Sylvia Browne, The Imperfect Psychic

I was saddened to see that Sylvia Browne passed away.  Although I got the feeling that she had been sick for awhile – she didn’t look good in some recent pictures.   So I’m glad she’s at peace and romping on the Other Side.  That must be some party.

Anyway, as I was scanning the news stories about her, I was pretty p’o’d to see a snarky link to a YouTube clip entitled, “Sylvia Browne, World’s Worst Psychic.”

Like many people, I first came upon Sylvia when she was on The Montel Williams Show.  She gave messages to audience members and answered questions.  On one of her televised appearances, she announced that Amanda Berry was dead.  Amanda was one of the women kidnapped and held hostage for years by that monster in Ohio.  Fortunately, she was found alive recently.  And Sylvia was pilloried for putting Berry’s mother through that agony.

She later posted a message stating how happy she was that Amanda was alive and regarding her TV appearance, that “Only God is 100% right.”

I’m sure that wasn’t the first time she was wrong about something, but this was certainly the most public example.  And it gave skeptics all the ammo they needed to discredit any of the good work she’d done through her career.

This is a point that needs to be discussed.  No psychic or medium, no matter how gifted they are, is always right.  But a lot of people expect us to be.  I had one potential client ask me if I was “100 percent accurate…or close.”  I laughed.  There’s something about psychics that inspires magical thinking – like we’re elves or hobbits.

It’s a movie, people….

John Edwards was also touched with a little scandal when he had his regular TV show  Apparently, it was discovered that producers had the audience miked ahead of taping, eavesdropping on conversations and then ‘feeding’ some of that info to John.

I don’t think that John needed feeding, but clearly, the producers were trying to impress the audience by having him appear to be 100 percent right, all the time.  Which is bullshit.    And by trying to make the impossible seem real, it tainted John’s very real gifts.

For some, there seems to be an “all or nothing” mentality when it comes to psychics.  You’re either totally amazing or you suck.  But being sensitive to the spirit world is just that – being sensitive.  And real life has its impact.  We psychics know what affects us, positively and negatively, and live each day accordingly.  But sometimes you wake up from a bad night’s sleep and step in cat vomit. Stuff happens.

Good frikkin’ morning….

Human foibles and challenges allow the psychic to better empathize with their client.  Our spirit guides “use” our experiences to translate higher knowledge into something useable and understandable.  It’s the equivalent of “Been there, done that, got the spiritual t-shirt.”   Expecting perfection from any intuitive is unrealistic.

As psychic-mediums, we do our best to be of service.  But in the end, its up to you to consider the information you’re getting, apply it or discard it.  I remind my clients to take what resonates with them, and leave the rest.

And that goes for Sylvia Browne.  In her life, she provided more good, healing, hopeful information than she did goofs.  And that’s what she should be remembered for.  RIP, girlfriend.

Build Your Psychic Power

Intuition is a completely natural function.  And like other functions (except, perhaps, my inner thigh muscles), it can be strengthened.

The thing with your natural psychic gifts is that you have dozens of chances each day to give them a little work out.  Hunches, first impressions and gut feelings are all signs that your intuition is pinging.   Pay attention.

Also, pay attention to HOW you’re getting that information.  Are you feeling sensations or emotions?  Seeing images in your mind’s eye?  Hearing words, music, etc. in your mind’s ear?  A combination of the three?  Psychic “style” is unique to each of us.  Once you have an idea of how you “get” your information, it will become easier to tune it in on demand.

Outside of those everyday opportunities, here are some fun exercises to build that muscle.

PLAYING CARDS:  Next time you’re hanging on the couch, grab a deck of playing cards.  Give them a good shuffle.  Pull a card with your non-dominant hand; don’t look at it.  Concentrate and see if you can pick up the number, color or suit.  Keep track of how many “hits” you get.

NEXT DAY’S NEWSPAPER:  As you lay in bed, pretend that you’re lifting out of your body and astrally-travelling to your nearest newstand.  See it clearly.  Now look down at tomorrow’s newspaper.  What do you see?  Headline, word, photo?  Take a moment to jot it down, then check the next day to see how you did.

WHAT AM I DOING?  This is a fun one to do with a friend.  Have your friend make a list of five simple actions:  jumping up and down, standing on one foot, washing a dish, etc.   They don’t share the list with you.  At a set time, they perform one of the actions.  You tune in at that time and see if you can pick it up. Do this every day for five days.   You could also do this with your kids.

Hopefully your friend isn’t doing THIS….

