Mystique - Online Psychic Readings

Protecting yourself from Non Genuine Readers

2006-05-27T02:40:00.000-07:00

By Andrew Van Den Hout
Universal Psychic Guild

There are many people who promote themselves as psychics or clairvoyants, and who claim that their powers enable them to read your character, make contact with your dead relatives, or provide insights into your life and your future. Unfortunately many of them are not the real thing and are doing far more harm than good; here is a simple fool proof way to stop this occurring and to know when you are getting the real thing.

By far the most common method employed by people who are non genuine psychics is called cold reading. This method involves the Non Genuine Psychic reading the subject's body language or voice tonality and style etc, and skillfully extracting information from the subject, which can then be fed back later, convincing the subject that the psychic has told them things they couldn't possibly have known!

The following is my guide to fake reading - Study them well to understand when someone is trying to give you a non-genuine reading.

1. Overconfidence is the first warning sign

If the reader you are dealing with acts in a way that suggests they are beyond reproach and they can do no wrong, then warning bells should start to go off. A psychic is just as human as the rest of us and we can get it wrong from time to time, or misread some of the information. Any challenging questions should be met by the reader with a careful consideration, and either a reaffirmation or a new interpretation given. Please don’t forget that we are dealing with a yet unwritten future here, an ethical psychic will make you aware of what will be if things continue on the same path, and also what your choices are to avert that path if necessary. Remember when we change one thing in our lives they tend to have a ripple effect through time, and our future path can be very different from one moment to the next.

2. Questions about your background are unnecessary

These can provide the non genuine reader with much information about what various subclasses in our society believe, do, want, worry about etc. For example, if they can ascertain a subject's place of origin, educational level, and his/her parents' religion and vocations, they have gained information which should allow them to predict with high probability his/her attitudes and beliefs to many subjects.

3. Questions on Ability

When asked about their gifts a real psychic will list those in a matter of fact way; “I am a psychic and I can share insights on your love life”! The non genuine article will profess modesty about their talents; they will make no excessive claims and attempt a play on emotion “I need you to help me connect as there is a lot around you”. In doing this they will then catch you off guard, and open you up to a helping frame of mind and in turn you will give them all the information they need to feed back to you. A real psychic will state things in a matter of fact way, like it or not, no games of emotion and liking disliking will ever be played.

4. Gaining the subject's cooperation in advance.

NGP’s (non genuine psychics) will emphasize that the success of the reading depends as much on the subject's cooperation as on your efforts, this is not the case; all that is required is for the caller is for them to be in an open frame of mind and focus on the questions they want answers to. NGP’s will often state “that due to difficulties of language and communication, they may not always convey the meaning they intend”. In these cases, they are essentially asking the subject to fit the reading to his/her own life. They accomplish two valuable ends with this dodge - Firstly, they have an alibi in case the reading doesn't click; it's the subject's fault, not the NGP reader! Secondly, you will strive to fit the generalities presented to your specific life circumstances. Later, when you recall the reading, the NGP will be credited with much more detail than they actually provided! Understanding this is crucial, what it means is that the NGP is telling you that your reading will only succeed to the degree that you become an active participant in the reading. The good reader is the one who deliberately creates space for you to search your mind to make sense of the readers statements.

5. Using gimmick questions

NGP’s using gimmick questions serve two valuable purposes. Firstly, it lends atmosphere to the reading. Secondly, (and more importantly) it gives them time to formulate the next question/statement. Instead of the NGP just sitting there, thinking of something to say, you can feed you a question like "do you wish to concentrate on the heart line or the wealth line?" This will cause you to take your focus off of your question you called for and place you in a internal questioning mode, allowing the NGP to not only get you to give them the answer, but to tailor their answers to your statements. The genuine psychic has no need of gimmick questions, a real reading should be a series of statements and nothing more. Now there are a few instances when questions are necessary, the structure of these should be no more than “Can you see or feel how this makes sense to you?” Which the answer should always be “Yes or No, or I require more details”

6. Stock phrases at the tip of their tongue.

Even during a cold reading, a liberal sprinkling of stock phrases will not only add body to the reading; it will help the NGP’s fill in time while they formulate more precise characterizations. For example comments like “Mercury is in retrograde this month and that means that no deals should be signed for anyone!” What does the whole world stop for Mercury? No it doesn’t and if you are calling because your Mom died and you wish to know if she made it through and to say your good byes, then why would you want to know about signing deals. A good reader will stay well away from generalist comments and read specifically for you in the moment.

