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Remember that defining moment recently, when the novel coronavirus finally made its way into your everyday reality? Your spiritual well-being and metaphysical beliefs were probably the last things on your mind. In fact, the spiritual meaning of this pandemic will not be a major consideration for most at this time. But in the dark, difficult days that still lie ahead, the Covid-19 pandemic will increasingly reveal its profound spiritual truths. And in its devastating aftermath, we will have no choice but to acknowledge and embrace its spiritual significance in our post-pandemic reality. When Covid-19 was officially declared a global pandemic, and made its unwelcome way into international news headlines, many people reverted to the ‘first law of nature.’ They responded instinctively with their best personal strategies for self-preservation. Some hysterically stockpiled a lifetime supply of hand sanitizer and toilet paper, while others stubbornly gathered en masse at street festivals, religious gatherings, and even at their nearest beach, despite medical experts and authorities advising against it. Many simply carried on with life ‘as normal’, until they could no longer ignore the writing on the wall. Meanwhile, the least anchored among us, tried to alleviate their overwhelming anxiety and confusion by seeking certainty in fake news, superstition, and the outlandish fearmongering of conspiracy theorists. Some went into hardcore survival mode, compelled by their lack consciousness and a scarcity mentality, while others still continue to choose the path of least resistance: denial. And in-between these polar opposite responses, the best, and worst examples of human behavior continue to surface all over the world. In times of trauma and extreme crisis, the true nature of our values, priorities and beliefs tend to be blatantly exposed. We are clearly not a generation that will be remembered for our personal accountability, spiritual wisdom or metaphysical maturity. Yet, I believe that even the most careless and bizarre responses we have been seeing in our communities are not simply a symptom of people’s ignorance, recklessness, weakness, or selfish egotism. Their conduct is not a result of their lack of humanity, but rather due to their lack of spirituality. For in times of trauma and extreme crisis, the true nature of our values, priorities and beliefs tend to be blatantly exposed. And goodness me...namaste...have some of us been caught with our pants down! Many of the irresponsible actions and peculiar coping strategies we have been witnessing in recent weeks, reveal just how out of touch humanity has become with its true spiritual origins. Many clearly do not realize that they are spiritual beings having a human experience. They do not recognize themselves as divine beings on a sacred soul adventure. They do not understand that they are powerful points of consciousness; expressions of the Divine Source; particles of light in the spectacular daily miracle of life. Many among us have very little, if any sense that there is something greater than themselves that makes our world go round. And they also have no idea how much their every word and deed impacts everyone and everything around them. Until now, that is. As a society we have generally lost our sense of spiritual purpose and meaning. There is a lack of understanding of the metaphysical part we play in the greater scheme of things. As a global community we lack spiritual substance. And this absence of spiritual awareness and inner connection has become glaringly evident in the callous, careless manner we tend to treat each other, as well as our unashamed disregard for all other sentient beings with which we share this planet. ​Our co-created world is currently not a very nice place. We have been increasingly plundering our natural habitat, and poisoning our environment. We have been slavishly following unstable, corrupt leaders, while we worship many false gods and narcissistic idols, and lash out daily at each other on social media. We have created a manic world nauseous with the pursuit of personal pleasure and material wealth, while our discontent souls have been increasingly suffocating in the arid wasteland of our spiritual deprivation. We are clearly not a generation that will be remembered for our personal accountability, spiritual wisdom or metaphysical maturity. A Show-Stopping Pattern Interrupt Is it therefore any wonder that the time had finally come for a major change, a colossal shift, a profound reawakening, a global step back? And the novel coronavirus has delivered exactly that to us, in no uncertain terms: a show-stopping pattern interrupt that will forever change our worldview! Covid-19 is so much more than just a nasty new disease, a scientific anomaly, a tragic twist of fate, or an everyday inconvenience for those who still believe all of this is just an ‘overblown hoax.'’ ​Spirit can only communicate with us on our current level of understanding, and our spiritual habits at that time will determine what the format will be. So, at this time in human history, the Divine apparently had no other option but to sternly address us as a collective, in a way that none of us could willingly ignore, or completely disregard. For the first time, in a very long time, the Divine has now intervened on a global scale. While in our arrogance we were busily building our 'towers of Babel,' the Big Computer in the Sky decided it was time to hit a global reset button we did not even know existed. The time had come for a total reboot. And in truth, it is what we all have been asking for with our thoughts, words and deeds... what we have been setting an intention for. For we are the creators of our own reality experience and co-creators of our global reality. And when we ask, it is always given, but not always in a way we might expect or anticipate. Many of us wanted drastic change in our world, and now it has finally arrived. Does this mean the pandemic is a stern ‘act of God’ to punish mankind for its spiritual barrenness? No, definitely not. For only contrast is of Spirit. Suffering at the hand of an ‘angry god’ is a man-made notion. The Divine does not chastise or rebuke, it guides and teaches for the greater good. ​The shadows of life add spiritual depth and dimension to our human journey, like route-markers along our path. But these times of adversity are never intended to dominate our life with darkness, neither do they determine our ultimate destiny. What we learn from these contrasting experiences is all that truly matters in the end. The Surprise Element Of Divine Intervention Very few appear to have had the privilege of much foresight in the arrival of this pandemic, and as usual the voices of those who predicted it were largely ignored. But the ‘surprise element’ is to be expected when there is to be divine intervention on a global scale. The great equalizer indeed. ​The closest I personally came to any sense of what was coming, were the repeated messages of caution I had lately been channeling for many of my clients during consultations - especially for those who are business owners, entrepreneurs and investors. I warned them to get their affairs in order, for the global economy was heading for another major downturn. Since late 2018, I had been increasingly having the premonition that there would be another major economic recession in the foreseeable future, similar to the financial crisis we experienced a decade ago, possibly even worse. But this time the financial industry, banks, hedge funds and mortgages would not be the root cause. ​Some of my clients were not amused when I warned them of this. And when they asked me why this would happen, my sense was always that the cause would be somehow political in nature. I suspected we might be heading for a major war, or possibly some sort of civil unrest or upheaval. The fact that it might actually be due to a new viral disease was not revealed to me at the time. Today, I understand why. ​In my personal life, I at least had the privilege of some foresight, when spirit began to encourage me to prepare myself many weeks ago, which made it possible for me to go into voluntary self-isolation two weeks prior to authorities announcing an official lockdown in my country. Of course, I might add that as a highly sensitive empath, I have been practicing social distancing for most of my life anyway, which helped me to adapt quite easily to being in so-called ‘self-quarantine.’ In that sense it has been pretty much 'business as usual' for me. While in our self-absorbed arrogance we were eagerly building our towers of Babel, the Big Computer in the Sky decided to hit a global reset button we did not even know existed. Interestingly, in recent weeks I have also become intensely aware of the increased presence of the collective energy of many departed family members around me, more so than at any other time in my life. If you are experiencing the same at the moment, know that they are here at this time to support, guide and protect us. It reminds me of the words of Linda Hogan, "Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. Be still, they say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands." So, while many people were rushing around to stock up on essentials in recent weeks, or getting their affairs in order at home and the office, I had already settled into my ‘new normal,’ and could begin to focus more of my time and energy on my spiritual practice, as well as being of continued service to my clients all over the world. Courtesy of my self-imposed lockdown, I had the luxury of spending more time than usual in daily meditation, and continue to do so. I have been doing this mainly for the purpose of channeling information, because I feel it my duty as a lightworker to gain a greater understanding and spiritual insight into what is currently happening in our world. ​ So, what are the spiritual lessons this global pandemic is delivering to us? Well, the following is what Spirit has revealed to me so far: Brave New World, Bright New Future ​Disasters and crises have always been ruthless, yet very effective spiritual teachers. There are many spiritual life lessons to be learned at this time, which will be much needed when begin to rebuild our post-pandemic world. First, let me reassure you that we will recover from this crisis. This too shall pass, but our world will never quite be the same again. And although it will be somewhat different in many respects, it will definitely also be better. Please know that there is much method in all the current madness. Blessed are they who will grow to understand the spiritual significance of this global pandemic, and awaken to its messages of universal truth. For they will be the spiritual warriors of a brave new world; the wayshowers to a brighter future; the architects of an improved civilization. The Spiritual Necessity Of Deep Contrast Covid-19 is reminding us that one of the principle spiritual forces that governs our human journey is the notion of ‘contrast.’ In the book of Genesis, for example, night and day was created first and foremost, before anything else. Similarly, the black and white duality of the Yin and Yang symbol in ancient Chinese philosophy represents this immutable Universal Law of Polarity. Contrast is the basis of our physical life experience. A shining light has no purpose when there is no darkness to define its brilliance. Life will always have its ups and downs. These experiences of contrast is what we knowingly signed up for before we arrived on the planet. We knew before we came that we would face both love and fear, prosperity and hardship, abundance and deprivation, joy and suffering, wellness and dis-ease. Without the balancing properties of contrast our human journey would actually be a monotone, uninspiring affair that will not ignite within us the desire to achieve, discover and expand as spiritual beings in human form. Extreme darkness rekindles the radiant flame of the human spirit. Know that once this bitter cup has finally passed, our world will be a much better place. ​Indeed, much grief, despair and suffering will ultimately result from the ravages of this global epidemic. Everyone’s life will be touched in some way, and we will face challenges we never before imagined possible. But in time, much good will come from all of it. The light at the end of this tunnel is much brighter than many will be able to see at this time. Many are saying that our lives ‘will never be the same’ after this, but what they fail to also add is that our lives will be better than it has been before. Deep contrast is the birthplace of great innovation and reinvention. It is the catalyst for miraculous healing, and the inspiration for crystal clarity of what we truly desire as co-creators. Extreme darkness rekindles the radiant flame of the human spirit. Know that once this bitter cup has finally passed, our world will be a much better place for it. In the happier, healthier days yet to come, we will turn the dark tears of this uncertain time into many precious pearls of wisdom. We shall find many unexpected blessings in this curse, for years to come. The Simple Joys Of Gratitude At the very least this pandemic will teach us to revere and appreciate life more. It will show us what it means to be truly mindful and present in the now, and how to savor the sweet nectar of even the most ordinary moments. We will find a new appreciation for the simple joys of life, while it exposes our attachment to meaningless material things and superficial pursuits. Many of us will learn that even the most dedicated spiritual practice is meaningless when we are controlled by our daily obsessions and the things we own. For where our treasure is, there also is our heart. ​Instead of constantly yearning for something bigger and better, despite everything they already have, many will now discover for the first time the true meaning of gratitude, and realize that it is in fact the antidote to the emptiness and discontent in their daily lives. No matter what, or how little we may have, there are always many awesome things to be thankful for. Sadly, the only time we usually recognize these gifts in our life, is when a major change in our life circumstances forces us to take another hard look, and count all of our blessings for a change. The Oneness In Our Separation Covid-19 is the great equalizer that does not care who you are, or where you are from. It does not choose to infect only certain humans, based on their religion, race, nationality, sexual orientation, level of education, or material wealth. It does not observe title, success or status. It is coming for all of us in some way, even those who may not experience any symptoms, as well as those who may never become infected at all. In the end it will impact all our lives: socially, culturally, and most of all economically. Nobody will be immune to its future impact. The coronavirus pandemic is a sobering reminder of the Universal Law of Divine Oneness. There is a reason why the Golden Rule of ‘treating others as you want to be treated,’ is a prevalent concept in most world religions and spiritual traditions. We are all connected. We are one. And we cannot escape our responsibility towards each other, even in this time of increased social isolation and unprecedented physical separation. For until we all learn to think more universally, instead of separately, there will never be a brighter future for any of us. We are not living among each other; we are living through each other. For the truth is that our world has become what each one of us have chosen it to be. The co-created world we live in is a collective product of all the thoughts, ideas, opinions, attitudes, values, choices, decisions, and actions each and every one of us have brought to the table. ​Our every thought and action affects the thoughts and actions of every other person in our world. Our dysfunctional world is not the product of just one person. Not one of us has the right to say, “I am good, I am kind, I am mindful, I am too cool for school! The state of our world is not my fault, or my problem.” The truth is, we all share in a co-created reality that is only as strong as its weakest members, and whether we like it or not, we are indeed each other’s keepers. ​The sooner more of us will contemplate the Oneness of our being and the connectedness of everything in our Universe, the sooner we will be able to manifest a better world for all. Understanding our universal connection, and our responsibility to one another, is the only way we will ever know lasting joy, peace, happiness and fulfillment in this world. For even the most sheltered and fortunate among us, will at some point suffer the loss of luxury, privilege or liberty due to our attitude of disconnect. Until we all learn to think more universally, instead of separately, there will never be a brighter future for any of us, much less for our children. ​There is no such thing as the ‘personal good,’ there is only the greater good, and the highest good for all. The same pain, fear, love and joy that runs through your veins, runs through everyone else's in this world. And the current impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is concrete, undeniable evidence of this universal spiritual truth. May this new virus teach us new patterns of thinking about how we impact each other. May it force us to reconsider our place and our role in society. May it teach us new levels of kindness, compassion and charity. For we are not living among each other; we are living through each other. Blessed Are The Mindful Blessed are the mindful and the spiritually aware in these traumatic times, for they will be calm and flexible in the darkest of days. Their spirituality will be an indispensable compass, and anchor during this pandemic. For to make the most of our journey in this lifetime, and to fulfill our true destiny as spiritual beings, we must be able to trust in our divine power to adapt and transcend. Our inner core of divine connection is what keeps us grounded, centered and serene when the world around us seems to be falling apart. As this pandemic rages on, the spiritually faithful will be savoring the rewards of their continued devotion to their inner divinity and higher consciousness. It is in times like these that our spiritual practice makes all the difference. The same will not hold true for those who have been neglecting the inner world, and the Great Beyond. Those who no longer believe, or have never believed in anything, will have much less to hold on to, and very little to keep them grounded. Tragically, they have become so caught up in the trappings of their material reality, that they no longer feel connected to anything greater than themselves. And for them this will not be an easy time. Whatever your spiritual beliefs or religious convictions may, or may not be, the Covid-19 pandemic will be an undeniable spiritual wake-up call for all of us. It is reminding us that life is short, precious and sometimes full of uncertainty. And if the rampage of the coronavirus does not get your spiritual attention, I’m not sure what will. For typically we tend to only reach out to Spirit in times of unbearable or unforeseen life events. And this time we truly are in serious trouble! ​Nothing sparks a renewed interest in our spiritual beliefs quite like a global disaster. The spiritually careless among us will be forced to take another look at the face of God during this crisis. Even the most skeptical and atheistic among us will have to somehow contemplate their values, opinions and beliefs about the nature and meaning of their existence. Mind, body and soul…none of us will emerge from the current mayhem unscathed. The Global Vision Quest There is a rite of passage in traditional shamanism known as a vision quest. It requires the seeker to spend a significant period of time alone in nature, often without food, water, or shelter, until he receives a vision for his life’s purpose from the Great Spirit. During his time of isolation and deprivation, the initiate is forced to face his deepest fears and insecurities, and must strive to gain greater clarity about the meaning and purpose of life. The Covid-19 pandemic will indeed be such a ‘vision quest’ for many of us. The Covid-19 pandemic brings us many opportunities for personal and spiritual growth. Social distancing, self-isolation, quarantine and a general slowdown, are creating a unique opportunity to 'amp up' our daily spiritual practice, and rekindle our relationship with our Higher Self, Spirit, Source, God, the Divine. Nothing gets in the way of love​. Generosity of spirit empowers us to perform miracles and wonders. The disruption of our normal routine and the suffering of loss, offers us a period of divine grace to truly reconsider our core morals, values and beliefs, as well as the meaning and purpose of our lives. Make the most of this window of opportunity, for it is a period of divine grace. ​Idle days spent in isolation will teach us many valuable lessons about the true meaning of love, compassion, kindness, humility, integrity, faith, hope, courage, perseverance, and especially forgiveness. Some will experience intense grief and bereavement that will rekindle their faith in this time, or cause them to find new purpose in their lives, while others will simply lose their innocence or complacency. Most of all this crisis will reveal to us the true meaning and value of service. For we all share only one common purpose or calling in this life, and that is to be of service. Service to each other, to the fauna and flora of our planet, to the natural environment, and to Spirit. May this global crisis teach us to give to others in the same way that others have given to us. May we all discover new ways to make the world a better place. May we also learn that nothing gets in the way of love, and that generosity of spirit empowers us to perform miracles and wonders. ​Everything we experience in life has a spiritual significance. No event or circumstance is ever random, arbitrary, or a coincidence. Every moment matters. And right now humankind is going through a significant moment; a collective spiritual growth spurt; a period of deep contrast; a profound metaphysical realignment; a dark night of the soul; a great global awakening. How we will recover and heal from this pandemic as a collective, and how we will apply the spiritual truths it has so unpleasantly delivered to us, remains to be seen. Visualize The Cure, Not The Calamity Meanwhile, wherever you a may be the in the world, know that you are never alone. We are all in this together, and Spirit always has your back, even in the most desperate moments when everything seems hopeless. During the difficult days ahead, do not believe all the dysfunctional noise and fearmongering. Those anxious, hysterical voices are only out there because they do not have a spiritual practice or inner compass, and they currently have a lot of idle time to broadcast their fake news and toxic negativity. The rest of us are too busy with real efforts to stay safe, support each other and help the world heal from the true effects of this pandemic. How do we heal our world, and return to the 'new and improved' normal? The answer is simple. Pray. Meditate. Fantasize. Imagine. Daydream. Visualize. Every day. Set an intention for science and technology to manifest the necessary treatments and interventions soon, instead of obsessing over who is to blame, or getting caught up in self-pity, conspiracy theories, conflict, lack consciousness, or a scarcity mentality. What we focus on is what will become our reality, and we now need all hands on deck. If more of us confidently intend the manifestation of the solution, instead of debating the problem, we will reach critical mass and tip the scale much sooner! There is no future in the past, and fearful worrying is just a way to create more of what we do not want. Visualize the cure, not the calamity. It is my prediction that, once our collective consciousness has gained critical momentum, divinely inspired medical science and technology shall find the prevention and cure. ​No matter how this new virus may impact your life, always remember that you are a divine being, and creator of your own reality experience. Don’t give away your power to anyone or anything. And to take back your power in any given situation, begin by focusing on the things you can control - the thoughts you choose to think is usually the best place to start! We exist in a co-created reality, in which we cannot always choose all our circumstances. But how we think and feel about any given situation is always our choice. Life is not always easy, or fair, and contrast is a necessary part of our spiritual journey in this lifetime. But fear, self-pity, or feeling defeated, is not the way to deal with it. Stay strong and move forward one day at a time. This too shall pass. ​​© 2020 Anthon St. Maarten ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthon St. Maarten is a psychic medium and destiny coach with a global clientele of thought leaders, business executives, celebrities, politicians, academics, and luminaries in the arts and sciences in more than thirty countries spanning five continents. He is also a metaphysics teacher, psychic development coach, podcaster, and spiritual blogger. Anthon is a hereditary psychic medium in professional practice since 2004 and a liberal arts post-graduate with a major in psychology. Anthon publishes the spiritual life design blog, The S Word, and is the author of Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny and The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception.

