Divination Space Station: Tarot of the Vampires

January 30, 2024 By Lilith Dorsey

Tarot of the Vampires- Strength card. By Charles Harrington and Craig Maher. All rights reserved.

It was my supreme pleasure to meet Charles Harrington last year at the Endless Night Vampire Ball in New Orleans. Harrington along with Craig Maher is the creator of Tarot of the Vampires published by Llewellyn Publications. The deck is stunning, a veritable must have for every creature of the night. As soon as I saw these cards I knew I wanted to interview Charles Harrington as part of our divination series. Questions are in boldface, and his responses follow.

When did you start divining?

I got my start in high school, purchasing my first deck from a game store in the mall. I was definitely one of the weird kids at that point so I would keep my deck in my backpack every day and give friends readings between (ok during) classes. People were very tolerant of this habit and I had almost no negative experience being the high school’s resident diviner. Looking back at some of those readings I used to give… let’s just say I had a lot to learn.

With what method?

Back when I got my start, I had one book (Tarot for the Apprentice by Eileen Connolly) and of course the Little White Book (I am told young readers today do not know the term “LWB” because guidebooks have improved so much). I only did three card spreads and the Celtic Cross because that’s all I knew and my approach was entirely predictive because, again, that’s all I was aware of. One day I picked up a copy of the Legend Arthurian Tarot by Anna-Marie Ferguson wherein I learned about the “Horseshoe Spread” which was much more straightforward than the Celtic Cross and had greater depth than those three card spreads. It was love at first sight and it became my primary Tarot spread for the next two decades. I wish it had a sexier name (the Arc of Destiny?) but that spread leveled up my practice and I was certain to include it in the guidebook for Tarot of the Vampires for this reason

Which method do you use most often now?

I still lean toward predictive / advice Tarot techniques but in college I became familiar with the works of Mary Greer and Rachel Pollack and began to incorporate Wisdom Readings into my practice. These are a way of asking the divine mind-expanding things like “What is the soul?” “How can I live my life as a reflection of this Goddess?” I also am a big proponent of using the Tarot for Shadow Work, which was an emphasis for the Tarot of the Vampires as vampires have always been a powerful cultural shadow for humanity that has evolved and shifted throughout the decades to continue to hold up a dark mirror to our faces.

How important is the choice/phrasing of the question?

This is going to get me in trouble. I apologize in advance. I feel like today there is too much emphasis on “correcting” the querent’s question. When someone asks us “Will I get this job?” we are supposed to say “Ah, your real question is ‘What do I need to know about prosperity?'” This bothers me. I imagine a person going to the doctor because they have an acute ache that won’t go away and having the doctor say “Ah let me tell you about wellness!” I think readers are often afraid that they won’t be able to make a correct prediction (or they don’t believe Tarot can make accurate predictions) and they sidestep by rephrasing the question to be more general. If this is you, (if you can hear the sound of my voice!) try to first address the question you were asked and then supplement with other advice that the cards offer. For example, with the question above “In terms of this job you are going after, it looks like there will be some challenges. Let’s see what you can do to find what you need…”

Do you have a yes/no method of divining you recommend?

I do! It’s a little complicated but I enjoy it. Take the Wheel of fortune out of your deck and then shuffle it and draw seven additional cards facedown. Add the Wheel of Fortune to this smaller pile of eight cards and shuffle them together. Lay the cards out in four quadrants with two cards in each quadrant. Turn the pairs of cards over and find the Wheel of Fortune. Now interpret this position (and only this position) with the additional card next to it.

Position 1: Yes, Because.

This is the enthusiastic Yes! The second card points to why the thing will happen

Position 2: Yes, If

This is a pretty good outlook but it will take some extra effort by the querent. The second card says what is needed to bring this over the finish line.

Position 3: No, Unless

This is not looking so good but the accompanying card may give some advice about what to do to bring about a desired change.

Position 4: No, Because

This is the enthusiastic No and the accompanying card can help explain why this won’t happen.

Is there any advice you have for newcomers when using divination?

There are three things I recommend:

Read the guidebook – A lot of love and hard work goes into that guidebook! Definitely trust your intuition but the guidebook might have some more advice that your intuition missed.

