Careers?

If this is in the wrong place, please move it...

Are there any stable careers that involve herbs, anything with energy work, and/or anything considered "new age"? Apologies if this question is too vague.

I doubt it, people don't get paid much for it. The best you could do is open a "Magic shop" and stock hers and new age things, or be a street psychic, or something along those lines.

Reiki healing clinics, depending on the area, can make decent money.
Same with bookshops, occult shops, etc.
You could become an anthropologist or archaeologist.
Eastern Medicine such as accupunture is a fairly decent career in some areas.

A reader of tarot, runes, stuff like that..
A herbalist...
A healer...
Etc, etc, etc...
None that are "profitable" much... but generally the "careers" generally are when the people doing them do the things they "want" to do with the things they believe in/enjoy...

The only occult-related service that I think that I would actually pay for is just buying myself a deck of tarot cards, so I don't really know what kinds of things you could profit from.

Any career can incorperate the occult into its practice; it all depends on your confidence and skill. Any professional can add magic into his/her everyday operation. Energy work can be used in any situation where dealing with the general public; a customer service rep can use energy work to project a calming persona to the person on the other end of the line and perhaps solve the problem easier because of it. Just an example of the top of my head but you get the idea. Its not about the career but the professional working at said career to find his/her own components and methods.

Take me for example. I'm a tattoo artist. There is magic in what I do- from the ink I use, to the personal rituals that double both as proper sterilization of my tools and the infusion of personal belief. I'm a scorcher too. If you've ever gotten a tat, you know at the end of it the artist will usually slather on some stick deordorant or vaseline, cover it with a piece of plastic wrap and put a paper towel bumper on the bottom for seepage, right? (or at least they're supposed too....if your tat artist ever used gauze on you, there's a huge chance that the tat will smear and fade). Scorching is when the tat is finished and the guide lines/ink smears are cleaned off with soap and water, you then take rubbing alcohol (in a spray bottle) and spritz the tat. Then you take a lighter and set it on fire. Just for a second. I was tought this when I was still an apprentice and have been scorched 3 times. Aside from the obvious benefits of dealing with a wound with fire, this is a ritual that was passed down to me by my master, and by his master. Of course, I feel it prudent to mention I was an apprentice to a sanguine vamp named Juancho, so I honestly don't know how many artists actually scorch their canvases. When I go to tatcons its uncommon but certainly not unheard of. Its kinda accepted as a little occult in the artform... though, to be honest, a lot of tattoo artists like to bring personal belief and magic into what they do. I mean, we mark people's bodies forever, our hands draw the lines, our canvases bleed under our needles. There is tandum inking (which draws on a nearly sexual energy), hand-pushed bamboo needling (for those who want it the old fashioned way), cutting and ink rubbing (for the pain), pocking (scarification w/ or w/o ink)....both the canvas and the artist get something out of the experience.

I'm rambling....but that's okay, I think this is a great topic because its something I do everyday. I put magic into my work, it doesn't matter who knows it and who sees it. I do thngs by the book unless the person doesn't want to take from that book. Then, there is another book to take from. Then again, if you ever walked into my shop you'd know instantly that the artist wasn't a 'norm'. Its all from trial and experience. Like I know how any given person's skin is going to react to the ink after about 5 minutes of work. There are herbal deterents against keloids and the shiny after affect of a spanking new tattoo. I sell little bottles of aloe juice (which you can drink too! yum....*shivers*) and eucalyptis oil too. Ha! I guess I just love what I do. I actually fainted the first time I ever gave a tattoo; fell into Juancho's lap and stabbed myself with the dirty gun needle I was using (years ago, been tested many times since). I passed out because I was putting so much energy and concentration into the piece of artwork.

*sneezes*
Tai

After that post, I think my wife will be PM'ing you at some point, lol.

She's an ink enthusiast.

I want one, but to me, it's an important thing, and I want the thing I want the tattoo for, before I get the tattoo - so, all in good time...

Xanthus Wrote:After that post, I think my wife will be PM'ing you at some point, lol.

She's an ink enthusiast.

I want one, but to me, it's an important thing, and I want the thing I want the tattoo for, before I get the tattoo - so, all in good time...

*pokes* Have you or your wife seen the tattoos thread? <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://otherkinphenomena.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=99">viewtopic.php?f=25&t=99</a><!-- l -->

In regards to magical careers, I suppose that depends on whether you want a career or a job. A career is something you love to do and are good at and it doesn't matter how much money you make. While a job is something that pays the bills and is not necessarily enjoyed.

Have you thought about becoming a practiced medium? You know, someone who reads fortunes, etc. I don't know how well that would pay but it could be interesting. Or what about something to do with the paranormal like a spirit investigator? Again, I don't know the salary but they might be ideas. Good luck!

The things I wanted to add to the conversation have more or less been covered it seems. There's a fair amount of "New Age" options open for a person - however, probably not the best or most stable sort of work (Reiki, Tarot reading, Spa herbalism, etc). But on the other hand, most "mundane" careers have an aspect to them that can be applied to the metaphysical, if one looks at it from another angle. That sort of thing depends on one's personal abilities and talents.

Thank you for the replies, everyone. I've been researching reiki, and it does seem like something I'd love and enjoy getting into. And thank you Taiaka for your wonderful post. I love how incorporate magic into your work, I love how much passion you seem to have for your work. I hope to one day find what makes me happy. =]