The current state of the world is no doubt the 'winter of discontent' for our generation. 'Pandemic fatigue’ or ‘covid burnout’ has been taking its toll on even the most resilient, spiritually grounded, and level-headed among us. Nobody has been immune to the ravages of the past year's challenges. But how we ultimately emerge from this time of extreme contrast will be a make-or-break free will choice. How we spiritually manage the remainder of these difficult days will determine the next chapter of our life and serve as a springboard for the rest of our journey in this lifetime. We recently reached the one-year mark in an ongoing global crisis and it has certainly not been rainbows, butterflies, or unicorns. In fact, it has been an annus horribilis in every possible sense. The Covid-19 pandemic is without a doubt one of the most challenging experiences of spiritual contrast many of us will have to face in our current lifetime. Those of us who are spiritually aware and committed to an awakened, conscious lifestyle have been aware of the spiritual significance of these dark and difficult times. We have been valiantly embracing the many opportunities for personal empowerment and soul growth this time of deep contrast has been presenting to us. Some with more success than others. There is, however, one valuable spiritual prospect that many seekers and believers are currently blissfully unaware of, or not taking full advantage of. Many do not seem to understand that we have a powerful window of opportunity currently open to us that can set in motion the future fulfillment of our most cherished life goals, and the manifestation of our most ambitious hopes, dreams and desires. Contrast is the spiritual spice of life. It's a foolish mistake to assume that when the going gets tough, the magic must stop. Now is the ideal time to manifest miracles. Our future is not tomorrow. The future is what we are creating today. Right now. It's a foolish mistake to assume that when the going gets tough, the magic must stop. The darker and more difficult the times, the more vital it becomes to hold on to your dreams and launch new rockets of desire. Now is in fact the ideal time to manifest miracles! The most fertile time for manifesting abundance, prosperity, joy and fulfillment is not during the happy, carefree days of our life, when we are cruising along on autopilot and everything is peaceful and prosperous. Quite the contrary. Our innate desire as spiritual beings to expand, achieve, prosper, and fulfill our true destiny is seldom fueled by times of comfort, ease, and abundance. It is actually during the darkest, most challenging times of deep soul contrast, spiritual adversity and intense trauma and suffering that we realize what truly matters and learn to appreciate even the smallest blessings in our lives. It is only when we have experienced the chill of a brutal, grim winter, that we can begin to fully cherish the warmth of a bright summer’s day. Contrast is the spiritual spice of life. The past year has been exactly such a stark wake-up call. Many of us have found a new awareness of our true priorities, hopes and dreams. Sadly, not everyone will maximize their chances of successfully manifesting these newfound dreams and goals. In fact, some will stumble out of the Covid arena bruised and battered with little to show for surviving the battle, despite the current opportunities presented to them. Other will simply return to the comfort zone of their pre-pandemic life. And tragically, some will be worse off than they were before this existential storm. Some will stumble out of the Covid arena bruised and battered with little to show for surviving the battle. For the spiritually savvy person this is make-or-break time. And contrary to all the doom prophets and naysayers, there is much to look forward to. The spiritually wise and metaphysically empowered will however come out of these times ready to embrace a meaningful new life of joy, fulfillment, abundance, prosperity, combined with a heightened level of empathy, social responsibility and spiritual wisdom. How you consciously manage the remainder of this challenging time will determine the next chapter of your life. It will lay the foundation for what you will manifest in the medium-to-long-term future, while setting the scene for what to expect from the rest of your journey in this lifetime. Now is certainly not the time to be complacent or despondent. For the spiritually savvy person this is make-or-break time. It’s very much now, or never. And contrary to all the doom prophets and naysayers, there is so much to look forward to for those of us who will be ready to embrace the many blessings and opportunities I foresee in our future. Many revolutionary innovations and unexpected new possibilities will come forth from these difficult times, like lotus flowers blooming brightly in the morning light from the messy, murky waters of a dark night. Now is absolutely the time to 'get all dressed up while there is still nowhere to go.' Now is the time to rise up and embrace the life lessons and spiritual growth opportunities all of this contrast has delivered to us and use it to recalibrate our consciousness, realign our energy and reinvent our lives for the better. Contrast is a gift of divine inspiration. Now is the time to redesign your destiny and set your intentions for manifesting a new and improved future reality. And this is how you can start achieving this today: Adjust Your Attitude The first step in beating back ‘pandemic burnout’ and setting in motion the manifestation of your bright new future is to choose how you are going to think and feel about the current circumstances. I foresee that we are still much less out of the woods than many currently may want to believe. In many places we are still set to hit rock-bottom and in others the aftermath of the pandemic will in time reveal even more losses, trauma and collateral damage. The effects and influences of this novel coronavirus will reverberate for many years to come. There is only one sensible path when we are confronted with such an agonizing, frustrating co-created circumstance, over which we have little control as individuals. Instead of hopelessly trying to change the situation, it makes much more sense to adapt our attitude and change ourselves. It is spiritually foolish to constantly row upstream and fight the currents of life, or passively wait for the tides to change. To get to our destination, we must calibrate our inner compass, adjust our sails to the winds, and look up at the guidance of the stars. This does not mean we surrender or give up. Quite the contrary. It means we harness the contrasting energy of the times and make the absolute most of the circumstances exactly as they are right now. Everything happens for a reason and spiritually mature, empowered people accept personal responsibility for their daily reality experience. The renowned Austrian psychologist Viktor Frankl referred to this as “the last of the human freedoms: to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Frankl discovered this universal truth during his time as a teenage prisoner in various Nazi concentration camps during the Second World War. Everything was taken from him: his freedom, his family and friends, his clothes and possessions, his name, and even the hair they shaved off his head - except for the one remaining freedom we all possess: the ability to choose how he was going to think and feel in that dreadful situation. The positive, hopeful, determined attitude he chose in the end ensured his survival and he went on to become a celebrated neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher and author who fulfilled his true destiny and lived out his life until the age of 92. The only true human freedom we have is the ability to choose our attitude in any given set of circumstances. You absolutely do have a choice at this moment in time. We always have a choice. Make the better choice today. It will be wise to assess your attitude and mindset going forward. A pessimistic, cynical outlook, toxic anger and frustration, or a victim mentality, will not invite new blessings and miracles into your life. Trust me on that. It will only serve to rub salt in the wounds and add further insult to injury. Choosing a hopeful, enthusiastic, courageous, even excited outlook will instead empower you to manifest a better, brighter future. You absolutely do have a choice at this moment in time. We always have a choice. Make the better choice today. Change Your Thoughts To take back your power in any given situation, focus on the things you can control. The thoughts you choose to think is usually the best place to start. Your fears, worries and false beliefs do not keep you safe. They keep you small. When you are trapped in negative, pessimistic thought patterns, your mind is no longer free to set new intentions, nor visualize a brighter future. For that is how we create: with our consciousness; with everything that goes on in our mind. Manifesting is a dual process governed by two universal spiritual laws, namely the Law of Creation and the Law of Attraction. You can read more about this in my book Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny. The bottom-line is that manifesting is a two-sided process of both creation and attraction. We must create (plan, design, envision, imagine) what we want, and then attract those creations into our reality experience. We do this by resonating with, or becoming a match to the energy frequency of whatever we wish to manifest. Like attracts like. Birds of a feather flock together. Until we match the energy, our wishes cannot become manifest. How bright or bleak is your current vision for the future? If you don’t like what you currently find in the corridors of your mind, now would be a vital time to sort that out as soon as possible. Therefore, the next hurdle to overcome in these tough, crazy times is to be wise about what we are choosing to create. We create with our consciousness. Thoughts become things. What we think about, what we focus on and pay attention to, what we choose to believe, all adds up to what will ultimately become our manifested reality. We are the creators of our own reality experience, therefore we must be mindful about what we choose to think and believe, for this will determine our destiny and the outcomes of our future reality experience. Consider what you have been consciously, and subconsciously creating in your mind lately. Take stock of your thought patterns and mental processes. How bright or bleak is your current vision and outlook for the future? Do you even have a proper vision for your future? If you don’t like what you currently find in the corridors of your mind, now would be a vital time to sort that out as soon as possible. Shift Your Focus If you do find yourself engaging in a lot of negative thought patterns at the moment, it is very likely that your pessimism, fear and doubt may be caused by your current choice of mental focus. Consider for a moment what you have been feeding your mind lately. What have you been paying most attention to in the world around you. Here’s the deal: a better, brighter future cannot emerge from the ashes of a contrasting experience if we continue to dwell on the past, or obsess over the unpleasant details of the current manifested reality. There is no future in the past, and what is evident today, will no longer be true tomorrow. Empowered manifestors are masters of their own mind. They are not slaves to self-limiting beliefs, nor servants to small-minded views of the world. Empowered manifestors are masters of their own mind. They are not slaves to self-limiting beliefs, nor servants to small-minded views of the world. Now is the time to carefully consider what you are choosing to focus on, think about, pay attention to and believe. Yes, things are difficult and chaotic right now, but get over it. Instead of focusing on what is, or how bad things may appear to be right now, what you should be doing more of is focusing on what you wish to see, experience and manifest in the future. Use the remainder of this difficult time to focus more on what you do want for your future. Set your intention to manifest solutions, instead of obsessing over problems that you cannot change or control. Visualize the cure, stop feeding the calamity. Focusing on everything that is wrong or missing in your life today will not serve to invite tomorrow’s joy, fulfillment, success, abundance, or prosperity. Instead of investing your divine creative energy by focusing on the negative aspects and every grim detail of the current reality, you will be wise to direct your focus towards what you envision, wish for and desire for the future. Clarify Your Goals Times of contrast are not intended to be an everlasting pity-party of fear, despair, victim mindsets, lack consciousness and a scarcity mentality. Yes, initially when disaster and tragedy strikes, contrast is meant to turn our world upside down, because the ensuing wave of chaos, misery and anguish is what will ultimately push us forward to a newfound awareness of life’s joys and blessings we otherwise usually take for granted. But once we have been rudely awakened and radically confronted by such an experience of contrast, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and get ourselves back on track with renewed strength, wisdom, clarity, determination, and ambition. From the contrast must arise a new vision for our future. This is the dualistic dynamic of this spiritual adventure we signed up for in this lifetime. Like it or not, this is how we roll as spiritual beings in human form. The unwanted aspects of the current reality is meant to give rise to new rockets of desire. Find those rockets now, so you can launch them and set the wheels of your future manifestations in motion as soon as possible. If you currently find your attention and focus morbidly turning to what is, instead of what can be, use those moments of negativity as an opportunity to consider what you truly want instead. For that is what contrast is meant to teach us. It is supposed to show us what we do want, not just what we don't want. From our agony, grief and suffering must emerge new desires, hopes and dreams for the future. This is the true purpose of spiritual contrast. Without contrast there is no growth, innovation, renewal or expansion. Even Mother Nature knows that a perpetual summer makes no sense. There must be a winter. The cold months of the year strengthen the roots of trees and enable plants to store energy for renewed growth. In fact, the harsher the winter, the more the plant kingdom thrives when the warm sunshine returns. The unwanted aspects of the current reality is meant to give rise to new rockets of desire. Find those rockets now, so you can launch them and set the wheels of your future manifestations in motion as soon as possible. Don’t be tempted to indulge in pessimism, negativity or self-pity during the rest of these dark, difficult times. Use the contrast as it was intended: to serve as fuel for discovering new goals and dreams. Begin to focus on what you want, instead of what you do not want. Focus on the possibilities. The limitations will take care of itself. Release Your Resistance Figuring out what we yearn for and truly desire is, however, the easier past of successfully working through a time of contrast. And this is where even more of us are currently floundering. Some may have already found crystal-clear clarity in recent months regarding their hopes and wishes for the future, but many of those post-pandemic dreams will fall through the cracks and go up in smoke because their owners lack energetic resonance and alignment with what they are hoping to attract and manifest. When we are indulging in negativity and hopelessness we are perpetuating an energy frequency that creates resistance to new blessings and opportunities from entering our life. It pushes the good stuff away and blocks our progress. We can only attract what our energy is resonating with today, not what we hope to be energetically compatible with tomorrow. There is also no point in sending out energy that is telling the Universe, God, Spirit, Source what we do not want, or how much we despise the mess the world has become this past year. Stating the obvious of what is with our energy signal will not transform those things we do not want. It will merely recreate it, or worse, invite even more of that negativity into our life. Resistant energy prevents new miracles from manifesting. This current existential drama is co-created and divinely ordained. It is beyond our individual choosing or control and it must unfortunately play itself out to its bitter end. While you wait out the storm, focus instead on aligning yourself with the next chapter of your life. The most self-empowering step you can therefore take in the remainder of these difficult time is to release the energetic resistance you may have been cultivating by pushing against the