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April, 1998

Do You Really Want to Know?

I have always been amazed at how often people ask questions that they really don't want to know the answers to. How is it that someone can put forth a question without a desire to know the Truth? Although I refer to my work as spiritual counseling, often people are referred to me as a "psychic." As my Intuitive Counseling students know, this is a big part of the work I do, but I approach it from a different point of view than most psychics. I thought it might be interesting to discuss the process of a psychic reading in this issue.

Most people who go to a psychic have a built-in disability: they are afraid of the truth. Their fears, desires and attachments have such an emotional charge that it can quite often interfere with a reader's perception of the Truth. They may project such a strong image of their desires that the reader can't get past it, and literally tells the client what they see: the seeker's own projection. Unless the intuitive reader has had training on how to remain detached and objective in the presence of these projections, they may just reflect back to the client what they want to hear. I can't tell you how many stories I have heard over the years, of clients who kept going to psychics until they got what they wanted to hear. Then, they would make a big life decision based on this one reader's perceptions, and ultimately be devastated by reality.

Why do people ask a question when they are not ready to know the answer? Because they want to have the illusion of having control over their future by knowing it. Because they think if they know about a "bad" thing in advance, that maybe they can avoid it. Because they are afraid of making the wrong decision. Because they think if they know about a big event far enough ahead of time, that they will somehow be more prepared for it. Of course, none of this takes into account the possibility that maybe we aren't supposed to know: maybe the whole purpose of the event is to recreate a karmic scenario and see if we can think on our feet… and surrender to the flow of change in our life.

There are 2 major factors which affect the clarity and accuracy of an intuitive reading: 1. The clients fears, desires and attachments to the issue. 2. The reader's clarity on all 4 levels: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.

For the reader, there are also karmic ramifications for: 1. Interfering with a client's destiny and/or free will. 2. Answering a question when Spirit says it is not appropriate for the client to know at this time. 3. Making a client dependent on the reader through fear or desires. ( In extreme cases, a reader can actually drain a client psychically, or hook in a psychic cord to keep them connected in an unhealthy way.)

So you see, this whole business of doing a psychic reading is very serious stuff. It requires a constant process of multi-dimensional purification by the reader. It requires that the reader not be so dependent on the income that they might do a reading even when they are not clear. It requires that the reader is strong enough to say "no" when the answer is not forthcoming at that time. The reader must be more committed to integrity and karmic ethics, than to the client's desires.

Most people have a sense of what emotional and mental purification might be about. It is important that a reader not bring in their own agenda or emotional process to the session. It is important that they not project their own mental patterns or belief systems onto the client's life drama. It is not an easy thing to do. Spiritual purification may take the form of a regular spiritual practice such as meditation, or it may be the act of continuously surrendering to the karmic dramas that unfold in an accelerated lifestyle. For myself, it also includes consciously dedicating my life to the service of Spirit, and partaking of what Spirit places on the table before me. Often, it is a great challenge. Part of my spiritual purification is to pray for humility.

I personally have very strong feelings about the physical aspect of purification. For myself, abstaining from toxins, stimulants and mood-altering substances is an absolute. Many years ago when I started to do this work full-time, I found that even one glass of wine a week affected my clarity for many days afterwards. The clearer I got, the more caffeine seemed to affect me. My ability to drop into the Silent Void was obviously affected, so I completely cut out alcohol and caffeine. I have a hard time understanding psychics and spiritual teachers who smoke cigarettes or pot. It creates a thick grey haze in the aura that is difficult to see through.

My own path has also been strictly vegetarian, for many reasons. I cannot justify taking another being's life to sustain my own when it is not necessary. In the book "Spiritual Nutrition and the Rainbow Diet" by Gabriel Cousens, and also in "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins, there are many reasons to become vegetarian. The most important to me is that one cannot maintain clarity and eat food that has been created through violence. The vibration of violent death numbs part of the psychic senses: it is too painful to be that open and clear when eating slaughtered meat. For several years I taught a class on Psychic Opening Through Diet, and the books mentioned above were the reference texts, if you are interested in this topic. Yes, I do have one vice: chocolate. I try to enjoy it in moderation!

If the reader is very spiritually-oriented, they will be very sensitive to empowering the client towards making their own choices. They will encourage the client's personal strength and spiritual courage, rather than dependence on the reader. The reader will teach the client how to access their own Inner Voice, and give them the confidence to follow their own intuition. The reader will gently point out the client's attachments, and give suggestions as to how to release them.

It is fundamental that the client be willing to take responsibility for their own life choices and consequences. The client must be willing to hold a space to witness Truth, without attachment to how, when or even if it is revealed. If the client comes to the reading without expectation, they will receive more than they could dream of. If they spend the whole time trying to get a particular answer to their burning question, they will not hear what is really being said. If they are more interested in the phenomenon of "channeling" than the knowledge that is being given, it will be difficult to use the information in a practical way after the session is over. Unconditional acceptance of Universal Truth is what accelerates us through the karmic wheel: instead of struggling with the Truth of our Lifepath, we learn how surrender to life's events. We learn that staying centered in our connection with All-That-Is is the way to inner peace.

Channeling is only 1 aspect of the 5 psychic senses. Unfortunately this term "channeling" has been grossly overused and misused in the metaphysical community. As a psychic develops, they will unfold clarity and proficiency in one or more areas of sensitivity: clairaudience (psychic hearing), clairvoyance (psychic sight), psychometry/clairempathy/clairsentient (psychic feeling), clairsavorance (taste) and clairgustance/clairscent (smell). Through these abilities, one can for example: scan the aura, listen to spirit guides, pick up the vibrations of an object, and smell or taste the toxins present in the aura. Channeling is when a spirit is allowed to speak through a person's body. Conscious channeling is when the person remains aware and in control during the session. A message can also be channeled through divination tools, such as astrology, tarot cards, runes, I Ching, etc. These are all valid and valuable tools, providing they are used by someone who is clear and grounded. Few people can be objective enough to use these tools or insights for themselves. Our own karmic destiny is seldom revealed unless we have mastered the art of detached self-examination.

For myself, I find the modality of astrology works best for the work I do. It allows me to retain objectivity and detachment, while still receiving a stream of intuitive guidance. When a client shows up, they bring their whole circle of Spirit Guides with them; and believe me, "the guys upstairs" (as I like to call them) always have plenty to say! Quite often, the true purpose of a reading is not to give information, but ultimately to create an opening so a healing can take place. It is fascinating to watch the aura change during a session, and to see all the forces that gather to help in the process.

These days, when a new client calls saying, "I heard you are a good psychic." - I tell them that I am not a fortune-teller, but a spiritual counselor. That in itself is a huge responsibility, and I do not take it lightly.

I hope this will be helpful the next time you choose a psychic. Choose your questions wisely!

Dear Friends, Little Sammy is 15 months old now, and is running all over the place. Despite the occasional teething dramas, he is a very happy little guy. We think he is going to be a real blabber-mouth when he starts talking. For now it's a few words, and a lot of silly sounds. Sammy and Mason just adore each other. (See the latest photos on the Lightworks website.)

In February we all went to Hawaii and scattered Hanna's ashes in the ocean. Paul, Mason and I each scattered part of the ashes in the turquoise water. It was a very powerful moment, and I felt an incredible lightness for weeks afterwards.