THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 5, 1995 TAG: 9504040138
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
Pat Hamilton had two psychic readings in 1982 that gave her a mission.
``I was told on two different occasions by psychic readings that I should put on a psychic fair,'' said Hamilton. ``I didn't know at the time where it would be, but it felt right.''
Hamilton, who followed that advice and recently put on her fourth local psychic fair, arrived in Virginia Beach 10 years ago to practice as a clinical hypnotherapist. She had been involved in the fledging movement of psychic phenomena for several years at that point and has been a certified practitioner for 17 years.
Stargazer IV took place at the Radisson Hotel on a recent Sunday afternoon. About 20 psychics sat at card tables in the first-floor ballroom, and vendors offered beads and rocks, vitamins, natural herbs and oils.
The seers sat across from those who came to find out details of their lives - past, present and future.
The psychics read tarot cards, delved into past-life regressions and offered a look at the future for those who attended the fair. Fifteen minute readings cost $10.
Attendees could also attend lectures on New Age subjects such as holistic healing, meditation and reiki, a form of massage therapy.
Julie Goode of Chesapeake was enthralled as Marilyn Fitzgerald shuffled a deck of Egyptian tarot cards and talked to Goode about her spiritual life.
``The cards contain Egyptian symbols,'' said Fitzgerald. The intuitive feelings that she receives from the cards plays a large part in individual readings, she said.
She explained to Goode what the symbols meant in her reading and talked about them for a few minutes. Goode looked pleased with the reading and moved on to other tables.
Fitzgerald began her ``New Age'' quest before the term became fashionable.
``I underwent a near-death experience in April 1958,'' she said. ``I hadn't heard the term then and don't know if anyone else had either. It certainly changed my life spiritually.''
Twenty years later, in 1978, Fitzgerald realized that she could tell others about her experience.
``The general public was more in tune with the idea by then,'' she said.
Fitzgerald provides psychometry readings and past-life regressions, and leads psychic discussion sessions and interprets dreams, in addition to her Egyptian tarot specialty. Psychometry readings attempt to divine knowledge about someone through an object that he or she possesses.
``Last year about 150 people came to the fair,'' said Hamilton. ``That was encouraging because on the day we held it, the roads were covered with ice and snow.''
This year's attendance grew to about 190.
``My purpose in having the fair is to help promote psychics and vendors and to help network,'' said Hamilton. MEMO: For information about Pat Hamilton and her Stargazer psychic fair, call
340-3170.
ILLUSTRATION: Pat Hamilton, a certified psychic practitioner, recently put on
her fourth local psychic fair. ``I was told on two different
occasions by psychic readings that I should put on a psychic fair,''
she said.
Marilyn Fitzgerald gives an Egyptian tarot card reading. The
psychics delved into past-life regressions and offered a look at the
future for those who attended the fair. Fifteen-minute readings cost
$10.
Photos by
PETER D. SUNDBERG
by CNB