster: Welcome to the club! Not that I'm in the club. And there really isn'a a club in the first place. But if there was a club and if I was in it, I would definitely welcome you to it.

01-01-2004, 02:52 AM	#6 (permalink)
Fire Warrior Smith Location: missouri	in general I tend to believe that those that proclaim their abilities are phonies- I have had flashes of insight that i cannot explain, and it is not a comfortable thing - it is not "neat" or particularly interesting- it can be quite terrifying- and it does fuck severly with my hopes for free will- i do not get a choice in what I know, and sometimes it realy sucks as I have never been able to change it- I do not talk about this to anyone save very close friends, my wife, and family- i talk about it here because we are resonably anonomous and it might help someone else to know that there are other people with this thing- there are quite a few people that I have met that claim to be able to read cards, palms, the future, whatever- and to date the only ones that I believe in are the ones that do not volunteer this info untill you realy know them well- and never for personal gain..... __________________ Thought the harder, Heart the bolder, Mood the more as our might lessens

01-01-2004, 06:51 AM	#7 (permalink)
tecoyah Illusionary	My mother is a well respected Holistic Healer, She is capable of things most would consider "miracles". I use reiki healing on a regular basis and can attest to the reality of energy manipulation. These things fall out of the borders of western societal norm, and yet are part of everyday life elsewhere. paranormal abilities seem to be real in many cases, but as with all things must be taken with a grain of salt.To arbitrarily dismiss something of benefit, would seem a terrible waste of opportunity, and would accomplish nothing but closing the mind. __________________ Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha

01-01-2004, 01:40 AM	#5 (permalink)
psicon Tilted Location: In my own little world.	I agree with all of that was said so far on the subject.I personally consider psychic abilites a gift from God or what ever deity you believe in.It just irks me when I see these so-called"psychics" asking money for their services.I went to Sylvia Brownes' website and I was appalled to see that she charges over $600 dollars for a session. I mean God gives you this gift to help people not to fleece them.

01-01-2004, 01:10 PM	#8 (permalink)
timalkin Addict Location: watching from the treeline	As long as they aren't on TV or live in a purple house, I'd give them a chance. History has shown that the vast majority of these people are con men and thieves. You can obviously make a ton of money from the guillible.

01-01-2004, 02:49 PM	#9 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	I can read auras to an extent, I can "see" ghosts and somehow sensesome things that aren't there. It fascinates me, I research this kind of stuff due to whatever natural aptitude I may have. It helps me at times, but even if I could cure the sick and see the future, I wouldn't charge anyone for help. If I had the gift of healing or sight, I would assume that I was given it for a reason other than to make money.

01-04-2004, 12:26 PM	#14 (permalink)
Jay Francis Psycho Location: Houston, Texas	Probably a fraud Cold reading and hot reading, sounds like to me. She might have been able to do some research on you. I think it was Steve Wright who said, if they're psychics, why do they have to ask you your name? For me, the phenomena doesn't exist. There are lots of good double blind tests for psychic ability, and lots of monetary rewards have been offered over the years. With no rock solid proof. I am doubtful of any phenomenon that defies the laws of physics.

01-05-2004, 04:05 PM	#15 (permalink)
:::OshnSoul::: Guest	some are, some aren't Only those who do not ask questions or try to read the future or ask for any item of significance are legitimite- they respect free will and also your privacy.

01-07-2004, 01:13 AM	#16 (permalink)
GakFace Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go!! Location: IN, USA	I have had people "test" my psychic abilities... But I notice that i simply cannot just "conjure" it up whenever the hell I want to, but only when it is truely needed. Then again.. I don't have anything to prove when its not needed. Just like a Holistic Healer.. they can't heal you if your faking it.. and if you get a lot of pressure on you, you might just lose the concentration needed to perform the act. Most of mine take lots of concentration... more or less its a deep meditation for me. Psicon I agree with you there.. God has allowed me such gifts, I use to them to help, not to be greedy. __________________ RoboBlaster: Welcome to the club! Not that I'm in the club. And there really isn'a a club in the first place. But if there was a club and if I was in it, I would definitely welcome you to it.

