Tarot Tuesday: Festival of Light, Berkeley Springs, WV

Welcome back to Tarot Tuesdays, dear readers! Things have been sort of nuts on this end, so I apologize for the hiatus. 

One of the many things I've been doing is my most recent psychic fair, Festival of Light in Berkeley Springs, WV. It's held once a year and it's the largest collection of healers and psychics I've ever been involved with to date. It happens once a year, in the fall, and it's a full weekend.

I did both tarot readings and astrology mini-readings last weekend, and there were plenty of tarot readers to choose from. At my count, there were at least 30 of us. If tarot wasn't your thing, there were animal intuitives, rune casters, and pretty much any kind of psychic you could want. 

What I found interesting was that I actually did more astrology readings than tarot that weekend. I shouldn't have been surprised because there was a lot more "competition" for tarot than astrology. I think I was one of two astrologers at the fair. 

One question that I have for people who attend events like this is simple: How do you decide who to have a reading from? In this case, this was my first time at this fair, so while I knew one or two people--one of my customers from the Wheeling fair in September showed up, and one of my old customers from Occoquan also came--it seemed like most people gravitated toward psychics they already knew. But if you don't know anyone and you're faced with 30+ tarot readers, how do you pick one?

I'm very curious to hear your answers to this one if you feel like you can put it into words. 

Tarot Tuesday: Are Tarot Readers Psychic?

This is a question I heard once but stated in a different way. A tarot mentee of mine asked me, "You don't actually think that these cards can tell the future, do you?" 

Before you ask, yes, she was serious, and I'll mention her again in a moment. But let's address the question before we do that.

All tarot readers are psychics, but not all psychics are tarot card readers. Psychic is an umbrella term for anyone who divines the future using an intuitive ability. For tarot readers, the cards are the method for receiving the message. 

Think of it this way: Each tarot card connects with the subconscious mind and acts as a sort of starting point for the reader's intuition. The more experience a tarot reader has, the less the meanings of each individual card matter and the more the whole reading starts to come into sharper focus.

Bottom line: The answer to this question is a resounding YES. 

And my mentee? Well, she kept referring to the cards as "props" and had contacted a talent agent for gigs; I suspect she thought the whole tarot reader thing was some kind of hustle. So our mentoring relationship didn't last, but I managed to get over it. :)

Book Review: Find Your Happily Ever After: Relationship Advice from a Professional Psychic, by Tiffany Johnson

Find Your Happily Ever After: Relationship Advice from a Professional Psychic
Tiffany Johnson
$15.99
ISBN 978-0-7387-4192-5

As a professional psychic, you find that love and relationships is one of the most frequent questions asked by clients. “Is s/he the one for me?”, “Should I stay or should I go?” and “Does this relationship really have potential?” are questions I often get in my practice.

In Find Your Happily Ever After, psychic Tiffany Johnson provides a very real, down-to-earth look at the advice that she gives to her clients during relationship readings. As I read through this book, I saw a lot of good information that I’ve either passed along to my own clients or come to understand in my own life.

The presentation is simple and clear, which I’m a fan of. There isn’t any New Age feel to the work; for me, a journalist or a counselor could have written it. I was really pleased about this, because often, books written by psychics want to shoot for that “otherworldly” quality that makes them downright annoying. I was glad Johnson’s writing style for the book was practical and sensible. It’s good to find a psychic who organizes well, too; the table of contents is a good way to find what you’re looking for at a given stage in a relationship.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the very beginning of chapter 9, entitled “Change”. I liked it so much because it’s a maxim that I have known for some time and agree with totally: “Don’t try to change anyone into who you think they should be. It doesn’t work. Pushing someone to change only creates discontent and resentment. It will never work out well.” In my own practice I often hear, “I wish s/he would be more [INSERT DESIRE HERE].” It’s exactly the same thing. In short, people have to want to change on their own.

