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This is my reflection for this assignment

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In this article a reporter from vice, came up with a story about his dead sister who didn't exist and went to four different mediums. All four mediums told him that she was watching over him and that she was his guardian angel. One attempted to change it to his love life to sell him candles and a ritual for $250 dollars. He proved that all four may believe or not that they are actually mediums but that they are not in actuality mediums

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I was 13 when my mom dragged my brother and me to a "psychic." We were visiting family in Malaysia and somewhere amongst a few palm oil plantations was the house of an old woman who claimed to be able to channel Buddha. My mother was enthralled during the hour-long ordeal, during which the woman basically rolled her eyes often so the whites were showing, dropped her voice a few octaves, and made astonishingly mundane statements that could've applied to anyone (examples: our house had ants out front; my grandma was old and having some health problems). Combined with my love of Harry Houdini ( who spent the last few years of his life debunking psychics and mediums) and teen angst that made me hate everything my parents liked, the experience left me convinced that psychics were con artists who separated vulnerable and desperate people from their cash in exchange for poor acting.

My stance on psychics hasn't really changed since then, but I also consider myself a fairly open-minded person and love having my views changed when enough solid evidence is presented to me. What if there really was something to psychics, but my mom had just chosen a bad one? What if she had just been asking the wrong questions? What if Malaysian psychics were just sketchy? So many people have turned to psychics for so long that there must be something to it all, right?

The questions floated around in my head for awhile, but it wasn't until last Sunday that I decided to act on them. Inspired by Houdini, I made up a basic pass/fail test that I could apply a few times to see if someone was actually in tune with all the truths in the universe: If I made up a dead sister and asked a bunch of psychics to connect with her, how many wouldn't be able to tell I was full of shit?

I don't have a sister and am the oldest child in the family, so I figured inventing a big sister would keep any interfering energies or whatever it is psychics pick up on out of the picture. And so, I created "Emily"-her birthday was Jan. 31, 1990, she died in a car crash on June 2, 2014, and her boyfriend, who was driving the car, died with her.

A quick Kijiji search came up with dozens of psychic/medium listings in Toronto and four immediately responded to my texts and emails. I was set.

My first reading was via phone call-the ad said the psychic was offering free mini-readings. She asked for my full name and birthday and Emily's. I gave her the details and almost instantly, she told me Emily wanted me to know that she's in a good place and that she's watching over the family. She also wanted me to be happy too, but my happiness only seems to last temporarily ( note: aren't all emotions temporary though?).

Could she tell me how I can be happy? Or at least what's holding me back from true happiness?

No, but she could see a happiness-ripping darkness surrounding me.

But how's Emily doing?

She's doing good, she doesn't want me to worry about her, but there's something going on here, what's going on in my love life?

"Not much," I answered truthfully.

Could I be doing better in love, happiness and success?

"Well, yeah, I guess?"

Apparently I'm meant to have a lot of money and success, but no matter what I do, something's leading me in the wrong direction. For $250 plus the cost of two candles and a crystal, I could've had a circle of protection put around me-and would see improvements in three to seven days.

The call ended soon after.

The second reading, also free, was done over email, which I didn't know was a thing. I had a response in my inbox within 10 minutes of sending out the enquiry message with my name, Emily's and Emily's cause of death. Even with the shift in technology, my sister was still doing fine-more than fine, in fact:

"It's a little different than what she expected on the other side, but she is quite happy and sees things very differently. I get she had a little of a 'wild' streak in her," Psychic Two wrote. She said Emily was mentioning something about clothing and I said she and I had exchanged necklaces.

"She's saying not to worry about her, she is OK. She says not to worry as she is fine and with you. [S]he wants you to live your life, a happy one," she wrote back.

Even though the answers were still pretty vague, this was the most detailed description I would get of Emily all day. The Houdini in me was doing backflips. Two for two.

To up the difficulty for me and to make it easier for the psychics (it's one thing to lie over an email or call, but another to lie to someone's face), I decided to see my next psychics in person-who knows, maybe getting readings via email didn't provide a strong enough spiritual connection or clues to see I was lying. I also looked for people who charged for readings (maybe you get what you pay for?) and settled on one for $20 and another for $40. Both told me to bring a photo so I pulled one off a (very much alive) friend's Facebook and, armed with Emily's backstory and a few years of high school acting/improv experience, headed out for my third reading of the day. At the point, I was almost hoping to be called out soon-it was too easy.

