http://www.spiritual.com.au/ Psychic Ability
For centuries, all psychic matters have been repressed viciously and deemed "evil" or "sinful" by those who sought to maintain control over their "brothers." Such persecution led to secrecy and a form of elitism in this field. Now, thank God, we have reached that stage in Earth's evolution where the doors of superstition and fear that held us prisoner for so long are finally being smashed down. We are entering a period of spiritual renaissance. We are beginning to look to ourselves for answers rather than to an outside "authority;" we are beginning to take charge of our lives instead of letting others run it.
As we do, we are finding that "peace which passeth all understanding," that joy and satisfaction we have never before experienced, but certainly long sought. Good results in this vein have been achieved by those who have dedicated themselves to developing their psychic ability. It is not the only way to such peace. There are others, but I have found this an excellent way to achieve harmonic balance, wholeness and control of the environment around me without stress or great effort.
How does one determine if he has psychic ability and what they may be? It's not easy! There are "gurus" under every rock, and it seems at times there are as many psychics as there are real estate agents. They offer all sorts of courses, seminars, workshops, tapes, etc., in "self-discovery" and psychic development. It can become very confusing and, if caution and good common sense are not liberally employed, a bit risky. I suggest that you follow your "gut feeling" in every case. "By their fruits shall ye know them," said Jesus in the Christian Bible. This means, heed your inner "knowing," intuition, gut feeling.
Now before we go any further, let me put a popular myth to rest. Your psychic talents are not "gifts!" They are as much a part of your very being as your physical senses are. You may use them or not use them as you wish; if you don't use them, however, they may atrophy, as would unused physical senses.
What's the first step if you want to pursue this path? Very simply - COMMITMENT! This commitment is not to your teacher, not to the psyche, not to God, not to Jesus, not to whom it may concern. THE COMMITMENT IS SOLELY TO YOURSELF and no one else. If you are unwilling to invest in yourself, then you should pursue some other path.
You must also be willing to maintain an open mind. Do NOT PRECONCEIVE, EXPECT or ANTICIPATE. YOU MUST BE WILLING TO "ALLOW!" This means you must be willing to allow the psyche to prove itself to you; it will! Keep an open mind. Understand that there are no limits to learning or your ability other than those you set. First, however, YOU must make that big decision, that commitment to yourself and to your growth.
Assuming you have decided to go ahead with developing your psychic ability, I recommend that you first read as much in this field as possible. To that end, The Center for Gnostic Education at 5 Tower Hill Road, Killingworth, CT, 06419 will send a suggested reading list free to anyone requesting it, provided they include a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
In gathering information, DO NOT ACCEPT BLINDLY. If something feels comfortable to you, then go with it for the time being. You will find your beliefs will change as your level of awareness grows and you ALLOW. If something does not feel comfortable at a gut level, file it away or discard it. It is critically important to always remember that YOU ARE THE SOLE JUDGE OF THE VALIDITY OF THE INFORMATION YOU RECEIVE. Do not clutter up your mind with useless information.
The next step is to find the "right" teacher, class, and/or course. No teacher is right for everyone, so pick out one that you feel really comfortable with. I have found that if you meditate and ALLOW, you will be guided (often by a set of bizarre circumstances) to the right instructor for you. Pick the course that you are at ease with. It may be structured or religiously oriented, freethinking or experimental; in any case, it must feel comfortable to you.
Do not be afraid to investigate thoroughly, to ask questions, to follow your intuition. Classes and workshops vary widely in quality, extent and content. It is my observation that no field (except politics) is more rampant with charlatans, ego gratifiers, power-status seekers, controllers, space cadets, etc., than the psychic field, so you had better learn to discriminate. Feel for the psychic energy of the person you have turned to for help or teaching. Do not be swayed by fancy offices, promotional material or hype (some of the hype in this field could put car dealers to shame).
Find out if these folks subscribe to a code of ethics. If so, is it displayed? Remember, you are psychic also; you just haven't developed your abilities to the extent others may have. Use your common sense. It would be wise to seek a teacher who offers exploration of different psychic areas so that you can then determine where your interests lie and which area is best for you to pursue. You would, however, do well to remember that to really understand and "know," one must experience. Try an experiential course.
