Clairvoyants, Psychics and Hacks - Oh My!

Back from my holiday but not quite in the swing of things just yet. I promise to get back into the habit of thinking deeply and blogging about interesting things shortly.

In the meantime, I am getting excited about this weekend - mostly because of my annual present to myself... a psychic reading from my good friend Angie Aristone. She's a wonderful woman who always points me in the right direction... or at least to the right book (and sometimes that's all you need).

If there's anyone reading this who hasn't ever had a reading by a legitimate medium/clairvoyant, I highly recommend it. That being said, I fear that for every legitimate one there are ten hacks waiting to take your money. I have personally had some hilarious readings by the worst kinds of hacks (mostly at psychic fairs, which bring them out in droves).

How to tell a hack from a real psychic... (in my humblest opinion)

1) Hacks use props. Now... I will say that tarot cards are great tools, and sometimes necessary for beginners and those trying to tap into their intuitive powers for the first time but experienced, gifted psychics would probably see them as a crutch. Same goes for crystal balls (oh god), pendulums, candles, ouija or any other kind of physical tool. The best psychics I've come across don't use anything except maybe a tape recorder, for your benefit.

2) Hacks will bombard you with "proof" of their gift. Call it massive overcompensation, a hack will feel compelled to tell you just how good they are - they may have testimonials by the truck load, celebrity endorsements or my personal favourite - pictures of their aura. All of this will undoubtedly PROVE that they are talented and that you should pay them more money. Personally, every celebrity-endorsed psychic I've ever gone to (there have been a few) has been completely and utterly full of $#^&.

3) Hacks charge by the minute and/or can be found in the yellow pages. Please. A good psychic rarely needs to advertise. The few ones I know have a very steady client base and months waiting lists. They don't need psychic fairs or midnight television ads to drum up business. Want a good psychic? Get a referral from someone you trust. Word of mouth generally yields the best candidates.

4) Hacks ask a lot of questions. Don't get me wrong... there's no fault in trying to clarify something. From time to time Angie may get an image or in some instances a full-blown movie playing in her head. She'll describe it, in vivid detail... and may ask something like - is that your grandfather or uncle? But it's a far cry from general questions some "psychics" ask like "did you recently finish some kind of schooling or take some classes?" ... questions like these apply to almost everyone in their 20s - and are easy fishing techniques to get info off of you. A good psychic should give you validations, not ask for them.


All in all it may be hard for some to find a psychic they trust. But talking with the other side or getting clues about future events is a real thrill. Everything, of course, should always be taken with a grain of salt, because let's not forget we all have free will - and psychics can only tell you what is most probable to happen.

That being said, I can't wait to find out what my next couple of years will probably yield.