But in the end, it's still a job.

I interviewed a psychic reader from eastern Pennsylvania who goes by the name of Ceridwen. She told me a little about her daily routine.

"I wake up each morning and immediately check my email and voice mail. Sometimes people want to schedule an emergency appointment, so I try to get back to them right away and find a time to work them in. Then I check my schedule to see what other readings I have scheduled for that day. Sometimes I have a lot of email orders that came in overnight, so I sit down with a cup of coffee, bring in my cat Moonshadow who loves to perch on my desk when I'm doing readings, and I lay out my tarot cards."

"I focus on the person's name and birth information and do some deep breathing to put myself into a meditative state. I've been doing readings for twenty years - since I was a young girl of 12 - so it's not hard for me to get into the right state of mind. Once I feel open and receptive, I start looking carefully at the cards."

"If the person has given me a written list of questions I type up the things I see in the cards and describe situations that the person needs to look at or work at if they want to feel better and achieve more in life. After I'm finished I email them their written reading."

"If I'm talking with someone over the phone or doing reading via live chat, we have a back and forth process with me describing some of what I see going on, and the person also jumps in with questions and comments."

"For me, the hardest part of being a psychic reader is keeping track of time. I always want to give a much longer reading than I should. I try to keep an egg timer going so when it goes 'ding' I know that my time with that person is up."

"Overall, I find that being a psychic reader is fun, but it can be extremely stressful because people often request readings when they are in a sad or angry state of mind. I pick up on a lot of that energy if I'm not careful. So at the end of each day I always take my dog out for a long walk so I can recharge my batteries and connect with nature. This helps me shake off whatever has been going on during that day's readings."

Ceridwen, like many psychic readers, is serious about her work and devoted to improving her clients' lives.

"Some people associate psychics with gypsies or charlatans, but those of us who do this work full-time are more like therapists or healers. We are devoted to making people happier, healthier, and wealthier, and our advice is designed to create positive change in someone's life."

When you speak with a psychic reader, it's helpful to have a list of questions in mind so you can work through different issues you're facing. Ceridwen says, "The more people are prepared with questions they want to ask, the easier it is to get specific answers for them."

So remember to do a little homework before you consult a psychic reader, and you can end up having an inspiring and intimate experience with a gifted advisor.