The Astrologer is in But Please Don't Misunderstand Him

James the Astrologer has adopted a stage name of sorts: the middle-aged proprietor of Babylon Village's astrology and "spiritual shop" shies away from using his real name in his chosen business—offering palm, tarot card, and energy readings to clients for a fee—because of a history of being misunderstood and shunned.

"People are still very close-minded," he lamented. "I've been doing this for 20 years and I try to protect myself and my son from the public judgment. His friends don't know what I do. I feel out a person's vibe before I tell them what I do."

What he does is something he says he was born to do.

"My mother had a gift, my grandmother had a gift. She could tell you exactly what you're thinking," said James.

Pursuing the family business was an obvious choice: growing up he always felt he had something extra-perceptory, but it wasn't until college that he says he was tested by Duke University's then parapsychology research center. James cultivated his ability, which he describes as being a "spiritualist": able to read energies, see auras, and at times, receive visual imagery and premonitions.

"I meditate every day, that's the number one way I train myself. I have to avoid going to stores and public places on days I know I will be doing a lot of readings, because I get drained. It's hard to turn off the energy."

He also avoids places with overwhelmingly bad energy, like hospitals and graveyards, he said.

In contrast, his new location, on East Main Street, is designed to encourage "good energy," with large windows letting in an abundance of sunlight, daily cleansings with sage and crystals for sale. About half of the shop's business is retail of jewelry, incense, oils and the like.

James operated for 10 years at a former Deer Park Avenue storefront and said his regular clients come from all walks of life. He moved to the new space just last month, enjoying the better space and curious foot traffic.

"I have lawyers, professionals, skeptics who come in once as a challenge and got hooked. It's therapeutic. If you're coming to me, that means you are in need of something."

Now living in Deer Park, James was a resident of Babylon Village for years, and believes his shop serves a market need in the area.

"There's nothing really out here on Long Island, and a lot of the Manhattan shops, the Greenwich Village shops, give what I do a bad name."

So he is used to regular misunderstandings about what he does."Ever since John Edwards, everyone asks me if can I talk to the dead. No, I don't. That's something entirely different, and honestly, I don't believe he was for real."

But when curious clients wander in, James takes on the challenge of converting the unsure. He offers a $10 introductory reading that's designed to be an entree into the experience. He claims he doesn't ask any questions, so he won't be led by the client to any assumptions or biases. Readings get longer and more intense and go up in price, up to meditation trainings that last an hour and a half.

"I don't sugarcoat it," he laughed. "I tell it like it is, whether it's what you want to hear or not."

James will never forgot one reading, when in the midst of a typical session, talking about relationships and life issues, he got an abrupt mental flash.

"I saw a car accident. I saw this woman's daughter, I saw who was in the car and the color. I told her 'your daughter is in the hospital right now' and sure enough as she was leaving her cell phone rang with the news."

But it's not all doom and gloom at The Astrologer Body Mind Soul. James' business card offers some hope, at least for those of us with any of the following issues:

"The Astrologer is a healer of mind, body and soul. If you are worried, confused, depressed for suffering from sickness, harmful habits, spiritual problems, sexual difficulties or lost love. Specializing in soulmate connections."