On Sunday, my mom and I had our tarot cards read, because she wanted to have hers read and I volunteered to do it with her because I had nothing else to do and I wanted to see this tarot reading in action, since I am a skeptic and have never had it done.

The woman that did it said a few things about me…

She said that there was someone that I loved deeply in my past whom is gone (True)
She said I will pursue money and be wealthy in my future (????????)
She said that one of my parents is dead (True)
She said that I have had a rough life (True)
She said that I will become more educated (???????)
She said that I will meet my ‘soulmate’ later in life and that she will be educated, wealthy, and highly political (Interesting…)
She said I will live a long life until my 90s (Interesting…)

It was a little weird for her to see deeply into me without the cards, like knowing I don’t drink alcohol, that I am not religious, and that I am more logical than anything else.

She was terribly mistaken when she said that I am a ‘handsome’ young ma; I am hideous.

Has anyone else ever done this before? What did you think?

[LadyShadow]

Well I am a skeptic as well, but I think some people have psychic abilities. What I don't believe in is profiting it from other people. Like charging for readings. If they want to make money have a job on the side and use your psychic abilities for pleasure in helping folks out.

As for your reading, I think it was a truthful one You are a handsome young man, (I saw your picture on another thread) and I believe you do have a soulmate and she is out there (I thought that was interesting as well)

I think some good came out of it, you sound like you had fun at least.

I think one day I may have mine read too. Maybe its something me and my sister can do together.

Hey Mr. V. Here in Houston there is an area of the metropolis called "Chinatown" like many other large cities. In our Chinatown there is a man called "The Monk". My husband and his family are Hispanic and very superstitious. He and his mother got up early one day about five years after we had been married and they went and stood in line from three o clock in the morning until ten a.m. Every day the "Monk" would see four hundred people, whoever he could take within that seven hours. His fame throughout the community was heard all throughout Houston, not just Chinatown. When you go in to see him, he tells you things about your future, supposedly. Well, it turned out to be absolutely true for my Husband. He told my husband that we would have another baby (our third child) also that he would be a very very rich man and several other things that we got on tape. He asks for donations but its not mandatory. The monk has been right somehow for what he said about my husband and about his mother. I don't personally advocate these practices, but to my naked eye, there seems to be something to it. Good luck Mr. V!

[seeker1950]

I've had psychic readings and Tarot readings as well. These people, for the most part, are charlatans. They do what is called "cold reading," and are skilled at this. It really is a learned skill. That said, I believe all of us have moments in which we experience "precognition" of things that will occur. I've had this kind of experience myself and know for a fact that others close to me have had the same. But my exp. is that it is random and something that cannot be controlled. Perhaps there are actually people ... a rare few, who actually have a handle on the psychic phenomenon, and can actually see into the future, but I've never met one, and it is best to be skeptical. I went to one reading where the fella kept making suggestions till he hit on something that resonated as true with me. That is what they do. Most of their suggestions are generic, and can be applied to anyone. But I was with a person who was "wowed" by his predictions, and I kept thinking as she rambled on...how naive!

[unaluna]

My mom had a really good reading once. A lot of things came true. That's all I'm sayin!

[Maven]

I'm highly skeptical of anyone who claims such "powers" or abilities. I don't think Tarot cards are anything more than cards with pictures on them...pretty much what any cards (besides blank ones) are. As seeker said, many do "cold readings" and are highly skilled at reading people. Some are so good they can be quite convincing, but they're just reading your body language, pupils dilating and contracting, facial features, etc. They might guess 20 things wrong, but then they'll hit on something and their "customers" forget all the wrong things and get impressed. Wow! How did s/he know that? They'll pick a letter ("M" is a common one) and almost everyone knows someone with a name, even in their family, with that letter. People are easily fooled because they want to believe. Do some Googling and you'll see how many of these scams work.

However, if there is such a thing as a psychic, I disagree with PlatinumHeart that they shouldn't be able to profit off it. An artist can profit off his or her talents, a math genius can profit off his, a healer can profit off hers, ministers and priests can make a profit for their work, etc. Especially if they're taking hours to help people, certainly they should get paid for their time.

Many people are highly superstitious and are always looking for a deeper meaning in life or an afterlife. I'm not saying there isn't one, but I think people look for signs and see patterns where there aren't any.

