How to Make the Most of Your Reading

If you came to this site to inquire about a Psychic Reading, I would be remiss (as would any reputable reader worth their weight in patchouli oil) if I did at least endeavor to provide some basic information about the Art.

Being Comfortable With Your Reader

First and foremost, you should feel comfortable with your psychic.  That can be difficult if you have never had a reading with him or her before, or for that matter, if you have never had a reading at all.  However, you should try to relax and prepare yourself for your session.  Clear your mind of distractions and clutter, and make yourself open and receptive to the psychic.

The largest obstacle for any psychic to overcome is when clients play the "show me" game.  This is usually the result of the client having had negative experiences with prior psychics, and now wants the new psychic to "prove" him or herself to the client.  It is true that you should not have to divulge all sorts of information to your psychic reader, as it is his or her  job to tell you what is occurring.  However, it is preferable to converse normally during the session, and at the very least provide confirmation of facts known to be true to you when the psychic states them.  It is also preferable to stop the psychic at any point if something doesn't sound quite on the mark...provide clarification to what he or she is seeing, and together you will understand what your reading is providing you.   "Show me" clients often behave defensively during the reading, and create very discernible walls in front of the psychic.   (A psychic will sometimes sense that a client is closing off, becoming defensive, "hiding," or in a visual sense, for a Clairvoyant, will see that the client feels threatened, and/or invaded by the psychic -- as though the psychic was forcing the reading upon the client!)  If I begin to sense walls during a session, I immediately stop, and offer the client a few moments to relax, so that our connection can deepen.  However, if you begin a session with an open mind and spirit from the outset, your session will flow much more smoothly, and the connection your psychic is able to achieve with you will be much deeper.

A close cousin to "show me" clients are those clients who freely walk into a session feeling obviously (and overtly) skeptical about not only the reader's ability to provide an accurate and meaningful psychic reading, but about the Psychic Arts in general.  They often seek a psychic reading out of sheer curiosity or simple desperation.  Clients such as these, who need to be "mystified" and "amazed" (and thereby convinced) with the psychic's ability to tell (a) the precise date and hour when the client lost her first baby tooth, (b) the maiden name and place of birth of the client's mother-in-law's second cousin, and finally (c) what the client eats for breakfast on the second Tuesday of every month, are often dissatisfied with psychic readings.  Although the psychic may provide valuable insight, clarity, solid answers to important questions (and yes, perhaps even "mystify" the client more than a few times along the way) the client nonetheless feels "shortchanged,"  because the client never fully believed in the psychic -- or the reading -- in the first place.  The truly unfortunate thing is that the client will not weigh heavily enough what the psychic has offered, and will perhaps miss an important message (or two or three.)  The attitude and mindset that the client brings to the reading does have a bearing on the quality and the depth of the reading the client will receive.

Open Minds Bring Forth the Best Readings

Be careful to not come to a reading wanting only certain answers to your questions. (Yes, you can hope for the best, but do have an open mind, and do be prepared for
honest answers to your questions.)  An unfortunately large number of clients only want to hear the "right" answers to their queries -- and actively tune out anything which contradicts that.  For example if your reading concerns a failing romantic relationship, and you ask your reader if your lover is being unfaithful; and your reader delicately suggests that the problem lies not in your mate, but in certain overwhelming traits of your own which are driving him or her away, please do not become defensive with the reader, but rather take the message to heart, and if you so choose, seek to rectify the rift in your relationship while you still have an opportunity to do so.  There are many readers who will be more than happy to tell the client just about anything the client wishes to hear -- I am not one of those readers -- and while I am always  gentle and tactful, I do not hedge the truth of what I see in a reading.
Destiny vs. Free Will

Finally, the future is not set in stone, and any reading you receive, or may have already received from another psychic, is only an indication of the future as it stands at the time of the reading.  The future is fluid and constantly changing.  Decisions you make, actions you take (or don't take), and events that transpire subsequent to the reading can all have either a reinforcing or negating effect upon whether or not the events predicted will come to fruition.  Yes, there are certainly events which are "supposed" to take place.  (I am a firm believer in destiny -- however, the reality is that our free will negates the finality of nearly everything which is predestined.  We can recognize our "fate," perhaps in the face of a lover, yet still choose to turn away and choose a different path.  Destiny and fate are no match for the human will.) 

