Clairvoyance, telepathy, psychokinesis, aura reading, palmistry, Tarot cards... There’s hardly anyone who isn’t familiar with at least some psychic practices—abilities believed to allow certain individuals to obtain information inaccessible through conventional means. Similarly, there’s hardly a person who hasn’t, at least once in their life, wondered, “Should I believe this works or not?” If you’re looking to answer this question for yourself or are ready to reconsider your previous answer, this text is for you.
You’ve definitely heard of psychic practices, but have you ever heard of cold reading? Unlikely. And yet, the two are essentially one phenomenon: the first serves as the interface for the client, while the second is the mechanics behind the magic.
Cold reading is a set of communication techniques designed to create the impression that the "psychic" knows far more about the client than they actually do. It’s called cold by analogy to “cold calls” in telemarketing—because the psychic works with people about whom they know absolutely nothing beforehand.
The text you are about to read is a summary of Ian Rowland’s book Trust Me—I’m a Psychic! A Comprehensive Guide to Cold Reading. Ian is a psychic who wrote about how he and his colleagues perform their magic. Ian states, “I cannot prove that all psychics rely solely on cold reading. But I can provide you with all the necessary information, and you can draw your own conclusions.”
At the core of psychic practice lies cold reading—gathering information from the client without them realizing it. Depending on the psychic’s style, the details may vary, but the fundamental principle remains unchanged: carefully infer and attentively listen. A person seeking genuine psychic insight is likely to attribute any reasonably accurate guesses to supernatural origins.
If you don’t have time to read further, here’s the short answer: it’s all tricks. Most of the information comes directly from the clients themselves. However, there’s much to gain by understanding the intricacies of this craft.
Cold reading is a psychological deception strategy. The primary goal is to create a calm and amicable atmosphere in which the client won’t challenge or disrupt the process.
The essence of cold reading is always the same: cards, stars, vibrations, voices of spirits—all of these are ambiguous sources of information that the client is expected to help interpret. This means voluntarily assigning meaning to the psychic’s guesses and supplementing them with personal information.
In their introductory remarks, psychics often preemptively justify any potential mistakes they might make later. They also make it clear that they don’t claim to fully understand the "received" information:
— I honestly admit that I sometimes make mistakes. It would be wonderful to always be right, but I’m only human, and I can only try my best for you. I don’t always know exactly what the cards are trying to tell me. Sometimes it feels like looking through a fog, and the true meaning will only make sense to you, not to me! Do you understand this?
Additionally, psychics always ask if the client has attended similar sessions before and, if so, how long ago. This serves as a precaution to avoid giving contradictory readings.
Rituals are a time-tested way to limit typical reactions, suppressing rational thinking. That’s why rituals are a part of every religion and military organization. The more time spent on a ritual, the harder it is to free one’s mind from its influence.
Another crucial aspect is making the client feel understood. In any conversation, when someone feels understood, they experience a sense of closeness and connection. Agree with them, always be on their side.
Themes
Cold (psychic) reading consists of themes—the topics the psychic discusses—and elements, which are the specific phrases they use. Cold reading practices rely on four main themes:
- Love, romance, and relationships
- Money and material wealth
- Career and new opportunities
- Health and well-being
There are also three less significant themes. While generally not as prominent, they can still be useful:
- Travel
- Education and personal development
- Ambitions, hopes, and dreams
These themes are important to the vast majority of clients.
Elements
Elements are the techniques that make up cold reading. I have identified 38 such techniques as the most effective. Below are five of them (the rest can be found in the book).
The Rainbow Trap
This is a statement that describes the client’s character from opposing perspectives at the same time:
— You can be a very compassionate person, sensitive to the needs of others, but there are moments when you realize that you act quite selfishly.
There are many variations of this approach: simultaneous introversion and extroversion, shyness and self-confidence, responsibility and lightheartedness. These contrasts cover a spectrum similar to a rainbow, which includes all colors.
