Work-in-Progress @ The Tarot Parlour

 

Learning Tarot

The Deck

Major Arcana I…  0 — 4

Major Arcana II… 5 — 9

Major Arcana III… 10 — 14

Major Arcana IIII… 15 — 21

I don't care if you lived in Alaska

 

I have a favorite YouTube channel that I watch when the creator drops a new video every Sunday.  She lives on Svalbaard, an island near the north pole, and they're having a whopping April blizzard right now.  As I'm watching the snow blow and the snow banks build, it brings to mind my own memories of snow storms in Nebraska.  During the last two years that I lived up there, I commuted 40 miles to work in Omaha, one way, so an 80 mile round trip five or six days a week.  For two years.  

I very rarely missed a day of work.  When my car wouldn't start one day, I spent several hundred dollars to rent a car to drive that day, not thinking logically about the fact that I'm paying way more to drive that rental car one day than I would actually be making in wages on that day.  It was a ridiculous thing to do, and no, I wouldn't do it again.  Not only that, but while I was at the gas station filling the tank to return the car at the end of the day, a lady hit me.  No kidding, what a mess.

So, comes winter.

Actual photo from my living room window

I lived just outside of city limits in a housing division called Sunset Addition.  When we got snow storms, we were not on the top of the list to receive a visit from the snow plow.  My huge driveway required a lot of digging out, which was doubled once the snow plow finally did come through, because it would replug the driveway.

And then I had a 40 mile stretch of highway to manipulate after that.

There were a handful of times during those two years that I called in when road conditions just did not warrant an old lady starting off on an icy highway across country.

I dreaded making those calls.  I dreaded them most because the lady that I was technically working with, but not under -- the owners liked us all to think that we were working together, no one person over another, but we know that this isn't really true, is it, come on -- she would give a weary sigh and say, "I lived in Alaska, this is nothing."

Every time, she said that.

And everytime I could feel her angst and irritation, and although I tried feebly, I admit, to explain that yes, the streets may be treated and decent in Omaha, but I had a good 30+ miles to go before I got to Omaha, and I had to be able to get out of the housing division first.

Every time, I would try to explain that to her.

So, I would like to say now what I should have said then:

I don't care if you use to live in Alaska.  That fact has nothing to do with me, or the present situation now.  And the reality now is that you live just a handful of blocks straight down the street from work, just a handful of blocks, literally.

I don't appreciate your audible huff and weary sigh, as though you feel burdened upon and put out, or as though you don't believe me when I tell you I can't get to the main highway because the snow plow has not come through Sunset Addition yet.

I don't care.  I just don't care.

And I don't think you had any right to make an already stressful and physically taxing situation even more stressful with your shitty attitude.  

It made me realize that working in a small private business with only a handful of employees is a disadvantage, because when you have an issue with a fellow employee, there's really no one you can go to for help with the situation.  There's no protocol set in place.  You are at this individual's mercy, and so is your job.

the back porch

Spirit Guides ~ Are they real? Plus FAQ & Recommended Books

 

In spiritual contexts, spirit guides are believed to be non-physical beings, often deceased loved ones, angels, or other spiritual entities, who offer guidance, support, and protection to individuals on their life's journey.

     What are Spirit Guides & how do they work?

• Non-physical beings:

Spirit guides are not seen as physical entities, but rather as spiritual entities or energies that exist beyond the physical realm.

• Guiding and supporting:

They are believed to offer guidance, support, and protection to individuals, helping them navigate life's challenges and make decisions.

• Diverse forms:

Spirit guides can take many forms, including deceased loved ones, angels, ascended masters, or even spirit animals.

• Personalized guidance:

They are often seen as providing personalized guidance tailored to an individual's needs and circumstances.

• Communication:

Spirit guides are believed to communicate through intuition, dreams, synchronicities, and other subtle cues.

     How can your Spirit Guides help you?

• Offer guidance:

They can offer guidance on life's path, helping individuals make decisions and find their purpose.

• Provide support:

They can offer comfort and support during difficult times, helping individuals cope with challenges and overcome obstacles.

• Offer protection:

They are believed to offer protection from harm and danger, both physically and spiritually.

• Promote spiritual growth:

They can help individuals deepen their spiritual understanding and connection to the universe.

     How do you connect with your Spirit Guides?

• Meditation and prayer:

Engaging in meditation or prayer can help individuals connect with their spirit guides and receive guidance.

• Intuition and discernment:

Paying attention to intuition, and learning to discern subtle signs and messages, can help individuals recognize their spirit guides' presence and messages.

• Openness and receptivity:

Being open to receiving guidance and messages from spirit guides is essential for establishing a connection.

• Spiritual practices:

Engaging in spiritual practices like yoga, mindfulness, religious rituals, or even nature walks can help individuals deepen their connection to their spirit guides.

     How Spirit Guides are viewed from different perspectives...

• Spiritualism:

In Spiritualism, spirit guides are seen as discarnate spirits who act as mediators between the living and the dead.

• Western theosophy:

Western theosophical doctrine suggests that spirit guides are not always of human descent.  They may be angels, or other etheric beings.

• Shamanism:

In shamanic traditions, spirit guides can take the form of animals, ancestors, or elemental spirits.

• Christianity:

Some Christians believe that the Holy Spirit acts as a spirit guide, guiding believers into truth and helping them live a life pleasing to God.

     How can you experience your Spirit Guides, and how do we know when they are present?

Once you begin inviting in your spirit guides, there are different ways you might experience their presence.

• inner knowing

You can experience a spirit guide as an inner knowing. You may feel or sense your guide’s presence, or hear a voice within, like a strong intuition or realization. Some people audibly hear (or see) their guides.  Many people report feeling a sense of guidance or intuition, like a gentle nudge in the right direction, or a feeling of knowing when something is "off".  Some individuals experience a surge of energy, or a feeling of warmth and comfort, when their spirit guides are present.

