Do You Want To Know Your Future

Recently at a community party we met a lady pretending and dressed up like a psychic. She was a good friend of mine as well as a co-worker. For this night though she was Madame Zola. I talked my grand-daughter into getting her fortune read. Only this did not work real well. The first attempt she walked in and then right back out. The second time I went with her and she sat down and listened for maybe 3 minutes. During this time Madam Zola told her she was a smart little girl who could make good grades in school and she would make a new friend soon. Nothing that should bother her. She abruptly got up out of the chair and walked  no I would say ran out. I later asked her why and she told me "Maybe I don't want to know everything that is going to happen to me". Would you like to have your fortune told to you?? 

Fortune telling is basically the practice of predicting events and happenings about a person's life. Fortune telling is very much like divination (the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means.) It is however hosted in a less serious or formal setting.

Civilizations of different cultures have become interested in matters of fortune telling throughout history. Psychics have been sought to tell fortune through astrology, numerology, and tarot. Fortune telling emerged originally from Renaissance magic interrupted via gypsies. Fortune tellers can use many hundred different techniques. Many of these techniques date back to before recorded history. These forms are the same that were practiced in ancient China, Egypt, Chaldea, and Babylonia dating back to 4000 BC The bible in fact tells stories of prophetic dreams and oracular utterances. During the 19th and 20th century methods of divination from non-Western cultures were adopted as methods of fortune telling in western popular cultures.

Every culture seems to have its own form of fortune telling. Astrologers and wizards were consulted for everything from battles, to political matters as well as marriage choices. Astrologist were said to be able to study the movements of heavenly bodies as they influenced matters on earth. Those who professed in numerology would use playing cards, tarot card, tea leaves, crystal balls, dice, fire, water and scattered salt. Fortune tellers would use character analysis , study of handwriting, physiognomy or studied facial characteristic as well as palmistry. Palmistry is study the hand of the one searching for their fortune to be told.

Many Europeans and Americans consider fortune telling as a sin within Judaism and Christianity and civil laws that have forbidden the practice of such magic. Thousands of years ago psychics were prized advisers but they have since lost respect and reverence.