01-09-2004, 08:18 PM	#17 (permalink)
psychicchick Upright	I was always curious and extremely skeptical of all things not scientifically proven. I considered myself a sincere, outspoken, and sometimes practically militant, atheist. But since I enjoyed ghost stories, when my mother suggested that I read a book by a psychic she'd met at a party, I picked the book up. Everything this woman had to say made perfect sense to me. It explained absolutely every mystery I could think of. Souls and spirit guides and ghosts and psychics, the whole thing. So I read all of her books and eventually discovered that she teaches classes in my area. I figured it was intriguing, but...enh. Then my younger brother was hit by a car, hung on in a coma for two weeks, and died. As a completely non-religious person, I had absolutely no beliefs of the afterlife to fall back on for comfort. The day after he died, I was thinking about how hard all of this was, and how alone he must be, wherever it is that he went. I heard a voice say "he's ok, it's just US who have to deal with this pain". It wasn't a real voice, but something in my mind, and it was clearly not one of my own thoughts (and no I'm not schizo). I was amazingly instantly comforted, and I was suddenly able to begin to accept his death. I don't know why, since I'd been hysterically miserable for 24 hours. I began to ponder the thought that there could actually be something after this world. So I looked into taking a class from the psychic who wrote about the afterlife. Four months later, the day before my brother's birthday, I started psychic class. Long story short, the things my psychic teacher taught me over the next 15 weeks, and the things I myself have been able to do, have turned me into a true believer in psychic abilities and in a world beyond the one we know. anyhow, that's my 2 cents.

01-11-2004, 05:19 AM	#18 (permalink)
GakFace Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go!! Location: IN, USA	I would love to take her classes. __________________ RoboBlaster: Welcome to the club! Not that I'm in the club. And there really isn'a a club in the first place. But if there was a club and if I was in it, I would definitely welcome you to it.

01-11-2004, 05:23 AM	#19 (permalink)
psychicchick Upright	www.echobodine.com is her site. she only does classes in the minneapolis area but i know she travels around to various "new age" conferences

02-01-2004, 11:09 PM	#21 (permalink)
skier Rawr! Location: Edmontania	I'm kind of wondering if maybe the lady just forgot your brother was gay. It's not even that far a stretch to think even a gay man would have a girlfriend in high school due to it's repressed nature. Not to mention nearly everyone had a girlfriend in high school. __________________ "Asking a bomb squad if an old bomb is still "real" is not the best thing to do if you want to save it." - denim

02-03-2004, 08:23 AM	#22 (permalink)
CinnamonGirl She's Actual Size Location: Central Republic of Where-in-the-Hell	Interesting thread... My grandma is psychic, I guess what you'd call a "Future Psychic," although she does other things, too. And so, I grew up around it, and am probably more apt to believe things than others. As far as I know, she doesn't charge for readings, and mostly just does them for close family & friends. She told me once that it's a gift, and shouldn't be used to exploit others... Hence my doubt when it comes to people that charge. I've paid to see two psychics...the first was pretty right on...she didn't get TOO specific, but she knew things she couldn't possibly have known, from conversation, from my clothes, etc. The second was extremely vague. She had different price levels, and everytime I asked her to be a little more specific, I got a "give me more money, I'll tell you more stuff" line. My grandma, though, right on the money (except she doesn't charge any...hehehe...) She knows when someone in the family is pregnant, before they do, usually. She did a reading for me when I was...hmmm...9 or 10, I think. I asked silly questions, though, nothing even remotely important. Even so, everything came true, as far as I remember. __________________ "...for though she was ordinary, she possessed health, wit, courage, charm, and cheerfulness. But because she was not beautiful, no one ever seemed to notice these other qualities, which is so often the way of the world." "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