The Rainbow Trap is a very common element of cold reading. It creates an impression of insight and resonates well with most clients. Most importantly, it is almost impossible to get it wrong. Everyone is empathetic at times and selfish at others. For example:
— I would say that, for the most part, you are a quiet and reserved person, but when the mood strikes, you can absolutely be the life of the party.
Statements in the style of the Rainbow Trap are very safe because most personality traits are not constant. Moreover, they cannot be precisely measured. Very few people are always active or permanently introverted. Most of us exhibit both tendencies depending on the circumstances.
The inability to quantitatively measure or challenge such traits is a key aspect of cold reading.
Psychic Potential
This is a statement that reveals to the client that they possess a supernatural gift:
— Each of us has psychic abilities, even if you are a very rational person. And I can see that you are highly intuitive and can see through people. It’s like a "sixth sense," which is stronger in you than in most people. Thanks to this ability, you have a better understanding of women than many men, and, believe it or not, this is one reason why many women find you particularly attractive.
Unveiling the client’s “psychic gift” is a reliable element of cold reading, offering a clear benefit: it strengthens their trust in you and what you do.
The Grass is Greener
This element is based on the fact that everyone occasionally wonders about the paths in life they didn’t take. There are numerous examples of such crossroads that define our future. An office worker, confined by daily routines, may long for variety and change. Meanwhile, a hyperactive traveler who never stays in one place might yearn for stability and a break from airports.
For instance, if you see that a client has clearly built a successful career, you might say:
— I see signs of material success and professional growth, reflecting your determination and ability to achieve goals. However... there are drawbacks. While you may not openly admit it, I sense that you miss a cozy, homely, and more tranquil life...
The Grass is Greener is an excellent way to fill unavoidable pauses, as similar musings can be stretched to incredible lengths, offering plenty of room for improvisation.
The Barnum Effect
These are general statements with which most people agree as reasonably accurate descriptions of themselves. Here are some examples:
— You have a strong need for love and respect from others.
— You tend to feel that you’ve missed many opportunities, and people don’t always trust your abilities.
— Some of your goals tend to be unrealistic.
— You have your own opinions and rarely take things at face value.
I’ve read several articles claiming that cold reading is mostly composed of Barnum statements. This is not true. While Barnum statements can be useful for establishing initial rapport between the psychic and the client, they are too generic for deeper, more detailed readings.
Folk Wisdom
Psychics don’t shy away from clichés, so many of their statements resemble proverbial wisdom. For example:
— After this year ends, you will need a break... Yes, I can clearly see it—you’ll need to recharge.
— Even when success is guaranteed, you still need to be persistent. Remember, the longest journey begins with the first step, and Rome wasn’t built in a day.
— We all need to discuss our ideas with friends from time to time—now more than ever: two heads are better than one.
— Goals may require unpleasant compromises, but if you don’t focus on them too much, you can achieve greater things. Do you agree?
— The main thing is not to worry about the little things. Let’s be honest—when time passes, we look back and realize that many of those concerns weren’t worth our attention.
I’m sure you’ve appreciated the cleverness of these statements.
Handling Awkward Situations
There will be moments when you make a statement that the client strongly disagrees with. When this happens, the psychic employs one of several methods to navigate the situation, smooth things over, and continue as if nothing went wrong. In other words, if the prediction is accurate, the psychic wins; if not, they still win. Here are a few such methods:
Keep Probing and Take Your Time
This is the most common and reliable of all methods. It can handle almost any negative response. For example:
— …and I see the name Sarah. Why is it so important to you?
— Hmm... I don’t think so. No, I don’t know anyone by that name.
Negative reaction! But with some persistence, the client may recall something they hadn’t considered earlier. When this happens, it appears as though the psychic was right all along:
— Are you absolutely sure?
— Absolutely. I don’t think I know anyone with that name.
— Are you completely certain about that?
— Well, no one comes to mind...
— Are you really sure you don’t know and have never known ANYONE with this or a similar name?
