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The York Dispatch receives a ‘cosmic check-in’ from Hanover shop targeted by obscure law
Reporter Tina Locurto sat down with Beck Lawrence to receive a tarot reading and learn more about what the practice is.
Beck Lawrence always dreamed of owning their own shop of witchy wonders. They never expected, however, to receive a visit from Hanover Borough Police pointing out an obscure 1861 law prohibiting tarot readings.
The visit from Hanover’s Police Chief Chad Martin to The Serpent’s Key, a metaphysical store in the borough that offers tarot readings and witchcraft-related merchandise, sparked social media outcry after the owner spoke about their experience.
In an effort to educate York County readers on what tarot is and how it works, The York Dispatch received a professional tarot reading from Lawrence, who uses they/them pronouns.
About tarot: Tarot began as a simple playing card game in the early 1400s and since has evolved into a method of communication for spiritual practitioners — such as Lawrence — to understand messages from the universe.
There are 78 tarot cards in a deck, and Lawrence has spent the better part of a decade learning the different meanings behind the cards and how to string them together to form a cohesive message.
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The most important thing Lawrence wanted to emphasize about tarot readings is that they are not a doctor, they cannot predict the future and they cannot communicate with the dead.
It’s an important distinction and one that Lawrence makes an effort to be transparent about in their physical store and website.
“Tarot is used for validation of things they already know. That’s my gift,” Lawrence said. “I’m an earth sign, so I’m pretty grounded in reality.”
‘Cosmic check-in’: One of Lawrence’s most popular readings at The Serpent’s Key is a “cosmic check-in,” a five-card spread in which Lawrence identifies a client’s present situation, the obstacles they are facing and three pieces of wisdom that could be beneficial to aid in the client’s personal journey.
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For this article, reporter Tina Locurto opted for a cosmic check-in — with a specific focus on her journalism work and what the future of her professional career could look like.
Almost instantaneously, Lawrence pulled five cards off the top and got to work interpreting the meaning. The cards pulled were the nine of wands, the well, the seven of cups, the 10 of wands and the knight of wands.
“I’m just seeing lots of wands — which are all about creativity and passion,” Lawrence said. “So if you’re passionate about your job or a creative project, I encourage you to just really see it through and allow that light to kind of illuminate the path moving forward.”
For Locurto, who has slowly transitioned to a multimedia role at The York Dispatch, this reminder of creative passion rang eerily true on a deep and personal level.
During the reading, Lawrence explained in depth the meaning of each card and how it could relate to the journey of creativity.
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“There are some things that I cannot explain, I honestly say it’s spooky, and I take it to be the beauty of coincidence,” Lawrence said. “But this is also my gift. I have the ability, whether you believe it is metaphysical or spiritual, I just look at these cards long enough to understand how to describe them.”
The statute: Since the initial visit by Martin earlier in October, Lawrence said they have received no further correspondence indicating they would be subject to penalties or arrest.
The Pennsylvania statute in question is Title 18, Section 7104. First enacted in 1861, it identifies a wide variety of magic-related practices — including necromancy, fortune telling or predicting future events — as punishable by a misdemeanor of the third degree.
Martin did not respond to several requests for comment. However, in a statement published on the department’s Facebook page, he said he went to the shop to inform the owners of the law.
“There was never an investigation, nor was there any threat of arrest in this matter,” the chief’s statement read. “With that being said, if a complaint was made against someone for engaging in acts qualifying as ‘fortune telling’ in the Borough of Hanover; this department would be obligated to conduct an investigation.”
As of Thursday, there are currently no bills or co-sponsorship memos to repeal the 1861 law.
On Thursday, state Rep. Kate Klunk, R-Hanover, confirmed she received at least one email concerning this subject.
Klunk, however, was circumspect when asked if she would support repealing the law.
“The business owner recently acknowledged in a New York Times article the law has a purpose stating: ‘It is there to protect people from scam artists,’ and I agree,” Klunk said, in an email.
Rarely enforced: The fortune-telling law itself is rarely enforced in modern times, although there have been a few examples.
Earlier this year, a criminal complaint was filed against Billie Mitchell by Palmyra Police for theft by deception and fortune telling, as reported by ABC27.
In 2015, The Pottstown Mercury reported that one practitioner pleaded guilty to four counts of fortune telling. While it was not the first time she had been charged with fortune telling, it was the first time she had been convicted of it; she had been accused of taking more than $10,000 from women over a period of months from 2009 and 2010.
When Lawrence pointed out other shops offering tarot readings during the chief’s visit, they said Martin told them he wasn’t aware of the others. A Google search for “Hanover PA Tarot readings” yields several listings, including at least one other shop in the borough that provides readings.
“If you’re a Wiccan or a pagan or someone who just loves the Earth, we cater to all types,” Lawrence said. “I’m just trying to run a business and help people, because I didn’t have a safe place to go to experience my spirituality when I was growing up.”
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