I also liked when Johnson talked about “deal breakers” in chapter 4. This is a term I’ve used for a while in relationship readings and they’re very important. Basically, you have to know where you stand on different issues and decide what you can live with and what you can’t. Some of the topics she mentions include religion and morality, politics, and sexuality, among others. You’ve got to be up front and honest with yourself and any potential partner for things to have a firm foundation. “Cheating” is one of the parts that can get thorny for couples. What constitutes cheating for you may not for your partner. I’ve heard the term “emotional cheating” thrown around quite a bit, and it can be just as damaging as sexual infidelity, and in some cases, more so.

Bottom line: You’ll really have to know what your “deal breakers” are, and if you can’t live with it, then it’s time to move on. By the way, the author follows up on this important topic in Chapter 19, “If You Think They Are Cheating”, which is often when people seek out psychics, interestingly enough.

I really enjoyed this book! It’s a quick read, but Johnson provides solid, intelligent relationship advice at a level that regular people can understand and appreciate.

7 Things to do if a Tarot Reading Makes You Uncomfortable

This is a fantastic article on tarot and getting readings! It actually summarizes some of the points that I try to stress when I read for people. 

One of the few things I would add is that we DO indeed know when you are lying or trying to make us prove ourselves to you. Luckily that only happens very rarely in my tarot practice; I'm blessed to have clients who are up front and honest. That's the way to get the most out of your reading, anyway; instead of going away disappointed you can get the information you came for. 

There is one other policy I live by in my tarot practice that seems to have served me well. Those of you who read cards may want to consider adopting it, and it's rather simple: I never pressure anyone to have a reading. Ever. It's not just because I'm not a hard-sell person, from a business perspective; it's greater than that. If people aren't ready for the message, you trying to get them to spill isn't going to help, and then they may get angry for a message they weren't prepared for. I actually regularly discourage clients who pressure others in front of me, too, by just reminding people that if they're too scared or not ready for a reading, that it's totally normal and there's nothing wrong with it. 

Anyway, enjoy the article! :)

There's Trouble Right Here in Front Royal, Part 2

The vote in Front Royal, VA, occurred last night, and this time, the good guys prevailed, 4-2. The ban on fortunetelling in Front Royal was lifted! And there was MUCH rejoicing! WOO HOO!

What's interesting to me is at the last minute, one of the City Councilors tried to amend the law by removing some of the language, including "gypsies", but that didn't fly. 

If you've read anything about this story, however, you probably remember that the last vote was 4-3 in favor of repealing the ban. What happened to the seventh vote this time? I've been looking for an answer but haven't found one yet...

In the end, it doesn't matter, because a ridiculous law has been struck down. I'm so glad it went the way it did. 

If you don't like tarot card readers or other psychics, don't patronize us. But to try to prohibit us from making money with our skills because you don't like us or believe in us is ridiculous and closed-minded. 

I applaud those who stood against what seemed to be a small, vocal minority in Front Royal and defended the rights of fortunetellers to practice. WELL DONE!

There's Trouble Right Here In Front Royal, and the "T" is for Tarot

I've been living in Northern Virginia for over ten years now, and I just love it. By and large it has been a very warm and welcoming place for both my faith and my tarot reading business. But I must admit that this story has me very concerned.

Front Royal, VA, a town maybe an hour west of where I live, is considering removing a ban on fortunetelling, which is how my business is classified by many municipalities. I look at that as a good thing; the bill passed with a small majority (4-3) and will be heard again soon for a final vote. I hope that the members of the City Council decide to push forward and repeal this ban. 

Folks, it's 2014. Do we still have "Witchcraft" mentioned in the same breath as "fortunetelling"? They are two separate activities. Many people use forms of divination as part of their spiritual practices, but they're not the same thing. 

