Recently Boing Boing pointed to a blog post at Mediactive concerning a story in the Arizona Republic about people turning to psychic practitioners in hard economic times.

“When the going gets tough, Valley residents apparently go in search of the metaphysical. Local psychics and astrologers say that while they’re seeing some decline in business as longtime clients cut back on discretionary spending, the recession is bringing them many new customers.”

According to Dan Gillmor at Mediactive,  this puff-piece commits many journalistic sins.

“Consider the way the story starts. The word “apparently” is a tip-off that the piece is based on no actual data. Who’s the source for this alleged mini-flood of new customers? Why, the people selling the product. Makes sense to me: In I-can-see-into-the-future territory, we can just take their word for it. Not a single customer is quoted. We hear only from the people who are claiming to be getting this influx of new customers. Can’t the newspaper find even one client?”

He’s also not very happy that not a note of skepticism concerning their future-seeing abilities was to be found, indeed, the paper instead ran a side-bar of definitions that clearly favored a “believers” perspective. However, if he thinks that’s bad, he’s in for something of a shock.

“No newspaper, as far as I know, gives its pages over to self-described psychics. Yet the Republic’s story quotes several, along with the astrologers, with a straight face.”

No newspaper? It’s a veritable trend! The “psychics do well in hard times” news-meme has been spotted in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the New Jersey Star-Ledger, WSBT22 in Indiana, the Palm Beach Post, and CNN. Those are just the ones I bothered to blog about, I’m sure there are many more. I agree that these articles are usually instances of badly-researched and written journalism, but whose fault is that? Certainly not the psychics, who are merely eager to get more publicity and press for their business, the fault instead lies with a lazy, underfunded, and ideologically insecure press. Constantly afraid of offending anyone, reporters nowadays either search out opposing views when none are needed, or take uncritical dictation when they should be seeking out hard data and doing follow-up. Journalism isn’t ailing because they are giving psychics a pass, it is ailing because the entire enterprise of news-gathering has lost its way. Filler-stories like “psychics do well in hard times” are just a symptom of a press incapable, or unwilling, of tackling the bigger stories.

My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.

Our top story concerns a messy divorce, accusations of abuse and child-porn, and the practice of “Wiccanism”. Scott Starnes is being accused by his wife Christine of “using her and the children without their knowledge or consent.” In addition, there seems to be allegations that this is all tied into the practice of Witchcraft somehow.

“Investigators said that Christine Starnes also reported that her husband was studying witchcraft. A Williamston police sergeant confirmed through investigating e-mails and Web sites that Scott Starnes had enrolled in school of witchcraft and had been looking up information on how to cast spells, do evil and “banish a troublesome person.” But there are no charges in connection to any of the witchcraft-related activities, and no immediate indication that any of Starnes’ witchcraft-related interests were in any way illegal.”

After a month-long investigation, child-porn images were found on his computer, though reports of abusive behavior were inconclusive. The police are currently examining the computer for further evidence. According to John Newkirk, Scott Starnes’ lawyer, he is innocent of all charges and this is merely fall-out from messy divorce proceedings. Then again, lawyers are paid very well to say things like that. I would have no trouble writing off Mr. Starnes completely as sick individual if it weren’t for the eagerness of Mrs. Starnes and the police (you can see the list of witchcraft-related items confiscated during the investigation) in dragging the Witchcraft element into this. I’ll be paying close attention to the trial, and the forensic investigation results of the computer, with great interest.

Wiccan comic-book artist Holly G participated in a recent panel at Chicago’s Comic-Con concerning religious themes in comic books. She was joined by two Christians and one agnostic who were also involved in the comics industry. It seems that everyone got along just fine despite the theological differences.

“Remarkably, there were no fights or bitter accusations flung across the table, but rather a unified sense of pride and communion as storytellers focus on spirituality in their work, whether it’s of a religious or metaphysical nature … The panelists were then challenged about their methods of handling faith in their own stories. While the witch talked of unwittingly (and unwillingly) gaining obedient converts through her pagan comics, the pro-life Christian Tennapel talked about the great fulfillment of winning over non-believers. He went on to talk about his most filthy comic, “Black Cherry”, a rated-R mafia, demon story that he billed as his “most religious” book and the most successful among non-believers. The non-Christian audience was drawn to it, he suggested, because of its richly dark, demonic story, but in the process of believing in the tale, were forced to believe in the Christian hierarchy of metaphysical beings. In a sense, this is Tennapel’s way of evangelizing.”

So Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose is gaining us converts? I’m not sure how I feel about that. To see why, you might want to check out some of my previous coverage concerning the intersections between well-known modern Pagans and this not-safe-for-work cheesecake comic.

As plastic “shamans” and various New Age seekers continue to abuse the trust of Native American spiritual leaders, more tribes decide that the best recourse is to shut out all outsiders. That is the case with the Hopi, who have decided to close their annual Hopi Snake Dance to outsiders due to illegal photography and a lack of respect.

“The traditional Hopi Snake Dance, part of an elaborate dayslong ceremony in which tribal members pray for rain, is closed to non-American Indians this year. Mishongnovi village administrator Robert Mahkewa Jr. says illegal photography and a lack of respect for the traditions and ceremonial practices led to the decision to bar non-Indians from this weekend’s event.”

In addition, an editorial from The Native Sun News urges all tribes to restrict access to their ceremonies, saying that the era of outsiders cashing in on their religious practices must come to an end. It truly is a shame that a small population of self-absorbed seekers and con-artists are so damaging relations between Natives and non-Native peoples.

The Washington Post looks at the efforts of Nick Nefedro and the ACLU to overturn a law barring fortune-telling in Montgomery County, Maryland. But unlike previous successful efforts to overturn such bans, Nefedro (a self-described gypsy) isn’t claiming a religious reason that the law should be overturned, a fact that is making local authorities confident they’ll withstand a lawsuit.

“I don’t think it’s strange for us to have laws that protect against fraud,” said Clifford Royalty, zoning division chief in the Montgomery County attorney’s office, adding that “religion has nothing to do with it. He’s not made that allegation in the lawsuit.” “The practice is fraudulent,” Royalty said, “because no one can forecast the future.”

While I wish Mr. Nefedro every success in getting this antiquated law stricken from the books, I think the ACLU should have explored getting a local Pagan involved so that they could bring the religious aspect of these laws into the proceedings. For all of my past coverage of anti-psychic/fortune-telling laws click, here.

In regards to my ongoing look at Pagan periodicals, you might be interested to read this report from the Philadelphia Inquirer on how several smaller religiously-oriented newspapers and newsletters are also falling on hard times.

“They land politely – in mailboxes, not driveways – and deliver their good news gently. “Relics blessed in advance of tour.” “Young Israelis at Medford Camps.” “Our Lady of Pompeii Church Celebrates 100 Years.” “Local Concert Raises $2,600 for Mitzvah Food Project.” But with advertising revenues in decline, these are challenging times for some local religious newspapers – and perhaps the end times for one.”

When pundits and anylists talk about the hard times falling on newspapers and magazines, smaller niche-oriented publications like these are often overlooked. But we shouldn’t underestimate the importance of these journalistic undergrounds for gestating and investigating the stories that eventually become “big news”.

In a final note, the snarky political blog Wonkette rightly mocks the absurd and un-sourced rumours among right-wing blogs that Michelle Obama’s mother participates in Santeria rituals.

“Apparently Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama’s mother, performs Satanic “Afro-Hispanic” witchcraft rituals, in the White House. Barack Obama is piping mad, because how would this affect his IMAGE? Poorly! This story and all of its quotes are true. Jane Mayer of the New Yorker is one helluva reporter and would never make up something this incendiary. Oh… what is that, Intern Riley?… It’s from Townhall, not Jane Mayer of the New Yorker?… THEN IT’S EVEN TRUER.”

I guess when all else fails, when being called a Nazi doesn’t hold water, you can always accuse the women of practicing witchcraft. Somehow I don’t think this is what right-wing thinkers mean when they talk of holding onto “traditional values”.

That’s all I have for now, have a great day!