7. Keep your eyes and ears open

Use your other senses as well. NGP’s size the subject up by observing his/her clothes, jewellery, mannerisms and speech. Even a crude classification based on these can provide the basis for a good reading. Also, watch carefully what you say, your response to statements will enable the NGP to soon learn when they are hitting the mark! When calling especially try to notice if suddenly the reader begins to speak like you in tone and sound, this is called mirroring and matching and is a huge warning sign that you are dealing with the non genuine article. A genuine reader will simply read in their own voice and tone, and provide you with what they see, hear or feel.

8. The technique of fishing.

This is simply a device to get the subject to tell the NGP about his/herself. They will then rephrase what you have told them and feed it back to the you as if they were reading.

One way of fishing is to phrase each statement as question, then wait for the reply. If the reply or reaction is positive, then they turn the statement into a positive assertion. Often the subject will respond by answering the implied question and then some. Later, the subject will forget that he/she was the source of the information! NGP’s turn your statements into questions, they also force you the subject to search his/her memory to retrieve specific instances to fit the NGP’s general statement that has been phrased as a question. A real reader will not question you they will simply obtain information from their senses or guides and pass it directly to you as was intended.

9. Learn to be a good listener.

During the course of a reading you may be bursting to talk about incidents that are brought up. The NGP reader allows the client to talk at will. On one occasion I observed a tealeaf reader. The client actually spent 75% of the time talking. Afterward when I questioned the client about the reading she vehemently insisted that she had not uttered a single word during the course of the reading. The client praised the reader for having astutely told her what in fact she herself had spoken. A good reader will read and all that you are required to do is to listen, and occasionally request more detail.

10. Dramatizing readings

This is a fundamental no in the world of genuine readers. A reading should simply reflect what is being scryed and obtained through the sixth senses, no drama no beefing up. How many people do you know that are suddenly whisked away on a yacht by some wandering billionaire? Not many. NGP’s will try and play on our natural instinct of wanting more and something better. A good reader will empower the caller to find peace and contentment, which will flow through their everyday life enhancing their worldly experience and being in control of their own destiny. So if you want that yacht or that dream person in your life you can manifest it yourself. One caution of this manifestation thing, you may actually have to do something to obtain it.

11. They will always give the impression that they know more than they are saying.

The NGP’s reader, like the quack doctor, always acts as if he/she knows much more. Once they have persuaded you the subject that you know one item of information that you couldn't possibly have known (through previous method points), you the subject will assume that the NGP knows all! At this point, you the subject will open up and confide in them. Loose lips really do sink ships, so keep your mouth shut and your ears open and you will get value for money.

12. Flattery.
Occasionally NGP subjects will protest at being flattered, but they will still lap it up. In such cases, NGP’s will add, "You are always suspicious of those who flatter you. You just can't believe that someone will say something good about you without an ulterior motive". If someone is trying to ply your ear with honey as opposed to reading for you, hang up and try again. Genuine readers don’t need to flatter only to report the truth as given to them.

13. Remember the Golden Rule
NGP’s will always tell the subject what he/she wants to hear! If you have called and are being told exactly what you wanted to hear stop yourself and ask, have I given them this information. Note that generally readings contain a mixture of things you want to hear, things you don’t and things that need to be addressed. The genuine reader will give things as they stand good and bad.

FINALLY
Often people call needing validation for a decision that they have made, in these cases they only seek validation, they want to hear what they are doing is right. In all cases life changing decisions should be carefully weighed and measured, against you as a person and your wants and needs. Now you wouldn’t trust a person of the street to help you make decisions that turn your world upside down, you would however take in to consideration their opinion as another perspective. So please, as with any major decision check what you are being told against your wants, needs and what is really real.

