Hana Oakes

When COVID-19 hit, it drastically impacted our lives in many ways. From social interactions to more serious topics such as employment, this deadly pandemic uprooted an array of our normal day to day routines. The National Academy of Sciences reports, “the pandemic had already caused massive dislocation among small businesses. Across the full sample, 43% of businesses had temporarily closed, and nearly all of these closures were due to COVID-19.”

But it also changed things many wouldn’t consider, such as businesses focused on spirituality. I asked Victoryia Toldina, a young woman who has experience in doing oracle cards for others, how the pandemic has affected the way she gives readings and how she feels about the change. “I hear a lot about conducting spiritual readings over the phone or zoom but that can be hard. You really need the person to be there in person with you for them to feel the energy of the cards and connect with it all. I also find that technology can drain my spiritual energy and disconnect me from what I’m focused on doing.”

Spiritual or ‘psychic’ readings are fairly common. They began to appear in a form we would recognize in about the 1780s, psychics and mediums conducting seances and divination readings. Modern day readings go more like follows: the spiritualist will give the customer a reading (oracle cards, tarot cards, palmistry or reiki healing) and then get paid for their time and effort. Many people find spiritual guidance after these readings and a better awareness of who they are as a person or how to deal with a problem at hand.

All in all, COVID-19 has affected us all, sometimes in unexpected ways it’s finding a way to adjust to it that matters.