Real psychics are very real.  As in all professions, you will get people who want to scam others, or who’s 6th sense is not as awakened as others.  They too, unfortunatley will consider themselves to be “psychics”, and give the real deal a bad name.  But again, welcome to planet earth.  This is true of every profession.

The Truth About Real Psychics

I have a confession to make.  I’m an intuitive medium, but I used to be a hard core skeptic.  My mother would talk about the famous medium John Edward and I would just roll my eyes and say, “Give me a break!”

Years later (quite by accident) I discovered that the things that were happening to me were because I am highly intuitive.  I guess my mom was right after all.

Over the years as I learned to work with my own abilities and then went on to become a professional intuitive reader, I’ve discovered something interesting that seems to separate the believers from the nonbelievers:

Real psychic ability:

• is subtle
• is not mind reading
• does not mean predicting the future

Psychic ability is a vast topic.  There are many different types of psychic ability and ways in which we receive intuitive information.

Skeptics often don’t understand this.  They also may not understand the difference between such things as a clairvoyant and a medium, or that there are all different types of readings.

What happens lots of times is that all “psychics” get lumped together in one general category.  This is a shame, because all intuitive readers and mediums are as unique as snowflakes, each with their own talents and specialties.

If you would have asked me the question are psychics real in 1999 I would have said no because I didn’t understand these things.  It wasn’t until it happened to me that I was able to answer yes!

Reality vs. Television

Once upon a time, psychics and mediums were taboo.  Nowadays, thanks to movies like The Sixth Sense, and television shows like Medium, the idea of psychic ability and spirit communication is becoming mainstream.

Things that were once portrayed as “woo-woo” are now portrayed in a much more practical light. People are seeing that intuitives and mediums are regular people just like everyone else.

The hit television show Ghost Whisperer is a great example.  The main character on the show is an ordinary woman… who just happens to talk to the dead!

People can relate to these characters because they are being depicted in a down-to-earth manner.  This is great, but sometimes we forget that this is fiction.  These programs and movies are very entertaining, but the ways in which television psychics use their gifts is not always accurate and is often over the top.

I remember one episode of Medium where the main character was asked by law enforcement to find a missing person who was presumed to be dead.  In a matter of minutes, she was able to stand on an open field and find the exact spot that the body was buried.  I’ve worked missing persons cases and like I said, this is very entertaining, but not accurate.

Some of the myths about psychic ability come from dramatizations such as this.  I’m not knocking these programs; in fact, I think they’ve been very helpful in opening the door of acceptance.  But we need to remember that these are works of fiction and are not real life.

Reasons for Skepticism

There are many other reasons why someone might answer no if you ask them the question, are psychics real.  Here are the most common reasons:

• They may have been the victim of a scam

• They may have had a bad experience with a psychic reading. If this is the case, it could be that the reader lacked experience or training. Don’t give up hope! There are plenty of ethical psychics out there.  You just need to know where to find them.

• It goes against their religious beliefs. This is OK, and we should always respect that everyone has a right to their own opinions and beliefs.

Are Psychics Real:  The Answer

Okay, so we know that not every kid who plays basketball ends up playing for the NBA. The same thing goes for psychic abilities:

All people have varying degrees of this ability ranging from simple intuition to the ability to communicate with spirits.

Don’t believe it?  Think about this:

• Have you ever had a time where you felt very strongly about someone that you just met but you didn’t know why?  Maybe you felt a positive, warm and fuzzy feeling, or a very negative feeling?  This was your ESP picking up on someone else’s energy!  That’s how your Higher Self connects with you.

Or, how about this:

• Have you ever thought about someone that you haven’t seen in a really long time only to run into them the next day, or get a phone call from them? Hmmm, sixth sense working here as well?

All living things are made up of energy.  Highly sensitive people – like legitimate psychics – have learned how to hone in and read this energy (this is where the term psychic reading comes from).

So yes Virginia, psychics are real!

Are you afraid of getting ripped off by a psychic scam? Tired of wasting your time and money on bogus psychics?

There’s a lot of psychics out there today and even before the start of mankind. A genuine psychic can see the potential for the future. Unfortunately there has been a huge number of people representing themselves as psychics in order to make money by telling people what they want to hear or else convincing them that without spiritual help they are going to have great misfortune. This has caused a bad reputation to psychics.

