5 Reasons to Try A Dark Exercise Class
Why your next workout should include a dark exercise class.
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Delicious things happen in the dark, don’t they? Stolen kisses, trick-or-treating, firefly catching, moon gazing, movie watching, dreaming and, yes, even exercising. Didn’t expect to see exercise on the list? Epic dark fitness classes are on the upswing at fitness studios across the country — from Y7’s Hip-Hop Candlelit Yoga in West Hollywood, where devotees down dog in the dark to Beyoncé, to Banana Skirt’s Ratchet Zooba in New York, where students twerk Rihanna style to burn up to 700 calories under spinning disco lasers, to celeb-devoted Soul Cycle spins nationwide (OMG, is that Jake Gyllenhaal and Katy Perry toweling off sweat?!).
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Here are five reasons you need to sign up for a dark fitness class, lose your inhibitions and never look back.
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1. It feels like you're out — not at the gym.
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Before dark exercise class begins, you sense the difference. Standing in a flickering-candlelit room with 30 people as smooth beats trance you out make you feel more like you're at your favorite bar, lounge or club. And the sweating hasn’t even started yet.
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2. You aren’t looking at others — thereby not comparing yourself.
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Class begins, and you barely see your classmates. When you're not looking at other exercisers, you aren’t accidentally on purpose comparing yourself with them or even allowing them to influence your practice. Suddenly it's just you, your practice, the instructor and the music.
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3. You aren't looking at yourself — thereby not judging yourself.
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Exercising in the dark means you don't have to watch yourself in a mirror. By not looking, checking, observing, adjusting or judging yourself, more of your attention moves toward your practice. Your ego is left, well, in the dark — and your consciousness takes flight toward the light.
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4. Less distraction
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Science tells us we close our eyes while kissing and eating chocolate to block out all unnecessary information. We want to focus on the ecstasy we experience. Dark exercise blots out all the distracting, annoying, attention-catching things in a normal exercise class. It's easier to focus on the pleasure of the movement, pay stricter attention to the instructor and get carried away by the music. All that adds up to excelling faster and becoming stronger and leaner. Additionally, you aren’t actually in a club, so no creepy dude is dancing up on you.
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5. Tribal transcendence
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Whether you live for the endorphin rush or delight in a sweet yoga Savasana that blasts you into an out-of-body experience, I assure you it happens faster, lasts longer and occurs more intensely when you do it in the dark!
Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself. No matter what, you’ve enjoyed an unforgettable experience. When class ends, you'll feel a sweaty, sexy sense of communion with your classmates. You’ve experienced something together, without all the crowding of a club. In today’s screen-obsessed, speed-o-matic world, all of us could do with a healthy fostering of a live, real-time connection with ourselves and others!
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How To Ask The Right Questions for Tarot Readings
If you want a specific answer from a tarot reading, it's important to ask the right questions.
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Did you know that the questions you ask are more important than the answers you receive?
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I spent the last 10 years as a professional tarot card reader. Questions were the bread and butter of my practice. Every reading began with a question, “What would you like to know/speak/talk about during this session?” My clients had millions of questions. If they didn’t know what to ask, we created a question. Along the way, I learned a lot about forming questions and their power to influence our lives.
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Humans possess the spectacular ability to imagine and dream. Once a vision/fantasy/idea is experienced, thought and felt, the next step always comes in question form, “How do I make that happen?”
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When it comes to achieving goals or manifesting desire, here is a little known secret. Power lies in the question — not in the answer. Why? Because it is basic human nature to move to the next question or need as soon as the immediate question is answered. When the brain is given a question, the brain’s automatic reaction is to find an answer and move on to the next question like a game of leap frog. Smarter questions move us faster and farther in the direction we want to go. This is why creating good questions is essential in life.
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Bad questions
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When am I going to fall in love?
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Why am I such an idiot?
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Why am I so unlucky?
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Why am I eating this fourth slice of pizza?
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Why me?
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These questions are not only poorly constructed, they are downright toxic. “Why and when” questions cave in on your brain. They give it no room to explore and discover a satisfying answer with the power to set you on a new course.
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Good questions
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What can I do to cultivate an amazing romantic relationship?
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How can I attack this issue in a different way?
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How can I have more fun?
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What fulfills me?
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Good questions acknowledge the personal power you possess over your future actions. They put your clever brain firmly in the driver’s seat. “What and how” questions give your brain something it can work with. They will give you an answer you can take action on. They actually trick your brain into proactivity.
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Repetition and requests
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It is human nature to repeat. Nature’s patterns repeat, habits repeat, lessons repeat and our questions repeat until they are answered. Want to change something in your life? Want to create something new? Construct a power question. Ask that question each and every day at the same time. Ask it over your first sip of coffee, ask it when you step in the shower, ask it when you slip your key into the ignition. Ask it as if like your life depends on it. Because if you are asking a good, deep, heartfelt, important question, your life does depend on it.
