Oxford-area psychics and spiritual leaders have seen hikes in the number of people coming to ask how they can brave the difficult economic climate.
The Rev. Karen Burnard said that within her parish, people want to talk more than they have in past years.
"2009 is a song no one of us has sung and not one of us knows what it'll sound like." Burnard said.
Singing strong for 80 years, Hamilton psychic Carmen Cohen said she has seen her business picking up in the economic downturn. Cohen said she's seen an increase in people needing to discuss their finances and has noticed people looking for reassurance.
"People call me 'Dr. Hope,'" Cohen said. "It's the age of miracles and that's why people come here-it's because they need hope and I can tell them how it's going to turn out."
Cohen said there are parallels between the current economic situation and the depression during the 1930s.
"Our economy and everything is in chaos and people are more worried than they have been in many years." Cohen said. "I lived through the Depression so I know what a Depression is, but this is a recession and it feels different."
Cincinnati psychic Diana Johnston said she's done more than 3,000 readings in the past six months and said she's seen an increase in spirituality as more people look for answers.
"People are just tired of the negativity," Johnston said. "Last year, people were losing money, the crash of the housing market, the stock market turn ... we were having a lot of negative vibrations through the planet."
Burnard said people are looking for wisdom from people they trust in an environment where they can relax and evade stress for an hour. The economy is making people more aware of each other, Burnard said, because in times of chaos and stress, people then recognize their inter-connectedness.
"I think there's some good that can come out of this-people are starting to ask, starting to question, 'Where are my values? Where are my priorities?'" Burnard said. "The faith community is a safe place to do that."
Johnston gives her clients the advice that money, like everything, is about changing negative energy into positive.
"I tell my customers that money vibrates with energy the same way you do," Johnston said. "If you're always worried about money, you send the same negative vibrations out into the world … money doesn't come from our income, it comes from unexpected sources too."
Burnard said the New Year brings opportunities to her parish.
"I tell people to just try and keep the faith," Burnard said. "The world is changing fast but we've got the gifts to deal with it. These challenges could propel us into something better, something new and different."
