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In talking about magic we move into an area where the Devil cards speaks of curses. Is he lying or pointing out the evils others might have done. That is the question.
For me magic is a fascinating topic. If you like to add a “k” to it that works too. I have had the pleasure of working with people from all corners of the globe and then some. Last week Melinda talked about the relationship of magic to card reading in her time. This week I’d like to get into my personal experiences. As Melinda mentioned previously there are a lot stories to share on this topic so if this interests you do subscribe to hear them all.
Am I cursed?
November 2003. She walks into my reading room, hunkers down into the chair and looks me square in the eyes. “Am I cursed?” she asks. “I need to know who did it and what I can do to clear it up.” When I was starting as a reader I would get this question several times a day. “I can’t sleep. I keep losing things and things are breaking all the time. Has someone done something to me?”
At the time I had no real opinion on the subject. I certainly had done a lot of work to talk with spirits, angels, and other beings. I had seen the positive change that I had wrought in my life through the combination of divination and spiritual work. Hasn’t almost every culture at some point in its history spoken of the negative side of spiritual life and the ways in which energy can also become blocked, stuck or damaging?
“We can look at that.” I reply meeting her gaze. With those words we step out of the urban Toronto setting in which I am working and into other ways of thinking and being as old as humanity itself. The cards come out and are shuffled. The reading starts.
10 years later I continue to hold the belief that to succeed as a reader you have to be able to work within the beliefs of the person you are reading for. It is not that I need to believe what they believe, but I need to step into that space for the duration of the reading. Some Catholics need to go back to their faith to find solutions to their issues. Sometimes superstitions need to brought to the harsh light of day and other times they must be worked with to help the person get ahead.
“The cards say you are fighting with all the people who live around you.”
Her face softens. “Yes. We are arguing over property lines and everyone is ganging up on me. I found this strange powder on my front steps. It is a good thing I was born spiritual and knew what it was.” she says almost proudly.
We place a card to ask what this mystery substance is. We get the Devil. “See I told you!” she declares quickly. ” … what does it mean?”
I tell her the cards agree with her interpretation. There are only a few cards I would read as negative magic and this is certainly one.
Another card is flipped. What is the solution? The Star card. “Was you mother spiritual too?” The client must be in her 60s so I assume her parents have passed. I am then regaled for 5 minutes about the insight of her mother’s line going back for generations and the power of readers back in the old country. I listen wondering how much is true and how much is now legend. “Pray to God. Then ask your Mother’s spirit to fight your battle for you. Boil some hyssop and wash the steps and yourself. If you find anything else just wash it off again. Your mother will protect you.”
We talk for 30 minutes about a variety of things to do with her life. How her kids take advantage. How she is in pain and needs to follow up with her doctor. The way in which she is arrogant and how other people are put off by this. The fact that she needs to consider her lawyers advice.
We flip an outcome card. 6 of Wands – Victory in the Thoth deck. “The cards say you will win your legal action and overcome this.”
She leaves with a bounce in her step despite the cane. Far from bad news she is buoyed by the reading. After buying $3 worth of herbs in the shop she almost tackles me with a hug. I know she feels better which is good, but I wonder how she will fare in her life over time.
A few months later she shows up again at the shop. “Andrew you are amazing. What you gave me to do fixed my life.” I remember her but have forgotten what I did or said that might be noteworthy in her case. “Remind me I say.” and then listen to her tell me all about how peaceful her life is now. How the court case went away and her problem child stops calling for money after she told them she wasn’t a bank. I am of course happy that our session has brought change to her life. I give my usual “Well you know where to find me if you need me again.”
I have seen this person over the years. They still swing by, but much less often and with other kinds of issues. Was it magic that changed her life? For her it certainly was. When I see people who have been horribly taken advantage of by con artists I think of her. When I see people saying magic is not real I think of her too. It is such a fine line working with people within their beliefs and not feeding their superstitions and fear. 10 years and she still sends folks my way. 10 years and I can’t say anything other than the reading she got and the actions she took – magic included – changed her life.
Andrew McGregor
If you’d like to bring some magic into your life I’d be delighted to work with you. Book a reading here.
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“Bee and Hyssop” image by Bjorn Watland used under Creative Commons License.