• sparks of light

Sparks of light are another indicator of a spirit guide’s presence.  While less common, some individuals report seeing or sensing the presence of their spirit guides, often as light beings, as flickering lights, or figures.

• free-writing after meditation

Another way you can experience the presence of a spirit guide is through writing, as a form of automatic writing. You can call on your spirit guides through meditation, and following your meditation you can free-write and allow the voice of your guides to work through you.

• Audible Voices:

Occasionally, people report hearing voices or receiving messages directly from their spirit guides, sometimes in a way that feels almost like an inner voice.

• Physical Sensations:

Some people report physical sensations, such as a tickling or tingling sensation, or a feeling of being pushed in a certain direction.

• Signs and Symbols:

Spirit guides may communicate through signs and symbols, such as seeing a specific number repeatedly, or finding a particular object at a certain time, or finding it repeatedly and often in unexplainable places.

• Unexpected Encounters:

Some people report having unexpected encounters with their spirit guides, such as a sudden feeling of knowing someone you just met, a familiarity that should be impossible, or having a conversation with a person who seems to know them intimately, but that would be impossible.

• Personal Relationships:

Some people develop a strong personal relationship with their spirit guides, viewing them as mentors, friends, or even family.

• Learning and Growth:

Spirit guides can help individuals learn and grow by offering insights into their lives and helping them to overcome challenges.      

During part of my journey on this pagan path, I was introduced to two of my spirit guides, in dreams.

The dark-haired cat lady:

She resided in some sort of large helter-skelter kitchen, her countertops filled with bowls and cutlery and herbs and small bottles and jars and open cupboards and pots and pans all over the place… and cats. Cats of all colors sitting calmly on the countertops, stretched out on the floor under the table and lounging in a patch of sun by the window. All colors and sizes, wherever you looked. Cats, cats, cats. 

She was small but thick, almost elfin, and her black and gray streaked hair was a wild untamed tangled frizzy mess, her 136 nose was large, her features coarse but pleasing, her shoulders slightly hunched, with a hint of a widow’s hump. She wore a long boldly colored shiny silk house dress, with lots of pink and geometric shapes and greens and yellows and blues. 

As she busily tottered about her messy kitchen, seeing to the cats and the pot of steaming soup on the stove, she was talking to me, she was telling me wonderous and great things that would change my life. With her back to me, a large wooden spoon in her hand, slowly stirring her cauldron of soup, her words flowed. I was silent, and I listened. 

The white haired goddess: 

A woman was sitting on the floor a short distance from me, cross-legged, sitting so straight and tall, her back to me. I stood watching her, fascinated by a strange glow of light shining on her, illuminating her silhouette, casting a shimmer to her very long mane of silver hair.

I was in the presence of something very powerful and very sacred, and I knew that she had something important to tell me, possibly the most important thing I would ever hear. I leaned in, cocking my head to listen intently. Her soft voice rose then, sounding calm and smooth, gentle and clear. 

She said: “Learn to control your mind.” 

Source: "The Divine Me: Embracing Your Inner Goddess" @Amazon

Audio Version for this excerpt: click  HERE

SOURCES
& Recommended Reading:

medium.com

by Steven North

"Demystifying Spirit Guides:
The Truth About Their Role & Origin

mindbodygreen.com

by Tanya Carrol Richardson

"6 Types of Spirit Guides 
& How to Communicate with Them"

gabbybernstein.com

by Gabby Berbstein

"How We Experience
Our Spirit Guides"

Spirit Guides for Beginners
by Layla Moon
@Amazon

How to Talk to Your Spirit Guides
by Will Almando

@Amazon

Ask Your Guides
by Sonia Choquette
@Amazon

Expect the Unexpected

 

A new reading is up at The Mystic Crone.  I've used the Motherpeace Tarot for today's readings, and I pulled five cards.  Each card today tells its own little story -- but for some of you, there may be a larger picture here, because that's the way tarot rolls.  Enjoy, and take heed.

Today's Reading

Audio Version

Oh, boy... after publishing the written version of this reading, I was hit with an unexpected bombshell from the universe. For someone out there, this is very specific. The firestorm that's going to take you for surprise -- EXpect the unEXpected -- it's an EX, and this person is going to do or say something to blow your present world apart. For the rest of you, carry on and take it one card at a time.

With Love Meghan Inflames the Haters

 

So, I just finished watching the first season of Meghan Markle's new Netflix life style show: With love, Meghan.  

I loved it.  And I left a comment on the YouTube trailer of this show saying just that and more -- how relaxing it was to watch, that it has an almost ASMR quality about it, that it's very calm and filled with beautiful images, and colors, and decor.  I said that I also loved her soft quiet voice throughout the show, that it just added to the calm and relaxing ambiance.

To my comment was added two positive replies mirroring my own opinions, only two people who had something positive and constructive to say about a delightful, beautifully filmed, fun show.  Only two people.  As I scrolled through the rest of the comments, I actually became alarmed at the amount of snide, vulgar, ugly, hatefilled rhetoric.  What is the matter with these people?  I'm thinking something must be wrong here, because these anonymous individuals are expending so much time and energy voicing their hatred towards one little woman, and for no good reason, to be honest.  Hating Meghan Markle has become big business.  Podcasters and gossip shows are making money and ratings off verbally attacking and eviserating this woman.

So I decided to persue this further, and I found an interesting explanation for all this hate at, of all places:  Psychology Today.

The following illuminating information and unabashed explantion for the attitude of the multitudes towards this one little woman is attributed to Chamin Ajjan, reviewed by Margaret Foley. You can find the original article at this LINK.

