Whether you’ve ever heard someone blame their worst day on astrology (perhaps during Mercury Retrograde) or seen the emergence of WitchTok, a community of witches on TikTok. Regardless, conspiracies toward alternative spirituality are exploding, especially in the wake of the pandemic and tectonic shifts. in our national culture.
Interest in all things magical has skyrocketed over the past decade, with the popularity of tarot, astrology, and tea leaf readings surging, especially among Gen Z.
And the world of alternative spirituality has a strong presence in Massachusetts, with hundreds of readers in places like Salem and Boston.
Here in Massachusetts, new legislation was passed in September that requires fortune tellers to be licensed in order to accept money from customers.
Rachel Armany
GBH News
“Humans are meaning-making creatures,” says Laura Campagna, a Boston-based astrologer, tarot reader, and energy healer who has been practicing full-time since 2018. Things unfold and deeper meanings and patterns come to life. ”
Campagna said about nine people a week attend private sessions, which are booked up to two months in advance. She also offers classes through Newton Community Education, local libraries, and her own website.
She said late October to mid-November, astrologically known as Scorpio season, is the busiest time of the year.
“I do everything: private parties, events, weddings,” Campagna said. “I also work with a local couples therapist, and sometimes couples want to take a reading and unpack what they learned about each other in the session.”
Rachel Armany
GBH News
Alternative spirituality is currently booming, but its practices have been around for a long time. This is a history that local sociologist Dr. Helen Berger has been studying for decades.
“Astrology in particular is very old. Tarot cards and card readings, or the types of rune stones with symbols on them, have been around for thousands of years. And in fact, interest in astrology has a history of rise and fall. It never went away.”
She credits the recent proliferation of online platforms like TikTok and Instagram, as well as the decline in interest in organized religion.
According to a March 2022 study from the University of Chicago, nearly one in three Americans identify as spiritual rather than religious, up from 18.5% two decades ago.
“And for someone like me who is a sociologist of religion, it’s very interesting that these people are not nonbelievers, they’re independents. That’s very different,” Berger said.
Other options can provide an outlet for people who don’t feel comfortable in traditional religious spaces, including those in the LGBTQ+ community.
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Naomi Westwater is a queer singer-songwriter and self-proclaimed witch who incorporates spirituality into her music.
“I think being a modern witch means something to everyone,” Westwater said. “For me, it means working with the cycles of the earth and trying to live a life that is part of nature, rather than separate from it.”
Westwater said while he’s excited about spirituality’s newfound popularity, it can also come with ethical questions.
“Then you find yourself online and a lot of people say negative things like, ‘If you don’t do this, this bad thing will happen,'” they said. “And I’m always frustrated by that, because part of the great thing about spirituality is that there aren’t that level of rules or structure, and it’s really about intention and building community.” That’s why.
The market for mystical services such as astrology, tarot, and palmistry is estimated to be worth $2.2 billion in the U.S. and has grown at a compound annual rate of 0.5% since 2017.
This is also due to the fact that more and more people are turning to alternative spiritualities when making important life decisions, such as work or love.
One persistent misconception is that tarot and astrology predict the future, Campagna said.
“The reality is we all have a choice,” she said. “Ideally, readings allow people to make the best, most intelligent, thoughtful choices, and while it may feel like, oh, I’m stuck here, there’s actually movement or planning. It helps them feel more confident and get better results. ”
