Thing to Do #104: Have Your Fortune Told

When I was in college, my roommate Heather had studied Tarot and would do our readings every now and then as something fun.  Another roommate that Heather had known before college didn’t consider Tarot to be “just for fun” and began relying on the cards before she made any decision.  I remember her getting ready to go out with a guy for the night and having Heather do her reading about how the date would go. 

It was always interesting how you could make the cards “fit” your life and sometimes trick yourself into believing the cards were referring to a certain person or a specific event.  Later in life I happened to mention this story to a colleague and when she left our company, she actually gave me a set of Tarot Cards.  I sat down with them to try to memorize each card’s meaning in an effort to try to do readings, but I soon gave it up and they’ve been sitting on a shelf ever since.

This past October, I bid on a “New Year’s Reading” in a silent auction and won.  I thought it would be fun because I had never had a palm reading done and this would be different because it would be a complete stranger trying to tell me my fortune.

My “New Year’s Reading” was done last Wednesday and she started out by reading my palm.  Apparently I have a rather long life line and should live until my 80s (there goes completing Thing to Do #100: Live to 100).  On my right hand (my dominant hand) the life line is continuous, but on my left it branches off, meaning that I will have a potential crises when I am 35 or 40.  The “Mound of Venus” or the fleshy part of my palm leading to my thumb has lots of little lines, meaning I have a very healthy and robust love life, although a line under my pointer finger suggested that I have a lost love somewhere in my life (who doesn’t?).  The “Mound of the Moon” or the side of my palm leading to my little finger has lots of little lines, meaning I have the potential for creativity but have not yet explored this part of my life.  My right hand suggests that I will have one child, but the left says two (although she did mention that this particular “tell” was not always accurate).  I will travel some in my life but it will not be a large part of my life/something that I must do regularly. 

Flipping my hand over, she bent my fingers, finding that I am flexible when it comes to minor concerns, but overall I stand firm and will not give on issues that I feel strongly about.  The base of my fingers suggested that I was very grounded.

So up until this point, all pretty vague stuff that I felt could be applied to anyone.  I mean, what do you consider traveling?  Going to the beach or to the mountains every now and then?  Who doesn’t do that?

She then took my wedding ring to feel its “vibrations.”  It told her that Alex and I were a good match and complimented each other well.  He is more “steady” than I am, keeping the course and rarely deviating, while I sometimes go off, and that he adores me. - Ok, probably pretty true, we’re both pretty steady but between the two of us, I’m more given to “flights of fancy.”  And of course he adores me

After that we began the Tarot reading.  She did a simpler reading than Heather did back in college, only laying out five cards for a 5-6 month reading into the future.  The first reading was a general one; the first few months would be of growth and contemplation.  However, for May I got ‘The Devil’ card, which is one of the worst you can get!  It suggests being tied to the material world, having a wrong set of priorities, but then June went on to suggest a period of growth again.

The next reading was specifically for my marriage.  The first card was the “Ace of Pentacles” followed by two cups cards, and then the King and Queen of Pentacles – this was all good, meaning love and happiness and growth and abundance and wealth – you know, flowers and puppy dogs.  I had a reading done for my job and it suggested that things are going well on the surface but that there is an issue that will come to light in May (May again!), then it will be dealt with and in June, we will get back to work with things going well and no longer having to deal with the issue. 

The next reading I had was about my brother – after laying the cards out she asked “Your brother is married with a child?” to which I think I rather exclaimed “Yes!”  I was impressed that she got that right.  For January they are in a period of transition, followed by a period of growth and abundance until May (May!).  The Queen of Swords deals with an adult female and health, so perhaps my brother’s wife or someone in her family will have a health issue, but then June goes back to growth and abundance again.

I had individual readings about some projects I’m thinking about embarking on.  I have been considering trying to make some extra money by presenting workshops about non-profit management, as well as doing grants writing for organizations.  The cards said that both projects will take awhile to get off the ground, but that the grants writing will eventually prove to be very lucrative.  I also asked about writing a novel and the cards said that it will be very self-satisfying and will allow me to utilize that untapped creativity my “mound of the moon” is telling me about. 

I also pulled a single card for my niece Zoe and it was “The Lovers” card, which is one of the best to get – it speaks of being surrounded by love, happiness, and health, all good things.

That was it for the Tarot cards but she held my wedding ring once more to hear the vibrations.  During the process, I had mentioned our trip to New Zealand and as soon as she had the ring, she said she saw sheep.  I almost laughed aloud.  You mean, I told you we were going to New Zealand, where there are more sheep than people, and you see sheep in my future?  Wow.  She did say that we would both enjoy the trip; I would fall in love with the country and Alex would also have a great time, but would be anxious.  She asked if he would be anxious to get back to work and I said no, but that he is often anxious when traveling from place to place; she decided that was what the anxiety must be.

We ended with runes.  The rune that I chose dealt with signals and messages.  It advised me to be open to messages, signals, gifts and visitors, especially unexpected ones or from unexpected places.

So that was my New Year’s Reading.  For the most part, it was rather vague and while I could make it fit my life, its easy to do that no matter what is said.  There were definitely things she did say that didn’t make any sense, especially the one about being careful about an older man that will begin hanging around the Museum (?).  Apparently I need to be very careful in May though!

I know some people take this very seriously.  Anybody out there that has had their fortune told and it actually came true?  Any freaky stories about fortune telling?