In movies, books, and real life, people are always interested in "what happens next" and what the future holds. Because of this, people came up with ways to find out about the future, some of which are hundreds of years old. There are many tools and methods that can be used to predict the future. As told in stories, gipsies are known for crystal gazing, reading tarot cards, reading palms, tea leaves, bones, etc.
Divination is not an exact art or science by any means. People with the ability to predict the future are often called fortune tellers. This is a bad name, because the diviner doesn't see a person's fortune. Instead, he or she sees possibilities about the person's future life, love, finances, etc. All of these depend on the choices a person makes right now. In the Filipino language, fortune tellers are called manghuhula, which means "guessers" in English. Basically, this means that people who tell your fortune are just guessing. Surprisingly, their guesses were right so often that divination became a very successful business.
Even though it has many forms, astrology seems to be the most trusted. There are different kinds of astrology, but the most well-known ones are Chinese astrology, which is one of the oldest ways to tell the future and was made hundreds of years ago, and western astrology (created by Babylonian astronomers).
Based on the cycles of the moon, the Chinese zodiac signs change once a year. So, the first full moon of the year marks the beginning of their year. There are 12 animals that make up the Chinese zodiac. The year you were born tells what animal you are. The animal signs are the rat, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the rooster, the dog, and the boar.
The zodiac that changes every month is the one that most people know. Depending on when you were born, you could be an Aquarius, a Pisces, an Aries, a Taurus, a Gemini, a Cancer, a Leo, a Virgo, a Libra, a Scorpio, a Sagittarius, or a Capricorn.
There seem to be a lot of diviners and people who want to know what the future holds these days. From the corner cafe to bookstores, radio, TV, websites, and even call centres. Since many years ago, psychic hotlines have been very popular. Dionne Warwick and her psychic friends are two well-known people who have joined the trend.
Before they make their predictions, astronomy-based seers do a lot of math and research. For them to come up with a more or less accurate prediction, they need to know when and where you were born, as well as where the stars are and how the planets are lined up.
In the 21st century, diviners are more than just people who tell your fortune. They also give their clients advice or counsel. They do more than just give advice. For a very low price, they also offer comfort and a listening ear. Your favourite diviner becomes a part of your life and, at times, goes from being a simple diviner to a good friend.
