PSYCHIC FAIR OFFERS ALTERNATIVE INSIGHTS

Patricia Stewart can tell a lot about a person by looking into their eyes.

The shapes, patterns and blemishes in the irises, Stewart says, offer indications of a person's level of health and possible problems.

"By looking into the eye I can tell the condition of organs and tissue and inherent weaknesses," Stewart said.

Iridology, the practice of evaluating health through studying the eyes, is one of several techniques being demonstrated this weekend at the Metaphysical Symposium and Psychic Festival.

The symposium started Saturday at the Drury Lodge and runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today. Admission is $5.

Lectures on a variety of subjects, including spiritual journeys, hypnosis and various forms of psychic readings, run throughout the day.

Demonstration booths are set up for people who wish to get a tarot card or palm readings or enjoy other psychic experiences.

"We want our fairs to be educational, entertaining and helpful," said Louise Hancock of Chandler, Ind., one of the symposium organizers. "We have a really good time doing what we do."

The lectures, she says, are intended to both teach and enlighten.

Hancock helps put on similar events in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri.

Those involved with the symposium, Hancock says, are among the best in their prospective fields.

"They are all really good, professional physics," she said. "There is no con to it. They can all do what they say they go."

Hancock says that the views expressed at the symposium are grounded in Judeo-Christian beliefs. Psychics just take a somewhat different view of the universe than the mainstream.

Edd Cates, a tarot card reader, says his grandmother was a master physic and that he starting doing readings when he was 3 years old, though he didn't quite understand it. at the time.

Cates also says he possesses other psychic abilities, including clairvoyance, the ability to see into realms outside of normal perception.

"Everyone has psychic ability. It depends whether or not it's been developed," Cates said. "It's like any other gift. Great basketball players are great because they practice everyday. With psychic ability it's the same."

Learning to listen to your hunches is one of the keys, Cates says. Such feelings are neither coincidences or without purpose, and can provide guidance if recognized.

Cates and his wife, Sue, also believe in reincarnation, and on occasion, regress people so they can get a glimpse of their own past lives.

"We take people back to find out what their past lives were like," he said. "Generally, you carry some of your problems with you from past lives."

Psychic readings and understanding of the metaphysical can help people understand more about their past, present and future, Cates said.

"We don't predict the future, because the future is not written in stone," Cates said. However, he said, psychic predictions can tell a person what could happen, both good and bad, if they stay on their present path.