Meghan Markle has once again found herself at the center of a cultural firestorm, this time over her new lifestyle series. The level of vitriol aimed at her is striking but, unfortunately, not surprising. The reaction to her show highlights deeper psychological and societal issues: our obsession with placing celebrities on a pedestal only to revel in their downfall, the dark side of online trolling, the insidious influence of racial biases, and the ever-present sting of envy.

The Pedestal Effect and the Dark Side of Online Anonymity

Our culture loves to elevate public figures, only to take pleasure in their downfall. Meghan Markle’s journey from actress to duchess to one of the most scrutinized women in modern history is a prime example. This shift, sometimes called the pedestal effect, occurs when admiration turns to resentment the moment a public figure stops conforming to expectations.

This phenomenon is often rooted in our insecurities. Seeing someone seemingly have it all can trigger feelings of inadequacy or envy. When they stumble or defy expectations, tearing them down becomes a way to reclaim a sense of control. But does it make us feel better? It may provide a momentary high, but it reinforces negative thought patterns and deepens social divisions.

Social media has amplified this cycle, providing a platform where people feel emboldened to say things they would never say in person. The anonymity of the internet fosters a false sense of power and detachment from consequences, fueling a culture of relentless online bullying, particularly against high-profile women. You might hesitate to call it bullying, but let’s be clear, trolling is cyberbullying. Hate-fueled comment sections and targeted harassment are not just unpleasant; they have real psychological consequences -- increasing anxiety, depression, and even PTSD-like symptoms.

And for those engaging in the bullying? Research suggests it is often a projection of their own insecurities. They may be able to hide behind a screen when making harsh comments, but they cannot hide from their own inner critic.

The Racism Factor: The Narrow Expectations of Blackness

An insidious layer of the backlash against Meghan Markle is racism. Many have been conditioned to believe there is only one acceptable way to exist as a person of Black ancestry, and those who do not fit that mold, whether in speech, choices, relationships, or lifestyle, often face suspicion or hostility.

This form of racial gatekeeping is not new, but in Meghan’s case, it is particularly jarring. Her biracial identity, wealth, and proximity to royalty make her an easy target for those who, consciously or unconsciously, see success and privilege as belonging to a select few. The discomfort surrounding her presence in these spaces is not just personal. It is cultural conditioning at work.

This thinking also fuels internalized racism. Janeé Steele, a scholar and leader in multicultural mental health, describes two sides of this: "A sense of racial superiority upholds white-centered values as the gold standard for success and behavior, while reactions against mainstream expectations lead some Black individuals to harshly judge themselves and others for not conforming to Black stereotypes."

This creates a no-win situation for Black people or those of mixed Black heritage. Too polished, and they are accused of assimilating. Too authentic, and they are labeled as reinforcing stereotypes. Meghan Markle, like many others, challenges the rigid definitions of Blackness imposed by both white and Black communities. This reality continues to fuel much of the hostility toward her.

Your Envy Is Showing: Criticism or Reflection?

At its core, much of the backlash against Meghan Markle seems rooted in envy. Not necessarily the obvious "I want to be a princess" kind, but a deeper envy of someone who appears to have crafted a life on her own terms. Many of the loudest critics likely do not even realize that their disdain is a reflection of their own unfulfilled desires.

That is the thing about envy -- it rarely shows up as admiration. Instead, it often disguises itself as judgment. She’s fake. She’s self-absorbed. She’s unrelatable. These are easy criticisms to hurl at someone who seems happy, successful, and unapologetic in her choices. But here is the truth: your envy is showing.

No one is above this emotion. I felt a tinge of envy myself. She has my estate and my garden in my dream town. But instead of letting that feeling curdle into resentment, I let it teach me something about my own desires -- and budget. Envy can be a guide if we allow it. It can reveal what we truly want, rather than becoming a reason to tear others down.

When we feel triggered by someone else’s success, lifestyle, or confidence, it is worth pausing to ask why. Tearing others down will not bring us any closer to what we truly want. It only deepens our dissatisfaction.

Instead of letting envy turn into resentment, we can use it as a tool for self-reflection. What if, instead of criticizing, we allowed ourselves to be inspired? After all, I actually like Meghan’s new show. I find it refreshing. I appreciate how she presents simple, engaging lifestyle ideas in a beautifully shot, visually relaxing format. Watching it feels like a mini vacation -- something we could all use in an often overwhelming world.

And if that is not your thing? That is fine. The beauty of media is that we can choose what we consume. But tearing something or someone down just because we do not like it? That says more about us than it does about her.

Critique Without Cruelty

Not every piece of entertainment is for everyone, and thoughtful criticism is valuable. But there is a difference between constructive critique and the gleeful destruction of someone else’s work and character.

At the end of the day, we do not have to like everything. But we do not have to tear it down to build ourselves up.

Three Degrees of Witch & the Ritual

 

First Degree

You felt the calling. Something intangible and unnamable whispered in your ear, tugged at your dreams. It eventually became louder, more insistent, and it began to appear in your everyday life as a series of uniquely synchronistic experiences…a book title leaped out at you when browsing a bookstore; the trees seemed, for an instant, to be speaking to you as the wind passed through their leaves; an animal appeared to you, not once, but several times in several forms-- the living raven sitting on your back porch rail, intently staring at you through the windows; the image of the raven, a logo on the side of a vehicle, passing you on the freeway; a statuary image of the raven, inexplicably showing up on a receptionist’s desk in the dentist or doctor’s office.

Every individual’s experience is unique, and at the same time, I’ve noticed a similarity.

When the pull becomes strong enough and the calling can no longer be ignored, you begin your first year of study, of enlightenment, of growth and development. During this time, unknown planes of existence and new concepts unroll themselves before you. The world, as you know it, disappears and takes on new dimensions, colors, spirit, forms, and infinite possibilities.