When reading for yourself, write the reading down – The main reason to do this is that it forces you to give yourself a complete reading instead of looking at the cards and saying “Yep, yep, that makes sense, that’s what I expected.” It will help you fully explore the spread and its possibilities. In the following days/weeks, instead of doing another spread because you are anxious about the question you can return to what you wrote down and continue to explore it in greater depth. It also helps justify the purchase of fancy journals we readers tend to love. If you prefer electronic record keeping, I highly recommend Evernote for storing readings.

Get Liminal – As Tarot reading has become more psychologically influenced and we have worked to do away with some of the unhelpful superstitions, people have sometimes ditched the mystical parts of Tarot reading entirely. Enhance your practice by doing something to enter into sacred space and bring yourself between the worlds. Light some incense, say a prayer, visualize the temple of the High Priestess, whatever it takes and you have the bandwidth for. I find this makes me more receptive to receiving the answers from the Universe (or whomever is on the other side of this operation).

How did you come up with the idea for Tarot of the Vampires?

I have loved vampire stories my whole life and of course I’ve really enjoyed vampire tarot decks (I’ve owned pretty much all of them). I felt that most decks focused entirely on what I think of as the “Carpathian” vampire archetype with crumbling castles, helpless maidens, everybody’s white, etc. This didn’t reflect the modern stories I enjoy so much like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, True Blood, the Vampire Diaries, Anita Blake, etc. One year the late and very great pagan author Margot Adler gave a talk about vampire novels at a pagan conference . Following the death of her husband, she read hundreds of them and formed her theory of the modern vampire which was that the vampire-as-hero is a powerful, dangerous being, trying desperately to be moral. This is a wonderful reflection of humanity as we are similarly powerful, dangerous beings who want to do good and create beauty but who are aware that they have a destructive nature as well. She wrote about this in her wonderful book Vampires R Us and her ideas really helped inform my approach to the cards, especially the Minor Arcana. This kept the deck from just being the Rider Waite Smith with fangs (though it is absolutely in the RWS School of Tarot).

Lilith Dorsey and Charles Harrington at Endless Night Vampire Ball – New Orleans.

What’s the most interesting thing that happened as a result of working on that project?

Just as divination is a sacred conversation between the diviner and the universe, the creation of a Tarot deck is a sacred conversation between author and illustrator. This project connected me to the incredible artist Craig Maher who partnered with me to bring the deck to life. If the author is the scriptwriter and executive producer, the illustrator is the director, set designer, casting director, costume designer, cinematographer, special effects department and all the other roles you can imagine. I’m a words guy and I am in awe of Craig’s gift for taking those words and communicating them visually. He has a wonderful gift for interpreting mood, lighting, composition, as well as venerable Tarot traditions to create these dynamic, interesting characters filled with depth and mystery. We had a dialog about every card in the deck and he could take a weird prompt that I didn’t even know fully how to begin to depict and turn it into what I feel is one of the most intense and compelling Strength cards in Tarot.

What’s next for you ?

I recently wrote the guidebook for an oracle deck based on Dante’s Inferno to go along with artwork created by the amazing artist Paolo Barbieri. That was a wild project because it required me to shelve my modern pagan sensibilities aside and fully embrace the worldview of Dante. It’s an intense deck with some very confronting imagery and requires a bit of courage to pull a card each day

From the Llewellyn publications website – Charles Harrington has been reading, teaching, and loving tarot for 25 years. He is the author of the guidebooks to the Murder of Crows Tarot, Ferenc Pinter Tarot, and Tarot V from Lo Scarabeo. His love of the cards and connecting with other readers has manifested in co-hosting podcasts, speaking at conferences, and leading meetups in the San Francisco Bay Area. In his free time, he loves to find new and strange ways to use the cards in pursuit of wisdom, fun, and the occasional free cocktail.

Note: This deck is especially precious to me as the Three of Cups card from it graces the cover of my new book Tarot Every Witch Way. Thank you Llewellyn Publications and Charles Harrington for making it possible.

Tarot of the Vampires- 3 of Cups. All rights reserved.

As always if you have enjoyed what you find here please remember to like, comment, and share !

Divination Space Station : Arlo Wilde and Some Sassy Magick

December 3, 2022 By Lilith Dorsey

Arlo Wilde, the youngest psychic reader in New Orleans at Sassy Magick. All rights reserved.

Over the years we have profiled a lot of psychic readers here on Voodoo Universe, and this time around I am proud to present an interview with Arlo Wilde. Arlo is definitely the youngest professional reader we have explored here. I hope you enjoy the following interview. If you would like to get a reading you can find Arlo at Sassy Magick in New Orleans.

