An interesting way to practice...Reading on crime-mystery shows

Julian Jaymes

OK, so my Mom and I love those real-crime mystery shows - you know, the ones where you start out hearing about the crime scene, and then how they proceeded with the case, and finally, in the end, you hear who was convicted? *I don't say "who REALLY did it" because I honestly don't think they always get it right.*

(Bear in mind that I DO realize this could be considered disrespectful, and also many people probably wouldn't be comfortable reading on real stories. You could also use a crime show like Criminal Minds or one of the Law & Order series, if you're not comfortable reading on a true tragedy.)

Anyway, recently we were watching Forensic Files together - it's kind of our bonding thing, always has been - and I was just shuffling, and suddenly it hit me. And I said to my Mom: "I wonder if I could predict who the killer was with Tarot cards?"

Mom laughed but agreed that would be cool. We decided that I would shuffle up my cards and read during commercial breaks. So we watched the show together and I gave Mom my theories during each commercial break. To be honest, I didn't get that one right - but we both thought they arrested the wrong guy anyway, so we didn't discount my reading entirely.

It was also a great way to learn to just trust my instinct, not think or over-analyze - I had to just say "I think it was a guy he was dealing drugs with out of the restaurant, and they had a deal gone bad and his 'business partner' killed him over it." I think this could also be a great way to learn to "speed read," if you're interested in that. If not, you could certainly pause the show (if you have a DVR thingy) and take some time during each commercial break, or maybe just that last break before they reveal the outcome.

I've heard of reading for fictional characters, so I guess you could really do this with any kind of show, not necessarily a murder mystery. Game of Thrones? Criminal Minds? Twin Peaks?

Let me know what you think, and whether you've done this, and how it turned out!

~Julian
 

AJ

I practised on book mysteries for at least a year.
I'd pull the book and write down the who what when why and where by the cover, and then stick that in the back of the book.

Good way to prove yourself crap at reading :) but also a good way to break the habit of giving hazy nebulous readings, so easy to fall into that trap.
 

DDwarks

I do it all the time!
I love true crime/ forensic programs. The psychological aspect of it is right up my street :D
I rarely ask "who done it", unless like you I disagree with it.
I'm more into the why.
Its easy to say X murdered Y for his life insurance money. I'm interested in the kind of people they are and what triggered their way of thinking and acting.
 

nisaba

Another good thing to do is to red for FICTIONAL shows or books. Hit pause (or put the book down), throw few cards for what will happen next, a given character's motivations or thoughts, personalities, external forces, whatever. Then watch (or read) on.

Even with fiction, Tarot works, often in very strange ways.