At the end of the first year, doors to the universe have been flung open. Armed with this new knowledge, you stand at the threshold of a new life. You realize that you will never be able to retreat to your previous existence, because once you “know”, you can never “unknow”.

You have reached the first degree.

Second Degree

The second year of study plunges ahead, in an almost frenzied manic attempt to put into action the newly revealed knowledge you have acquired. You are not only going to put into practice all of the information you’ve absorbed, you’re going to manifest it into your everyday life and the physical world.

You’re going to cast circles in space that you yourself have cleansed and prepared. You will cast these circles at first in quivering voices with trembling hands, marveling at the energy you feel and struck by the stark reality of it all.

You are going to cast spells in the same way, with heightened senses and a rush of adrenalin that adds its natural power to your work. Never again will you feel this rush of energy as you do during this time, the rush of magic enveloped with ethereal intensity. For it is at this time that it finally dawns on you what you are and what you’re capable of doing.

When this realization hits you, you will know that you have reached the second degree.

Third Degree

With the third year comes a sense of peace, both from within yourself and from the natural world around you. The second degree was framed so explicitly within physical experiences that it left you with raw pulsating nerve endings throbbing from over-stimulation. But the third year is going to abandon the physical world all together, leaving it behind, taking you by the hand into a new and profound awareness of the spiritual side of witchcraft.

This is when many of you will discover your personal path, your patron gods or goddesses, your core beliefs, your strengths and your weaknesses. For the first time in your life perhaps, the true meaning of “Spirit” becomes a concrete reality.

It’s at this time that your gifts may begin to surface. For some, psychic ability will awaken and leave you in a state of astounded amazement, eager to strengthen this new occult muscle and put it to good use. For others the miraculous world of herbs may unfold before you in a panorama of colored blossoms, green leaves, dried stems, and dormant magic lying within each gently gathered plant. Whatever your gift or gifts may be, you will recognize your potential once it has been revealed to you.

For each witch this will be an extremely personal journey. And when you feel the power of the universe touching you gently on the shoulder, and you know where your life’s work lay…

You have reached the third degree.

Although I belong to a coven now, I began my journey on the witches’ path alone, and I stayed upon a solitary course for many years. I have also experienced a formal solitary initiation through ritual; and I found it to be one of the most memorable and moving experiences of my life. And to the surprise and wonder of many, I experienced self-initiation-- complete with formal rituals, to the third degree. I chose to mark my personal solitary journey through the Craft with a formal ritual at each point. I encourage others to do the same.

Although I am a member of a coven now and cherish my sisters, I have always-- and will always-- describe myself as a third degree, self-initiated, solitary witch, a rebel on this path of the wild woman.

Understand that you will experience the three degrees of inward initiation, whether you choose to formally recognize it, or to outwardly celebrate and acknowledge it. I chose to wholeheartedly celebrate and honor these initiations with ritual.

Before your self-initiation ritual, read the following blog post:

From The Witch's Desk ~

CHOOSING YOUR CRAFT NAME

The Ritual

Self-Initiation

Note: Read the entire initiation ritual through and become familiar with it before you perform it. Make sure you have gathered all of the required items; the oil, and candles, and such, and that you feel prepared to step across the threshold of this mundane world.

Items needed:

1. Loose fitting robe
2. Silver pendent, usually a pentacle
3. White pillar initiation candle
4. Witches’ oil
5. Incense

The time has come, the day is here, to cement your devotion and commitment to the path of witch. You will have prepared the area of your sacred space for this ritual the day before, not only cleansing it mundanely, but reiving it of negative energy. You will decorate the altar and this space with those flowers, herbs, stones, statuary, and articles that ring with your vibrations and your personal inspirations.

The morning of your special day you will bathe with intent, cleansing not only your body, but your mind and your spirit as well, paving the way for purity of intent and application of personal power.

You will wear a long loose robe, one that can be easily shifted aside to expose those areas of the body to be anointed, or you will perform this ritual skyclad (naked). You will have purchased a silver pendent necklace as a symbol of your new position in life. This pendent may be a pentacle, or it may be a symbol that resonates more closely with your own energy.

When you have bathed and dressed yourself, and after you have taken some time to ground and center yourself, you will begin.

1. Cast your circle.

2. Call the Quarters.

3. Light the tall white pillar candle upon your altar. This candle is representative of the Goddess, often called ‘The Mother Candle’. Light your incense as well, representing the God. Your initiation pendent will lay upon the altar until you’re ready for it.

4. Light the special candle that you’ve chosen as your initiation candle, saying:

“I, (name), have entered this circle in perfect love and perfect trust. I am ready to commit myself to the way of witch. I place myself now before the altar of the Goddess and the God, before the altar of the Ancient Ones, before the altar of the Powers that Be.”

5. Stand before the altar now and prepare to anoint yourself. Taking the bottle of oil from the altar, put some oil on your fingers and touch them to the tops of your feet, saying:

“Bless these feet,

created to walk the way of witch.”

Apply the oil to your knees, saying:

“Bless these knees,

created to kneel before the altar of the Goddess.”

Apply the oil to your genitals, saying:

“Bless this womb, the gateway to life.”

Note: If the initiate is a male, say:

 

“Bless this phallus, Creator of life.”

Apply the oil to your breasts, saying:

“Bless these breasts and the heart beneath,

that my motives be pure

and my will be strong.”

Touch the oil to your forehead, tracing a pentagram upon it, and set the bottle of oil back upon your altar.

6. Take up your initiation pendent, holding it aloft, stand before the altar, saying:

“I, (name), do solemnly swear upon the blood of my ancestors to devote the rest of my days to living the way of witch.