When did you start divining?

– I started when I was 7 years old, which is 7 years ago. I had asked my parents if I could learn Tarot, and they said yes! I taught myself until the age of 8, where I started to read Tarot.

With what method?

– I started with Tarot, then moved to adding on more things such as Pendulum work and Oracle.

Which method do you use most often now?

– I mostly use Tarot now, however it’s pretty balanced between Tarot, Oracle and Pendulum work. It simply depends on the question, and context.

How important is the choice/phrasing of the question?

– It’s semi-important for me. The phrasing can help it be more clear, however if you can get the question out in a way that I can understand, I am able to read it easily. To simplify it, as long as I can understand the question you’re good!

Do you have a yes/no method of divining you recommend?

– My recommendation for yes/no divination method is Tarot or Pendulum. For Tarot, I read it as Upright = yes, reversed = no. For pendulums, it depends on the pendulum/spirit you’re asking. Before you ask your question say “show me yes” and then “show me no”, this way it’s easy to understand the response you get.

Is there any advice you have for newcomers when using divination?

– Absolutely! I suggest making yourself a cheat sheet with all the information you learn or need to learn. It’s easy to go back to it, when needed. When I was learning Tarot at 7/8, I made myself a booklet with all the information I needed. Also, remember to take breaks! They are way more important than you think they are. Giving yourself burnout, will make it harder to learn.

Are there any new projects you are developing?

– I’m currently working on starting a Teen-coven! It will be 13-17 only, and will be a safe space for baby and/or closet witches trying to learn the craft. We will do group work, and still focus on individual at the same time.

As always if you have enjoyed what you find here check out the other divination posts here, and please remember to like, comment, and share !

Divination Space Station : Hope Romano- Dear Queen of Wands

January 26, 2022 By Lilith Dorsey

It’s time for more Divination Space Station where we interview some of the top psychic readers around. Recently I had a chance to talk to Hope Romano (we’re old friends and actually went through grade school together,) her stellar blog Dear Queen of Wands provides advice and guidance for all who seek it. Let’s hear what she has to share with us !

When did you start divining? With what method?

It was that magic 8 ball as a kid; I was obsessed. In my twenties, I began dabbling with tarot after receiving a Rider-Waite-Smith deck as a gift from my brother. I read introduction books to Wicca, tried simple spell-work, and got my first pendulum.

Which method do you use most often now?

Tarot. I’ve been studying seriously for several years and recently started doing free monthly advice readings on my Dear Queen of Wands blog. I love all the different ways you can use the tarot, from divination to meditation to sparking your creativity. I deliver simple everyday guidance on IG and began writing a daily tarot haiku on Twitter as part of my 2022 spiritual practice.

How important is the choice/phrasing of the question?

I find that the intention is the most important thing, so I don’t get hung up with particular phrasing. But open-ended questions seem best since it allows more information to flow forth. Simply asking, “What do I need to know right now?” is perfectly suitable. The questions I receive for my blog vary, but the energy behind the seekers’ words evoke all of the insight needed.

Do you have a yes/no method of divining you recommend?

When I began mediumship classes and connecting formally with my guides through visualization, they helped me develop a compass of sorts in my mind’s eye. I ask the question internally and if the answer is yes, the needle appears above my head to the right. If the answer is no, it pulls to the left. As a more visceral technique, you can stand up, take a deep breath, and ask the question out loud – if your body leans forward it means yes; backward means no. Play around and see what works for you.

Queen of Wands Tarot. Licensed under CC 0.0

Is there any advice you have for newcomers when using divination?

Keep an open mind. Something might not make sense to you now but may later on. Or perhaps never. As you learn and try new things, take what resonates and leave the rest. Also, try to find a divination sister or brother. Being true to yourself and exploring your personal path can be tricky if your friends and family don’t understand. Having a support system will make it easier to do you, boo.

Are there any new projects you are developing?

I’ve been thinking about a community tarot circle, where people could come to learn, practice, and collaborate. There’s plenty of free content available online but I’d like to facilitate an in-person group to process together, share card interpretations and provide decks to try out. I feel like this would be a welcome opportunity once the pandemic surges are under control.

As always if you have enjoyed what you read here please remember to like, comment, and share !

