Fortune Telling on Zoom

 COVID-19 had an impact on everyone, including the witchcraft and occult communities. I saw on Etsy that there are online tarot card readings over Zoom or WhatsApp. 


From what I've seen so far, it looks like these readings range fro $5-$200, but I also know that there's free tarot readings you can get on YouTube or on your phone, so I'm not positive what distinguishes one online reading from another. Some even offer a full refund if inaccurate, but I'm not sure how that gets proven. 

But, belief is what adds credibility to an argument so if you believe that paying for a reviewed psychic is better than a recommended YouTube video, you will work harder to make the reviewed psychic reading a reality than the free video. If there wasn't a market for people to pay for a Zoom tarot card reading, there wouldn't be so many advertisements for it on Etsy. One of my friends watches every recommended YouTube tarot card reading she gets, but in doing so, more and more will keep getting recommended. Whether that adds validity or not to each reading is up to the individual. 

Some members of the community see this shift in business as a natural evolution, similar to how cunning folk grew into green witchcraft with the rise of proper medical care. It's not too surprising that witches' gatherings, or sabbats, have shifted to an online version since mass and other religious ceremonies were also broadcasted on the internet during the pandemic. Zoom and other online resources also allowed witches to educate others and teach people how to practice witchcraft. This is reflected in one of my other journal entries about the Modern Witch University. 

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There are also various online Horoscope readings people can use daily, however this doesn't seem like as much of a change as hosting a witches sabbat over Zoom. Astrology is reading the stars to predict the future and has a section in the newspapers as well. Personalized by birth date, these predictions are made based on the Moon's position in regards to the Sun. So although you don't physically have to go to a person to get your horoscope interpreted, they are much more popular with the expansion of the internet. With this though, it seems much easier to get scammed as you can't tell what a person is doing behind the screen. Once in a while, I read the Washington Post Horoscope, but I'm skeptical about how they come up with something so detailed. 

After looking this information up, I'm scared to see what my recommended videos will be on YouTube now. The expansion of the witchcraft community onto the internet is a natural step in the evolution of the community, but also allows for more skepticism. It's easier to spread your message, but easier to blend in to everyone else's messages at the same time. And of course, some members of the witchcraft or occult communities are against the internet and believe in the need for more traditional practices, but others argue that it spreads awareness and educates others. 


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