An interesting business article about fortune-telling in Will County, Illinois (that would be around Joliet for those unfamiliar with Illinois) caught my eye today. It seems the Will County Board have decided that all new businesses offering any sort of psychic service, from astrology to “magic mediunship”, can only open in a commercial district.

“If you want to get paid to read fortunes in Will County, you’ll have to open up shop in a commercial district. Before a zoning ordinance mandating that was approved by the County Board last week, those who dealt in the occult could pretty much do it anywhere. But the change came as the county decided to go over its long list of ordinances — some of which were outdated because they were enacted when the county was mostly rural and didn’t take into account such “new age” businesses as tattoo parlors, body piercing studios, dog watchers and, yes, fortunetellers.”

To avoid an uproar, the board allowed pre-existing businesses (about 11 or so) to be grandfathered in. Still, this places a significant hardship on a rather transient industry that is often based in the home of the practitioner. It would be little wonder that in these tough times, and with psychic and spiritual services seemingly weathering the storm well, more and more folks trained in tarot or astrology would decide to supplement their income. Indeed, David Dubois, Will County Land Use Department supervisor says that increased interest in people (legally) opening these businesses is what prompted the change.

“The change in law regarding fortunetellers and tarot readers began after several people had inquired about opening such businesses, said David Dubois, Will County Land Use Department supervisor.”

The County Board no doubt thinks this will discourage “blight” in residential areas (by restricting not only fortunetelling but many other potentially home-based businesses) while boosting revenue in commercial districts, but I think they’ll be somewhat disappointed. Having to rent a separate space for a business that can often see rather sporadic revenue is often a non-starter for most (honest) psychic or fortune-telling individuals. What I predict will happen (using no psychic powers I might add) is that many of these would-be fortunetellers (not to mention the dog-walkers and tattoo/piercing artists) will simply go underground. Working quietly for cash, and denying the County tax and licensing revenue they could have reaped from a less restrictive measure. The whole issue strikes me as somewhat discriminatory against folks who largely come from and service low-income areas (how many tattoo parlors or tarot-readers are going to open up shop in a McMansion). A disappointing measure, that in these times could be disastrous for families living on the edge of solvency. Yet another entry into the quiet war against psychics and seers.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel profiles some local botanicas for yet another “psychics do well in bad times” sort of piece.  While there are the usual claims of increased business and success, there is also some rather frank and honest advice from the owners and practitioners concerning expectations.

“Nelson Hernandez, who owns El Viejo Lazaro botanica in Miami, agrees. No one should expect orishas, or Santeria deities, to overturn something as vast as the economic crisis, he said. Hernandez, who is also a master of Santeria ceremonies, reads cowrie shells to see how the orishas can help his customers … “The orisha can help when a path exists, but not if there isn’t one,” he said.”

They also talk to a Santero who’s been giving away free readings due to the poverty of his clients. Words and deeds like this point to important distinctions concerning those who offer ritual and divinatory services for money. Sometimes the answer to a prayer, spell, offering, or ritual is “no”. Anyone who tells you differently, or who guarantees miraculous results, is most likely a lying scam-artist more concerned about their own income during this recession than yours. Even the most blessed, heroic, and well-connected people are sometimes bereft of divine or magical help.

If you’re in a difficult position, and seeking some sort of spiritual assistance through an intermediary, make sure the person you’re going to is involved with and accountable to their local community. A Santero, botanica owner, or local Pagan merchant who takes advantage of their community too often will find themselves saddled with a bad repuation and a shrinking client base, but the independent (and often stereotypical) psychics and card-readers you see with the lit windows and colorful signs are usually operating without such social pressures. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, and always trust your intution. If something feels “wrong” it probably is.

A relatively slow news day today, but there were a few Pagan-related items I wanted to share with you. First, we have another “psychics doing well in the recession” story, this one starring an actual Witch!

For Barbara the Gray Witch, tarot cards are the tools of the trade, and she’s been using them for clients more often. She said, “For me, the more that they cry ‘the sky is falling, the economy is looking bad,’ the bigger my clientele.” She says business has tripled. The questions people ask Barbara aren’t about love anymore, as lately, it’s been about finances … So what’s in the cards? “I say the future is bright, but people have to stop whining about everything and panicking about everything,” she said. “It’s time to get your head out of the clouds, stop charging constantly and living out of your means.”

