Why Does the Tarot Scare People?

I see mystical signs along the highway sometimes – hands holding crystal balls with backdrops of the sun, the moon, and the stars. The signs let passersby know that inside the establishment behind the signs sits an entity ready to pull out Tarot cards, meditate upon a crystal ball, read tea leaves, or utilize any number of prophetic devices, and tell you your future.

The intrigue is enough to draw your attention, but do you really believe that cards hold the answers for you? Some people do. And I say, why not? If everything holds energy, what's to say that if you ask the Universe or God for answers to questions that have been plaguing you, and you want answers revealed to you through dreams or through the Tarot, why wouldn't you get an answer? And if the answer you receive helps you, what is the problem?

I wrote, Learning the Mysteries of the Tarot, because I wanted to explain the mysterious aspect of Tarot. One person, who was apparently disturbed by the fact that I didn't mention every single facet of Tarot, wrote – in three different comments (well, they appear to have been written by the same person) – how upsetting it was that I didn't enlighten readers with the fact that Tarot began as a card game. The intended reason for writing the article was to discuss the mysterious aspect of the Tarot, as indicated in the title.

So if you click the link to Learning the Mysteries of the Tarot, you will be brought to an article that discusses the mysterious aspect of the Tarot and not the history of Tarot. I realize I'm coming off sounding ultra-sarcastic, but I never thought I would have to explain a title as much as I've had to explain this one.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Paranormal Lovers

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is here, and you probably already have a pretty good idea what to get all the members in your family. However, one of them may have you stumped – she loves anything and everything paranormal. But the paranormal realm is so expansive – where do you begin?

At a loss? Let me help.

While my intention wasn't to promote amazon.com in this blog, I found some of the best prices at that site, and since I was looking for the least expensive options, you'll note that most of the links will take you to amazon – directly to the page where the item appears.

Without further ado, here is a list of some paranormal gifts sure to please the paranormal lover who doesn't already own the items listed.

Angel Boards

Not to be confused with ouija boards, the Guiding Light Angel Board (available at amazon for $32.95) is supposed to invite only good clean spirits. If you decide to go this route, make sure you say prayers prior to using this gift – or have the board blessed, because these boards look very much like ouija boards to me and I wouldn't want any uninvited spirits to accidently find their way into your home.

T-Shirts

Love this show about true hauntings – your paranormal lover may watch Paranormal State (and other ghost hunting shows) too. Paranormal State Unisex T-Shirt (under $25)

Oh, yes – who can resist Sam and Dean from Supernatural – wouldn't your paranormal lover love to look at these faces on days other than just Thursdays (when the show airs): Supernatural Sam & Dean Adult Black Long-Sleeve T-Shirt (under $30)

Ghost Hunting Equipment

What every ghost hunter wants – a Starter Kit Ghosthunting Kit (under $100). And if you want more than just a starter kit, for a list of other ghost hunting devices, read 13 Halloween Must-Haves For Ghost Hunters.

Crystal Ball

Every good wannabe psychic needs a crystal ball, right? The color purple is supposed to invite highly spiritual entities, so I chose this one: Purple Crystal Ball (under $15).

ESP Book

Learning how to harness the power of Extra Sensory Perception is beautifully illustrated in the book, How to Make ESP Work For You, by Harold Sherman. He offers step-by-step instructions for learning to use the gift you were born to learn. (Links to Barnes & Noble – book is priced at $23.62 – but it is also available at amazon at various prices.)

Tarot Cards

Though Tarot cards come in various shapes and sizes, one of the most simple decks to learn (because numerous instruction books abound for this brand) is the following: Rider-Waite Tarot Cards (available for under $15 at Amazon)

Astrology Books

Linda Goodman's Sun Signs (under $15 at Amazon) is a fun read for the novice astrologer. It was my first astrology book, and it entertained me, my family, and my friends for hours. Every time I met somebody new, I read about him or her and determined that the book was at least (according to my perception) 85% accurate.

The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need (available at Amazon for $12). The title is not completely accurate. If your paranormal lover decides to cast charts, this book will only serve as an introduction to the various elements of a chart. However, these days, chart casting programs create charts in seconds (compared to hand casting which can take up to an hour).

Astrology Software Programs

Why spend hours computing math in setting up a chart when software programs can cast the charts for you in a matter of seconds? For a fairly comprehensive list of software programs available for the budding astrologer, go to Find Astrologer. The program I use, TCR (Time Cycles Research), is listed on this site.

Ghost Books

True Ghost Story Books – "Ghosty Girl" Leslie Rule has written numerous true ghost stories. This link brings you to all of her books (between $10 & $15 each at Amazon).

(If you are interested in reading my interview with Leslie Rule, "Ghosty Girl," author of the books listed in the True Ghost Story Books section listed above, click her name.)

Ghost Hunting: True Stories of Unexplained Phenomena from The Atlantic Paranormal Society ($10.20 at Amazon). This book recounts stories of the group's favorite investigations. You can also watch them on one of my favorite television programs, Ghost Hunters.

UFO Books

If your paranormal family member is interested in UFO activity, read UFOs and the Alien Agenda ($26.50 at Amazon).

Another book that captured my attention in the early years, was Communion by Whitley Strieber. It was the first book I read about alien abduction. I found it years after my own alien encounter, which I detail in an article entitled, Aliens In My Life – True UFO Encounters.

DVDs

Because so many paranormal movies exist, I won't list them separately. One of them isn't even out on DVD yet – Paranormal State. But who knows? By Christmas, it may already be on DVD.

Instead of listing various movies you might want to purchase, I went to lists of the top 50 scariest movies of all time. In my search I found boston.com that includes a variety of horror flicks, such as Arachnophobia, Dawn of the Dead, The Exorcist, Halloween, and The Thing, along with some surprising movies that wouldn't have made my list as one of the top 50 horror films. Check them out and see if you agree, then run over to amazon (my favorite inexpensive site), to purchase them.

If you find gifts not listed here that you think your paranormal lover would like to own, I invite you to add your own paranormal gift finds in the comments below.