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Power question construction
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Acknowledge the role you play in your future.
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State your desired outcome.
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Construct your power question.
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Ask this question every day until you get your answer.
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Do I ask my tarot cards questions every day after all these years? You better believe I do!
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Sasha's She Knows Article Archives
6 Tips for Reading Tarot With No Experience
How to get started reading tarot cards like a pro.
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Tarot readers often study for years, and there is a common belief that one must be “born” to a family of witches, psychics or mediums in order to read tarot. Innate talent and/or study is essential to being a dedicated reader, but if you want to read cards for yourself, fear not. Anyone, yes, anyone, can read tarot — and do so immediately. Do you trust me? Good. Take my hand, step into my chamber, and let’s light a candle. I’ll show you in six steps how to read your own tarot. All that’s needed is an open and inquiring mind — and I know you have that in spades.
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1. Acknowledge you are a born storyteller.
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Guess what? Every single one of us tells stories — all the time. You needn’t be a published author. We tell ourselves internal stories all day long. If I asked you to describe your day, you could do it. If I asked you to tell me about your childhood, you could do it. If I showed you an editorial spread in a high-fashion magazine and asked you to tell a story of the photos, you could. If I placed a tarot card in front of you and asked you to tell me the story of what you see, you could do it… but only if you released the fear of getting it wrong.
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2. Don’t be afraid to get it “wrong."
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Fear of getting tarot meanings wrong is the number one biggest impediment of all potential readers. Nothing throws up a wall like fear. Are tarot meanings steeped in hundreds of years of esoteric theory and a rich structured meaning? Yes. Do you have to know this rich history and memorize all these meanings to draw insight from the cards? Nope, not at all.
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3. Trust what you see.
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Tarot’s power lies in its fine, bonelike structure and how it reflects the human psyche. Standard meanings exist, but you don't have to worry about them at first. Tarot's power also lies in the abstract nature of its symbols. In abstraction, all meanings hold importance. If something strikes a chord in you, then it has meaning for you. This is your golden ticket — this is your message.
Start with a single card. Shuffle and draw randomly. Take a breath. Allow the images to wash over you. Which part of the card catches your attention? Is it a crown? A handsome man on a horse? Is it a golden chalice or a soft furry lion?
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4. Find your meaning.
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Once an item or action in the card has caught your attention, figure out what it means to you. Is a rainbow capturing your attention? Decide how you feel about rainbows. Is it a figure lost in work? What does your work mean to you? Are two people looking at each other lovingly? What does romantic love mean to you at the moment?
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5. Tell the story.
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Once you’ve deciphered a meaning, reflect it back to yourself in the form of a story. If the rainbow caught your eye, your story or “message” might be, “I need to look for the beauty in my day.” If you are struggling at work you love — the figure working hard — your message might be, “I need to keep doing the work I love. It will lead to great things.” If romantic lovers appear, your message might be, “Spread the love to invoke love.”
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6. Begin your journey.
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Take a leap of faith, listen to your inner voice, and you’ll be shocked at how quickly you will feel confident with the cards. Who knows where they will take you? Tarot has been used for divination and advice for hundreds of years, and it's more popular than ever. It just might change your life — it sure changed mine. Good luck!
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5 Creative Ways to Use Tarot
Use your tarot cards for inspiration and meditation – not just fortune telling
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Mention tarot cards and the mysterious image of a gypsy woman reading fortunes in a carnival tent may spring to mind. But today’s vast selection of tarot, angel and oracle cards have become an empowering way for modern readers to increase personal intuition, foster creativity and weave the strands of destiny as they see fit. Predictive tarot reading takes a back seat as new and innovative ways of using the cards are springing up.
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1. Daily vision boarding
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Vision boards are a wildly popular and fun tool for people who know that their future doesn't lie in the stars but in their own hands. Tarot is a convenient daily vision-board tool. Need to ignite some sex appeal? Reach for the sensual Queen of Wands. Want to invoke your creative goddess? Find the Empress and place her where you can see her. Like to invoke more compassion? Stick the Ace of Cups where you can gaze at it all day. Tarot images communicate with the unconscious on a symbolic level, just like pictures cut from magazines typically used on vision boards. They help push past language barriers and communicate directly to the psyche.
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2. Journal prompting and creative writing
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Daily journal prompts are a fun way to invoke personal creativity. Choose a generic sentence such as, "The most important thing to me is..." Then flip a card, and your journaling self will be off and running. In the same vein, writers who get blocked on character, setting or scene can flip tarot cards for inspiration. They might actually tell you who a character is, where they are and what they are doing.
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3. Brainstorming
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Stuck on a work or life issue? Need quick, solid solutions? Tarot cards can be a lifeline to new possibilities. Write a comprehensive list of challenges, questions and issues, and pull a card for each one. Free your mind, and free-associate with the images on the cards. Allow the solutions to flow.
