Readings and True Blood

Ugh.

It was the least successful Tarot readings since I read for the Romanian Gypsy woman at the Bowery Poetry Club.  She said nothing I said was accurate, but I think she was lying to me.  Or else I was just nervous.  We were doing a fundraiser for a scholarship in the name of her daughter who put a gun to her own head a year ago.  Reading Tarot for a Romanian Gypsy woman mourning her dead daughter.  That was a hard reading.  I still think I got more right than she admitted to.  

Anyway, read for the woman from Knoxville and I think I rushed it.  Maybe my ego got too high because people have been talking up my readings so much in the last year.  She contacted me out of nowhere saying she heard I gave "awesome" readings.  I think I started assuming too much.  Instead of saying, "You've got a lot of conflict on the job..." it's better to say, "It says there's a lot of conflict in either the home or work region.  What's that about?"  Because sometimes the home and work region are the same, and people aren't prone to elaborate on their situation when given a yes or no question.  They'll just say no.  

Sometimes, we read things just before they happen, anyway.  

I'm watching HBO on demand--the first episodes of True Blood, which I've never seen before.  My gothy friends love it.  It's a good show!  I love New Orleans and I like fictional vampires.  People who call themselves vampires just annoy me.  

Anyway, the main character is named Sookie and she can hear people's thoughts.  I remember when I had that issue.  It makes you dizzy and you forget the person didn't actually say it.  It's gotten me in trouble before because often I respond to it and it usually isn't appropriate.  Plus, sometimes it's hard to discern whether a person is actually thinking that or if it's your own insecure mind making you think people are thinking crazy things about you.  My therapist broke me of that habit, so I started discrediting anything I hear people think.  It's easier anyway, to save that stuff for readings.  

Many new witches in our group call me struggling with suddenly able to do such a think after having their centers open.  One of the first things we teach witches to do is to close that on command.  Hearing people's thoughts may be fun, but it sure isn't productive.

The Pentacle and the Parents' House

A few years ago, my parents already knew I was into "that digging-up graves, eating the dead, Celtic Shit."  (Their description--not mine).  I pretended I didn't know what they were talking about.  A few conversations about my new Wiccan path ended in arguments about whether or not I was joining a cult and "doing weird things in the woods."  

I went deep into the broom closet for a few years after those discussions.

Anyway, eventually, it's just dumb to keep hiding.  I won't get disowned for being "Woo-Woo."  I always expected some kind of "coming out" conversation, but that didn't happen.  One year, when coming home for Christmas, I simply didn't feel like pulling off the pentacles.  

Later, my parents each brought it up.  While I was on the computer.  Each on their way to get another diet coke.  

Dad: So, are you a Christian these days?

Me: No.

Dad:  Oh.  I noticed you were wearing that star again.

Me:  Yep.  

Dad: Oh.  Okay. (Walks off for Diet Coke)

(a few minutes later, still on the computer...)

Mom:  So, this Ireland trip you're going on...is that a witch-thing?

Me: Yep.

Mom:  Oh....and your friend Izzy?  Is she into the witch-thing, too?

Me:  Uh-huh!

Mom: Oh.  You know we block their website at my company, right?  The Wiccan website?

Me:  Well, Mom, there is more than one website.

Mom:  Is it a cult?

Me: No.  There's no central organization.

Mom:  Some of them can get really cult-like.

Me:  True.  But I don't hang out with culty people.  Some Christians are culty, but you don't hang out with them!

Mom:  Yeah, that's true.  I still liked it better when you told me you were going to Ireland to tour castles.

Me: We're still doing that!

Mom:  I liked it better when that was all I knew you were doing.  (Walks off to get Diet Coke)

That was a few years ago.

It doesn't make sense for a Priestess to hide her faith, unless she's in danger of harm.  I'm not in danger of harm, even if the Wicca is a big, fat broomstick clogging up my family's living room sometimes.  

Just to make things easier, I often wear a St. Brigid's cross--which is symbolic of my Goddess, Brid, but bothers my parents less.  I keep the ring on, which I've worn since I picked up the path.  

I'm in town for Thanksgiving and it's so nice to be here.  You can buy cold-cuts and eat them at home, but even those same cold-cuts taste  better at Mom's house.  

This morning, the news reported a terror plot against New York City subways uncovered.  Mom became terribly worried, of course.  Jumped up and hugged me and said, "I just hate that that came on while you're standing here!!!  It just worries me so!!!"

"Don't worry, Mom," I said.  "I had a dream about this weeks ago.  Even told Cuzin Mandy about it.  The dream warned of the plot but told me everything would be fine."

That kind of stuff usually scares Mom.  But in truth, Woo-Woo scares her less than subway terror plots.  

I have a reading in two hours with a woman from Knoxville, TN.  Haven't read for a Southerner before, other than my cousin and her friends.  This will be fun.  :)

Hair.

Last June, a man contacted me via Witchvox.com. He said he needed help.

This is the first such request I've had from a stranger.

This is his story:

When he was 13 or 14, he attended a summer camp. One of his bunkmates claimed to practice magick. The guy said, "If you're really a magician, kill me."

The kid replied, "I can't do that, but I can cast a spell that will make your wife's hair fall out." Then, the kid claimed he had done so.

Fifteen years later, the guy married a lovely woman.

Immediately after their marriage, she developed a rare disease that makes a woman's hair fall out.

Coincidence? Maybe. But I don't really believe in coincidence.

He said he'd forgotten all about that nasty curse until one night, he awoke from a dead sleep with the memory ringing in his head. That's when he got on witchvox.com and found me.

I don't know why he picked me. Maybe because I have such a nice picture up there. Maybe it's because I use my real name and don't go by Lady Rainbow or something. (No offense, Lady Rainbow...but my Mom gave me my name and I happen to like it.) Or maybe I can really help.

I stayed up until two in the morning burning red candles and reciting some psalm. I don't remember which one, now. I figured a Yahweh thing would be better, as the couple is Jewish.

When one of the candle holders spontaneously shattered, I was startled awake (I fall asleep while spell working). It struck me that the curse was broken.

I drew a rune on this and the answer was "One Year--don't expect quick results." I told the guy it would probably be a year before anything would happen.

Six months later, she still doesn't have hair.

I would like to continue investigating this.