WITH the struggle to survive the economic recession, it seems unlikely that many Jamaicans would spend hard-earned cash on visits to the spiritualist, healer or ‘reader-man’, but they are.

In fact, according to Sean Edwards, the man who calls himself the “pastor” of the popular St Gabriel Mount Miracle revivalist church on Acacia Road, Lyssons, St Thomas, says the recession has not impacted his thriving “healing” business at all.

“The recession nuh affect my business. People find the money to come same way. Them might not have it hundred per cent, but a God work so me do it same way,” he told the Sunday Observer on a recent visit.

Edwards, 27, identifies himself as a man of God and a pastor of the same revivalist church in which he grew up. He went further to acknowledge he was also a ‘reader-man’, a person who, according to Jamaican folklore, specialises in ‘reading’ peoples’ future and prescribing spiritual ‘remedies’ for various physical, financial and emotional problems.

However, Edwards was adamant that he was not an ‘obeah’ man,

“That part (obeah) deals with wickedness,” he said. He, on the other hand, said he only deals with ensuring the prosperity of his clients.

According to author of the book The Role of Religion in Caribbean History, written by part-time lecturer at the University of the West Indies and attorney-at-law Patrick Hylton, the difference between the two is a matter of semantics.

“A reader-man is a palm reader and might know what is called ‘healing’. This, however, is nonsense, because you can’t look on somebody’s palm and know what will happen to them in the future,” said Hylton,

“Obeah men, on the other hand, are able to cast spells and have knowledge of herbs and medicine and may play the role of doctors,” he said.

According to Edwards, he does all the above. In fact, his core business is filling the overwhelming number of requests for ‘guard’ rings, which can be ordinary or specially built rings that have a secret compartment filled with ‘enchanted’ powders by the ‘reader’ or obeah man. Guard rings, he said, are extremely expensive because they can ward off any prospective danger.

These rings also help ‘guard’ his business from the destructive effects of the global recession.

His regular clientele are mostly policemen, lawyers, women in general, and those he refers to as “big shot people”, some of whom come from as far as Manchester, Trelawny and even Westmoreland.

“The cost of a guard ring depends on the fight that you are under, sometimes you have some serious spirit on you. Like, seh you fi dead 12 o’clock in the night, that (a guard ring to prevent that) might cost you $50,000. Them expensive man, so a average man may pay like $30,000 or $40,000 to get it,” Edwards explained.

He also claimed that just the day before the Sunday Observer visited, a young man who had been trying for several years to get a job on a cruise ship came to see him, got his guard ring ‘loaded’ and was later that same day called to start working on a ship.

Loading a guard ring involves the ‘reader’ or obeah man praying over the ring, among other things. He then fills a hidden compartmment with what what Edward refers to as ‘guard powder’. This way, he says, is much more powerful than drinking ‘quicksilver’, another substance he said is used in protecting individuals from evil.

Though he was a bit hesitant in stating how much money he earns on a daily basis, he had no problem telling the Sunday Observer some of his favourite oil and bush remedies, with names that included: ‘Come to me’, ‘Stay with me’, and ‘Turn away evil’ oil, and ‘Search mi heart’ and ‘Kuaku’.

Taxi operators, who are among Edwards’ regular clientele, not only want guard rings, but also seek to increase their earnings and protect themselves from prosecution by the Transport Authority’s enforcement agents.

“Like all a taxi man may come and nothing nah gwaan for him. Him just come and ‘guard up’ and we bathe him up and ting. Guarding a taxi man may cost all one $20,000,” said Edwards.

The popular demand for assistance in acquiring United States visas also helps keep his business up and running, he said. According to Edwards, a proud holder of his own US visa, several persons have been able to obtain their visas shortly after visiting him.

“You have to believe enuh, cause nuff people come here fi dem ting deh and them get through. But you have to have somebody a foreign, and we give you a spiritual bath, and you believe in God, and when you go a embassy you get your visa. That will cost you $12,000 or $13,000,” he said.

He also said that his mother’s eight children had their visas, most of whom are abroad, also doing God’s work.

The spiritual ‘fixing’ or altering of court cases is also a service he provides that is in high demand and brings in a large portion of the money he makes.

Edwards said that persons usually visit him when they are guilty of an criminal offence or feel that they have been treated unfairly by the courts. His spiritual ‘remedy’ for this primarily involves burning a candle on which the name of the accused is engraved, every time the case in called up in court. This, and other rituals are observed until the case ends or ‘perishes’.

He bills these clients for as little as $8,000 for simple larceny, or as much as $80,000 for cases involving murder.

During the Sunday Observer’s visit we observed individuals sitting on the veranda of Edwards family home, which was adjacent to the church building. We were later told by Edwards that the teenage girl was very ill and had come there to get healing from his mother (the Bishop of the church). He explained that her mother had sent her for treatment which required bathing her in a special bath of herbs and oils. He said he does not ‘bathe’ females, because he is a male. Attempts were made to get a comment from the young female client but she declined.

Edwards, who has been a Revivalist from the tender age of 12, believes there is no case he can’t handle, except for making the blind see again. According to Edwards, he like his mother, had a love for dance sessions and was not a man of God and got a calling to change his life around.

“A call God call me, me use to get vision-vision, but me didn’t pay it any mind. One night ’bout two o’clock mi get in spirit and mi affi go out go warn that there was going to be bloodshed, and by the Sunday after that a two (dead) man them pick up down there so,” said Edwards gesturing down the foot of the hill.

Fixing what he refers to as simple cases, like those involving relationship problems are basic for Edwards. He said thousands of people had come to see him to mend broken marriages and other relationships over the years, because of his reputation.

“If the man lef” you, and you come, and you believe inna God, you come and we pray for you and do what we fi do. You affi believe cause believe kill and believe cure, we can mend back the relationship. That usually cost like ’bout one $19,000, but you come and you have $15,000, we can work with that,” he said.

“People usually come for healing and ting. Like if you get a bad sore foot or a woman a try ‘tie’ a man and him get bad belly, or you just want to get rid of the ‘saltness’, that may cost you between $3,000 and $3,500,” Edwards also explained.

He further pointed out that while clients do not come in droves, there has never been a day that he did not have at least one person seek his services and those in need come to see him regularly all year round.

“Money mek, man, money mek. Is only that the things them might be expensive and we have to buy back things to use… money mek,” said an elated Edwards.

Hylton, in offering a theory as to the continued popularity of spiritualists like Edwards, said this practice is generally influenced by long-held superstitious beliefs, greed and envy, and exists across all classes and both sexes.

“You are going to have people who seek supernatural intervention to assist them in obtaining the results they desire. This might involve their acheiving success in their goals and endeavours, preventing others from realising their dreams and protecting friends and relatives from spells that have been cast on them, and winning the affection of those who have resisted their amorous overtures,” he explained.