THE PSYCHIC EXPERIENCE

Assignment: get readings from a psychic, a palm reader, an Internet numerology site and Internet palmistry site. Also research 5 forms of divination, and create a narrative based on the experiences and the research.

Last spring I took a physics class called "Pseudoscience", taught by professor Rory Coker (a class both educating and entertaining). In this class we examined several claims of the paranormal, and the ways in which they produced their false impressions of validity. Also, as a follower of Christ, I will not put faith in the predictions of a mystic, because I know that they would be false prophecies. So, before starting this assignment, I had already a strong basis for skepticism. The experiences themselves did not change my opinions.

I decided to try a out a psychic who was advertising (by way of neon lights in her window) a ten dollar special. When we knocked on the door, there was no reply. Another neon sign clearly indicated hours of 900a-1000p, and my watch was clearly indicating the time to be about 840p. She never answered. The next day, we tried calling periodically for several hours in hopes of scheduling an appointment. She still never answered. I soon realized that she was both a horrible business woman as well as far less psychic than even I had expected (I had 4 friends with me who were going to play along. Would she not have been there to collect such a large amount of revenue?)

Finally, we found a psychic who was working her business hours, and we let her rip us off. I found out that the "$10 dollar special" was only for one question, which suited my just fine. I asked her if she could tell me my name, and then maybe I would give her more money. She of course couldn't, but fed me a line about the spirits not working that way. She then told me that my name was "blue", and that was all she could gleen.

I ended up researching the divination practices of Astrology, Handwriting analysis, Phrenology and personality definitions based on Birth order and Sleep position.

I ended up fashioning a short narrative about an amnesiac who is seeking out these arts in order to rediscover himself. Of course, he has not yet learned anything, and even senses that he is a fool for trying, but still continues because they at least offer something. Or at least they seem to be offering something, and that's really the only thing he has.

But the psychic experience actually continues into class. I had discussed with a friend how his reading went, and he told me some specific details. One of which was that she had told him that he would meet an older man, who would introduce him to a younger man, who would then help him out in business or career. In reading the narrative of another student, the exact same prediction was present. In my pseudoscience class, I learned how most psychics create stock spiels for different types of clients. One might have a standard reading for men or women between certain ages. And since both of these people were male, about the same age, they were given variations of the same reading.