This Artisan Life

Some say magic isn't something you do, it's something you are. Others say that their entire life is magical. While this might be correct for them, I would respectfully disagree that this doesn't work for me. I want my magic to be magical; I don't want to have to bring leaky faucets and flat tires into my magical realm. Having said that, there is a chance every moment to do something mystical, to connect with the nature spirits and the ancestors, to honor the old ways, and to walk the crooked path. This blog is about my journey, and how I celebrate the magic in the mundane.

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Why Do Readers Want To Read?

This month we are going to take a look at why people choose to become psychic readers, and it could get dirty before we're finished! There are many reasons why a person would choose psychic readings as their profession, and not all of them are as reputable as one might think. Take a few minutes to contemplate this; why would you choose to do this for a living?

Many people feel the call to do readings simply because they are fascinated with some kind of oracle or technique, and they want to hone their skills. I personally started out with Jamie Sams's Medicine Cards*, and then progressed from them to stones and crystals, and finally into Tarot. I wanted to read because I was hanging out at a spiritual coffee-shop type place with other readers, and I wanted to fit with them. I'd done some astrology back in the 1970s, in the days before computerized programs, and it was just too much math! I envied those who pulled out a bag of stones or deck of cards and started waxing lyrical to a captivated audience. I wanted to be part of that.

It wasn't long before I was attuned enough to my cards and stones to give very accurate readings. I didn't predict the future, though – I still don't, and we'll look at why in future articles. My readings were more like a character analysis, helping people to understand themselves better. Did I like the attention that being able to do this so well got me? Of course!

There are those who do it just for the attention, and I have to admit, it is addictive. Even back in my astrology days, I'd start telling people about themselves at parties according to their ruling element, and they would be fascinated. It was a great ice-breaker. Some readers become too fond of the sound of their own voice, and this can have detrimental affects for their customer. I've seen a lot of this in platform work, where a very shady 'one size fits all' type of message can be made to sound like its just for you by the way the reader delivers it. It's a discerning patron who can sort out the wheat from the chaff, and know whether that message was meant for them, or whether it was just a good message delivered in a very confident and clever way.

As well as the attention that being a competent reader draws, some people think they can make a lot of money doing this. Some people would be correct – but for those who are genuine, the money doesn't come into it. I've had clients come to me, very upset, because the reader they've been seeing has told them that their family is cursed. Now, the reader has also promised to remove the curse, but the client has to give the said psychic the car because that is where the evil lies, or take $5000 and drop it int the river, or... well, you get the idea. It's sad that some people are this vulnerable to believe that they're cursed, and it is sad that there are people who will prey on those fears, but that's just the world in which we live. The readers who behave in this manner make it hard for the rest of us.

Some people may be struggling financially, and feel that this is something they can do from home. They may not be psychic at all, but they may have good conversational skills and people skills, and enable their callers to feel good about themselves. There's nothing wrong with this, provided the caller is happy paying someone to just listen. Some of the popular online or telephone psychic companies have very stringent tests that have to be passed before a reader can sign on to work with them. Some do not, and sadly, there is no regulating body. Fortunately for the patrons, most of these companies do have good customer service, and several will let you try a psychic with a free five minute phone or 300 word email reading before any money changes hands. Call me old-fashioned, but I still think 'free samples' are the best way for any business to gain new clients.

At the end of the day, caveat emptor applies. A genuine psychic reader who wants to help will be very approachable about what they offer. If they are brusque, or tell you that they can't talk to you unless you make an appointment, or want your money up front, that is usually a good indicator that they are not the psychic for you. There are many different ways to get a psychic reading, and many ways of choosing your reader, and again, we'll look at those in upcoming articles. The above is not meant to put anyone off from getting a psychic reading. There are some very good readers out there. It just takes awhile to find one.

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Charlie Rainbow Wolf is an author, artist, alchemist and astrologer. She is happiest when she is creating something, especially if it can be made from items that others have cast aside. Pottery, writing, knitting, gardening, and tarot are her deepest interests, but she happily confesses that she’s easily distracted, because life offers so many wonderful things to explore. Charlie has been doing readings and writing about divination for nearly three decades, so much so that it has become a way of life. She is a keen astroherbologist, an advocate of organic gardening and cooking, and lives in the Midwest with her husband and beloved Great Danes.

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