Divination Space Station: Leticia Ferrer-Rivera & Secrets of Paradise Tarot

June 20, 2021 By Lilith Dorsey

It’s been awhile since we have featured a new installment of Divination Space Station, but when I saw the new Secrets of Paradise Tarot by Leticia, The Witchy Dancer I knew I had to find out more. Leticia Ferrer-Rivera, The Witchy Dancer! is the owner of Dancing Crowns. She is Certified as Tarot and Crystal Healer. She does divination and Psychic Readings using the Pendulum, Tarot, and Crystals. Leticia is also a Wicca High Priestess and comes from a long generation of Witchcraft and Mediums on both sides of her family, especially from the Ferrer side from Barcelona, Spain. Here’s what she had to say (all responses come directly from her):

When did you start divining?

When I was 7 years of age I started to have clairvoyant dreams showing me the related person in the event that was going to happen very soon. For example, I remember dreaming that my mother was going to have her car stolen from one of the big shopping malls in Puerto Rico, and actually it was my aunt (her sister) who had her car stolen from the mall parking lot. As an adult, around 2004, I started learning Tarot and Pendulum on my own. That was the start of a big spiritual change in my life and was about a year before getting initiated as a High Priestess in a very intimate Coven in Puerto Rico. I loved both methods from the get-go.

With what method?

Tarot and Pendulum were my first methods of divination. It is ironic because I played Briscas (Spanish Cards) all my life and saw them as fun, instead of as a divination tool. So I kept using Tarot and Pendulum, and I incorporated Crystals Casting and Oracles back in 2017.

Which method do you use most often now?

I use Tarot, Pendulum, and Crystals more often, but I can also pull out an Oracle Card at the end of a reading sometimes for extra insight.

How important is the choice/phrasing of the question?

It is important to ask the right question and to be specific. The question must not just be about another person alone, but your situation, your relationship, you must be included in the question. This way the outcome has a message for you directly on how this is impacting you, and also guidance on how to proceed.
It is also super important to choose the correct method of divination when you know what type of reading the querent is looking for. It has higher probabilities for me as a Reader and Psychic to deliver the appropriate message throughout and at the end of the reading. It is important to know which method can be used for what type of reading, but also, within the method which card deck or which pendulum to use as well. I have Tarot Decks that are perfect for business readings, others for love readings, others for any kind of readings, and the same with the pendulums based on the type of crystal they are made, wooden pendulums, metal, etc. It takes not only your intuition and skills for choosing the right tool, but also studying each method and crystal is important.

Do you have a yes/no method of divining you recommend?

I love Pendulum for a Yes or No answer. However, I also use it for multiple-choice, dates, and confirming time frames. I use it for Crystal Healing too.

Is there any advice you have for newcomers when using divination?

– To study each method from trusted and reliable sources.
– To not learn more than two methods at the same time.
– To understand if you want to be a Tarot Reader or if you want to work with intuition, spirit, and the Divine for developing your Psychic or Mediumship abilities. This is a big decision to make.
– Do not choose an easy method you are not tuning with just because it is easier, push yourself to study and connect with the method you really like.
– Buy your decks from trusted sources and support authors, Tarot and Oracle creators, and trusted businesses online and locally. Do not buy counterfeit decks from Wish! This type of practice hurt us all and believe me, your counterfeit deck will not work with you with the same energy as the one bought from their creator or publisher.

Leticia, The Witchy Dancer. All photo rights reserved.

I’m absolutely in awe of your Secrets of Paradise Tarot? What was your inspiration for the deck, and how do people get one?

One day I asked my husband to take a picture of me in front of one of our Lilacs from our backyard. I placed a chair in front, grabbed one of the branches that needed to be cut, and sat on the chair. When I saw the picture I said… This is the Queen of Wands! It was not intended to look like a Tarot card, but it did. That was the first card I created, but from there I created the rest of the cards combining my expertise from the performing arts and the culture with my knowledge from the Tarot. In 600 years of Tarot History, there are several Hispanic Tarot Creators and several Tarot Decks with names related to the Spanish language, but none of them has illustrations, deities, and symbolism from the Caribbean and Latin America. That was the main reason I created it, I love that this deck is going to make history once is published. From the Taínos to our African Heritage, as well as our music, dances, food, and historical places, this deck includes new symbols that have never been on a divination card deck before, as well as some traditional symbols that are based on the Waite-Coleman Smith Tarot. Secrets of Paradise Tarot: A Caribbean and Latin American Approach to Symbolism and Divination is right now submitted as traditional publishing proposals to my two favorite big traditional publishers. One will be answering sometime soon and the other I am not sure how long they take for the response, but hopefully soon. (Update: During the writing of the post word arrived that the deck will be published by Hay House ! Congratulations and more updates to follow!) I want to take this opportunity to invite everyone to sign up for the newsletter at www.dancingcrownspsychic.com so you can all get invited to the themed Launch Party I am planning to do once it is available for purchase.

