The Dark Arts

SinceI am in a discussion with an idiot about magic, psychism and the like I am writing this.

I have been a practicing "psychic" for 12 years. I do this either by working out of occult shops (mostly "freelance" ) or from my home with contacts I have gathered from working at those shops, or Pagan Gatherings, etc.

Now I will be braggy enough to say I am damn good at it. I know all the little tricks, tips and tools to get the information I need.

But... there's nothing Supernatural about it. I was taught how to read people, not cards. Every person I know who does this at all does the same.

Even if the person claims they are communicating with a "Spirit Guide" or some shit like that. They are actually reading body language and other non verbal cues. I picked up the idea of reading body language, pupil dilation, directing conversations to get more information, etc from books on Wicca, and from Wiccans I know personally.

See the reading of others is a lost art. Something few pursue, read up on or practice. It's labeled "manipulation" and manipulation is wrong in society as it currently stands. That's WHY it's occult (read hidden knowledge), that's why it's something LaVey bangs on in The Satanic Witch.

The truth that most deny is that almost all communication is manipulation. Little girls bat their eyes at their daddy to get the toy they want. Women flip their hair and smile. Men tough guy through body language and words. A constant barrage of information is thrown at our senses, all to get us to do what others want. By knowing what is really being done, understanding those nonverbal cues, can provide a resistance to that manipulation.

If you learn to read others and do it for any length of time, you start seeing the Undercurrent of communication. That Undercurrent is missed by most, but as I see it is the real driving force behind communication. Body language, voice changes, pupil dilation, etc tell the real story of how people really feel, what's really going on with them. If you can manipulate that Undercurrent within communication you can gain advantage in almost every situation. How does one learn to manipulate it? By knowing it's there for starters.

Most are to distracted to see those body language give aways. Oh he's into her, he smiles like a fool when she comes into a room, arms at the sides, his frame is open, he's leaning in towards her. Nah, she doesn't like him, she crosses her arms when he speaks to her, her frame is closed, she leans away from him slightly, doesn't want to make eye contact. Missed by most, they're to distracted to notice.

They believe words people say. As someone who is well versed in these nonverbal cues, I find almost anything someone says worthless. People lie. To themselves, to others. Words are used to save face, to hide facts, to distract from what a person's body is telling you.

Using my above example, if you ask goofy smiling guy if he likes that girl he'll say "Nah, she's okay. " Subject dropped, most people would believe him. If you can read people though, you see through that and know there's a collision coming. He's gonna get drunk and hit on her, she's gonna turn him down, he'll be asshurt, end of friendship. You see the probability manifesting before the situation heads there.

Knowing that probability factor leads to what the less initiated and superstitious view as Psychic ability. When anybody that was actually paying attention could have done the same thing.

And that was my main point in that discussion. "Psychism" is the knowledge of why people do what they do and reading them well, not accessing the Spirit Realm to obtain answers. Anybody can do it, no Super Special abilities required. ;)