Remember that there is always hope and you can choose to create whatever you want in your life, and although sometimes things seem bad now in another moment you will receive insight that will give you perspective, clarity and inner peace. Remember that there is only now forever, and what you change in this second will echo through your lifetime, so much is invested in our various societies in death (rewards peace etc), I believe that it is our right to have peace and contentment in every moment of our lives and to experience it fully is to let go of the notion that the future is out of our control. As a reader I believe in empowering people to remove the shackles of control of the past and those of the future, to enable them to see how their own destinies are created and how then to make it something they want.

source: Universal Psychic Guild Articles

Frequently Asked Questions About Astrology

2006-05-08T00:02:00.000-07:00

FAQ about Astrology
By Rose

What is 'the zodiac'?

The zodiac is actually the backdrop to the Sun's apparent pathway through the sky. This pathway is divided into sections that we know as the various zodiac signs. Because the Sun's (apparent) pathway through the heavens is basically constant and can be found at roughly the same spot for the same date in each year, this is how we came to use Sun Signs: the position of the Sun in relation to the backdrop of the zodiac constellations. This system is convenient because the average person doesn't have to have complicated planetary positions worked out to know which constellation affects them personally, the date of birth is all that is needed in most cases.

All the other planets follow roughly the same path as the Sun, within the zodiac backdrop.

What is a Rising Sign or Ascendant?

The Rising Sign is literally the zodiac sign that is rising on the eastern horizon at the time of birth. This is why the time of birth is important, because without it the Rising Sign cannot be calculated.

What does it mean when a planet is in a sign, ie, Moon in Aries?

As the planets continue their orbit around the Sun, here on earth their pathway seems to follow the Sun. As they do so, like the Sun they have the zodiac signs as a backdrop behind them. So when an astrologer says that the Moon is in Aries or Mercury is in Virgo this simply means that at a particular time that planet had that particular zodiac sign as it's backdrop.

I am born on a cusp, what does this mean?

When a planet is about to move from one zodiac sign to another along the backdrop it is moving on, this is know as being on the cusp, which causes confusion for most people about which Sun Sign they are (most people are not aware of the positions of the other planets so they are not usually a concern). If you have your time of birth, you can find out exactly which Sun Sign you are using the services of an astrologer or one of the free chart drawing services via the internet.

What is a 'house'?

A birth chart looks a bit like a pie cut into 12 slices. Each of these 'slices' is called a 'house' and can represent various aspects of your life and psychological makeup (depending on the type of interpretation being applied to it). For example, some of the interpretations that can be applied to your second house include: earning capacity, self esteem, values, possessions, 'what I own is what I am', and/or your ability to handle finances.

Why are interpretations by various astrologers so different for the same forecast period?

Just like anybody that you seek advice from, astrologers have different opinions and ways of interpreting the symbolism represented by the planets. The astrologer's training, life experience, and specialisation (ie medical, psychological, spiritual astrology, etc) will all have an effect on the way interpretations are given. I think that it is important to find an astrologer that you feel rapport with because the more open you are, the more you will gain from a personalised forecast.

My friend and I are the same Sun Sign, why are we so different?

When preparing a personalised chart the position of the all the planets are used in determining the psychological makeup of an individual, along with the Sun. The individual planets move at different speeds and will be at various parts of the zodiac backdrop as time moves on. So even if two people are born on the same date with the Sun in the same position, the other planets won't be in the same position. This is important because the position of these other planets will change the interpretation of the birth chart as well as the personalised forecasts.