Find out the most common psychic scams and spot a genuine psychic today!

Free Psychic Readings!

One of the biggest ways to get caught into a scam is advertisements that state, “Free Psychic Readings.” Everyone is looking for a bargain, but when it comes to psychics you should really look for Quality. These advertisements get you to call quickly and once you are on the line you are given so many free minutes and when your time is up you will be tempted to continue with the psychic reading when the “reader” uses one or two intriguing hints like: ” I have some really exciting news for you that just came through to me, but unfortunately your free time is up. You would like to continue with the reading, wouldn’t you?” You are then asked for payment and the cost is usually extremely high for every minute that you are on the line thereafter.

It is very likely the “reader” is working off a carefully crafted script in order to ensnare you. How I know this is because I worked for one of the top online psychic companies, when I first started out professionally, and the first thing I was given was a detailed script of what I was to say to keep the reader on the line. I never did follow the script and I was very successful becoming their top psychic. Whatever reason you give not to pay and continue you will be met with a response from the “script” which you will find very difficult to refuse. You cannot say I didn’t warn you!

Do you honestly believe a Clairvoyant/Psychic reader will sit around all day working for nothing! Would you? I do not think so. A psychic has to pay bills just like anyone else and that is the reason that they charge for their services. Only if a psychic is blessed with great wealth can they do readings for free.
Most of these large psychic companies offer free readings because they do not have genuine quality psychics working for them, because they could not afford to pay them and they use people that follow a carefully outlined script and are good talkers.

The Negativity Scam

Another scam is telling you that you need to have all “Negativity Removed” from your life. That everything in your life will improve once all negative energy is removed from your presence. Often the negativity is coming from your money and if you give them your money they will burn it or destroy it in some sacred way that eliminates the negativity. Again do not fall for this. There are ways you can remove any negativity from your life and you can do it yourself. I send out newsletters where I teach people how to improve their life and spiritually develop their own protection.

These types of so called psychics are known as gypsies in the field because they move from victim to victim. I cannot begin to tell you how many people have called me telling me about spending thousands of dollars to psychics who claimed they could make someone love them, remove a curse, or protect them from someone who has been abusing them. Sad to say, clients have quoted prices ranging from $300 to $10,000 for removing curses. They are using fear and carefully crafted words to make you afraid that if you do not do what they say your life could be ruined.

Another tip I have is be careful with readings when the psychic tells you that you were an important person in your past lives. You might have had incarnations with important roles in society, but it is an absolute that you also had simple incarnations. You might have even been a slave or a simple blacksmith. So be very careful if you hear “You were Nefertiti in Egypt, then you were Cleopatra, and then you were Helen of Troy, you were Mozart, and then you were the Queen of England” That person is trying to get your trust by making you feel important.

You Have A Curse On You!

If any psychic tells you that you have a curse on you and they can remove it – hang up the telephone immediately. This person is going to try to fool you into paying large amounts of money to have the curse removed. They will also claim that they can bring back a loved one to you by their special work. No one can make someone love you because each one of us has free will.

Some “psychics” use this type of technique so that the clients become dependant on them in their time of vulnerability. I have had countless people tell me stories of spending thousands of dollars on psychics, to the point of financial ruin. Also, as a psychic in practice for more than 25 years now, and working with others of equal experience, I can assure you, that only under extremely rare circumstances would any psychic work, cost more than two hundred dollars, IF that. These readers have no basis for their suggestions to you, regarding “curses”.

How to Spot an Ethical Genuine Psychic

A genuine ethical psychic has no hidden costs, and no surprises. Most genuine psychics give to charities or give some time for free to different organizations.

Many also run prayer or meditations groups, or have students in spiritual study with them. A professional psychic relies on readings for their income and they want to make sure that their clients are happy.

A genuine psychic does not rely upon tools such as cards, crystal balls, pendulums, runes or any other outside tool. A truly gifted psychic will receive their answers from their own or their clients spirit guides, higher self and/or angels. Reputable psychics are concerned with the best possible way to serve their clients. It means a great deal to me that I am not just doing a job: I am serving humanity in a meaningful and useful way.