Opponents of the repeal are afraid that somehow crime will increase in their little town if fortunetellers are allowed to practice their craft here. And if it is eventually lifted, then some townspeople are hoping to put regulations in, like that it must be done away from schools and day care centers. This sounds way too much like "The Music Man" and its pool table. "We've got trouble right here in Front Royal" because some people want to make money with their gifts. You've just put tarot readers in the same category as drugs and alcohol. Come the fuck on.

This is ridiculous. I understand that fortunetellers do not have a great reputation and I'll be the first one to tell you that you must be careful who you use. With that said, this is true of any business...I give my psychic the same scrutiny that I do my doctor, my dentist, and my auto mechanic. 

What scares me is that people can be so provincial, even in 2014. It is not going to bring more crime to your community; likely there is tons of it already that is invisible to most people. Or is it just that you find the practice morally reprehensible? 

"Increase in crime" might be a reason to disallow casino gambling, but I've never heard of psychics causing widespread criminal activity. So I'm thinking that it's more of the "morally reprehensible" angle, couched in words that are more acceptable in today's society; who can honestly say they want crime to go up? And that's the angle. The logic is specious to me, but if that's the best argument you have, you don't stand a chance of winning the second time around. 

I applaud all those who are standing up for the right of Front Royal's honest fortunetellers to do business there. 

On a side note, they're also looking at repealing the $400 "license fee" that they charge fortunetellers as well. Considering that here in Fairfax County I pay $500 a year for the privilege of reading cards, I'd love to see that happen here, too, since we're placed on the same level as "bail bondsmen" and "dance halls". LOL. 

What is a LeNormand Deck?

Some of you may have heard of LeNormand decks. It was definitely new to me until a few days ago, when I started looking into it.

LeNormand differs from traditional tarot decks in a  number of ways. The most obvious of these is the fact that the LeNormand deck only has 36 cards compared to the standard 78 in a tarot deck. For newbies, that's less than half the cards to remember. So that's one thing in its favor for new readers.

The burden, however, appears to be much more on the reader's psychic and/or medium abilities than with regular tarot. The LeNormand method encourages you to call upon your spirit guides to help with readings, and you're also encouraged to come up with your own list of meanings--keywords, really--for the cards. That's only my first impression so far, based on what I have read. 

Also, it seems like reading the LeNormand cards is a lot more structured than reading tarot. There are certain layouts, like tarot, but they can be used multiple times in different ways. Seems kind of interesting to me! 

Donnaleigh De LaRose does a fantastic blog on this topic that you can find here. Since I'm so new to LeNormand, I figured I'd let her explain it to you.

I received one LeNormand deck to review, and I'm definitely going to check it out and see how it works. Not sure if it will become part of my repertoire, but it never hurts to take a look at new things, right? :)

The Long Island Medium: Is She a Fake?

Being a psychic, tarot card reader, or medium is not an easy job. You have to tell people things they don't want to hear, for one thing. People also have pretty high expectations of what you're going to be able to tell them. But perhaps the most difficult challenge some days is the reputation that we have as a profession: People question our integrity constantly, and while I don't think that's a bad thing per se, we have to prove ourselves time and time again. Have one off day and your client can decide that you're not "for real" anymore.

The article here from Jezebel contains allegations that the Long Island Medium, Theresa Caputo, is a fraud. While this particular piece is recent, there are allegations that go back a number of years. One site in particular claims to have a source codenamed "Kim" that says Ms. Caputo admitted she makes stuff up and doesn't really talk to spirits. Theresa is also accused of "cold reading" clients, a common claim among those who denigrate psychics on general principle. 

According to Wikipedia:

Cold reading is a series of techniques used by mentalists, psychics, fortune-tellers, mediums and illusionists to determine or express details about another person, often in order to convince them that the reader knows much more about a subject than they actually do.^[1] Without prior knowledge of a person, a practiced cold reader can still quickly obtain a great deal of information about the subject by analyzing the person's body language, age, clothing orfashion, hairstyle, gender, sexual orientation, religion, race or ethnicity, level of education, manner of speech, place of origin, etc. Cold readers commonly employ high probability guesses about the subject, quickly picking up on signals from their subjects as to whether their guesses are in the right direction or not, and then emphasizing and reinforcing any chance connections the subjects acknowledge while quickly moving on from missed guesses.