Tarot is a great way to ignite your own psychic skills; the images really “speak” to that part of your brain.  Here’s a quick way to get started.

One thing to keep in mind with any form of psychic development is to keep things light and fun (and to stay healthy).  When you’re trying too hard, it chokes off the flow.  Imagine my surprise when, during a demonstration at a UK spiritualist church, they played ABBA songs beforehand.  Personally, I would’ve chosen Parliament Funkadelic, but that’s just me.  Anyway, the music raised the energy, made people smile and dance and really set a great mood.

So have fun as you open up your skillis.  And like vitamins or a quick set of pushups, do something psychic every day.

Getting More from A Psychic Reading

“Is it OK to talk?”  I get this question all the time during a reading.   And the answer is, “Absolutely.”

A lot of people seem to think that a vow of silence on their part is required, that somehow, talking during a reading is “cheating.”

But let me stress something:  psychics are here to help you.  Not to impress you with their mad skillz.

If you ARE impressed that we pick up stuff before you tell us, that’s all good.  The bottom line is that you’re there to get guidance and direction, a way to get unstuck.   And a conversation with your reader is a good way to do that.

(This is one reason I don’t do parties anymore:  I take what I do seriously and don’t want to be seen as some kind of cool party entertainment.  But I will have a beer, thank you.)

Anyway, when I start a session, I begin by asking you what areas of your life you want some clarity on.   This helps me focus in right away and give you information that will be practical and useful.  It makes the most of our time together and gives you something you can use after you leave.

Personally, I hate those, “Oh, just tell me whatever you get…” sessions. To me, that’s like driving in circles around the parking lot.  If you’ve decided to get a reading, clearly there’s something going on.  Do yourself a favor and take some time to think about what it is.

It’s exciting and gratifying when I pick up information psychically or from the Other Side – but I live for those moments when my client sees a way forward out of his/her problems.  How that happens is a technicality.

This is how you should feel after a reading.

Connecting with Spirit Guides

I was recently asked, “How can I better connect with my guides and channel my higher self?”  Or something like that.

Quick refresher course:  each of us has a spirit guide, there to help us stay on track with the life plan the two of you designed before we incarnated.  You both set certain goals together to help you with your spiritual growth.  Unfortunately, the minute we’re born, that plan gets fuzzy in our human brain.  It’s like trying to recall a dream.

But your guide stays clear, and if you learn to connect with him/her, they can help you get back on track.  I shared a meditation to meet your guide here.

Working with your guide involves regular meditation.  That’s the space between the worlds where the two of you can meet.  Meditation helps you become aware of your guide’s unique presence.  The energy changes; you may “feel” them, or hear their voice.

By regularly connecting with your guide, you make it easier to sense them in everyday life.  It’s like when you call up a trusted friend to talk over a problem; you need to know their number first.

So make it a point to meditate on a regular basis, and to invite your guide to connect with you, just to hang out together.

This is also just common courtesy; don’t you hate those friends that only talk to you when they need something?  Don’t be that person.

Your guide’s job is not to make troubles magically disappear; but they will give you the tools and inspiration to navigate them more effectively.  They are a great resource when you’re struggling with a decision or problem.

Your guide’s help comes in the form of new ideas, helpful people, little intuitive “nudges,”  information that you run across online, a dream.  Your job is to pay attention and act on this wisdom.   The more you do this, the easier it becomes to access this wonderful source of help.  And the smoother your journey becomes.

The process of regularly connecting to your guide also strengthens your awareness of what lies beyond our everyday headaches.  It provides an uber-reality check that puts it all in perspective and reminds us that we are all just souls having a human experience.

Spiritual Lessons from Netflix

You know those binge viewing sessions you go on from time to time?  Like when I watched all three seasons of Downton Abbey in one weekend (my ass still hasn’t quite woken up from that marathon)?

Well, when you’re needing a shot of something spiritual on a rainy weekend, here are my picks.

MADE IN HEAVEN (1987)  This is one of my all time favorites.  Timothy Hutton stars as a young man who dies while saving some folks in a car accident.  In Heaven, he meets his soulmate (Kelly McGillis).  To me, this is a wonderful representation of what Heaven might really be like.  It’s a great love story, and has some awesome cameos from Neil Young, Tom Petty and Ric Ocasek of the Cars.

THE GIFT (2000)  The awesome Cate Blanchett as a backwoods psychic.  The way her “visions” are depicted is pretty cool.  Her character was inspired by actor Billy Bob Thornton’s mother, who was a psychic.

