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 private "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?"

"The past, present, and future is represented in these three cards," said tarot reader Tony Comito, a Ballard resident who pulled a 3-card spread, the "Chariot," "Hermit," and "Justice" cards, to interpret the future of a community. He continued, "I will be very specific to Ballard."

Comito wears many hats, some containing rabbits. The former circus performer wows his audience with slight-of-hand magic, puppet shows, and juggling for Microsoft and other corporate clients. He works part time at Market Magic in Pike Place Market.

A tarot deck usually has either 72 or 78 cards, and readers generally utilize the first 22, or "major arcana" cards that speak specifically to life's challenges.

"The Chariot, the past, indicates how people were driven to live here in Ballard, with its new residents in the driver's seat," he said. "Ballard became central to the Seattle lifestyle. At one point Ballard was noted more for seniors. More recently its youthful energy was proactive, seeking change, a new destiny. The monorail (plan) was symbolized by the Chariot.

"The Hermit is the present and speaks of things quieting down this year, rethinking, the calm in the storm. The Hermit is a deep thinker, sheds light, contemplates. We kind of rushed into a lot of development that is slowing down. With this troubled economy, what is Ballard to become? It is no longer in the 'go go go' period, and everybody is wondering what we are getting into.

"The Justice card is a legal, cautionary card. Whenever this card comes up, if you are doing any major project, you want to get great legal advice. Attorneys and bankers will be looking into what's going to be determined in Ballard development. Did Ballard overbuild? And with projects slowing or stopping, legal issues will come up. Perhaps if developers could have seen the future, we'd still have the bowling alley and Denny's."

Sheila Lyon often accompanies Comito at corporate events when they are not working together at the Market Magic, which she owns. She once ran the Small Faces School in Ballard and does readings at area bachelorette parties.

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. "You never know what you're going to see. 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 her 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 from Calgary 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."

The aptly-named Judith Ballard is a Monday-night fixture at the Rickshaw Restaurant and Lounge in Greenwood, offering tarot card readings. A psychology and philosophy major at the University of Washington, she is a licensed therapist with a science background. She has practiced for over 50 years, and is well-versed with the arts of hand-writing analysis, tarot, clairvoyance, clairscentience-getting a feeling about a person rather than a visual sense, and psychometry-holding a personal object in her hand as a window into one's mind. She said tarot cards "act as sort of a kicker, and you still must rely on your psychic abilities to interpret them accurately."

"I have a deep respect for personal privacy. I don't share what I see inside a person without an invitation," she said. "If I see trouble for them over the next six months I will gently redirect them if I feel I can positively affect the outcome."

Her Ballard predictions may intrigue and upset residents.

"The battle of growth of Ballard continues all next year. I wouldn't sell property, but it's a good time to buy property. Ballard will approve the monorail plan in four years. That will bring a new, modern, green solar-powered three-story building devoted to recreation. It will have a big fountain in the middle and many shops. It will be a huge success, and just incredible.

"Nationally we are not out of the woods, but after March we will start seeing a comeback with the economy improving rapidly and bunches of new jobs."

For more information, go to:

www.comitoknows.com

www.divaofdivination.com (Sheila Lyon)

www.judithballardpsychic.com