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4. Meditation
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Science proves that meditation graces the practitioner with dozens of medical benefits. Meditate into any tarot card or its meaning by focusing on the image and significance. Calm and bring awareness to your inner self. Re-create the card in your mind’s eye. Adventurous souls can move deeper into the tarot card by moving through its borders to explore what is beyond.
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5. Manifestation and magic
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To bring specific goals to fruition, you can engage directly with the tarot arcana and create a ritual or spell around your desired outcome. Manifestation work requires more than simply assembling a vision board. Timing is considered, sacred space is cultivated, and additional accessories are utilized. But even the simplest of spells can be quite effective in achieving one’s desire.
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We made the Kardashians into tarot cards — yup, Khloe's totally the High Priestess
Your prayers have been answered. The Kardashians (and a few Jenners and Wests) have been turned into tarot cards.
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Tarot cards get a bad rap, but they're actually incredible. You can use them for advice, decision making, meditative practice, creative inspiration, future forecasting, personal reflection, magic and manifestation. You can use them alone, with a friend or even a group of people. You can learn more about tarot in my latest book, 365 Tarot Spells: Creating Magic in Each Day. At the end of the day, tarot is just plain fun.
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Tarot communicates though symbols and archetypes. It’s easy and fun to discover those archetypes in daily life. An archetype is universal idea or prototype, so if someone says “father figure,” you know immediately what that means. That’s the power of an archetype.
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Pop culture provides loads of archetypal imagery to observe, play with and help us learn tarot. Who better than our favorite Hollywood family, the Kardashians, to represent some of the strongest tarot cards?
We watched her grow up on Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Boy, has she ever burst out and into her own. The Chariot card is all about taking charge, knowing where you want to go and heading there. Kylie sees life as an adventure, she’s Instagram’s eighth most followed person, and her mad style has everyone waiting to see what she’ll be wearing next.
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When the Chariot card appears for you, it is a reminder that you have control over life, both where you are going and what direction you want to be headed in. Set your sights, put the key in the ignition and go!
As the ultimate sex symbol, Kim perfectly embodies the Lovers card, which hones in on sex, love, attraction, choice and that which mesmerizes us. Her enduring fame proves she is a fascinating creature with a Marilyn Monroe X-factor. Every girl wants to be her, and every man wants to sleep with her. Nudity in tarot, as depicted on the Lovers card, often implies vulnerability, and Kim’s emotions are always readily available. But we can also take the meaning literally when we consider her nude photo shoots or her early sex tape.
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When the Lovers card appears for you in a reading, get really for a sexy, wild ride. Things are about to get interesting!
Think reserved, calm personality — the Star card represents the quiet after the storm has passed. Kendall’s reserved and calm personality embodies the peace reflected in the Star, which also represents muse-like qualities and channeling inspiration. Kendall’s skyrocketing fame on the runway and in fashion magazines proves she’s a muse for the world’s greatest designers, not to mention the face of Estée Lauder’s Modern Muse Le Rouge perfume.
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If the Star card appears for you, it is a sign that troubles have passed and you are ready to channel inspiration from above.
From his over-the-top Yeezy Season 3 fashion show at Madison Square Garden to the much-hyped release of The Life of Pablo, Kanye does everything with a bang. His personality, creativity and outrageous statements place this Grammy winner firmly in line with the Tower card. The Tower card reflects an unexpected and explosive energy that changes everything, and that’s exactly what Kanye does. The Tower card is also the ultimate phallic symbol, reflecting masculinity and male virility, as exemplified in Kanye’s swagger.
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If the Tower card shows up for you, it means things are about to change in a big way. But fear not — what is destroyed is what never fit to begin with.
The driving force behind the Kardashian clan connects perfectly to the Emperor card. Kris serves as executive producer of the show and also manages the careers of all of her children. The Emperor card reflects the organized type-A personality who exhibits success and structure. We’ve seen Kris called a control freak in interviews on the show. For her, managing it all means knowing when and where to release information and exclusives and how to navigate everyone’s careers.
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If the Emperor card shows up for you, it is a reminder to own your personal power, speak up for yourself, get grounded in positive habits and set some limits.
This mother of three embodies the Empress. The Empress is the ultimate fertility goddess and mother archetype of the tarot deck, associated with Venus, love, creativity and pregnancy. We were tearful watching as Kourtney delivered her first baby Mason and caught the whole thing on home video, amazed when she pulled 2nd baby Penelope out herself.
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When the Empress card isn't about literal pregnancy, it means you’ve got something fabulously creative brewing. Either way, when the Empress appears it is a reminder to embrace, nurture and celebrate the female goddess and creator inside you.
