Voice of the Spirit

 Our dreams say so much - yet sometimes we think that they say so little. “Oh, I just had a nightmare, which doesn’t mean anything.  I’ve got to get to work,” a man in a hurry to get to the office says.  Yet our dreams are a pathway to messages, understanding and even transcendent spiritual wisdom.  Many great visionaries and geniuses receive their visions in a dream.  Einstein, for instance, freely admitted that The Theory Of Relativity was not “his,” but that it came to him in a dream.

Yet, how many of us work with our dreams, yet alone even remember them.  Whether personal messages, problems we’re trying to solve at a deeper level, or literally seeing something as it may exactly unfold in the physical world, dreams are a mirror of the soul and a source of higher communication.  Below, I would like to begin to offer some tools of awareness for the very profound, yet often neglected process of dreaming and what it really means to us.

The Process Of Our Minds And Dreaming

Below, I would like to explain the different levels of our functioning minds and how that relates to sleep and dreaming.  It is now established through research that when we begin our sleep cycle, that we actually drift from our awake state of consciousness, Beta, rather quickly to Alpha, which is more of a light sleep, then through the deep sleep of Theta and on to Delta, our deepest level of sleep. 

About 90 minutes later, we drift upward above Theta into the Alpha levels.  Our bodies then lay rather still, as if we’re viewing something in front of us, while our eyes being to move rapidly beneath our eyelids.  This, of course, is called Rapid Eye Movement or REM.  At this stage is where our dreams take place.  After one to four minutes, the mind drifts back again into the Delta level only to repeat this process, with variations at ninety minute intervals all through the night.  This gives us each about 4-6 dreams per night, which is far more than most of us probably think that we dream!

Beta - This is our waking state, the state that is our conscious level as in going about our daily lives.  The Beta level represents our cognitive mind functions, say as in driving a car or getting dressed.  For lack of a better term, Beta can be referred to as our rational mental process.

Alpha - There are varying levels of the Alpha state, with the first being where the body is relaxed but the mind is still quite alert.  Then there is the level of being sort of in a twilight mode, where ESP and psychic flashes occur quite strongly and accurately.  Then, slightly deeper is the light sleep associated with meditation, trance and hypnotic levels. It is at this hypnotic level that REM, rapid eye movement occurs as we’re dreaming.  Often, we experience the twilight state mentioned above when we first wake up; we’re sort of here, (the physical world) yet we’re still sort of there, as in our dream world. 

Theta - This is the next level down, a stage of deep sleep where there is a type of dreaming referred to by scientists as non-REM or NREM.

Delta - Here is the deepest stage of all sleep and this is where physical body repairs are done. This level is highly therapeutic where extensive physical repairs and restoration actually occurs.  This could even clarify and shed light on the aging process in the elderly, since are bodies are said to renew themselves every night.  With this concept in mind, there may be no reason for any of us to age.  Since the elderly tend to be light sleepers, the lack of Delta sleep may actually explain the appearance of aging, which is perhaps, an illusion.  With the concept that we were are all created in God’s supreme and perfect image, ageless, timeless and permanently perfect, aging may merely be an illusion. 

Types Of Dreams

There are so many types of dreams, with multiple purposes and sometimes, what we may think is a dream is actually not.  Below, I will chronicle the various dreams we all experience and what they mean to us as individuals, and also shed light on what we typically think is a dream, but is reality, is something entirely different.

Pre Cognitive

A pre cognitive dream is showing you something, en event, an occurrence or experience that may indeed happen in the physical world, similar or exactly to as it is seen in the dream.  It could be called a psychic dream, in a sense.  With a pre cognitive dream, it can serve many purposes; showing you something so you are aware it may or will happen, so you can change it, or at the very least, be prepared to deal with it.  Precognitive dreams are spiritual in nature, as you’re seeing something first which occurs in the spiritual realms, before it drops down to the lower level of the physical plane, where we experience it as “reality.”  Some people are scared of these types of dreams, however, one never should be.  Two things again are in play; you’re having and remembering the dream because you’re supposed to.  You may be able to legitimately change it, so if it is bad, it can be prevented, but at the very least, you’re psychologically and emotionally prepared, even if it cannot be changed.

Here is an example of a pre cognitive dream that can be changed: John has a vivid dream where he sees his friend Susan in a serious car accident, that day, at around noon on a certain street.  John informs Susan that he had this dream and advises her not to drive on that street around that time and preferably, not drive at all on that particular day.  Susan heeds John’s warning and therefore, avoids the accident that was given to John through the dream as a warning, not as an immutable event written in stone.

Reoccurring Dreams

I think most of us have had a reoccurring dream for years, perhaps, decades.  I, myself, to this day, keep having a reoccurring dream of being in my senior year in high school, but by the end of the year, I can’t seem to graduate.  When we have this type of dream, it means that there is an issue within our consciousness that must be worked through and resolved.  It will keep coming to us until we’ve moved past the issue, which presents itself repeatedly in our dreams.  Don’t consider this to be an obstacle or stumbling block, but rather, an opportunity for growth where our dreams are showing us what work still needs to be done.  By healing the underlying issue, we are able to move forward with our respective journeys.

Symbolic Dream

Here, we see symbols, pictures and scenes that on the surface don’t make literal sense to us and may even seem surreal.  Symbolic dreams speak to us in code, sort of like Morse code.  One needs to determine what the symbols mean and sort out the messages and images of the dream.  It’s sort of like solving a riddle, or putting together a puzzle. These dreams are trying to communicate information and messages to us but we have to figure out what is being given to us.

For example: A spider that is green that changes to being red is climbing on the wall, then it starts to fly and changes into a smiling baby.  Now let me offer an interpretation for this dream:  The spider may represent something that is sneaky, insidious, poisonous and toxic (represented by the nature of spiders who can possess a venomous bite) which calls attention to a circumstance or situation that may be of this nature in the person’s life who had this dream.  The fact that the spider is green, then changes to red, can indicate the sense of “go” then “stop” as in traffic lights - green, of course meaning go, as in go ahead with something or that something is moving forward in one’s life, while red would indicate stopping, or something coming to a halt.  So, the situation, (negative) represented by the spider is moving forward in the life of the person who had this dream, but then it stops.  The fact that the spider is climbing the wall can indicate that the negative conditions represented by the spider that have stopped are now climbing higher or gaining momentum. Then, the spider begins to fly, which means that this situation it “taking off,” “lifting off,” and beginning to have wings.  When the spider changes into a smiling baby, it indicated that whatever negative situation that was occurring changes into something new (represented by a baby) and pleasant, as the baby was smiling.  As the conclusion of whatever the dream represents ends with a sense of a positive new beginning from something that ultimately seemed toxic, perhaps deadly.  It was going, then stopping, than lifting off and taking off and ultimately changes itself into something of a new and positive beginning.

Lucid Dreaming

Lucid dreaming means dreaming while actually knowing that you are indeed dreaming.  The term was coined by Frederik van Eeden who used the word “lucid” in the sense of mental clarity, meaning you mentally know that you are dreaming while doing so. Lucidity usually begins in the midst of a dream when the person realizes that they are not in physical reality, but are in a dream. Often this realization is triggered by the dreamer noticing some unlikely occurrence in the dream, such as flying.  Sometimes people become lucid without noticing any particular clue in the dream; they just suddenly realize they are in a dream.

The basic definition of lucid dreaming requires nothing more than becoming aware that you are dreaming. However, the quality of lucidity can vary greatly. When lucidity is at a high level, you are aware that everything experienced in the dream is occurring in a dream.  With low-level lucidity you may be aware to a certain extent that you are dreaming, but not enough to completely realize that you’re asleep at that time.