9 Ways to Strengthen Your Intuition

2006-03-21T22:45:00.000-08:00

By Charles lightwalker
Location: Spokane WA

9 Ways to Strengthen Your Intuition

Intuition is often called, the "inner voice," which is something all successful people - consciously or unconsciously - listen to. The following strategies will help you hone your intuitive abilities to assist you in making better decisions for your life:
1. What Does Your Intuition Tell You?
Your intuition can contribute "quick and ready" insight. Too often we discount the role of intuition in decision-making. Begin to pay close attention to what your intuition is telling you; it could lead directly to positive changes in your life.
2. How Does Your Intuition Communicate With You?
Each of us has a predominant form in which we receive intuitive information. It may come through feelings, images, body sensations (gut feelings) or through your thoughts. When you are making a decision, pay special attention to all of these ways that your intuition communicates with you.
3. Ask Your Intuition For Help
Many people believe that intuition comes completely unbidden. I have found that when you ask your intuition for additional insight it will respond with answers. Ask, "What should I do in this situation?" or "What do I need to know about this?" Remember you may get the answers from a variety of sources including feelings, words, physical sensations, and images.
4. Act On the Information You Receive
Developing your intuition is like learning any new skill. It's not unlike learning an athletic ability. The more you practice, the better you get at it. If using your intuition is new for you, it may be best to use it in relatively low-risk situations at first. This will help you develop your intuitive muscles.
5. You May Not Receive the Answer Immediately
If you don't understand something, ask for clarification. It is possible to get your guidance in dreams, for instance. Many people ask for intuitive guidance during a meditation and don't receive information immediately. You may find that the insight you desire will come seemingly unbidden at some point later in the day while you're involved in other tasks.
6. Learn to Take Small Steps
Most of us feel quite anxious when making big changes in our lives. We're afraid we'll make a mistake that we'll later regret. I've found that taking small steps towards a decision works great. You may find, as many do, that as you take those small steps, the decision becomes clearer, your resolve becomes stronger and the fear begins to lessen.
7. Write Down the Guidance You Receive
Whenever you're facing a tough decision, write about it in a journal you keep for this purpose. Always jot down what your intuition is communicating. What feelings do you have about this decision? What images come to mind? Are there any body sensations that indicate a good or bad decision? Is there a still, quiet, inner voice that informs you? It's helpful to look back at this journal from time to time to see how accurate your guidance was. Did you trust the information you received? Did you act on its wisdom?
8. Don't Forget to Use Your Left Brain
Remember to use your logical mind in this process as well. There needn't be competition between the intuitive and the logical mind. Your left-brain logical side can help you find out facts and assist you with details of your decision. Your intuitive mind, or right brain, simply adds another level of information often described as, "I know, but I don't know how I know."
9. Remember to Forgive Your Self
Forgiving yourself for your past shortcomings, will strength your intuitive nature, and allow you to be for present with your emotional state of well being when making important decisions.

Charles Lightwalker is a Metis shaman, author, medical intuitive, and healer. For more information call Charles at 509-389-7290 or visit the web site: www.thefamilyoflight.com

Our Aura As Our Energy Field

2006-03-17T01:27:00.000-08:00

By Rebecca Anne Locicero
Location: Connecticut

Our Aura As Our Energy Field

As you grow knowing and learning about the important functions of molecules and atoms, you also learn about energy fields. Our Aura’s are our Energy Fields. We as humans are put together in such a way that our soul, body and mind all work together. It is a mind, body, and soul connection.
The Aura has been proven to be real by many scientists. Do your Research and learn about it. These energy fields are the super works of our being. They hold all that is, was, and is going to be. The hole personality, intuition and many other portholes of energy.
Some feel Aura’s; some can see the colors in an Aura. You can heal, explore and meditate around your own aura. I feel auras. I am see them sometimes if I focus on someone. Everyone and everything living has an aura. Animals tend to be very colorful just a plants glow huge when treated well.
The aura reflects your human body as much as your human body reflects itself in your aura. For this reason I believe that your aura can change it’s colors at random moments. Although I do believe that someone is born with a color that is a vase color to the aura and that this color represents part of that souls purpose in this particular lifetime.
Your aura is different then your Chakras although I believe your aura is made up of the reflections of all the energies working within you. Your Chakras, your heart, your thoughts and your physical feelings are all reflected in some way in your aura. The possibilities of what someone might see when looking are endless.
Now Know, I do not always see colors myself. I know when I have stepped into or tapped psychicly into someone’s aura. I feel it more by interpretation of my psychic thoughts. It is part of the tools that I use when doing a reading. I feel the colors may or may not be accurate per each personality. The colors are though a great tool to use as a base of knowledge. Once you come around to someone’s personality that does not match the aura color they wear, then you have to consider the fact that it is something else. It could be the energy of a spirit or guide with them. Just be sure to look deeper then the color. You may be surprised at what you see.

