Four tarot readers, astrologers and psychics on what it’s like to deal in the occult for a living

For Toronto’s crystal ball-readers and fortune-tellers, weird is a way of life. We asked four professional soothsayers what it’s like to read palms, cleanse energy and communicate with spirits for a living.

Crystal Stokes of Crystal Visions

The method: “I do psychic energy readings, energy cleansing and chakra healings.”
The origin: “I was born into this. I come from seven generations of healers and psychic readers. My grandmother was a high priestess, and I was raised by her.”
The clientele: “People come because they have a simple question that they want answered, because they’re on a quest for meaning, or because they have an entity in their home that they want cleansed. There is a huge range.”
Freaky readings: “I was once visited by a man who claimed to worship the devil. It intimidated me at first. After our initial session, he continued to come in for readings, and our sessions ended up completely changing his heart.”

Liz Worth of Liz Worth Tarot, Astrology and Creativity

The method: “I am a tarot reader and an astrologer. I’m not here to tell you when you’re going to get married, or if you’ll win the lottery. I’m here to help you take better control of what you want to create for yourself.”
The origin: “I don’t think there was ever a time when I wasn’t interested in the spiritual and the esoteric. I was always attracted to ghost stories, mythology and the supernatural when I was very young. Plus, my mother used to hire psychics for parties that she hosted.”
The clientele: “Clarity is the biggest reason people come to me for readings.”
Freaky readings: “I can’t say there has been one. I’ve always paid attention to patterns and happenings around me, and so I am always seeing strange, magical things unfolding in the world.”

Amanda Benedetta of Psychic Amanda

The method: “Everything from palm readings and tarot cards to coffee and tea leaf readings.”
The origin: “I think I was around eight years old when I really started to get into the occult. I had unlocked ability and potential at a young age.”
The clientele: “They want insight into their lives.”
Freaky readings: “Once, during a session with an ongoing male client of mine, his wife came in the studio accusing him of having an affair with me. I ended up giving her a reading, offering advice to help rebuild her confidence and self-esteem. It’s pretty funny, now that I think about it.”

Andrew McGregor of The Hermit’s Lamp

The method: “My work centres on using tarot cards and speaking with spirits to help answer people’s questions. These spirits might be my guides and ancestors, or spirits the client brings with them.”
The origin: “At age 12, I started getting into mystical things and divination after learning to meditate in a martial arts class. After almost dying in an accident at 14, my desire to understand these things became insatiable.”
The clientele: “People come to me because I am fearless in my devotion to speaking the truth and helping people find resolution to their issues. They come back because of my profound compassion in accepting them as they are and helping them become who they want to be.”
Freaky readings: “It is hard to narrow it down, but having a client be possessed by their guide tops the list.”