Psychic Three's studio was nestled in a suburban strip mall and plastered with the classic psychic decor that makes graphic designers consider seppuku-deep purple signs with all-caps yellow text and neon crystal balls. I scampered up a bright red stairwell and into a purple room (same purple as the signs) where a smiling woman wearing a tank top and sweat pants was sitting at a small table. I sat down opposite her and took in the weird mix of art-a small tapestry of what I'm quite sure was Jesus and his disciples on the table, but also a fair share of Buddha statues, too.

She asked for Emily's photo. I handed her my phone. She stared at the screen and told me to say Emily's full name and birthday, then looked up at me. My heart dropped- would my face betray something? -and immediately jumped back into my chest when she told me she could feel Emily's presence and that she was happy. In a new development, Emily had "passed on" and become my guardian angel.

It took an incredible amount of effort to not burst out laughing. Using all my willpower to keep a straight face and sombre-sounding voice, I asked if Emily was mad about dying.

No, the psychic said, because it had been her time. Throughout the eight-minute reading, she repeatedly told me Emily's death was meant to be. Emily was sad that she left me behind, but she's in a positive place now and is the reason why I feel a presence around my house (it's her watching over me and I should try talking to her). I also learned that after death, souls hang around Earth for six weeks which is why I dreamt of Emily a lot right after she died.

My fourth and last psychic was 30 minutes late for our meeting at her downtown condo because she hadn't expected traffic to be so bad (should've taken that as a sign). She charged the most, but I received a 45-minute check-in-on-Emily/see-your-future combo that was leagues above the others in experience and sheer entertainment.

Psychic Four was very motherly, constantly calling me "darling" and telling me how sorry she was for my loss. Her method of Emily-contact was a mix of prayer and coffee-dregs reading. She made me a small cup of Turkish coffee and when I finished the liquid, she placed the saucer on top of the cup, had me hold it with both hands while moving my arms in a circle three times and then flip the cup and saucer over and put it on the table. She put a blue glass cube with white circles on all six sides on top of the overturned cup and had me to put my finger on the cube and make a wish. I did, and she asked me for the photo. I handed her my phone. She put a small statue of a Turkish philosopher and an angel snow globe in front of me and told me to hold on to both and praying while she turned on her laptop and started playing weird reverb-heavy New Age music featuring a man and woman speaking about being intoxicated on love (not Beyonce style, unfortunately). She was going to ask Emily to make herself known to me.

After 10 minutes of bowing my head and trying really hard not to laugh, the music stopped.

The psychic, who'd had her hand on my phone screen the whole time, said she had felt it shaking and that it was probably a sign Emily was around (my friend had sent me two texts around that time). She also said she had been praying and crying with me too (I'm recovering from a cold and sniffled a few times to try to keep mucus from dripping out of my nose). She took the statue, closed her eyes and murmured for 30 seconds, then took the glass cube off the cup and lifted the cup. The dregs formed a vaguely heart-shaped smear on the saucer.

"Love! You have love in your future! And tears," she said, shaking a few drops of coffee free from the cup.

The short version predictions are as follows: I have two men competing for me, I will pick one, be engaged by 2016, married by 2017, and have two children (a boy and then a girl) immediately after. My mother, struck hard by Emily's death, will forget the pain once I give her grandchildren. Emily is my guardian angel who will deflect bad things from coming my way. She died young because God loves her so much and wanted her with him, and she's wearing all white and dancing with her boyfriend in heaven. I, on the other hand, have a long life ahead of me. I can afford to take this summer easy because I'll be hired into a full-time job come September (I currently work full-time), and not only that, but the job will be well-paid and I won't be some pleb-I'll start pretty high up the ladder, thank you very much. She also sensed I studied something like social work and the coffee dregs told her I went to the University of Toronto (I majored in journalism at Ryerson).

Emily wanted me to be happy and wanted to get some rest too. It's important to remember her and even talk to her but it isn't healthy to dwell on her death, Psychic Four said, and for the first time that day, I began to understand how some people can find going to a psychic comforting. She hugged me a few times as I was getting ready to leave and the last thing she said as I stepped out the door was, "Life is a gift."

As much as I liked Psychic Four though... She was fourth out of four psychics that had apparently connected with a non-exist Emily. Thirteen-year-old me had been vindicated. Houdini was smiling down on me.

Still mildly in disbelief that I had successfully bullshitted my way through four psychics, I decided to follow up with all of them via text (email, in Psychic Two's case) to see how they would react to the fact they had claimed to connect with someone who didn't exist.

Psychic One: "There's a spirit around trying to tell you something, but why would you do that anyway"

Psychic Two said it became obvious when I lied about the necklaces, nothing more.

Psychic Three called me a few minutes after I sent my text. She said she read the picture and told me what the picture told her, and the picture told her the person in it was happy. It didn't necessarily mean she thought the picture was of Emily. I asked her about the guardian angel and passing on bit but she stood firm.