Nightmares

Nightmares are often like a person who shouts above everyone in the room so they will be heard.  Nightmares often come through in a way that is similar to a horror movie, so we are shocked in a sense into remembering this type of dream and looking at it.  We often will take note and analyze it because it startled and scared us.  Frequently, the message of the nightmare is not morose and morbid, such as being thrown off of a tall building, but something we simply need to take heed of and listen to.  Nightmares are not usually predictive or pre cognitive, but represent what you really need to take a look at - something that is truly bothering you.  What the nightmare is about, say, being murdered or burned in a fire, for example, is not really at all what the you’re suppose to look at as a conclusion to the meaning of the dream.  It is sort of like a shocking headline to a news story - it is designed to grab your attention, so you can actually look at the underlying content to really understand the story - i.e. the dream.

Garbage Dreams

Like somebody belching, garbage dreams are often the rumblings of our subconscious mind that need to vent, release or simply be acknowledged.  Often, these types of dreams don’t have a lot of clarity or clear message to interpret and may be there as a form of our own internal overload being released. Frequently convoluted and messy, these type of dreams are sort of like taking many conflicting ingredients and tossing them all into a blender and mixing them all up.

What We Think Are Dreams But Aren’t

Because we’re asleep, we may think that everything that occurs for us is a dream.  In actuality, many things happen when we’re asleep, besides dreaming even though we perceive these experiences as dreams, and here, I would like to explore some of those fascinating realities.

Astral Projection

Astral projection simply stated, is when our spiritual selves leave our physical body and travel through the spiritual realms to see, learn, experience, gain knowledge and to preview what may come into our earthly existences.  Every night when we sleep, especially if we have a full night’s sleep, we leave out bodies this way and astral travel, accompanied by our spiritual teachers and guides.   With astral projection, we embark on a fascinating journey of learning, exploring and viewing; places, events and possibilities to occur in our earthly realm.  Our teachers and spiritual guides lead us where we need to go to learn, protect us from making a wrong turn, (as in going somewhere we should not go to) as well as keep us safe.  When astral traveling, we are connected to our physical bodies by a silver cord that keeps us connected to our physical bodies at the base of our spines.

An example of astral projection that we may have thought of as a dream, is the sensation of flying above a city, seeing it, observing it while in our sleep cycle.  Another instance would be where you see yourself moving about a place that seems foreign to you, but at the same time, appears totally real.  If you’ve ever been jolted out of sleep, say by a loud noise, you might feel unsettled in your body, as if somehow, you’ve been twisted in knots.  That could very well be that you were jerked back into you physical body abruptly from astral projecting, therefore, you feel not put together right somehow, or contorted in a way, almost like wearing a size 6 shoe when you have a size 7 foot.

Dreaming Of Passed On Loved Ones

Often, people who are not open to receive communication and messages from loved ones on the other side dream of these loved ones.  If one’s defense mechanisms are set up in such a way to not believe their loved ones who are passed on can or would contact them, they need to be in a dream state to receive such messages.  While dreaming, their defenses and internal barriers are relaxed enough, so an open channel occurs for their transitioned loved ones to indeed come through.  In most instances, these are real communications from the other side.  Even if the messages are not totally clear, loved ones who have passed are often trying to come through.  It’s important to listen to what these dreams are saying, as often, their value can be of tremendous healing and help to those of us who are still here.

Going To School

We all go to school in our sleep cycles, where we are the student of an instructor, a master teacher.  Also, we may have more than one instructor, depending on what we’re in the process of learning at any given time.  Sometimes we are taught individually while other times we sit in a classroom with those who are also going through the same lessons and learning as we are.  From tackling our earthly problems, to spiritually based instruction, anything we may need to learn is taught to us in the higher planes while we are asleep.  This gives a whole different meaning to the term, night school. (LOL)  Here, though, we see that it is not a dream we’re experiencing, but rather, being in a spiritual school.  We may not always know consciously what we’re learning here, but what we learn in school is absorbed by us on a deep internal spiritual level, which through time, filters up through us to ultimately, our conscious minds and becomes assimilated.

Problem Solving

While asleep, our minds stay busy at work, finding solutions and searching for answers to whatever our challenges may be at the current time.  Whether working to repairs to our bodies, finding the right way to deal with a work related conflict or coming up with a perspective on a family matter, our higher minds are in a state of regular problem solving while our bodies lay in rest.  Since the mind never stops working, this is just another realm and reality of the tremendous power of our minds - so much more that most of us ever think.

Programming to have a dream to answer a question

Often, we just can’t find the answers we’re looking for in our awake state.  We need to look to our higher minds, where transcendent knowledge is ever present.  In this mode, we program ourselves to have a dream that answers our question.  Just like giving an assignment or a task to someone working on our behalf, they undertake this request and begin working on it.  The reason I say, begin working on it, is because often, it takes time to have a question answered through a dream.  In the same way a person working on a task may take days, weeks, potentially even longer to come up with a solution, the same thing occurs when we program our minds to resolve a question through a dream.  Be patient once you have done this!  Also, you can repeat the command to reinforce to your mind what you want it to do via your dreams to solve whatever issue is at hand!  Sometimes, the answers come in a very startling, surprising way - out of the blue.  Be prepared, though, as your question will be answered. 

Divine Inspiration

Many a great artist or inventor receives their creations from the other side while asleep.  What may be thought of as a dream is an actual channeling of divine work (paintings, inventions, songs) from the Godhead directly.  When these creations are given to any of is, they are a supreme gift from higher awareness and genius, for us to bring through into the physical realm, to be shared with the collective of this world.  Often, these individuals will awake with a work of art completed or nearly completed, as if is just is.  That is because it does already exist in the spiritual realms, and we, as individuals channel such work through our minds, abilities and talent into manifestations here.

Understanding and Interpreting Your Dreams

There are two aspects of dream interpretation; the personal and the universal.  There are some symbols that may be considered universal - that represent our collective, joined consciousness, such as water representing emotions in a dream. If you have a dream where it’s raining on you, this can indicate the present of intense emotions you’re going through regarding something in your life.  If you see a lake, and you’re in it, this can represent that you’re feeling consumed by a lot of emotion. 

However, the personal aspect of dream interpretation is far more important and relevant.  What does a dream mean to you?  It doesn’t matter if the symbol of a lion, let’s say, which would represent strength and courage to most, means something completely different to you.  What if you had been attacked by a lion at some point in your life? Then, a lion appearing in your dream would mean something entirely different to you then for someone who had never had that experience.  What you feel personally about understanding your dream trumps and overrides what is considered to be universal.  For example, seeing Jesus and assuming it means a spiritual and loving presence may not apply to an atheist.  Therefore, it would indicate something different to that person.  Always, ask yourself, what does this dream and its parts mean to me?  Connect the dots, piece by piece, if you have to.  You will figure it all out!

Here are some tools for interpreting and understanding your dreams:

If you don’t remember your dreams, say this affirmation, which will help you to recall your dreams:  “I now remember my dreams as I am supposed to, giving me the information I need to make my life and the lives of those around me better!”

Remember, not recalling your dreams means that some part of you is blocking what your dreams are - in a sense, being shut down and closed off.  Learning to open this channel within is like plugging the phone in to receive phone calls that have been trying to get through to you.  There are many relevant messages waiting!

As you remember your dreams, write them down.  Keep a dream notebook or journal and make sure to write down what you dream.  Preferably, keep this pad and pencil or pen next to your bed, so you can take note of your dreams when you first awake.  Often, the details of a dream fade from consciousness rather quickly, so grab it while it’s hot, so to speak.

