Throughout the centuries, divination has been used to investigate future events. Many methods have been tried and tested in the hope of revealing hidden answers. I have held a fascination for this subject for many years, which was why I eventually put pen to paper with my daughter, Leanna Greenaway, and wrote, Catalog of the Unexplained.

Palmistry
I have been a working palmist for over forty years and have studied many clients' hands, gaining a great deal of information and knowledge (which I wrote about in one of my other books, Palmistry Out of your Hands).

The very first impressions happen when taking the person's hands into yours; there is usually an immediate vibration to into which you can hone. Perhaps they're feeling unwell, or you'll pick up that there is a sadness in their aura. One of the more visible signs is cold hands, cold fingers, or a bluish tint to the nails. Obviously, there is a circulatory problem for the querent. Perhaps they should live in a warmer climate. Here are some other signs and their meanings.

• Yellow Nails: This has the potential to indicate a liver condition. Does the person drink too much alcohol? I would always be careful about approaching this subject, and instead would advise my client to drink more water or to perform a detoxification program.
• Reddish Nails: If I am reading for a hunky man who has a reddish hue to his nails, he will usually enjoy sex. Later I would inspect his heart line to see if the prognosis is correct.
• White or Opaque Nails: These will often have a dark banding at the top of the nail, indicating that the client might have diabetes. At this point, I would stop myself from diagnosing and suggest they might like to visit their doctor for a check-up or, maybe a blood test.
• Pitted Nails: These signify that the querent has suffered some kind of recent shock, especially if there are a couple of deep purple pits on the nail. Generally, pitted nails represent skin conditions such as alopecia, dermatitis, or psoriasis.
• The Fate Line: It is not generally known, but many Vedic palmists will measure the fate line as a way of telling how long the person will live, so great credence is put upon it. A person's wealth, career, and fortune can be seen with the expert eye. A weak fate line can mean the person is scattered and will often get into a muddle or let others make decisions for them. A robust, clear fate line represents someone who is in charge of their life and will forge ahead with a dedicated career, attracting good luck to them.
• Heart Line: This is the first line that sits under the mounts of the fingers. A long, curved, strong heart line that has a deep pink color represents a healthy and well-rounded person. If the heart line is broken or bitty and lacks pigment, the individual can be inclined to be weak in love and a bit of a victim. (When seeing this on a female, I have often remarked that she really ought to summon some courage and kick him to the curb! Sometimes they do listen and go on to have a much better life). A short, broken heart line with purple indentations could be linked to problems associated with heart health. When teaching my students, I tell them it's not their business to make any remarks on this topic; leave that to the doctor.
• Lifeline: This is the line that curves around the thumb area or the Mount of Venus. Having a short lifeline does not indicate a short life, as other aspects of the hand have to be considered. A depressed person who feels they have nothing to live for can have this connotation, but when their life changes for the better, it's amazing how the lifeline can actually start to grow again. A professional palmist will measure the lifeline and date it. Usually, to find out this information, a print is taken, or an acceptable photocopy of the hand can be used for this process.
• Relationship Lines: If the Mercury finger (the little finger) is bent forward, these lines are present to the side near the heart line. The more lines, the more relationships, especially if there are dash lines across them. A curved line that connects to the heart line can be a sign of widowhood. If it has a fork, it's likely the client is divorced.
• Marriage and Children: The children's lines sit on the Mercury Mount, or just under the little pinky finger. Traditionally, slanting lines were said to be girls and straight lines represent boys. If one of the lines were crossed by another, a miscarriage could occur. Sometimes, these predictions can be a bit hit and miss. Once, I was reading for a glamourous blonde and noted she had seven sons on her palm. "These lines are ridiculous," I said to myself, "and can't possibly be true." The client asked why I was looking so perplexed, so I smiled and remarked that she should have seven sons according to her line-markings. She laughed and said how clever I was because she did indeed have seven sons: two sets of twins and three individual ones. I coolly replied, "Well, there you go!"

The subject of palmistry is vast and extremely interesting. Even after studying it for the best part of my adult life, I still cannot believe how uncannily accurate it is.

Tarot
My search into the paranormal brought me to explore another form of divination, the tarot. My daughter Leanna and I collectively have over sixty years' experience in tarot readings and went on to teach many students from all over the world. Anyone can learn tarot, whether they are psychic or not. There is nothing better than to see the joy on the students' faces when they actually do their first reading and get it right! Many clairvoyants prefer this form of divination because, believe it or not, we don’t wake up psychic every morning. The beauty of the tarot is that if you are having a psychic "off" day or you just can't get into the zone, a shuffled deck of cards will give the querent all the answers they are seeking. Each card has its own meaning, and this will change accordingly, depending on which cards are placed beside or around it. Many sceptics have argued that a pack of cards can't possibly predict future events and that surely, if you were to repeat a reading soon after performing one, a different set of cards would appear. I have tested this theory a few times in my life and once asked a client to shuffle two completely different decks separately. When I pulled out the cards and laid them in front of me, both spreads contained the majority of the same cards; they may be situated in a different sequence, but identical, all the same.

