As a little girl in Maryland, Joe Ellen as she was called then knew she had special gifts.

“When I was knee high to my mother and could barely speak I would try to show her the beautiful lights I saw. The lights were overwhelming and radiant. They would come together in a group and I could see them slowly pulse.”

She reflects,

“The lights would visit me at night and sometimes in the day. I tried to show them to my younger brother and that’s when I got it. He couldn’t see them.”

Joe Ellen felt a Christ light in her heart and explored many religions and spiritual paths. She attended the Presbyterian Church with her neighbor, Mrs. Pennington, Christian Science with her “Grandmommy”, the Mormon Church on her own and for a short time was agnostic.

The lights would visit her frequently along with prophetic dreams, premonitions, visions and déjà vu.

“Even as a little girl, adults would come to me crying and I’d help them with their troubles.”

As a teenager, and devoted “dead head” she hitchhiked solo across the country many times and knew that one day she would make San Francisco her home.

While in college, her neighbor, Mrs. Pennington took Joey to a weeklong conference, “Spiritual Frontiers”.

“It was at that conference that I learned to read the Tarot cards, and realized that I was a witch.”

Joey continued her studies: Philosophy, Hypnotherapy, Master’s Degrees in Clinical Psychology and Religion, and in 2002, Joey became a minister with Universal Life Church and today she is simply called, Reverend Joey. Her motto: “No problem too big, too small or too weird.”

Her magical powers can cast a spell to insure a positive response. Love, money and health are the three most requested spells. When my memoir is complete, she tells me that she can place a “glamour” on each page before I send it to my agent so that my words will be welcomed.

“I go into a trance and channel energy and the spirit guides.”

She wipes some dust from her eyes.

“I just got back from Burning Man.”

This year was her eighth Burning Man.

“I adore Burning Man. The people are wonderful, the music is fabulous, there’s dancing and the art is mind boggling. People are generous and kind and give gifts. The necklace she is wearing was a gift. A man approached her after a lecture Rev. Joey had given. He bought it in Bali and knew he was going to give it to the right person at Burning Man.

“I’m honored.”

She warns that Burning Man is not for the faint of heart.

“It’s severe camping.”

Every Tuesday Reverend Joey reads Tarot cards at Café Gratitude. You can wander in and pick one card for free.

Of her clientele in this neighborhood, she says,

“They’re educated, socially conscious, and personally responsible.”

Reverend Joey lives with her husband and two cats, Florence and Buddha.

“Buddha has attained a permanent state of serenity. He’s my teacher.”

I have to ask, any visions or premonitions on the election?

“Obama is our best hope. He has compassion.”

And then Reverend Joey had me choose one tarot card- Wheel of fortune.

I leave Café Gratitude and Reverend Joey knowing I’m blessed.

NEXT WEEK: MEET GHASSAN, OWNER EDDY’S MARKET.