Dreams speak to us on many levels.  For example, you can look at any dream as you being all people in that dream.  Different people can represent different parts of your consciousness as well as different feelings and aspects of what you’re going through.  For example, if you dream of your Mom, your Dad, your brother and a co worker, here is a way to view this:  Your Mom can represent the nurturing maternal part of you, your Dad can represent the masculine and assertive aspect of your energies, your brother can represent your internal sense of support and being your own ally, while a co-worker can indicate the feeling of working with yourself as in internal teamwork.  Even if the dream consists of multiple people doing many things, you can be seen as all people in your dream doing all things, and interpret from that vantage point.  Think of it that the different people and actions in a dream represent different parts of you and your varying reactions and actions that you may feel and / or do.

If you’re not sure what a dream is saying to you after you write it down, run it by a friend.  Someone who understands you will be able to help piece together what the dream is saying, as they know your uniqueness and can see the dream more objectively.

Program your mind to tell you what a dream means to you.  The answers will come, often, when least expected and in a flash.  Here is a good affirmation:  “My higher mind clearly shows me what my dreams mean to me in ways that are completely understandable and clear.”

Also, if you’re having a problem that you just can’t seem to solve in your awake state, program your dreams to do the work and give you the answer!  Here is a good affirmation: “My dreams now solve the problem at hand, giving me clear answers immediately!”

Don’t worry - the answers will come. Also, reading different books on dream interpretation can be helpful.  One of the best is Wilda Tanner’s The Mystical, Magical, Marvelous World of Dreams.

All in all, dreams are a divine tool for transformation, growth, enlightenment and higher understanding - one which most of us, unfortunately neglect or only deal with ever so randomly.  Make exploring and understanding your dreams as important as what you put your mind to when you’re awake.  After all, approximately one third of our lives are spent sleeping and there is a great treasure of knowledge and insight in our sleep and the mysterious pathway to transcendent understanding known as our dreams.  Dream speak to us - a voice from within and far beyond, giving us awareness, insight, knowledge and a preview of all that is to come.  It is said that nothing happens in our lives - nothing at all, without us first previewing it, seeing it in our sleep and dream cycles and accepting it.  Learn to listen and take heed of your dreams and all that they mean, as you will then know so much more that is and what is to potentially come.

What is it really to know something - to know anything?  Does it mean that we grasp in our minds what it is…is that enough?  Perhaps that we can tell others that we indeed know it - and verbally explain it in great detail? 

To mentally “get it” is only the very tip of the iceberg of the surprisingly deep and complex process of knowing.  There are so many layers to get through to really know: from our conscious mind, through our emotions and feelings, defense mechanism, ultimately all the way down to our subconscious mind.

When receiving a reading, what does one think they know?   Do certain clients believe that they already have the answers?  If they don’t “get” what the reader is saying — do they listen…become closed off…interrupt - even argue…?  When a message seems absolutely implausible, is it time to dismiss that information as being false..?  Even telling the reader that they’re dead wrong…?

The Conscious Mind - Beginning to drill for oil

Like the surface of the ground we begin drilling for oil on, knowing something in our conscious mind is only the very beginning of that knowledge and we barely scratch that surface by only mentally processing.  For example, how many people can look a friend straight in the eye and tell them that what they’re doing is wrong?  Whether refusing to work, stealing, lying, cheating on their partners, the person can admit that their deeds are absolute acts of wrongdoing.  So why don’t they stop, then?  Presumably, one can say that they “know it.”  After all, they are admitting the “bad” things they are doing.  In short, it’s because they don’t know it emotionally; on a deeper level and down to the core of their being.  The same situation holds true when receiving a reading.  If the client already thinks that they know, they are not going to be open to what comes through in a consultation, which severely ties the hands of the reader behind their back.

When having a reading, many clients will stop a psychic dead in their tracks and say, “I already know what you’re telling me.  We don’t need to focus on what you’re saying at all.”  However, the reader didn’t know what the client already knew - they are picking up this information for the very first time.  By stopping the reader cold, they are preventing themselves as a client from a deeper sense of knowing!  Why?  Because the reader is establishing a connection with the client, which strengthens the spiritual synergy between both parties to allow helpful and wonderful guidance to be revealed!  Plus, the psychic is establishing that they are legitimately tuned in and picking up the client’s situation accurately which should always be appreciated during a session.  Also, the person may miss deeper insights and an alternate viewpoint the psychic may pick up.

In addition, clients will tell a psychic to stop reinforcing something, as they have already heard it said to them before in prior readings.  “I already know what to do,” they may state.  “Why is this being brought up again?  Can we change the subject?”  But reinforcement is absolutely necessary, especially when a client is working on a difficult lesson; a life lesson.  When life lessons are involved for any of us, we never “know” quickly.  Rather, we need to process, work and continue this “drilling” process, till we finally begin to break through the surface (beginning to learn our lesson).  This process can take a long time, from several years to decades.  By the client refusing to hear the “same” information again, they are thwarting and stunting their own growth.  Think of how therapists work with their patients for extended periods of time on a single issue.  If it is karmic, one must be diligent in their pursuit of healing (actually knowing).  Especially if the psychic sees the person is still doing the exact same things that they have done in the past.

In this instance, it is so important to realize that helpful information and guidance needs to be repeated and reinforced for one’s own growth and higher good. This is never a waste of time, but rather a positive utilization of the time spent in consultations!  With each session, new pieces of the puzzle are put into place.  Then, we can begin to drill beyond the top of the ground and hopefully start to break through to the nest level — all that we feel.

The Emotions - Drilling deeper

Feelings are tricky, just like beginning to go below the surface of the ground we walk on when drilling for oil.  As you delve deeper, you may not always be able to see where you’re going.  You’re starting to make that inward journey to your feelings, with all of their intensity, duplicity, confusion and raw power.  When receiving a reading, a client’s emotions may want themselves to be shut down and close off.  Why?  Because if we stay shut down and close ourselves off, we won’t have to look at or change our current emotional frame of mind even though change is exactly what we need.  We can still feel the same, which is what we’re familiar with and used to, allowing us to stay quite comfortable and on familiar ground!   We must always listen and be open when receiving a reading.  This way, all that we need to heal our lives has an open channel to come through!

Often, clients hamper a reading by interrupting what is coming through from heavenly spirit.  As a psychic is beginning to explain what they’re receiving from spirit regarding a relationship situation, the client interrupts, “What about this work situation I have going on that I wanted to know about.  Tell me what’s going on there!”  This completely breaks the flow of the reading, as this type of interruption causes a reader to feel like they’re being jolted out of their seat while sitting calmly still.  In addition, it proves to be a great disservice for the client, as they then won’t receive the messages that were beginning to be offered to them in their session.  

A client’s emotions cannot be in the driver’s seat, or a reading becomes analogous to letting a wailing toddler get behind the wheel of the car and throw you, the adult in the passenger seat. “Jim, I have never felt so strongly about anything like this.  I know what I feel is true.  My feelings don’t lie,” a client proclaims!  Here, we see the emotions of the client trying to seize control of the reading and make the consultation exactly and only what their feelings allow it to be.  Here, the client insists that their emotions are to be validated as gospel truth.  However, when any of us are receiving a reading, what we feel about our situation may not be real!  Especially because our deepest and most complex feelings tie into the issues we confront when receiving a reading.  Our emotions are at often at odds with the actual spiritual truth our souls yearn to hear - the truth we need to listen to. That spiritual truth is always present in higher mind - the God mind that a reading channels information directly from!

