In years past, those suffering from a lonely-heart or physical illness may have consulted a psychic for a peak into their future for a hopeful sign. The psychic, in turn, consulted a large crystal ball, a numerology chart, a deck of tarot cards, and personal intuition in hopes of finding that sign. But it's 2009, and everything has changed, even in the mysterious world of the occult.

According to three area professionals claiming psychic ability or fine-tuned intuition who offer "readings," the universal question, "Will I ever find Mr. Right?" percolating behind storefront curtains, in coffee shop booths, and at corporate summer picnics, has yielded to, "When will I get a job?"

Fortune Teller Sheila Lyon owns Market Magic in Pike Place Market and has done over one hundred bachelorette parties in West Seattle and entertained at area corporate events.

She struggled to lift a heavy crystal ball, 200 millimeters in diameter, or about 7 inches, at Market Magic. "These lead crystal balls are made in Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Italy," she said. Her shop is wallpapered with large, colorful vintage posters of Houdini, bearded mystics, and other, other-worldly performers. She sells large crystal balls for about $700, ventriloquist dolls and the apparatus to safely saw your assistant in half. "You never know what you're going to see in a crystal ball," she said. "I definitely feel something coming from this crystal ball. This is really weird but I'm seeing libraries, shelves and shelves of books, and cooking, people getting together to cook more often. The poor economy is humbling. People are going to get together."

In Lyon's shop, four customers pulled four "Native American Medicine Cards" from a 56-card deck, one for each season in 2009. All have colorful drawings of a full moon. On some are feathers to represent air, coral to represent water, and horns or animal teeth to represent land. The first three cards chosen were the Raven, Weasel, and Porcupine. Lyon said the Raven means tough times in winter and we'll need a bit of magic to get through it. The Weasel means we will need a sense of humor to make it through spring. The Porcupine card means, "Back off. I am on a mission...Hard work ahead."

A customer chose the "Blank" card for fall, and Lyon's eyes lit up. "This is like the 'wild card,'" she exclaimed. "This means that by the end of fall dreams will come true. That's a great sign to end 2009."

"We all need a tune up in 2009," said Amy Goetz, who lives and works in West Seattle. She practices "transformative body work," and is a degreed in massage therapy and reflexology. She also reads tarot cards and practices shamanism. "We're all carrying around a story. When things get bleak we forget we are the authors of our own story. My job is to jump start it, look at patterns, talk about things we can change to get you on a new path, and take action.

"We need to get off our collective asses," she said. "Stop sitting in front of the TV and start taking action. It doesn't have to be huge, but if you want anything to change you need to act. We also need to listen to the committees in our head. In 2009, people have to stop getting into self-depreciating patterns, and create a positive, hopeful story. We must then proceed from the inability to move, past guilt, and into discovery. Find teachers to help take small actions as 2009 progresses. Stand up and walk forward. This is a healing process.

"I've noticed a lot of people in West Seattle seeking out new direction, 'Do I start a new job? Do I start living my dream, or hold onto security in fear of losing my job?' Some people cling to, 'I don't know what's going to happen,' while others say, 'Maybe this recession is an opportunity to change.'"

"My shamanic work is based on indigenous spirituality, connecting to nature, yourself, the healing of your soul," she said. "Any traumatic event you have had caused a flaking off of your soul. Trauma causes fright, and as a result, a part of you fractures off like little pieces of glass. Shamanic work goes into the in- between world, a meditative state, to bring back the pieces. "

"I use intuitional insight as well as a numerology format," said Lance Campbell of West Seattle. He is a friend and colleague of Lyon, and they work corporate parties together. "I just enlighten (clients) in a helpful way so that their decisions are their own." The Australian-born 50 year-old with the rectangular mustache and beard wears a "yukata," an Asian robe to add a look of Eastern ambiance, and acknowledged a large component of his profession is performance. He puts on "interactive ESP" shows and said he plays with human psychology.

"After my ESP show an onslaught of folks from the audience want their numerology explained. I won't invade their private thoughts. I won't embarrass them. Corporate clients can relax on that.

"For 2009, how we do Chinese numerology is the 2 plus the 9 equals 11. You then add the two ones which equal two. The number two represents continuation without real change, while people will experience more of a community feel, due possibly to economic times. We will become close knit and help each other, either outwardly or it could be behind the scenes. I fill my mental vision around West Seattle and see that in 2009 people will realize they need to take care of trees more. People who are cutting trees down should stop and say, 'If we're not careful we're going to look like Kansas.'

" I see more people coming in (to West Seattle.) This may spur us on to actually do better mass transit into the city.

"We're at a point of change. It is not like a wall, but a hill we are standing before. There is hope out there, tempered with a little bit of fear, definitely."

To contact any of these purveyors of psychic services visit these links:

www.divaofdivination.com (Sheila Lyon)

www.barefootphoenix.com (Amy Goetz)

www.anespexperience.com (Lance Campbell)

Steve Shay can be reached at Steves@robinsonnews.com