Are there any new projects you are developing?

Yes, I am always creating. Besides everything I do I am currently teaching to a group of women a pilot course called Sacred Geometry in Dance that I designed myself. I am also working already on my Mysteries of the Spanish Fan Oracle. That is my next big project. I will be opening two new courses in Crystals and Tarot so stay tuned! Sign up for the newsletter to receive all this information via email and before anyone else!

As always if you have enjoyed what you read here please remember to like, comment, and share !

Divination Space Station: Mimi Curry

August 20, 2020 By Lilith Dorsey

Mimi Curry tarot reader and proprietress of The Sea Witch Emporium.

Divination Space Station, where we highlight stellar diviners and readers, is one of the best parts of this blog. This time around we are highlighting Mimi Curry, local seawitch from NC living in NOLA. She practices Appalachian & German folk magic.

When did you start divining?

I started my journey when I was around 13. I begged my dad to buy me a tarot deck from Borders and I got a book to go along with it. I bought the Leonardo Di Vinci Tarot.

With what method?

I started with tarot as well as pendulum. I also had a book on astrology and palmistry for kids! It was part of a wizardry arts and crafts book my mom bought me in 5th grade. I still have it too.

Which method do you use most often now?

I work a lot wit Tarot, palmistry, pendulum, astrology, as well as scrying. Astrology is defiantly one of my favorites currently.

How important is the choice/phrasing of the question?

I find for my clients, having the right intention is more important that being specific. For myself, I need to be as specific as possible or else I will be biased.

Do you have a yes/no method of divining you recommend?

Using a pendulum or body testing works the best for me when it comes to yes or no questions.

Is there any advice you have for newcomers when using divination?

Try anything once, not every method is going to click with you. Also don’t take yourself too seriously. It can be easy to over analysis something and the best answer is probably the simplest one.

What’s new and next for you?

Currently I am working on classes for those who want to delve deeper into folk Catholicism, as well as a possible book!

What’s the best way for people to get it touch ?

You can contact me @theseawitchemporium on instagram, The Sea Witch Emporium on facebook, or send me an email at theseawitchemporium@gmail.com for consultations, spell work, or spiritual coaching.

I also do readings at Hex Old World Witchery in New Orleans! You can sign up for a reading at hexwitch.com under Mimi Curry

If you have enjoyed what your read here please check out the other Divination Space Station stops on this blog, and remember to like, comment and share !

Divination Space Station: Angela Kaufman

May 17, 2018 By Lilith Dorsey

People are raving about Angela Kaufman and her new book Queen Up ! Reclaim Your Crown When Life Knocks You Down. I recently took a look at the book, and you can read my review here. So you can imagine my joy when she agreed to be interviewed as part of our Divination Space Station series. Since we began we have been honored to showcase Mat Auryn, DJ Martin, Little Luna, Brandi Auset, and many other psychics, authors, and diviners. Read below as we talk tarot and divination with a Queen in her own right, Angela Kaufman.

When did you start divining?

I started to explore divination at age 14. I had been learning about Wicca and saw a reference to Tarot cards and was drawn to the idea of learning Tarot.

With what method?
Initially with Tarot. I explored palmistry and runes briefly but felt more closely connected to the archetypal images of the Tarot, perhaps because I had interests in art and tend to be more visually oriented.

Which method do you use most often now?
Tarot is still my favorite tool however my understanding of Spirit connection has grown. I now work with Spirit with or without the cards and appreciate that the cards, like any other tool, are an extension of our connection to the Divine.

How important is the choice/phrasing of the question?