I swear loyalty to the Ancient Ones, the gods and goddesses who always were, are now, and shall forever be.

I swear loyalty to my fellow witches; my sister-witches of the past, as well as those who touch my life today, and those I have yet to meet. I vow to keep their secrets, to learn from them as well as teach, to respect our differences, and to celebrate our journey together upon this sacred path.

I freely take upon myself the life of witch. As I turn the corner to live my destiny, I declare to the Powers present here that my magical name is (craft name).”

7. With your pendent in your hands, go now and stand before the gate of Earth, north gate. Raise your pendent aloft, saying:

“By the powers of Earth,

May I flourish in the physical realm.

Guardians of the Gateway of Earth,

know me,

I am (craft name)!”

Go now and stand before the gate of Air, east gate. Raise your pendent aloft, saying:

“By the powers of Air,

May I grow in knowledge and wisdom.

Guardians of the Gateway of Air,

know me,

I am (craft name)!”

Go now and stand before the gate of Fire, south gate. Raise your pendent aloft, saying:

“By the powers of Fire,

May I grow in passion and strength of will.

Guardians of the Gateway of Fire,

know me,

I am (craft name)!”

Go now and stand before the gate of Water, west gate. Raise your pendent aloft, saying:

“By the powers of Water,

May I grow in intuition and second sight.

Guardians of the Gateway of Water,

know me,

I am (craft name)!”

8. Return now to the altar. Hold aloft your pendent, saying:

”By Earth and Air, Fire and Water,

Rejoice!

Upon this day, a witch is born--

(craft name)!

So Mote It Be.”

9. Put on your pendent necklace.

10. The ritual is finished. Take your time within the circle to ground and center, to reflect, to absorb the experience. When you are ready, dismiss the quarters, dismantle the circle. Go and eat something to replenish your energy. And celebrate.

SOURCE:

The Gray Witch's Grimoire
@ Amazon in print & kindle

What makes this book unique? The world of the gray witch has been largely avoided, misrepresented, or glossed over with various books geared gingerly towards ‘protection magic’. These books, though informative and well written as they may be, have totally missed the spirit of the gray witch – who she really is, how she relates to the world of shadow and light, and exactly what she’s willing to do to stand her ground. 

In our society ‘dark’ is automatically viewed as ‘evil’; and ‘light’ is automatically viewed as ‘good’. We’re expected to live completely within one realm and to totally avoid the other. This creates imbalance and is a great injustice to the true spirit of the ancient wise woman. 

This book puts matters to right and gives the public a view of just what the gray witch is – and what she isn’t. The gray witch does not live in a world of chaos or unbridled black magic. She has a code of honor, a sense of propriety, and a relevance in today’s society.

Famous ( & Infamous) Psychics

 

Just a note... 

I love psychics, and I consider myself a psychic clairvoyant as well. There are many modern day psychics and mediums that I admire, a few that I've shared correspondence with, and a handful of historical psychics that have caught my attention through some well-written biographies. However, we must be realistic here, and we realize that this is a field that is rife with imposters. With that said, read on...

SYLVIA BROWNE...

One of America's most famous and controversial psychics, Sylvia Browne, claimed she had been a psychic her entire life, offering readings for family and friends. Eventually, she founded The Nirvana Foundation for Psychic Research in 1974 in order to study the phenomenon of psychic functioning. Browne employed the deep "sleep" technique of Cayce and believed in his same past-life Christian-based philosophy. In 1986, she founded the Society of Novus Spiritus to promote her Gnostic Christian philosophy about paranormal functioning. Browne was a frequent guest on the Montel Williams Show, making psychic predictions for his studio audience. She also wrote multiple books, gave lectures, and appeared frequently in the media.

• How accurate was Sylvia Browne?

A study compared Browne's televised statements about 115 cases with newspaper reports and found that in the 25 cases where the actual outcome was known, she was completely wrong in every one. In the rest, where the outcome was unknown, her predictions could not be substantiated:

In 1999, Browne said that six-year-old Opal Jo Jennings, who had disappeared a month earlier, had been forced into slavery in Japan. Later that year, a local man was convicted of kidnapping and murdering Jennings. In 2003, an autopsy of Jennings' remains found that she had died within hours of her abduction.

In 2002, Browne said that Holly Krewson, who had disappeared in 1995, was working as an exotic dancer in a Hollywood nightclub. In 2006, dental records were used to positively identify a body found in 1996 in San Diego as Krewson's.

In 2002, Browne said that Lynda McClelland, who had disappeared in 2000, had been taken by a man with the initials "MJ", was alive in Orlando Florida, and would be found soon. In 2003, McClelland's son-in-law David Repasky, who had been present at Browne's reading, was convicted of murdering McClelland. Her remains were found near her home in Pennsylvania.

In 2004, Browne said that Ryan Katcher, a 19-year-old who had disappeared in 2000, had been murdered, and his body could be found in a metal shaft. In 2006, Katcher's body was found in his truck at the bottom of a pond, where he had drowned.

• Was Sylvia Browne convicted of fraud?

Browne's reputation took a hit in 1992, when she and her husband were convicted of investment fraud and grand larceny in a gold mine scheme, said the San Diego CityBeat. But being a convicted fraudster didn't prevent her from becoming a regular guest psychic on The Montel Williams Show.

• Her personal life

Browne married four times. Her first marriage, from 1959 to 1972, was to Gary Dufresne. The couple had two sons, Paul and Christopher. She took the surname Brown upon her third marriage, and later changed it to Browne. Her fourth marriage took place on February 14, 2009, to Michael Ulery, the owner of a jewelry store.

In March 2011, the Society of Novus Spiritus, the Gnostic Christian Church founded by Browne, announced that she had suffered a heart attack on March 21 in Hawaii, and was requesting donations on her behalf.