Barbara seems a bit more honest and pragmatic than some of the other professional psychics enjoying a mini-boom in this economy. Let’s just hope she’s right, and the future does turn out to be bright (I fear we might be beyond a bit of belt-tightening). If you want to know more about her, she has a MySpace page hawking her services.

Recently a UK paper reported on a Grantown Baptist church that has been receiving harassing notes (and the occasional dead animal). The local deacon (and the paper) described the notes as “pagan” and “heathen” in nature (partially due to the notes bearing the “all-seeing eye” symbol). This, in turn, has sparked an angry reaction from the local Pagan community.

“Pagans have criticised a Grantown church deacon for blaming them for a series of “attacks” culminating in an incident in which a dead animal was used to deliver a message. They insist that no-one with their beliefs would be guilty of such behaviour, and that deacon Bob Fishwick was out of line to make the claim. Some even go as far as to say that the bizarre attacks could be the work of a disgruntled Christian.”

The paper apparently sought an official comment from The Pagan Federation on the matter, but they were not able to reach anyone. At any rate, good on the local Pagans for not allowing these accusations to stand unanswered.

In a final note, last year I reported on a Pagan shop that survived Christian protests only to be done in by the local economy. Now the Daily Press and Argus reports that the owner has opened a new shop in a nearby town where the costs are cheaper.

“Mona Lindsay, like most people, only asks that you don’t prejudge her. If you’re interested, she’ll give you a peak into her world. Lindsay, a practicing Wiccan — a religion that follows the cycle of the moon and seasons and the sun rather than one central deity — is perhaps best known for running Wisdom of the Ages, a Howell store that closed last year, where she sold herbs, incense, crystals, oils and other items. She soon after opened Moon Magick, 4780 E. M-36 in Hamburg Township.”

Here’s hoping that Moon Magick is able to weather our economic troubles better than Wisdom of the Ages. As for the space that used to house Wisdome of the Ages, a neighboring hair salon has expanded into it.

That’s all I’ve got for now, have a great day!

Whether it is from a religious bias, personal distaste, or misguided efforts to “protect” residents, psychic practitioners and divination peddlers have often faced problems with local governments. The most common way this manifests is an outright ban on divinatory practices, though recent court decisions have increasingly made this route untenable (not to mention expensive). But bans aren’t the only quiver in the arsenal against these business, instead of banning some simply regulate psychics out of existence.

If you’re a fortune teller in Hialeah [in Florida], you need a permit. No proof required. But, like in many cities around South Florida, there’s a fee to operate your fortune telling business. The cost for Hialeah seers: $1,000 … The matter dates back to 1983 when out of fear that a strip of palm-reader shops would develop, the Hialeah council decided to control the business by restricting palm readers, astrologers and fortune tellers to industrially-zoned areas. But [local fortune teller Nancy] Williams would not stand for it and filed a lawsuit challenging the city’s right to keep palm readers out of town. Her attorney Richard Gross argued the city had a right to regulate the craft, but not to stop it. He asked the council to allow seers in commercial areas. Then-Mayor Raul Martinez urged them to consider the amount of taxpayer money that would go to fighting the case, if they did not reverse the council’s 1983 decision. The council agreed. In 1989, the council passed an ordinance that required the businesses to be situated at least 1,000 feet from each other and 500 feet away from residential, school or church properties. It also set the cost of the occupational licenses at $1,000.

This ordinance, its high licensing fees, and combative attitudes towards practitioners of divination caused a drop since 1989 from 39 registered fortune tellers to just two. Now, twenty years later, the Hialeah Council is about to lower the fee to something more in line with neighboring cities.

The cost for Hialeah seers: $1,000. That amount soon might be reduced to $250, if the Hialeah Council agrees to the fee reduction at its next meeting Feb. 24. The ordinance unanimously passed first reading Feb. 9. Hialeah officials felt the fee was an abuse — one that might have been encouraging some to operate illegally — on all of the two registered city spiritualists. ”We’re just doing it essentially out of fairness,” said City Attorney Bill Grodnick.