I feel phrasing questions is important, as are intentions when doing this work. There is a big difference between inquiring from a narrow viewpoint, especially a viewpoint influenced by what you want the outcome to be. For example, asking “am I going to get the job at X company?” leaves little opportunity for empowerment, when compared to a similar career question “What do I need to do to have the best opportunity to be hired by X company?” or even “How will working for X company shape my career?”
When it comes to relationships, I am often asked “When is so-and-so coming back?” which leaves little room for empowerment. What if they aren’t coming back? What if it isn’t in your best interest to get back together with this person? What are other opportunities you may be overlooking?
Tarot is a great tool to help uncover patterns of energy that lead to potential outcomes, and therefore looking at the process of events transpiring can lead us to greater empowerment and choices as opposed to narrowly focusing only on questions that serve our own biases of how we want things to turn out. At the same time, I think it is important to have a clear understanding of what you are hoping to learn from a reading, what is really at the heart of your inquiry.

Do you have a yes/no method of divining you recommend?

Tools like pendulum lend themselves to yes and no questions in a way that Tarot doesn’t. With Tarot though, a yes or no question can be answered based on whether the card drawn seems to expand opportunity suggesting yes, such as the 9 of cups, the Sun, or three of cups, or whether it seems to limit or close off energy, such as ten of swords, seven of wands etc. I also recommend getting to know your symbolic codes that your guides use with you. These are the clairvoyant images, words, sensations and impressions that your guides use to convey very specific information. When my guides respond to a question with a tingling of energy on the left side of my body, it indicates affirmative answer, the right side indicates no. This is a code they use with me however that doesn’t mean the same interpretations or sensation would apply to others, it takes some practice and development of the language with your guides to know how they work with you.

Is there any advice you have for newcomers when using divination?

My advice for newcomers is practice and don’t be afraid to write down your responses. Pretend you are in a lab and experiment. Have fun with it. Don’t just record when you get something ‘right’ write it all down because you never know what may be confirmed for you at a later time. Be open to looking back at your process for the sake of recognizing under what circumstances you are most clear, and under what circumstances your fears, rational mind, or ego begin to censor or block you. Take the process as an experience to grow and learn and remember we are doing this in service to a higher power.

I loved the new book, Are there any other new projects you are developing?
Blessings, Thank you! I have some ideas for a follow up in a similar vein as Queen Up! but it is still in very early formation.

Kaufman’s website gives insight on her background. “Angela Kaufman blends the mystical and the modern in her approach to helping women improve their relationships and their lives as an Intuitive Relationship & Empowerment Coach. She has a background as a Clinical Social Worker as well as certification as an Intuitive Consultant, and Psychic Medium. Angela created the Queen Up! System to help women harness the power of passion, power and abundance by connecting with the energy of their highest potential.” She can be found online at intuitiveangela.com

As always if you have enjoyed what you read here please support us and remember to like, comment and share !

Divination Space Station: Mat Auryn

April 13, 2018 By Lilith Dorsey

Mat Auryn photo provided by subject. All rights reserved.

I’m delighted to be able to interview Mat Auryn as part of our Divination Space Station series. His blog For Puck’s Sake is one of the newer ones here at Patheos Pagan, but with it’s insightful reviews, interviews, and musings very quickly it became one to watch. Read below as we talk about tarot, auras, Labyrinth, and more.

When did you start divining and with what method?

As cliché as it sounds, I’ve always been pretty tuned in. Even as a small child, I would tell people when introducing myself to them that I was a sensitive boy. In retrospect this kind of humorously takes on a different meaning. My natural psychic dispositions have always been clairtangency being able to just know information from holding an object (psychometry) or sensing with my hands where energy is coming from, and external clairvoyance such as seeing spirits, lights, shadows, auras, sparks, etc. All the other clairs I’ve had to put a lot of time and energy into their development throughout my life.

I actually come from a fairly psychic family on both sides, though undeveloped due to religious beliefs. When I was an infant I’m told that my father would point and direct energy at me and I’d start bursting with laughter and he’d move further and further away doing it until he could be in another room in the house than I was and point at me and I’d start cracking up in my crib.

At a young age, I discovered Silver Ravenwolf’s books, which led to the beginning of a lifelong exploration of various spiritual, metaphysical, and occult methods and ideologies.

My first tarot deck was a gift that I received when I was 14 years old as a freshman in High School. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing beyond the instructions in the little white book. Luckily, I had plenty of kids who were willing to be volunteers at lunch. I can’t say that they were the best readings though. I would literally have to look up every card’s meaning and just read the keywords and then read what the card position meant in the Celtic Cross Spread.