Reputable psychics know that their gift comes from the Divine Spirit, and that they are not in charge of it. A reputable psychic’s desire is to guide clients to understanding and truth, which will help them learn to transform the negatives in their own lives. A reputable psychic will never exploit you. A genuine psychic’s gift is natural; they do not encourage clients to think of them as god-like or superior. A reputable psychic focuses only on Truths, not unfounded Fear. A reputable psychic is interested in spiritual education for your own knowledge and growth.

Remember there are true gifted psychics who only want the best for you and will only charge a normal rate for their services and never ask for bonuses or extra money for their work.

So the next time you see the words, “Free Psychic Reading,” think carefully about your wallet and credit cards before you follow through on the advertisement.

“Why me?”

Why am I attracting “bad luck”?

Are you tired of dating and wanting to know where is your soul mate?

Have you been working in the same job for years and secretly fantasize about whether you will ever get a raise?

If these thoughts have crossed your mind, you’re not alone.

The desire to know what lies ahead is a fundamental human need as we seek certainty, stability and a harmonious existence in life – we want to know that for all our efforts, we will someday be rewarded. Particularly, when we suffer hardship or bouts of misfortune for no apparent reason, we consider if it’s something we are personally doing wrong or whether we have taken the wrong path. It is this human desire that leads us to look externally for answers and for some upon the doorstep of a trusty psychic on the quest for spiritual enlightenment.

So what exactly does it mean when we say a person possesses ‘psychic abilities’? There are a number of abilities we consider “psychic” but the two most commonly encountered in a street reading are psychometry, where a person reads the past history of an object by sensing its vibrational energy and precognition, where a person acquires knowledge of an event in advance by means of extra-sensory perception (ESP), premonition or vision.

While many of us consider fortune telling and such abilities as mere entertainment and a bit of mindless fun, for others there is a genuine risk of getting caught up in a dangerous psychic scam whereby certain frauds claim to possess these psychic abilities with a view to exploiting vulnerable people. Think it couldn’t happen to you? Don’t be so sure…

While I consider myself to be an educated, intelligent woman in control of my own fate for the most part, I have visited psychics on the occasion. Whenever I am faced with periods of stagnation, I attempt to obtain answers from the meta-physical world. However, much to my dismay, I am confronted with the same façade – a phony spiritual medium intent on defrauding me for his/her own pecuniary gain.

Sadly, my story isn’t unique. According to a Gallup Report in 2005, a study found that 73% of Americans believe in at least some form of psychic or paranormal phenomena. Further, it seems hundreds if not thousands of people across the US have not only experienced the same deceptive psychic con as myself, but have also lost tens of thousands of dollars along the way.

So why would an intelligent person continue to seek out spiritual guidance through psychics after being met with the same hoax time and time again? The secret of the ‘psychic allure’ lies in their intrinsic power to bestow insightful ‘magical’ information upon a vulnerable person in a scenario that typically begins as follows:

First, the hook – you see a sign that reads, “Psychic reading – $10.” You think, “that’s cheap, I’ll go in for a bit of fun”. The psychic glances at your hands and suddenly bedazzles you with extraordinary details about your life, family, profession, and relationships. Alternatively, a “stranger” may approach you on the street claiming to have a ‘spiritual gift’ and begins to freely divulge intimate details about your history.

Now, I’m not talking about those facts that constitute a ‘cold reading’, whereby a psychic sees an antique ring on your finger and deduces that the ring is very old. No, I’m talking about emotional, heart-wrenching private information that only you could possible know – when she tells you that your ex-boyfriend who you still hold a flame for with the initial K and N wants to reconcile with you OR that while your work in sales is rewarding, your heart truly desires a career in finance.

At this point, you’re impressed and think, “How does she know that? Maybe this person is really on to something!” So you listen a little more intently as she lures you in. Once she has gained your trust, she explains that the reason you can’t obtain Mr. Right or your dream job is because you have: a spiritual blockage; a curse upon you; and/or a dark energy around you – all preventing you from having a fulfilling, happy life.

It’s about this time that she will offer to help you by giving you a ‘spiritual cleansing’ emphasizing that this is the only way for you to obtain success and rid your evil – all for a starting price of anywhere between $250 to $14,000. When quizzed on why “God’s work” requires such a large amount of money, the answers usually range from: the darkness is too engulfing; the money is for special candles; the funds go to the church for prayer; and it’s the cost of the ingredients for a spell. Thankfully, my own common sense prevailed on each occasion and I politely declined such assistance. However, others have not been so lucky, falling victim to such hocus-pocus.

