Sceptic journalist visits palm reader

“I am a sceptic. I don’t believe in divination. I don’t subscribe to prophecy. I’m ruled by logical thought and universal laws. I am a sceptic who drove past a palm reader one day, stopped and went inside with little expectations. If I was curious, I believed others would be as well.

“For just over a month now, a so-called ‘gypsy’ caravan had been parked on the corner of Chamdor and Main Reef Roads, with large banners all around promising guaranteed results. The friendly and welcoming Paul and Maria John are of Romanian descent. Their forefathers sought refuge during the Holocaust and found a safe haven in South Africa. Today, Paul is an hydraulic engineer. His work takes him all over the country. When they travel from their home in Bellville, they hitch up the caravan and park it wherever the feeling takes them,” journalist Jaco Human writes.

Since four generations ago, Maria is the first one in their family who has ‘the gift’.

“The last time someone in our family had it was 80 years ago,” Paul explained. When family members with a so-called gift for divination are identified during their formative years, they are exposed to age-old family teachings so they can “learn to call on it and turn it off”.

Jaco was taken into the caravan. A short demonstration of the crystal ball (which will dig a R400 hole in your pocket per session) was given. Maria explained that your life is transferred into the crystal ball to create a focus point for a clear reading.

“This is akin to a spiritualist belief that your life energy can simply be transferred at will. I was not impressed when she said, in a lowered tone, that I had been experiencing a relationship imbalance. The simple trick here is to keep in mind that no relationship is perfect all the time. Mentalists live on this type of sweeping statement. Next came the tarot cards. My interest was piqued. I knew how to read my future from a poker hand, but I’ve never understood how a pack of cards with drawings on can tell me anything more.

“I was told I doubt my capabilities … which I do. In fact, is there anyone who does not doubt themselves? I argued that doubt ensures that we avoid mistakes and improve ourselves. Maria didn’t agree. She told me that I should not allow anyone to bring me down, especially on an emotional level. I understand why this is appealing. All of us want to be told that we are capable of more and mustn’t let others tell us otherwise. But, you can get the same affirmation from friends in a gym.

“She lastly said that ‘The Empress’ was upside down, which was a bad sign. ‘It means you have doubt and too many questions,’ adding that it’s ‘natural for a journalist’. I fully agree; it’s our job to ask questions.

“I walked away with no life-altering epiphanies, nor any bad omens tapping on my shoulder. Everyone’s free to believe what they want. Many are more spiritually accepting than others … than me. And that can be a good thing. But, caution should be exercised.

“During the reading I told her four lies about myself, and noted them with an air of indifference. On each she built her narrative as though the lie was the truth.”

For many in Krugersdorp, divination will be varying degrees of taboo. More religious residents may feel strongly about the subject. Paul addressed this by stating clearly that they’re devout followers of the New Apostolic Church and that their family had not touched black magic in 900 years since an ancestor made a promise to God. He alleged that nowhere in the Bible it says that fortune telling is a sin or satanic, purporting that they are like prophets. However, Matthew 7:15 says: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”.

“As with anything, it’s up to every person to decide what they believe. It was an interesting experience, nonetheless.”

* This article was written in the first person as journalist Jaco Human experienced it.