Phoenix psychic fair offers readings – even to skeptics

Seated 3 feet away, Shannon Horton-Garcia sized up Jerry Adams’ face.

There was a mole on the lower right side of his cheek, she noted. High forehead. The nook between his nose and upper lip was long, clear. His nose itself was straight, unswerving.

Cheekbones? Broad. Jawline? Square.

You’re susceptible to digestive issues with certain foods, Horton-Garcia told Adams. You’re very smart — a fast thinker who’s probably five steps ahead of everybody else in conversation. Adams nodded. You’ll live a long life, and you’re very determined,

Horton-Garcia continued. You have a lot of philosophical interests — but you also have to know you’re supported in reality.

“Exactly,” said Adams, laughing. “That’s, uh, right to the tee.”

Both Horton-Garcia and Adams were preparing for a twice-yearly psychic fair held by Harmony in Phoenix, a nonprofit founded in 1951. Housed in a rebuilt home in central Phoenix’s historic Encanto neighborhood, Harmony serves as a gathering place for the “spiritualist community” and offers classes each month in areas of the metaphysical.

This year’s first psychic fair is Saturday and features “the Valley’s favorite intuitives” — in this case, a Chinese face reader, a tarot reader, an oraclecard reader and three psychic mediums.

Horton-Garcia practices Chinese face reading, the art of discerning health issues and personality traits from one’s facial features. She said the practice is related to Chinese medicine and the idea that each organ is reflected on the face.

Amole might be indicative of an internal blockage somewhere, for example. And for heaven’s sake, people, be mindful of the space on your forehead between your eyes,

‘‘ For me, it’s all natural. I’ve had it my whole life. I can’t shut it off. I wake up with it.”

Psychic medium who will be at the Harmony in Phoenix fair she said.

“This is your life-house area,” Horton-Garcia said. A blemish or line there could represent legal, financial or home issues. Just look at pictures of Martha Stewart when she was in jail, she said: two pimples in her life house, clear as day!

Adams will be one of the three psychic mediums at the fair, “crossing over” and connecting the living with those who have passed away. He has encountered more than his share of skeptics but said that since he was young, he has felt a spirit that passes through and communicates with him “like a river.”

“For me, it’s all natural. I’ve had it my whole life. I can’t shut it off. I wake up with it,” he said. “A lot of people are really grieving over lost family members and friends, so when they go to somebody that’s real and that can connect with that person, give them messages that only they would know, it just lightens up their whole day.”

Adams’ business card lists aura readings and paranormal identifying as other specialties.

“Not only am I a medium, I’m like a multitask medium,” Adams said. “A lot of mediums just do crossing over, but I also can read people’s energy and do past, present, future readings, and warning readings if something’s going to happen.”

Nancy Zilversmit’s repertoire is similarly varied.

A tarot-card reader who teaches classes at Harmony, she conducts oracle card “readings, mediumship, house clearings, exorcism and many different kinds of energy work.”

Zilversmit also is working toward a holistic health-care degree and, in her spare time, hosts an Internet radio show on spiritual matters.

She, too, has encountered skeptics, but she often prefers to do what she calls a cold reading.

“I ask that they give meno information,” Zilversmit said. “I say, ‘Hold your list of questions in your pocket. We’re going to go ahead and do the reading. It’ll probably answer all the questions, and you can check your list afterward.’ And they’re amazed sometimes that the list has already been answered.”

The psychic fair runs from noon to 5 p.m. at Harmony in Phoenix, 1522 W. Encanto Blvd., Phoenix.

The price of one 15-minute reading is $20. For more info: www.harmonyphx.org.