Let me start off by saying that I don't believe everything I read on the Internet, and I hope you don't either, because if that's true, pro wrestling really is fake and I'm totally crushed. I say that tongue in cheek, but you understand what I'm driving at. I'm not going to string someone up because of a few articles. 

With that said, we all know what can be done with the magic of television. Like every reality television show, "Long Island Medium" is edited. Of course they're not going to show you the times when she's off the mark. They're going to show you when she has a tremendously positive impact on people. 

We also know what can be done with information. With a few keystrokes you can find out quite a bit about someone you've never met and easily fudge the rest. Some of Caputo's detractors allege that her knowledge of people comes not from the deceased but from background checks performed by her staff, with live shows carefully choreographed for maximum impact. 

One of the allegations this site makes is that Ms. Caputo is "all about the money". A number of the arguments are somewhat compelling, but this one makes my bullshit meter go off. We all like to get paid, and if you have the ability Theresa supposedly has, you're out to help people but you want to make some money, too. She has the right to charge people whatever the market will bear. So on this one I say "Don't hate the player; hate the people who show up and pay her to perform." You can't cite that as a reason she's a fake. That's like hating professional athletes because we pay them millions; who do you think makes their jobs so lucrative?

To be fair, Ms. Caputo has an awfully big target on her back. She's the star of a very popular television show, and her practice is very lucrative. People are willing to wait for years for a consultation with her, and they pay top dollar without batting an eyelash. Speaking as a psychic, that's a good problem to have if you can manage it. But the more in the public eye you are, the more you are on a pedestal and the more people want to knock you off of it. 

I'm sure there are a lot of people who are extremely upset she has any kind of public acclaim, such as those who claim that psychics and other intuitives are "practicing the black arts" and other horseshit like that. (Incidentally, if you look up "Theresa Caputo Fake" on Google, you'll find a video that starts using bible verses to back up its claims.) So groups like that would want to bring her down, too. 

Of course, you'll also find plenty of other YouTube footage, like these from SciFake, that claim to prove Theresa is not for real. But even that isn't definitive proof; psychics can have off days, too. It's there for your edification. I encourage you to check out both sides of the issue. 

As a practicing psychic, my biggest problem with Ms. Caputo is an ethical one: She confronts people  to tell them what spirits were saying to her right off the street without getting someone's permission, or at least that's the way it appears on the show. For me that's a huge no-no. Unless someone asks you for a reading, even if you never pull out cards to get the information--it just comes to you through your intuition--that information doesn't belong to you and it's unethical to share it or ask about it. But Theresa appeared to help a lot of people and give them peace as they were going through tremendously difficult times as well. While I don't go out of my way to watch her show, I don't make it a point to watch, either. If it's on I won't turn it off.

So is Theresa Caputo a fake? I honestly have no idea. The information is compelling in some respects, but constitutes specious logic in others. One very close friend shared the possibility that maybe Theresa is gifted, but that she had to feed the publicity machine and in doing so started using other methods to "help" her. That's one of a hundred possible scenarios, ranging from "She's the real deal!" all the way to "She's a total fraud!" The truth is likely somewhere in the middle. 

One question I can answer is "Would I have a personal reading with her?" Speaking personally, I'd say no; I'm not willing to spend that kind of money or wait over two years for a slot. And for the record, these recent allegations wouldn't have changed my answer to the question. 