circumstances of the pandemic. Let go of the struggle, release the frustration, stop fighting the tide! It is what it is. This current existential drama is co-created and divinely ordained. It is beyond our individual choosing or control and it must unfortunately play itself out to its bitter end. We exist in a co-created reality in which we do not always choose all the outcomes and circumstances. Much of our shared reality is manifested in collaboration with the rest of humanity, and on top of that some of it is also chosen for us by divine intervention. There are times in our life when God, Spirit, Source, the Universe, decides what is best for us. But how we choose to think and feel about a given situation is always our free will choice. While you wait out the storm, focus on aligning yourself with the next chapter of your life and begin to prepare yourself for your amazing future. Many souls are spiritually and mentally lounging around these days, wasting precious time, or feeling miserable, hopeless, bitter, or sorry for themselves. There is absolutely no worse death curse than the humdrum daily existence of the living dead. Do not allow yourself to become a part of it. Instead, use this time to get ahead of the game! Love Your Neighbor The most powerful way you can beat back the ‘pandemic blues’ and ensure the successful manifestation of your dreams and wishes is to practice empathy, compassion, gratitude and unconditional love. These are the prime energy frequencies for attracting miracles and wonders! There is much suffering and despair in our world today. Many have lost their livelihoods. Many have lost their loved ones. Many are grieving or struggling with their mental health. Many are fighting for their very survival in emergency rooms. Many have also gone hungry, while some have been complaining about gaining weight during lockdown and “getting a tan from their refrigerator light." While in some places in the world local authorities are having to coax their citizens into get vaccinated by offering them financial rewards, entertainment and free donuts, there are places where people do not even have access to a hospital bed or oxygen, much less the luxury of choosing to get vaccinated, or not. These challenging times demand that we all check our privilege. The pandemic has exposed many inequalities, disparities, and social injustices in our world. We have a collective responsibility as co-creators to do something about it. These challenging times demand that we all check our privilege. The pandemic has exposed many inequalities, disparities, and social injustices in our world. It has also revealed the extreme ignorance and lack of education in our society regarding science and technology. We have a collective responsibility as co-creators to do something about it. For if we do not correct these wrongs, we will all suffer for it in the end and more global events of contrast will be coming our way. Instead of complaining about ‘pandemic fatigue,’ it may be more useful to find ways to be of service to others when there is currently so much opportunity to do so. Empathy, compassion and social responsibility is sorely lacking in our world today. To be blessed, we must bless others. To manifest miracles in our own lives, we must create miracles in the lives of others. The most powerful key to successful manifesting is to practice gratitude. The more sincerely grateful we are for every blessing in our life, no matter how big or small, the more our energy resonance will attract more new blessings to be grateful for. And the most powerful expression of gratitude is to be generous and big-hearted in sharing our blessings with others. Respect Your Grief For some of us it is currently more difficult to set new intentions for the future. There is a time and place for everything. If you have suffered the loss of a loved one this past year, be kind and gentle with yourself. You may not be ready right now to implement the guidelines offered in this article. Instead your starting points should be to make every effort to process your grief first. And you have every tight to do it in your own time and in your own, unique way. Grieving is highly individual and personal. It is perfectly normal and acceptable to express your true feelings, whatever they may be. Whether you feel sad, angry, depressed, lonely or afraid - all of your feelings are valid and should be respected and authentically expressed. Do not allow others to dictate to you how your bereavement should be dealt with, or how you are supposed to think and feel. Take your time and deal with your loss in your own way. Grieving is not subject to a random schedule or timeline. Allow yourself as much time and space as you need to work through your unique thoughts and emotions. Be patient and compassionate with yourself and others. Know that this too shall pass. In time, you will find your way through the contrast. It will not be easy or predictable, and some days will be worse than others, but eventually you will get to higher ground. Do not be too proud to seek help and support from others. Reach out if you need a shoulder to lean on, or a friend to talk to. There is always someone out there who cares, no matter how isolated you may feel at this time. Also, make a real effort to support yourself daily with self-care. You may not always be in the mood to take good care of yourself, but do whatever you can, when you can. Try to at least get some sleep, eat healthy, take breaks and relax, do some exercise, meditate, pray, journal, socialize, get out of the house. Self-care and spiritual practice will empower you on even the most difficult days. Know that this too shall pass. In time, you will find your way through the contrast. It will not be easy or predictable, and some days will be worse than others, but eventually you will get to higher ground. Your heart will become lighter and your soul will regain balance. Until then, whatever you do, do not try to suppress or ignore your true feelings. Denying how you really feel will not bring your to a place of acceptance and healing. Once you feel ready to proceed with everyday life, return to this blog post and apply the rest of the guidelines described here. Find Your Purpose This time of intense contrast has been inviting many of us to contemplate the true meaning and purpose of our life. If you went into this pandemic with a lack of purpose or life goals, chances are this is no longer the case. If so, then it is now time to begin taking more practical steps towards making your newfound purpose a reality. And if you have not yet figured out what your life purpose or calling is, now is the ideal time to explore it with more sincerity and determination. The first thing you can do to connect with your life purpose is to boost your daily spiritual practice. To connect with you life calling your inner guidance system needs a broadband connection to the ‘big computer in the sky.’ A dial-up connection is not going to cut it. If you are really stuck then contact me for a destiny coaching consultation. Visualize Your Future Now is the time to launch new ‘rockets of desire,’ not wallow in misery over what used to be, or should have been, or could have been. Pandemic fatigue is essentially just a symptom of clinging to the past and desperately wanting to return the ‘good old days’ that were not necessarily all that great, if you carefully think about it. Contrast enriches life. Was your life really all that picture perfect before the pandemic? If not, why obsess over it? Begin to imagine instead your brand-new post-pandemic life. The end is in sight. A new epoch, a time of great joy, celebration, abundance, and adventure, is looming on the horizon. Be wise and get ready. The restrictions and limitations currently placed of our daily lives is therefore not a prison sentence. It is a wonderful opportunity to amp up our spiritual and metaphysical practices. Now is the time to create, to visualize, to set powerful intentions for the future. The temporary ‘new normal’ is not a curse, it is a blessing in disguise. It offers us a unique period of grace to envision and prepare for the future, and calibrate and align our energy with the outcomes we intend to manifest in the years that lie ahead. Instead of getting sucked into downward daily spiral of fake news, social media drama, pandemic fatigue, frustration and self-pity, use this time wisely to apply as many manifesting techniques and spiritual practices as you can lay your hands on. Create a vision board, start a gratitude journal, write a set of morning affirmations, recite a daily prayer, make a shopping list of your wishes, goals and desires, do visualization exercises, perform a manifesting ritual, experiment with dreamwork, listen to subliminal recordings, stream some guided meditations, write a letter to yourself from your future self. Meditate. Pray. Chant. Journal. Visualize. Fantasize. Imagine. Daydream. Every day. The end is in sight. A new epoch, a time of great joy, celebration, abundance and amazing adventure is looming on the horizon. Be wise and get ready. ​​© 2021 Anthon St. Maarten ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthon St. Maarten is a psychic medium and destiny coach with a global clientele of thought leaders, business executives, celebrities, politicians, academics, and luminaries in the arts and sciences in more than thirty countries spanning five continents. He is also a metaphysics teacher, psychic development coach, podcaster, and spiritual blogger. Anthon is a hereditary psychic medium in professional practice since 2004 and a liberal arts post-graduate with a major in psychology. Anthon publishes the spiritual life design blog, The S Word, and is the author of Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny and The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception.

Clairgustance is probably the most rare and unusual of all psychic perceptions. It is the nonsensory perception of gustatory or ‘taste’ impressions. Psychics and mediums with this psychic preference experience various mental ‘taste’ and ‘flavor’ impressions. The term gustance means ‘pertaining to taste' or 'tasting’ from Latin gustatus ‘sense of taste; a taste,’ and gustare ‘to taste,’ from root geus- ‘to taste; or to choose.’ What might the purpose of such an odd psychic preference be? Well, it does come in handy. Forensic or medical psychics and mediums, for example, benefit greatly from the ability to perceive ‘taste’ impressions relating to chemicals, drugs, or even blood. These psychic impressions can offer clues to the cause of disease, or how a victim was kidnapped or murdered. Some medical psychics and mediums can perceive taste impressions of foods, substances, and flavors that indicate nutritional shortages and other health issues. For example, tasting ‘chocolate’ while channeling for a patient might indicate they have a magnesium deficiency. A ‘saline’ taste may signify a sodium deficiency, while the taste of ‘blood’ or ‘raw meat’ could point to a chronic iron or vitamin B deficiency. Tastes of medicinal substances can also indicate probable causes of illness, or what kind of treatment to seek. Scarcely one person in a thousand is capable of tasting the happiness of others ~ Henry Fielding Clairgustant spirit mediums sometimes rely on their tasting ability to channel afterlife validations. In this case the taste impression is associated with the former human personality of the spirit entity, or the special relationship the soul identity had with their family while they were in this life. The ‘taste’ impression usually identifies exactly whose energy is ‘coming though’ from the other side. For example, few things are more validating in a mediumship reading than a ‘cinnamon taste’ reminder of granny’s home-baked biscuits made from her secret recipe, or the ‘sweet and sour’ memories of a beloved sibling’s favorite ketchup brand, which he always smothered his food with at family gatherings. In physical mediumship, various oral sensations, such as dry mouth, belching, hiccups, and salivating are also reported by some mediums. The Brazilian physical medium Amyr Amiden, for example, is able to anticipate his manifestations of unusual stigmata whenever he experiences an ‘acidic taste.’ [1] But psychic taste impressions are not only applicable to the dearly departed and nonphysical spirit entities. Psychics also experience tastes associated with the living. For example, when I am about to receive a phone call from one of my closest friends, I always get a strong taste of Cabernet Sauvignon, his favorite red wine cultivar. He is an avid wine collector and connoisseur, and whenever we meet, he always opens a bottle. Over the years, I have come to associate this taste with his personal ‘energy signature.’ Surprise visits from him are therefore impossible, try as he might! But I do not experience these clairgustant impressions very often, and fortunately I usually have to deal mostly with pleasant flavor impressions, whenever it does occur in a channeling session. The worst I typically perceive is the strong taste of ‘cigarette butts’ or ‘ashtray,’ when I channel for clients who are avid smokers — to the extent that I sometimes even experience a ‘choking’ sensation during those readings. Some psychics and mediums, however, report much stranger and more unpleasant taste perceptions, including ‘rubber, charcoal, urine, and bile.’ Clairgustant psychics and mediums typically also perceive clairolfactory or psychic smell impressions that accompany these taste perceptions. It is logical that this mental partnership would exists in a metaphysical context, since our ordinary perception of taste and smell also go hand-in-hand. In fact, without smell people are unable to accurately distinguish most tastes. Research on psi phenomena relating to gustation is limited, but some evidence has been reported in related studies. Researcher Frank Podmore demonstrates in his telepathy experiments, for example, the telepathic transference of simple sensations, including taste, between two subjects in various states of consciousness. Experimenters (senders) tasted certain substances and then asked the participants (receivers) to describe what they were tasting. Vinegar was described as a “sharp and nasty taste;” port wine as “between eau de cologne and beer;” and nutmeg initially as “peppermint” and then “no, what you put in puddings…nutmeg."[2] In a systematic investigation of psychometry or ‘token object reading,’ early psychic researcher Joseph Rhodes Buchanan studied an American Civil War general who experienced an unpleasant ‘metal taste’ whenever he touched brass objects. Inspired by this discovery, Buchanan soon found that many of his own psychometry students were able to identify various unseen metals, wrapped in paper, purely through touch.[3] Buchanan then went on to experiment with impressions of taste by asking students to touch envelopes containing various substances, like sugar and salt, and even emetics (medications used to induce nausea and vomiting) and found many of them susceptible to these influences.[4] The Russian psychic Nina Kulagina was observed being able to telekinetically spin a compass; stop a pendulum or change the direction of its swing; as well as prevent a scale from unbalancing. She would lose as much as two kilograms (4.4 pounds) of body weight during these psychokinetic demonstrations (more than would typically be lost in a similar period by means of strenuous physical exercise). Furthermore, she reported other adverse physical effects, including the perception of a ‘metallic taste’ in her mouth.[5] Excerpt from The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception. © 2022 Anthon St. Maarten REFERENCES [1] Wehrstein, KM (2018). Amyr Amiden (Physical Medium)’. Psi Encyclopedia. The Society For Psychical Research. [2] Podmore, F. (1894). Apparitions And Thought-Transference; An Examination Of The Evidences For Telepathy. Walter Scott. [3] Abreu, N. & Riise, T. (2018). Ordinary People, Extraordinary Experiences: Real Cases Of Transformative Phenomena. Independently Published. [4] Buchanan, J.R. (1885). Manual of Psychometry. Holmax Brothers. [5] Wehrstein, KM (2021). Nina Kulagina. Psi Encyclopedia. The Society For Psychical Research. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthon St. Maarten is a psychic medium and destiny coach with a global clientele of thought leaders, business executives, celebrities, politicians, academics, and luminaries in the arts and sciences in more than thirty countries spanning five continents. He is also a metaphysics teacher, psychic development coach, podcaster, and spiritual blogger. Anthon is a hereditary psychic medium in professional practice since 2004 and a liberal arts post-graduate with a major in psychology. Anthon publishes the spiritual life design blog, The S Word, and is the author of Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny and The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception.