Such persistence might seem pushy, but the psychic’s demeanor and personality should make it entirely acceptable. Moreover, most people approach these sessions with the assumption that the psychic knows what they’re talking about, and they’ll try hard to find some connection to validate the statement.
If the client still resists, you can say:
— Alright, I understand this no better than you do. I see the name "Sarah," and the only thing I can do is pass it on to you. I’m not asking you to force anything to fit, but I rarely get it 100% wrong. Could you keep thinking about it? I’m confident there’s a connection somewhere, but it’s clearly not something you can recognize right now...
If the client eventually remembers someone named "Sarah," the psychic earns additional points for their supposed depth of insight. If not, the psychic simply forgets about the moment and never mentions it again.
I’m Right, But You Forgot
When the psychic is clearly wrong, they can attribute it to the client’s poor memory. For example:
— When you were younger, I see an accident involving water. Does this ring a bell?
If the answer is positive, it’s a 100% hit. If not, the psychic responds:
— I sense this happened a long time ago when you were very young. You may not remember...
And that’s it. If it’s accurate, the topic can be expanded; if not, it’s simply dropped.
I’m Right, But You Don’t Know It Yet
This involves appealing to the idea that the client doesn’t have all the information. For instance:
— I see the name Mark. Does it mean anything to you?
If the answer is positive, you’ve scored. If not:
— I sense that this person has a professional connection to your husband. Perhaps you haven’t met him yet.
I’m Wrong Now, But I’ll Be Right Soon
An incorrect guess is explained by suggesting that the truth is currently hidden but will be revealed later. A simple example:
— I see the letters J and T. Do they mean anything to you?
— No, I don’t think so.
— Are you certain about that?
— Hmm... Yes, I’m sure.
— Alright, then stay alert. The vision was very clear, and these letters might appear very soon.
If the letters do turn out to be relevant later, you can be sure the client will be deeply impressed.
Presentation
Cold reading is more than just delivering information correctly. The way this information is presented greatly determines how successful the session will be. To achieve this, certain conditions must be met:
An Atmosphere of Trust and Sincerity
The process of cold reading works much better when the client frequently responds, reacts, and provides feedback in various ways. For this reason, the psychic does everything possible to turn the reading into a dialogue.
The psychic must be a good listener, giving the client the chance to speak openly, even if they are unsure or express their thoughts clumsily.
Some clients may talk non-stop, which greatly simplifies the process of cold reading. However, most clients are less forthcoming. They may be shy, cautious, reserved by nature, or skeptically inclined.
Creating a calm, intimate environment is crucial for eliciting good responses. The more at ease the client feels, the more likely they are to lower their defenses.
Open-Ended Questions
It’s essential to ask as many open-ended questions as possible—questions that cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” For example, consider a closed-ended question:
— Are you interested in music?
The person will answer “yes” or “no,” and the conversation will stall, forcing the psychic to come up with new questions. But there’s a better way:
— Tell me, what kind of music do you like?
Now the client has to think about their answer, and the psychic gains valuable information directly from them. However, the question should be phrased as a suggestion rather than straightforward probing:
— I sense that music is very important to you. What kind of music do you enjoy?
Most people enjoy music, so the chances of making a mistake are minimal.
Attention to Detail
It’s important to carefully listen and observe the client. Their facial expressions, gestures, physical activity, and the logical and intonational accents in their speech—when observed closely, most of the client’s statements convey more information than just their words.
The psychic doesn’t simply guess but makes assumptions based on clues provided by the client. The reading starts with general guesses, which become more precise as more information is obtained from the client.
Compassion and Empathy
The delivery of information is critical. It’s one thing to merely notice and state something. It’s entirely different when you demonstrate genuine empathy. When faced with a “distressed” client, the psychic tries to mirror their state as much as possible, as though they truly share and understand the client’s pain. Conversely, if the client is cheerful, the reading takes on a positive tone.