Gypsy Psychic/Spiritualist Scams is a website dedicated to exposing spiritual scams and blacklists thousands of phony psychics across the US. The site, which includes hundreds of accounts of victims’ stories, lists at least “750 Gypsy Fortune Tellers in the police database” and provides individuals with the ability to ‘name and shame’ fraudulent psychics and/or write reviews. Some of these victims have been conned out of tens of thousands of dollars and many have sought criminal proceedings against psychics for fraud.

Yet, the difficulty in holding such scammers accountable is that many hide behind the first amendment right protecting freedom of speech. While the Supreme Court has held that deceptive speech, such as fortune telling, enjoys no first amendment protection, the law provides an exception when the conduct is part of a show or for the purpose of entertainment or amusement. Hence, many psychics who bear a sign declaring that their services are “for entertainment purposes only” are able to escape liability.

But then how do we explain the ability of those who seem to exhibit an enhanced sense of ESP in revealing intimate details about our lives which cannot be attributed to mere trickery? For over a century, science has attempted to investigate into the validity of human psychic abilities to no avail. To date, there is no conclusive, scientific proof that parapsychological phenomena exist. In fact many scientists consider such supporting evidence as simply a product of co-incidence, biased or deliberately phony.

Nevertheless, there are a number of psychic studies which yield statistically significant results with many parapsychologists holding the view that psychic abilities are the result of a hereditary condition linked to genetics of the brain. Others suggest it is a skill which we all possess that lies dormant until activated. A recent study even claims that those with psychic abilities suffer from synesthesia – a genetic neurological condition enabling them to see sounds or smells or hear colors and feel feelings.

According to E. Mark Stern, humanistic and existential clinical psychologist, there are those who pretend they are psychic and do it for material gain, but there are others who are naturally drawn to this form of inner exploration and for them it is authentic:

“As a humanistic psychologist, I have never contradicted those who claim to be psychic. It is an important human quality to seek ways to extend consciousness and one’s own sense of self by finding realms within which go beyond the accepted materialist notions. With the diminishing influence of religion, people say they are ‘spiritual’ and in some cases their spirituality is a sense of what religion would have given them: non-dogmatic enchantment. People want to believe in something because ‘belief’ per se, no matter what the belief, is an enhancing part of one’s existence,” he told Alternet.

Ironically, it is a person’s ‘belief’ in these supernatural powers that enables a phony psychic to swindle you in the first place. The insightful information that a psychic divulges about you at the beginning of a reading – whether through legitimate psychic ability or solely guessing – is the reason he/she is able to convince you of any subsequent negative repercussions which may compel you to spend money. In this regard, it is important to note that psychic truths and supposed bad curses are not synonymous.

So what exactly constitutes a credible psychic and where can we find them? Can psychics really read our innermost thoughts and show us the way? To solve this mystery, I consulted highly regarded intuitive counselor Erin Pavlina for answers:

“Psychics can’t read your mind. Spirit guides can only metaphorically see the path in front of you as it is today and can give you a guide map. But you are still the one who makes the turns you wish to make. A professional intuitive will only give you options. At the end of the day, it is your choice and armed with that information, you decide whether to have the experience or not,” she told Alternet.

“As a professional, my duty is to relay information without flipping it through my own ego, desire or hopes. We must be ethical because people want to give us all of their power and we must not take it. I am not going to make decisions for people or rob them. I use my gift for people who desire them. I am merely providing a service,” she said.

As for the supposed ‘bad luck’ or ‘curses’, Pavlina is quick to dismiss such assertions explaining that fake psychics use this as a tool to prey on gullible people by invoking fear in order to relinquish a person’s control:

“Curses are not real. I don’t believe in good or bad luck. You create your own path and reality. You don’t ever need to remove a curse because it isn’t there. Anyone that tells you that you are cursed is asking for money and is trying to scam you. We believe in it because we all like to believe that there is a reason for not getting what we want. These psychics give people false hope by saying that if you let them remove your curse, you will obtain good luck. This is not going to happen.” Pavlina said.

