"So-called lucky numbers appear in some magazine horoscopes: how are these worked out and should I use them when playing lottery?" - a question by Josephine D. from Wakefield

Every astrology column writer has their own method of calculating these numbers. There are rumours that the trainee sits and writes down whatever numbers come into his or her head. In any case, using lucky numbers for playing lottery makes no sense. Because these magazine horoscope numbers are distributed in enormous print runs throughout the population they can’t be taken seriously as lucky numbers. The fact is: if these numbers really were drawn in the lottery, so many other people who believe in lucky numbers would have also ticked them that you would be sharing your winnings with them all and your lottery winnings would be abysmal. 

Created: 05:02 PM | Author: Jörg Dahlmann | Category: Card readings  |  Comments [2]

Elisabeth from London: "There’s a kind of candle that looks like a graveside candle and has the word “reversible“ printed on the rim: what is it for?"

A so-called reversible candle is used in magic to deflect curses or evil spells back to the sender and make them ineffective. Many of these candles are black on the outside with a red core which only becomes apparent once the candle has been burning for a while.

Created: 08:31 AM | Author: Jörg Dahlmann | Category: Card readings  |  Comments [0]

Jim from Ispwich wants to know: How does the rune stone oracle work?

To consult this oracle you need a soft surface, so that the runes won’t be damaged (e.g. a blanket). You must also concentrate very hard so that each step is carried out correctly.

1. Place all the runes in the palm of your hand. Now throw them up into the air and try to catch as many as possible in your palm again.

2. Take the runes which you caught in your cupped hands and throw them up again, trying to catch as many as possible on the back of your hand. The ones you do not manage to catch can be disregarded.

3. The runes now caught on the back of your hand are thrown up in the air and this time caught in the palms again. Ideally, you should now have at least 7 runes in your hands. If you have less than this, repeat steps 1-3.

4. Put aside the runes which you didn’t catch.

5. Take the rest in your cupped hands and throw them up in the air again. This time only one rune is caught in the cupped palm. This is the master rune. This rune describes the personality of the questioner in the current situation.

6. Now lay all the selected runes, except the master rune, “face down“ in front of you, if possible without noting its inscription.

7. You now have to perform a multiple throw: take the master rune between thumb and forefinger and throw it high. While this rune is in the air, pick up one of the runes lying in front of you and catch the master rune at the same time. Repeat the process until you have caught six runes.

8. Lay these six runes in front of you in the order you caught them. The remaining runes, if there are any, are not required for the interpretation.

The interpretation:

The master rune represents the personality of the questioner.

Rune 1: Indicates the dominant personality trait.

Rune 2: Indicates the nature of the will.

Rune 3: Indicates processes which could shatter self-belief.

Rune 4: Indicates which changes are helpful in overcoming the processes shown by rune 3.

Rune 5: What could the immediate future look like?

Rune 6: How does the questioner react to that? 

Created: 04:24 PM | Author: Jörg Dahlmann | Category: Card readings  |  Comments [0]

Mark from Dublin has this question: "What does a kinesiologist, or a healer who offers kinesiology, actually do? Is it a diagnosis or a form of treatment?"

Kinesiology is a branch of alternative medicine. The term kinesiology comes from the classical Greek and roughly translates as “study of movement”.Kinesiology uses terms and teachings from traditional Far Eastern medicine (meridians and elements without the use of acupuncture needles), the neurology and brain research fields and many approaches taken from psychology and paedagogy. In texts on kinesiology, for example, the term energy is used not in the sense of electrical energy but in the sense of oriental healing arts.

Kinesiology is a method which treats the patient wholistically, i.e. in their entirety, not only observing symptoms but also taking into account the body-mind-spirit connection and treating the root of the symptoms. Kinesiology is mainly studied and practiced by alternative medicine practitioners and naturopaths and alternative healers, but increasingly also by doctors using wholistic methods of treatment.

One of the most frequently used tests is the medicine test. A muscle test is performed to try and find out which medicines the body requires and at what dosage. For this, samples of the substance in question are laid at the centre of the body (the test zone). Then the body is asked for its response by testing the muscles. Either the arm reacts weakly and gives way or the delta muscle “locks” in. Using this method (and the relevant test materials) it is possible to discover the presence of poisoning due to environmental toxins, heavy metals, allergies (to food or pollen, for instance) and more.

Created: 10:42 AM | Author: Jörg Dahlmann | Category: Card readings  |  Comments [0]

Stella from Lancester wants to know: What is the oldest record of oracles being in use? And how long have tarot cards been in existence?

