Clairvoyance put to the test

Palm reading experience leads to skepticism

Karla Solorzano

Krystal points to my lifeline.

I’m just a typical teen girl — naive and gullible. Because of my skepticism and interest in all things mystical, I was eager to have my palm read.

According to the American Federation of Psychics and Mediums, the percentage of men  who have contacted a psychic (or a palmist) is 39 percent and 69 percent of women have consulted with a psychic

Chemistry teacher Alex Day-Blattner said that she would never have her palm read. “As a science teacher, I try to get students interested in phenomena in the natural world and generating ideas, based on evidence, about how things work,” she said. “I don’t think there is evidence to support what a palm reader does, and so I am concerned for the people who might make decisions based on what a palm reader says. I think that could lead to some faulty life decisions.”

Despite my own uncertainty, I was pumped as I walked into the Glendale Psychic Center on Colorado in November, as I had never had my palm read. Krystal (which I assume to be her pseudonym), the palmist, welcomed me in and escorted me to a small room.

“Is it okay if I record our session and take some pictures?” I asked.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t record because sometimes the recording comes out scary but you can take pictures.” she said.

I quickly snapped some pictures of the tarot cards she had laying around when she left the room for a brief moment.

Junior Kahren Torosyan once had his cards read by his grandma. “After my grandma shuffled the cards I then picked up half of the stack and gave it to her,” Torosyan said. “She picked seven random cards out of the stack and began to piece them together to reveal the image. My cards showed that I would have good travel, I would receive news in 28 days, and I would get relief from something I was worried about. As time went on everything she had told me came true.”

But I wasn’t having cards read on this visit; it was my palms that would be read instead.

Krystal and I then sat down so she would foretell my future.

“Which hand would you like me to read? The left hand is about love, health and life and the right is career, income and success.”

“Let’s do the right.”

She began to tell me that I have two success lines — meaning that I would have two jobs, both of which would provide a substantial income. One job would be something small I do on the side, while the longer more defined line on my palm represents the steady and notable job I would have.

“This line over here tells me that you wanted to do something in the medical field.”

“Yes!”

“But the line stops, which tells me that you no longer want to pursue this path.”

“Yes! That’s true!”

“Why? What happened?”

“Well, I was always interested in it since I watched shows like House M.D. and Grey’s Anatomy, but I just thought I wasn’t capable of it.”

I also told her that I was interested in being a pediatrician which was a big mistake because she then said that I love children. This wasn’t a lie, but that was obvious since I said that I wanted to be a pediatrician and that job requires a great deal of patience and love for children.

“Don’t divert from that path. I feel like you would be great as a pediatrician. Besides, if it isn’t working out you’ll always have that second job to support you. But I can tell this is really good for you. Obviously you don’t have to make the decision now but in a year or two you will.”

I was quickly relieved to hear that I would be successful, but when she said “in a year or two,” I was alarmed because it was possible that she guessed that I’m a high schooler who is graduating in two years based on my appearance. Nevertheless, her words were still enticing.

“Let me take a quick look at your left palm,” Krystal said. “I won’t charge you for it.”

I extended my arm out and opened my palm. She showed me my life line, which is the line closest to the thumb, and told me I have a long and clear life line which suggests longevity with good health.

“You will take good care of yourself, so that’s good because you don’t only want a long life, but you also want a healthy one.”

Krystal began to read my family line, located near my life line.

“Hmm…I see here that your family has a lot of ups and downs, but you guys are always united. Meaning that although you guys fight or there are times where you don’t talk, in the end if someone needs something you are all there.”

It was not a false statement because that could apply to a number of people; every family has its good and bad days.

“Right here below your pinky is all about your future family line — the number of kids you’ll have and your partner.”

She said that I would have two men in my life. The first man would propose and we would be engaged but our engagement would come to end. The second man would be my lifelong partner whom I marry and have three possible children.

“You’ll definitely have one boy and a girl but this line right here is not clear. I’m sorry but it could be a miscarriage.”

Ingender, a website about the probability of giving birth to a boy or girl, says that there is a 51 percent chance of having a boy and a 49 percent chance of having a girl. Also, there is a 50 percent chance of having a girl after giving birth to a boy.

These statistics are almost 50-50, which leads me to conclude that Krystal’s prediction of the gender of my “future babies” are realistic. According to Babycenter, about 10 to 20 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, and more than 80 percent of them happen before 12 weeks.

Another skeptical is a close friend of mine, high school junior Vana Ter-Hovannisian, who had her palm read as well. Ter-Hovannisian recalls a Korean man approaching she and her sister while they were having lunch in a coffee shop. “It was really weird because I had never met him before and he took my hand and asked if I would mind having my palm read,” she said. “He told me that I was going to die at 30 which is ridiculous because I lead a healthy lifestyle. I run and eat healthy food, and most of my family members lived until their 80s.”

Unlike Ter-Hovannisian’s thought on her reading, I concluded that some of Krystal’s predictions were practical. Although it was definitely a fun experience, as of now I can’t determine whether what she prophesied was legitimate or not. Therefore, I am still skeptical but remain fascinated by the things that are beyond the realm of normal scientific understanding.