By way of example, let's say that you are a professional singer, and your psychic reader envisions you starting a new singing job in six weeks' time, and that the opportunity will come through a message or call from a woman.  Four weeks later, you are watching reruns late at night when the phone rings.  You are too tired to talk to anyone, and so let the machine answer it: it's your friend, saying that she has exciting news, please pick up or call her back right away.  You decide to wait to call her back until the next day, and when you do, you are dissapointed to hear that she was phoning you to tell you about an audition that very morning for the lead in an important musical.  Your window of opportunity missed, you won't be starting that new job.  As is often the case, the ends are dependent upon the means.  So please, don't call your psychic and accuse him or her of misleading you!

Again, there is a very fine line between the paths we choose and the paths we are
destined to take.  Destiny as it is commonly defined becomes a mere illusion when you consider that we all have the ability to change our paths at any time with our actions (or lack of actions.)  If you receive a favorable reading, and want to ensure the events foretold transpire, you should take those steps suggested to you to ensure that they do.  If you receive an unfavorable reading, and want to avoid these events, you
may (depending on the circumstances, please don't hold me to this in every case) be able to avoid entirely, or at least attempt to lessen the negativity or impact of the events upon your life.  

Your own free will should never be forgotten or discounted, regardless of the advice or information provided to you.  In the end you still have control over what choices you make.  I once had a new client call for a reading in a panic, because another psychic recently told her that she was "destined" to marry a man she knew only casually.  (I'll call them John and Mary for the sake of telling the story confidentially.)  Mary was near hysteria, because she had no romantic interests whatsoever in John, and furthermore wanted to know how much longer she had until she would be "forced" to marry him.  I could not believe what I was hearing.  I explained to Mary that unless she resided in a country that still upheld the tradition of arranged marriages (she did not) she certainly would not be "forced" to marry anyone!  Mary was relieved to know that she still retained her own free will over her love life, and that this other psychic's prediction of a "destined" marriage, out of a non-existent relationship, was gobbledygook, to put it mildly.  While we cannot control the actions of those in our lives, we certainly can control our own! So unless your psychic is referencing a matter of certain inevitability -- illness and/or death being the primary in inevitability in my mind -- do not hand over your free will so easily.  Important as well, if you receive information which is terribly negative, and the information is impacting you on a psychological or physical level, don't hesitate to get a second opinion on the matter.

A Psychic Reading can be a moving and insightful experience, whether used to receive a much-needed answer to an important question, or as a tool for emotional healing and long-term personal growth.  Used wisely, and with the assistance of a caring and experienced psychic, the possibilities for growth and enlightenment are endless.
What to Avoid

Many Psychics go to great lengths to tell you "what to avoid when getting a reading...." or sometimes, "how to know if your psychic is a fraud..."  My own personal experience and judgment tell me that the very first thing to be wary of when seeking professional guidance (of any kind) is when that professional arrogantly claims to be the only person who can truly help you.  (It reminds me of late night television commercials selling the latest and greatest Ginsu knives or yet another kitchen gadget that you simply can't live another minute without....the products are different, but the messages are similar, screaming BUY ME NOW, BUY ME NOW!)

One famous psychic (who shall remain nameless here for fear of being trampled by hoardes of lawyers) uses a beautiful, but sadly misguided analogy when referring to her own psychic gifts, and when comparing herself to "other" psychics.  She notes that while many people can learn to "play the piano," not everyone can become a "concert pianist."  This is very true.  However, in keeping with this analogy we must remember that there are in fact scores of gifted pianists, some who are simply better well known than others.  Each gifted in his or her own right, and equally deserving of respect, whether or not they have actually performed at Carnegie Hall.  However gifted or well known the psychic may be, those who become so engrossed and obsessed with being "the best" and "the only" that the Art itself -- and the joy that comes with properly and lovingly using the Psychic Arts to assist others -- becomes secondary at best.

