Psychic

Thoughts about Psychic Abilities

Anyone developing within Spiritualism knows the Mantra that a Medium must be psychic but not all psychics, however good they are, will be a Medium. Essential to this statement is the qualification that a Medium is one who brings evidence to prove the survival of the spirit beyond that which we wrongly call death. This meaning reflects the concept that the medium is an intermediary between the spirit world and those in the physical plane. Or as described by early Spiritualist as the Spiritual Telegraph.

What then is a psychic? The basic dictionary definition show us that the word Psychic originates from the Greek word psychikos 'of the soul', that it is relates to the mind and of having powers (especially mental) which cannot be explained by natural laws.

A further definition suggests that it lies outside the sphere of physical science or knowledge and suggestive that psychic forces are immaterial, moral, or spiritual in origin or force. A psychic would be sensitive to nonphysical or supernatural forces and influences and be marked by extraordinary or mysterious sensitivity, perception, or understanding. In the same definition a psychic would be in tune with psychic forces, significantly the same dictionaries do not try to define what psychic forces are.

It is this “mystical” element of being unable to be explained by natural law that misses the reality and highlights our lack of understanding of our universe and the natural forces that surround us. The definition suggests that there are magic powers that work outside the rules of the cosmos which enable holders of psychic power to suspend the natural laws of life. Reading so much upon the many websites and in New Age publications I believe that is also the way some modern psychics would have it. Equally it is typical of many “fortune tellers” of the old “Mystic Meg” type.

Not surprisingly then we sometimes find Psychic regarded as an occult practice and by association Spiritualism becomes spoken of as an occult religion. I suppose if you look at what occult is defined as meaning it is not surprising
“
1.Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena.
2. Beyond the realm of human comprehension; inscrutable.
3. Available only to the initiate; secret:
4. Hidden from view; concealed.”

However Psychic and Spiritualism do not fit this definition in any sense. What we see exhibited in these abilities are an expression of our natural universe. Psychic ability is tuning into the natural energy flow around us whilst accessing our own latent talents of energy, insight and intuition.  Mediumship is a step further in opening yourself to receive information from the higher vibrations of the spirit world.

There is no magic or ritual required in any of this. Psychic abilities are a natural state, pre wired into all of us, however, as with our being competent in our personal life success can be affected by the mind itself and the physical demands upon us. These place a strong barrier to recognizing these skills. The step on to Mediumship requires an even greater relaxation of control because your own mind has to be removed to allow communication from spirit through the medium to the message recipient.

As a dowser as well as a medium I feel this energetic link to natural forces is often easiest to experience when dowsing. The link between the subconscious mind and the energy forces around can almost always be achieved by anyone willing to try dowsing with an open mind. To watch people try map dowsing asking their pendulum to take them to the station they should be at to catch a train when it next stops with no knowledge of time tables or any delay is fascinating. To then find that in two workshops 25 out of 26 get to the right place is beyond coincidence.

In the early days of Spiritualism the scientific amongst us like Varley, Lodge and Crookes were certain of an energy field around and interpenetrating everything.

In 1845 the German scientist Baron Dr. Carl (Karl) Ludwig von Reichenbach first proposed this concept naming this OD or the odic force. He called this a vital energy or life force, a new force allied to electricity, magnetism, and heat, a force which he thought was radiated by most substances, and to the influence of which different persons are variously sensitive. He named this vitalist concept Odic force. Proponents say that Odic force permeates all plants, animals, and humans.

He regarded this more as a biological electromagnetic field which could be seen as the coloured auras around most objects. He conjectured that it was this which was responsible for the success of mesmerism (hypnotism) which had swept the world with the concept of Animal Magnetism which its founder, Mesmer, had developed.

Von Reichenbach hoped to develop a scientific proof for a universal life force, however to do this he did not use science he used perceptual study on reports individuals claimed to be psychically sensitive or psycho-kinetically adept. The "sensitives," young women recruited from the poorer social classes, worked in total or near-total darkness, almost as  forerunners of Spirit Mediums.