One wonders what brought about this change of heart. It seems odd that the Hialeah Council suddenly realized the fee was “abusive”, could the loss of business to other cities and the economic downturn have anything to do with this? After all, according to some reports psychics, botanicas, and other services do pretty well in hard fiscal times (plus, I’m sure they hope that the practitioners operating under the table will decide to go legit). But is it too little and too late? Can Hialeah change its image as a city unfriendly to psychics? If not, it may be some unintended blowback in the quiet war against local seers.

Instead of reading more 2009 predictions from a collection of local psychics, let’s turn instead to the SF Gate’s interview with astrologer Rob Brezsny. The “free will” astrologer takes some time to punch holes in the predictions of your neighborhood doom-sayers.

“I believe that some astrologers, not all, are like a lot of New Age prophets and right-wing fundamentalist prophets in that they gravitate toward the visions of the future that stimulate fear, because at this cultural moment fear is more entertaining than the more uplifting news, and it gives them power. It gives them power to scare somebody. I try to have a very tolerant nature towards all people, but I have to admit that it really grates on me when astrologers just fixate on the ugliest possible interpretation of any astrological aspect.”

Then again, he also says the real prophets of our culture are creating a darker world.

“The more dangerous prophets are the storytellers of our culture – the journalists, the filmmakers, the writers of fiction and many musicians who are constantly besieging us with dark visions. I think about Muriel Rukeyser, the poet, who said that the universe is not made of molecules – it’s made out of stories, and if the storytellers of our culture are constantly telling us that the only true thing is an ugly thing, then yes, I do think that’s a problem.”

Being someone who alternately styles himself a journalist and an artist, I take issue with the idea that “dark stories” are creating an “ugly” future. Art isn’t just joyous inspiration, it is also catharsis and reflection. Imagine how darker things would truly be without the “dark visions” providing a safe outlet for all that “ugliness”. So while I admire Brezsny’s commitment to positive thinking, he seems to be stuck in a sort of “pronoic” tunnel vision of his own making on this particular issue.

But let’s not end the first post of 2009 on a critical note, here is a final quote from Brezsny that should warm a few Pagan hearts.

“I subscribe to Krishnamurti’s principle… he said that “we need four billion religions.” Now that number is up to 6.5 billion – a religious tradition for everyone on the planet, 6.5 billion paths to God.”

For more on Brezsny and Free Will Astrology, check out his web site. I’m also fond of his piece “A Prayer For You”. I hope you had a great New Years, and aren’t suffering too much from last night’s celebrations.

As we move forward into 2009 many of us are looking warily into an uncertain economic future. It seems logical then that those who promise advance knowledge – diviners, psychics, astrologers, and prognosticators – would be enjoying something of a boom time. That’s the premise of a recent CNN spotlight (HT: Klintron) on how some astrologers and psychics are doing well in this pessimistic economic climate*.

“Astrologer Randy Goldberg says he’s gone from seeing two to three clients a day to as many as nine. No longer is love the top query. ‘They’re curious about what’s going to happen to the market, what the economic future of the U.S. is looking like in the next couple of years…they want to know about the job market.’”

But is the common wisdom that psychics (and others who peer into the future) do well during hard times really accurate? After all, despite the New Age community’s recent Oprah-fication, initial signs have been mixed. Trade shows have been canceled, and niche publications are often hanging on by a thread. As for the psychics themselves, they seem split on the economic future. Bay Area psychics seem to think that the “economy will turn around much sooner than economists now predict”, while psychics from Colorado Springs seem a bit more pessimistic.

“The recession will bottom out on Oct. 22, 2009. During February 2010, nearly all of us will believe we are coming out of the recession.”

I wonder if the real answer to the question of psychics and astrologers doing well during recessions is one of style instead of substance. That the prognosticators willing to offer reassurance and comfort will be sought out, while doom-saying Cassandras (or hard-nosed realists) will see some hard times (aside from those who wish confirmation of their own portents of decline). In this these individuals won’t be too different from the entertainment industry, which will no doubt offer a steady diet of uplift, flashy action-heroes, and comedy as times get tougher (few will want to wallow in existential dread when their wallets are empty). It doesn’t take a mind-reader to know that people want escape and hope when times have backed them into a corner.