Some readers even have the chutzpah to offer guidelines to follow when selecting a Psychic Practitioner!!!  Is it at all surprising that the "guidelines" exactly mirror the practices and services of the psychic offering the guidelines in the first place??  Ahem.  My advice has and always will be that the only way to find a Spiritual and Psychic Advisor who is right for you is to follow your Spirit and Inner Guide, combined with a healthy dose of common sense....if you do, you will never be disappointed.  Of course, readers making outrageous claims or guarantees (such as guaranteeing to "reuinite soul mates," guarantees of money or happiness, or those who claim to be able to "solve" your problems, etc.) should be carefully scrutinized.
How to Make the Most of Your Reading

If you came to this site to inquire about a Psychic Reading, I would be remiss (as would any reputable reader worth their weight in patchouli oil) if I did at least endeavor to provide some basic information about the Art.

Being Comfortable With Your Reader

First and foremost, you should feel comfortable with your psychic.  That can be difficult if you have never had a reading with him or her before, or for that matter, if you have never had a reading at all.  However, you should try to relax and prepare yourself for your session.  Clear your mind of distractions and clutter, and make yourself open and receptive to the psychic.

The largest obstacle for any psychic to overcome is when clients play the "show me" game.  This is usually the result of the client having had negative experiences with prior psychics, and now wants the new psychic to "prove" him or herself to the client.  It is true that you should not have to divulge all sorts of information to your psychic reader, as it is his or her  job to tell you what is occurring.  However, it is preferable to converse normally during the session, and at the very least provide confirmation of facts known to be true to you when the psychic states them.  It is also preferable to stop the psychic at any point if something doesn't sound quite on the mark...provide clarification to what he or she is seeing, and together you will understand what your reading is providing you.   "Show me" clients often behave defensively during the reading, and create very discernible walls in front of the psychic.   (A psychic will sometimes sense that a client is closing off, becoming defensive, "hiding," or in a visual sense, for a Clairvoyant, will see that the client feels threatened, and/or invaded by the psychic -- as though the psychic was forcing the reading upon the client!)  If I begin to sense walls during a session, I immediately stop, and offer the client a few moments to relax, so that our connection can deepen.  However, if you begin a session with an open mind and spirit from the outset, your session will flow much more smoothly, and the connection your psychic is able to achieve with you will be much deeper.

A close cousin to "show me" clients are those clients who freely walk into a session feeling obviously (and overtly) skeptical about not only the reader's ability to provide an accurate and meaningful psychic reading, but about the Psychic Arts in general.  They often seek a psychic reading out of sheer curiosity or simple desperation.  Clients such as these, who need to be "mystified" and "amazed" (and thereby convinced) with the psychic's ability to tell (a) the precise date and hour when the client lost her first baby tooth, (b) the maiden name and place of birth of the client's mother-in-law's second cousin, and finally (c) what the client eats for breakfast on the second Tuesday of every month, are often dissatisfied with psychic readings.  Although the psychic may provide valuable insight, clarity, solid answers to important questions (and yes, perhaps even "mystify" the client more than a few times along the way) the client nonetheless feels "shortchanged,"  because the client never fully believed in the psychic -- or the reading -- in the first place.  The truly unfortunate thing is that the client will not weigh heavily enough what the psychic has offered, and will perhaps miss an important message (or two or three.)  The attitude and mindset that the client brings to the reading does have a bearing on the quality and the depth of the reading the client will receive.

Open Minds Bring Forth the Best Readings

Be careful to not come to a reading wanting only certain answers to your questions. (Yes, you can hope for the best, but do have an open mind, and do be prepared for
honest answers to your questions.)  An unfortunately large number of clients only want to hear the "right" answers to their queries -- and actively tune out anything which contradicts that.  For example if your reading concerns a failing romantic relationship, and you ask your reader if your lover is being unfaithful; and your reader delicately suggests that the problem lies not in your mate, but in certain overwhelming traits of your own which are driving him or her away, please do not become defensive with the reader, but rather take the message to heart, and if you so choose, seek to rectify the rift in your relationship while you still have an opportunity to do so.  There are many readers who will be more than happy to tell the client just about anything the client wishes to hear -- I am not one of those readers -- and while I am always  gentle and tactful, I do not hedge the truth of what I see in a reading.
Disappointing Current Trends