WHAT DREAMS MAY COME (1998)  A visually stunning depiction of the Afterlife (both good and bad).  I particularly appreciated how Hell is shown not as a place of devils and pitchforks, but as a nightmare of one’s own creation.

GHOST (1990) Come on, ladies –a classic, amIright?  The way Patrick Swayze has to build up his mental powers in order to manifest things in the physical world is pretty accurate.  It’s hard for spirit to show themselves or make things happen.  And just like in the movie where Demi Moore “feels” him around her, that’s how it goes down.

OdaMae’s newfound abilities to communicate with the dead is similar to what really happens to many mediums:  they’re like the only working cellphone and lots of dead folks want to talk to their loved ones through them.

But that scene where Patrick takes over Whoopi’s body to dance with Demi Moore? Um, sorry – I still kept seeing Whoopi.

What are your fave spiritual movies?

How To Connect With The Dead

By a certain age, we’ve all acquired a few things:  a credit rating, a droopier ass, an inability to remember why we came into the room.  We’ve also acquired more than a passing familiarity with death and the loss of special people.

Like that droopy ass, this is something we’d rather not have to deal with.  But we do.

Even though I spend a fair amount of time connecting with the dead, it hasn’t made my own personal losses that much easier.  I have felt my mother’s presence many times, but sure wouldn’t mind the chance to hug her again for real.  I know that will happen one day, but in the meantime….

You know, I kinda hate to call them “the dead” because they do indeed continue to live in another dimension.  They interact with us through our dreams, through little signs  (like finding pennies), or by using a medium who is sensitive to their energy.

But I like this exercise, too.

Start by inviting a loved one on the Other Side to meet you in this meditation.

Choose a time when you will be completely relaxed and undisturbed.

Get comfortable and take several deep breaths.  Envision a warm ball of white light surrounding and protecting you. Now settle in and focus on your breathing.

Imagine that you’re at the top of a beautiful marble staircase.  You begin walking down the steps, noticing how sweet the air is and how peaceful and relaxed you are.

At the bottom of the staircase is a path that winds through a beautiful, lush garden.  Step onto this path, noticing the beautiful trees above you, the flowers in bloom and the birdsong over your head.  It’s a magical, peaceful place.

Continue focusing on your breath as you walk along this winding path.  Ahead is a garden gate.  Push the gate open and walk inside.  Amidst the greenery and flowers is a marble pavilion, open on all sides.  The marble columns glow with light.  You can see two comfortable couches inside.

Walk up the steps to this pavilion and settle into one of the couches.  The pillows are deep and soft, and you’re totally comfortable.

As you relax in this special place, you hear footsteps on the pavilion stairs.  Your loved one has arrived.

Look at them as they settle into the other couch.  How do they look? What are they wearing?  Don’t be surprised if they appear younger than when they passed.

Just stay in this quiet place for a moment, feeling their presence.  They’re so happy to be with you again.  Bask in that love.

Now ask them a question.  Go with the first response you get.  It may be a gesture, they may “show” you something, like a symbol.  Or you may hear words.  The most important thing is to not doubt what you get.  This is really happening.

When its time to leave, thank your loved one for meeting you and give them a hug.  Allow this beautiful, eternal energy to flow through you, and know you can be with them any time you want in this special place.

As you leave the pavilion and go back through the gate, you turn once more to see them smiling at you.  Walk back along the path to the marble staircase.  Walk up the steps, coming back into the present moment.  Open your eyes.

It’s a good idea to jot down your experience in a notebook.  This will help you notice any information you got in the meditation when it shows up in real life.

And it will.

One day, you will be able to hug your loved one again for real.  But in the meantime, the Pavilion is a great meeting place.

I’d love to hear about your experiences after you do this meditation.  Leave me the details in the Comments.

The Souls of 9/11

I live just outside of New York City, so September 11^th is always a somber day.  Everyone has their memories of where they were or they know someone who lost someone.  I have those, too.  But it’s something that happened in the aftermath that has most stayed with me.

Shortly after that awful day, I was doing some mediumship training with a guest teacher from the UK.  It was before Ground Zero was cordoned off to spectators; several of my fellow students  went down there to see if they could assist the spirits of any of those who’d lost their lives.   This is because, many times when someone dies so suddenly and tragically, they’re sort of like “What just happened?” and aren’t sure what to do next.   So, like so many volunteers, my friends were there to help any confused souls cross over.

