Swalker
Its not easy to deal with briefly, there are several techniques and these can be mixed and matched. I'm no expert. The good ones are also quite sincere and combine the tricks with genuine sensitivity, perceptiveness, an ability to read people's body language etc etc.
But me, a mere unpracticed sceptic, I just spent a few weeks having a go to prove it was all nonsense to my magical thinking friend who visited psychics, clairvoyants and the like. He's now a JW having swapped one set of superstitions for another.
I also borrowed ideas from TV folks.
On one occasion I told a friend very personal stuff about things he did and said 20 years earlier, I even described the scenario. I easily convinced him I was using a mind reading or telepathy and he bought it hook line and sinker. After 5 minutes I admitted to being a fraud, but refused to tell him how I did it. The explanation was so simple but he wanted a magical explanation so that's what he gave himself. My sole aim was to show him that if I could do it, why should he be impressed when someone who had practiced all their lives were able to sound convincing?
I saw a TV programme where a small team of people went on holiday and mingled with other holiday makers for a few days around the hotel & resort. They met up after the third day having eavesdropped dozens of conversations of various people and making copious notes. After comparing notes they selected their most promising 'victim'. A young woman who had gone on holiday with a friend following a family bereavement. What a good candidate. For three more days and nights the team took turns to be close to the young woman and her companion, watching and listening unnoticed, and making even more notes of course.
On the last night of the holiday, a new member of the fraudsters team, fully briefed by his colleagues, waited for his victim to stop by at her usual cafe for her usual night cap.
He bumped into this complete stranger by accident, and looking into her eyes mentioned something about her past. She was taken by surprise. He kindly offered more comment and advice. This complete stranger in a foreign country proceeded to tell her her life story and innermost feelings. She of course knew that there was no way he could have told her any of these things unless he had some special powers. She then believed everything he said about her future, without question or doubt. Just one example.