If it turns out that Ms. Caputo is a total fraud, then she has a HUGE karmic debt to pay off, and she will no doubt find herself in a world of shit from people who believed in her. Karma, as we all know, can be a bitch, but in deference to ladies everywhere, karma can also be a bastard. :)

In the end, you'll have to decide where you stand. But I encourage you to read everything you can and draw your own conclusions. Ms. Caputo just inked another season of "Long Island Medium", so she won't be going away anytime soon. 

News Flash: Psychics Can Be Wrong Sometimes

In many types of writing, you're supposed to to put your bottom line up front. So here it is: Psychics, even the really talented ones like Sylvia Browne, can be wrong. 

She told one of the Cleveland kidnapping victim's mothers during a reading that her daughter was very likely dead. Thankfully that wasn't true, and the victims in Cleveland were freed and brought home. You can check out the article here.
 
You may be wondering why, as a professional tarot reader, I'd draw your attention to such an article. It's because that's the reality. For any number of reasons, we can be wrong. We're not infallible, but then again, no human being is. Also, the Tradition of the Witches Circle has a basic tarot class going on right now, and this lesson is always a good one.

Any kind of divination, which includes psychic reading/clairvoyance, tarot reading, rune casting, and any other form of divination, is a "snapshot in time". We see what is going on in that moment. But the future is dynamic and changes constantly. I have confidence in my ability, but I'd be lying if I said I always get it perfectly.

Like any other profession, psychics have a bad days. We're human and we're subject to the same foibles every one else is. We get tired, sick, or depressed. We get distracted or unmotivated. We have biases, especially when we know our clients well; when the client is a loved one it can be especially difficult. And sometimes, we just miss things. Or the Divine/Universe decided we didn't need to know, so we didn't "see" it and couldn't tell you.

The point is that even though I enjoy a very loyal clientele, and love reading cards more than most things on this planet, I urge anyone who consults a reader to take the reader's advice into perspective of the larger picture you have of your own life. It shouldn't be your only resource, however. Solicit opinions and get information from those around you that you trust.

For example, if a reader tells you that you could be fired, ask some hard questions at the office. Get feedback from your boss and others to see if this is something you really should be worried about. Let's say you have a tarot reading that you'll be fired in six months. But you take the reading seriously and start taking more initiative at work. Six months later you're still gainfully employed and got Employee of the Month last month. GOOD FOR YOU! You heard what you needed to hear so you could be successful.

If you do any kind of divinatory reading for other people--my example below will be using tarot, but substitute as you will--here are a few guidelines I follow:

• I don't read when I am sick, extremely tired, in a bad mood, or feeling depressed. It not only impacts how well I can connect with the Divine, but it can have a negative impact on the delivery of the reading to the client.
• I don't drink alcohol when I'm doing paid readings. If I'm reading for a friend, I never have more than one.
• If I feel uncomfortable reading for someone, or do not feel I can be objective, I decline. Stand your ground on this one. It's very rare that I don't read for someone, but when I say no, I stand my ground.
• I ask permission before bringing divinatory items--like cards or runes--into someone else's home/space. If they're not comfortable, then respect their wishes; it's very important not to let your ego drive the bus on this one.
• Unless it is explicitly stated that you may share a reading and with whom, I keep what I "see" to myself. You're just getting the message across and a client's personal information isn't yours to share.
• I remind clients that this is a "snapshot in time", and that the information should be taken in that context.

Thanks as always for tuning in!

UPDATE: Here's a response from Sylvia Browne about the reading. She says she's been "right more than wrong", and that "only God is right all the time." Well said, Sylvia! 
    

Tarot Card Scammers Alert!

A California woman was recently talked out of $5,000 of her hard-earned money that she was planning on investing in a new business by a tarot card reader. Check out the video interview and article here.

Many of you who read this blog regularly consult metaphysical professionals, which may include tarot card readers, astrologers, psychics of various kinds (like mediums), and energy healers (like Reiki masters). It's become very common for many people to do so, and on the whole, I think that's a good thing.

