Prof. Adrian Cole, Astrologer & Relationship Researcher

I Spent 600€ on Psychic Readings Before I Found One That Wasn't BS

Then I Found Adrian from Luminous Life.

5 Readers Failed Me.

By Michelle Carter

Last Updated: Yesterday

185k+ Read

I'm not someone who falls for scams easily.

I read reviews. I research everything. I comparison shop. I'm the friend people ask when they want to know if something is legit or not.

I spent over 600€ on psychics before I learned how to tell real ones from fake ones.

But I'm sharing this anyway because I think there are a lot of people out there getting burned by the same crap I fell for. And if I can save someone else the frustration (and money), it's worth the embarrassment.

Here's what happened.

Why I Started Looking for a Psychic in the First Place

I was stuck.

Not in a cute "oh I need some guidance" way. Stuck in a "I've been asking myself the same question for eight months and I still don't have an answer" way.

Should I stay or should I go?

I'd been with my partner for six years. Things weren't bad. But they also weren't... right. And I couldn't figure out if I was being impatient, if I was self-sabotaging something good, or if my gut was screaming at me for a reason.

I'd talked to my friends. They were split. Half said "relationships take work, stick it out." Half said "life's too short, if you're not happy, leave."

I'd talked to my therapist. She kept asking me what I thought I should do. (Thanks, very helpful.)

I'd journaled. I'd meditated. I'd made pro/con lists.

Nothing was giving me clarity.

So I thought: maybe I need an outside perspective from someone who doesn't know me, doesn't have an agenda, and can just tell me what they see.

A psychic reading seemed like a reasonable next step.

Spoiler alert: it was not as straightforward as I thought.

Reading #1: The Generic Template (75€)

I found the first psychic on Instagram. Her feed looked professional. Lots of testimonials.

Pretty graphics with inspiring quotes.

I booked a reading and sent her my question: "Why can’t I seem to find real love? Is there something blocking me?”

What I got back 48 hours later:

"Your soulmate is coming soon. You need to stay open to love and trust that the universe has a plan for you. I see new beginnings on the horizon. Stay positive!"

I read it three times trying to find something—anything—that was specific to my actual situation.

There was nothing.

This could have been sent to literally anyone asking about love. Hell, it could have been sent to someone asking about their career and it would have made just as much sense.

Red Flag I Missed: If the reading could apply to anyone, it's not a reading. It's a template.

But I didn't know that yet. So I thought maybe I just picked the wrong person.

It was disappointing to say the least.

Reading #2: The Upsell Artist (150€ + "Clearing" Fee)

The second psychic came recommended by someone in an online group. She had a website. Seemed more established.

I sent the same question.

Her reading came back and said: "I'm picking up blocked energy around your heart chakra. This is preventing you from seeing your path clearly. Before I can give you accurate guidance, you'll need an energy clearing session. I can do this for you for 300€."

Wait, what?

So the €150 I just paid... wasn't actually for a reading? It was for her to tell me I need to pay more?

I asked if she could just answer my question without the "clearing."

She said the reading wouldn't be accurate without it because my energy was too blocked.

How convenient.

Red Flag I Missed: If someone tells you that you need to pay MORE before they can help you, run. Real readers work with what you've got.

But I was still hopeful. Maybe the next one would be better.

Reading #3: The Robot Response (49€)

This one was cheaper, which I thought was a good sign. More accessible. Less scammy.

I should have known better.

What I got back was clearly automated. It was a PDF with generic card meanings and a few fill-in-the-blank sentences with my name inserted.

"Michelle, the cards show that you are at a crossroads. Trust your intuition. Big changes are coming."

I could have googled "tarot card meanings" and gotten the same information for free.

Actually, I probably would have gotten MORE information from Google.

Red Flag I Missed: If it looks like a template, reads like a template, and could have been generated by a computer... it probably was.

At this point I was 314€ in and had exactly zero clarity.

But I'm stubborn. So I kept going.

