Spirituality/Paganism & Magick: Fortune Telling Systems

Most people would like to know what the future holds in store for them. Since the dawn of time, soothsayers and seers have been developing systems to predict events that have not yet happened. For as long as there has been commerce, there have been “fortune tellers” who will predict the future for a fee. There are many reasons why people seek such advice. Some are interested in love and romance. Others want to know about their financial future. Still others want only to gain a deeper insight into their own inner processes.

To one degree or another, all of the divination systems that fortune tellers use require the use of intuition. These systems are also not interchangeable, since each comes with it’s own set of strengths and weaknesses.

No matter where you live, you will find that there are many “readers” available, using many different systems of divination. Readers can also be found through the miracle of the 1-900 number, although most professionals say that it’s best to work with a psychic that you can see face-to-face. The following is a listing of some of the fortune telling systems that are readily available anywhere in the United States:

Astrology - Almost everybody likes to look at their horoscope in the daily newspaper. Every week, millions purchase cheesy horoscope magazines that are found, conveniently, in supermarket check-out lines. Some people like to point to how often these mass-media horoscopes are wrong. Others point out how often they are right.

The daily paper folks write their horoscopes taking into account only the sun signs, a move that divides humanity into twelve groups. This means that roughly one in twelve people share each sign, which amounts to more than 400 million people in each group.

Serious astrologers take into account much more. They figure the ten “planets,” placing them by degrees around a circle that is divided both by the twelve astrological signs and by twelve “houses.” From this complex system they derive a “birth chart,” a geometrical blueprint that is different for each individual. From this they attempt to predict important life events through an even more intricate scheme of interpretation.

Is the advice of a good astrologer accurate? Although I probably wouldn’t bet the farm on it, I would give any advice from a practiced astrologer careful consideration.

I-Ching or Book of Changes - This is an ancient Chinese book of divination based on 64 hexagrams, which are patterns of six lines that may be “broken” or “whole,” depending on the toss of three coins. The inquirer asks a question and the book gives interpretations of the meaning of the hexagrams. The advice comes in the form of metaphors, which the inquirer must translate to his or her own situation.

The good thing about the I-Ching is that it always gives prudent advice and it’s something that you can do on your own without any training. On the minus side, there are only 64 possible answers, which makes it extremely easy to overuse the system. Still, it’s a valuable tool for very important questions. Remember, any advice, carefully considered, is good advise.

Numerology - This system uses the numbers derived from your name and birth date to tell you about your strengths and weaknesses. Modern numerology was “discovered” by the Greek mathematician Pythagoras, who believed that each individual number has a personality. Accordingly, meaningful numbers in a person’s life will reflect the personalities of those numbers.

Like astrology, numerology can be used to pinpoint problem areas in a person’s life. However, astrology seems to be able to do so with much more detail. Still, a good numerology study is a good thing to have, especially if incorporated with an astrological chart.

Palmistry - We all know the image of the palm reader from numerous movies and television shows. The palmist attempts to see your future by “reading” the lines in your hand. This form of divination calls for much psychic ability, so finding a reliable reader can be tricky at best. However, good palm readers can be scary with their accuracy.

Tarot Cards - The Tarot is a deck of 78 cards that was evidently designed during the 14th century as a way of publishing Gnostic “secrets,” while keeping them hidden from the prying eyes of the inquisition. During the 18th century, occultists began to become interested in the deck, both as a learning tool and as a way to foretell the future. During this century, the deck was studied by psychologist Carl Jung, who found the sequence of images in the “Major Arcana” to represent sound psychological principles.

There are many Tarot readers, but finding one that’s right for you may be difficult because finding a reader is a lot like trying to find a good therapist. Like therapists, Tarot readers take many different approaches to their craft. Some readers mainly offer advice on how you can practically improve your life. Others are like the gypsy in the movies, weaving predictions of a dark romantic lover hiding in the shadows with pots of gold at the end of the next rainbow.

When choosing a reader, find one who has a good rapport with you and one who offers the type of advice that you need. Typically, a Tarot reader will have you ask a question of the deck before shuffling and selecting cards. From the cards that you choose, your reader will attempt to answer your question.

These days, Tarot decks are readily available at the “superstore” book chains and at New Age outlets. Although it’s possible to give rudimentary readings using the instruction booklets included with the decks, a good reader will have spent at least a couple of years studying the system. However, a through knowledge of the Tarot does not necessarily make for a good reader, since other skills are required. * * *

There are many other systems that people use in an attempt to see what the future will bring, but these are the most well known. Choosing a system of divination that suits your needs can be confusing. Most experts say that you should choose the system on an individual basis. For example, for an answer to an immediate problem you might choose to go to a Tarot reader. For more long term questions, you might seek the services of an astrologer or numerologist. No matter what you choose, go into it with the spirit of fun!

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