As obvious as a question as this may sound, it needs to be asked: “If one already feels that they know the answers, then why call a reader?”  Some want to have their own emotions fed right back to them verbatim to validate what they currently feel to be true.  Others use readings to reinforce their already existing emotional point of view.  However, the real reason one should call for a reading is to receive divine guidance and insight from a higher source, designed to help us grow!  That growth will challenge many of the feelings we currently possess.  The key, though, is always to listen.

Listening is an art.  What does it mean and what does it take to truly listen?  It means to have an open mind and heart to allow the advisor to correctly do their job!  This means to listen to the information without prejudice; a preconceived belief system based on already existing emotions and attitudes.  It takes humility and an unassuming mindset to truly listen.  When receiving a reading, it is always better to not think we know, versus being obstinate and over confident.  By trying to have a childlike innocence and receptivity, we can really receive such a plethora of helpful guidance and insights in a consultation.

Defense mechanisms - Drilling through dense and difficult ground

Our defense mechanisms are our trusted bodyguards; our knights in white shining armor, there to protect us, defend us, keep us alive and never let anyone or anything ever harm or hurt us again!  If we’ve been hurt before in love, then our defenses won’t let anyone in, or if we partially let someone in, we’ll avoid intimacy and commitment.  Why?  Because the old energy of fearing that we could get hurt again is summoned to protect us.  It’s as obvious as putting your hand on the stove and it gets burned.  Why would you put it there again?  If we’ve been lied to, then our fears tell us to never trust what anyone says to us anymore, because we might be lied to again, right?  Before, we had a dream in our career, but we failed.  So now, our fears keep us from taking chances and avoid going for it again!  Armed with an arsenal of defenses, avoidances, fears, strategies to protect us, we are kept safe… by running away, throwing good people out of lives, to attacking anyone or anything that threatens this self protecting armor.

When we’re receiving a reading, our fears and defenses do absolutely factor into the session.  First, on a cosmic level, our fears and internal blocks must be gotten through, to heal ourselves and free our lives from the chains of these old derelicts.  The reader is being guided to help “drill” through tough and dense ground (as in working through stubborn and resistant old fears within the client).  In addition, the defense mechanisms of the person receiving the reading may motivate them to attack the reader, as in shooting the messenger.  These clients will try and find a way of making the psychic wrong, as a way of empowering and validating their defenses and fears.  In this way, proclaiming a reader as inaccurate allows one’s survival mechanisms to go unchallenged and remain in control!  It’s like someone telling a friend who is drinking too much at a club to not drive home intoxicated with the response being, “Leave me the hell alone! I’m just fine!”

In this instance, a client argues with the reader, which completely ruins the session on all levels.  Since the psychic process is quite delicate, it is like someone (the client) stomping and trampling through a lovely flower garden.  It is easily destroyed and the spiritual connection is broken.  Here, nothing is accomplished as the reader and the client both lose out.  The psychic loses out because they are not being allowed to do their job.  However, the client suffers even more, as their time and money is wasted and they are not in any better of a position in their lives from this type of action.

I remember picking up on a relationship situation for a woman filled with defensiveness and fear.  I saw her man’s first name initial, height, build and brown hair color; that the two of them had been back and for about a year as well as picking up his line of work, which was in banking.  The client confirmed that the information I was receiving was accurate — but then the problem happened.  I also felt that the relationship would end in about 6 months, partially due to another woman who was currently in his life.  Her defenses immediately became engaged and she said: “There is absolutely no way that what you’re saying could be right!  There is no other woman!  I know what he’s doing all of the time!  I know that he loves me!”  She then dismissed the reading, proclaimed how inaccurate and negative I was, turning all of her anger on me.  Here, she snapped into survival mode; the same survival you would feel if you were being choked to death.  In that instance, you would fight back with everything you have!

However, a reading is hardly a life-threatening situation!  There is really nothing to be guarded about.  As a session should simply be an open forum for predictions, guidance and insights to be shared, we need to work with this process.  If we aren’t open, we keep adding more bricks to the already existing brick wall of our defensive fears within us - those energies that prevents us from striking oil - from breaking through to our subconscious mind, which carries out faithfully whatever is inputted into it without questioning.  Once we’ve reprogrammed our subconscious mind, victory can be ours!

The Subconscious Mind - Striking Oil

So many clients express frustration in a reading because what they want has yet to come true: “I’ve been working on things for so long and nothing has changed!  I do my affirmations! I know what I want!  I am open to my dreams!  What’s wrong?  Just tell me when it’s going to finally happen?”  As I deeply empathize with their frustration, it’s important to note that the client is dealing with a long term, or life lesson - one that ties into their overall spiritual growth.  When receiving a reading in this instance, a psychic cannot answer a life lesson question with simple when and where answers.  It simply doesn’t work. 

Here, you might say that the above-mentioned person has been trying, so why haven’t things worked out for them yet?  It is because they haven’t yet “got it” emotionally yet; they haven’t broken through to the core - their subconscious mind.  It will take consistent and patient effort to work through the actual emotional energies, then through the difficult protective defense mechanisms, to finally reach and reprogram the subconscious mind!  Remember, whatever the subconscious mind holds, it carries out, without the ability to differentiate between right and wrong.  Once reprogrammed, it will carry our your commands - new and positive ones!

How do we know, then if what we’re asking about in a session is legitimately a life lesson?  If it is an issue that you’ve dealt with problematically for an extended period of time, something that compels you over and over again, or makes you want to run for the hills, it is probably a life lesson.  Sometimes, instead of working on the lesson, it’s easy for people to ask multiple psychics the same question in consultations:  “When is my money situation going to finally get better?  I’ve been struggling for so many years.”  Often, the same prediction of it getting better within a reasonable amount of time is offered, but then these predictions don’t pan out.  As alluded to above in this writing, we must work through our emotions, defense mechanisms and fears to finally manifest our dreams.  In short, we have yet to “get it” emotionally. One way of saying it is that “You’ll need to learn the lesson to strike oil,” which is the dream in question.

When having a reading, let whatever comes through from infinite spirit help guide you to reach your destination.  You already know it mentally; you’ve felt and acknowledged your feelings and now have been “drilling” through the old defenses to get there.  I remember a client asking me in a session, “How will I know if I really get it?”  What can I expect to happen?”  Once you really start to “get it,” there will be change in tangible terms.  To some noticeable degree, the change for the better will begin to manifest in physical terms - what we call reality!  For example, if money is the issue, once a real sense of prosperity has broken through to our core, the money situation will improve, at lease to some noticeable degree right then and there!

Often the final conclusion is about a deeper knowing - in your gut! The same way you’ve felt when you’ve made an absolute and positive decision - no one or nothing could stop you!  Whether it was to get your college degree or lose weight, you went for what was right!  And it worked!  Remember the times in your life when you couldn’t be stopped - in a positive and beneficial way to you and others!  Feel that passion, that desire and the sincere commitment to your dream… and then, let it all go! 

Don’t hold it back by holding on to it too tight!  Release it like you release a series of beautiful rainbow colored balloons into the sun filled spring sly!  Watch your dreams rise to the heavens, breathe a sigh of relief and know as much as you have ever known anything that it is going to all work out!  You no longer need to worry!  It is now completed fact in divine mind and real to us on earth.

“If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort, you will not get either comfort or truth, only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.”

C.S. Lewis

I was so impressed and taken with this masterful above-mentioned quote by C.S. Lewis, that it inspired me to write this blog entry.  There are so many myths, misconceptions and false expectations that clients often have when receiving a reading, making a session far less valuable, helpful and relevant.  In this writing, I will attempt to address what I believe to be the top 5 biggest and most common myths regarding what a reading can, should, and will provide.