What is most unfortunate is that in recent years, the Psychic Arts have become degraded and trivialized into an almost unrecognizable form -- the "900" or "Psychic Hotline" telephone service.  This sub-culture of "psychics" have done more to devalue and embarass the Psychic Arts community at large than anything previously in history (with the exception perhaps of the Inquisition!) The psychic telephone industry employes thousands of "telephone actors and actresses" to play the role of psychic on their busy phone lines.  (Check your local newspaper, and see for yourself the many employment opportunities with "psychic lines," specifically requesting "actors and actresses.")  It is important to note that many genuinely psychic and talented people are employed by these services -- however, due to the random nature of call assignment, you never know who you will speak with when you call.  And what's more, the people employed by these services are very often at the mercy of "company policy," which may or may not be in the client's best interests. People receiving readings from these services are often left frustrated and disillusioned about the psychic community, and sadly may never receive the guidance they are seeking.

Another equally frustrating and bizarre phenomenon is the "over-mystifying" of the psychic reading. Yes, having a reading can be an uplifting -- and perhaps even  spiritual -- experience.  But let's face it -- a psychic reading is not a "religious" practice -- so why the trend to turn the reading (and the reader!) into a circus act of rituals and props? I just know I am going to get angry e-mails about this, but the fact is that a reader's own personal spiritual and religious beliefs should not be a part of the psychic reading itself -- for the very important reason that it has nothing whatsoever to do with performing psychic readings.  Professional psychics are comprised of a diverse group of men and women, from all walks of life, and many spiritual backgrounds.  But PLEASE let's remember that a psychic reading is NOT a religious practice.  To suggest otherwise is blatantly misleading and confusing the public.  Most professional psychic practitioners are normal people (as "normal" as can be expected given their career path), who lead quite ordinary lives -- raising children, paying bills, running errands, and yes, even washing dishes. (I personally do not know any professional readers who lounge about all day in their priestess garb while contemplating the great mysteries of the universe.)  I would not expect to see a vascular surgeon opening a prayer missle before performing surgery, nor would I like to see my dentist breaking into chant before cleaning my teeth.  The right to freedom of religion is something that I support wholeheartedly; but it has no place in a professional's business practices.  So, in my own humble opinion, if the reader just  so happens to be a member of the Isis movement, she should probably leave the priestess headdress at the door before performing readings.  
Tarot cards, runes, pendulums, crystal balls, scrying bowls and mirrors -- just to name a few -- are all tools employed by many psychics to assist in getting the answers being sought after.  However, the tools are mere "props" for the conscious mind to utilize, so that the subconscious mind can work unfettered by the conscious mind's constant "talking."  Many psychics do not utilize any tools at all, as they are inherently able to tap into the collective unconscious at will.  This ability is within all of us -- unfortunately, most people do not utilize it.  So again -- the answers do not lie in the "tools" themselvs, but rather in the psychic, subconscious mind.  Even if you do not believe that you possess this ability, you have undoubtedly experienced psychic moments throughout your life, but have attributed them to "coincidence" or "irony."  How many times have you inherently known who was calling when the telephone rang?  Or have been thinking about a close friend or relative all day, only to have them phone you and say they felt compelled to call you?  Likewise, the strong bond between mother and child creates a psychic connection that is usually attributed to "maternal instinct" or "mother's intuition."  (And how many times have you said the phrase, "woman's intuition" when referring to a woman's unique way of "knowing" and sensing things about those close to her?)  
History and Facts

Divination is the art of reading the future, past, or events currently transpiring in a person's life. 

Divination has been practiced for thousands of years, in many forms, and across every land on earth.  Historical and other records from every land reflect the importance and reverence given to the seers and prophets.  To the skeptics who scoff at the notion of foretelling the future or reading the past, the unwavering response must be that the practice would not have survived were it not authentic and effective.  All across Europe during the Middle Ages, people were forced to go underground for fear of persecution -- and execution.  Nostradamus, one of the most infamous Diviners in history, had to practice his divination in secret, and went to great lengths to "hide" his revelations by writing them in the form of "codes." 

And yet, despite the constant fear of exposure, excommunication and/or execution, the practice not only continued in the shadows, but grew.  Divination once again gained popularity in the United States in the 19th Century as it became fashionable for even the most conservative upper class families to purchase ouija boards and tarot cards, and hold readings and seances in their well-appointed salons.  The psychic soon re-emerged as a somewhat more reputable and respectable member of the community.
The Art of Divination

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