With that said, it is incredibly important to use good  judgment when selecting such a person. I've blogged before about how many skilled, well-intentioned metaphysical professionals there are out there, and that they get a bad rap. This man, this "Don Luis" who stole this lady's money, is one of the many reasons why people are skeptical of us and routinely question our integrity and ethics.

People who take advantage like this piss me off to no end, but it's even more abhorrent to me when it has a negative impact on my own business, not just financially but personally. It's so hard to earn a good reputation, and for some asshole I don't even know to jeopardize my work just makes me mad.

While I don't want to be too hard on the victim, in the video you'll hear her say that it didn't feel right to her to give this man her money. She should have listened to her gut and said "No, thank you." And while your gut will lead you in the right direction, my beloved said it best: "Don't ignore your intuition, but also use common sense!" I couldn't agree more.

Anyway, it looks like it's time for a reminder of what to look for when selecting a metaphysical services provider:

1) Code of Ethics--Do they have one? Is it posted someplace, either in their shop or online? You can see mine at www.hierophanttarot.com under "Code of Ethics".

2) Certifications, relevant training, or other qualifications--Does this person belong to any organizations or have any certificates of relevant training? There are organizations for everything. For example, I'm a Certified Tarot Master and if you contact the Tarot Certification Board of America, they'll tell you that. I'm also a member of the American Tarot Association, and as a member I have to abide by their code of ethics, which is the basis for my own.

3) Length of time practicing and testimonials--How long has this person been in business? Are they willing to tell you what others have said about their services? Would they be willing to let you talk to one of their current clients? If they haven't been around long or are leery of talking about satisfied customers, there may be a problem. In my case, I have plenty of people who I would refer you to.

4)  A personal recommendation--This is VERY important to me. I want to patronize metaphysical services providers that I either know personally or know about through someone else. Advertising means nothing in this business; if you have a loyal following, you don't need to advertize. I am automatically way of folks who advertize too much anyway. Ask around; you would be surprised about what you can learn when you open your mouth.

5) Posted services and prices per service--These should be available from the provider or online. Make sure that the provider tells you in advance what you are going to pay, and what you will receive. Don't wait until the end to know how much you're going to pay; the provider should set your expectations accordingly.

6) Words to watch for--The biggest one is "curse". They love to say that you're cursed, or that your home is, your family, whatever. You're not cursed. Walk out the door at that point and don't come back. This is the same if you have someone offering to "cast spells" for you for a price as well. If they do or say anything that puts them in control of you, your time, or your money, then end it. 

The bottom line: If you feel like something is wrong, it probably is. If you want to stop a service in progress, tell the provider--ideally you haven't paid them yet--walk out, don't go back, and if you question this person's practices, call the police and tell your friends. Don't be afraid of hurting someone's feelings if you get a bad vibe off a provider. You need to protect yourself first. 

A number of people who should know better have fallen victims to these crooks, and the only way to beat them is by educating customers. Don't make yourself a victim, no matter how nice they may seem.

Book Review: Learning from the Future

Learning from the Future

Mary Hykel Hunt

O-Books, 2011

$14.95

A very different perspective on intuition and precognition, Learning from the Future is an exercise that allows people to learn about what could happen in times to come by using a trance-like state.

Hunt has been extremely intuitive all of her life, but while helping a client one day, she wondered if just like using past life regressions, you could “progress” a client in a light hypnotic state into their “future” to see what will happen. She began using the technique with more of her clients and has found it to be extremely effective.

The nature of time is something that many of us do not often think about. Hunt discusses how physicists and others think of time. If there was one part of the book that kind of fried my brain, it would be this section. The bottom line is that for the purposes of this technique, time is not seen as a thing ever-flowing forward, but a series of possibilities that can overlap.

By using the technique in this book, a person can go forward into their progressed future and talk to their “future selves”, which will give them information about what has happened to them—in other words, what they have experienced to bring them to where they are now. If the client doesn’t like the future they see—as a tarot reader I like to think of it as “the message”—then the future self gives hints of which changes need to be made to access a more positive outcome.

