Educated Sitters – What happens in a reading

Annie&JanSo you want to have a reading. You’ve asked around and people have pointed you to me. Or you’ve googled on the Internet and found me. Or you have decide to watch me work at a church or event. I’ll be happy to do your reading or message but before we start I really think that you need to understand how I work. It’s important to understand what happens when the Spirit world comes through. That’s if you are having a Spirit reading. You may, of course, opt to have me take a look at your energy – your aura – so that you can get some information about what is likely to come up for you in the near future. With both types of reading there are some things to consider.

First, I have worked to develop & refine my psychic senses so that I can feel, see and hear the Spirits who come in. I can also ‘read’ and translate the energy that makes up our auras. It sounds simple but it really isn’t all that easy and, as they say, practice makes perfect. I’ve practiced an awful lot over the last 10 years and am happy to say that in most readings I’m very accurate. That doesn’t stop me having an ‘off’ day, the energy being in a muddle or the Spirits being unable to pay a house call to talk. I won’t continue to try and give a message (reading) if the link to you and/or the Spirits seems wishy washy. But I’ll know that in the first 5 minutes anyway. It doesn’t mean I’m rubbish or that no-one is able to read you – it’s just not the right time.

Second, it’s not necessary to tell me anything about yourself. With a Spirit connection a good medium will ask for yes or no only. And I will only check if you understand when I have given you something of substance so I can check that the link is working properly. So no ‘I have a grandmotherly lady in an apron here & I can smell baking. Can you take this lady?’ from me in a Spirit reading unless I can add significant facts to that description. Facts like names, favourite sayings, medical conditions of the lady & a really good description of what she looks like. I always start my readings with evidence of who is here, how they connect to you & things only they will know about you. In a Psychic reading yes & no are also the only replies I need. As I scan your aura I will confirm my link to you by describing things that might be happening for you now, people who you connect to or thoughts & feelings you have been focused on.

I don’t ask questions so I don’t expect a medium or psychic to ask me questions either. A skilled reader will be able to say what they are sensing & check with you if that’s accurate. If you say no, that you don’t understand the info they are giving you they will go back and find out more. In messages I sometimes give one or two pieces of info that you won’t recognise immediately. I’ll know that you won’t recognise what I’m talking about. That’s because the Spirit people want to help you be sure it’s them. So they will says things you will have confirmed later, sometimes long after the sitting is finished, and not by me. Similarly, in an aura reading, whilst it will mostly focus on what’s on your agenda I will also be reading the auras of the people who are key to you achieving what you want in your life. Their true feelings might be unknown to you but I will need to let you know about them so you can make the best choices to get where you want to go in life.

So how accurate am I? I don’t actually measure myself in a scientific way. People do regularly say my readings have been spot on. I take constructive feedback as often as people will give it. And I reflect on my work all the time. That’s because I know I have to keep challenging myself to improve, to work better, to deliver the info to the best of my ability. However, 100% accuracy is a difficult ask. I don’t know of anyone, anywhere, who has always achieved a perfect score for what they do – and I include all jobs when I say this. So if I’m not totally accurate that is ok too. Expecting the Spirit people to tell me all the names in your family tree or everything that is happening in your life when the connection can be a bit variable isn’t actually fair.

Finally, come along with an open mind. It’s good to question how mediums & psychics work – I too have been on the end of some very variable messages – and to take a view on whether you have had a good experience or not. If you want to hear only certain things, get messages from certain people or want to ‘disprove’ that I can do these things your session isn’t going to go well. It’s silly to try to catch me out, trip me up or expect me to convince you that Spirits & auras exist. I won’t charge you but wasting your time & mine is pointless. Also remember that unless you too have tried to connect with auras or Spirits you may not be best placed to judge my performance. If you’re not satisfied tell me – there may be things I need to explain to you so that you do end up with a positive reading or message. After all you wouldn’t expect a surgeon to operate unless she had explained exactly what you could expect before, during & after.

 

Armchair Critics

armchairI freely confess to having been a skeptic, perhaps even a non-believer, in anything of the Spirit. I love science, logic and theories of how things work. Being curious led me to observe effects that I was experiencing. That eventually led me to uncover my own psychic and Spirit connections. To say that the journey reshaped my beliefs is probably an understatement.