02-03-2004, 07:50 PM	#24 (permalink)
Sun Tzu Conspiracy Realist Location: The Event Horizon	Although this exsists http://www.randi.org/research/index.html and has for quite some time. I believe everyone has the ability to DEVELOP areas of the mind that humans may not unlock for a very long time. Thats probably a good thing too; because looking at the Earth as a whole, humanity isnt ready for such. Some indiviuals tap into it unexpectedly and either discard it as luck or similiar. While others mimic the situation which brought it out to strengthen it. Meditation is a good example. Does anyone here believe that it possible for a humans to develop telekinetic abilities? __________________ *To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit.- Stephen Hawking* Last edited by Sun Tzu; 02-04-2004 at 08:47 PM..

02-04-2004, 12:15 PM	#25 (permalink)
:::OshnSoul::: Guest	Things to keep in mind regarding Psychics: -If they charge, they aren't genuine. -If they ask questions (age, name, "what happened", birthdate, etc. or ask for an item from you, they aren't genuine. -We all have Psychic abilities- some are born with them being quite in tune, others develop and practice it. -"Psychics" who read the future (predicting death, marriage, love, etc.) aren't genuine, as genuine Psychics know not to interfere with our free will. Those who believe what is told to them about the future can be simply brainwashed into thinking it will happen, therefore it is more possible of it happening. -Check out annual Tarot/Psychic Fairs in your area. There is one here, I believe in the summer, where you meet them at their school/church and all the ask is for donations, but you don't have to pay anything. They will not ask any questions at all, just start reading about what has happened and what is currently happening- no interfering of the future.

02-04-2004, 05:46 PM	#26 (permalink)
cyclone Upright	nice post Oshn

02-04-2004, 09:06 PM	#27 (permalink)
Sun Tzu Conspiracy Realist Location: The Event Horizon	Oshnsoul; I just wanted to mention something- My mother definately has a gift. So did my grandmother. My grandmother had it in the form of either dreams or seeing visions. She used to tell me about them and they sounded more like descriptive superstitions ie- like a black bird flying into a house and cawing signifying someone close has died (just an example not specific to her) she always seemed to be right; but I would say she was more of a deeply spiritual person than psychic. My mother on the other hand has feaked alot of people out (including herself and I) with her abilities. In the past it seemed as though she did it more for fun; like stating things about a person she didnt know- their parents names, exact birthdates, personal things people may have not wanted anyone to know about, etc. She has never asked for money because she never took it seriously. There was a period she put it to good use by using to counsel someone and help them process things going on in their life- never telling them what was coming. She stopped and hasnt done it for abut 3 years because people wouldnt leave her alone and they began telling their friends with them telling their friends and so on. In any case the most effective means she used to start the "reading" was by asking for something sentimental from the person. The more emotional background in the item the better. She never did the John Edwards approach "asking questions", she simply told the person what she was seeing and then they would usually freak out. I've seen this done with other psychics that police used for missing persons. Like giving them ribbons or similiar. So I dont think that all that ask for items are fakes. I do believe that our minds have the ability to do the same things without have such articles; they may be tools used for people at the beggining of their personal discovery- I dont know. __________________ *To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit.- Stephen Hawking* Last edited by Sun Tzu; 02-04-2004 at 09:09 PM..

02-05-2004, 02:07 PM	#28 (permalink)
:::OshnSoul::: Guest	Ya, sounds like they are both very intune with their awarenesses. John Edwards moreso communicates with the spirits of deceased loved ones, and that he only gets motions, emotions, and gestures from the other side, so in asking questions, he can try to figure out what the spirit is communicating- it's quite different than reading someone in the physical world.

