What Kind of Psychic are You?

With spiritual awareness and acceptance on the rise, it seems that more and more gifted individuals are emerging offering various services. It would be naive to think that there are not some charlatans in the mix, or those that exaggerate their abilities. But I feel it's important to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and those with less than moral intentions will eventually be exposed. The big difference in current times are the various titles sensitives are using to describe what they can do. In the past, simple terms like psychic or fortuneteller were the staple titles; but now the terms have become much broader and can become confusing.

It's human nature to have the need to give names and definitions to everything. This fact also holds true when it comes to defining the various types of psychic abilities. I'd like to give a brief description of common terms you may see individuals use to describe what they can do. I believe intentions are pure, trying to describe in detail how they can help others; but not everyone fully understands this terminology.

Psychic: This is an umbrella term used to describe anyone with extra sensory abilities. All of the other terms described in this article fall under the umbrella of psychic abilities, with the exception of medium (which I will touch on the reasons for this separation). The term psychic often conjures up images of the stereotypical palm readers, fortune tellers, and seems to have some negative connotations attached to it. I believe it's because of experiences and the exposure of charlatans that caused damaged to this name, which may be part of why we have so many different terms now. But regardless, this defines all abilities from aura reading to scrying.

Sensitive: This term is synonymous with Psychic. This is also an umbrella, and it seems more and more gifted individuals prefer this term, possibly because of the negative stigma surrounding the word "psychic". As the word implies, it describes those who can perceive things others cannot through heightened sensitivities. Though the two terms mean virtually the same thing, psychic is often seen as "other worldly", and sensitive simply seen as enhanced natural abilities. Though there is still some taboo surrounding psychic abilities, "sensitive" seems to be considered a more socially excepted alternative to "psychic".

Medium: A medium is simply an instrument or tool for the spirit world to speak through. Mediums are able to sense and engage in back and forth communication with spirits, and pass on that information to the living. The spirits a medium can communicate with range from earthbound souls, to passed loved ones who have moved on to the other side. This ability is seen as being separate from the umbrella of common psychic abilities because of it's specialization working with the spirit world. There is a saying that "all mediums are psychic, but not all psychics are mediums". This basically means that all mediums possess an extra sensory ability, but the gifts of a psychic may be limited to the physical plane. There are also many subdivisions of mediums defining how they receive information. Just a couple examples:
Trance Medium: One who receives information from spirits via a meditative or "trance" state.
Physical Medium: Those who allow spirits to enter their bodies gaining temporary control of the medium. This is so the spirit can communicate in their own words and expressions.

Channeler: Can be synonymous with medium, and seems to be an older term used to describe those who communicate with spirits.One difference is channelers usually open up communication with spirit guides rather than directly with other spirits. Mediums receive information this way as well, but a channeler is more specialized in this method and are said to receive information from a more pure or divine source.

Empath: These are the individuals who can feel and experience the emotions of others. This can be one of the most draining and difficult abilities to manage. It's imperative that empaths focus on self awareness, and learn how to differentiate what is their emotions from the emotions of others. This gift is not only limited to feeling emotions of living persons, but also earthbound spirits. I've seen the term empathic medium used before, describing how they sense and feel the emotions of spirits.Through feeling emotions, sometimes an empath can also gain insights and impressions, giving them a view of details.

Discernment: This is the ability to sense the presence of spirits and often gain insight into it's nature. Regardless of it's simplicity, this gift is very useful in paranormal investigating. This term you will often seen coupled with another title. For example: Discernment Demonologist

Remote Viewer: This is a seemingly rare ability that many may not be familiar with. A remote viewer will go into a meditative state, and allow their consciousness to travel to another location. In doing so, they are able to see from a third persons perspective what is happening at this location in real time. I've heard of many instances where sensitives will receive a flash vision of something taking place. This experience falls into the category of remote viewing,. but gaining conscious control of this ability is extremely difficult. Documents have show the during the Cold War, both the United States and Soviet Union experimented with remote viewers to try and spy on one another. That might sound silly but it's true. Trying to use such a gift for selfish reasons they both had mixed results.

These definitions become even broader, as some use terms of how they receive information to describe their abilities. Examples: Clairvoyant Medium, Clairaudient Channeler, etc. Clairvoyant for example, simply means receiving information visually; Clairaudience through sound, and Clairsentience through sensation. Many gifted individuals use psychometry as well, which means they receive information and impressions through touching objects. It's important to remember that these are not abilities on their own, just descriptive terms used to further explain the nature of one's ability.