Clairaudience or 'psychic hearing’ is a psychic perception preference for auditory mental impressions that are perceived by clairaudient psychics and mediums as the 'inner hearing’ of voices, music, and sounds. The term clairaudience derives from French clair meaning ‘clear,’ and Old French audience meaning ‘act or state of hearing,’ or ‘action or condition of listening,’ as well as Latin audentia ‘hearing, listening.’ Clairaudience is to ‘clearly hear’ or ‘clear hearing.’ The American Psychological Association defines clairaudience as the ability “to hear voices or sounds beyond the normal range of hearing, including supposed messages from spirit guides or the dead. This may involve messages heard from, or attuned to an ‘inner voice’ or voices separate from thought. It is the auditory equivalent of clairvoyance.”[1] Psychics and mediums generally experience clairaudience as an ‘inner voice’ or an ‘inner hearing’ of voices, music, and other auditory-type mental impressions. Some hear their own voice, while some hear the voices of spirit entities or discarnate beings. Some also hear certain sounds, including whistling, buzzing, or ringing sounds. I hear a voice you cannot hear, which says I must not stay; I see a hand you cannot see, which beckons me away. ~ Thomas Tickell A practical way to simulate the experience of clairaudience is to silently count from one to ten in your mind, or to recall the lyrics of your favorite song. How you mentally 'hear' the numbers or words in your mind is essentially how psychics and mediums experience clairaudient psychic impressions. It can be described as 'audible thinking.' It is like a hit song stuck in your head, or when you think you ‘heard’ someone say your name in passing, only to discover that there is no one there. A clairaudient impression I often experience is to ‘hear’ popular songs during mediumship readings, which usually serves as an afterlife validation for the client. For example, one day I heard two classic songs from the late 50s or early 60s that my dad used to listen to when I was a kid. At first, I thought it might be his energy I was resonating with, but eventually it became clear this was related to someone else. Those two songs annoyingly remained stuck on repeat in my mind. To make the matter worse, I don't know much of the lyrics of these songs, only the ‘catchy’ parts. So, that was all I heard all day…in a weird mash-up…over, and over, and over again. Put your head on my shoulder…baaaay...beeeeh…Oh Carol, I am but a fool…darling, I love you… It became evident that evening that the ‘maddening mash-up’ came courtesy of a client's deceased grandfather. The client was too young to know the two classic ballads (by singer Paul Anka), but she could however confirm that her aunt, who happens to be named Carol (grandpa’s daughter) had been going through a really tough time. Aunt Carol was therefore being reassured that her dad was looking out for her from the other side. Psi researcher Ernesto Bozzano reports various cases of clairaudient ‘music’ perception, namely as a feature of deathbed experiences (including music heard in the room where no source was observed); music perceived telepathically; music in hauntings; music unrelated to death contexts; music heard on deathbeds, and music heard after a death.[2] In one case the ‘hearing of music’ was related to an apparition: I felt utterly terrified, and called out at once, “Did you see that?” and at the same time Miss Z. T. exclaimed, “Did you hear that?” Then, I said, instantly, “I saw an angel fly through the room,” and she said, “I heard an angel singing.[3] There are several famous accounts of clairaudients, including religious prophets and historic figures. The Biblical prophet Ezekiel, for example, saw a clairvoyant vision and heard a voice speaking to him in Ezekiel 1:28. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking. In I Kings 19:12–13 the prophet Elijah heard the voice of God as a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah? One of the most renowned clairaudients was Joan of Arc, known as 'The Maid of Orléans.' She led the French army in several successful battles. Joan heard the voices of saints and attributed her military decisions and victories to these direct messages from Heaven. Sadly, she was burned at the stake in 1431 for the crime of heresy. Her auditory perceptions remain an ongoing topic of interest, but have unfortunately been attributed by many scholars to all manner of medical ailments and pathological causes, including schizophrenia, epilepsy, and tuberculosis. A recent study finds the average age that spiritualist mediums first have a clairaudient experience is 21.7 years, but most experience it either before the age of twenty, or around the age of forty. Furthermore, as many as 44.6% of the subjects report having daily clairaudient experiences, and 65.1% of these clairaudient experiences occur within the medium’s mind, while 31.7% experience it both internally and externally, and 3.2% report is as purely external experiences.[4] According to researcher Adam Powell these findings further suggest people are more likely to become interested in psychic or ‘paranormal’ phenomena as a consequence of some unusual ‘sensory’ experience, instead of the other way round. I believe it was sent me from God. When I heard it for the third time, I recognized that it was the Voice of an Angel. This Voice has always guarded me well, and I have always understood it ~ Joan of Arc ​ For our participants, the tenets of Spiritualism seem to make sense of both extraordinary childhood experiences as well as the frequent auditory phenomena they experience as practicing mediums. But all of those experiences may result more from having certain tendencies or early abilities than from simply believing in the possibility of contacting the dead if one tries hard enough.[5] If you are curious to experience what clairaudient mediums hear when they perceive ‘spirit voices,’ I recommend listening to recordings of electronic voice phenomena (EVP), a research technique popularized in the 1970’s by parapsychologist Konstantīns Raudive. EVP are unexplained voices and sounds captured in audio recordings. The sounds are brief, usually just one word, or a short phrase. [6] The first time I heard an EVP recording, I immediately recognized the tonal quality of the sounds. I remember being excited having discovered a way I could demonstrate to other people what I sometimes ‘hear.’ Clairaudient perception of spirit voices can be especially overwhelming for novice mediums who do not understand what it is they are experiencing. In my childhood, hearing such ‘voices’ used to be very traumatizing and confusing. I kept it a secret, until well into adulthood, because it is something that is generally frowned upon, and often associated with mental illness or even with 'demonic forces’ or ‘spirit possession.’ Fortunately, as a psychology student I came to realize that what I was hearing was quite different from a mentally disordered patient having a conversation with his refrigerator! If clairaudients are truly ‘psychotic,’ or prone to ‘hallucinations,’ then our auditory perceptions should cause us much personal distress and psychological suffering, instead of bringing so much healing, confirmation, and validation to our clients. If clairaudience is indeed a form of psychosis, it would have been impossible for me to function or lead a ‘normal’ life, instead of it being such a positive blessing to so many people. I would also not have developed the good control I have over my clairaudient ability. As a practicing psychic medium, I only 'hear' when I work, and only when I work — apart from a few rare instances, when spirit simply cannot wait! Researcher Peter Moseley finds mediums tend to report “unusual auditory experiences which are positive, start early in life, and which they are often able to control. Understanding how these develop is important because it could help us understand more about distressing or non-controllable experiences of hearing voices too.”[7] Psychiatrist Ralph Hoffman argues the ‘hearing of voices’ is known to occur in states of religious or creative inspiration, and are not necessarily signs of mental illness. Hoffman cites the example of the renowned mystical poet Rainer Maria Rilke, who one day heard the ‘crystalline voice of an angel carried by the ocean wind.’ This profound experience inspired the writing of Rilke's famous work Duino Elegies.[8] Excerpt from The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception. © 2022 Anthon St. Maarten REFERENCES [1] Clairaudience. (2021). Dictionary Of Psychology. American Psychological Association. Dictionary.apa.org [2] Alvarado, C. S. (2017). Ernesto Bozzano's ‘Psychic Phenomena At The Moment Of Death.’ Psi Encyclopedia. The Society For Psychical Research. [3] Sidgwick, H. et.al. (1894). Report On The Census Of Hallucinations. Proceedings Of The Society For Psychical Research. [4] Powell, A.J. & Moseley, P. (2020) When Spirits Speak: Absorption, Attribution, And Identity Among Spiritualists Who Report ‘Clairaudient’ Voice Experiences. Mental Health, Religion & Culture. [5] Vince, M. (2021). What Can Science Tell Us About Mediums Who Hear Voices? Medicalnewstoday.com. [6] Raudive, K. (1971). Breakthrough: An Amazing Experiment in Electronic Communication With The Dead. Taplinger Publishing Co [7] Scientists Shed Light On How And Why Some People Report “Hearing The Dead.” (2021). Taylor & Francis Group. TaylorandFrancisgroup.com [8] Hoffman, R. (2003). Auditory Hallucinations: What's It Like Hearing Voices? HealthyPlace.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthon St. Maarten is a psychic medium and destiny coach with a global clientele of thought leaders, business executives, celebrities, politicians, academics, and luminaries in the arts and sciences in more than thirty countries spanning five continents. He is also a metaphysics teacher, psychic development coach, podcaster, and spiritual blogger. Anthon is a hereditary psychic medium in professional practice since 2004 and a liberal arts post-graduate with a major in psychology. Anthon publishes the spiritual life design blog, The S Word, and is the author of Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny and The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception.

Clairvoyance is often incorrectly used as a generic term for ‘being psychic,’ and even mistakenly used to refer to other psychic concepts, for example as a slang term for mediumship — as in ‘he is one of those clairvoyants who can talk to dead people.’ Psychic seeing or clairvoyance is however a type of psychic impression. It is a psychic perception preference for ‘visual’ impressions in the form of mental imagery and inner visions. Clairvoyance or 'psychic seeing' is the supernatural perception of energy data in the form of mental imagery, inner visions, and visual apparitions that have symbolic, metaphoric, revelatory, or prophetic significance. This original ‘clair’ term is from French clair and Latin clarus, meaning ‘clear,’ and French voir and Latin videre, meaning ‘to see,’ and originates from 13th century Old French clerveans. Clairvoyance is thus to ‘clearly see’ or to have ‘clear vision.’ There are many synonyms and alternative terms for this psychic preference, including ‘second sight,’ astral or etheric vision, cryptesthesia, the ‘eyes of the soul,’ the ‘mind’s eye,’ shadow sight, the third eye, remote viewing, and so on. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream ~ Numbers 12:6 Definitions of clairvoyance in dictionaries, encyclopedias, and psi research papers generally tend to be also ill-conceived, or simply outmoded. For example, Webster’s dictionary defines clairvoyance as the ‘power of perceiving things beyond the natural range of the senses,’ and as ‘keen intuitive understanding.’[1] Collins describes it as ‘quick, intuitive knowledge of things and people,’[2] and ‘to know about future events, or to be able to communicate with dead people.’[3] The Parapsychological Association defines clairvoyance as ‘paranormal acquisition of information concerning an object or contemporary physical event; in contrast to telepathy, the information is assumed to derive directly from an external physical source (such as a concealed photograph) and not from the mind of another person.’[4] Vocabulary.com simply describes it as ‘a magical kind of intuition,’ with which one ‘could attempt to predict which team will win the Superbowl.’[5] One seldom finds an accurate description of the everyday clairvoyant’s authentic experiences in mainstream definitions, and therefore they are not much use to the sensible psychic and medium. True clairvoyance is in fact the supernatural perception of energy data as mental imagery, inner visions, and visual apparitions that have symbolic, metaphoric, revelatory, or prophetic significance. MEMORY-MEDITATED PSI The clairvoyant’s typical perceptions are much like ordinary visualizations, imaginings, daydreams, and visual memories. A practical way to demonstrate the experience is to close your eyes for a few moments and think back to an early childhood memory. As you recall this event, observe what is happening in the scene you are remembering. Where are you? Who is with you? What are you doing? What is happening? What can you detect around you? This is essentially how a clairvoyant psychic or medium perceives a visual psychic impression. Some of my clairvoyant impressions are best described as ‘vivid flashes,’ like standing in darkness with a strobe light flashing only once. These mental flashes are inanimate, ‘frozen’ imagery suspended in time, without any movement or change. Most of my clairvoyant visions are however animated, like a daydream, or a ‘mental movie.’ These visual impressions typically consist of subjective psychic symbols the clairvoyant acquires over time, and it is mostly based on our personal memories and life experiences. Psi researcher Charles Tart calls this memory-mediated psi, or an ‘awareness of memory images,’ similar to ordinary visual memories of something seen before.[6] I therefore ‘see’ things from my own frame of reference, or from my own visual ‘memory bank.’ However, not everything I see is familiar. Some clairvoyant impressions are entirely novel or unfamiliar sights. For example, I might see an unknown location, such as a beach or the interior of a home that I have never personally visited before. Such a vision will be composed of visual memories of things I have seen before at other beaches, or in other homes, either in person or in photos, pictures, films, and so on. Clairvoyant impressions also range from realistic visual impressions of ordinary objects, people, places, and events, to unfamiliar, abstract, sometimes bizarre visions similar to the imagery one might perceive in a strange dream. However, no matter what the clairvoyant ‘sees,’ these visual impressions are always significant, meaningful, and never random. CLAIRVOYANT SYMBOLS What clairvoyants ‘see’ differ significantly, as these impressions are highly subjective, intrinsic, and ineffable. We typically develop our own 'vocabulary' or personal set of clairvoyant symbols that may include realistic visual impressions, as well as archetypal or symbolic imagery. In fact, the best clairvoyants are not necessarily those who are the most gifted as ‘seers,’ but instead those most skilled at understanding, interpreting, and relaying what they see. For example, seeing in my mind’s eye someone wearing a ‘white laboratory coat’ for me symbolizes the person being a medical or healthcare professional. The ‘white coat’ symbol is however not based on a particular memory to which I can trace it back; it is just a random mental image I acquired at some point in my life, probably in my childhood. However, if I ‘see’ the white coat in combination with memory flashbacks from when I was a psychology student, I then also know the person is probably a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist. How did I develop these seemingly random clairvoyant symbols? Well, mostly by trial and error, but sometimes I simply have a claircognitive ‘knowing.’ The first time a ‘white coat’ came up in a psychic reading many years ago, the client confirmed she was indeed a medical doctor. So, this way I added another ‘psychic symbol’ to my collection of clairvoyant imagery. So, every time I now perceive this mental image, I know what it signifies. He could foretell whats’ever was, By consequence to come to pass. As Death of Great Men, Alterations, Diseases, Battels, Inundations. All this without th’ Eclipse of Sun, Or dreadful Comet, he hath done By inward Light, a way as good ~ Samuel Butler Memory-mediated visions are therefore mostly a ‘recall’ of events from my own life experiences, but I also perceive memory impressions of movie scenes and television shows, for example, as well as artworks, book covers, and so on. For this reason, it is important for psychics and mediums to expand their channeling potential by having an adventurous attitude towards life, as well as a keen interest in new experiences and expanding their general knowledge. The more life experience a psychic or medium acquires on a variety of subjects and interests, the more rich, sophisticated, and meaningful their channeling symbolism will be. A question developing psychics and mediums often ask is how to distinguish an actual clairvoyant impression from one’s own imagination. A simple way to determine if you are truly seeing something that is clairvoyantly significant, or whether you are just imagining it, is to attempt to change the image or scene in your mind. For example, if you are seeing a dog with a teddy bear, imagine replacing the bear with a doll or a stuffed penguin. Or, if you are seeing a red rose, try to change its color to yellow or pink. True clairvoyant impressions can usually not be adjusted or altered in this way. Fortunately, the inclination to doubt one’s own psychic perceptions usually disappears in time, once the psychic or medium becomes more practiced, skilled, and confident. THE PHOTOREALISM MYTH Do clairvoyants see detailed, ‘photorealistic’ impressions of actual people, places, and events they have never seen before? For example, can I see with 100% real-life accuracy the interior of your home, while I have never been to your house? Some claim they do, but that is not my experience. To my knowledge such exact, detailed ‘photocopy’ visions of actual people, events and places have also never been demonstrated in scientific experiments. For example, decades of extensive remote viewing research show an average accuracy of only 75% across three major psi laboratories, namely SRI, PEAR and Mobius. Note, this success rate of 75% does not imply the remote viewer is able to describe every minute, photorealistic detail of the actual target. A viewer will not, for example, describe it as: I see an old castle in Scotland. It is located one mile to the north of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye, off the west coast. There is a sign at the entrance clearly displaying the name: Dunvegan Castle. It is built on an elevated, rocky hilltop overlooking an inlet on the eastern shore of Loch Dunvegan. It is surrounded by five acres of formal gardens. This is not how remote viewers ‘see.’ Instead, a viewer might describe the target as: I see a tall structure built out of stones. Maybe an old castle, or a fort? It seems elevated, maybe on top of a mountain or hill. It has an ancient, ‘retro’ feeling. There is a large body of water, could be a lake, or a natural bay, and it seems like there are mountains in the distance. There’s also some sort of greenery, maybe a large garden, or even a forest. The highly subjective nature of clairvoyance is further confirmed by the increased success rate remote viewing studies show for so-called free response remote viewing, in which viewers freely describe their subjective perception of a target, compared to ‘forced choice’ experiments, in which subjects must choose from a specific set of possibilities.[7] In a 1989 experiment, the US Department of Defense asked a remote viewer to investigate Libya’s military response to its criticism of chemical weapons. The remote viewer saw a ship named ‘Patua’ or ‘Potua’ arriving in Tripoli to transport chemicals to a Libyan port. The vision later proved accurate. A ship did arrive in Tripoli to load unknown cargo and then did transport it to a Libyan port. However, the ship’s name was ‘Batato.’ Early psi scholar Edward William Cox observes that a clairvoyant description is rarely, or never exactly what the actual object looks like, and that clairvoyance is in fact not very ‘clear sight.’ It is more or less wanting in definite outline, like objects seen in a fog, suggesting that the perspective faculty, whatever it may be, is exercised through more or less obstacle. The objects do not preserve their relative proportion of size or colour in the impression they make upon the mind of the patient. Whatever the perspective faculty may be, it is certainly not so powerful, nor so clear as the sense of sight. Small and unimportant things are often perceived when more prominent objects are unnoticed. Moreover, the faculty seems to be subject to continuous variation during the few minutes of its exercise, as if interrupted frequently by passing clouds.[8] Clairvoyant perceptions tend to be ineffable, ambiguous, disjointed, intangible, even ‘foggy.’ For example, I might not see an entire beach or a complete house in a 360-degree vision, but instead only a small area, even just the corner of a room, like a ‘close-up.’ And these impressions will mostly be based on my own visual memories. It is therefore pointless to ask a clairvoyant exactly what a particular object, person, or place looks like (or even worse, to amuse you with silly descriptions of what your new house, boyfriend, or prom dress will look like). The best a true clairvoyant can typically offer is a description of their subjective mental impression regarding an object, person, or place, because we do not see the actual, real-life people, places, or things — we only see people, places, and things that ‘look like’ or ‘seem like.’ For example, I once foresaw a client meeting ‘a man wearing a blue shirt.’ But that was all I saw. I only perceived part of the torso of a man ‘wearing a blue shirt,’ not the actual shirt, nor the real-life person wearing it. I cannot even confirm if the particular shade of blue I saw in my vision was the actual color of the shirt he wore when they finally did meet. However, at their meeting he was indeed wearing a ‘blue shirt,’ and in time he became a significant person in her life. Paradoxically, I can usually ‘see’ what a stranger ‘looks like’ when I speak to them on the phone for the first time, but I do not actually see them. Instead, I have a mental impression of their general appearance. It is like meeting a stranger who looks like someone you know, but you cannot exactly remember who, or when a friend describes a stranger to you by referencing a look-alike celebrity. Which actor might play that person? Well, as a clairvoyant, I can see ‘who would play them.’ It is like forensic police sketches of perpetrators — those ‘mugshots’ are never exactly what the person looks like in real life, but they are usually a fairly accurate representation. There was an awkward moment in a mediumship reading some years ago, when I had to tell the client that her deceased grandmother says her new husband, “the one who looks like the actor Antonio Banderas,” is a much nicer man than the previous one she married…whom granny apparently never cared for very much! The client laughed and confirmed her new husband does indeed look like the actor. What I ‘saw’ was a visual memory of Banderas in the film Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991). Why this particular film? Well, it was the first film featuring Banderas I ever saw, so this is how I will usually think of him when someone mentions his name, for example. Psychic perception always follows a ‘path of least resistance’ and therefore the most accessible personal memories and life references will typically become the basis for one’s psychic impressions. Madonna’s movie is the most obvious and convenient visual memory I personally have of Banderas, and therefore my mind went with that. Interestingly, I have also had some odd clairvoyant experiences, where I envisioned a stranger’s facial features with uncanny accuracy, but I might get their hair color wrong, for example, because I perceived their natural hair color…instead of the dyed version from the salon. TYPES OF CLAIRVOYANCE Types of clairvoyant perception is diverse and wide-ranging, and some of the the more prevalent formats include: INTRAPERSONAL CLAIRVOYANCE Also known as subjective,introspective, or memory-mediated clairvoyance, intrapersonal clairvoyance is the most common clairvoyant preference for most psychics and mediums. It is to see one’s own memories, or to see things originating from the self. It is the perception of mental imagery or visual memories based on the clairvoyant’s own life experiences and personal history. For example, when I see my grandmother in a mediumship channeling, then I know I am perceiving information relating to the client’s grandmother. Clairvoyant impressions generally signify something that is meaningful or validating for the client, but it is not an actual image or vision of something or someone in the person’s life. Instead, it is a visual representation or simulation based on something or someone in the clairvoyant’s life. TRANSPERSONAL CLAIRVOYANCE Transpersonal clairvoyance is essentially visual impressions perceived ‘through the eyes of another person’ or other sentient beings, including animals and discarnate spirit entities. Transpersonal means to venture beyond the personal level of the psyche, or to transcend the personal. It goes beyond the individual. For example, I recently had the unpleasant task of having to describe to a frantic mother some of the events that occurred in the final hours of her missing son’s life. I essentially ‘saw it through his eyes.’ Note, I was not seeing him or his actual experiences, I was instead seeing myself in similar scenarios doing similar things, which was tragically confirmed later when his body was found. CHRONOLOGICAL CLAIRVOYANCE Chronological clairvoyance, also known as clairvoyance in time, is to see ‘beyond time,’ or to see events of the past, present, and future. These visual impressions can be of current or recent events; events relating to the distant past, such as past lives or previous incarnations; as well as prophetic visions of the future. A Stanford Research Institute study found that remote viewers can indeed predict the future by perceiving a target in advance before it is later randomly selected.[9] Parapsychologist Whately Carington conducted a series of telepathy experiments using a technique called ‘drawing-reproduction,’ in which participants must attempt to replicate line drawings they have not yet seen. They are required to ‘guess’ the content of a target-drawing and then apply their perceived impressions to reproduce the drawing. Results show that subjects are indeed able to perceive a future impression of a drawing and thus predict its contents in the present.[10] DISTANT CLAIRVOYANCE Distant clairvoyance, remote clairvoyance, traveling clairvoyance, or remote viewing, is to see things that are distant, far removed, or beyond ordinary observation. It is traditionally known as astral projection or astral vision, meaning to ‘leave the body and journey to remote locations or destinations to see what transpires there.’[11] Charles Leadbeater describes it as the capacity “to see scenes or events removed from the seer in space, either too far distant for ordinary observation or concealed by intermediate objects.”[12] Remote viewing is a well-known technical application of distant clairvoyance that emerged in the 1960’s and was further developed for the United States military’s Stargate Project. Researchers found that the distance between the viewer and the target does not impact the quality of a remote viewing.[13] In other words, clairvoyant impression is nonlocal. EXTRAOCULAR CLAIRVOYANCE Extraocular clairvoyance, also known as revelatory vision, veridical perception, and X-ray clairvoyance, is to perceive things that are ‘hidden’ or concealed. The extraocular clairvoyant can read messages sealed in envelopes, describe objects packaged in boxes, or even see inside closed drawers and cupboards. The term originates from a phenomenon called extraocular image cited in psi experiments conducted with children in China in the 1980’s. The subjects were able to recognize hidden images on flashcards and words sealed in envelopes by psychometric touch alone.[14] Extraocular clairvoyance is also associated with out-of-body experiences, known as astral projection. These perceptions include ‘seeing’ around corners, on top of high shelves, or behind closed doors. A much-cited example is an experiment featuring a subject known only as ‘Miss Z.’ Researcher Charles Tart randomly selected a printed, five-digit number and placed it on a high shelf in a laboratory room, out of Z’s reach, while she lay sleeping on a bed in the room. She later reported an out-of-body experience, during which she was able to read the secret number and later report it accurately.[15] MEDICAL CLAIRVOYANCE Medical clairvoyance is to see ‘inside’ the human body, typically to diagnose disease. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle describes, for example, the case of an Australian doctor who could walk down a street and randomly diagnose a person walking in front of him. He could see relationships between their various internal organs and if they were functioning correctly.[16] A more recent example is the so-called ‘X-ray Girl,’ Natalya Nikolayevna Demkina, known simply as Natasha. She is reportedly able to view organs, tissues and cells in order to diagnose disease and injuries.[17] SPIRIT CLAIRVOYANCE Spirit or supernatural clairvoyance, apparitional sighting or paranormal clairvoyance is a visual perception of spirit apparitions and discarnate beings, including ghosts, shadow people, Marian apparitions (visions of the Virgin Mary), as well as doppelgänger phenomena (seeing look-alikes or ‘doubles’ of living or deceased persons). The legacy of psychic artist Coral Polge is a good example of recorded spirit clairvoyance. She captured her clairvoyant visions of spirit entities in her sketches and paintings. She first began drawing spirit guides and discarnate beings, but in time she discovered she could also draw highly accurate likenesses of the deceased. Many of her ‘spirit portraits’ were later verified by old photographs of the people she had drawn. A phenomenon closely related to spirit clairvoyance is death bed visions, which some people experience in the final hours of their life. Parapsychologist William Barrett vividly describes such a clairvoyant experience. Suddenly she looked eagerly towards one part of the room, a radiant smile illuminating her whole countenance. ‘Oh, lovely, lovely,’ she said…I asked, ‘What is lovely?’ ‘What I see,’ she replied in low, intense tones. ‘What do you see?’ ‘Lovely brightness — wonderful beings.’ Then — seeming to focus her attention more intently on one place for a moment — she exclaimed, almost with a kind of joyous cry, ‘Why it is father! Oh, he is so glad I am coming; he is so glad.[18] DREAM CLAIRVOYANCE Dreams are no doubt the most common and universal form of clairvoyant perception all people experience. The famous clairvoyant Edgar Cayce strongly believed that dreams are a window into the subconscious mind, and by recalling and examining our dreams we may gain better insight on a variety of matters.[19] Dreams are of course not only clairvoyant in nature, as they generally also feature clairaudient, clairempathic, clairsomatic, and even clairintuitive content. However, most dreams are primarily visual and therefore the overriding aspect is usually what is ‘seen.’ Louisa Rhine, wife and colleague of J. B. Rhine, collected more than 10,000 case studies of psychic phenomena. Her work became one of the most comprehensive collections of anecdotal evidence for the existence of psi phenomena. From her data she concludes 65% of all psychic experiences occur within dreams.[20] Parapsychologist Gerhard Sannwald also finds in his studies a considerable proportion of spontaneous psychic phenomena tend to manifest in dreams.[21] Dreaming is the most prevalent clairvoyant experience for most people because it is the easiest way for anyone to access a discrete altered state of consciousness that is conducive to psychic perception. A meta-analysis of dream studies conducted from 1966 to 2016, shows the dream state to be “particularly conducive to psi because the field of consciousness is reduced,” and also that it strongly resembles the state elicited in Ganzfeld experiments, as stimulation from the senses is considerably reduced or even completely blocked. “Like the Ganzfeld state, the dream state may enable any ‘psi signal’ the best possible chance of being detected above sensory noise.”[22] Everyone experiences psychic dreams, but in my experience clairvoyant psychics and mediums tend to have more vivid and frequent psychic dreams, and typically not for our own benefit. Psychics and mediums often dream on behalf of others and some of us use dreamwork productively in our practice. Excerpt from The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception. © 2022 Anthon St. Maarten REFERENCES [1] Clairvoyance. (2010). Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. [2] Clairvoyance. (2019). Penguin Random House LLC. and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. CollinsDictionary.com [3] Clairvoyance. (2021). Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. HarperCollins Publishers. CollinsDictionary.com. [4] Clairvoyance. (2015). Glossary of Psi. The Parapsychological Association. Parapsych.org. [5] Clairvoyance (2021). Vocabulary.com [6] Tart, C. T. (1978). Psi Functioning And Altered States Of Consciousness: A Perspective. The Parapsychology Foundation. [7] Schwartz, S. (2017). Remote Viewing. Psi Encyclopedia. The Society for Psychical Research. [8] Clairvoyance. (2021). Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology. Encyclopedia.com. [9] May, E. et.al. Advances In Remote-Viewing Analysis. The Journal of Parapsychology. [10] Carington, W.W. (1940-45). Experiments In The Paranormal Cognition Of Drawings. Proceedings Of The Society For Psychical Research. [11] Carrington, H. (1920) Your Psychic Powers and How To Develop Them. [12] Leadbeater, C.W. (1903). Clairvoyance. Second Edition. Theosophical Publishing Society. [13] Mumford, M. D. et al. (1995). An Evaluation Of Remote Viewing: Research And Applications. The American Institutes For Research. [14] Charman, R. (2017). Extraocular Image (China). Psi Encyclopedia. The Society for Psychical Research. [15] Alvarado, C. S. (2015). Out-of-Body Experience (OBE). Psi Encyclopedia. The Society for Psychical Research. [16] Doyle, A.C. (1926) The History of Spiritualism. Doran. [17] Wehrstein, K.M. (2018). Natasha Demkina. Psi Encyclopedia. The Society for Psychical Research. [18] Barrett, W. F. (1926). Deathbed Visions. Methuen & Co. [19] Edgar Cayce. (2020). New World Encyclopedia. NewWorldEncyclopedia.org. [20] Rhine, L.E. (1981). The Invisible Picture: A Study of Psychic Experiences. McFarland. [21] Sannwald, G. (1963). On the psychology of spontaneous paranormal phenomena. International Journal of Parapsychology. [22] Storm, L. et.al. (2017). On The Correspondence Between Dream Content And Target Material Under Laboratory Conditions: A Meta-Analysis Of Dream-ESP Studies, 1966-2016. International Journal of Dream Research. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthon St. Maarten is a psychic medium and destiny coach with a global clientele of thought leaders, business executives, celebrities, politicians, academics, and luminaries in the arts and sciences in more than thirty countries spanning five continents. He is also a metaphysics teacher, psychic development coach, podcaster, and spiritual blogger. Anthon is a hereditary psychic medium in professional practice since 2004 and a liberal arts post-graduate with a major in psychology. Anthon publishes the spiritual life design blog, The S Word, and is the author of Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny and The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception.

