I was asked by strangers like your taxi or grab drivers, newly met acquaintances and those who have not met for awhile at different occasions this question – What are you doing now?
I know by that, they meant to ask what is my occupation. There were many instances which fortune teller just shot out of my mouth. I have tried saying I am a metaphysics consultant （命理師） which got all the blank looks in the eyes in return. Whereas people understood immediately when I said I am a fortune teller （算／看命的） .
Some closer friends feedback to me that I should avoid addressing myself as a fortune teller because there is a strong social stigma and can generate misunderstanding. I couldn’t agree more. I often find the term fortune teller refers to a practitioner that believes everything is cast in stone and his role is merely revealing the divine secret （天機）.
However, I do not subscribe to this belief. I do not believe everything is cast in stone. I believe the job as a metaphysics consultant is to employ the relevant technique to help the client to understand his potential and the up- or downtrend that is coming his way. The consultant and client will discuss and come up with the optimal way in handling the days to come. I also believe the genuine divine secret will be something really beyond the reach of a metaphysics consultant. But it has to be marketed this way so clients will find readers to be awesome.
Maybe I should start a a mini series of writing about Fortune Telling…
MingReads 