But what they reported back to the class was interesting:  namely, they felt nothing.  There was no presence of spirit.  Nothing.  One woman described it to the rest of us as, “They were just….gone.”   It was a particularly odd sort of emptiness, which none of us had ever experienced when working with the Other Side,

Our teacher, who’d been at this her whole, long life, shared something that was both fascinating and strangely comforting:  those souls who were on the planes or in the buildings were released from their bodies ahead of their physical death. They were spared that pain and suffering, pulled into the warmth and peace of the Other Side before the worst happened.

She explained that, in many tragedies, the Wise Ones release the soul ahead of the death of the body.  The person finds themself in a beautiful, healing place where any memory of pain or fear is soothed away.  It makes me think of a child being woken from a nightmare by the gentle reassurance of a loving parent.

This idea was confirmed to me years later when I did a sitting with a 9/11 widow.  Her husband  came through and described his passing as painless.  He said he saw himself with other souls rising to a Heaven-like dimension, as if they were floating up from underwater.  The image he showed me was beautiful, and I hold it in my heart whenever I meet with anyone who’s suffered the kind of loss we did on 9/11.

Peace.

Should Psychics Charge Money?

It happened again.  I’m scanning my morning Yahoo headlines and see that a Florida psychic is on trial for scamming her clients out of — wait for it — something like 25 MILLION (with a “mill”) American dollars.  She managed to get otherwise intelligent folks to hand over gold, jewelry and cash, all in the interest of “sacrificing” to rid their lives of evil (’cause “money is the root of all evil,” get it?).

This shameless skank insist that her clairvoyant gift had been in the family for 1500 years.  Gee — with all that ancestral weight, you’d think shed’a seen the law coming to shut her down.

Houdini could escape the cuffs; the phony psychic can’t.

I friggin’ hate stories like these, because it tars all legitimate psychic/mediums with a bad brush.   No legit intuitive will EVER ask for more than their standard fee.  Extras like curse-removing, intervening with the gods on your behalf or invisible bitch-slapping should not even enter the discussion.  But this begs another question:  if you have a gift, should you be charging at all?

The answer is: HELL TO THE YES.

No matter how naturally intuitive someone is, using that ability takes energy.  A lot of it.  You don’t want to see me after a long afternoon of reading:  its not pretty and usually requires some serious time on the living room couch.

Most of us devote a lot of effort to keeping our gift sharp, in order to provide the best possible information we can to our clients.  We take classes, buy and read books, travel to sacred sites, meditate.  It’s not just for fun:  its specifically to help us be of service.

Then there’s the fact that a reading requires  time.  Outside of the actual session, there’s preparation involved:  in my case, I spend about a half hour before you even get here to meditate, tune in, clear the space with sage and incense.

Psychics could be using that kind of time for plenty of other things:  car pools, laundry, making flan.  Plus, most of the psychic/mediums I know have full or part-time jobs, families and other things pulling at us.  So, at the very least, you’re paying us for our time.

On the subject of “giving it away,” most every psychic/medium (myself included) has frequently used their gift for someone who’s in need, and not taken dime one.  We want to help, and our hearts are softer than most when it comes to a person who needs to hear a message or get some direction.  The point is, we shouldn’t be “expected” to work pro bono.

Very few of us get rich from this work.  The John Edwards and Theresa Caputos are few and far between.  But our efforts to help and heal others in our own little way should be honored monetarily.  Every reader has their own rate card; like any professional,  I’m up front with mine (which you can see here).  I’m not a fan of those “one free question” types or the ones who only charge you $5.  ‘Cause you KNOW they’re gonna suck you in for a lot more.  This is not a party game; it’s serious endeavor and should be respected as such.

What do you think about psychics and money?  Share your comments with me.

Sorta get what you pay for with this type….

How to Do An Instant Tarot Reading

The Tarot has been around for centuries; judging from the amount of info about it, no shocker there.  For that reason, learning this ancient art can be off-putting to the newbie.  So much to take in:  meanings, reversals, context, spreads.  It’s enough to send you running for a pint of Ben and Jerry’s and a Law and Order: SVU marathon.

I’ve put plenty of time in to the Tarot, and I do believe it’s worth it to learn the traditional meanings of each card.   The study of Tarot packs its own enlightening punch. However,  learning the card meanings is not a rule: there are some  readers who just don’t bother. My friend Sandy never cracked a Tarot book or took a class, but the girl could throw a spread and be dead-on.   What she did was let the cards “talk” to her.  She paid attention to the images and impressions that flowed to her, and put them together in her own way.

My other friend, Janet, says she “falls into” the cards, not worrying so much about “book larnin'” and simply letting them tell their own story.