"The picture reading shows me what goes on in the past life and in this life ... So if it shows me she was your guardian angel at one point, she was a guardian angel," she said. She added that the reading wasn't accurate because I had come in with the intention to trick, that the energy I came in with was one about my sister which is what she picked up on, that the whole thing wasn't very "civilized" of me and that she'd be calling other psychics and warning them about me. She told me she's been tested by people who declared their intentions and passed their tests, and offered to give me a reading that would reveal secrets about me that not even my closest friends know. I declined.

I'm not sure Psychic Four understood my confession: "Well darling, you have a sister and protects you! And loves you.. You take care of your self (sic) you need meditation and I am sorry for your loss again"

I don't think any of these women intentionally bullshitted me. I'm sure they believe they possess abilities to communicate with the dead and tap into people's lives. But, again, out of four psychics-people who claim to have special powers to know greater truths-not one noticed that the very premise I approached them on was phoney. Maybe it's because I sprung for the cheaper ones. Maybe it's because I found them on Kijiji. Maybe I'm fantastic enough of a liar that, like Psychic Three said, I managed to conjure up enough spiritual energy to bring Emily into existence. (I guess there's also the possibility that they all knew I was lying but didn't care because I was paying them.) Or maybe psychic powers don't really exist.

Besides reaffirming my belief that I'm a great liar and should do it more, my test also gave me some insight on how psychics work. They're talented when it comes to finding ways squeeze emotions out of you and make general statements that allow you to fill in the blanks yourself-you're contributing to your own deception (example: They say they sense a female presence watching over you, at which point you say, "Oh shit, my aunt/grandma/mom/friend/cousin/sister/teacher died a little while ago-it MUST be her!"). I think so many people turn to psychics because they help ease the fear of the great unknown that is death and give meaning and purpose to seemingly unfair and random events in our chaotic universe. To me, that's a form of preying on the weak and exploiting people at their most emotionally vulnerable, but if you believe in the afterlife and psychic powers, I can understand how the experience would be comforting - after all, who doesn't want to know that a loved family member, living or dead, is doing okay?

So, there you have it, my first (and probably last, since I'm apparently shitlisted) foray into psychic-busting. I'm not going to tell people to stop seeing psychics - if it makes you happy and you have the cash, go wild. Whether you go in as a believer or as a shithead like me, the psychics are the ones making bank, so either way, in the end, they win. And who knows, maybe I have a sister I don't know about whose birth and death dates I guessed right, in which case, I should set up my own psychic shop. I'm sure Emily would approve.
Photo via Flickr user Eli Christman

Follow Jackie on Twitter.

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I Asked Psychics to Connect with My Non-Existent Dead Sister

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I was 13 when my mom dragged my brother and me to a "psychic." We were visiting family in Malaysia and somewhere amongst a few palm oil plantations was the house of an old woman who claimed to be able to channel Buddha.

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This is an easy to use directory for all your psychic and medium needs. This section is for Canada and apparently can give you plenty of options and reviews for psychics/mediums. It lists their specialties and their pricing.

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Best Psychic Directory: Reviews Of Psychics & Psychic Mediums

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Canada Psychics & Psychic Mediums: Psychic Medium Researcher lists top Canada psychics & mediums in Vancouver, Toronto, Ontario, Quebec, Montreal, Edmonton ...

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(No I don't know why the picture is a hamburger but let's just go with it)

in this article from oprah.com Rebecca Rosen explains the difference between a psychic and a medium and why the distinction is apparently very important. Supposedly mediums take it a bit further, and go past intuition and actually talk to the spirits and make a connection with the dead. Where as psychics can only focus on living energy.

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Another important distinction is that while psychic readings often focus on predicting future events, mediums primarily tune into past and present issues. It's my opinion that predicting the future, while sometimes helpful, runs the risk of disempowering people. Always remember that you do have a say in how your future unfolds. Despite what any psychic or medium may "see" in your future, it is important to remember you were given the gift of free will when you came into this world, and at any moment in time you can absolutely redirect your course and create the life you want by changing your thoughts and actions. Psychic information is often just insight into what potentially could happen based on the road you are currently traveling-and it should be used only as a guideline to help you make the best choices for yourself.

Just as in any profession, mediums have specialties and areas of expertise. Unlike Allison Dubois in Medium, I don't work with the police in solving crimes. Or, unlike Melinda Gordon in The Ghost Whisperer, I don't help tormented souls cross over. Over the years, it has become very clear that my job lies in working with souls who have happily crossed over to the other side and, for the most part, are at peace. Sure, they may have regrets or unresolved issues, but they're not haunted or lost. Oftentimes, it's the living that are not at peace. The main goal of your deceased loved ones and spirit guides is to assist you in moving on, free of grief and struggle, so you can fulfill your life lessons and enjoy your time here on earth.

