Full Facts Book of Cold Reading

Mnemonics Some psychics facilitate the cold reading process by using simple tried-and-tested memory systems. I myself have used a mnemonic system which gave me one or two key words for every card in a tarot pack. These key words had nothing to do with the actual meanings the cards are supposed to have. They just provided me with prompts for something to say, ensuring that I never ran out of material for the reading.

Using set methods like this can turn up some very surprising hits.

A very talented cold reader I know was once giving readings at a home for senior citizens. At one stage, he was giving a reading to an elderly lady of very advanced years. A particular card came up which, in my friend's system, always cued him to refer to a wedding celebration. Since this seemed plainly inappropriate, he momentarily hesitated. However, being short of time to think of anything else, he decided to just stick to his system. At this, the onlookers roared with laughter and amazement - this very elderly lady had recently announced her engagement to one of the men in the same home! It was all my friend could do to conceal the fact that he was more amazed than anyone.

Mnemonics can also be used in other ways. Some psychics, who are especially devoted to their work, use simple memory techniques to remember details about their clients and the main themes that came out of the reading. Should the psychic meet the same client again, the psychic can pick up where she left off, as it were, and avoid saying anything which contradicts her previous reading. Of course, there is no need to use sophisticated memory aids to do this - a set of file cards works better and is easier to use Meet the expert If you are interested in memory techniques, then I suggest you refer to the several books published by my friend Dominic O'Brien. At the time of writing, Dominic has won the World Memory Championships eight times in all since its inception in 1991. He secured his first entry in the Guinness Book of Records in 1989, when he memorised the correct sequence of six decks of cards randomly shuffled together, or 312 cards in total. However, Dominic is nothing if not determined to prove that his memory training systems really work, and in 1995 he memorised no less than 40 decks shuffled together. That is 2080 cards, which Dominic was able to recall in correct sequence having seen each card just once.

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