02-05-2004, 11:37 PM	#29 (permalink)
Johnny Rotten lost and found Location: Berkeley	I'm definitely on the fence when it comes to psychics. I've seen Edwards thoroughly debunked as a warm and even hot reader, and not even a very good one at that. His skill is in disorienting the client with a particularly quick flurry of questions, combined with some skillful editing that makes him look pretty good on tape. As the client tends to ignore the misses and grab onto hits, he and others in his niche get more leeway with their customers. As with psychicckick, it was a book that turned me away from cynicism (which I think has far more overlap with skepticism than the skeptic crowd is willing to acknowledge). A series of books, actually, written by Beth Scott and Michael Norman, starting with Haunted Heartland. Unlike so many other "true account" compilations I've come across, Norman and Scott soberly investigate each phenomenon like professional journalists. There's no campfire cheesiness, no wishy-washy New Agey stuff (not that New Age material is necessarily "wishy-washy," of course), and no sensational speculation, unlike Hanz Holzer, who almost always places himself egotistically in the middle of the action, in my experience. The cover art for all of Norman's and Scott's Haunted series is unfortunately extremely heavy-handed, which is why I think their work has been mostly overlooked, as it would immediately be categorized by a bookstore browser as being on the opposite end of the non-fiction spectrum, and hardly worth a serious peek. So, although I still do not believe in physics as a profession and don't think I ever will, I think there's a lot more going on than most of us are aware of, and some people are definitely able to tap into that.

02-06-2004, 04:43 AM	#30 (permalink)
MrFailure Upright Location: Stafford, VA	The closest thing I can say on this topic is that sometimes I get deja vu so bad, that I think I predicted something happening. I dont know if its deja vu, luck, or just chance.

02-07-2004, 06:03 PM	#32 (permalink)
:::OshnSoul::: Guest	^^Genuine Psychics won't pry too much though, they are to read your aura and see your life from that. Even some genuine psychics won't know all, because they choose to respect our privacy. They will speak of things that they know you will be comfortable with or think you should here to help you. They may ask a few questions, but not so much as to give things away.

02-08-2004, 07:49 PM	#33 (permalink)
gorilla Insane Location: USA	psychics = fraud the people on TV, they have little helpers that pose as average people that make small talk to the audience and ask stuff like "who do you want to hear from?" "what do you think they'll say?" and other stuff like that. people cant tell the future, past, or any of that crap... its just like magic, it doesnt work __________________ I'll bet you $5 that you read the previous word...

02-09-2004, 12:08 PM	#35 (permalink)
erion Psycho	I was present at a tarot card reading that accurately predicted the birth of a child that hadn't been conceived yet. It was at a picnic a couple of summers ago and none of the people involved in the reading (except the person actually doing it) seemed to be taking it seriously. Closest I've been to a "psychic", but since I know everyone involved (including the person reading the cards) I tend to dismiss the cries of "bullshit."

02-09-2004, 12:31 PM	#36 (permalink)
:::OshnSoul::: Guest	I used to be skeptic about psychics until I met one, and also had psychic experiences myself. Not seeing in the future, but just a basic reading of someone- about what is going on in their life. Genuine psychics know only to help guide the person into realizing things, not telling them things they didn't know. They help open doors for issues, nothing more. To say that psychics aren't real, is to say that you have not experienced a genuine psychic. That is all. We have to learn to see the seperation here. To evaluate and think possibilities beyond what we have experienced. just because you encountered or seen a "fake" psychic, doesn't mean that there aren't genuine psychics out there. I am really not trying to argue this, I have respect for your views, but it takes an open, understanding mind of how real psychics work. They are out there. Read my previous posts fmi.

02-10-2004, 03:33 AM	#37 (permalink)
Sun Tzu Conspiracy Realist Location: The Event Horizon	kurtisj and gorilla; what is your overall impression of the US Central Intelligence Agency? __________________ *To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit.- Stephen Hawking*

02-14-2004, 08:54 AM	#39 (permalink)
xim Insane Location: One with the Universe	I think there is nothing more arrogant than to assume you know so much about everything that since you havent been exposed to (whatever) before it must be hogwash. __________________ If I could be anyone in the world I would be Britney Spears. Shes in so many commercials about pepsi... www.ximcity.com