Reading #4: The Vague Mystic (180€)

This psychic had great reviews. Her website talked about her 20 years of experience. She seemed legit.

The reading I got back was long. Really long. Lots of words.

But as I read through it, I realized something: I couldn't tell if she was talking about my relationship, my career, my family, or my grocery shopping habits.

Everything was so vague and open to interpretation that I could make it mean whatever I wanted it to mean.

There's a shift happening in your life. Someone close to you is going through their own transformation. You're being called to make a choice that will affect your future. Trust the process."

Okay... but WHAT choice? WHAT shift? WHO is transforming?

I sent a follow-up email asking for clarification.

She responded: "The cards speak in symbols. You'll know what it means when the time comes."

No. That's not how this works.

Red Flag I Missed: Vagueness is not mystical. It's lazy. A good reader gives you specifics you can actually use.

I was now 494€ into this experiment and ready to give up.

Reading #5: The Bad Astrology Reading (€120)

By then, I thought maybe the problem wasn’t me — maybe I just needed something deeper.

Something more scientific than tarot or “energy work.”

So when I saw an astrologer on TikTok offering “in-depth love chart readings,” I thought, why not?

Her videos looked professional. She talked about planets, houses, Venus signs — all the smart-sounding stuff.

I sent her my birth info and asked:

“Why can’t I find lasting love?”

A few days later, she sent me a 10-page PDF that looked great at first… until I read it.

Half of it was just copy-paste planet meanings:

“Venus shows love. Mars shows passion. Jupiter brings luck.”

Okay, thanks - I could’ve Googled that.

The rest was so general it could’ve fit anyone.

“You want connection but also freedom.”

Cool, that’s everyone.

Then I noticed she forgot to change the name from her last client.

That’s when I knew I’d been scammed.

Red Flag I Missed: Real astrologers don’t just explain planets — they connect them to your story.

After that, I was done.

Astrology, tarot, energy work - I’d tried it all, and love still felt far away.

I closed the tab.

Total spent: 494€ Total clarity gained: Zero

I was done. Clearly this whole psychic thing was garbage and I'd been an idiot for trying.

I was inundated with messages like these after putting my email in!

Then a Friend Mentioned Prof. Adrian from London, UK.

About a month later, I was venting to a friend about the whole mess.

She said: "You should’ve tried Prof. Adrian Cole. He’s not like those fake psychics — he’s an astrologer and relationship researcher from London. He started the Luminous Life Project, where he helps people understand and attract real love using astrology. What he does is completely different."

I laughed. "I've heard that before. Different how?"

She shook her head: "No, seriously. He studies your birth chart - the exact date, time, and place you were born - and uses it to map the kind of person your energy is most compatible with. He even draws what that person looks like."

I blinked. “Wait — you mean an actual drawing? Like a sketch of your soulmate?”

She nodded. “Yeah. And it’s shockingly accurate. Mine looked almost exactly like the guy I’m seeing now. He also sent a long written report that explained why I keep attracting the same types of people, my emotional patterns, and even the places where my love energy is strongest to meet this person.”

I wanted to roll my eyes, but I couldn’t help feeling curious.

It didn’t sound like a random prediction - it sounded like someone actually studied something real.

She showed me her reading - pages of detailed, personal insights that clearly weren’t copied or generic.

And then she told me the price.

It was the cheapest one I’d tried so far - yet it didn’t sound sketchy or rushed.

Not expensive, just… fair.

If only I’d started here, I could’ve saved hundreds of euros - and a lot of frustration.

So, I took the short quiz on his website - and that’s when everything finally started to make sense.

You might recognize Prof. Adrian, he’s been shared a lot recently and apparently been very busy!

What Made Prof. Cole’s Reading Different

I took the short survey — the one that uses your birth date, time, and place to map your emotional energy and love patterns.

A few hours later, the results arrived in my inbox.

And within the first few lines, I knew this was different.

He didn’t say “love is coming soon.”

