When Bulgaria was communist, they were forbidden. Now they are experiencing a boom: faith healers, astrologers, and palm readers. In economically difficult times, many Bulgarians hope for their aid.Esoteric practitioners advertise in newspapers and in the Internet; some appear regularly in local television broadcasts. They wait outside hospitals and offer their aid for people who have diseases or wish for children. And they often charge exorbitant sums for their services. But many Bulgarians, intimidated by corruption and the economic crisis, nonetheless resort to them. The police even ask astrologers for tips when they hunt criminals.