First established 42 years ago the Psychic Entertainment Association (PEA) is an international organization which aims to protect, support and promote ethical psychic entertainment.
The PEA’s members are not strictly psychics and mediums, nor are they to be confused with any group for magicians or illusionists. Who they are is an organized collection of high caliber psychic entertainers such as mentalists, cold readers, hypnotists, bizzarists and fortune-tellers who go on tour with their live acts.
The PEA’s ethos is simple, don’t steal from other performers, support each other however you can and enjoy being part of a community of like-minded people. Their mission is for the psychic entertainment community to grow together as a family while adhering to a strict moral code that does condone malicious or competitive behavior.
Once a year the PEA hosts it’s most famous event, The Meeting of The Minds, a members-only ‘family reunion’. A dazzling five-day celebration of industry entertainers with a 250 person headcount. The Meeting of the Minds is a chance for performers to come together and network, socialize, exchange information, determine ethical standards for psychic entertainment.
PEA’s annual reunion is filled with incredible workshops, inspirational lectures from industry leaders, performances and much more. But most importantly The Meeting of the Minds is about community, it’s for connecting with your tribe.
The overall goal of the association is to facilitate the growth of each entertainer and create a supportive network which is why all members are given unlimited access to Raven’s Nest. Ravens Nest is an exclusive online forum for psychic entertainers founded by Tony Raven. A lively interactive discussion board Ravens Nest allows members to stay connected throughout the year, learn about events, research new ideas and reach out for help with their projects.
The benefit of the association is not limited to the Ravens Nest forum or the Meeting of the Minds convention. It also takes great pains to establish a safe space for entertainers to learn together without fear or mistrust. The PEA is careful to ensure that the group clearly understands the difference between raising up your peers by sharing and accepting tips and exploiting ideas. One thing the association is absolutely clear on is that they are not a ‘collection’ tool for entertainers looking to steal bits for their own shows.
The PEA also curates a monthly journal for its members called Vibrations. The publication has been active since 1978 and is considered one of the best in its field. What makes it so special? Every month a dedicated team work hard to pour the most exciting and relevant content into its pages. Vibrations is brimming with presentation ideas, business articles, reviews and contributions from leading names in psychic entertainment.
Who can join the Psychic Entertainment Association?
Membership to the association is by application only. This way the guild can monitor members making sure they have matured professionally and posses a “serious and vested interest in the ethical performance of psychic entertainment”.
Mentalists
No, unfortunately, Simon Baker is not a member of the PEA! But there are many people in the group who perform this kind of show. Mentalists are entertainers who appear to be psychic. But in reality, they are using a combination of; misdirection, theatre and trickery, skilled sleight of hand, keen observation and mental mathematics to fool the audience and put on a lively show.
Bizarre magicians
Bizarre magick branches away from traditional magic shows with its use of storytelling and theatre. Performers of this discipline employ costumes, horror and supernatural imagery to create drama. Magician and mentalist Max Maven feels that bizarre magick “references a larger magical world beyond the boundaries of the performance.”
Cold readers
Cold readings are conducted in private groups or for large audiences and usually 2-3 minutes per person. The readings are designed to be entertaining, the messages relayed by the cold reader are positive, upbeat and sassy. These performers have fun their audience, they may employ tarot as aid or chose to work the room giving psychic readings. Similar to mentalism, a cold reader picks up cues and information from a persons, body language, expressions, age and style.
Fortune tellers
Fortune telling is an art that has been practiced for centuries. In modern times it has entered the mainstream as an entertainment tool for parties and events. Fortune tellers may use a variety of devices for their work such as oracle, angel or tarot cards, tea leaf reading or palmistry. Dressed theatrically in clothing that mimics the traditional veil covered gypsy fortune teller, these psychic entertainments give short uplifting readings.