In many ways, this book opened my eyes, and the stories that Hunt includes about her clients are totally fascinating. And it seems like a plausible theory. People who read tarot cards, or use runes or crystal balls, to tell the future do something very similar. But using this technique doesn’t require a reader of any kind or any materials; the book describes how a client can do this work by himself or herself.

One other interesting facet of this technique is how Hunt deals with the idea that the future self that the client sees might just be his or her fantasies. Once the client is in the technique, s/he will interview the other self and ask it whatever questions are desired. They are to be open-ended questions so the other self can elaborate as necessary. If the client is concerned that s/he is only seeing what s/he wants to see, then the client can ask the future self “Are you real?” If the self answers, then the information is accurate, but if the image disappears then the client will know that they were in the realm of fantasy.

Hunt recommends that while any time period can be used for looking into the future, she has noted that three to five years seems like the optimal duration for each experience. She also encourages clients to do the exercise periodically so the client can receive the most up-to-date messages.

Learning from the Future may change the way you understand intuition and precognition, and if you’re interested in giving it a try I highly recommend this book. This would be especially useful to those people who say they are not intuitive or cannot do any divinatory work. This new approach may show you how wrong you are. 


NOTE: This review will also appear on www.facingnorth.net. 

I is for Intuition

Intuition is a very important part of what I do as a tarot reader. It's that inner voice, that sixth sense, that helps me understand what I'm seeing in the cards and interpret it for others. It's really a fantastic gift that I am thankful for every day.

Everyone has intuition; some people choose to embrace it and listen, while others do not. And that's not a value judgment, folks, if you don't use yours. But we ALL have had times when we've said, "I knew I should have [INSERT REST OF SENTENCE HERE]! because we could have avoided something nasty or enjoyed something cool had we decided differently. 

Yes, intuition is part of my professional life as a reader, but it's also a part of who I am. Certainly I don't try to turn it off when I'm not reading! That would be ridiculous! One of the best parts of using intuition in your life is that it will help you make better decisions and understand and accept hard realities. I use it constantly in my professional and personal lives, and it does help me make better decisions. 

Using the cards as much as I do has helped me develop it even more. I'm seeing and sensing more things even before the cards come out when I'm reading. Sometimes I'll even know what cards are coming up next, or if a particular card will make its appearance. 

In any case, many people don't listen to their intuition. They feel that if they feel something they don't want might happen, they don't think about it because that will make it NOT happen. I'm sorry, but you don't have that kind of control over every aspect of your life. 

Let's be clear: Our choices make our future. Anyone who has had any kind of divinatory reading knows this well. This includes not just tarot, but runes, crystal ball, tea leaves, or any other kind of psychic reading. The reader is using their intuition to "see" what may happen in the future, or what has already occurred. No matter what is "seen", it is up to the client to make the best choices for them. The reader's job is not to take responsibility for the actions of the client, but just honestly and compassionately tell them what is coming at this moment in time, with the understanding that the future is dynamic and change is always possible. 

I applied for a job a number of years ago that I really wanted. I was one of the top two candidates, and was confident in the interview. I woke up the next morning with a weird feeling in my stomach, and as much as it pained me, I knew this job was going to the other candidate. Sure enough, that's what happened. And while I was angry and upset about the fact that I didn't get it, knowing it in advance helped me to be calm and chilled when the announcement was made so I could continue to act like a professional in the office that day. I was "Scorpio nuclear angry" but at least I didn't show it. That knowledge was critically important to me. 

Think about it...you get these "feelings", "vibrations", "thoughts"...all the time. They are not all as significant as the one I mentioned earlier, but they can validate your intuitive sense and make you trust it more. And that's what it's all about: Trusting your intuition and acting on it. You're in the supermarket and you stare at the flour for some unknown reason. You decide to buy some and someone in your house needed it. You decide to take a different route to work, and there's an accident on your normal route. You don't feel well on a Friday night and stay home. Had you gone to your normal happy hour spot, your ex-boyfriend you just dumped would have been there trying to patch things up. 

