A Bewitching Day
I spent a day this past weekend in Salem, MA, home of the infamous witch trials of 1692. The trip was part pleasure and part research, as I wanted to find out more about energy healing (my heroine is a Reiki practitioner). So I thought, what better place to visit than some of the fabulous New Age shops to be found on Essex Street and Pickering Wharf? I was accompanied by a good friend, Michelle, and my two daughters, and we spent hours exploring the spiritual side of Salem.
These little shops, permeated with the smell of incense and glittering with crystals, absolutely fascinated me. I spent hours poring through books, handling crystals, and sniffing herbs and aromatherapy candles. I overheard a shopkeeper telling a young woman about the healing properties of different crystals, and how you had to choose one that "spoke" to you. Well, for the remainder of the day, I searched for that perfect crystal; the one that called out to me. I found it in the very last shop we visited. It's a cluster of dark gold citrine crystals, and I swear that when I hold it in my palm, I feel a subtle vibration of sorts. My older daughter thinks it's a bunch of mumbo-jumbo hippy crap, but I wonder...
My friend had scheduled a psychic reading at one of the shops, so while she disappeared into a little back room, I poked through the displays of jewelry and mystical home decor, flipped through books, and just soaked up the atmosphere. When my friend reappeared, she said the reading had been a good one, and that the psychic had told her many things about her past, her present, and her future. I admit to being a little superstitious, and was too cowardly to have a reading done for myself. I'm not sure I would want to hear anything negative. My friend, who is an unpublished writer, showed me a slip of paper. Drawn on it were nine books. The psychic told her that these represented a series of books that she would write, based on one particular character. My friend said she is currently writing the first in this series right now. So...I guess time will tell.
My younger daughter bought a deck of Tarot cards and by that night, was enthusiastically giving readings to anyone who would sit long enough for her to interpret the cards. The entire day had a magical feel to it, and each of us returned home inspired to some degree by what we had seen. My older daughter didn't buy into the energy healing or psychic readings, but did fall in love with the Derby Square Bookstore (towering stacks of books that threaten to bury an unwary browser), and spent the rest of the night devouring The Zombie Survival Guide - Complete Protection from the Living Dead. So I guess there really was a little something for everyone!
What about you? Do you put any stock in psychic readings? Do you believe in the healing properties of herbs or crystals? Can somebody divine your future through runes or tarot cards? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Love Salem!
Salem is one of my very favorite places, hands down -- it's why I set my first book there. :) I can't wait to get back one of these days.
As far as tarot goes, yes, you can divine the future, though interpreting it is tricky, and the point is more about being able to make choices in order to determine your own direction rather than passively accepting it. You can also shape how you will come at something by using cards, choosing cards that you want to focus on to develop a certain attitude or thing that you want to do or change. For instance, I did a reading for myself once about travel, and it came up dismally. And I said, simply, no. Not acceptable. And so I went through the deck and chose the cards that reflected for me "this is how I want it to be." And the next day I found a way for us to afford a trip to Florida, and we've traveled regularly ever since. :)
Divination was always considered one of the lesser uses of tarot cards, which are much more useful for spiritual guidance and reflection, sort of getting in touch with yourself. Tarot for me is a very personal thing. I don't tend to read for other people any more, but I do love it. It's probably my one mainstay of spiritual practice.
I do believe in psychic activity and ability (and astrology, I Ching, etc), but I also think 90% of what we come across is probably crap. LOL I believe we all have psychic ability, undeveloped, but I think true, powerful psychics are really very seldom come across.
As far as herbs and crystals go, I think there's probably something to it -- my sister likes to tell the story of when she went to Mexico, and was horribly, horribly sick. They thought she was going to be hospitalized, she was so sick, and none of the stuff medical drs gave her worked. A friend of theirs down there wrote something down a piece of paper and sent my BIL to what is best described as a voodoo shop (I kid you not) and told him to get what he wrote down, and BIL did, and the first dose cured her completely, and she was up and walking around.
Another friend of mine completely cured really horrible allergies through a really crazy sounding homeopathic remedy, but it worked.
So, I don't know. I believe in traditional medicine, and I believe in herbal cures, prayer, etc as well. I think we need to be open to it all, because you never know what's going to work. :)
Sam
I agree...
Sam, I agree you need to be open to everything. That was such a cool story about your sister in Mexico! We've always called my older sister the "Earth Mother" because she tends to be very attuned to both her physical and spiritual environment, and believes strongly in homeopathic remedies, herbal remedies, etc. She's very involved in her church, as well, because as you said...you just never know!
I love crystals
In fact I'm wearing Ametrine around my neck right now. I became interested in them a year ago, when I got way into feng shui, and I've become hooked. I find some are really soothing, some energizing, some help me stay balanced, etc. I usually order them over the internet, but maybe they can still call out to me that way :-D
Jen-the-hippy-chick
http://www.jenlewis.com
Jen, I love this book that I
Jen, I love this book that I bought about crystals, and now I have this overwhelming urge to visit this wonderful gem store in downtown Boston so that I can pick up some more! I can understand why people might want to surround themselves with these beautiful stones. I don't think that it necessarily matters if you buy your crystals without touching them first; my friend said that crystals tend to be very receptive and will absorb your energy until it becomes "yours."
Citrine
Karen, what a fun post! This summer I was wandering through some shops in northern Ohio and had a great time in a little New Age place. I was drawn to the stones, and picked out a few and then wandered over to the jewelry. I was particularly drawn to a citrine pendant, just couldn't walk away from it. I bought the pendant and some stones and the lady threw in a handout on the meaning of each stone. Citrine, the stone in the pendant I was so drawn to, I read later, is supposed to inspire creativity. I've worn my pendant nearly every day I'm writing. The stones I keep them in a little bowl and maniuplate them when I'm writing my first draft.
How cool that the stone you were drawn to was a citrine too!
-Tasha
Citrine
Yes, that is so cool! I found out later that Citrine inspires creativity; I saw a rose quartz crystal that I just loved, but it was really big. I like to be able to hold them in my palm, and this one just wasn't very comfortable. I hated to walk away from it, though.
Enabler here...
If its that big, it might be perfect to set on your desk next to your monitor for a writing aid. Or, give that its rose quartz, maybe by the bed? *g*
I'm a believer!
I've been reading Tarot since my late teens (more moons than I'll admit LOL) and am a Reiki Master, so I'm big into energy work!! I've seen time and again the accuracy of the Tarot, but more wonderful is how it can be used to exploration and growth for the reader. The cards are based on a familiar writing term - archetypes and the major arcana explores the journey of soul (or person if you want to be less esoteric)-- all the stages we go through as we grow.
Lessee, what other things do I believe in - so many. My desk, actually my entire house, is filled with crystals and herbs. I'm not strong on homeopathic remedies only because I hate ingesting ANYTHING, pharacuetical or homeopathic, that makes me feel different. I've done alot with hands on healing and crystal healing, on and on and on :-D
I'm so envious that you visited Salem. Its on my 'someday' wish list :-D
So Cool...
Tawny, I am just in awe of your many talents! I know we've spoken about your Reiki abilities before, but I really find it fascinating. I'd love to see your house; I'm sure it has a very peaceful feel to it (okay, if it's like my house, maybe that only happens when the kids aren't there, LOL!). Do you still do Tarot readings?
Peace? Whats that?
LOL - actually my kids are pretty mellow. Its the dogs that are wild and crazy. And thanks Karen :-) I do still read Tarot, although my commitment (and with it, my clientelle) has dwindled since I sold and focused all my energy on writing as a career.