He didn’t try to sell me a ritual or talk about energy blockages.

He just explained what he saw in my chart — and it made perfect sense.

He said my energy wasn’t blocked — it was guarded.

That I kept attracting unavailable people because, deep down, I didn’t believe love would last.

He wrote, “You keep choosing people who mirror your fear of being left — not your desire to be loved.”

And the wild part?

He mentioned small things I’d never told anyone.

That I feel most lonely on Sundays — which is true.

That I overthink texts before sending them, trying to sound “less attached.”

Then came the sketch.

When I opened it, my heart actually skipped a beat.

The face felt familiar — like someone I’d seen in passing, or maybe in a dream.

It wasn’t about prediction or perfection — it was about recognition.

He explained that the features were based on the energetic traits I’m most drawn to — a visual reflection of my compatibility pattern.

But what really hit me was the written part that followed.

It wasn’t another “be patient, love will come” message.

He broke down my emotional cycles, the types of people who trigger them, and how to see when I’m repeating old patterns instead of starting fresh.

He said the real question wasn’t “When will I meet someone?”

It was “Why do I keep closing the door before real love has a chance to walk in?”

That one hit deep.

What I Learnt From Wasting 600€

Here's what I wish someone had told me before I started this whole journey:

1. Real Readers Don't Use Templates

If the reading could apply to anyone, it's not a reading. It's a horoscope. You want specifics, not "the universe has a plan for you."

2. Real Readers Don't Upsell You

If someone tells you that you need to pay more for a "clearing" or "removal" or "protection" before they can help you, they're scamming you. Period.

3. Real Readers Give You Actionable Information

Vague mystical language might sound deep, but it's useless. You want someone who can tell you what they see in a way that actually helps you make decisions.

4. Real Readers Are Detailed

A real reading should reference specific things about your life, your situation, your energy. Not just "big changes are coming."

5. Real Readers Let You Ask Follow-Up Questions

Adrian told me I could email her if I needed clarification on anything. That's how confident she was in what she was giving me. Compare that to Reading #4 where I got "you'll know what it means when the time comes.”

6. Price Isn't Always an Indicator

The most expensive reading I got (180€) was one of the worst. The best reading I got was under 100€. Don't assume expensive means better.

I spent a lot, so you don’t have to!

What Happened After Adrian's Reading

I won’t pretend the reading changed everything overnight.

But it gave me something I’d been missing for years — clarity and peace.

He explained that my strongest placements were in Capricorn — an energy that craves stability, structure, and depth.

He said my love energy comes alive in places filled with history, knowledge, and meaning.

“You’ll likely meet someone in a museum, gallery, or somewhere surrounded by stories of the past,” he wrote.

I remember smiling, thinking, Sure, that sounds poetic.

Two months later, I met my boyfriend - in a history museum, of all places.

And the strangest thing? He looked almost exactly like the sketch I’d received.

But the real magic wasn’t that the prediction came true — it was how I felt when it did.

This time, I wasn’t anxious or overanalyzing every message.

I felt calm. Present. Grounded.

For the first time, I wasn’t afraid of losing someone — because I finally believed that what’s meant for me will stay.

That sense of trust changed everything.

It made love feel light again.

And somehow, that calmness made the relationship even stronger.

If You’re Thinking About Getting A Reading

Look, I'm not here to convert anyone into believing in psychics.

What I am here to say is: if you're going to try it, do yourself a favor and learn from my expensive mistakes.

Don't fall for the templates. Don't fall for the upsells. Don't fall for the vague mystical nonsense that sounds profound but means nothing.

Find someone who:

Gives you specific, detailed information

Answers your actual questions

Doesn't try to squeeze more money out of you

Lets you follow up if you need clarity

Adrian does all of that. That's why I'm still working with him two years later.

Could I have figured out my relationship on my own eventually? Maybe.

But it would have taken a lot longer. And I probably would have spent way more than 600€ in therapy bills trying to sort through it.

Sometimes you just need someone who can see what you can't.