Die Wahrsagerin, Germany, 18th century

Die Wahrsagerin
Michail Alexandrowitsch Wrubel (1895)

Fortune-telling is the practice of predicting information about a person's life. The scope of fortune-telling is in principle identical with the practice of divination. The difference is that divination is the term used for predictions considered part of a religious ritual, invoking deities or spirits, while the term fortune-telling implies a less serious or formal setting, even one of popular culture, where belief in occult workings behind the prediction is less prominent than the concept of suggestion, spiritual or practical advisory or affirmation.

Historically, fortune-telling grows out of folkloristic reception of Renaissance magic, specifically associated with Gypsies.

During the 19th and 20th century, methods of divination from non-Western cultures, such as the I Ching, were also adopted as methods of fortune-telling in western popular culture. An example of divination or fortune-telling as purely an item of pop culture, with little or no vestiges of belief in the occult, would be the Magic 8-Ball sold as a toy by Mattel, or Paul II, a cephalopod of the Sea Life Aquarium at Oberhausen used to predict the outcome of matches played by the German national football team.^[1]

There is opposition against fortune-telling in Christianity and Judaism based on biblical prohibitions against divination. This sometimes causes discord in the Jewish community due to their views on mysticism.^[2]

Methods[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Common methods used for fortune telling in Europe and the Americas include astromancy, horary astrology, pendulum reading, spirit board reading, tasseography (reading tea leaves in a cup), cartomancy (fortune telling with cards), tarot reading, crystallomancy (reading of a crystal sphere), and chiromancy (palmistry, reading of the palms). The last three have traditional associations in the popular mind with the Roma and Sinti people (often called "gypsies").

Another form of fortune-telling, sometimes called "reading" or "spiritual consultation", does not rely on specific devices or methods, but rather the practitioner gives the client advice and predictions which are said to have come from spirits or in visions.

Chart of the hand

• Alectromancy: by observation of a rooster pecking at grain
• Astrology: by the movements of celestial bodies.
• Astromancy: by the stars.
• Augury: by the flight of birds.
• Bazi or four pillars: by hour, day, month, and year of birth.
• Bibliomancy: by books; frequently, but not always, religious texts.
• Cartomancy: by playing cards, tarot cards, or oracle cards.
• Ceromancy: by patterns in melting or dripping wax.
• Cheiromancy: by the shape of the hands and lines in the palms.
• Chronomancy: by determination of lucky and unlucky days.
• Clairvoyance: by spiritual vision or inner sight.
• Cleromancy: by casting of lots, or casting bones or stones.
• Cold reading: by using visual and aural clues.
• Crystallomancy: by crystal ball also called scrying.
• Extispicy: by the entrails of animals.
• Face Reading: by means of variations in face and head shape.
• Feng shui: by earthen harmony.
• Gastromancy: by stomach-based ventriloquism (historically).
• Geomancy: by markings in the ground, sand, earth, or soil.
• Haruspicy: by the livers of sacrificed animals.
• Horary astrology: the astrology of the time the question was asked.
• Hydromancy: by water.
• I Ching divination: by yarrow stalks or coins and the I Ching.
• Kau cim by means of numbered bamboo sticks shaken from a tube.
• Lithomancy: by stones or gems.
• Necromancy: by the dead, or by spirits or souls of the dead.
• Numerology: by numbers.
• Oneiromancy: by dreams.
• Onomancy: by names.
• Palmistry: by lines and mounds on the hand.
• Paper fortune teller: origami used in fortune-telling games
• Pendulum reading: by the movements of a suspended object.
• Pyromancy: by gazing into fire.
• Rhabdomancy: divination by rods.
• Runecasting or Runic divination: by runes.
• Scrying: by looking at or into reflective objects.
• Spirit board: by planchette or talking board.
• Taromancy: by a form of cartomancy using tarot cards.
• Tasseography or tasseomancy: by tea leaves or coffee grounds.

Sociology[link]

In Europe and America, fortune-telling is considered a sin within Judaism and Christianity (see Micah 5:12) and civil laws^{[citation needed]} have forbidden the practice.

Western fortune-tellers typically attempt predictions on matters such as future romantic, financial, and childbearing prospects. Many fortune-tellers will also give "character readings". These may use numerology, graphology, palmistry (if the subject is present), and astrology.

In contemporary Western culture, it appears that women consult fortune-tellers more than men. Some women^{[citation needed]} maintain decades-long relationships with their personal readers. Telephone consultations with psychics (at very high rates) grew in popularity through the 1990s but they have not replaced traditional methods.