The list goes on to those who use specific tools to aid them: tarot cards, pendulums, various scrying devices, and so on. This is not a complete list of abilities as there are many more that are less easily defined. But I hope these brief descriptions help to give a better understanding of the gifts some posses. Personally, I do not care for titles as we are people first and no single term can define us as a whole. So regardless of any titles, when it comes to using our gifts to help others, it is accurately portraying what we can do that matters most of all.

Psychic Development Simplified

I would like to share my core theories on how to get started with developing psychic abilities. I have worked with many individuals who have transformed from being frightened and having no control over their gifts, to being grounded and strong psychics, able to perform readings with accuracy and confidence. It takes a lot time and work, but it is a balance that is attainable by all.

So many individuals have reached out to me for guidance and all of their stories have been very similar. They've expressed experiencing psychic phenomena ranging from intuitive messages to being visited by spirits. Most often they are afraid and unsure of what is happening to them and in many cases, they have had other experiences throughout their lives, but have now come to a point that their senses have intensified and have begun to interfere with their daily life. It has now turned into a very overwhelming experience which is now making them question their own sanity. Psychic abilities are often misunderstood and discounted by so many that these individuals often feel alone, with no one to talk to and help them rationalize what they are experiencing.

I believe that psychic/medium gifts are a natural part of the human consciousness. I also believe that everyone has the ability to develop these gifts. Some people are just born a little more "attune" then others. I also find that is seems to be a genetic trait that runs in families. I cannot say with certainty that I believe it is part of human evolution, but the growing numbers of individuals with psychic gifts makes it a definite possibility in my opinion. Much like the natural talents you see in athletes, musicians, artists, etc., everyone has the capability to heighten their natural abilities with time, practice, and faith in one's self.

Psychic Development - Meditation

First step and possibly the biggest key to psychic development, is meditation. This is how we "exercise" the intuitive mind and learn to keep a calm, focused, and relaxed body and mind. There are many different types of meditations, but it is important to practice clearing, focusing, and opening the mind. For those that have had difficulty with meditation in the past, I suggest using guided meditations to start practicing with. In book stores and online you can find many to choose from. Sometimes it takes some searching to find the right one for you. Meditation helps us in training the mind to receive and feel, rather than think when reading for others. I know it may sound like a huge task, but with regular meditation it becomes easier over time and you will be astonished by the level of focus you can achieve. Eventually, you will learn to bring that calmness and focus into an awaken state of being, allowing information to flow to your mind naturally. It is important to practice meditation as much, and as often as you possibly can. It can also be a useful tool for us in many avenues of life. It helps to promote a balanced mental and emotional state, which is essential for anyone hoping to read for others with a clear consciousness.

Psychic Development - Spirituality

Next step is that one must work on a deep spirituality no matter what it is you personally believe. This goes beyond religion, it's about how you see the Divine and what your personal relationship is with him/her/them. This is so important because this is where we draw our strength, energy and an unshakable faith that we are protected. It is through prayer that we cleanse ourselves before and after readings so we do not end up taking the energies of others into ourselves. Without doing so the energies can actually manifest in many ways including our physical health. True spiritual faith is such a powerful force, and it is an absolute necessity we keep a constant affirmation of our beliefs in our hearts and minds. Faith is our best weapon in battling fears, especially for those hoping to work with spirits and perform mediumship. Some may disagree with me on the need for spirituality to be psychic and to aid psychic development. But I do not see how one can effectively work with spirits and energy without holding some belief system close to their heart. In my opinion, you will not be able to find longevity as a psychic and the ability to perform readings without spiritual faith.

Psychic Development - Faith

Then the last and most important is absolute faith in yourself. You must believe without a doubt in your developing psychic abilities and beyond what rational thought tells you is possible. We have been trained our entire lives on what is possible, and what is not. So we must retrain our minds and come to a point of blind faith in our psychic abilities and a "knowing" that comes from within. This can take some time to work on, but with just a little faith in your developing psychic abilities, you can completely surprise yourself on what you can do. I have witnessed many, who have just begun working on psychic development, completely blow others away with their accuracy. This is simply because they completely believed in what they could do without a shadow of a doubt. How much you can evolve as a psychic/medium is only limited by your own faith.