Psychic feeling, empathy, or emotion, also known as emotive telepathy, emotional transfer, or clairempathy, is often erroneously referred to simply as 'empathy,' which is a gross underestimation of true clairempathic psychic ability. Psychics and mediums with this affective perception preference essentially function as emotional surrogates and empathic polygraphs, as we actively embody the feelings, mood states, motivations, and emotions of others. Clairempathy is not ‘normal' empathy, much less mere sympathy. In the context of authentic psychic perception there is a distinct difference between being empathetic towards others, as opposed to metaphysically perceiving and embodying empathic psychic impressions. EMPATHETIC VERSUS EMPATHIC Ordinary empathy is the ability to observe, understand, and sympathize with the mental and emotional states of other people. According to standard scientific models, empathy has three core traits: The first is the ability to recognize emotions in others based on various verbal and non-verbal communication cues, such as tone of voice, facial expression, and body language. The second is the ability for perspective taking; to cognitively understand the other person’s mental-emotional state and place yourself ‘in their shoes.’ The third is the capacity for sincere compassion and sympathy in response to the pain and suffering of others, or to ‘feel for them.’ Empathy is a psychosocial skill or trait that all people possess, although not necessarily automatically. Mentally healthy people typically have healthy levels of empathy, especially if they have been appropriately socialized growing up.[1] However, people possess varying levels of empathy, as opposed to ‘apathy’ (lack of interest or caring), based on a variety of factors.[2] Most of us are therefore to some extent empathetic towards others and can identify, understand, and sympathize with the feelings and emotional experiences of others. This is known as a vicarious experience — it is an empathetic response to the observation of emotions in others. Vicarious empathy in response to social cues is quite common in the general population and an important basis for social behavior and interaction.[3] In fact, it is so integral to prosocial behavior and our coexistence that a lack of empathy has been shown to cause severe psychological and social dysfunction, including psychopathy [4] and pathological narcissism.[5] While ordinary empathy involves affective (emotional), and cognitive (thought) processes based on observation, logical thinking, perspective-taking, reasoning, and an appropriate emotional response, the experiences of the clairempath or ‘psychic empath,’ who has an unusual capacity for shared emotion and affective embodiment is an entirely different matter. Clairempathy is the empathic embodiment of energy data that has no rational, logical, or subjective origin or explanation. It is essentially a shared awareness of another sentient being's feelings, emotions, mood states, and motivations, instead of a mere understanding or observation it. Empathic psychic impressions are spontaneous and visceral — it is typically a strong emotional experience without any logic, reason, or personal origin. Just like the claircognizant ‘knows,’ the clairvoyant ‘sees,' and the clairaudient ‘hears,’ the clairempath feels. Clairempathic perceptions are not the empath’s personal emotions, nor are they cognitive observations or interpretations of another person’s emotional state. Clairempaths also do not necessarily sympathize or ‘feel with’ the other person. For example, I can feel someone else’s anxiety or guilt when they are telling a lie, but that does not mean I pity them. I simply ‘feel’ what they are feeling emotionally in that moment, whether I sympathize with them, or not. If someone ahead of me in a slow supermarket line is becoming extremely impatient and angry, without outwardly showing it, I can empathically ‘feel’ her rage (and most likely also perceive a clairsomatic ‘sensation’ of her heart rate and blood pressure rising.) If I choose to pay further attention, I might also perceive claircognitive information about the circumstances in her life that may be causing her to feel so intolerant and irritable. But this does not automatically imply I will personally identify with her emotions (empathy), or feel sorry for her (sympathy). NONLOCAL EMOTION The clairempath actively perceives or embodies the emotions, motivations, and mood states of others. We do not merely observe what others may be feeling, we actually ‘feel’ it ourselves, as if it were our own feelings — sometimes not even immediately knowing whose feelings they might be. Psychic empathy is therefore a form of transpersonal empathy. It is metaphysical and nonsensory in origins. It does not rely on the clairempath observing any sensory clues, or verbal and non-verbal communication. In fact, the clairempath does not even have to see, or physically be in the same place as the other person to perceive these feeling impressions. I constantly embody the feelings of others without needing to know anything about them, or having direct contact or interaction with them. In fact, I can perceive the feelings of people on the other side of the planet. Just like claircognitive or ‘sapient’ energy data is nonlocal and omnipresent in the universal field of consciousness, so too is clairempathic or ‘sentient’ energy data. AFFECTIVE PSI The emotive or affective aspects of psychic phenomena seldom receive much attention in parapsychology and psi research. This lack of interest is probably another consequence of the orthodox Newtonian approach to psychic research. It is obviously simpler to verify empirical facts in a laboratory, rather than ‘ineffable feelings.’ Researcher Christine Hardy however reports some psi research does point to the significant role of emotion or affect in psychic phenomena, instead of it purely consisting of mental (mind-brain) content. Spontaneous psi experiences are often triggered by emotionally charged events; this could, of course, be due to a form of selective reporting, but at least some investigations of target emotionality and psi in telepathy tests suggest otherwise.[6] Hardy cites experimental ganzfeld and telepathy data that finds “emotionally and / or sensorially rich targets seem to be more conducive to psi than highly abstract or neutral ones,”[7] and “affective relationships between sender and receiver seem to enhance success in telepathy tasks.”[8] She also adds that this finding is consistent with what has been generally observed in spontaneous cases of psi.[9] EMOTIONAL CONTAGION A psychological phenomenon related to clairempathy, that has been studied more extensively, is the phenomenon of ‘emotional contagion,’ in which one person's emotions can directly trigger similar emotions in others. It is an instantaneous and unconscious process by which emotional states or moods literally spread like ‘social viruses.’ For example, a 2012 study finds depression can be highly contagious among teenagers within a certain social group. “Over time, adolescents' depressive symptoms increasingly converged toward the average levels of their peers.”[10] Research further shows that we seem to ‘synchronize our feelings’ with each other in social settings and that feeling strong emotions can make people’s brains ‘tick together.’[11] CRISIS EMPATHY Clairempathy is also observed in the psi phenomenon of crisis impression. A crisis impression is a sudden psychic awareness that another person is in extreme danger, or worse, that they have died. A typical crisis impression is usually an inexplicable ‘shift in mood’ at the time of a loved one’s death — to the extent that the subject is overcome with sadness or despair, or conversely, experience elation or a profound sense of inner peace. Crisis impressions are also characterized by an abrupt change in the person’s emotional or mood state that is not caused any apparent external ‘trigger,’ and these feelings always coincide with an unreported event or death involving a loved one, which the perceiver at the time is not yet aware of.[12] MASS HYSTERIA An extreme example of clairempathy is the unusual phenomenon known as mass psychogenic illness or ‘mass hysteria.’ It is a well-documented psychosocial phenomenon in which a group of people or a crowd, or an entire community, experience a spontaneous outbreak of shared psycho-physiological distress. One of the more bizarre cases is the Dancing Plague of 1518 in Strasbourg, France. Hundreds of frenzied people spontaneously began to dance in the streets, leading to several deaths due to heart failure, stroke, and exhaustion.[13] Another documented case is the Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic of 1962, in which villagers in several neighboring communities engaged in unstoppable laughter for months, after a group of students at a boarding school started the initial giggling. The villagers could not stop laughing, and some even experienced pain, fainting, skin rashes, bouts of crying, and respiratory problems.[14] Similar ‘mass hysteria’ outbreaks have been documented in schools, workplaces, and communities all over the world. Science currently has no conclusive explanation for this phenomenon of collective obsessional behavior, or so-called ‘epidemics of the mind.’[15] A recent example has been the widespread hoarding of toilet paper and other essentials, including the emotional outbursts of manic buyers fighting over these ‘coveted’ items in stores, with the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic.[16] Psychologist Samah Khaled Zahran believes the origins of these phenomena may be found in the human biofield, or human energy field (aura), also known as the morphic field. He proposes the human biofield serves as an energy umbrella or atmosphere that represents human physical and psychological status that connects us to our surroundings and helps us to adapt to our environment.[17] A 2014 cross-disciplinary study confirms the hypothesises that emotional states generate corresponding metabolic bio-magnetic fields that radiate in patterns reflecting these emotional states, and that these energy fields can be shared in a crowd through paramagnetic sensitivity that may be proportional to crowd numbers.[18] EMPATHIC MEDIUMSHIP When I do mediumship readings, I often tell clients that the dearly departed no longer feel the ‘petty’ human emotions we so often indulge in, but they certainly make me ‘feel’ these emotions while I am channeling. The empathic energy data of the deceased is in my experience always loving, compassionate, peaceful, and unmistakably selfless. It is never hateful, angry, vengeful, jealous, remorseful, or even apologetic — but I do experience such negative emotions when I channel the akashic information of the deceased person. The energy data of the dearly departed never ‘tells’ me they are angry or sad (because they are indeed not). Instead, their energy essentially causes me to feel angry or sad ‘on their behalf’ as the ‘medium.’ Some clients, who have been victims of family trauma or abuse, typically do not care much for this, nor do they wish to understand how everyone on the other side can always just be so ‘pollyanna’ happy and positive. Instead, they want to know that their parent or grandparent is truly sorry, or that their sibling or child is sincerely begging for their forgiveness. Experiencing such emotive impressions can therefore be exceptionally healing for the sitter. But to meaningfully convey this information from the akasha, I need to function as a psychic surrogate or ‘channel,’ and actually ‘feel’ the emotional significance of what is being channeled. SENTIENT SHAPESHIFTING It is important to note clairempathy is not limited only to humans. Author Dawn Baumann Brunke, for example, reveals how through the art of shapeshifting or therianthropy (moving in and out of shared awareness with other sentient beings) one can experience different forms of consciousness ‘through the eyes’ of other beings, and integrate these experiences into a greater awareness of our own being.[19] Excerpt from The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception. © 2022 Anthon St. Maarten REFERENCES [1] Wagers, K. B. & Kiel, E. J. (2019). The Influence Of Parenting And Temperament On Empathy Development In Toddlers. Journal Of Family Psychology. [2] Lockwood, P.L. et al. (2017) Individual Differences In Empathy Are Associated With Apathy-Motivation. Scientific Reports. [3] Rothen N. & Meier B. (2013). Why Vicarious Experience Is Not An Instance Of Synesthesia. Frontiers In Human Neuroscience. [4] Lysaker, P.H. et.al. (2014). Social Cognition And Metacognition In Schizophrenia. Academic Press. [5] Urbonaviciute, G. & Hepper, E. G. (2020). When Is Narcissism Associated With Low Empathy? A Meta-Analytic Review. Journal Of Research In Personality. [6] Christine, H. (2000). Psi As A Multilevel Process: Semantic Fields Theory. The Journal Of Parapsychology. [7] Bierman, D. (1995). The Amsterdam Ganzfeld Series: Target Clip Emotionality, Effect Sizes And Openness. The Parapsychological Association. [8] Broughton, R. & Alexander, C. (1997). Autoganzfeld: An Attempted Replication Of The PRL Ganzfeld Research. Journal Of Parapsychology. [9] Schouten, S. (1982). Analysing Spontaneous Cases: A Replication Based On The Rhine Collection. European Journal Of Parapsychology. [10] Kiuru, N. Et.Al. (2012). Is Depression Contagious? A Test Of Alternative Peer Socialization Mechanisms Of Depressive Symptoms In Adolescent Peer Networks. Journal Of Adolescent Health. [11] Nummenmaa, L. et.al. (2012). Emotions Promote Social Interaction By Synchronizing Brain Activity Across Individuals. National Academy of Sciences. [12] Stevenson, I. (1970). Telepathic Impressions: A Review and Report of Thirty-five New Cases. American Society for Psychical Research. University Press of Virginia. [13] Bauer, P. (2020). Dancing Plague Of 1518. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Britannica.com. [14] Rankin, A. M. & Philip, P. J. (1963). An Epidemic Of Laughing In The Bukoba District Of Tanganyika. Central African Journal Of Medicine. [15] Balaratnasingam S. & Janca, A. (2006). Mass Hysteria Revisited. Current Opinion in Psychiatry Journal. [16] Bagus, P. et.al. (2021). COVID-19 And The Political Economy Of Mass Hysteria. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health. [17] Zahran S.K. (2019) Human Bio-field and Psychical Sensitivity. Journal of Psychology & Clinical Psychiatry. [18] McDonnell, A. (2014). The Sixth Sense-Emotional Contagion; Review Of Biophysical Mechanisms Influencing Information Transfer In Groups. Journal Of Behavioral And Brain Science. [19] Baumann Brunke, D. (2008). Shapeshifting With Our Animal Companions: Connecting With The Spiritual Awareness Of All Life. Bear & Company. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthon St. Maarten is a psychic medium and destiny coach with a global clientele of thought leaders, business executives, celebrities, politicians, academics, and luminaries in the arts and sciences in more than thirty countries spanning five continents. He is also a metaphysics teacher, psychic development coach, podcaster, and spiritual blogger. Anthon is a hereditary psychic medium in professional practice since 2004 and a liberal arts post-graduate with a major in psychology. Anthon publishes the spiritual life design blog, The S Word, and is the author of Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny and The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception.

Psychic knowing, claircognition, or claircognizance, is arguably the most undervalued psychic perception preference, yet probably the most prevalent. These psychic ‘thought’ perceptions may seem mundane, even unglamorous, at first glance, but it is in fact a profound form of psychic perception that plays a much more significant role in everyday life than is commonly understood. Claircognizance is the perception of spontaneous thought impressions, or the psychic ‘knowing’ of factual information and cognitive insights regarding the past, present and future. The claircognizant spontaneously ‘knows’ things without a rational explanation for how we know it. We simply know things in the same way people instinctively know which direction to open and close a water faucet, for example, without ever having been shown how to do it. We just somehow know. Psi researchers refer to claircognition as the "anomalous appearance or acquisition of non-inferential information."[1] Claircognizance is also called superconscious telepathy or telepathic cognition [2], which essentially means it is the perception of psi from the ‘superconscious’ (note: it is not the telepathic interaction or transfer of thoughts between two minds). Author David Brown describes superconscious telepathy as "the ability to access the collective wisdom of the human race."[3] In other words, it is ‘akashic telepathy.’ The term claircognizance is a neologism derived from French clair in ‘clairvoyance,’ meaning ‘clear,’ and connaissance meaning ‘recognition, knowledge, wisdom.’ In psychology and neuroscience ‘cognition’ refers to the mental processes of knowing, understanding, and acquiring knowledge. Claircognitive psychic impressions are therefore spontaneous psychic knowings, understandings and recognitions that are not the result of logical deduction, intellectual reasoning, or direct observation, but instead spontaneous mental ‘flashes’ of nonlocal, omniscient knowledge, insight or wisdom. The claircognizant psychic or medium consciously perceives factual and sagacious (wisdom) information that is otherwise unconscious, or has spontaneous understanding of a question, problem, or pressing issue. It includes an infinite range of ‘cognitions’ perceived as thoughts, ideas, insights, factual knowledge, and at times uncanny answers and solutions to some of life’s most complex challenges and problems. In pop culture claircognizance is sometimes misconceived as being a ‘subtype’ of clairsentience, clairempathy, or clairintuition, but feeling a presentiment (emotion) or having a premonition (foreboding) is not the cognitive knowing, recognizing, or understanding of something. Parapsychology, on the other hand, traditionally views claircognizant perception as a form of telepathy, ‘mind-reading,’ or ‘thought transference,’ but claircognizant psychics and mediums know from experience that this simplistic, mechanical notion of knowledge ‘transmission’ or ‘transfer’ does not accurately reflect true claircognitive perception. In fact, the true source of psychic ‘knowings’ is numinous, supernatural, transcendental, or divine. It originates from the spirit realm, the universal consciousness, the akasha. At times, it can be dramatic, in the form of amazing ‘aha’ epiphanies or unexpected ‘light bulb’ moments, but it can also be a simple, subtle knowing what someone is about to say, or knowing accurate facts about strangers. The cognitive information I typically perceive in a reading cannot possibly come solely from the minds of other people, much less my own mind. My typical experience of claircognizance is that it feels like a recalling of my own memories and personal knowledge, but the information I perceive is mostly novel or unfamiliar. At times, it can be dramatic, in the form of amazing ‘aha’ epiphanies or unexpected ‘light bulb’ moments, but it can also be a simple, subtle knowing what someone is about to say, or knowing accurate facts about strangers. It often happens that I will state to a new client certain factual information about themselves, or their life, or the people around them, while they are gasping with surprise. “What? Oh my! How did you know that!?” Sometimes they are truly perplexed, even distressed. It puzzles them how it is possible for me to know something so deeply private about them — things that often nobody else in their life knows. At times, some are downright suspicious, especially the psychic newbies who have never had a reading before. Yes, indeed, sometimes a psychic or medium can actually be ‘too psychic’ for some people’s liking! It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by author Neil Gaiman: “Agnes was the worst prophet that's ever existed. Because she was always right."[4] After almost two decades of doing professional channeling, I still find these surprised reactions a little awkward. I am not always sure how to respond? In the early years, I often used to remain clumsily silent, because I honestly had no idea what to say. These days, I just dryly reply, “Uhm, is this not why you decided to consult with me…because I know things?” My discomfort in these moments probably stems from those unpleasant childhood experiences when I blurted out people’s embarrassing secrets, often spilling the beans at the most inappropriate moments — about private matters nobody was supposed to know about. This repeatedly landed me in trouble, and it to this day it still does. However, these days I am no longer reprimanded or punished by adults, but claircognizance continues to complicate my personal relationships and social life. For example, it is the basis of the annoying propensity I have to constantly want to finish other people’s sentences for them (because I already know what they are planning to say). While claircognizance is sometimes a source of amusement in my professional practice, it tends to be problematic in my personal life. It is not always ideal to know certain things you are not supposed to know. I have lost several friends over the years for ‘knowing’ certain things and being too honest and direct about it. I have however received a few sincere apologies from offended parties after the fact (sometimes many years later). “You were right after all,” they will say. “I wish I’d listened to you back then, but I was in denial and blind to the truth.” I have also received similar feedback from clients over the years. I met Anthon almost 2 years ago during a very hard time of my life. I had talked to three more psychics until I talked to him. He said exactly opposite things that the rest of the psychics had said to me. I was disappointed, and did not believe what he said, since he was not telling me what I wanted to hear. I wish I listened to him.[5] I am also known among some friends and long-time clients by a nickname I acquired due to my penchant for claircognizant 'straight-talk.’ When I complained to a friend years ago about a mutual acquaintance who was offended by my telling them certain truths they did not wish to hear, his sardonic reaction was simply: “Well, maybe it’s time you accept the fact that you are the ‘soothsayer of the tribe,’ and that it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.” DIVINE INSPIRATION One of the significant ways that claircognizance or so-called ‘anomalous cognition’ manifests for many people is divine inspiration. Many artists, philosophers, scientists, and inventors through the ages have attributed their ideas and innovations to a ‘flash’ of insight, or a ‘spark’ of inspiration. The knowings and insights of claircognizant psychics and mediums are channeled from the same omniscient source, namely the superconscious, universal consciousness, or the akasha. In fact, I believe all forms of profound inspiration and creativity, be it artistic, scientific, technological, mystical, or prophetic, are always the result of a spontaneous or intentional channeling of nonlocal energy data. I believe these divine or numinous inspirations are the foundation for all exceptional human creativity, artistic ideas, technological innovation, and scientific advancement. Computer scientist Rafael Espericueta agrees, "spiritual epiphanies inspire the evolution of science."[6] All forms of profound inspiration and creativity, be it artistic, scientific, technological, mystical, or prophetic, are always the result of a spontaneous or intentional channeling of nonlocal energy data. In Greek mythology the process of divine inspiration is said to be the work of inspirational goddesses known as the ‘muses,’ but the phenomenon is even better described by the words of famous composer, Johannes Brahms, who says, "the powers from which all truly great composers like Mozart, Schubert, Bach and Beethoven drew their inspirations, is the same power that enabled Jesus to do his miracles."