Browne died on November 20, 2013, aged 77, at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California. Her interment was at Oak Hill Memorial Park.

THOMAS JOHN...

Thomas John Flanagan, known professionally as Thomas John, is an American psychic medium. He starred in the 2018 reality TV show, Seatbelt Psychic, and the CBS All Access series, The Thomas John Experience, beginning in June 2020. In January 2020, John began a live show at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, which was put on hiatus as of March 16, 2020.

John has been the subject of significant criticism, including his use of information acquired online during group readings (hot readings).

In March 2017, John was accused of doing a hot reading after a sting operation planned and implemented by Susan Gerbic and mentalist Mark Edward. Gerbic and Edward attended John's show using aliases, and John "read" them as a married couple. During the entire reading, John failed to determine the actual identities of Gerbic and Edward, or that they were deceptive during his reading. All personal information he gave them matched what was on their falsified Facebook accounts, rather than being about their actual lives.

In early 2021, John announced plans to hold a Virtual Spirit Circle for Children on April 19. Upon learning of this event, neurologist Steven Novella criticized what he saw as the exploitation of child bereavement.

• Legal issues

In 2009, John was arrested and pleaded guilty to theft and computer fraud for posting fake apartment ads on Craigslist and stealing the security deposits from renters.

• What happened to the show Seatbelt Psychic?

The show was put on indefinite hiatus on March 16, 2020. A musical based on John's life and experiences titled Dead Serious premiered off-Broadway in July 2019. Co-written by Michelle Wendt and John, the musical pulled from John's personal stories, exploring his journey as a medium.

MISS CLEO...

Youree Dell Harris (August 12, 1962 – July 26, 2016) was an American television personality and actress best known for portraying Miss Cleo, a spokeswoman for a psychic pay-per-call-minute service called Psychic Readers Network, in a series of television commercials that aired from 1997 to 2003. Harris used various aliases, including Ree Perris, Youree Cleomili, Youree Perris, Rae Dell Harris, Cleomili Perris Youree, and Cleomili Harris.

In 1997, Harris moved to Florida, met Steven Feder and Peter Stolz, Fort Lauderdale cousins behind Access Resource Services, doing business as Psychic Readers Network and took a call-taker job as reader No. 16153. Harris was using the Jamaican accent when she moved to Florida and began working as a tarot-reading psychic for a telemarketing center. Harris was approached by Access Resource Services while working at an event in a Pompano Beach, Florida mall and agreed to appear in an ad in 2000.

"the whole point was two things: keeping people on the phone as long as possible...and...telling people what they wanted to hear"

In the late 1990s, Harris began work for the Psychic Readers Network under the name Cleo. She appeared as a television infomercial psychic in which she claimed to be a shaman from Jamaica. Her employers' website also stated that Harris had been born in Trelawny, Jamaica, and said that she had grown up there.

The network used the title "Miss Cleo" and sent unsolicited emails, some of which stated, "Miss Cleo has been authorized to issue you a Special Tarot Reading!... it is vital that you call immediately!"

Charges of deceptive advertising and of fraud on the part of the network began to surface around this time. Among the complaints were allegations that calls to Miss Cleo were answered by her associates, who were actually actors reading from scripts, and that calls promoted as "free" were in fact charged to clients.

A tie-in book, Keepin' It Real: A Practical Guide for Spiritual Living appeared in 2001. Its authorship was attributed to Miss Cleo.

In 2001, Access Resource Services, doing business as Psychic Readers Network, was sued in various lawsuits originating in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida and elsewhere, as well as the Federal Communications Commission.

In 2002, the Federal Trade Commission charged the company's owners and Harris' promoters, Steven Feder and Peter Stolz, with deceptive advertising, billing, and collection practices. Harris was not indicted. The network had billed its victims for an estimated $1 billion. Her promoters agreed to settle by paying a $5 million fine to the Federal Trade Commission, as well a combined debt forgiveness and refund checks to callers which came to a monumental $500 million. It emerged during a lawsuit in Florida that Harris had been born in Los Angeles, and that her parents were American citizens.

The state of Florida also sued Harris under a provision of the law that allowed spokespeople to be held liable. Dave Aronberg of the Florida Attorney General’s Office led the state’s case against her. His successor later dropped the charges.

• How did Miss Cleo die?

Harris developed colorectal cancer, which metastasized. She died under hospice care in Palm Beach, Florida, on July 26, 2016, at the age of 53.

JAMES VAN PRAAGH...

James Van Praagh is an American writer and television personality who describes himself as a clairvoyant and spiritual medium. He has written numerous books, including The New York Times bestseller Talking to Heaven. Van Praagh was a producer and screenwriter on the 2002 CBS primetime semi-autobiographical miniseries Living with the Dead starring Ted Danson. He also hosted a short-lived paranormal talk show called Beyond with James Van Praagh.

Skeptical activists such as James Randi and Joe Nickell, organizations such as the Independent Investigations Group, and notable media personalities, including Barbara Walters and John Oliver, have attempted to counter the perception that what Van Praagh and other mediums do reflects reality. Critics maintain that Van Praagh's readings are produced through cold reading and hot reading techniques and not through psychic powers.

• Hot reading

Paranormal investigator Joe Nickell believes Van Praagh uses tactics such as hot reading, or gleaning information from sitters beforehand. Group readings improve the odds that at least one person in the audience will identify with a general statement made with conviction. Shows are edited before airing to show only what appear to be hits and removing anything that does not reflect well on the medium.

