Hot Dish Not Included
As a proud Minnesotan, I consider neighborliness a core value—right up there with casserole creation. Yet, despite my deep dedication to being the kind of person who waves at neighbors from the porch like it’s an Olympic sport, I realized that I had been living down the street from a new neighbor for an entire year without stopping by. I know, it’s scandalous. But, no time for guilt! This revelation jolted me into action—spoiler alert, I did not bring a hotdish.
My new neighbor? Tina, proprietor of a Psychic Boutique who offers a range of services from tarot to tea leaf readings. I hadn’t yet explored the spirit-conjuring side of life, and my curiosity was high, so I texted the number in the window (206-222-0722) and set up my very first psychic reading.
Tina’s shop sits cozily on the corner of 1st Avenue NE and N 45th Street in the building that burned down during construction (just upon completion) a couple years back. She and her sister had been practicing the art of the unseen in a shop on Aurora for decades and according to Tina, the neighborhood has been quite the upgrade.
I entered the session with the mindset of blank-slate openness which, in hindsight, might have been too open. I wasn’t sure what I was seeking, other than, well, a good story for the blog and the chance to explore the new business up the street. Tina sensed that, and my reading was a bit more general than the third-eye-awakening experience I expected. Still, Tina still gave me some very specific guidance, and the experience was warm and positive.
Tina, a self-proclaimed “good witch,” offers all sorts of readings: from tea leaves to palmistry and full-on spiritual sessions. These range in price from $25 – $100. Based on Tina’s recommendation, I opted for the most complete option, a spiritual reading. Tina shared that she has been blessed by God to see spirits all the time and this brings the ability to spot any dark spirits that may have hitchhiked into my life, causing mayhem. At the mention of dark entities, I instantly felt nerves, wondering if any were lurking in me. Tina assured me that, thanks to her divine blessings, she could help people rid themselves of these dark energies, shutting doors on unwelcome spirits and improving their lives. Thankfully, Tina didn’t find any dark and meddlesome beings in my midst. Instead, she spotted the joyful spirits of children giggling and protecting me. Tina shared that they protect me because I am pure of heart. I am still processing what it means to be surrounded by a bunch of happy, laughing child spirits — a full-blown ghostly daycare inhabiting my being…
At the end of my session, Tina recommended I meditate every morning (which sounds effective, and also ambitious for someone who spends a solid part of each morning demanding that my children “please just put their shoes on”). She also convinced me to purchase a candle to help with this new practice. The candle was $25, the reading was $75, and my journey to the ethereal totaled $100. Not a bad price to ensure you’re free of dark spirits and surrounded by laughter, but also not one I have in my budget to repeat with any frequency. I should note that this candle mysteriously shattered on my coffee table a week after the reading. Perhaps the spirits were displeased with my lack of follow through on the morning meditations.
All in all, Tina was as warm and welcoming as her Yelp reviews promised. I didn’t leave with life-altering revelations or premonitions of lottery numbers, but I did feel lighter—maybe it was the candle, maybe it was the knowledge that the happy spirits watching over me were having a great time. Either way, I left the Psychic Boutique glad that I’d finally met Tina and added another layer of neighborliness to our little corner of the world.
So, here’s to neighborliness, spirit guides, and maybe bringing a hotdish next time… because even spirits must love tater tots.