Scott’s bad behavior, excess in all things, inflated ego, constant apologies and patterns of repetition connect him firmly with the Devil card. This doesn’t mean Scott is actually the Devil — tarot is never that literal but rather reflects aspects of our psyche. The Devil card represents addiction, greed, lust, abandon, power and control. It also reflects how we each grapple with these issues. Speaking of dark lords, Scott’s Instagram handle is actually @letthelordbewithyou. For the sake of his family and children, we all hope he is able to kick his destructive behavior.
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If the Devil card shows up for you, it is asking you to take a look all the power and control issues in your own life.
Khloé recently sat down with E!’s Hollywood Medium, Tyler Henry, and discussed how connected she is to her intuition and how sensitive she feels about the energies that surround her. The High Priestess is all about deep feminine intuition and the reflection of inner truth. It is Khloé’s connection to the High Priestess part of herself that informs her blatant honesty. She calls it like she sees it, and she often hits the nail on the head — this is precisely due to her connection to the High Priestess.
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When the High Priestess appears in a reading, it is a reminder to listen to the voice inside and stay grounded in the knowledge that you already have the answer. You just need to listen.
The 11th season of Keeping up with the Kardashians aired, and there was no sign of brother Rob. His departure from the show and rejection of the spotlight connect him firmly with the Hermit card. Traditionally, the Hermit card reflects a willingness to retreat from the outside world in order to cultivate a personal spiritual truth. Rob was diagnosed with diabetes and is also having a serious romance with exotic performer-turned-businesswoman Blac Chyna. We don’t know if he’s seeking out spiritual truth, but he certainly wants his privacy.
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If the Hermit card appears for you, it is a reminder to spend quality time alone. The Hermit’s lantern reflects all the genius you share with the world when you are authentic and real.
Occult meanings behind the World card point toward gender fluidity because the card reflects a complete integration, including the masculine and feminine sides of the psyche. It reflects embracing all aspects of the self, as well as being in the moment and a sense of completion. The World card connects perfectly to Caitlyn.
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If the World card appears for you, it is a reminder to embrace everything about yourself and focus on living in the moment.
How To Get the Best Tarot Reading Ever
Easy tips to get the intuitive reading you're looking for.
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Psychic readings can be super fun, surprising and affirming. At best, an intuitive reading or psychic reading can be life-changing. At worst, an intuitive or psychic reading can be scary, negative or victimizing.
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Follow these tips to receive a fabulous, empowering reading:
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1. Be clear about your objective
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What do you want out of your session? People visit readers for a number of reasons. Nail down the reasons that you want a reading and find a perfect match for yourself.
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Are you looking for advice, confirmation or guidance?
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Do you want to speak to a loved one who has passed on?
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Are you interested in the supernatural world?
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Are you seeking entertainment for yourself, your friends or party guests?
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Are you curious and/or fascinated with the supernatural?
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Can you write down in one sentence what you are looking for in an intuitive/psychic reading?
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2. Interview your potential reader/psychic/intuitive
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Interview the reader to discover if they are the right fit. You always get more than a psychic reading; you also get that reader's personality!
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How they receive/gather their information ?
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What is involved in a reading?
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What are their ethics?
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3. Determine how you feel about the future
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This is a biggie — and super personal. Do you want predictive information? This is a hot topic, even in the reader community. Some readers believe action trumps destiny, while other readers believe the future is set in stone. Find a reader who shares your view on future potentials.
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The power of suggestion is strong. If you believe that your destiny is fixed, you may be at risk for hearing something negative and carrying it with you. Decide if you are willing to take this risk.
4. Agree on price ahead of time
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Determine the amount and method of payment in advance of the reading. If a Reader tells you that you are in any sort of emotional or physical danger but they can fix it for an additional price, walk away and don't look back.
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You've heard about these folks in the news. It usually goes down like this: A person walks into a fortune teller's parlor. A reading is performed. The Reader claims to see "bad spirits," "darkness," "negativity," or "sickness." The Reader claims that for additional money and future visits, they will pray or perform spells on the client's behalf to get rid of the bad mojo. If this occurs, leave immediately.
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5. Record your session
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Loads of information and sensory occurrences happen in a reading. The reader may be flipping cards (in tarot), touching your hand (in a palm reading) or throwing stones (yes, I have a psychic friend who tumbles stones for readings). It will be hard to recall all of the information that the reader provides. Ask if the reader offers recordings or if you may record your session on your cell phone.
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6. Manage your expectations and take responsibility
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Readers are human, just like you — no matter how intuitive and psychic they are. The important part of an intuitive/psychic reading comes down to what you do with the information after you walk out the door.
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7. Perform readings for yourself
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Sound crazy? It's not. When you know yourself, you'll know more than the best psychic could ever tell you. Grab a pack of angel/oracle/tarot cards, an astrology app or an intuition development book and start to cultivate all the wonderful inner knowledge you already possess. It's easier than you think.
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