So meditation, spirituality and faith in yourself are the key components to begin working and developing your natural psychic abilities. Add in time, practice, and patience and you have a great foundation to work from. Fear seems to be what most have the hardest time dealing with in the beginning. If you really think about it, it's the only obstacle and can easily be overcome. Once you really incorporate the 3 key components into your life, your fears will begin to melt away. Practice reading for others as much as you can and don't beat yourself up if sometimes you get some information wrong. It's a learning process just like any other and takes time to perfect. I will stop here at the basics. I've tried to just explain the main concepts briefly of psychic development and give an idea of where to begin. From here I usually go on to energy work with chakras and methods about coming into contact with your spirit guides. I have full confidence that anyone who actively follows this formula will see results in their psychic abilities. For some, I've seen very quick progression in their psychic development, but the time it takes to learn new things varies from person to person and patience is important. Like most things in life it takes some work and dedication, but the rewards in the end can be beyond anything you believe possible. Always remember, your psychic abilities are a “gift” not meant to be feared but to be shared.

Only one path to God?

I feel the main issue with humanity is that we look at God in human terms. Most will agree from various religions that God is vast and beyond the comprehension of our minds. We cannot even begin to fathom what God truly is. So how as humans can we say with any certainty that God is one or many, male or female, or all of the above?

The many cultures of the planet have found their own ways to "humanize" God so to speak. Giving God a gender, form or separating into many who act on different aspect of the world around us. The various cultures of mankind have done this out of human nature. Simply to make a relationship with God more personable. It is much easier to worship God with some kind of form in our minds. Not many would worship a formless "great unknown" with no way to relate to it. How we choose to see and worship God is completely up to the individual. One man's view is no greater or lesser than another. Only a different way of seeing...

Most, if not all will agree that man is flawed. With that being said, how can any of us pass judgment on one path holding a higher truth than the other? Because man is flawed, the things man creates is flawed as well... Religion is far from perfect, yet many hold faith through traditions and writings. Stories and scriptures passed down hundreds to thousands of years may not be the same from when they were first written. All these things are and have been open to human error or the wills of man which may not have always been righteous. So how can we possibly trust religion to be an absolute truth?

One thing we can find purity in this world is in spirituality. You wont find it in a book and it can't be given to you by someone else. It only comes from within when you make a true connection and communication with the divine. When this happens there will be no question about your path or the path of others. The words in books and traditions of others will not be the main source of what influences your faith. With spirituality you have your heart and God's direct guidance. Who could possibly make you question that?

"There are many paths up the Mountain, but the view of the moon from the top is the same." - Ancient Japanese saying

Meditation Simplified

Meditation is elusive for many and I have been asked many times on where and how to begin. Common issues range from distraction, discomfort, fear, falling asleep, or just not being able to stop the mind from racing and random thought. These problems are what cause many to give up on meditation all together. They believe it is something they just cannot do. I am going to give a basic outline on where to begin when learning to meditate, and more importantly, things to be aware of in preparation. Like learning anything new it takes time, patience and practice. Despite what some feel, everyone is capable of achieving a meditative state with a proper mindset and environment.

First step is to establish the correct setting for meditation. This is often overlooked by many, but is extremely important to insure complete relaxation. Find a quiet and peaceful place where you know you will not be disturbed for a long duration of time. Turn off all phones, pagers or any other electronic devices that may disrupt you during your session. Many different schools of thought teach certain positions that they say you must sit in, but I have found that this is not necessarily true. You want to make yourself as comfortable as possible, and will not be able to completely relax for a long period of time while having body aches. Although it is important to be seated in an upright position. This will ensure you do not fall asleep and will also promote the circulation of energy throughout your body. Once you have your set environment and have found a nice comfortable sitting position, you are ready to move on to relaxation.

Second step is to bring your mind and body into a relaxed state through breathing. This is another step that is often overlooked, but is absolutely essential. Many think meditation is just sitting down, closing your eyes and instantly meditation will begin. That is simply not the case. With all the mental and physical stresses we deal with in daily life, one must first prepare the body and mind for complete relaxation. To begin, start focusing on your breathing. In and out, keeping the same slow rhythm and concentrate on nothing else but the rhythm of your breaths. Taking air in let your belly expand and then contract on your exhale. Again, some schools of thought teach that breathing needs to be done in a certain pattern. Some teach inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth for example. I also believe this not to be the case. You need to breath in a way that feels comfortable and natural to you. Take your time on this part until you reach a point that the breathing rhythm becomes natural. Soon your body will begin keeping this pace on its, own without concentration.

