Fortune Teller

[edit] The Asian and African Practitioner

It's certainly hard to believe that a few, special people have the power to predict the future. Do you? Well, whether you believe this or not, the fortune teller has been around for centuries and will still be there till the end of time. Despite its ancient roots, not much is known of how or where this intriguing art began. Here's how fortune telling is practiced in Asia and Africa, but first things first.

[edit] What is fortune telling?

It is primarily a practice to predict the future, using paranormal, religious or mystical means. Some of the methods that fortune tellers use include palm readings, astrology, numerology, tea leaf reading, tarot card reading, phone readings, etc. These are but a few of the different psychic services that a fortune teller may offer.

[edit] Fortune telling Asian and African style

It is quite thrilling to read and learn about the different methods and people who practice this craft in some regions of the world. Here are a few examples:

In Asia It is widely believed that fortune telling, apart from other psychic services prevailing at the time, began in China. Historical records suggest that it was practiced before 2600 B.C. Over time, this mystical concept spread throughout the rest of Asia, particularly, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

Two popular Asian methods

Face reading - For this method, three areas of the face are analyzed by the teller viz., upper (representing youth), central (middle age) and lower (old age). Through the analysis of shape, wrinkle lines, blemishes and other distinctive facial aspects, the fortune teller can foretell the client's luck, as it relates to that age of his or her life.

Palm reading - A very popular concept around Asia. Here the reader analyzes the lines of the palm and predictions are made for each line. The lines read, are life, heart, fate, marriage, head, health, sex, etc. Palm readings are also popular in countries such as India, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries.

In Africa Fortune telling methods vary in a continent as large as Africa. However, there's one popular and common method practiced throughout this region, i.e. casting of bones and other items, e.g., shells, stones, pieces of wood, etc. Casting is performed on the ground, often within a circle and done by the fortune teller.

Two basic methods for prediction

Symbolic casting - Here each item cast represents a subject, e.g. a shell represents the ocean, a round stone (pregnancy), rabbit's foot (travel), etc. After casting, the position of each item is noted to make the final prediction.

Simple count casting - Bones inscribed with a number are used in this method. Predictions are then based on a mathematical formula, after viewing whether bones are touching each other, their directional positions and inscribed number. The resultant score is then used to predict the future.

With the growing pressures of modern living and the stress associated with it, more and more people are using psychic services to learn their future. In fact, even celebrities and politicians now have their own tellers and consult them often. Therefore, the next time you have a compelling reason to know your future through astrology, palm readings, numerology, etc., you'll be sure to find a fortune teller, well versed in one or more of these concepts, not too far from you.