I had a friend a few years back that had a reading that impressed her from a specific medium. She is a well-educated and *very* smart lady. She came to me and asked my opinion regarding the reading, indicating that the medium had told her specific information that "she couldn't have known." She asked if I would come with her on susequent readings, so I did. Before going, however, I picked up some books on the subject so that I could better see whether anything was going on.
And? What did you determine was going on exactly? What was the nature of the information that convinced your friend that the medium was genuine in the first place? Did she say it was specific, probative information? Or simply a bunch of mentalist patter? I have no way of evaluating this medium that your friend went to, but just as with the case of Jeff Corey's friend, who thought that JE gave her a good reading, it's entirely possible that your friend reversed her favorable position of the medium for no reason other than out of her respect for your opinion. Sort of like (or exactly like) peer pressure and/or bullying.
Regarding mediumship, unlike the cold-reader's method of asking who in the group something applied to, as it appeared you did at the Halloween party, ("Is that making sense to anyone?") a real medium like JE would zero in on an area (in a audience of thousands) and eventually on a particular person, and once he had the right individual, the things he told them would apply to them.
Also, he would mention from the onset if it were a female, a male, a father or mother figure, or a sister, brother, or same age cousin or friend, etc., that was coming through. Or sadly, at times, he might bring through a child someone may have lost.
He then would normally offer a name that was connected to that person. Then he usually was able to pinpoint the type of disease or trauma that caused the death of that same person. So right there, all those things that a medium does as a matter of course, demonstrates how different it is from what a cold-reader would do.
A cold-reader would be thrilled enough to get a name correct, without further pushing his luck by offering a guess at what their relationship to the sitter may have been, or even more risky, declaring what they think that person died from. AND, after that, JE would very often bring up a particular incident, or location, or important anniversary, or the name of the sitter or other family names or names of pets, describing the animal etc......all related to the same spirit they began with. And for me, that is the basic difference between what a medium does, and what a mentalist does. The nature of the info is very different.
And no offense, NA, but that reading you referenced was not nearly as good as you seem to believe it to be. Seriously. By far, your best hit in that reading was the name "Rose", but didn't that piece of information turn out to be hot-reading? I thought you mentioned that fact somewhere.
So despite the fact that I have sat through readings with the exact same medium, the readings don't count somehow because I wasn't the one paying?
No, not because you weren't the one paying. Because you weren't the one being read. In most cases, of course, that would be one and the same, but if you had a friend who was a medium, just to put forth an example, I'm sure he probably wouldn't charge you for passing on a message. Having to pay for a reading doesn't make it any more or less accurate than one you didn't pay for.
Of course, if this person claiming to be a medium really wasn't all that good, it's entirely possible that you did your friend a favor. There's no way I can know one way or another whether they were a fake or not.
But see the difference here, neo (and why I brouhgt this up) -- I say that *I* have looked at the other side, but you have decided that, whatever I have done, I need to do more.
Well, as you know, I wouldn't dream of telling someone what they need to do. I've just expressed surprise that none of you have done it. I think if I were in your position, I would feel compelled to do so. That's all I'm saying.
When I said "registered", I'm not sure if that's the correct term. It's probably "certified", not "registered". Whatever. I mean someone who comes with an official recommendation. I know I've come across such lists back in the day when I was more into the topic. Seek and ye shall find.
I've spent enough time and money on it. I've looked at professional transcripts, I've talked to enough people, I've experienced readings, given readings, and read transcripts of others. That was all on my dime. But that isn't enough to count as "investigating on my own."
So be it then.
Well, I am through jumping through hoops. I've done my time on this topic. Anything else, let's have someone else front at least part of the money.
There are a lot of people registered here. If everyone would chip in $5 or $10 or so, I'm sure you would have enough money to pay for a private reading. That much I would agree to.