It took me 12 years to acknowledge that things were happening to me and around me that had no logical explanation. When I finally stepped into a Spiritualists church in 2005 I was fascinated to discover that there were explanations for all of the experiences I was having. Not always clear explanations. Not always logical either. But explanations. I decided to jump into this world & experience it before dismissing it. I was sure it would end up being dismissed as not real. Certain, in fact! Yet here I am 10 years later – convinced by my own experiences that what happens is a real thing. And standing up in front of people sharing my connection with the world of Spirit.

Over the last 10 years I have read, researched & questioned what I do as much as I possibly can. Many people will tell you I’m no pushover. I don’t change my mind easily either. I’m also willing to reflect on what I do, am told & experience. I believe that the best way to work to raise awareness that the Spirit world may be there is to give evidence, pass on messages & be in as many places as possible sharing my world view. I don’t seek to ‘convert’ anyone but I do expect respect for my views just as I respect anyone else’s right not to agree with my views.

I have watched many, many mediums trying to do the same. Wanting to put forward an alternative world view because we believe it. And also because we feel it can transform a person’s life experiences in a positive way. Developing good connections, learning how to express what can often come through as just a physical feeling or building up the energy required to communicate in a very different way take time, effort & patience. So I find it extremely disrespectful to be judged by people who have no idea what they are talking about.

Let’s be blunt. I’ve been told I cold read. I’ve been told my experiences are a load of rubbish. I’ve been told I’m guessing. I’ve been told I’m a fake, a fraud, a money grabbing vulture. And much, much more, most of it in a lot stronger language. But I’m not the only one who has been told this. Most mediums & psychics have been told they are simply tricksters preying on the vulnerable and gullible. My answer to all of these statements is ‘Walk a mile in my shoes’. I understand it’s easier to fear, disrespect and dismiss what you don’t understand. However, that seems to me to be the cowardly way out of expanding your understanding of things you don’t currently want to face.

So when I get armchair critics I send them loving forgiveness – they are judging something they aren’t prepared to try to understand. Even if they are sitting within the spiritual community wanting to find answers their defensiveness will prevent them from trying to communicate for themselves. We can all connect & communicate with one another intuitively (through our natural ability to translate each others psychic energy) and it’s a short step to talking to your own guides & loved ones. I get great comfort from this invisible network of support so why would I want to keep this to myself. Armchair critics will never be able to take that away from me – no matter how rude or judgemental. So, armchair critics, next time you expect a medium to ‘entertain’ you like a fairground sideshow, to tell you only what you want to hear or to be 100% accurate try to think about the effort that person has put into developing the very communication method you want to use and refrain from judging until you know more about what’s involved.

Spirituality – The Emperor’s New Clothes

08-07-09_1320Having knocked about the world for quite a number of years now I’m fascinated by the resurgence of ‘spirituality’ (my first experience of people describing themselves as spiritual was in the early 1970’s). Faith religions seem to be struggling to hold onto or engage their followers. People in secular societies are seeking faith through an exploration of ‘spirituality’. But what is it that they are getting?

The Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale about the Emperor’s new clothes is a lesson in illusion. The top person, leader, chief so wanted to show his status, wealth & power that he wanted what no-one else could afford. A pair of clever salesmen said the Emperor could have the finest, richest new clothes – with one special feature – they would be invisible to those who were either stupid, incompetent or not worthy of their position. So only certain people would be able to see & appreciate these magnificent clothes. It took the truth of a small boy to point out the Emperor was actually naked. All his ego & money had purchased was the false flattery & sycophancy of those who wanted to gain status & power for themselves without appearing stupid.

So too with spirituality. Many people announce that they have the ‘true’ path, the only way for you to live a perfect, happy, successful life. Just spend X,Y,Z or attend A,B,C and you will be initiated into the mystery of the path to success. So with ego in hand, often saying inside ‘I’m not worthy’ we jump into a long journey with egos that are saying ‘I’m better than you – I have the secret to a happy life’. But it’s all an illusion – everyone is naked! A spiritual life is not about asking the God/Goddess/Universe or anyone else to provide ‘it’ so we can feel happy, successful & well off. Nor is it searching here, there & everywhere for the truth that is right in front of your nose. It’s about DOING so we can learn to BE ourselves & BE of service. Letting actions speak louder than the words we say. Living our values not just talking about them. Lip service is no service at all.

So think about what you have done today. Did you treat each person with loving respect for their reality? Did you treat your own self with loving respect for your own reality? Did you love yourself enough to acknowledge the compassionate things that you have done – rather than focus on how much others have hurt, angered or frustrated you. One random act of kindness has a spiritual value way above all the words you say. In my view, spirituality is lived not thought or pursued. IMG_0605