Wolf Bear has lovely jewelry, candles, essential oils and energy crystals. But what caught my eye was a sign that read: 'Intuitive Readings.'
On my Wish List of New Things was 'Go to a Fortune Teller/Palm Reader.'
As Ciara and I were sipping our wine and painting our masterpieces, I asked her, "Would you be mad if I had a psychic reading while we're here?" We were there to paint and such things are not for everyone.
"No, I wouldn't be mad but I might think that you're silly."
Silly, I can deal with.
In fact, psychic or not, I can definitely use more 'silly' in my life.
Ultimately, I decided not to see Gail (the intuitive reader). Not to avoid 'silly' but to focus on the New Thing I was there for. Painting. Look at me, being all 'in the moment.'
So weeks later, Ciara having moved to Panama and my living the grief of that, when I spotted a flyer advertising a Psychic Fair at The Meeker Mansion.... I circled the date on my calendar and recruited a willing companion.
If asked, I would have a difficult time articulating succinctly my spiritual beliefs.
There are a couple things I know. But also a sky full of things that I don't.
One ~ I believe deeply that, for me, whether in giving or receiving, gratitude is a spiritual experience. When I'm struggling at all, finding a way to exercising gratitude truly helps.
Another ~ I am absolutely sure that I want to remain wide open. That in the sky full of things I don't know, there is endless possibility and it's important to remain receptive and ready.
Also, one thing I strongly suspect is that my conscious mind trips me up. My wide-awake, day-to-day reality-mind prevents me from sensing and tapping into truth and wisdom beneath the surface. (See what I mean about that succinct thing.)
That being said, I confess that I went into the Psychic Fair New Thing with two minds: the one that defaults to clever quips and poking fun and the one that wanted to recognize truth and feel it ring within me.
Lisa and I met at the mansion. She'd also never been to the Psychic Fair. Before we walked in, I was a little worried about what might in store for us.....what I'd gotten us into.
The halls hummed with people moving about, from one table and room to other tables and rooms. Upstairs and down. Roaming in and out of the large parlor, the maid's room, in the mansion's library, the pantry.
I think it was Miss Scarlett, in the billiard room with the candlestick.
Not long after arriving, Lisa and I were standing at the top of the main stairway, when a psychic walked up to us and asked if we knew where the restroom was. We pointed to the door behind us then looked at each other, grinning. We couldn't resist.
"Wait, if he's a psychic, shouldn't he already know where the bathroom is?"
Plus there was a Powder Room sign hanging right on the door.
I've been in the Meeker Mansion many, many times. I've taken the tour, been there for a Christmas Bazaar, attended baby showers and hosted Ciara's bridal tea. (I recommend a membership, actually.)
I feel like I know what the mansion looks like, inside and out. But being there, surrounded by the Psychic Fair, I saw things that I'd failed to notice before.
Or perhaps, with the mansion full of this different energy,
I simply saw them with a different eye.
I simply saw them with a different eye.
While at the mansion, I had two readings. Well, actually two and a half. Diana Orieno gave me a partial Tarot reading. as Lisa and I were milling around asking questions.
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Lisa and I both wanted to have our palms read. On the menu of offerings, there were a total of 22 different psychics. Only one listed palmistry. Teresa Carol. (Psychic, Palmistry, Medical Intuitive) We signed up to see her in the balcony bedroom.
I also wanted some other type of reading. I walked though each room, watching for people with whom I felt a connection. An authentic smile. Eye contact. Good energy.
After milling through the mansion, I signed up for a reading with Lizabeth. (Psychic spiritual medium, Aura readings, Prayer Healings)
But first, the palm reading...
I told her, that of her services, I wanted my palm read.
She asked if I had a specific question that I wanted answered or did I want her to just begin.
"I don't have a question," I said. And I told her nothing about myself.
Wordlessly, she took my right hand in both of hers. She began by turning it over and looking at the back.
"You're very sensitive," she started. "Perhaps overly sensitive," she said, gently.
Then she turned my hand over, studying my palm and wrist.
"You have creativity that you're not expressing."
"You should take a watercolor painting class," she said.
"You should write."
I don't care if it sounds cliche. It was, frankly, quite spooky. We'd exchanged no information other than the fact that I had no question to ask.
She took my other hand and looked at my palms compared to each other.
"You need to nurture yourself. Letting your creativity out will feed your soul."
She said that my right hand showed that I'm too structured. My left revealed my care-free, fun nature. But that my hands reflect a imbalance. That I keep these two parts of my life very separate.
She said, "You like to appear very well put together. Mentally. Intellectually."
I still had offered no input.
She said that I work very hard to be in command of my mind and that I'm stuck in production mode.
That I need to divert that same energy to release my creativity and create a more adventurous, playful life.
"You are not there for you," she said.
It would be so easy to write about this day with a clever, skeptical, cynical tone. A cutesy, sarcastic blog post. But instead, I'll tell you that as she talked to me, I got chills and my eyes began to water until tears spilled over the edge.
In the time since the reading, I try to look at it objectively. Were these general comments that could apply to anyone? Would anyone have gotten chills listening to her? Would it have felt very personal and specific to whoever sat in her chair? It doesn't feel like it. It felt like she was talking about me.
Just the first four things she said:
- I'm overly sensitive
- I resist my creativity
- I should paint with watercolor
- I should write
No one would argue the sensitive thing.
Watercolor is my favorite medium (I actually mention it in the 16th New Thing ~ Hold That Pose ).
And I love to write. I long to write. Yet I resist writing. Like I'm afraid to open that door.
We talked a bit more about writing, creativity and the resistance.
Then we went on to discuss some personal things. Things that I'll be especially careful with whom I share.
I was a little shook from my reading with Teresa, as I headed downstairs to the small parlor and my time with Lizabeth.
My session up in the balcony bedroom with Teresa was very helpful and applicable.
My session on the main floor in the small parlor with Lizabeth was considerably more personal and emotional.
Like Teresa, Lisabeth cautioned me about holding back my true spirit. She went on to talk about how living an authentic life makes me vulnerable, but how priceless and rare, the payoff. The tears rolled again. She spoke about storytelling and my future. About love and how the universe has the final word in karma. She talked about my aura and angels.
I had my aura read in a parlor. A New Thing wrapped in a New Thing!
As I mentioned before, I'm not inclined to bullet point my spiritual beliefs here. But I am also not inclined to say here or anywhere, that I don't believe that some people have a heightened perception.
We weren't at the Psychic Fair all that long. But I'd had two intense encounters. And when I found myself driving on the freeway afterwards, it was startling. Kind of culture shock. The world was moving so fast. (More than usual.) I was a bit dazed and had to pay very close attention to match the 'speed' of regular life after the energy of the fair. It was a good reminder of how easy it is do go through my days in a mindless and automatic manner. Meeting Lisa for a good long chat afterwards was the perfect transition. I was so grateful she joined me and that we have this shared experience. Thanks, Lisa.
