posted August 22, 2008 03:23 AM         

While browsing for the birth stones, I noticed there was a lady that offered angel readings.She was doing a reading for a lady that one could see was holding onto every word the angel reader was saying and frantically taking notes(let's call her Ms Y)

I noticed the woman doing the reading ( let's call her Ms X)would turn the cards over with her left hand and her right one would suddenly go down to her lap then place it on the table, lean her head forward, place her right elbow on the table and use her hand to almost cover her face like one would do when trying to block the sunlight out of one's eyes.

From afar it would look asif Ms X was concentrating very hard.I found this kind of odd. It seemed asif Ms Y was too busy taking notes to notice.As I passed Ms X table something caught my eye...

She had a large book placed on her lap! She would turn over a card, then make asif she was concentrating while she looked the page of the card and read to Ms Y!

Surely Ms Y could have done it herself if that was the case instead of paying R500.00 for a one hour consultation.This mad me feel angry.

I waited around till they were done and as Ms Y was about to leave, approached Ms X.

posted August 22, 2008 03:36 AM         

It is good knowing she was exposed and it was the first time Ms X came to the wellness centre to offer her services and most likely her last.

posted August 22, 2008 03:40 AM         

Any one else her have a similiar experience?

posted August 22, 2008 03:59 AM         

If my ram was there I could only imagine how things would have turned out - thank goodness he wasn't

posted August 22, 2008 09:51 AM         

I'm tired to elaborate.

posted August 23, 2008 01:10 AM         

My first official job was with a cynical new age store owner. I don't know how she's doing now, but she did far better than the new age True Believer while I knew her, I guess because she understands people and business better. (And keep in mind that many of the great mystics, including Jesus, seemed unable to take care of themselves, but had to be taken care of by disciples that were able to handle the "real world" much better than the mystics.)

Btw, the True Believer was scared of me. That was rather funny, IMO (and the cynical new age store owner also thought it was a hoot). I was learning Wicca, witchcraft, and the Western Mystery Tradition at that time in my life, and out of curiosity I walked into my first new age shop to see if they had anything interesting or helpful. That was early 2000 and I don't recall much, but I do remember the store owner seeming nervous when I walked in, probably because of my offbeat appearance (I got mistaken for a goth a lot, and given Columbine happened less than a year before and it was falsely attributed to goths, that wasn't good--plus, my trench coat didn't help, I'm sure). I also recall getting a card with pretty artwork & some incense.

Anyway, while the guy was dealing with that (it was primitive, he had to write everything down, and he bundled the incense separately by kind, etc), I saw a card that helps you figure out your number and what it means. Knowing that I was about to learn about Gematria soon, I was interested and excitedly told the guy that the number fit me. And then I noticed that nearly all the other numbers said about the same thing in different words, and even the ones that were different could also apply to me. Pointing that out, he looked uncomfortable, so I laughed it off with, "Oh well, all numbers are infinite!" When he then looked confused, I added, "You know, Crowley?" At that point he acted scared of me. At the time I had very little idea who Crowley was or how he was often perceived (though I'd been reading a book written by him, plus commentary on him by Robert Anton Wilson who had an unusually good view on the man for a non-Thelemite), but then I was used to being treated as a satanist by the fundies, so his reaction wasn't like a new experience for me.

One last thing: I know someone who makes a living as a psychic. She couldn't do it when sincere, but when she started telling people what they WANTED to hear, they started to come back. Ironically, she gives real readings for free. But there just wasn't much of a market available for an honest reading though, as that's not what the majority of customers wanted. Instead, they were paying for reasons to get out of bed by hearing what they wanted to hear about money and love and/or being what she calls "extra special" (like some spiritually enlightened being from Atlantis here to teach lessons to others). Being right or wrong didn't matter, just so long as they believed Great Things were coming their way.

posted August 25, 2008 04:45 AM         

I agree that the world needs more dogooders. BUT people who are too quick to do good without thought and/or wisdom can do just as much harm as someone who acts in malice.

Btw, that's generally not an "excuse" on my part. Today I picked up two pieces of what I think was tar paper with a black tack through it obviously put in the bike lane to flatten tires. In the past I've ran at top speed to stop an out of control shopping cart from crashing into a SUV (and I find SUVs annoying as they're hard to see around, among other things), I swept up broken glass when it was obvious no one else was going to a few blocks away because I couldn't stand the thought of the children playing falling in it or animals getting it in their paws and licking it off to swallow it, and hammered down a nail someone rigged at a gazebo in the park to cut clothes & skin (going home to get a hammer and going back). I feed stray cats, and I've bought groceries for people who've needed them (and I don't even have a car & shop at discount stores & sometimes crash art shows for the free food, and even got this old, outdated computer I'm using by barter). I gave $40 to a friend so that she could get her BF that I barely knew to see a dentist. I helped to conserve power in more than one home (willing on their part using alternatives) during a heatwave out of fear of the brownouts that were hurting hospitals. I've even risked my life for others. And I can go on.