Third step is to relax the body, one section at a time. Once your breathing is in perfect rhythm, it is time to start focusing on relaxing each part of the body. Start at your head down to your feet. Focus on your head and the muscles of your face. Be in tune with your expression and concentrate on relaxing every muscle. You may have a slight feeling of heaviness which is a good sign that you are becoming relaxed. From you head and face move down to your neck and shoulders. Again, focus on every muscle and let them become completely relaxed. Move down to your arms and chest, to your abdomen, then over your legs and down to your feet. Concentrate on every muscle as you move down your body slowly and feel the calm relaxation throughout your entire self. Take your time and enjoy this process because it feels wonderful and is a great exercise in itself. Once your breathing is set and your body is completely relaxed, you are ready to move on to the next step.

Fourth step is visualization. This is great for beginners because of its simplicity and some even experience feelings of euphoria. Now that your environment and body are in a calm and peaceful state, we can now work with the mind. I like to teach the "sacred place" visualization to beginners because it seems to have a great deal of success and many enjoy it. When ready, see yourself in what will always be your sacred place. It can be somewhere you've been before or straight out of your imagination. Whether it be in a forest, a beach, the mountains, wherever you find the most peace. In your minds eye see and feel yourself there. You are alone here, but being your space there is nothing that could possibly harm you. No stress, fear, anxiety or negative emotions exist while you are here. You are in complete control of this environment and protected. See yourself there clearly, and then begin to feel your surroundings. Feel the heat of the sun, the brush of the wind and the ground beneath your feet. Take in the smells of the area, whether it be flowers, or the air of the ocean. Let yourself go and fully experience this place, which is yours and only yours.

If you follow these steps and reach the point of fully experiencing your sacred place, then you have achieved one of the many forms of meditation. When coming out you should feel refreshed, relaxed and energized. With time and regular practice this feeling will follow you into an awakened state of being, and can benefit you in many areas of your life. This is just a brief explanation on a meditative practice and how to prepare yourself for the experience. Remember, preparation is key and do not allow yourself to become discouraged by any distractions. Just ignore them and continue on. These things are natural and will pass as you become deeper in concentration. Once learned, other meditation practices that interest you will become much easier to adopt. Have faith in yourself and don't try to force the experience... Just completely relax and let it be.

Connecting With Your Spirit Guides

In my work, mentoring others in learning to develop psychic/medium abilities, the question always arises on how to effectively contact spirit guides. We all have spirit guides. Some look at them as guardian angels, which is a close comparison. The difference between spirit guides and angels is that our guides have lived many human lives and have access to that knowledge and experience. More importantly, they are a major link for our communication with the spirit world and the wisdom on the Divine itself. The sole purpose of these beings (as in their name) is to guide and help us throughout our life's path. There are two methods which have proven effective in making your first conscious contact with your guides.

The first method is through the "sacred place" meditation. In this meditation, see yourself in what will always be your sacred place. It can be somewhere you've been before or straight out of your imagination. Whether it be in a forest, on a beach, or in the mountains, it should be a place where you find the most peace. In your minds eye, see and feel yourself there. You are alone there, but because this is your space, there is nothing that could possibly harm you. No stress, fear, anxiety or negative emotions exist while you are here. You are in complete control of this environment and you are protected. See yourself there clearly, and then begin to feel your surroundings. Feel the heat of the sun, the brush of the wind and the ground beneath your feet. Take in the smells of the area. Whether it be flowers, or the air of the ocean, let yourself go and fully experience this place. It is yours place and belongs to only you.

Once you have a good handle on this meditation and you are able to let yourself go in this wondrous place, invite your spirit guide and others to join you. Remember that this is your space and you are divinely protected so there is no need to have any fear. Just relax, let your mind be free and the images will begin to flow to you naturally. Do not force an image by trying to think of anyone, it's about letting them come to you. Some have expressed experiencing animals which are likely their totem or a guardian spirit. Others have had visitations from loved ones who have passed on and are just taking the opportunity to interact with you. It may happen your first try or it may take some time, but eventually you will see someone you have never seen before, yet you will feel like you've known them your entire life. In this place, communication does not happen through speech, but through transmission of thoughts to one another. You can ask them their name, where they are from, if you cannot tell from appearance, or any questions you feel moved to ask. At first, communication may be difficult and they may simply want to make themselves known to you. More will come through in time through practicing this meditation.