Reading tarot utilizes the right-hand side of the brain and enables the opening of the inner eye chakra, which sits directly between the eyebrows. The tarot works as a crutch to help the clairvoyant tune in psychically through their third eye.

Common Misconceptions about Tarot
There are 78 tarot cards in a traditional deck, and 22 of them house the Major Arcana and 56 represent the Minor Arcana. A novice might view the graphic images cautiously and worry that some might look sinister. Here are just a few topics of information that will hopefully dispel that myth.

• Card Number 12: The Hanged Man: This card portrays an unfortunate individual strapped upside down to a tree by one of his legs. The picture immediately tells us that he feels stuck and might never move on. He thinks, "Is this all there is to my life?" Positive Meaning: A time to change, get out of a rut, and also banish those bad habits that are holding him back. He should focus more on meditation and think things through in a more profound way for enlightenment. There could be obstacles in his path, preventing him from getting where he wants to be. Tell him to be patient. It could take twelve months before the blockades lift, but he will get there in the end.
• Card Number 13: Death: Here we see the grim reaper. Is he coming to tell bad news, or is it something sinister, like a death? Positive Meaning. Because this is the Scorpio card, many readers use this to time when an event might happen, such as in October, November, or around the fall. It predicts the end of one phase and the beginning of another or, in many cases, the birth of a new beginning. When one door closes, another will open, so it is often thought about as an incredibly positive card. It's true that it also represents death, but only if this card is placed next to a large, numbered Sword card (such as the nine, ten, or even the Tower). The opposite can be said if it sits around a Cup or Coin card, predicting a wonderful celebration on the horizon that will change a person's life.
• Card Number 15: Devil: This is an ugly card and signifies the time of Capricorn. When the Devil is in situ, the querent or someone around him could be chained by drugs, alcohol, and food addictions. There could also be a controlling or violent relationship with which they need to deal. Positive Meaning. If next to the Strength card, they will overcome all obstacles. If near The Hermit, Temperance, or the Star, spiritual protection is all around them. They are not alone and will win the day.
• Card Number 16: Tower: I find this the most challenging card. It can represent someone with a mental illness in the family or news of a shocking death, usually to do with the head. It can also mean accidents or huge arguments, and often, I have used this for those who are feeling suicidal. Positive Meaning. Its impact is lessened when placed around positive cards such as the High Priestess, Sun, or World. It tells the querent to keep going, don't give in, and remember that your Karma is being tested, so best to do things correctly.
• Card Number 20: Judgement: An Angel looks upon the individual with great care as it is a time of being stretched with little room to maneuver. Fate is in charge. Positive Meaning. Life is challenging, but the soul is becoming wiser because of the hardships of the past. The querent will be ascending up the spiritual ladder and will awaken to his real purpose. Karmic debts are being paid as he takes himself upwards.

Dictionary Divination
I close this article on a more unknown form of divination that has become ever popular over the last twenty years or so. When a person wants to communicate directly with the spirit world, they can use a large dictionary to find the answers they seek. This exercise involves performing a meditation beforehand to get into a more relaxed and open frame of mind.

Time to prepare is a must. It works by asking out loud a question that involves a specific answer. Something like, "Will I change my job?" or, "What should I do about my annoying mother-in-law?" You would verbalize your question and then scroll or flick through the book's pages with your thumb, close your eyes, and randomly point to a page in the book. Look at the word you have landed on. If that word makes no sense, you can look at the line of wording above or below. Your answers might be obvious in a sentence like, "A job awaits," or you might immediately land on the word "mother-in-law." You then continue to ask more questions relating to your query and piece together your answers.

When Leanna was younger, she once asked the dictionary the name of the person she would marry and, after a few attempts, pointed to the name Graham. She eventually married a Steven but, after divorcing thirteen years later, went on to marry Graeme. There is no set timing with the dictionary's predictions, but they do engage a connection with the spirit realm. Loved ones in spirit can also communicate with those they have left behind. It's a way of touching base and letting you know they are safe and well.

When a person is interested in one aspect of the paranormal, it is quite likely that they'll continue to explore other avenues. From being very young, I had a thirst for knowledge on all things unexplained and, for years, used to jot down bits of information on my findings. This is how the Catalog of the Unexplained was born. Of course, we had to extensively research hundreds of topics, making sure we gave the correct information. Still, having written six books so far in my life, I can safely say that this was the most interesting and most challenging of all for Leanna and myself.