* The Horoscopic Astrology Blog takes issue with CNN’s conflation of psychics with astrologers, noting that most astrologers don’t claim to be psychic. You might also want to check out his “Top 10 Types of Astrologers To Avoid”.

Back in the beginning of October I reported that Wiccan Cliff Eakin had been successful in his efforts to have a local anti-fortune telling ordinance overturned in Livingston Parish, LA. Now MagickTV has produced a four-part series that features interviews with Eakin and his lawyer, and includes footage of the party held for the official signing of the settlement papers (and featuring Raymond Buckland as an official witness).

Here are links to all four episodes: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4. Kudos to the MagickTV crew for doing this important primary-source journalism and creating a document of this win for the broader Pagan community.

It has been known for years that Salem, home of the infamous witch trials, has become a mecca for Halloween revelers and modern Pagans (who purportedly make up 10% of the local population). But I think outside observers might be surprised to see how this witchy tourist draw has grown to Mardi Gras proportions. For example, did you know that thousands of bikers do a “Halloween Witch Ride” every year?

Halloween Witch Rider. Photo by Mark Garfinkel.

“More than 3,000 scary-looking cyclists got a jump on Halloween yesterday by participating in the 20th annual Halloween Witch Ride to Salem. Taking off from Bruce Rossmeyer’s Boston Harley-Davidson in Everett, werewolves, skeletons and other ghouls all shared a scenic route through the North Shore.”

This particular event has grown so large that Salem has opened its own Harley-Davidson shop this year, complete with a special Harley Salem witch shirt (which is apparently selling like hotcakes). Meanwhile, the city itself is coming up with grander closing spectacles to signal to the large crowds that the Halloween-season party is over.

“The city has hired Somerville-based Visual Design Associates — the company that created an elaborate indoor display at Jordan’s furniture in Reading — to design an eye-catching, end-of-the-night program that will both entertain and send the message to revelers that Halloween night is over … Around 10 p.m., the live music and DJ’s scattered throughout the downtown will wrap up for the night and direct crowds to the display on Washington Street. At 10:30 p.m., the 15-minute artistic program will start. Then, a scaled-back fireworks display will be launched near the North River at 10:45 p.m. … It involves an 8-foot wall, helium and giant dancing shapes, according to Kate Fox, the executive director of Destination Salem.”

Another article points out that Salem isn’t only drawing American revelers and Pagan pilgrims, but a growing international contingent of Halloween tourists.

“So far this October, more than 6,000 visitors have stopped by the booth, which is open on weekends. “There are so many people from other countries,” said information booth volunteer Grace Lamarre, a Salem resident.”

As for local Pagan groups, they are hardly idle. Witchy impresario Christian Day’s Festival of the Dead grows ever larger, with a Retro Zombie Ball, a Vampires’ Masquerade Ball, and, of course, The Official Salem Witches‘ Halloween Ball.

“Saturday, November 1, 2008, 7:30pm to 12:30am at the Hawthorne Hotel! Join Christian Day and the Witches of Salem with special guest Fiona Horne and musical guests Wendy Rule and Dragon Ritual Drummers for a night of magic at the event AOL CityGuide rated one of America’s top Halloween parties! Join us as in days of old when fires burned on every hilltop and Witches gathered to feast, rejoice, and cast spells for the new year!”

In addition to Day’s massive multi-week extravaganza, Pagan events are also being thrown by Crow Haven Corner, the Cabot Witches (for Cabot initiates only), the Witches’ Education Bureau, The Temple of Nine Wells, the First Church of Wicca, and several others.

Add in the seemingly recession-proof yearly increase in Halloween-related spending, and what began as a local tourist draw is gradually morphing into a nationally (and internationally) recognized seasonal festival. For better or worse, this change from cheesy wax-works and trial re-enactments into a massive cultural (and money-making) multi-week event is partially due to the emergence of Witches and modern Pagans injecting a sense of the sacred (and the psychic) into the proceedings. It may never be officially called a Samhain festival, but for all intents and purposes this is America’s tribute to Summer’s End.