Psychics see jump in business at start of new year
By ERIKA BAYER-POLAK
VIEW STAFF WRITER
Whether one finds it surprising, or merely common sense, right around the first of the year is one of the busiest seasons for psychics.
Rowena Rasquinha, who practices psychic arts at the Cosmic Corner in the Palms, said people often look for clues for what to expect in the upcoming year. She is also aware that several others in her line of work experience an increase in business around this time of year as well.
"More people start to come in at the end of December and in early January," Rasquinha said. "Here at the Palms it's busy throughout the year, but there is a spike early in the year."
Rasquinha isn't your standard psychic. She doesn't wear costumes, doesn't ask questions of her clients and has a degree in psychology.
"There are a lot of bad psychics out there that give the rest of us a bad name," Rasquinha said. "And on top of that, people are afraid of what they don't know. I'll admit there is no logic to it, it's just intuition. I am clairvoyant. I get visual images, like a movie, about your life in my mind. I just feel things."
Rasquinha has also noticed a unique trend over the last few years. People used to ask more questions about finances. However, that has changed, she said.
"Most people are now more concerned about health," she said. "People still ask questions about their wealth, but the focus has shifted to health and happiness."
Another interesting fact that Rasquinha noted was that even though her station is located in a casino, she gets very few questions about gambling.
On the other hand, another local psychic, Mona Van Joseph, commonly known as Mystic Mona, said she is often asked gambling-related questions when she works in casinos, but she is always certain to remind her clients to not take the reading too seriously.
Joseph said she doesn't experience an upsurge of business around the beginning of the year, but admits that may partly be her own doing. "I tell people to come in around their birthdays," she said. "I feel that's the beginning of their personal new year."
Joseph, like Rasquinha, doesn't quite fit the stereotype either. After college she spent several years in the hospitality industry before venturing into psychic arts for a living. Joseph was also willing to dispel the belief that psychics hold some unique power that only they can understand.
"Psychics should only be an affirmation of someone's own path," she said. "And it should be fun, it's about what you want to take out of it. But there are more bad psychics than good ones. The bad ones mention curses and cleansings and say, 'Well, if you pay me $300, I'll cleanse your aura.' It's a bunch of bull."
Joseph, who mainly works at private functions, also has a radio show, the Psychic View Radio Program, which airs on Sunday evenings from 7-9 p.m. on 720 AM. She answers questions free of charge, spending about two to five minutes with each caller.
"A good psychic can give you the answer to your question in a sufficient amount of time without fishing and asking questions," she said. "I take about two or three minutes for the regular, normal questions, and about four or five minutes for complex questions."
Among other things, Joseph also takes a unique approach on visiting psychics.
"People should get to the point where they don't want to go to a psychic," she said. "They should be confident enough in themselves to the point where they don't want to go, they don't need to."
So, neither Joseph or Rasquinha use crystal balls or potions, or bombard their clients with questions before they begin their work. They both also hold Psychic Arts Licenses through the city, and they agree that there are more "bad psychics" than "good psychics" working these days, something Joseph is delving into for an upcoming book.
"Curses and spells don't exist," Rasquinha said. "If you believe it, you'll manifest it on yourself. Do people really need to go to psychics? No. Just be a good person and be at peace with yourself. Accept people for who they are and you'll be OK. Just remember, what goes around comes around. Karma will always get you."