Archaeological finds testify to magic practices and oracles having been used for thousands of years. In Peking in 1997, for instance, 4000 year old bones were found with characters carved into them. These were used by the rulers to assist them in making decisions: questions about the future were carved into them after which they were heated, and the resulting cracks and fissures caused the letters to change. These letters were then used to provide answers.

There are conflicting opinions as to the subject of tarot. One plausible theory is that in the mid 15th century an artist, Bonifacio Bempo, designed and painted a card game called “Tarocchi” for the aristocratic Milanese family Visconti. It consisted of four suites of 14 cards each and 22 “Triomphi” (trumps) depicting scenes from everyday life and the prominent figures of the time (e.g. Pope, Emperor, etc.).

Other sources trace the origins back to an Italian pictorial encyclopaedia from 14th century Venice which has links to Spanish pip cards.

Created: 01:58 PM | Author: Jörg Dahlmann | Category: Card readings  |  Comments [0]

Sally from Liverpool: Where did the voodoo cult originate? Is it evil (voodoo dolls)? What has been written on the subject?

Voodoo was originally a West African religion. The word “voodoo” comes from an African word for spirit or divinity and has probably been around for several thousand years. The word is often used as a blanket term for a great variety of Afro-American religions. Voodoo is traditionally practiced by the Yoruba people. Nowadays it is mainly practiced in Benin, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Haiti, Louisiana and Togo. Other religions closely related to the Yoruba tradition are practised in Cuba (Santeria) and Brazil (Umbanda, Macumba, Candomblé). Voodoo is recognised as an official religion on Haiti. In Benin it is the national religion and celebrated annually as a religious festival on January 10th.

Voodoo is often seen as so-called “black magic”. This view is nurtured by the existence of a cult of the dead and the belief in reanimation of the deceased. There have also been rumours of child killings. Voodoo sorcerers were said to have used the blood of children in secret ceremonies. Nowadays there are ceremonies involving the ritual slaughter of animals. The practice of animal sacrifice itself is not contested; what is, is whether or not this is done as a magic practice. On the other hand, accusations of practices such as child sacrifice abound in the history of religion and are almost always little more than propaganda.

Created: 11:48 AM | Author: Jörg Dahlmann | Category: Card readings  |  Comments [0]

Lizzie form London: "Some people claim that “money powder“ can make you rich: but what is it? Does it really work? What goes into it and can anyone prepare it?"

There are some healers who work with certain powders and do indeed claim success with them. Whether this is due to the powder itself or to the raised consciousness which results from using it is another matter. According to old traditions, money powder is made from pine needles, myrtle twigs, woodruff, oak moss, ginger, hyssop and orange peel. In principle, anyone could grind up this mixture in a pestle and mortar.

Created: 10:56 AM | Author: Jörg Dahlmann | Category: Card readings  |  Comments [0]

Miriam from Manchester asks: There’s a custom of telling tiny rag dolls one’s worries and hardships and putting these overnight under the pillow: where does this come from?

The so-called "worry dolls" were originally used by the traditional peoples of Guatemala. Being very superstitious, they believed that they had problems and worries because the gods wanted to punish them for their wrong doings. Legend has it that when you put the little doll under your pillow at night, your problems and fears will have dissipated by morning. You can buy worry dolls nowadays in specialist esoteric shops; they are only a few centimetres long and cost approximately 4 euros for a bag of six

Created: 10:28 AM | Author: Jörg Dahlmann | Category: Card readings  |  Comments [0]

Lisa from Liverpool: "I have had consultations with many clairvoyants in the past. I noticed that they all use the tarot cards at the same time. Why is that? Wouldn’t a real clairvoyant – in my opinion – be able to arrive at their message without any outside help? I must confess that I was too shy to ask the clairvoyants themselves."


In the case of a normal, face to face consultation, a good clairvoyant should indeed be able to look in to the future or the current question without using any aids. An important exception is telephone advice and consultations. For these, it has proved useful to use the tarot to strengthen the link between questioner and advisor.

It can be hard for a telephone advisor to establish close contact with a questioner over the phone and the accompanying tarot spread helps to reinforce the results of the spiritual-intellectual connection between the two people. So don’t take it badly if the clairvoyant you speak to uses the cards as well; on the contrary, the cards act as an additional check on the outcome.

Created: 10:17 AM | Author: Jörg Dahlmann | Category: Card readings  |  Comments [0]

A question from Maggie via mail: Is it true that the Celts have special amulets for birthdays? What do these amulets look like and are they on sale anywhere?

 Depending on the birthday, there are 17 different amulets in Celtic mythology. Celtic amulets can be ordered via internet, the price varies a lot depending on the material used. Smaller amulets in 925 sterling silver cost about 16 euros.

Created: 02:33 PM | Author: Jörg Dahlmann | Category: Card readings  |  Comments [0]