This requires a degree of artistry from the psychic. However, it shouldn’t appear staged—empathy should be subtle. This finesse is what makes it incredibly effective.
Handling Skeptics
Most clients are trusting, but sometimes the psychic encounters intelligent and highly skeptical individuals.
Disclaiming Assertions
One of the first tactics with such individuals is simply to state that the psychic makes no definitive claims and that the client is not required to believe anything:
— First of all, let me say that I do not demand acceptance of Tarot cards/astrology/palmistry. All I can say is that millions of people have found this useful for gaining new understanding of certain life events. But we are all different, and perhaps Tarot won’t work for you. All I ask is that you keep an open mind and enjoy the process.
This approach preemptively deflects any potential skeptical resistance. The psychic effectively introduces a "contract" that works entirely in their favor: "You pay me, and I promise nothing in return." If this "contract" were scrutinized from the client’s perspective, the logical response would be:
— If you promise nothing, what exactly am I paying for?
But no one ever asks this.
Validating Skepticism
Another effective tactic is to praise the client’s caution and express agreement with their opinion about the unnecessary nature of the psychic industry. You might even claim to share their skepticism, saying you believe only in the method you practice (astrology, palmistry, spiritualism) because it genuinely works. For example:
— I sense a healthy skepticism in you, and let me say that I completely welcome such an approach. Believe me, there’s no one more skeptical than I am. You don’t understand why there’s so much fuss about psychic practices, and I agree with you! I think you’re absolutely right to remain skeptical. But listen, the only reason I became an astrologer/palmist/spiritualist is because my observations have shown that astrology/palmistry/spiritualism truly works, and my clients agree. It’s an ancient science, and in many cases, rationalists like you gain more from it than anyone else. So, shall we begin?
Exiting Gracefully
If none of the approaches work and the situation deteriorates, the best option is to end the session, refund the money, and move on to the next client:
— I must say that at this point, I’d like to end the session. You’ve made your skepticism clear, and while that’s your right, I sincerely believe it’s interfering with the effectiveness of the consultation. Psychic sensitivity is finely balanced and takes years to develop. You don’t enjoy this process, and I sense that you’re blocking the channels that are crucial to my work, through which I’m trying to help you. The session is over.
Summary
At its core, a reading is an improvisation. Before starting, the psychic can only imagine what they are going to say. While improvisation may seem like a risky and unreliable activity, with sufficient knowledge and practical experience, it works remarkably well.
In practice, however, very few readings are entirely improvised. Every psychic eventually settles on a few favorite techniques. Typically, clients don’t notice that the psychic repeats themselves (though this becomes evident with prolonged observation).
At the beginning of a session, I primarily use two approaches:
First — co-creating a positive understanding of the situation. I believe the best way to achieve this is through “psychic belief.”
Second — adjusting for skepticism. If the client is skeptical or suspicious, I decisively avoid invoking “belief” and instead shift to more grounded explanations. For instance, I might say that psychic reading is similar to studying psychological types and archetypes or that it represents intuitive guidance and counseling, where the chosen method (Tarot cards, palmistry, astrology, etc.) is merely a tool to achieve the goal. Essentially, I say whatever is necessary to earn trust.
In my readings, I rely heavily on the “Rainbow Trap” technique and the “Grass is Greener” principle. I also try to guess personal details—names, numbers, or other specifics—to impress the client.
As the reading progresses, the psychic receives a great deal of feedback from the client, which helps to adjust the direction of their deductions.
The human mind excels at managing countless tasks but struggles to accurately describe past experiences. The issue isn’t errors themselves, but the lack of awareness of potential inaccuracies. Psychics exploit this when discussing the past.
The future, even more so, is an unknown realm that largely depends on what we believe about it. This also works to the psychic’s advantage.
Psychics perform readings constantly but rarely conduct more than two sessions for the same client. Thus, in every session, all the experience and advantage lie with the seller of mystical services.
© The Full Facts Book of Cold Reading