COLORS IN AURAS

The First direct color that you should see and will most likely see is white. This may not be in their aura. This is the connection point between your physical body and the energy that comes from it. Where the body is called the Physical, this white line of connection all around us is also called the Etheric Body. This is a very important part of us as it helps to flow all this energy evenly and appropriately to and from our body and aura and in-between.
The Astral part of the Aura: This part of the aura is the next closest to the body and carries with it your color since birth. This is a large area of energy. It holds all you have done so far on this earth. The next level out is the Mental area or the aura. These areas are filled with a more intuitive area of thoughts and images. Things you consider ideas or thought not your own yet. The final area of your aura is the Spiritual. I often see your guides or loved ones connected to an aura in this area. It is an area that readily receives and sends insight.
The information on these colors and the way they that lay from the body out has come to me from many books, articles, teachers, and personal experience combined. All of these resources basically describe the same definitions as I do here. Please, Do Your Research on your own and learn more about auras.

White: Protection, Purity, Wholeness, Goodness. Not to be confused with the white etheric glow between body and aura.

Hot Pink: Love, Affection, Attraction
Dull Pink: Needy

Orange: Self-Awareness, Courage, Pride.

Brown: Not self confident, Needs attention, Confusion, Discouraged.

Purple: Intuitively gifted, Wisdom, Confident, Focused on mentally advancing, Balance with self and others.
Dark Purple: Intuitive teachers, Psychicly helping others.

Blue: Dedication, Aware of life’s paths, Working for more in life, Spiritual quest.
Indigo Blue: All Indigo Children glow in this bright blue. Listen to these children. The color represents a fully psychic child. Their knowledge is endless. Do your Research. The indigo are the new children on our Earth.
Dull Blue: Unappreciating of Life’s positive energies.

Green: Healing and Health. Ability to Heal with Psychic Energy.
Light Green: Could represent the onset of illness or injury.
Dark Green: Could represent the injury or illness already in the process of healing.

Bright Yellow: Successful, Focused on winning in personal or professional life paths.
Dell Yellow: Jealousy

Red: Anxiety, Fear, Anger or any immediate feeling that consumed the whole body. Red can be one of those colors that are temporary. The Brighter the red the more anxious, the Duller the red, the more angry and confused or hurt. Lightning bolt spikes or shoots of red are sudden shock.

Black: Black can never really be anything to positive. Hate, Depression and leftover unforgiven moments. You can clean this out of your own aura with psychic energy healing and cleansing.

Exercises to see Aura’s:
Have someone wear a black or white shirt and stand in front of a large white area. Do not focus on them as much as you will focus on the areas around them about a foot away.

Take time at night when the lights are out to focus on your hands. You should see them glow. This is a great way to work with energy. It is your aura that you are seeing.

Look at plants and trees. They are also living creatures and they can glow a large aura above them.

www.rebeccaanne.org
rsmith001@snet.net

Preparing For A Reading

2006-03-05T23:37:00.000-08:00

Preparing For A Reading
By Andrew Van Den Hout
Universal Psychic Guild

A psychic reading is an interaction between the psychic reader and client. Your role in bringing forth information is just as important as the reader relaying it.

Before getting a reading it is important to have a relaxed, open mind so real knowledge can emerge. The more open you are, the better.

Having an open mind doesn’t mean that you have to take on every piece of information shared with you. You need to openly discern what feels right for you. But if you go in with a suspicious mind and heart, you will not only restrict the flow of knowledge, but also hinder what you gain from the reading. For example, if you have been hurt in your relationships with other people, you may have developed a protective barrier around your heart and mind. Be conscious of this so as not to let it limit your reading.

Below is a list of steps to follow to ensure you get the most out of your reading.

To do list
Step 1. Choose a time in the day when you will be least likely to be interrupted.

Step 2. Light a candle and sit upright in a chair in front of it. The light of the candle acts as a symbol of clarity and focus. It can help you during your reading to remain focused on the flow between yourself and the psychic

Step 3. Breathe in the light of the candle and breathe out any anxieties you might feel. Repeat this twice.

Step 4. Write down on a piece of paper what you want to get from the reading. eg. I want the knowledge to heal my relationship hurt. Writing down your intention is very important because the psychic will pick up on this and tend to feed it back to you. If your intention is unclear then the psychic's message may be unclear to you.

Step 5. Focus on the candle and imagine it burning away all the preconceived thoughts you might have about your situation or what you are likely to hear.