Some people ask if I, much like a doctor, chose this specialty as my service. On a basic human level, the answer is no...it chose me. On a soul level, though, I am certain this is what I signed up to do in this lifetime. My responsibility lies in simply acknowledging my "gift" and what comes naturally for me, and embracing the calling to serve as a messenger for Spirit.

From time to time, it may be helpful to seek out the counsel of someone objective for guidance or connection with spirit, and/or to gain a clearer read on your life. If a psychic, medium or any other intuitive healer speaks to you, I encourage you to set your intentions and then simply let go and go with the flow. Spirit will guide you as to who and what is in your highest and best good in that moment. Also, please remember that no one knows you better than yourself, and no one has a closer connection with your deceased loved ones and spiritual guides than you do. By learning to go within, listen to and trust your own inner voice, you gain access to everything you'll ever need to know. And what could be better than that?

Rebecca Rosen has served as a bridge between this world and those who have crossed over to the other side for the past 10 years. Her work has led to many guest appearances, including Entertainment Tonight, The Rachael Ray Show and Nightline, and her first book, Spirited: Connect to the Guides All Around You (HarperCollins). Due to the high and growing demand for spiritual truth, she has committed herself fulltime to serving as a medium and also educates thousands of people around the country with her seminars, lectures and workshops. Learn more about Rosen by visiting her website.

Keep Reading:
How Rebecca Rosen connected with the other side
A call from beyond
The power of your intuition

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oprah spirit inspiration rebecca rosen psychic medium mediumship intuition intuitive guidance other side talk dead afterlife future past death ghost present presence distinction job profession clair senses clairvoyance clairsentient clairaudient claircogn

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Another important distinction is that while psychic readings often focus on predicting future events, mediums primarily tune into past and present issues. It's my opinion that predicting the future, while sometimes helpful, runs the risk of disempowering people. Always remember that you do have a say in how your future unfolds.

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This picture is meant to show the relationship a medium has with the dead. How they connect and that the medium wants to help the ghosts most time, and how they can connect them with the world of the living.

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This is an image of many different synonyms for the word medium. Not all mediums like to be categorized under one word and don't all identify with that term, some preferring some of these terms.

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This is a picture of Gary Spivey, a self proclaimed medium, spiritual healer, and spiritual teacher. I don't know if weird hair is part of being a medium but everyone seems to have it

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In this video Tyler Henry talks about his ways of communicating with the deceased. He uses a lot of cold reading techniques. He says his gift just came to him one night, and he only now currently only does readings for Hollywood stars; that have their own Wikipedia pages and are easily searchable. He is the star of the show Hollywood Medium and it's likely that he's not a real medium in any sense.

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Hollywood Medium ' Tyler Henry Gives Unbelievable Readings

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Tyler Henry Reads Winner of Facebook Giveaway | Hollywood Medium

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Natalie Discusses Miscarriage During Long Island Medium

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Hollywood Medium Tyler Henry on Reading Kris Jenner & Metta World Peace + Season

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Hollywood Medium Tyler Henry Shares His Process Of Communicating With The Deceased

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Tyler Henry from Hollywood Medium on E! stops by the Pop Trigger studio! Sam, Grace, and Hasan talk to Tyler. Let us know what you thought of the interview. Watch "Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry" Wednesdays at 8PM on E! ****** Subscribe to Pop Trigger: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c...

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This video helps list off a number of reasons as to why the Long Island Medium is a fake. Including her many wrong guesses, and the fact that it seems that her audience is asked questions before hand. She's also been known to have her crews go to a location and stage it, or scope it out. People seem to remember very little of that, and only go on about the times she gets things right. Which happens far more on tv than in real life.

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5 Reasons Why Long Island Medium Is Totally Fake

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In this video "The Happy Medium" draws from the emotions in the room, and asks about common names for relatives to see if anyone has a reaction. Her statements are very vague until she pin points a subject and plays off of their body language and facial expressions. She mentioned the spirit of a young girl and then realized the woman was pregnant, and said "she's already thinking of you as mummy"

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Watch This Medium Shock a Reporter Predicting Her Pregnancy on Camera

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The woman who has dubbed herself "The Happy Medium" is bringing joy to believers and let a certain cat out of the bag when she did a reading. Kim Russo says she takes the "kookiness" out of the spirit world, "People have actually said that after readings with me they were able to sleep at night; sometimes for the first time in 20 or 30 years.

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Lyndsay Brown