As a business in North America[link]

Storefront psychic fortune-teller in Boston

Discussing the role of fortune-telling in society, Ronald H. Isaacs, an American rabbi and author, opined, “Since time immemorial humans have longed to learn that which the future holds for them. Thus, in ancient civilization, and even today with fortune telling as a true profession, humankind continues to be curious about its future, both out of sheer curiosity as well as out of desire to better prepare for it." ^[3]

Popular media outlets like the New York Times have explained to their American readers that although 5000 years ago, soothsayers were prized advisers to the Assyrians, they lost respect and reverence during the rise of Reason in the 17th and 18th centuries.^[4]

With the rise of commercialism, “the sale of occult practices [adapted to survive] in the larger society,” according to sociologists Danny L. and Lin Jorgensen.^[5] Ken Feingold, writer of "Interactive Art as Divination as a Vending Machine," stated that with the invention of money, fortune-telling became “a private service, a commodity within the marketplace”.^[6]

As J. Peder Zane wrote in the New York Times in 1994, “Whether it’s 3 P.M. or 3 A.M., there’s Dionne Warwick and her psychic friends selling advice on love, money and success. In a nation where the power of crystals and the likelihood that angels hover nearby prompt more contemplation than ridicule, it may not be surprising that one million people a year call Ms. Warwick’s friends.” ^[4]

Clientele[link]

In 1994, the psychic counsellor Rosanna Rogers of Cleveland, Ohio explained to J. Peder Zane that a wide variety of people consulted her: “Couch potatoes aren’t the only people seeking the counsel of psychics and astrologers. Clairvoyants have a booming business advising Philadelphia bankers, Hollywood lawyers and CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies... If people knew how many people, especially the very rich and powerful ones, went to psychics, their jaws would drop through the floor.”^[4] Ms. Rogers “claims to have 4,000 names in her rolodex.”^[4]

Typical clients[link]

In 1982, Danny Jorgensen, a professor of Religious Studies at the University of South Florida offered a spiritual explanation for the popularity of fortune-telling. He said that that people visit psychics or fortune-tellers to gain self-understanding.^[7] and knowledge which will lead to personal power or success in some aspect of life^[8]

Thirteen years later, in 1995, Ken Feingold offered a different explanation for why people seek out fortune-tellers: “We desire to know other people’s actions and to resolve our own conflicts regarding decisions to be made and our participation in social groups and economies. … Divination seems to have emerged from our knowing the inevitability of death. The idea is clear—we know that our time is limited and that we want things in our lives to happen in accord with our wishes. Realizing that our wishes have little power, we have sought technologies for gaining knowledge of the future...gain power over our own [lives].”^[6]

Ultimately, the reasons a person consults a diviner or fortune teller are mediated by cultural expectations and by personal desires, and until a statistically rigorous study of the phenomenon have been conducted, the question of why people consult fortune-tellers is wide open for opinion-making.

Services[link]

Traditional fortune-tellers vary in methodology, generally using techniques long established in their cultures and thus meeting the cultural expectations of their clientele.

In the United States and Canada, among clients of European ancestry, palmistry is popular ^[9] and, as with astrology and tarot card reading, advice is generally given about specific problems besetting the client.

Non-religious spiritual guidance may also be offered. An American clairvoyant by the name of Catherine Adams has written, “My philosophy is to teach and practice spiritual freedom, which means you have your own spiritual guidance, which I can help you get in touch with."^[10]

In the African American community, where many people practice a form of folk magic called hoodoo or rootworking, a fortune telling session or "reading" for a client may be followed by practical guidance in spell-casting and Christian prayer, through a process called "magical coaching".^{[citation needed]}

In addition to sharing and explaining their visions, fortune-tellers can also act like counselors by discussing and offering advice about their clients’ problems.^[9] They want their clients to exercise their own willpower.^[11]

A fortune telling storefront on the boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey.

Full-time careers[link]

Some support themselves entirely on their fortune-telling business; others hold down one or more jobs, and their second jobs may or may not relate to the occupation of divining. In 1982, Danny L., and Lin Jorgensen found that “while there is considerable variation among [these secondary] occupations, [part-time fortune-tellers] are over-represented in human service fields: counseling, social work, teaching, health care.”^[12] The same authors, making a limited survey of North American diviners, found that the majority of fortune-tellers are married with children, and a few claim graduate degrees.^[13] "They attend movies, watch television, work at regular jobs, shop at K-Mart, sometimes eat at McDonald’s, and go to the hospital when they are seriously ill.”^[14]

Legality[link]

In 1572 Augustus of Saxony imposed the penalty of burning for witchcraft of every kind, including simple fortune-telling.^[15]

In 1982, the sociologists Danny L., and Lin Jorgensen found that, “when it is reasonable, [fortune -tellers] comply with local laws and purchase a business license.”^[12] However, in the United States, a variety of local and state laws restrict fortune-telling, require the licensing or bonding of fortune-tellers, or make necessary the use of terminology that avoids the term "fortune-teller" in favour of terms such as "spiritual advisor" or "psychic consultant." There are also laws that forbid the practice outright in certain districts.