1 - A Reading Should Provide Comfort and Hope

I want to preface this section with saying that all of us are in a sense looking for comfort and hope in our lives when receiving a reading, but at what cost?  At the expense of hearing and receiving false, misleading and inaccurate information?  Then from there, acting upon such erroneous advice?  When it’s all said and done, the truth must come first, and perhaps, comfort and hope may be a by product.

When one goes to a doctor, wouldn’t it be frightening to think of the potential repercussions, if the basis of that medical exam was designed to fulfill two ends: the patient receiving comfort and hope, while at the same time, the doctor being expected to offer this in return and does so; at the price tag of not doing their job correctly?  Could you imagine the potentially deadly disaster if say, a doctor didn’t do what they’re supposed to do, and instead of finding out that their patient had cancer, simply told them they had a flu bug, needed a little TLC and some warm milk before bedtime?  In this scenario, comfort and hope are initially provided, but at what life altering expense to the patient?

The same types of situations frequently occur between a client and a psychic.  As a reader, I can recall countless instances where comfort and hope is what a client expects, and insists on me providing it in return.

Here is one example: “You mean to tell me that he won’t marry me.  And you’re actually claiming that he’s having sex with other women, and that my health is at risk,” a client questions in bewildered shock?  “I called you to feel uplifted, comforted, hopeful and find out when he’s going to marry me. Now you’re telling me this,” she says in complete frustration.

In this instance, we see that from the client’s point of view, she received no comfort and hope, which in reality is what she wanted.  She didn’t wish to receive accurate counsel, or truthful information based on psychic insight.  Nor did she have an open mind regarding this reading.  So here, a session becomes twisted, maligned and contorted and serves no real higher purpose, except to exasperate the client and have the information I’ve offered from spirit fall on deaf ears.

On the other hand, from my perspective, I feel she did receive truthful clairvoyant information that could be a potential lifesaver; especially if other sexual partners are involved with her lover.  To me, the thought of risking one’s health, wasting years of time waiting on a dream that’s never going to come true along with all of the other negative changes that occur internally from such an experience, is not something that should be indulged or taken lightly.  There is a real and serious set of concerns here, and the only cure for it is the truth.

If a client didn’t go into a reading wanting comfort and hope, but rather, had an open mind, they could take what comes through from the heavens and utilize this information potentially in a helpful way.  I’d like to modify an old adage to say: “Comfort and hope may never set you free, but the truth always will!”

2 - A reading should be 100% accurate

In the psychic realm, we hear bold claims of accuracy by advisors varying from:  “99.9% accurate - call me now,” to even the shockingly lofty claim of “I am 100% accurate - let me prove it to you!”  Whether a reader boasts of their skills or tries to down play their abilities, it should be clear to anyone that no psychic is 100% accurate.  Simply stated, it is not humanly possible!

This is not just a fact of the psychic world, but of all human skill sets.  Let’s pose this question: is there anything in this world that is absolute truth and infallible - not from our belief systems such as religious faith, but provably 100% right in objective terms?  Science isn’t even 100% percent correct…Data collected from research methods is not perfect…The greatest doctors make diagnostic mistakes…  So if science, research, medicine and factual analysis aren’t always correct, how could anyone expect a psychic to be?  To take it one step further, why would anyone think that a reader is on par with God almighty?

Part of the reason for these expectations is that often; clients are dealing with deeply troubling issues that are all consuming and obsessive.  With this mindset, there is a sense of so desperately wanting what they want, a solution, a quick fix that one becomes vulnerable to the potential “magic wand” a psychic can wave.  But it should never be exaggerated, or overstated.  “100% accurate” may sound quite tempting, but simply stated - it is not true. 

When a client goes into a reading thinking, expecting, even demanding 100% accuracy, they will sooner or later become quite disappointed.  Sure, for a while, the predictions may be on point, but after several consultations, the reading doesn’t live up to that perpetual demand.  The client becomes frustrated, and “throws the baby with the bath water out,” not seeing the reading for it’s true and intrinsic value.

Also, think of it this way; how could anyone even begin to truly know their accuracy rate?  Just stop and think of what it would take for a moment:

1- A psychic would have to keep track of every single prediction in all readings they had given.

2- Then, factual information would need to be acquired from each and every client as to how each prediction manifested, partially happened, or didn’t occur at all.

3 - A more tricky part of this process is the fact of just how differently people hear things, and semantically take things.  It’s like Chinese telephone: When you have several people all in the same room, whispering the same secret to each other, it is always different by the end.  When a reader says something to a client, they may or may not write it down, absorb it in their memory in any number of varying ways, possibly tell some people, and through time, the original message may be seriously altered or distorted.  As a reader, I have had this experience happen to me on numerous occasions.

By not thinking or believing a reader is ever 100% accurate, the expectations of the client become more reasonable.  With that sense of reality, one may truly be able to receive the information, predictions, insights and guidance that can help them to achieve a better life.

In reality, which is more important?  Short term predictions, which are far less relevant than long term, important outcome based predictions?  If a reader says he’ll call you by 9:00 tomorrow night, and it happens, it may be immediately presumed that everything else stated will be accurate.  But again, since no one is 100% accurate, it’s important to take note, one prediction or insight at a time. A reader can be correct about short term predictions, but wrong regarding long term outcome.  Also, conversely, a psychic can correctly see the long term outcome, while missing short term predictions, such as the date or time of a phone call, but missing the short term prediction may not change the validity of the correct long term insight offered.

3 - A reading should provide absolute “yes” or “no” answers

I remember a first time caller once asking me: “Do you believe in absolute reality?”  When I said no, she chose to end the reading.  What she was really looking for from me was absolute “yes” or “no” answers.  No shades of grey - no hues that are not discernibly black or white.  Certainly no advice or counsel - forget insights - just “yes” or “no” - period.

Here, we see another instance where somehow, people try and make readings transcend, rise above, or exist outside of the rules of the universe we exist within.  Of course our lives are never mere “yes” or “no” answers. Wouldn’t it be easy if they were? (LOL) 

A million examples of our lives having multiple grey tones can be highlighted:  From the choice of a woman to marry John or Gerald, having children or using birth control, to choosing a career path in medicine or finance.  Remember, choices define our reality, set up future episodes, consequences and dramatically affect the outcomes of our lives.  From choice, multiple possibilities can and do occur:  Here is a brief synopsis; the outcome for the woman would be completely different, in immeasurable terms twenty years before the conclusion of this scenario, if she married John as opposed to Gerald.  John would be faithful, a great provider, and a terrific father, while Gerald would be career driven, unfaithful, having multiple affairs with his secretaries at work.  Think of how radically different everything, and I mean everything would be based on that choice.  Here, a simple “yes’ or “no” response couldn’t even begin to shed light on choices so vast and life altering or do this woman and her journey justice.  Instead of “yes” or “no,” a reading could possibly shed light on the two alternate potential paths, and how they would likely unfold for her.

If our lives are not based on such a limited and narrow pathway, why do certain clients expect a reading to offer only “yes” or “no” answers, then?

The answer in part, is that clients often do not want grow.  With insights from a multi dimensional vantage point, anything can come through in a reading, which may require effort on the clients’ part; which doesn’t provide the quick fix that many seeking readings want - even insist on.  One may indeed need to change, make new choices, look at themselves and those in their lives in different ways, even diligently work on self healing in order to make things better for themselves.   Looking at the underlying issues may be essential, not optional; therefore, the “yes” or “no” response doesn’t really serve them at all.  It doesn’t offer them and their experiences any real help!