In 2003 the Independent Investigations Group attended a taping of Van Praagh's talk show Beyond. According to the IIG, there were differences between the live segments and how they were edited for broadcast. In one of the live shows they witnessed, Van Praagh was signing books and chatted with a woman who was from Italy. During the taping, he asked if there was someone from another country, and the same woman raised her hand, which to the investigators, was evidence of a hot reading.

In Skeptic Magazine, Michael Shermer stated that Van Praagh was caught using a hot reading technique on 20/20 and that numerous television producers have confirmed that Van Praagh uses hot-reading techniques. Shermer quotes producer Leah Hanes as stating:

"I can't say I think James Van Praagh is a total fraud, because he came up with things I hadn't told him, but there were moments on the show when he appeared to be coming up with fresh information that he got from me and other researchers earlier on. For example, I recall him asking about the profession of the deceased loved one of one of our guests, and I told him he was a fireman. Then, when the show began, he said something to the effect, "I see a uniform. Was he a policeman or fireman please?" Everyone was stunned, but he got that directly from me."

In a 2011 ABC News segment, reporter Josh Elliott was read by Van Praagh, and was initially impressed by details provided, though later Elliott revealed that what was detailed was easily available through a basic web search.

• Living with the dead (2002)

In April 2002, CBS aired Living with the Dead (also known by the alternate title, Talking to Heaven), a four-hour miniseries based on Van Praagh and directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, with the screenplay by John Pielmeier. Although the series followed Van Praagh's experiences, it included a fictional mystery around the murder of a teenage boy at the hands of a serial killer. Van Praagh was played by Ted Danson, his mother by Diane Ladd and his father by Jack Palance. Danson received praise from outlets like the Chicago Tribune and People for his portrayal of Van Praagh as a man anguished by his lifelong visions of the dead, including his mother.

• Beyond with James Van Praagh (2002)

During the success of the paranormal television show Crossing Over with John Edward, in the early 2000s, Van Praagh and Tribune Entertainment launched Beyond with James Van Praagh, a paranormal talk show that distributed in broadcast syndication, though it was unsuccessful, only running a half-season in the fall of 2002. Beyond followed a similar format as Crossing Over, with Van Praagh giving audience members and celebrities readings, as well as field investigations into crimes and missing persons.

• Talking with the Dead (2004)

CBS aired Talking with the Dead (also known by the alternative title, The Dead Will Tell), a thriller based on Van Praagh's experiences and directed by Stephen Kay, on October 24, 2004. Anne Heche produced and starred in the film as Emily Parkes, a woman who receives an antique engagement ring from her fiancé and begins to have visions of its murdered previous owner. The made-for-TV movie also starred Eva Longoria, Christopher Guest and Chris Sarandon.

• Ghost Whisperer (2005 -- 2010)

Van Praagh served as co-executive producer on the CBS show Ghost Whisperer, which starred Jennifer Love Hewitt. Though the work and experiences of Van Praagh may have influenced the teleplay, Ghost Whisperer was actually inspired by psychic Mary Ann Wynchowski, a woman whom Van Praagh met while filming Beyond with James Van Praagh in 2002. Ghost Whisperer ran for five seasons from September 23, 2005, to May 21, 2010, on CBS.

• Lawsuit

On January 22, 2013, James Van Praagh filed a lawsuit in federal district court in New York against his sister Lynn Gratton, who is also a psychic. James Van Praagh has a trademark on his name and alleged that Lynn had infringed upon that trademark by starting to use her maiden name Van Praagh to financially benefit from his name even though Lynn took her (now deceased) husband's surname more than 50 years ago when she married him on August 28, 1970.

MINA CRANDON, aka MARGERY...

Mina Crandon (1888–November 1, 1941) was an American psychic medium who performed under the stage name Margery and claimed to channel her dead brother, Walter Stinson. Investigators who studied Crandon concluded that she had no such paranormal ability, and others detected her in outright deception. She became known as her alleged paranormal skills were touted by Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and were disproved by magician Harry Houdini. Crandon was investigated by members of the American Society for Psychical Research and employees of the Scientific American.

Crandon was the wife of a wealthy Boston surgeon and socialite, Dr. Le Roi Goddard Crandon. Her life has been extensively documented in magic and parapsychology literature.

By 1925, due to the investigation of Crandon, the American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR) had been taken over by a spiritualist faction. The ASPR championed Crandon and suppressed any reports unfavorable to her. In response, Walter Franklin Prince,who was the Society's research officer, resigned to establish the Boston Society for Psychical Research. Prince was accused by supporters of Crandon of being biased against paranormal phenomena.

Crandon's husband was known for displaying nude photographs of her in her mediumship sessions. Mina Crandon was described as a beautiful woman whom men found too attractive for her own good. It was suggested that the psychical investigator J. Malcolm Bird actively conspired with the Crandons in stage-managing the séances in an attempt to have a sexual relationship with Mina. Reports, however, suggest that Mina found Bird repulsive. Instead, she had amorous feelings for the psychical researcher Hereward Carrington, with whom she had an affair. Carrington also borrowed money he was unable to repay from Crandon. Critics have written that it is easy to imagine these factors could have biased his judgement regarding her mediumship.

Crandon performed many of her séances in the nude, and was reported to throw herself onto the laps of her male sitters. She was also described as an alcoholic. During séances, Eric Dingwall told Crandon to take off her clothes and sit in the nude. Crandon would also sometimes sprinkle luminous powder on her breasts and because of such activities William McDougall and other psychical researchers criticized Dingwall for having improper relations with Crandon.

Historian Ruth Brandon has noted that as Bird, Carrington, and Dingwall were all personally involved with Crandon, they were biased and unreliable witnesses. Magician Fred Keating, who had observed Crandon at her house, suggested Carrington pretended some of her phenomena baffled him in an attempt to get financial backing for his own psychical laboratory.