For instance, fortune telling is a class B misdemeanor in the state of New York. Under New York State law, S 165.35:

A person is guilty of fortune telling when, for a fee or compensation which he directly or indirectly solicits or receives, he claims or pretends to tell fortunes, or holds himself out as being able, by claimed or pretended use of occult powers, to answer questions or give advice on personal matters or to exercise, influence or affect evil spirits or curses; except that this section does not apply to a person who engages in the aforedescribed conduct as part of a show or exhibition solely for the purpose of entertainment or amusement.^[16]

Law-makers who wrote this statute acknowledged that fortune-tellers do not restrict themselves to "a show or exhibition solely for the purpose of entertainment or amusement" and that people will continue to seek out fortune-tellers even though fortune-tellers operate in violation of the law.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also bans the practice outright, considering fortune-telling to be sorcery and thus contrary to Islamic teaching and jurisprudence. It has been punishable by death.^[17]

See also[link]

• Divination in African traditional religion
• Divination in Chinese culture
• Forer effect
• Fortune telling fraud
• Prophecy
• Tengenjutsu (fortune telling)

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Feingold, Ken (1995), "OU: Interactivity as Divination as Vending Machine", Leonardo, Third Annual New York Digital Salon 28 (5): 399–402, DOI:10.2307/1576224, JSTOR 1576224 
• Jorgensen, Danny L.; Jorgensen, Lin (1982), "Social Meanings of the Occult", The Sociological Quarterly 23 (3): 373–389, DOI:10.1111/j.1533-8525.1982.tb01019.x .
• Zane, J. Peder (11 September 1994), "Soothsayers as Business Advisers; You Are Going to Go on a Long Trip…", The New York Times, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0CE0DA163BF932A2575AC0A962958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all# .

External links[link]

Media related to Fortune-telling at Wikimedia Commons

Look up bad news in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Bad news may refer to:

• Bad News, a spoof rock band
  • Bad News (Bad News album), 1987 album by Bad News
• Bad News (Ligeia album), the second album by Massachusetts' metalcore band Ligeia
• "Bad News", a song by Johnny Cash from the I Walk the Line album
• Bad News (magazine), a comics magazine published in the early 1980s by Fantagraphics
• Bad News (How I Met Your Mother)

See also[link]

• Good news (disambiguation)

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Luke Chable is an Australian producer, singer/songwriter, and DJ. He is arguably the most prolific Progressive House producer ever to come out of Australia. He has released hundreds of remixes and original records with countless labels across the globe.

Luke Chable first started producing at age 9 in 1990 and has produced professionally since 1998.^[1] Chable's first release was "Accelerator" under the moniker Quest in 1999 on Melbourne record label Vicious Vinyl. He also worked with Danny Bonnici of Nubreed, producing the classic track "Ride" released on Alternative Route.^[1] In 2005, he started his own record label Trojan Records.^[1] In 2009 Luke expanded his producing to include Rock, Pop, and R&B / Hip Hop.

In 2009, Luke started singing, songwriting, and producing rock records for his new band Empire. People note his singing voice is akin to Liam Gallagher. Empire's debut album, A Million Miles a Minute, is yet to be released, and their second album is already in the works.

References[link]

http://www.rageousmusic.com/2009/07/06/explorations-luke-chable/

External links[link]

• Official Website
• Luke Chable discography at Discogs

This article on an electronic musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Alice DeeJay was a Dutch eurodance group from Amsterdam formed in 1999. The group was founded by Dutch Company Violent Music. They are best known for their 1999 single, "Better Off Alone", which was a worldwide success. They disbanded in 2002.

Biography[link]

Members[link]

The group consisted of successful record producers Danski (Born Dennis van den Driesschen), Delmundo (a.k.a. Wessel van Diepen, their protégés Pronti (Sebastiaan Molijn), Kalmani (Eelke Kalberg), DJ Jurgen and face and lead singer Judith Anna Pronk. They also had background dancers: Mila Levesque and Angelique Versnel. Versnel began her education as a dancer at the School of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, United States. After completing four years at the dance academy (as well as high school study) at Alvin Aley in New York, she became a part of Alice Deejay.

[edit] 1999-2001: Formation and Who Needs Guitars Anyway?

Alice DeeJay launched their career in July 1999 with the single, "Better Off Alone", credited to DJ Jurgen presents Alice DeeJay. In the UK, the song went platinum and reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart,^[1] and number 3 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play, also reaching number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Alice Deejay achieved success with the follow-up single "Back In My Life" in November of the same year. The group's first and only album was Who Needs Guitars Anyway?, which was released on April 11, 2000. It entered the Top Ten of the UK Albums Chart.^[1]

Alice DeeJay made the UK Top 20 with three more tracks: "Will I Ever", "The Lonely One" and "Celebrate Our Love", although each single's chart position was lower than its predecessors.^[1]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Singles[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Information on 'final performance'
• Alice DeeJay Allmusic page
• About Dance Music interview with Pronti and Kalmani
• Alice DeeJay Discogs page