For me recently, it seems my intuition has been coming out on the road. I'll get a sense that there's police activity in the area and then I'll come over the hill and there's a police officer who has pulled someone over. That's happened about four times in the last few days. Yes, it's Easter weekend, and yes, police activity is high, so you could write it off that way. But a few months ago, I was coming home on an early Sunday morning from the gym and was waiting at a light at a deserted intersection. The light was really long and after two minutes of waiting I thought, "You know, I could just go since there's no one around!" Almost immediately, my brain says, "DON'T YOU DARE!" I turn to my right to see a police car sailing through the intersection; had I gone I would have been facing a nasty ticket. 

The bottom line is that you can act like it doesn't exist, but it just DOES. If you choose to embrace it, you'll "see" a lot of things if you give yourself time to develop this gift. Some folks are naturally intuitive, and that's fantastic. But ANYONE can develop this sense. ANYONE. 

If you want to start, keep a notebook with you and jot down any strong feelings you get during the day about things that might happen. Not everything is incredibly significant, but if you sense that it's going to happen, write it down. This is vital: Do not be discouraged if the things you see aren't happening. They have just changed. I often find people doubting their abilities with the tarot because what they saw didn't happen. You have no control over the actions of other people, readers. Know this one well. So what you saw didn't happen because the person's free will intervened. 

It takes time to develop this gift, but the more you notice it, recognize it, and act on it, the more the Universe will say, "Hey, s/he's listening! AWESOME! Let's provide more information!" And then you will start to realize that when you see things you don't like--which does happen, sadly--there will be less of an emotional impact, and you'll start growing to accept your intuition as a vital piece of the puzzle. 

Thanks again for stopping by! Tune in tomorrow for "J". 

How much is too much for a reading?

A friend sent along this article to me today about a psychic who is taking advantage of the bad economy because more people need financial guidance. Of course it is completely appropriate that it showed during Capricorn, the season of long-term financial planning. Saturn would be SO EXCITED.

http://articles.cnn.com/2009-02-05/living/psychics.economy_1_psychics-ouija-boards-clients?_s=PM:LIVING

She charges $135 an hour, and for an hour-long psychic reading in New York City--sometimes they go longer--that's a pretty decent price. If you consider her geographic location, that sounds about right to me. I used to live in NYC, and the sticker shock there is pretty amazing. When you can drop $100 on drinks in practically a heartbeat--and trust me, you can!--people won't bat an eyelash when they need advice. I saw a reader in Seattle charging $90 an hour, and considering her location--Pike's Place Market--I thought that was a little on the high side but still fairly reasonable.

What really took me by surprise was the $20/minute that this one company charges. WOW. I don't know anyone who would pay that much.

OK, let me back up and rephrase: I hope that NO ONE who reads this blog would EVER consider paying that much for a psychic reading of any kind. I don't care how accurate you say you are; that's ridiculous and completely unreasonable. You don't need guidance that badly!

This is NOT a shameless marketing attempt, good people. I am simply trying to give you some perspective. When it comes to metaphysical readings of any sort--tarot, psychic, etc.,--you should pay a reasonable price. For most experienced tarot readers, it's about a dollar a minute or so. A little more, maybe, taking the location into account. Also, remember that if the venue does not belong to your reader, s/he will pay a percentage to cover rental expenses as well as other expenses--gas, tarot cards, credit card fees, etc. So the reader doesn't pocket it all, either.

I know I've talked about this before but it bears repeating: A more expensive reading does not mean that it will be more meaningful, accurate, enlightening, etc. If you feel uncomfortable paying the price, don't be pressured to part with your cash; step back, regroup, and wait until later or find someone else.