Once you begin your studies, remember your commitment. There will be distractions, and you will have to choose your priorities. Life is a series of choices, and these choices determine our future. There are no wrong or right choices - there is only learning. The amount of effort you put into your psychic development will determine what you get out of it. Ask questions - LOTS of questions! Don't be afraid to ask, for there are no "dumb" questions. If it is important enough to ask, then it is important enough to be answered. No instructor is omnipotent; in fact, we can learn much from our students.
DO's and DON'Ts of Pursuing Psychic Development
DO's:
1) DO ALLOW. The doors to the psychic open inward. The minute you tense, the minute you push, the minute you try to "make" something happen, you shut those doors. Only by relaxing and allowing do you permit those doors to swing open - inward!
2) DO BE PATIENT. In the United States, we are conditioned to expecting "instant" gratification. We have instant paint, instant soup, instant oatmeal, instant credit, instant "on," instant perfection. We must unlearn all this, for development of our psychic abilities is evolutionary in nature. Does a tree grow "instantly?" Does a child walk "instantly?" Does a bridge or a road get built overnight? All things happen at the right time - when you are ready! Being patient is perhaps the toughest task for the student, for we all want to succeed so badly RIGHT NOW! There is no success or failure here - only learning.
3) DO PRACTICE. This is the key to "success." The more you practice, the more you will hone your skills and increase your knowledge. Even a natural athlete MUST practice and practice and practice to become a champion. Keep to a set schedule, for discipline is just as important in developing psychic ability as in any other endeavor. Meditation is always helpful too.
DON'Ts:
1) DON'T BE DISCOURAGED. There will be times, especially at first, when you will seem unable to do anything. At that time, you must remember that your so-called "failures" are every bit as important as your "successes." How else will you learn what is psychic and what is your "imagination?" If you get nothing, it is probably that you are trying too hard. Back off and shift your focus temporarily. Think hard on the word "ALLOW." Let the psychic work for you, instead of against you.
2) DON'T MAKE IT OVERLY COMPLEX. Psychic is SIMPLE! It is because it is so simple that we have such great difficulty with it. The "Truth" IS simple, but this can be very threatening because we feel inadequate to deal with it. Therefore, we maintain that it is too complicated to understand properly, and promptly seek out an "authority" on whom to shift our responsibility. We seek "answers" in all the places where the answers are not, and avoid seeking them in the place where they are. ALL ANSWERS LIE WITHIN US. It is our "gnosis," our knowing. We also tend to focus on the "mechanics" or techniques of psychic development rather than the purpose. There is no single "right" technique. The right one is the one that is comfortable and works FOR YOU. EVERYTHING is simple! Learn that, and you will have learned the secret of Creation - and Life!
3) DON'T PANIC. There will be times when nothing comes and you will think, "Oh my God, I've bombed!" The psychic is not something you can turn on and off like a light switch. There will be times when nothing comes. You may be tired or sick or upset. That's okay. Just acknowledge it and withdraw for a while. Rely on your self-honesty. No matter how many readings you give, there will always be that nagging question, "What if I'm wrong?" You may well be, but as long as you gave the information exactly as it came through, exactly as you perceived it, then you did your best. That's all anyone can ask for. Don't fake it, for that is self-destructive. There's never enough proof - you must learn to trust yourself. If you do not, how can you trust or be trusted?
Caution: I maintain that NO psychic is 100 percent accurate all the time. If you believe such a claim, then you are a good prospect to sell the Brooklyn Bridge to. We're darned good if we are even 60 percent accurate - and I think that's rare. If you don't believe this, then check the accuracy rate of the predictions made by allegedly "top psychics" over the years.
What will developing your psychic talents do for you? That's really up to you. You are the only limit. In addition to the possibility of making your life much more peaceful, joyful and rewarding, you can also learn to really ACCEPT yourself. Then you will find that you can accept others as they are WITHOUT EXPECTATIONS. (This avoids a lot of severe disappointments.) You may find yourself actually liking yourself and, beyond that, even LOVING yourself AT THE BEING LEVEL (as opposed to the intellectual level).
If you have not learned to love yourself first, how can you possibly love another, or accept love in return? Universal brotherhood starts with you. You can change the world, but only by changing yourself first. You must begin to LIVE that which you are: a beautiful, loving soul - a child of God. IT ALL BEGINS WITH YOU - no one else. Developing your psychic ability (which each and every one of us already possess) can improve your life beyond your wildest dreams. The potential is there. The choice is yours. GO FOR IT!