New Orleans Magazine, October 2000
                  by Sue Strachan

When I met astrologer and psychic Carolyn Bufkin at her business, East Meets West Bookstore, I was greeted not by a stereotypical tie-died caftan-garbed and becrystaled lady (which would have put me off), but by a pretty, blonde woman dressed in a smart navy blue pantsuit.  Naturally effervescent, Bufkin started out meeting by plotting my astrological chart-- I told her my birthday, my birth time and where I was born-on a computer instead of spending hours thumbing through books like astrologers of the past.

   After she printed it, Bufkin went through the chart, explaining each of the 12 zodiac houses and how they related to me, my personality, my family, relationships and my future, including my career and money.  I was bemused by the fact that the stars said I was doomed to be in the communications field, but some how failed to explain why and how I was going to make a comfortable living, as the stars predicted , since journalists rarely make investment banker salaries.

   The next part of my session was the psychic reading, which included a reading for you or your pets, as well as crossing over to the other side to communicate with the dearly departed, both people and pets.  For this Bufkin goes into a trance, which she achieves by deep quick breaths.  ("Deep breathing is really important," Bufkin says, "and when I have a cold, my readings aren't as good.") Bufkin also likes to hold something you own, in most cases, like mine, a set of keys.  She told me a few things right on target, as well as some predictions for the future-but that's my secret.