Although his work has never been scientifically proved it is still sometimes referred to in dowsing. The reality is that the men of science who believed in the concept moved onto an etheric energy. This was something that William Crookes & Sir Oliver Lodge were a believers in also Nikola Tesla who was very heavily involved in the development of Electrical equipment and generators in the USA.

To quote some work surrounding Tesla’s theory of radiant energy “Tesla, Genius Out of Time (http://swissenschaft.ch/tesla/content/T_Library/L_Theory/AboutTesla/Unraveling%20Tesla's%20Greatest%20Secret.pdf) In the later quarter of the 19th century, Tesla was alone in his opposition to the fundamental views of the nature of electrical forces as described by three of the biggest names in electric science: James Clerk Maxwell, Herman Von Helmholtz, and Heinrich Hertz. Tesla possessed a broader vision of the cosmos because his keen sense of awareness and especially his natural intuitive insights gave him a deeper understanding of the role that the ether (or aether) played in the  manifestations of all electrical phenomena while his contemporaries focused their attention exclusively on the electromagnetic component (assuming that no other component could be involved). This lack of etheric insight by his contemporaries (with the exception of Sir William Crookes) and the heated controversy that the mere mention of the ether had engendered was to cause Tesla ridicule and sarcasm from men of inferior intellect for decades. The ether controversy largely dissipated in the academic arena after the publication of Eienstein’s Theory of Relativity (1905) and the Michaelson-Morley Experiment which essentially declared that the ether ‘theory’ was dead, but Tesla’s insights and deductions concerning the role of the ether were correct all along. “

Rather a contradictory statement but yes after that date mainstream science has excluded any consideration of the impact of an external force., albeit Sir Oliver Lodge determinedly kep going with it. Interestingly modern Quantum Physics has revived interest in the Ether as new discoveries are made.

Despite this I have seen psychics work, dowsing work, telekinetic effects and, if you like, personally bent spoons without force. I know the skeptics will reject these concepts out of hand but I have seen and heard enough to be convinced.

However, I do not conclude that any of this comes from spirit, except in the sense that we and the universe are the creation of Spirit. I can only conclude actual Spirit involvement when I am bringing a mediumistic message from Spirit to a loved one and that message is provable.

Therefore these psychic, telekinetic and photo kinetic activities are to my mind something that is natural in the universe and may be almost physical/mental in operation.

Clearly working psychically is not giving guidance from spirit to someone. The majority of the information is being decoded by the psychic from the energy field of the person. In this field is all the information a sensitive may need about a persons past, health, relationships, current state and future dreams. No wonder then that a good psychic can be so accurate especially if they then use observational and body language cues to help their interpretations. I have seen two psychics give an absolutely accurate long life reading which was extraordinarily complete in the detail provided.

The reality is that I see no real issue in this as a way of helping people, if it is used wisely. However, the psychic needs to be in tune with what they pick up to ensure its accuracy and be aware of the limitations of the information received, especially about the future. When they move on to tell people anything suggestive of what they should do with their life they need be very aware of the morals and ethics of the situation. Many people use psychics in the manner of fortune tellers and in the place of good counseling.

Indeed it is an unfortunate corollary to the many TV programs that this is seen by far too many as Mediumship and what is becoming expected at readings or even at demonstrations. Quite frequently the questions can be of a very personal nature such as should I leave my husband. How as a psychic reader do you respond to this in an appropriate manner? The problem is it is not possible to give proof that you are right, indeed even if you feel guided by spirit you cannot actively prove this and unless you are certain no reader should claim this is being said by Spirit. Remember once the message is given there is a high probability that, if it fits in with the current feeling of the recipient, it will be acted upon for good or bad.

So with psychic readings those seeking them and those giving them need to be alert to the pitfalls, discerning on the information and ensuring the information is handled sensitively.

Clearly some psychics, when they open up to these energetic forces, are capable of making future predictions, the successes are well documented albeit the failure rate is substantially higher. Once again this is suggestive of some overall energy field where a wide range of information becomes available (a little like a water diviner at work)

In 20 years of running development groups and courses I have been convinced that everyone has an inherent psychic ability albeit the controls they place on themselves through their mind or upbringing can make it difficult to express. Personally I belive it is a gift from our DNA.

It is a big and useful physical peace.