So many of us resist, resent and avoid growth - but it is exactly what our spirit needs to move forward and unlock new doors for us!  Simple “yes or “no: answers also don’t require any analysis, thought, or speculation.  It is or it isn’t… there is no muss or fuss involved.

The real answer for anyone receiving a reading is to not limit what comes through from spirit.  This channel is sacred, divine, and offers us unlimited possibilities to aid and assist us.  By being open, we can get the real answers we seek and need that are far more helpful than robotic “yes” or “no” answers!

4 - A reading is negative if it doesn’t tell you what you want to hear or already believe to be true

I want to say up front that this portion of this writing is the trickiest to explain.  Why?  Because practically every client I have ever read for has always said that they only want to hear the truth from me.  But sometimes, in reality, a client clearly does not want truth, even if they claim the contrary - they only want what they already feel, desire and believe to be true to be spoon fed right back to them, all under the guise of accurate counsel.  One might then ask, “Why would anyone pretend to be open in a reading,” when in reality they really aren’t?

There are several reasons as to why this type of situation may occur:

1 - If a client pretends that they are open to hear the truth in a reading, this allows that client to easily blame the psychic and make them wrong if the reader doesn’t simply give them what they want.  Keep in mind, by pretending that they’re indeed open-minded, the client sets it up to not have their defensiveness and emotional denial be the issue, therefore, the reader can be the one who is indeed at fault.  “It’s not that I want to hear what I want to hear,” a client proclaims.  “You’re not right and what you’re saying is absolutely not true.  This is a really negative reading,” they conclude.  Then, a potentially helpful and healing session is labeled as dark, doom and gloom and negative, not because it really may be any of those things, but because it doesn’t accommodate the clients’ emotional wish list.

2 - Often someone wants to control and manipulate the psychic process, with the desire to twist the arm of an advisor to get the answers they want.  This way, the client has their emotions, ego, desires, even fantasies validated.  In this instance, if the psychic indeed says it, then it must be true.  For some people, just hearing it, even if it is maneuvered falsely, is enough to have a momentary feel good.  I’ve even seen people engage in this type of activity with multiple readers; to keep having their emotional needs affirmed - like filling a glass with water that has a hole in the bottom.  The problem, of course, is that if the information received is not accurate, it does no good for anyone in the long run. 

3 - This problem is not exclusive to seekers of readings; it is also present with certain psychics themselves.  Again, the twist; practically every single reader nowadays claims they won’t ever tell you what you want to hear.  “Be prepared for the truth!” “Only call if you can handle the truth!” “Truth only!”

But certain unethical readers use this concept to give the illusion of a truthful session, all the while simply telling people what they want to hear, what they already believe to be true, and what their egos can accept.  This has a chilling effect on the psychic process.  Initially, the client is elated, overjoyed, feeling as if God has answered all of their prayers.  Then in time, when the false information proves to be just that, clients become bitter, disappointed, even bankrupt, depending on how long they’ve engaged in this process.

Before having a reading, really ask yourself, “Am I honestly open to hear whatever comes through?  Is my internal being receptive to the truth?”  Try to not label a reading “negative” if it isn’t what you want to hear, and by all means, let go of the preconceptions of what you want and already believe to be true so you can honestly receive what spirit may have to offer.

5 - A reading has to make sense right now

Many readers say that the best predictions are the ones that absolutely didn’t make any sense at the time.  I totally agree. Why might this be true?  Because the psychic process is the exact opposite of logic and has nothing to do with the logical process we routinely live by.  We tend to think of our lives unfolding in ways that make sense to where things are at during the current circumstances we are living in at the time. 

But psychic and spiritual information comes from divine mind; higher mind, where things just are; they are not rational or explainable by the standards we use, say to solve a mathematical equation.  Spirit offers insights, vision, and guidance from high above - to help people grow and heal their lives.

I can remember countless times in readings where I’ve told something to someone that sounded so crazy, so unbelievable, even ridiculous that they laughed, argued, or ended the reading.  Almost always, they would inevitably come back later and say I was right.  By the way, I’m not saying this to toot my own horn; but rather to highlight how the strangest predictions are the ones that usually come true.

For example: A long standing client of mine used to teach at a very high end, tremendously profitable institution that was one of the top five learning centers in its respective field worldwide.  The school was making money hand over fist at the time.  About three years ago I told him that in about two years down the road, things would dramatically change there.  I predicted that the school was going to fire its president, then the golden boy, the students were going to launch a class action lawsuit against the school, and the local news would cover it on television and in print media.  The school would begin going downhill, and teachers and employees would lose their jobs.  To both he and I, these predictions seemed unlikely - but we both said, “Hey, you never know; we’ll just wait and see.”  In time, every one of these predictions happened.  Obviously these insights didn’t make any sense back then.

Remember, this world, the physical world is all about change; things change.  We like to think that circumstances alter in our lives and around us proportionally to the way we currently understand and view our journeys.  Sometimes that is true, but often, life altering, dramatic, unexpected events do occur; sometime positively and other times in a difficult way.

Remember that a consultation may not make sense at the time, but in time, things always become clear! 

Always keep in mind that in a reading, neither the client nor the reader should try and be in control - there is nothing to control - diving information is a miraculous gift from the heavens - it is coming through for you and your highest good, so let it be resoundingly heard!  We should open our minds, hearts, and spirits to all that God is willing to give us - and accept whatever is offered with grace, dignity and complete appreciation!

How do we know the difference between emotion, or simply stated, personal subjective feelings, and intuition, which is God’s divine truthful guidance speaking directly to us from within?

Intuition can be called “that small little quiet voice within.”  That voice speaks with clarity, non-attachment, gently, yet in a matter of fact way.  “Do not drive on the highway you normally drive on today,” says the voice from within.  There is no explanation, nothing logical about what has just been stated, and certainly one could say that this is just a random feeling like any feeling that passes through our consciousness on any given day.  There are two choices here:  either to ignore that small little voice or listen to it and take another route to work.  Let’s say that the person ignoring this message runs smack dab right into a horrendous traffic jam.
 
For the person who listened to this message and took an alternate route to work, they got to work on time and all of the potential hellish repercussions of this entire day were completely avoided! Even though this person made a good choice, there may be no validation that they indeed made that good choice based on their intuitive lead.

Intuition can also referred to as a “gut level feeling.”  Sometimes you hear someone say to their friend, “What do you feel about this on a gut level?”  Everyone has an instinctive part of themselves.  Some people work hard to turn it off, and only live a world of five senses, but many if not most people get some type of gut level feeling about things – and those feelings are often right.  Those feelings are a God given gift to help protect us from danger and help to guide us positively.

For example:  You meet someone who you are considering dating.  They are attractive, dress nice, speak politely, and do not behave visibly in any way that is unusual or disconcerting.  They are interested in you — but something feels wrong.  It’s in your gut – you can’t shake the feeling.  It persists and won’t stop.  Consider this: You want to date this person because you deeply desire to be in a relationship, but in spite of your desire you still feel wrong about them.  That type of feeling shouldn’t necessarily be ignored.  Again, you have two choices: to ignore the gut level feeling or to go with it.  For the person who blows off the feeling and gets involved with this individual anyway, they discover several months later that this person has a significant other who has been hidden from view.  Now it’s too late – feelings are involved, hurt is caused and a disastrous set of consequences occurs from time wasted to not being able to trust new people to disillusionment and sadness. 

For the person who listened to their initial and correct gut level feeling, they simply walked away and by passed this possible relationship.  All of this unnecessary pain and misery was avoided, and they are ultimately in a much better place than the person who didn’t listen to their gut.  Some times one may later hear that the person in question did indeed have another lover, which would validate their intuition, but again, there may be no validation to corroborate that correct gut level feeling.