After High School, I began studying the tarot and psychic ability a bit more seriously. In my early 20s, I was able to read tarot without the booklet and slowly was able to bring intuitive and psychic information into the readings that weren’t associated with the card meanings. When I moved to the East Coast I eventually began reading professionally for complete strangers at an occult shop in Salem and then began a serious private practice during the off-season.

Which method do you use most often now?

I mostly work with Tarot because it’s like an old friend. It can help make sense of psychic information that isn’t completely clear sometimes. Doing a purely psychic reading can feel overwhelming or confusing at times due to information coming through all at once and figuring out where to start or how to make sense of it. If psychic information were music, the tarot for me is like having it written down as sheet music where I can see a clear timeline and how the information is supposed to be grouped. While I still work with other forms of divination, I haven’t found anything quite as strong as the Tarot, and that may be because I’ve worked with it for so long.

How important is the choice/phrasing of the question?

I think it’s pretty important, honestly. In fact, I’ve written an article on that topic itself. I’m a total nerd when it comes to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop projects such as Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, and The Storyteller, partially because of the folkloric wisdom, spiritual lessons, and esoterica that he put into them. In the movie Labyrinth, a reoccurring motif is asking the right questions. In the movie there’s a scene that exemplifies this perfectly. The character Sarah needs to get to the castle and she comes across a worm while frustrated who is able to provide help with directions. She tells him that she’s looking to solve the labyrinth as such he stops her from heading the direction she was going and has her go the other way to solver the labyrinth. It’s only when she’s left the scene that the worm states that if she went the other way she would have went straight to the castle. Asking the right questions can help you receive the more specific answers or guidance that one is really looking for.

Do you have a yes/no method of divining you recommend?

Sometimes I work with a pendulum for yes/no questions, though I really dislike those types of questions as I feel they’re limiting and can strip the person of their personal sovereignty in the situation itself. My more common method for discerning yes/no questions is to create a ball of energy in each hand. Then I will mentally assign one as “yes” and the other as “no”. I’ll focus on the question and feel how the energy balls change in my hands while focusing on the question. I think this method works stronger and quicker for me because of my natural disposition to clairtangency.

Is there any advice you have for newcomers when using divination?

Tons! Ha! If I had to boil it down to the top most important pieces of advice it would be to be clear on your intentions of why you’re doing readings. I believe that one needs to be in a vibrational state of truly wanting to help someone and heart-centered during readings. I also advise doing the work and practicing as much as possible alone and with others to gain confidence and strengthen those “psychic muscles”. If you’ve done the energy work and you’re in the flow, trust the process and trust whatever comes to you. It’s often the information that seems completely random and like a shot in the dark that is the information that they really need to hear.

Finally, if the client doesn’t understand the information that’s being presented don’t get discouraged. Sometimes people have what I call “psychic amnesia”, where they just aren’t connecting the dots while you’re giving them a reading because they’re immersed in the experience of having a reading. The client also doesn’t have all the information about what’s being read – which is why they’re coming to you, remember – so there’s bound to be information that they don’t understand or don’t know. After having countless people come back with “you were right after all” you learn to not be discouraged when people don’t seem to resonate with the reading at the time.

Are there any new projects you are developing?

Yes, a couple. But right now they’re all secret. I try to keep my focus of manifestation silent until they’re manifested, even if I want to tell everyone about it out of excitement. I suggest keeping an eye on my Facebook Page and my Twitter for future announcements.

More About Mat Auryn

Mat Auryn (New England) is a witch, writer, professional psychic (www.matauryntarot.com), and occult teacher throughout New England. He has had the privilege of studying under many different occult teachers and traditions, and is currently a priest and mentor in the Sacred Fires Tradition of Witchcraft . He writes for Patheos Pagan in his blog For Puck’s Sake , The House of Twigs , Horns Magazine , on his personal website (www.matauryn.com), as well as other magazines, podcasts, anthologies, and websites.

Mat Auryn has had the honor of helping thousands of people gain clarity through his skills of psychic ability and tarot reading throughout the world over the last decade. He has been interviewed on radio, in magazines, and on several websites and private newsletters. Mat teaches various metaphysical and occult subjects ranging from psychic development, magickal empowerment, working with spirits, divination, energy healing, lucid dreaming, divination, astral projection throughout New England including Salem, Massachusetts, known internationally as the Witch City.

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