[7] It is also reminiscent of French composer Charles-François Gounod who when asked how he came up with all his beautiful melodies, simply replies: “God sends me down some of his angels and they whisper sweet melodies in my ear."[8] In a conversation with Engelbert Humperdinck in 1880, the composer Richard Wagner says, “An atheistic upbringing is fatal. No atheist has ever created anything of great and lasting value."[9] Science has many theories about the nature of the so-called eureka effect (also known as the ‘aha! moment’) but what is not commonly considered is the possibility that the spontaneous insight that inspired the famous Greek physicist, Archimedes, to shout, “Eureka! Eureka!' (I found it! I found it!) is not much different from the everyday ‘anomalous cognitions’ that claircognizant psychics and mediums experience. Just like Archimedes, the claircognizant also perceives sudden insights and inexplicable answers to everyday questions. The idea of divine inspiration has become less fashionable since the advent of modern science and a material worldview, but it does not make the concept any less bona fide for those of us who perceive these cognitive miracles in our everyday channelings or readings. Ironically, Isaac Newton, arguably the most central figure in the emergence of modern materialist science, wrote about more than only science and mathematics. Author John Chambers reveals Newton secretly ventured into the realms of alchemy, religion, spirituality, and prophecy. He even searched for lost civilizations like Atlantis and predicted an Apocalypse in the year 2060.[10] According to Sarah Dry, Newton even conducted a forensic analysis of the Bible, in which he attempted to decode its divine prophecies. She reports that the mystical aspects of Newton’s work are lesser-known today because his descendants preferred to suppress his so-called ‘heretical’ papers after his death (about ten million words, or enough to fill about 150 average length novels) thus keeping it hidden from public awareness for a century.[11] It is also claimed that the famous physicist Albert Einstein owned a copy of The Secret Doctrine (1888) by Helena Blavatsky, which he kept on his desk at all times. It is even rumored that he advised a fellow physicist to get a copy and “dip into it when he’s handicapped by some problem."[12] Blavatsky is a Russian philosopher and author who co-founded the Theosophical Society. Her book is said to reconcile ancient eastern wisdom with modern science. Max Heindel says it is necessary for us to realize that Madame Blavatsky was, as she herself often expressed it, only the compiler of her books. Behind her stood the real teachers, the guardians of the Secret Wisdom of the ages, who taught her all the occult lore which she transmitted in her writings.[13] Gary Starkweather, the inventor of the laser printer, also credits his success to divine inspiration. I believe that to a great extent, the creativity we possess is because the Creator put it there. God put things [in us] as tool developers and creative individuals and I think it has to please him when He sees us use those faculties to make something new.[14] According to author Warren M. Mueller the popular assumption is that human thoughts originate in the brain, but where exactly this occurs in the brain "continues to defy scientific methods to quantify this." Perhaps this is because human thoughts originate outside the body. The brain does not create our thoughts, but rather processes them and tries to adapt them to our ability to understand and function. Thoughts enter our brain from a source that is outside of our physical body and, only when they reach the brain, does it begin to act and decipher them.[15] Satish Kumar, former monk, and environmental activist, writes that “science and spirituality make a great partnership.” If those engaged in science spend some time in the silence of their own selves, inspiration will come and lead them to the answers for which they seek. A sense of unmanifested wonder and curiosity, and a sense of intuition and inspiration exist before there is empirical knowledge through experiments, or evidence and proof to create a scientific hypothesis and a theory. Dismissing that unmanifest intuition or inspiration, as some materialist scientists do, is a grave folly.[16] Psi researcher Helané Wahbeh proposes channeling or ‘the process of revealing information and energy not limited by our conventional notions of space and time,’ is quite common in society.[17] I think of channeling as being like a spectrum. On the subtler side, people experience clairempathy, claircognizance, lucid dreaming, and telepathy. Somewhere toward the middle are precognition and mediumship. And at the far end of the spectrum are rarer experiences like trance channeling, geomancy, psychic healing, pyrokinesis, and levitation.[18] She cites a study done by the Institute of Noetic Sciences that surveyed, among others, scientists, engineers, and the general public about their channeling experiences. The survey finds that as much as 90% of participants had at least one channeling experience in their lifetime.[19] A 1976 paper on spirit possession, trance channeling and spirit mediumship, further finds such channeling-related beliefs to exist in 74% of a sample of 488 societies in all parts of the world. These beliefs are often also associated with ritualized altered states of consciousness.[20] Wahbeh further cites a survey among psychic channelers in which they were asked what they perceive to be the source of their channeled information. It finds that 56% of the channelers surveyed attribute their channeled information to the higher self; 50% say it comes from the universal mind; and 47% believe that the source is the unconscious mind. Some participants also report channeling spirits, deities, extra-terrestrials, or other spirit entities.[21] RETROCOGNITION & PRECOGNITION Two noteworthy forms of claircognizance are retrocognition and precognition, or psychic knowledge regarding the past and the future. Retrocognition, also called post-cognition, hindsight, or past evocation, is the perception of facts and knowledge of past events not learned, inferred, or logically deduced by the psychic or medium. These psychic impressions are often a sage (wise) discernment of past events. The retrocognizant psychic or medium ‘knows’ or ‘recognizes’ things that have happened to you, without you telling them those details of your past. Retrocognition does not only relate to our current lifetime, but is also perceived as past life memories. Precognition or prescience is the prophetic, predictive, or ‘advance knowing’ of future events. It is foreknowledge that is cognitive, cerebral, intellectual. The term precognition is from Latin praecognitio, based on cognoscere ‘to know.’ A simple example is knowing beforehand that someone is going to call you, and then the phone rings and it is the person you expected. Precognition is mistakenly called ‘future sight’ or ‘prophetic vision’ by some, and sometimes also confused with clairvoyance. Although claircognitive knowing can indeed be accompanied by visions, presentiments, or premonitions, the claircognizant does not always ‘see’ or ‘feel’ or ‘sense’ a future event. Instead, we might only know what will happen, why it will happen, and so on. Prescience is a more precise, delineated term that specifically means foreknowledge or ‘knowledge of events before they take place.’ The term precognition is mostly used in the field of parapsychology, but seldom heard in the psychic community. Psi researchers define precognition as “the ability to obtain information about a future event, unknowable through inference alone, before the event actually occurs."[22] Parapsychology, however, does not differentiate between the sapient and sentient aspects of the different forms of predictive psychic perception. All types of ‘future psi’ are merely referred to as ‘precognition,’ regardless of it being clairempathic, clairvoyant, or clairintuitive instead. For example, presentiment or ‘pre-feeling,’ is simply described as an ‘unconscious form of precognition.’[23] To distinguish more clearly between the sapient and sentient qualities of true psychic perception, I therefore prefer the old-school term prescience in the context of claircognizance, instead of the psi notion of ‘precognition.’ Prescience is a more precise, delineated term that specifically means foreknowledge or ‘knowledge of events before they take place.’ Prescience is from Latin praescientia meaning "foreknowledge," and praescire ‘to know in advance," with prae meaning ‘before’ and scire ‘to know.’ According to researcher Robert Rosenberg, precognition or prescience holds a special place among psi phenomena. It is perhaps the most metaphysically offensive of rogue phenomena. In the past 130 years, a number of thoughtful investigators, none of them either naïve or foolish, have studied a growing collection of incidents…[and] have repeatedly come to the generally reluctant conclusion that true precognition (or something identical to it with a different name) exists.[24] Parapsychologist Andrew MacKenzie agrees, “I am surprised that the strength of the evidence for precognition in its various forms in daily life is not generally realized.”[25] Psi researcher Robert Rosenberg concludes that the empirical evidence for precognition is undeniable. “Unless we ignore it, pretend it does not exist, it demands our attention.”[26] Excerpt from The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception. © 2022 Anthon St. Maarten REFERENCES [1] Rosenberg, R. (2016). Precognition. Psi Encyclopedia. The Society for Psychical Research. [2] Broad, C. D. (1953), Religion, Philosophy and Psychical Research. Routledge & Kegan Paul. [3] Brown, D. K. (2016). Brain-Storm: When The Mind Becomes The Ultimate Weapon. Lulu.com [4] Pratchett, T. & Gaiman, N. (2006). Good Omens: The Nice And Accurate Prophecies Of Agnes Nutter, Witch. William Morrow. [5] Idil, A. January 16, 2016. BestPsychicDirectory.com [6] Espericueta, R. (2020) Science and Spirituality – Complementary or Contradictory? LinkedIn.com [7] James-Griffiths, P. (2016) Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers. ChristianHeritageEdinburgh.org.uk. [8] Harding, J. (1973). Gounod. Stein [9] Abell, A.M. (1995). Talks With Great Composers. Spiritualist Press. [10] Chambers, J. (2018). The Metaphysical World of Isaac Newton: Alchemy, Prophecy, and the Search for Lost Knowledge. Destiny Books. [11] Dry, S. (2014). The Newton Papers: The Strange and True Odyssey of Isaac Newton's Manuscripts. Oxford University Press [12] Albert Einstein. (2017). Theosophy.wiki. [13] Heindel, M. (1933) Blavatsky and the Secret Doctrine. Phoenix Press. [14] Mueller, W. M. (2019). Truth Seeker: The Human Condition. WestBow Press. [15] Mueller, W. M. (2019). Truth Seeker: The Human Condition. WestBow Press. [16] Kumar, S. (2018). Embracing Spirituality With A Scientific Mind. TheEcologist.org. [17] Wahbeh, H. (2012) The Science Of Channeling: Why You Should Trust Your Intuition And Embrace The Force That Connects Us All. Reveal Press. [18] Wahbeh, H. (2021). What Is Channeling? The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS). [19] Wahbeh, H. et. al. (2018). Exceptional Experiences Reported By Scientists And Engineers. Explore. [20] Bourguignon, E. (1976). Spirit Possession Beliefs And Social Structure. World Anthropology: The Realm Of The Extra‑Human: Ideas And Actions. Mouton. [21] Wahbeh, H. & Butzer, B. (2020). Characteristics Of English-Speaking Trance Channelers. Explore. [22] Franklin M. S. et.al. (2014) Future Directions In Precognition Research: More Research Can Bridge The Gap Between Skeptics And Proponents. Frontiers In Psychology. [23] Radin, D. (2016). Presentiment. Psi Encyclopedia. The Society for Psychical Research. [24] Rosenberg, R. (2016). Precognition. Psi Encyclopedia. The Society for Psychical Research. [25] MacKenzie, A. (1974). Riddle Of The Future: A Modern Study Of Precognition. Arthur Barker. [26] Rosenberg, R. (2016). Precognition. Psi Encyclopedia. The Society for Psychical Research. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthon St. Maarten is a psychic medium and destiny coach with a global clientele of thought leaders, business executives, celebrities, politicians, academics, and luminaries in the arts and sciences in more than thirty countries spanning five continents. He is also a metaphysics teacher, psychic development coach, podcaster, and spiritual blogger. Anthon is a hereditary psychic medium in professional practice since 2004 and a liberal arts post-graduate with a major in psychology. Anthon publishes the spiritual life design blog, The S Word, and is the author of Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny and The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception.

In my line of work there is sometimes the unhealthy obsession with the concept of clearing "dark entities" or removing "evil curses". Some of the most spiritually aware and gifted people, who are otherwise very reasonable, intelligent and level-headed, can sometimes also become fanatic about finding evil spirits, curses and dark entities under their beds, inside their closets …and deep-down in the purses and wallets of their clients. Just the other day I was listening to a radio psychic scaring the living daylights out of his unsuspecting caller. The caller just wanted some career advice, but instead the fear-mongering 'psychic' was hell-bent on convincing her that her home was infested with evil entities. The psychic's charming co-host then also jumped in to offer some old-wives’ cures for getting rid of all the demonic forces. Truth be told, the only disturbance I was picking up on was the fact that that poor, freaked out woman would not be getting much sleep for weeks! It appears we are simply not able to rid ourselves of this thing we seem to have for the boogeyman (here in my country also known as the tokoloshe). Now, don’t get me wrong. The struggle between good and evil is very, very real. It is a fundamental component of the human condition. It is also the basis of all Creation. It stems from the duality found in every important aspect of our expanding Universe: dark versus light, life versus death, night versus day. But light needs the presence of darkness to be truly visible and meaningful. A belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness ~ Joseph Conrad The co-existence of good and evil is also the basis for an inner conflict that each of us have to resolve in this lifetime. It is part of the reason why we are here. Both good and evil therefore do serve a purpose in the greater scheme of things. No doubt about that. But blaming the spiritual realm for the darkness of men is my idea of heresy and blasphemy. Our morbid fascination with all things dark is as old as the hills, but it is still very much de rigueur. Just the fact that psychics and mediums are today still being accused of doing the devil’s work is sufficient proof in itself. In many religious circles ‘fire and brimstone’ remains the height of fashion. Not to mention the latest 2012 doomsday prophecies, conspiracy theories and apocalyptic visions of evil forces, undercover aliens and secret societies; all hype eagerly spread by fear-mongers, spin doctors and social entrepreneurs. But those are the most obvious kinds of evil mania. What truly amazes me about our obsession with all things evil is that it is not something you only find in traditional churches or conservative circles. No, some truly gifted, spiritually aware and highly intuitive people, with whom I share many beliefs and blessings, are also fanatic about finding evil spirits, curses and dark entities under their beds, inside their closets …and deep-down in the purses and wallets of their clients. Yesterday a wonderful client called me, devastated and in tears. She had been persuaded by a well-meaning friend to “try out” another psychic she knows of… just for fun. The self-proclaimed ’spiritual advisor’ had a field day predicting doom and gloom for her current relationship and warned her that another woman was doing magic to steal her man away. She also offered to do spell work for her to fix the problem, to the tune of $400! Meanwhile my client’s love life is perfectly on track and they are in fact a very happy couple. How dare someone mess with the lives of others out of sheer greed? It truly disgusts me. May God have mercy on her soul. It is deeply disappointing that many who share in the collective consciousness appear to be obsessing about evil entities and dark forces all of the time. In fact, they are so busy doing this that they hardly have any time or energy left to be co-creators in our spiritual evolution. They seem to miss the point that evil is about regression, destruction and reversing into the past. Evil is the antithesis of creation and expansion, and they seem to forget that what they focus on, sadly, does become their reality. The good versus evil ‘battle’ has been waged one way or another since the dawn of civilization. It is an ancient archetype that is one of the most recognizable themes in literature and the arts. Let’s face it... the archetype of ‘good guys versus bad guys’ is the stuff that bestsellers and box office hits are made of. To rid ourselves of our shadows – who we are – we must step into either total light or total darkness. Goodness and evil ~ Jeremy P. Johnson I guess it therefore comes as no surprise that some spiritual seekers are forever obsessing about the evil they fear may be creeping up on them. One only has to tune in to a few podcasts, or watch the latest online videos, to witness the spiritual community’s fixation on everything evil. Indeed, fundamentalism is not only found among the religious and the dogmatic. Some of the ‘spiritually enlightened’ and ‘intuitively evolved’ seem to insist on clinging to medieval concepts and out-dated superstitions. Instead of being fully devoted to unconditional love, kindness, generosity, selflessness and the greater good, much energy, time and money is being spent every day fighting evil entities and keeping the ‘darkness’ and its ‘extremely powerful forces’ at bay. Potions, spells and candles are actually the very products that keep scam psychics and fake mediums in business. All this while the true battle of Armageddon is being fought right here under our noses, in the streets in front of our houses. There is no dominating source of evil, because if there was, we would not exist, nature would not exist and neither would the Universe. It is counter-productive to assign so much influence and power to something that is in fact just vast emptiness, non-entity and anti-matter. I have often said, and will say it again, if you want to know true evil just switch on the evening news. If you are curious to see the real face of satan, you will find him lurking on the cover of celebrity magazines, in newspapers and on political campaign posters. The battle between good and evil is not being fought in the spiritual realm. Spirit knows no anger, envy, fear, violence or hatred. The real war is happening in mundane places, like the television set in your parlor or at your child’s school. If you want to find demons, shadow people or anti-Christs, look for them in our educational institutions, communities, churches and governments. If you truly want to find evil incarnate, seek it among the school bullies in our midst, those who drive their peers to suicide or post vile online jokes about their deaths. Maybe we should stop hunting ghosts, witches, psychic vampires and energy thieves, and rather expose the narcissists among us who dominate, dictate and destroy so many relationships, families, careers and lives – devoid of empathy and compassion. Let's also search our boardrooms, public offices and parliaments. There we will find among our leaders and kings many ego-maniacs who abuse their power, corrupt their economy and violate the basic human rights of their people, while they wage senseless wars on their critics, and each other. Evil, darkness, threat and fear are not spiritual forces… they are the evil creations of man. JJ Dewey writes that “all forces, powers, and energies are neither good nor evil in themselves. They are completely neutral, but only become good or evil when they are intelligently directed.” He also states that “all energies and creations vibrating in their pure state are good.” And that is the whole point. Focusing so much of our thoughts, feelings and intentions on evil, instead of that which is good, is counter-productive and contrary to our Divine Purpose. We are here to serve each other and grow, expand and become, not to cast an exaggerated, ominous shadow over all that is potentially good in the world. Eternal good is eternal becoming or eternally moving forward to greater life. Eternal evil is to cease becoming and “to be” that which was in the past ~ JJ Dewey The spiritual realm is much like the natural world. It is in essence breathtakingly perfect, completely harmonious and utterly flawless. I have yet to meet an evil animal or discover a satanic plant. The only evil I have ever witnessed among plants and animals are the scars left on them by the inhumane, dark deeds of men. It is certainly not the devil who is trashing the environment, abusing the animal kingdom or trampling the hearts of loving women and breaking the spirits of brave men. The Divine Light that you and I come from, and will return to one day, knows no evil and does not recognize the power of these shadows that some so willingly fear and follow. Believing in the supremacy of evil entities and dark beings implies that we all come from a spiritual place of imperfection. It suggests that the Divine Source is somehow diseased, that Creation is riddled with flaws and falsehoods that dwell among us. And, worst of all, that we are so far superior in our human state that we alone are capable of fixing this broken, dysfunctional or chaotic spiritual mess. I realize that for some it must be fun to indulge in this paranormal soap opera, but most of us simply don’t have the time, or the inclination. We know we have much work to do, gifts to offer, blessings to share. We are the Wounded Healers, the Empaths, the Shamans, the Indigo Children, the Starseeds, and the Lightworkers. We speak to the Angels, listen to our Spirit Guides and trust in the guidance of our Ancestors, Ascended Masters and Loved Ones. We fight true evil by saving the planet and healing humanity, by drying one tear at a time. We have no need for spells, talismans or obsessive-compulsive psychic defenses, for we are surrounded by the everlasting and indestructible shields of Love, Peace and Harmony. The phenomenal power of our Spiritual Heritage surges through our being every moment of every day. We are illuminated by the Divine; there is much Light around us. The spiritual evolution of mankind is our ultimate aim, our Divine duty. As we continue to expand the Universe, this dazzling, bright Light we carry will continue to emanate from us with much Glory. And we know that there shall come a time when there will be no more evil among men. And we shall know that all is Good. © 2010 Anthon St. Maarten ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthon St. Maarten is a psychic medium and destiny coach with a global clientele of thought leaders, business executives, celebrities, politicians, academics, and luminaries in the arts and sciences in more than thirty countries spanning five continents. He is also a metaphysics teacher, psychic development coach, podcaster, and spiritual blogger. Anthon is a hereditary psychic medium in professional practice since 2004 and a liberal arts post-graduate with a major in psychology. Anthon publishes the spiritual life design blog, The S Word, and is the author of Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny and The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception.