If you deeply want something, such as a particular person to love you, or to get a certain job, it is possible that your feelings regarding these situations may not be true intuition.  Desire clouds our clarity and often masquerades as intuition. It is easy for desire and ego to distort the truth, as these energies are a tremendously powerful vibratory force. Think of intuition as being like a finely crafted car.  Hitting a pothole in the road can throw the entire vehicle out of alignment.  Desire, ego, wanting what you want, is like that pothole.

If you’re looking for an answer such as a sign, guidance or a light bulb to go off in your head, what you receive may not be correct.  Why?  It’s that old concept of if you’re looking for something you’ll find it, meaning we can rationalize anything.  Logic cannot explain these messages and they can’t be forced.  Intuition is the exact opposite of logic, and above the reasoning logical mind.  It just is - it doesn’t explain itself, and if it’s directly from God, why should it explain itself?  It’s a gift! 

Does what you perceive as a gut level feeling feel intense?  If so, then it is probably not true intuition.  Are your feelings pushy and demanding?  Those feelings are generally not likely to be intuitive.  Loudness, arrogance and a sense of “this is the way it has to be” is perhaps not accurate.  So when is an example of a loud inner voice being intuitive?  If someone is a situation of impending danger, say, being in a nightclub where a fire is going to break out, the inner voice might loudly say, “Leave this nightclub now – right now, go!” 

If you run into an issue of not being sure as to whether what you’re feeling is intuitive or simply emotion, here are some clarifying points:  Ask an objective third party who is insightful what their perception is.  Do they agree or disagree with what you’re feeling?  Listen to their insight as food for thought.  Do not lead them or try and twist their arm, even in your mind, as intuition is delicate and must not be polluted through subjectivity and personal will.  Of course, through time, things will most certainly sort themselves out showing what is true and what is not.

First, recall any intuitive or gut level feelings you’ve received in your life that were correct and how they felt.  Try to remember how it all came about, and keep that information in a notebook.  Every time a new correct intuition occurs, make note of it as well.  Observe what is the common thread linking all of your correct experiences together.  It will probably be messages from “that small little quiet voice within” that simply came when least expected.

 Here is an example that most of us have experienced:  The phone rings and you say, “That’s my friend Cindy on the phone,” and you’re right.  On the other hand, though, you may be obsessing over wanting a certain love interest to call you and when the phone rings you proclaim, “It’s him, Greg is calling me,” and when you pick up the phone, it’s your mother on the line.  In the first example, your intuition was correct.  In the second, your emotions and desire to hear from Greg created a “false” intuitive impression.

Also, take note of the times you felt something was legitimately intuitive and it turned out to be inaccurate.  Was it something you wanted or you feared?  What are the common threads there?

With real intuition, first impressions are usually the right ones.  Listen to what comes to you naturally and organically, and realize, if you’re second-guessing yourself, those second and third impressions are even less likely to be accurate.  Never forget that no matter how intuitive anyone is, they must look at each particular situation with an open yet discerning mind.  Being open is necessary to create an open channel for information to flow through.  A discerning mind allows one to step back and observe what they’re feeling, always fine tuning the great natural God given gift and tool known as intuition!

Sometimes, though, if a situation in our lives is karmic and has a deep spiritual lesson associated with it, we may not be able to see it clearly, meaning that our intuition will not be accurate.  In this instance, it is not ours to see at the time, but ours to experience, grow and learn from.

Just like exercise keeps a body healthy, listening to your intuition and to what you receive strengthens your true connection to your higher self.  The more you work with learning to recognize the true voice of your intuition, the clearer that voice will become.  Once you can identify intuition and distinguish it from emotion, you will forever be able to use true intuition as your eternal guide. 

Many clients are sincerely searching for “reality” in their readings through guidance and the truth that can heal their lives and build new positive bridges. They are trying to make the inherent quality of their lives and those around them better. On the opposite end of the spectrum are those who are caught in their own emotional confusion, ego and defenses. They want “fantasy” in a consultation, to hear in a reading whatever they already feel as gospel truth, and refute anything that clashes with that fantasy. I would hopefully like to shed some light regarding the clash of these two opposite extremes.

When a client is in love or emotionally engaged with another person, they want to hear that the person in question is indeed right for them. Sometimes things do work out and obviously, sometimes they don’t. If the relationship in question is truly not going to work out, a psychic can feed into a clients fantasy by stating things such as, “He adores you! Because of how deeply one often invests into their romantic relationships, fantasy appears to become reality to certain clients when receiving this type of reading. If it feels good, and it’s what the emotions crave to hear, the reading is viewed by the client as gospel truth, seemingly channeled directly from God. In this example, we see a common experience for most, if not all psychics, of clients having tunnel vision regarding a particular relationship, end of issue. Frequently, when people are at the point in their journey where they are only willing to hear what they choose to hear, they clash head on with readings that in any way dispel what is already believed. This type of denial is common and dangerous, especially because inaccurate counsel never creates or offers anything legitimately helpful in a consultation, because people are never helped by non-truthful information. In addition, the concept of fantasy can tie into any aspect of a reading, not just love, such as hearing that a negative business venture is a multi million-dollar opportunity.You might ask, “How do I know if I’m looking for a fantasy reading?” Here are a few good concepts to remember: If you find yourself feeling resentful or reactionary to what is coming through in a consultation, step back, and just listen. Don’t fight with the reading, and let whatever spirit says come through. This way, you can reflect later on what was received, and time certainly will help to show the information more clearly. Also, don’t go into a consultation wanting to hear a certain outcome to a situation or predictions that are already believed to be true. Again, just accept what is offered with an open mind and heart. When looking at the flip side of the coin, reality in a reading is something that is an inspiration and enlightening to all of us. Even if the truth is hard to hear for any of us at a given time, it is transformational to our journey. But what is reality in a reading? Is it absolute truth? Well, of course not. Nothing, including science is 100% accurate in this world, but an accurate reading should offer a legitimate and substantial degree of truth. (Think of the concept of proof beyond a reasonable doubt it in criminal court proceedings, and how that is a standard, yet not easily or rigidly able to be defined.)

Here a few examples of how “reality” works in a reading: Regarding predictions, the client should sit back, wait and let predictions unfold. If the original prediction is indeed accurate, and the client takes a wait and see approach, the predictions should manifest as stated, or largely as stated. (Again, nothing is 100%.) However, if the client makes a choice, accurate predictions can then alter. So the original prediction was correct, but the client’s choice changed the outcome. I’ve seen that scenario happen many times. Here, the truth was the original prediction.Short term predictions, such as, “He’s going to call within a week,” are dramatically less important then long term predictions, which deal with the conclusion of the relationship in question, such as . “Is he going to commit, or not?” Long term predictions are the ones that really count, and it takes not only integrity on the reader’s part to offer those predictions correctly, but nonattachment from what the client wants, to be able to receive correct guidance from spirit. Just because the short term predictions are hit correctly, does not in any way mean that the long term predictions are accurate.Sometimes accurate guidance comes through in showing the client that there are several options than can be chosen and the repercussions for each of those choices. This information, showing the different roads one can travel on, each with their own unique set of circumstances is another example of accuracy in a reading. If the client walks down one of the roads mentioned in the consultation, the repercussions indicated by the reader that apply to that road should come true. Often, spirit messages come through, which are usually simple, straightforward and specific. I have seen many of these messages be life altering. As spirit may be wiser than those in the physical plane, each of their words are selected and chosen very specifically and carefully, not only to be able to reach the client in ways only they understand, but also to communicate in a way that is clear.I love the phrase, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” In this instance it could be said, “If a client is open to hear information, truthful guidance comes through!”

