…Because even our fortune tellers know how to party: Psychic Sundays at the Ace Hotel
Face it, things are confusing lately. From politics to culture, it feels like a time of upheaval. So it only seems natural that people would go looking for answers. And one of the places they’ve been finding them lately is in the occult practices of tarot and astrology. It’s not just wacky art teachers or people’s old hippy aunts dipping into these ancient arts, either. Instead, it’s everyone from hip, young artists and musicians to international businesspeople. With this upsurge in interest here, O.N.S went looking for answers too, checking in with Bruno Coviello and Lynn Sabulski, who both work the Psychic Sundays party at the Ace Hotel in New York, which offers tarot and astrology readings for guests and those who are just hanging out around the lobby bar. Bruno, who hosts and DJs the party, is also an accomplished musician, recently returned to solo performing after his successful run as keyboardist and composer for cult goth band, Light Asylum. He also works as a producer for acts like Bunny Michael, LaFawndah, and L’Rain. Lynn is a fan favorite tarot reader at the party, as well as a skilled reiki practitioner. Taking these skills into account, O.N.S recently visited Bruno and Lynn to get their perspectives on psychic abilities, music, and what they think is up with summer 2018.
How long has the Psychic Sundays party been running at the Ace Hotel?
Bruno: Psychic Sundays has been going on for two months, but I have been curating similar events at Ace Hotel for the past four years. We used to call it Second Opinion, because we encourage people to sit with more than one reader, but now that it’s getting busier, we can only allow one. I’ve also curated the event at Ace Hotel Los Angeles and Palm Springs.
How did you get the idea to throw the Psychic Sundays party?
Bruno: Ace Hotel first approached me about doing an event with tarot readers and astrologers because they knew about my old band Light Asylum and were fans. They used to carry our record in the one in Portland hotel. A few years ago, I was featured in Huffington Post, as one of “7 Tarot Readers Who are shaping Brooklyn’s Alternative Spiritual Community.” The idea was to bring readers into the lobby to offer free readings, but they didn’t necessarily want the sort of reader you see in West Village storefronts. Most of the readers I work with are friends of mine and are also artists. I like to describe tarot as an art form—in a way it’s like a performance piece designed specially for whoever is getting read or like a living poem which is written to help understand one’s life as a narrative rather than a confusing puzzle. The same way art brings meaning to a painting or sculpture, a tarot reader uses imagery to bring meaning to someone’s life.
So, at the party, you have tarot readers and sometimes astrologists. Which is more popular with the guests?
Bruno: People are pretty open about who they end up sitting with. Often at public events we encounter people who have never received a tarot reading or had their chart read, so its all new to them.
What are your zodiac signs? Do you think that stuff helps with tarot readings and stuff?
Bruno: I’m an Aquarius and Lynn is a Leo, which are opposites in the zodiac so I think that helps us work well together! Some people say Aquarians have a knack for intuitive arts, but I prefer to think that every sign has a type of intuition they feel comfortable with, even if it’s just as simple as reading body language.
Bruno, I know you DJ at the party. What’s the best kind of music for supporting psychic readings?
Bruno: Ambient music seems to go well in these settings, as well as some psychedelic. Brian Eno, Aphex Twin, and Kraftwerk play heavily into my psychic soundtrack, as well as some classical. At times, I play isochronic tones, which are sound frequencies believed to induce certain states of consciousness and increase psychic ability.
Do the things you find in readings ever stress you out or disturb you?
Lynn: Sure. As an empath, I absorb my client’s emotional state during their reading—so when disturbing content comes up, it literally upsets us both. Occasionally, the cards will reveal a difficult situation ahead of time, like a death, job loss, or natural disaster, with a warning not to inform the client, but rather to guide them towards specific people and situations that can help them when the time comes. Those are the most stressful readings for me, because after I read for someone, I usually never see them again—so I never know if my reading helped or if the person I read for is okay.
What about the opposite? Do you ever find out stuff about people that brings you joy?
Lynn: Absolutely. Sometimes a client will be dealing with a specific situation, maybe feeling confused or losing hope—and their reading shows tons and tons of support: people, money, opportunities, protection, basically every piece of that person’s life being arranged so they have exactly what they need. It’s breathtaking as a reader to see someone’s path unfold with such clarity and purpose. When that client’s path includes politics, helping professions, healing arts, and stuff like that, then it’s an even more joyful experience, because both client and reader receive validation that their actions are meaningful, and that the future includes people being helped and healed.
So, I know you do tarot and astrology on an individual level at the party, but do you have any readings for people in general this summer? Psychically, what’s happening?
Lynn: Personally I like to look at Jupiter and Saturn to determine the “flavor” of a particular season or year. This summer is less of a time for action and more of a time for self-reflection and healing. The sign changes for Jupiter—which is the planet of luck, expansion, abundance, and understanding—roughly once a year, and approximately every 2.5 years for Saturn—which is the planet of obstacles, restrictions, challenges, and limitations. Jupiter will be in watery, intense Scorpio for the rest of this summer, so we will have a few more months of secrets being revealed in Scorpio-ruled areas, like sex, death, hidden information, transformation, and rebirth. In November, Jupiter will move into Sagittarius, a fire sign that will encourage people to take action based on the new information that’s been revealed. Meanwhile, Saturn is parked in earthy Capricorn until 2020, and Capricorn energy is basically about setting emotions aside and getting your shiznit together in the most practical, efficient way possible. So we’re definitely going to be fixing stuff—but in a careful, methodical way as opposed to rushing.
For more on Bruno Coviello check out his Instagram here.
If you liked this story, check out more in our Urban Transplants issue.