A review by the father of modern parapsychology, Joseph Banks Rhine, lent further insight into Crandon's performances. Dr. Rhine was able to observe some of her trickery in the dark when she used luminous objects. Rhine claimed to have observed Crandon committing fraud in a séance in 1926. According to Rhine, during the séance she was free from control and kicked a megaphone to give the impression it was levitating.

Rhine's report documenting the fraud was refused by the ASPR, so he published it in the Journal of Abnormal Social Psychology. In response, defenders of Crandon attacked Rhine. Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a letter to the Boston Herald attacking Rhine's colossal impertinence, stupidity, and malignancy.

Crandon continued to conduct séances and the English teacher, Grant Code, became a frequent visitor to the Crandon home and was enthralled by Crandon's later performances. Ultimately, he too was able to duplicate them. Code's exchange of letters with psychic investigator Walter Franklin Prince regarding Margery is currently held in the archives of the ASPR.

An elaborate investigation was held by a committee of Harvard scholars. Finally, the Harvard committee also pronounced Crandon as fraudulent. On June 30, 1925, one of the Harvard investigators saw Crandon draw three objects from her lap. One object was shaped like a glove or flat hand, one resembled a baby's hand, and the third was described but not identified.

The American Society for Psychical Research wanted further investigation. In 1926, a committee of three professors (Knight Dunlap, Henry C. McComas, and Robert Williams Wood) was sent to Boston. Crandon had a luminous star attached to her forehead, identifying the location of her face in the dark. After a few minutes, a narrow dark rod appeared over a luminous checkerboard which had been placed on the table opposite Crandon. It moved from side to side and picked up an object. As it passed in front of Wood, he lightly touched it with the tip of his finger and followed it back to a point very near Crandon's mouth. Wood thought it probable she was holding the rod by her teeth. He took hold of the tip and very quietly pinched it. It felt like a knitting needle covered with one or two layers of soft leather. Though the committee had been warned that touching the ectoplasm could result in the illness or death of the medium, neither Crandon nor the ectoplasm rod showed any reaction to Wood's actions. At the end of the sitting, Wood dictated his actions to the stenographer. Upon hearing this, Crandon gave a shriek and fainted. She was carried out of the room, and the committee was asked to depart. Wood was never invited again.

The committee that consisted of Dunlap, McComas, and Wood considered the phenomena to be fraudulent. They concluded that the rod was an animal intestine that had been stuffed with cotton and stiffened with wire. In 1939, Crandon's husband died and Crandon, an alcoholic, went into a deep depression. At one of her last séances she attempted to jump off the roof of the house.

Mina Crandon was born in 1888 and died in November 1941.

ROSEMARY ALTEA...

Rosemary Altea (born Rosemary Edwards) is a British author who describes herself as a medium and healer. She has appeared on various programs, including Larry King Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and was featured in the series premiere of Penn & Teller: Bullshit! alongside mentalist Mark Edward. She has written six books and claims to have a "healing foundation".

• Her career

Altea was featured on Penn & Teller: Bullshit! in the show's premiere episode, Talking to the Dead. Kevin Christopher of the Skeptical Inquirer wrote that the segment on Altea was a nice expose of Rosemary Altea during a taped reading arranged by Showtime. Viewers got a clear picture of how she worked the small group of people present for readings prior to the taping in order to glean information for later use. Skeptic and mentalist Mark Edward replicated the cold reading tactics she used and showed how her publicist, Joni Evans, seeded the group with people whose biographies were already known to Altea in order to boost her on-camera success. Critics describe Altea as a clear example of hot reading.

Investigator Joe Nickell believes modern day self-proclaimed mediums like Altea are avoiding the Victorian tradition of dark rooms, spirit handwriting, and flying tambourines as these methods risk exposure. They instead use mental mediumship tactics like cold reading or gleaning information from sitters beforehand. Group readings also improve hits by making general statements with conviction, which will fit at least one person in the audience.

Skeptic and author Michael Shermer concludes in Why People Believe Weird Things, Altea learned cold reading by trial and error, and honestly misattributes her success to psychic ability rather than deliberate deception. However, Shermer also alleges that during his appearance alongside Altea on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1995, Altea used information obtained about a guest through an earlier discussion in a limo ride to the studio, an example of hot reading.

• Her life and times

In November 1981, Rosemary claims to have had a vision at night, after which she felt open to the possibility of a spirit world. The same year, struggling to make ends meet and take care of her daughter, she began charging £3.50 per session for psychic readings and adopted the name Rosemary Altea.

In 2001 Altea inherited a farm in Dorset,Vermont, from Llewella Day, an elderly cancer victim. Ms. Day changed her will shortly before she died, thereby cutting her family out and leaving the $740,000 farm to Altea, with the desire it remain a working farm. Altea successfully fought Day's family's attempts to invalidate the will, and -- against Ms. Day's wishes -- demolished the farm house to make the farm into "a healing foundation".

On January 26, 2007, Altea appeared on Larry King Live with skeptic James Randi. When asked on the show to take the One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge, she argued that she doesn't believe there's $1 million.

In 2009, Altea learned that her bookkeeper, Denise M. Hall, had stolen $200,000 from her over a period of seven years, using four credit cards to obtain cash advances, forging checks, and giving herself unauthorised electronic paychecks all under Altea's name.

SOURCES:

Love to Know

Famous World Psychics

15 Most Famous Psychics
of All Time

American Hauntings

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

Recommended Reading

Other blog posts @ Every Cat
that you may enjoy:

Divination ~ What is it? How do you do it? The tools used

Past Life Regression ~ I've always been curious, how about you?

My Personal Experiences with The Clairs ~ both amazing & creepy

Things That Go Bump in the Night

Getting the Most from a Tarot Reading ~ 7 suggestions + my commentary