On a deeper level, the clash between fantasy and reality readings is really more of the struggle between our lower selves, and our higher selves. Some representations of the lower self are: the part of our make up which houses negative emotions, as in wanting to get even with someone who wronged us, desires that are dark and not for our highest good, such as wanting to steal someone else’s lover for reasons of power, self destructive tendencies, as in alcoholism. When indulging our lower self, one may want to swim in fantasy, hear only what they want to hear, and feed into their ego. Often one can even vilify and condemn psychics who don’t play into the charade and spoon-feed their lower self.

Our higher self, our spiritual core, is evident in many different ways such as: the desire to help others without wanting anything in return, manifesting ones goals in career through utilizing their God given singular gifts and talents, and building a healthy life long relationship that is divine with the person God has made just for them! The higher self wants to heal, listen, learn, grow, evolve, and manifest our divine life!

The clash is settled, the winner announced. Fantasy in a reading never lasts or offers anything other than false dreams and illusion that destroy people’s lives. Reality is the clear and decisive winner! Why? Simply stated, when a reading helps up to heal our lives and grow, it is a priceless gift, as it is truly real, changing our lives and the lives of those connected to us for the better, forever.

In over thirty years of offering more than 70,000 readings, I’ve seen all levels of reactions to what comes through in a consultation from “OH MY GOD, this is totally dead on accurate,” to “This is complete nonsense and totally false.”  Clients are often, if not always, dealing with emotionally charged issues, which require a great deal of healing. Whether it’s the married man who hasn’t yet divorced his wife after twenty years, or a life threatening illness, the psychic process can be very intense.

So what does one do when receiving a reading?  I have several points to offer that will help deal with the uncertainty and confusion that is often a part of the psychic process:

First, try to be open!  When one is truly open, more information comes through from spirit for you!  An open channel allows God to speak.  If a door is closed, how can anyone walk through it?  If the phone is off the hook, how can it ring?  If your energy and attitude is closed, how can the wealth of information come through that needs to assist you, help and guide you.  With an open heart and open mind, all that the universe affords you can be revealed, bringing you to your highest good!

Try to call for a reading when you are in a calm state.  When you are upset, the reader has to try and get through all of your emotions before they can get to the psychic heart of the matter at hand.  Also, when you are upset, you are more likely to call for comfort or reassurance than to hear the truth.

Don’t look to be comforted as your reason for having a reading.  One should always want truth and accuracy.  I always say to my clients, “The only thing anyone should pay for in a reading is accuracy.”  If you happen to be comforted by the information that comes through, that’s fine, but if you’re not comforted, remember, that’s not the purpose of a reading.  Compare it to going to the doctor – the information may be good or bad. The important thing is to know the facts so that you can deal with it accordingly.

Take a wait and see attitude with any reading.  Information is just that – information.  In time, whatever comes through in a reading, will be shown to be accurate, semi accurate, of false.

Don’t try and manipulate the reading.  Many clients want to twist the arm of a reader to hear what they want to hear.  One way of doing this is by asking leading question.  For example:  When am I going to marry my current boyfriend?  This question already assumes many things:  that marriage will occur, and with the person in question. A better way of framing this question would be “Do you think I will marry my current boyfriend, and if so, do you have a feeling as to when?”

Try not to interrupt a consultation.  The psychic process is quite delicate, and can be easily tainted or distorted.  It’s like driving your car.  If the car hits a pot hole just once, the whole alignment can be thrown out of wack!  Interrupting breaks the divine flow.  When the divine flow is coming through, just sit back and listen.  Receive what spirit says, as it may prove to be invaluable. 

Arguing is even worse.  When something comes through in a session, it is a divine gift from God.  Arguing about it brings it right down to a very low, non-spiritual level, and poisons the entire process of what is being received.  It’s about as productive as arguing over politics in a loud bar after several cocktails.  Even if you don’t like what’s coming through, again, take a wait and see attitude!  Time is the greatest barometer of what is truthful!

Write it down.  Write down what comes through in your reading, and take notes.  Make sure your notes capture the nuance and subtleties of what has been stated in a consultation.  For example: If I say to someone, “You’ll hear form this person in 1 week if you DON”T contact them, they may write down the following: “Will hear from person in 1 week.”  Then in that time period, they may try and contact the person in question, altering the prediction, and the person then doesn’t contact them!  Life is not just yes and no answers, black or white.  Life is full of grey tones, complexities, and contingencies.  How could anyone think that a reading trumps or supersedes the laws of nature and the universe?

Don’t base your perception of a reading on your emotions or your ego.  Just because it feels good to hear something in the moment, because it may be what you want to hear, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s true.  Also, if it feels wrong, that doesn’t necessarily indicate that the counsel received is inaccurate.  Almost always, the strangest predictions that make absolutely no sense at the time are usually the ones that are the most accurate.  Why?  Because the psychic process has nothing to do with logic, and life’s events, twist and turns are often illogical.

Many times clients leave bad feedback in a moment of overreaction, only later to contact the reader, acknowledging that the information originally received WAS accurate.  Always remember that divine guidance is helpful, and truth is beneficial.  Work with the truth, affirm the truth, and the information you need will indeed be there for your highest good.

Many times, clients wish to hear good news.  Yes, things will absolutely work out and everything will be OK.  Whatever the question is, hopefully, it has a “positive” answer.  I always hope myself that the news is truly good news.

Remember, though, life just isn’t that simple.  In a mundane sense, we can say that life is both a mixture of good and bad.  If we want to look at it cosmically, one could say that all things indeed happen for the highest good.

What is the goal of a reading, then?  Certainly, no one wants to be brought down by a consultation.  So when the news isn’t pleasant, or considered bad, what does one do?

First, never forget, that a reading should be as truthful as possible.  That is the bottom line. However, there are several points to make the bad news potentially turn into good or at least hopeful news. Here we can turn lemons into lemonade!  Here are some points to consider if the news seems “bad”:  What is the lesson that needs to be learned?  Knowing what needs to be learned on a deeper spiritual level, helps to give a potential overview of why.Understanding the deeper why helps to give us a guiding light of where we may be heading.  In time, once a lesson is learned, we are then truly set free!

What one may want or desire, may not be for their highest good, therefore it may not ultimately happen, and should not happen!  I have seen so many feel that everything (and I mean everything) in their life hinges on a desired outcome of a situation.  Remember that old cliché, don’t wish for something, you just might get it! If it is not truly meant to be, nature won’t support it!  In time, that truth will be realized and ultimately accepted.

What choices are there to mitigate, perhaps, modify or lighten the situation?  One’s choices can accent the good and make things better!

Try to look at your life with an open mind.  Consider being open to new viewpoints of the same situation.  With an open mind, peace can be found, even in the most difficult of times!

Don’t view the reader as negative if what they are receiving happens to be “bad’ news.  What comes through in a reading is what you may need to hear to get your life back on track to be on the path you are spiritually supposed to be on.  What appears to be “bad” news at the time may indeed turn out to be “good” news in the long run.

Try to be patient, as life unfolds in the way it is supposed to. Think of the big picture, and try to not get caught up in the emotional moment of the question at hand! Good things come over a calm sea, meaning that when our emotions are calm, miracles do indeed come to us!

Beyond the seemingly “good” and “bad” of our personal experiences, try to keep in mind that there is a higher purpose, a higher calling, and a higher echo, which guides from above, far beyond the chaos, confusion and frustration of our emotions.