There is a difference between having an intention and an expectation. An intention is flexible whereas an expectation if not met creates disturbance and frustration for the client. You may have an intention to understand how to heal your relationship problems but having an expectation that the psychic will do that by telling you the date you will get married to your partner may not be the way in which the psychic helps you to do this.

Step 6. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and begin.

In a psychic reading it is important that a client is grounded and aware. Too many airy thoughts and struggles in your mind will not allow the psychic knowledge to take shape in a way that is practical for you.
Following this guide will assist you to getting the most out of your reading.

Remember, the most important thing - Enjoy yourself!

Psychic readings don't have to be heavy and serious. Self-discovery is an empowering experience and will uplift your spirits if you let

Dreams

2006-03-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

Dreams
-By Andree

Everyone dreams, but many people do not remember their dreams. Dreams occur during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, when we are in a deep,deep sleep.Dreams are a healing; a chance for our subconscious mind to help us heal our feelings about what has happened in the past or to give us insights into our future and our relationships. We may not remember any dreams for many months, and suddenly one morning there is a vivid dream in our mine, just demanding our attention. Usually that dream is telling us symbolically about something that has occurred or is about to occur that our angels (spirit guides) want us to be alert to.

Dreams are an experience in which we are both the observer and often a participant, and most of our dreams are about ourselves.Usually the friends and relatives in our dreams are symbolic of some aspect of ourselves. Our dreams are a wealth of wisdom, once we understand our own symbology.Symbolically,a person with red hair in your dream will probably have a different meaning to someone else. It depends on the feelings of the experience each person has had with a person with red hair.

To learn to translate your dreams is simple. Put pen and paper beside your bed and as soon as you wake, write down what you can recall, even if it is just a snippet. In a few days you will notice that you are recalling more and more.Start a separate notebook for your own personal symbology, because your symbology will be unique to you. Always ask yourself what you were thinking before you went to sleep the evening before, because that is often a clue to the purpose of the dream.

There are some universal symbols. Water is usually telling you about your spiritual nature, the real you.So what is happening in and around the water in your dream? Is it clear or is it murky? Is it moving fast or slow? Is it a natural flow like a river or is it restricted such as in a pond or swimming pool? Are you swimming upstream against the flow or downstream with the flow? Are there fish? Big or small? One or many? What are they doing?

A car in your dream is usually telling you about the way you are managing your energy or moving through life.Take note of who is driving your car and the condition of your car in the dream. An accident in a dream does not have to happen in real life. It is a warning to slow down.Sometimes there is something in a dream that is eluding us, but we know it is important. That is when a psychic can help because they can help you get to the essence of a dream.Getting to the essence of a dream is that "aaha" feeling - a time when you know that you know, the time when you send a mental thank you to your angels for their guidance via a dream.

7 Ways To Improve Your Life in 7 Days

2006-03-01T09:14:00.000-08:00

7 Ways To Improve Your Life in 7 Days
By Maya Pinion
Location: Sydney

Choose to be Happy Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy.

Make Time for Yourself Too many things to do? Not enough time?
Stop. You need a break. Now. At a minimum take a minute, and do "nothing". Look out the window, daydream, think of something luxurious, think of something good. For yourself. This important little exercise can refresh you and helps to clear your mind.

Take a Breath Take a deep breath, hold it, then let it out. Now do it again. This is an excellent way to reduce tension and stress and only takes a few moments. Do this several times throughout the day. Don't forget to breathe!

Help Someone A simple act of helping someone can make you feel good about yourself. It doesn't have to be a major undertaking.
A smile, a simple compliment, a kind word, telling someone you appreciate them is often all it takes.

Take a Hike Regular exercise is very beneficial to your health and, next to swimming, walking is the single best exercise you can do. It's easy and requires little or no equipment. Take a brisk walk for 30 minutes. Every day. This is an excellent way to build stamina, tone muscles and maybe even shed a few of those extra pounds along the way.

Be Grateful Be grateful for the things that you do have. As the old saying goes, "I complained because I had no shoes. Until I met a man who had no feet".

Have a Purpose According to DestinyFinders.com each of us has a unique, special rewarding something we are destined to do in life. A life purpose. Find your life purpose. And live it.