No matter how well-versed you are in Tarot language, the ability  to let the cards do the talking is what every reader must master.  Many times, I throw the  traditional meaning of a card out the window and just go with what I’m seeing.  And it’s this angle that works just as well for someone just starting out.

Below is a fun exercise that will help you start working with the cards, even if you just picked them up 20 minutes ago.  It does a couple things:  1) helps you get familiar with each card itself while 2) honing your instincts.  So its a two-fer.

Try this exercise every day for a week and see how much more ‘familiar’ your Tarot deck feels at the end of it.  And how much more tuned in you are to your own intuitive style.  Got questions?   Leave them in the Comments.

Psychic Health & Protection

Being a psychic is humbling, exciting, eye-opening, cool and inspiring.  It can also kick your ass.

They don’t call us “sensitives” for nothing: psychic or mediumistic work requires a shift in your personal energy that leaves you “open” to both the good vibes and the bad.  When I read, I can feel my client’s joy, angst and heartbreak.  It’s a fascinating experience, and it’s a huge lesson in empathy – but it can take its toll on the physical body.

Over the years, I’ve learned a few things for taking care of my psychic self and preventing burnout.

1)  White Light.  Before I read, I make a practice of visualizing an “egg” of protective white light around both my reading space and myself.  Because I’m about to open myself up, this keeps any janky energies or entities from getting in.

Better than a bulletproof vest and a bottle of Purell.

Here’s what I say before starting a session:  “I surround myself with the white light of love and protection.  I ask that only positive energies be present as I do this work, and help me to be a clear channel for the information which my client seeks.  I ask that they help me receive, discern and relay that information in the kindest and gentlest of ways, for the highest good and the good of all.  I accept nothing less.”

I don’t recall where I learned this prayer, and it’s evolved over the years, but it sets up a safe, healthy space to work in.

2)   Washing hands.  I do this both before and after a session, visualizing any stale energies leaving my body (in the TMI category, I also pee beforehand just in case – so I def need to hand wash!).  It’s also a sign of respect and honor for the tools I’m about to handle (cards, crystals, etc.).  Washing my hands after a session also brings me back to earth.

Not an OCD thing — just good psychic hygiene.

3)  Food.  I try to eat something light about 45 minutes before reading.  I need the energy.  After reading, I also have a snack.  Food helps ground me.  In that same vein, many psychics are vegetarian.  Good for them, but this girl needs her Big Mac.

As a matter of fact, I DO want fries with that….

4)  Where I read.  Early in my development, one of my teachers warned that psychics should never read in bars.  Besides the noise and the random assholes, you’re dealing with some crazy energy.  People go to bars for a reason, and their problems or pain is amplified.  I made the mistake of doing a few quickie reads when I was out with some friends one night; they went fine, but the next morning, yours truly was absolutely knackered.  And it wasn’t from the chardonnay.  I felt like I had holes punched in me, and it took days for me to feel normal again. So now when I go to a bar – white light or not – my shingle reads “Closed.”

Seriously. Jello shots and readings do NOT mix.

5)  A Process.  Intuitive energy or the energy surrounding a mediumistic session kind of has a life of its own.  Learning to control it is a little like learning how to ride a bucking bronco; there’s a rhythm and unpredictabiltity.  A routine for opening up and closing down puts a framework around that energy and makes it easier to handle.  The bronco may still buck, but at least its in the corral versus hauling ass across the painted desert.

Just call me the Psychic Cowgirl.

When I begin, I’ve put the white light around myself; when I complete a session, I envision a little curtain being pulled across my crown chakra, as a way to terminate the link.

“Thank you! And good night!”

Then I wash my hands and eat, and I feel like I’ve come back to earth.  Doing something grounding – gardening, petting my cat, taking a shower – also works.

Having a process for your psychic work is vital.  I’ve seen too many of my students go a little nuts with their blossoming abilities.  They walk around with their channel wide open, reading anyone and anything that comes across their path.  I think they like the attention. One woman was thrilled to tell me about the two people she’d read while standing in the Express Checkout Line; no mention of how her unwitting subjects felt about it.

Does an inadvertent reading count as item #16?

Not only is that just crazy intrusive, its not healthy for the reader.  When your energy isn’t controlled, its like an ungrounded power line.  Sooner or later, you will get burned but good.

So use these tips to stay healthy and focused both in and out of the intuitive realm.  And I’d love to hear what you do for yourself to stay sane and centered.  Hit me up in the comments.