This raises the question of why as human are we so desperate to seek out such services on the quest to know the future? According to psychotherapist, Dr. Neal M. Goldsmith, Ph.D, when people are thinking about spirituality they are thinking of the present, not the future:

“People want to know who they are right now at the deepest possible level, they want to know their inner soul. It’s not about seeking the future, it’s about seeking a happy future, which you gain from the present,” Dr. Goldsmith told Alternet.

As for avoiding bad luck, or more positively, attracting good luck, Dr. Goldsmith explains that our perception on good and bad luck emanates from our childhood experiences. If we were told we were inadequate as a child, then as adults we will seek out other measures of comfort, such as psychics, to explain our hardships and end up making additional blunders.

“While it looks like a string of bad luck, in reality, it is merely somebody attached to the embrace of their psychological history. The way to resolve a bad-luck personality is to go back to the origin – we’re not born feeling bad about ourselves or inadequate, we’re born just fine. What you are doing now is a projection of what you do inside – it comes from our own psychology,” he said.

Therefore, it seems it is not the external events that create our reality, but how we respond to them – our attitude. When we engage psychics we are seeking spiritual insight in order to change our self-concept and worldview. However, allowing others to validate our existence puts us at risk both financially and psychologically as we attempt to borrow supposed ‘good feelings’ from the future to obtain some level of comfort in the present.

While it can be fun to play with supernatural ideas, it is important to remember that psychic abilities and supposed curses are not mutually exclusive. Just because a person is able to display an extraordinary talent in revealing intimate details about your life – whether legitimately or through a cold-reading technique – does not justify any type of extortion under the guise of curing a curse that doesn’t exist.

Don’t be fooled.

Most of us wanted to know about the future, right?

Wouldn’t it be great to know if you should take that job you were offered? Or how to make your relationship better? Or how a relative who passed is doing on the Other Side?

Many folks are fascinated by the idea of getting a reading, but intimidated about trying it. After all, it’s new, and scary right?

Oftentimes people ask a psychic for help and guidance, unfortunately, many people approach their readings with unrealistic expectations. It’s important to remember that psychics aren’t fortune tellers. They are gifted seers and empaths, but they’re also human like you and me.

Of course hundreds of years of history around such a mysterious topic has created a great deal of mysticism and formed a level of expectation when it comes to psychics and psychic readings. We’re sharing some brief tips to help you understand what a genuine psychic can and cannot do.

1. A psychic can’t tell you how many fingers you’re holding behind your back. No, they also can’t pick winning lottery numbers. If psychics had that capability, only psychics would be lottery winners.
2. A real, honest psychic will never tell you there is a curse on you. The ones who do this are scammers asking for money to have it removed. BEWARE of any psychic asking for your money to cast spells or remove curses.
3. For a psychic reading to be truly beneficial, you need to have an open mind and be accepting of alternative paths for you. The future is not set in stone, and to get the best guidance, be free to the possibilities available to you.
4. If any individual fears moving forward, no amount of healing power or prayer will help them. In order to move towards a healthier future, you need to be able to let go of the past.
5. A genuine psychic will not tell you what you’re wearing or what you ate for breakfast. They will not tell you details like this—that’s not what they’re focused on! They’re tuning into your energy and seeing what surrounds you spiritually and mentally.
6. True, professional, trusted psychics tune into your energies when doing a psychic reading. They are generally clairvoyant, clairaudient, or clairsentient and they will always respect your energy.
7. A psychic reading is there to help guide you. It’s about healthy, personal development and self-empowerment. By looking at the possible paths ahead of you, a psychic can help you make informed decisions to manifest your honest desires.
8. When you find yourself in a difficult place in life, a psychic reading can give you invaluable insight to help change things for the better.
9. A real psychic won’t tell you what you want to hear.
10. A psychic reading is there to help guide you and resolve issues and problems in your life, but it is also there to bring you peace whenever you need.
11. Don’t forget that you have free will. A psychic can only tell you what your potential path is, but can’t make you walk it.

Remember that if you ever find yourself dissatisfied with your reading, it is your prerogative to kindly tell your psychic reader to end the reading. Not all readers are right for you or will have the ability to connect as strongly as others. A professional psychic will never be offended by this, in fact, they will be very understanding.