These 7 things can help you improve your life in just 7 days.
They can help you gain more positive control over your life.
They can help boost your self-esteem. Together, they can improve you physically, mentally and spiritually.

Psychic Phenomenon: Gifts, Powers, or Abilities?

2006-02-27T03:04:00.000-08:00

Psychic Phenomenon: Gifts, Powers, or Abilities?
By Christin Snyder
Location: USA

In my work as a psychic who seeks to mentor those developing their own skills, I find it important to mention this subject. I refer to psychic abilities as just what they are - skills or abilities. The other terms I find to be damaging as they infer that this is unatainable by others, or that psychic senses are much more “supernatural” than they actually are.

Often I hear others speak of their developing abilities as “gifts”, as though they were so special that God gave them this unique and special ability and not others. Unfortunately, many famous psychics also do this, insinuate that some great mystical super-secret society power has been bestowed on them. This is harmful to those who would love to develop psychically but feel that they “aren't enough” somehow, or haven't been “chosen”.

Are psychic abilities gifts? Indeed they are. Those of us who have developed them recognize that we are blessed, but I also recognize that every breath I take on this planet is also a gift. I also know that we all breathe. Therefor oxygen, while still a beautiful, precious gift that should not be taken for granted, is something that we can all partake in. Psychic ability is no different. Just as everyone can pick up a pencil and write with it, everyone can also learn to develop some form of psychic skill set. Not everyone will become a pulitzer prize winning novelist, or famous poet, but that doesn't stop all of the rest of us from writing, so why should it stop beginners in Metaphysical studies from even trying? It is amazing to me the number of people who come to me and say “I don't think I am gifted?” or “Can you tell me if I have gifts?”. My answer: Are you standing here, breathing, having a life experience right now? then yes you are gifted. The key is not focusing on lack or what one doesn't have, but appreciating what is.

Psychic abilities are not elusive foreign phenomenon that only the chosen few can bring forward, they are an innate set of senses, hidden deep within the psyche and soul of each being that must be allowed to be brought forward. Many people don't agree with this, they believe that because they want psychic abilities that they must already be allowing it and it just isn't coming. This is very untrue. Developing these skills means adjusting to a different reality that what is presently understood and accepted both by society and the individual. The body/mind have a natural resistance to this in place as a protective mechanism. In order to reach our fullest potential psychically, we have to work at peeling away the barriers. It can take considerable time and effort to allow these abilities to manifest to their fullest potential, and as with anything worth having they require persistence and dedication.

We live in a society that pushes heavily the “instant gratification” syndrome, and this tends to cause many developing psychics to throw in the towel much to soon. When we add the stigma of “being gifted” to it, many don't even try at all. They are falsely led to believe that these abilities just manifest in others who have been fortunate enough to have them bestowed upon them by Creator. News Flash, God/Creator loves all of creation, so why then would He/She/It only give gifts to some of the Earths children and not to all? That's not unconditional love, but it is a human condition ;). Everyone of you reading this also has psychic ability, and yes it is a gift, but so is everything else.

Another word I hear misused a lot is “powers”. Psychic ability does not give us “power” over anyone, and those psychics who believe it does usually find their careers short lived, or find that Karma catches up eventually. Any genuine psychic is humble enough to tell people that they too can do what he/she is doing.
A good psychics goal is to empower others not to wield some false sense of power over them. When I hear psychics and/or aspirants refer to their “powers” it is one of my biggest pet peeves. That word implies not only that it is a super secret society elite thing again, but also propogates fear and contributes to the already abounding social ignorance surrounding psychic phenomenon. Those who do this to puff up their own egos by portending they have super-hero like “powers”
make it difficult for genuine psychics to get established and the outlook for ever being taken seriously in our field becomes even more grim.

I have the upmost respect for psychics and healers as well, who seek to empower others by demystifying this process. John Edward is one prime example of a mainstream psychic who has done a lot of work in this area. Thanks to his work, more people are seeing this as something that is not just a power for the chosen ones, but something anyone with the dedication to do so can develop. I hope that as more of us establish our careers we will also take the “high road” and continue to promote more personal empowerment and less hocus-pocus. Knowledge is the true “power”.