Mr. Venomous, I can't say your reading wasn't a real one, but I doubt it. She said you had a rough life, and you did. Most people would say they have had a rough life. She told you you'd be wealthy. Who doesn't want to think so? You had a deep love who is now gone? Most of us have. She said you'll become more educated. Most people learn more as they get older. You'll live to your 90's? If you don't, you'll only know that you didn't if there's an afterlife and you retain memory of this one. And, as for your soulmate, that's a tall order. Good luck. Sorry, don't mean to be hurtful, but I've seen this kind of thing so often, I've grown weary of it.

[seeker1950]

My friend took me with her to have readings done. The psychic's house was all decorated from the entrance onward with witchy stuff, which I thought was cute and artsy. My friend had her reading first, then I went to the table. I guess I didn't give off receptive vibes, and maybe that threw the woman into a tizzy, but she spent the entire time talking about herself! for which I still had to pay the $40. I've gone to other readings with this same friend (whom I love), and they are all just a hoot.
The friend goes on and on afterward about how perceptive and insightful these people are, while I'm just feeling rather disappointed and lacking the money I've paid for such readings.
I really think anyone...you or I, could promote ourselves as psychic and do the same as these people, after learning the techniques.

Originally Posted by Maven

I'm highly skeptical of anyone who claims such "powers" or abilities. I don't think Tarot cards are anything more than cards with pictures on them...pretty much what any cards (besides blank ones) are. As seeker said, many do "cold readings" and are highly skilled at reading people. Some are so good they can be quite convincing, but they're just reading your body language, pupils dilating and contracting, facial features, etc. They might guess 20 things wrong, but then they'll hit on something and their "customers" forget all the wrong things and get impressed. Wow! How did s/he know that? They'll pick a letter ("M" is a common one) and almost everyone knows someone with a name, even in their family, with that letter. People are easily fooled because they want to believe. Do some Googling and you'll see how many of these scams work.

However, if there is such a thing as a psychic, I disagree with PlatinumHeart that they shouldn't be able to profit off it. An artist can profit off his or her talents, a math genius can profit off his, a healer can profit off hers, ministers and priests can make a profit for their work, etc. Especially if they're taking hours to help people, certainly they should get paid for their time.

Many people are highly superstitious and are always looking for a deeper meaning in life or an afterlife. I'm not saying there isn't one, but I think people look for signs and see patterns where there aren't any.

Mr. Venomous, I can't say your reading wasn't a real one, but I doubt it. She said you had a rough life, and you did. Most people would say they have had a rough life. She told you you'd be wealthy. Who doesn't want to think so? You had a deep love who is now gone? Most of us have. She said you'll become more educated. Most people learn more as they get older. You'll live to your 90's? If you don't, you'll only know that you didn't if there's an afterlife and you retain memory of this one. And, as for your soulmate, that's a tall order. Good luck. Sorry, don't mean to be hurtful, but I've seen this kind of thing so often, I've grown weary of it.

Believe me, Maven, I am too pessimistic and skeptical to be convinced that easily about anything, and I don't believe much of what she said to begin with. Her description of my future relationship with my soul mate didn't sound like a woman I would want to date because I dislike confrontations (she said we would argue a lot), I don't believe I will live long, I don't believe I will find a woman that can love me much less be my soul mate, and I am most certainly not a handsome young man.

The woman I went to was recommended by many people though, which is why my mom wanted to go (I went because I was bored). She's seen people from across Canada, can't walk, and did it in her house. She told us she's been doing this since she was 14 (she's like 85 now).

[AngelWolf3]

I have had a reading done. It was quite interesting. I am a bit skeptical of a person, but she blew me away. She knew my mother's mom's name (I did not know her as grandma, as she passed before I was born) and that she was a fiery redhead that didn't take guff from anyone. (which is ALL true,) she told me that she was there and told me to tell my mom that she was ok. (creeeeeeepy, or a good guess?) PS I do not have red hair so she couldn't have gotten it from me...

She also told me that I desired to be a detective one day but it would not come to pass...(I got seriously injured in the police academy a month later and could not take our state test...) but that I would pursue something with victims advocacy possibly focusing on women. (not there yet..but investigating...and one of my role models is yes a fictional tv character Olivia Benson, but the actress Mariska has done some amazing work with her foundation)

There is NO way she would have known any of this, as I just gave her a number and answered a random question before the reading started. I was wearing nothing that would have given away my being in the police academy...so I am curious how she knew all these things? She didn't charge, but for a donation you could get a CD of the reading. It's pretty awesome. She certainly got my attention, to say the least!

Mr. V, great thread...and maybe you just don't see your attractiveness yet.