The second method is through a dream state and this seems to work well for many people. Before going to sleep, take a pen and pad of paper and leave it beside your bed. Lay flat on your back in bed and go into a semi-meditative state like in prayer and repeat this affirmation: "I open myself to a conscious relationship with my spirit guide and invite you to make yourself known to me." You don't have to use the exact words and can add or change them if you wish. The idea of opening yourself to your spirit guide should be made. Once you feel ready, simply go to sleep. It may not happen the first time or the fifth, but like the meditation, you will dream of someone you've never seen before, yet you will feel like you've always known them. This dream will usually be very vivid and sometimes abstract, unlike a normal dream. As soon as you wake up, take the pen and paper and write everything you can remember from the experience. Continue with this practice and your guide will appear in your dreams more often, and may even have messages to pass on to you.

These two methods have proven effective for many and I am happy to share this information with everyone. Coming into contact with your spirit guides is a beautiful experience you will never forget. Once you've made contact, give your spirit guides permission to read your mind so you can consciously communicate with them. It's also important to know that your guides are able to bi-locate as well. This means that they can be on the other side, and with you at the same time when you call upon them for guidance. They are not with you all the time in a physical presence, but they are always watching over you. Guides are not only essential in helping to pass on information to you, but also as protectors. They can help erase fears which many have when first learning to control psychic/medium abilities. Just remember to allow them to come to you, and then let the communication begin.

Simple Spirituality

Spirituality or "being spiritual" is on the rise especially in the western world, and could even be called a buzz word in today's society. More and more individuals are choosing this path over traditional religions, or still follow a certain belief system yet do not involve themselves with particular "house of worship" or set of traditions. Instead, they simply practice on their own and follow the moral and ethical teaching of their faith to the best of their ability. So what exactly is spirituality? There are many schools of thought with various answers to this question; but I'd like to explore the complexities of this subject.

Religion vs. Spirituality

There is a definite separation of spirituality from any religion, but they do run parallel to one another. This line of separation can become blurred to many, and there are certain things we should keep in mind. One can follow a set of rules with unwavering conviction, attend each and every religious function of their faith, and be able to recite uncountable quotes word for word from religious texts. Even so, this does not necessarily make this person spiritual. The main difference between being religious and spiritual, is the application of beliefs and teachings into daily life. What good is following a belief system so strictly if you cannot understand it's true message? Religious texts and traditions are man made and just a small part of the big picture. So many groups argue relentlessly over minute details of interpretation, sometimes taking these writings far too literally. This, and the fact that many religions have not changed at all, adjusting to modern times is just part of the reason many have turned away from organized religion. One who is spiritual is able to follow the teachings they choose and can read between the lines of religious texts understanding and adopting it's message first. We should never allow ourselves to become limited on our paths of learning and spiritual discovery by the words of other men, no matter how long ago they were written. What is good, just, and moral should not be dictated by a set of texts and traditions, but by our own minds and insight.

Communication

The most beautiful part of spirituality is that the focus is on your personal relationship with the Divine. No matter how you see and choose to worship him/her/them. This communication should be two way, and we should not only pray for what we want and need, but also listen. This requires being able to look into oneself unselfishly and openly, asking for guidance and enlightenment. Allowing the Divine to provide you with insight and answers, which can come in many ways. It could come to you like an affirmation, from a conversation with someone, or even a reading. When it comes to communication, a question was posed to me once which I found very interesting. Being in Western society I'll use Christianity as an example. "If you were reading the Bible and God himself appeared before you with a message, would you turn him away or ask him to wait?" This may seem like a silly question and I'm sure everyone would answer emphatically "No." But this does happen quite often to those who are not open to listening. Having an open line of communication with your higher power is of the utmost importance, and really is the heart of spirituality. Just be sure to keep it an ongoing two way conversation.

Spirituality in Daily Life

Doing all we can to live a spiritual life really is key and it can be much easier than we think. Keeping a strong personal connection with the Divine and following moral values is really the cornerstone of spirituality. We are but human beings and we all make mistakes. We should learn from them to become better people, instead of letting regrets weigh us down. Some perceive living a spiritual life as having to let go completely of the material world, being completely selfless, and allowing nothing else but your faith to govern your life. This is simply not the case at all. Whether you are going to work to provide for your family, cooking dinner for your children, helping out a friend, giving advice to someone, and so on... These are not only human acts, but spiritual ones as well. They may seem like just a mundane part of everyday life, but these are the acts of goodness the Divine has put you on this planet to do. I love the saying "You may only be a person in this world, but for someone, you're the world." In daily life, it's all about having positive intentions to help ourselves and others. What could be more spiritual than that?