Did you know that we sometimes dream the future? Ever had that nagging feeling that you have seen, or experienced, an event or situation before? I experience this phenomenon on a regular basis, and I also use the content of these lucid dreams with great success in my work. Sometimes I have dreams about significant future events, and I also experience dreams focusing on important issues in the lives of my clients. Of course, it is very useful when I am doing a psychic reading for you and I had a dream about you two nights ago! Over the years I have learned to distinguish between normal dreams and psychic dreams. In my late teens, I was fortunate to discover the book, An Experiment with Time by J W Dunne, and this helped me a great deal in understanding and mastering the prophetic nature of my dreams. Psychic dreams differ from our usual psychological dreams. Normal dreams are simply an opportunity for our subconscious mind to process the events of the day, or an attempt to resolve issues or concerns we currently face in our lives. Normal dreams are about the past and present, while psychic dreams focus on the future. Dreams are nature’s answering service – don’t forget to pick up your messages once in a while. ~ Sarah Crestinn Psychic dreams, however, are prophetic in nature. These special dreams offer us actual glimpses into future events and outcomes. Not only do we dream about the future, I also believe that we generate or create our future while we are in the dream state. I also believe that some of the events we shape during these dreams are what we later experience as moments of déjà vu. So, how do you know you had a psychic or lucid dream? The experience seems to be different for everyone. My psychic dreams are usually very vivid and colorful, almost like watching film footage or a news clip on television. I also hear sounds or voices very clearly (or not at all), and I often see symbols that have a specific personal meaning or significance for me. I typically have these dreams as I drift off into sleep, or just before I wake up in the morning. Many of my precognitive dreams occur a couple of days before the actual event, but some arrive months, or even years in advance. The best way to explore your dreams, and gain greater access to its prophetic content, is too start keeping a dream journal or diary. I live with a notepad next to my bed, and every morning I record everything I can remember about the previous night’s dreams. A good place to start is to recall the last thing you saw or felt, just before you woke up. Be patient, it won’t come without some effort at first, but over time, and with frequent practice, it will become easier. Review your notes from time to time. You will be surprised at how much of what you dream actually does come true later. ​The precognitive dreams I have range from the intensely serious, to the completely bizarre. Although I have become used to having these dreams, and accept them as a natural part of my day, I am sometimes surprised, or even confused by them. Some of my dreams are of national or international significance. Several months ago, for instance, I had a recurring dream about a man and child digging up old bones in my backyard? They were so excited about each one they found! I was totally perplexed, until I heard that one of the most significant anthropological discoveries to date had been made, by an American professor who works here at a local university. They were out for a walk, and his son was the first to discover some of the fossils of a new hominid species, which lived almost two million years ago. This happened at the Cradle of Mankind in the Magaliesburg, which is not too far from where I live in Pretoria, South Africa. A dream which is not interpreted is like a letter which is not read. ~ The Talmud​ More recently, I had a strange dream about a man speaking under a red flag. His voice gradually faded out. The more he tried to speak, the less one could hear him. I had no idea what it meant at the time. The only sense I could make of it was that it was something symbolic about Hitler or Nazi Germany? I should have connected the dots, based on what was revealed later. Soon after I was busy reading for a client (she is a journalist), when I suddenly decided to end the consultation. I told her to switch on her mobile phone. I sensed that she was about to receive an urgent phone call and advised her to return to her office. Her phone started ringing as she got into her car. Later, she told me that a prominent right-wing political figure in our country had been brutally murdered in his home. The well-known emblem of his organization is a black and white symbol on a red flag. ​Then, on a much lighter note, in 1998 I dreamed that a blonde woman from South Africa would win a big prize in the USA, due to the fact that she was a prostitute and a serial killer! My family and friends thought I had finally gone down the rabbit hole…to be honest, I had my own doubts too! Of course, I had a good laugh many years later, when Charlize Theron hit the mark in 2004, by winning the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in the film, Monster. ​Another anecdote is the charming lady who once sent me a request for an reading. I had a very odd dream the night before, which later proved to be quite funny. In her letter this client apologized profusely for all her spelling and typing errors. Apparently she had trouble seeing what she was typing. In my response I asked her why she was wearing her glasses on her head, since she needed them to read and write? The return email simply stated: “Thanks honey, I have been looking for them all day!” © 2010 Anthon St. Maarten ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthon St. Maarten is a psychic medium and destiny coach with a global clientele of thought leaders, business executives, celebrities, politicians, academics, and luminaries in the arts and sciences in more than thirty countries spanning five continents. He is also a metaphysics teacher, psychic development coach, podcaster, and spiritual blogger. Anthon is a hereditary psychic medium in professional practice since 2004 and a liberal arts post-graduate with a major in psychology. Anthon publishes the spiritual life design blog, The S Word, and is the author of Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny and The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception.

Psychic reading is often assumed to be synonymous with fortune-telling, and while they may seem similar on the surface they are in fact two very different practices. Psychic reading is a spiritual practice... a sacred portal to manifesting your true destiny. Fortune-telling, on the other hand, is a fallacy and potentially dangerous and destructive. Yes, fortune-telling is a myth. Nobody can ‘tell your fortune' for the simple reason that you don’t actually have a 'fortune.' Your fortune is something you create every day through your beliefs, thoughts, choices, decisions and actions. You are a spiritual being continuously seeking physical expression in your current incarnation. And therefore you are the creator of your own reality experience, and the designer of your own destiny. Your fate is ultimately in your own hands (albeit with a little help from the Divine). Fortune-telling, however, claims that your future is carved in stone and your destiny consists of a rigid, preordained program which you are obliged to stick to unfailingly. But your life path has not been strictly scripted like the plot for a movie or a stage play, which you have to monotonously act out every day… scene by scene… minute by minute…until the final curtain. We certainly did not come into this time-space reality to be mere puppets or robots passively going through the motions of a pre-determined fate. What would the point be of such a dull and totally predictable affair… over which we have absolutely no control? Yet, there are many ‘prophets’ who find these inevitable, unyielding life forecasts every day in their teacups, crystal balls and oracle cards. Their fantastic tales are often also heavily sugar-coated, in order to feed their querents whatever good news they wish to hear, or they are rife with fear-mongering and doom prophecies about unavoidable future calamities and tragedies. And some people actually believe them (sometimes with dire consequences). God isn't about making good things happen to you, or bad things happen to you. He's all about you making choices - exercising the gift of free will. God wants you to have good things and a good life, but He won't gift wrap them for you. You have to choose the actions that lead you to that life ~ Jim Butcher A client once impatiently reprimanded me, "I don't want any coaching or advice, just give me the predictions!" I then had to explain to her that I am a psychic medium, not a fortune-teller. Does that mean I never predict the future? Actually I do. In fact, psychic prediction is an essential component of the daily work I do with clients all over the world. Yes, I absolutely do forecast and predict (often with uncanny accuracy according to the testimonials and feedback I receive), but my readings are not fortune-telling. A genuine psychic reading is never purely about casino jackpots, job offers, good fortune or meeting tall, dark strangers. Neither does it predict unavoidable tragedy, disease, or death. ​​The fundamental difference between psychic reading and fortune-telling is rooted in the age old philosophical debate of determinism versus free will. Since ancient times we have been asking the question, “What determines our destiny?’ We have actually spent a lot of time and energy over many centuries to try and figure out who really is in control of our fate. We have even spilled much blood and caused much suffering in our efforts to prove which laws, deities or divine powers are really running the show. To have free will implies that our own, individual intent determines the course of our life, while determinism implies that our fate is determined by external forces beyond our control. So, which is it? Do we have free will and 'personal agency' which allows us to make our own decisions in this lifetime, and choose for ourselves the doorways and winding paths we wish to pursue? Or is our life story rigidly preordained in such a way that, should we somehow be able to rewind it like an old-fashioned video tape and relive it all over again, exactly the same things would happen to us, in exactly the same way, at exactly the same time, and in exactly the same order? Well, we still have not found the conclusive answer to this conundrum, and I don’t believe we ever will. We are after all not meant to know all the answers to all the mysteries of the Universe, despite the fact that some scientists may believe they are privy to this possibility. The act of fortune-telling implies that our lives are indeed ruled by some sort of dreary determinism, while psychic reading, on the other hand, is a spiritual or metaphysical exploration of our future as determined by our free will. A genuine psychic reader does not make sweeping statements like, “You will meet a handsome stranger and marry him... then you will win the lottery… then you will be diagnosed with a dreaded terminal disease… and finally you will die a tragic and untimely death." Fortune-telling is typically very simplistic and rigidly focused only on the future, rather than taking a holistic, multi-dimensional view of life that includes the past, present and future. And often there is also a complete disregard for the complex interaction of body, mind, soul, spirit and the eternal laws of the Universe. Sure, we all sometimes wish the winding road of life was really all that simple and straightforward, but from your personal experiences you must know by now that this is not the case. Looking back over your life, I am sure you can see how your choices and decisions over the years, both good and bad, have pretty much brought you to where you find yourself today. Everything happens through immutable laws. Everything is necessary... It would be very comic that one part of the world was arranged, and the other were not; that one part of what happens had to happen, and that another part of what happens did not have to happen ~ Voltaire Instead of making sweeping one-dimensional statements, a psychic reading delivers a snapshot of your current life circumstances, as you have manifested it thus far, as well as the past influences and choices that brought you to this current moment, together with predictions of the most likely future outcomes (provided you stay the course and make no changes to the direction you have chosen). In best case scenarios, a psychic reading will confirm that you are already on the right path. However, when a psychic reading reveals the probability of an undesirable future outcome, it will also be accompanied by divine guidance and sound spiritual advice on how to change it, or even avoid it. But it is unlikely that you will ever receive this kind of information from typical fortune-telling. That being said, it is important to understand that we are not always entirely in control of our own fate. I have seen in my work that there are indeed moments in life when people encounter events and circumstances that they never chose for ourselves, nor willingly invited into their lives. Sometimes things happen to us that are beyond our control, and outside the scope of our free will. And sometimes really bad things happen to really good people. But please know that these ‘ill-fated’ contrasting experiences, however unfortunate, traumatic, unfair or disastrous they may seem at first, always serve our highest good and a divine purpose in the end. A reputable psychic will help you to see and understand this, while a fortune-teller most likely will not. ​So, what causes these predestined ‘misfortunes’ in our lives? And who or what is responsible for them, since we do not create it for ourselves? In my experience they stem from the following origins. Destiny & Life Design Working with thousands of clients over the years, it has become abundantly clear to me that we do arrive on this planet with some sort of preliminary life design. This ‘life plan’ is basically a custom-designed outline of the entire experience, which acts as a blueprint or road map for our amazing physical journey. And built into this life plan are certain milestones and obstacles that have been selected to emerge along the way. Our life plan is however not carved in stone. It is more like an itinerary, instead of a detailed script. It maps out the defining moments or route markers for our journey, which includes certain predestined events and contrasting circumstances and experiences that will arise throughout the course of our lifetime. It is what we may refer to as fate, luck, or God’s will. These are the events and experiences in our lives we cannot always control or avoid, for better or worse. Predestined contrasting events are mainly designed to add depth and dimension to our life experience. They literally are the spice of life! Without the contrasts created by loss, disappointment and adversity, it is unlikely that we will ever experience true joy and fulfillment, or treasure our real blessings. I always say, if we never experience the chill of a dark winter, it is very unlikely that we will ever cherish the warmth of a bright summer’s day. Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else’s hands, but not you ~ Jim Rohn In more extreme versions, the life plan of some spiritual seekers may also require that they go through a ‘Dark Night of the Soul’ at some point in their life. This ultimately informs and shapes their unique soul purpose and life calling as they journey through their current lifetime. The archetype of the Dark Night of the Soul is a concept I strongly identify with, since I have gone through the experience myself. If you are currently going through such a profoundly challenging time in your life, know that this too shall pass. Personal suffering ultimately inspires many people to much greater heights, and it will most likely do the same in your life, should you choose to remain true to your life plan. When this kind of ‘life design data’ comes up in psychic readings, it usually surfaces at the most opportune moment and always for good reason. We only receive in a psychic reading what is most necessary and beneficial to us at that particular moment in time. Nothing more, nothing less. These prophetic revelations are, however, the exception and not the rule, and they are the closest one will ever come to fortune-telling in any psychic reading. It is actually one of the most exciting aspects of the psychic medium’s work, and obviously the part my clients love the most! However, what always distinguishes such prophetic psychic predictions from fortune-telling is that it is always accompanied by some form of spiritual guidance or esoteric wisdom. Even in worst case scenarios, where you really have no control over what will happen, you should at the very least be offered a sensible explanation for why something is meant to happen in your life, and what you are meant to gain from it. For example, I once did a consultation for a lady who was very much distraught by the terrible prophecy of a fortune-teller several years prior. Apparently she was told that she will have her heart broken repeatedly, she will never know love, she will never be married, and she will end up living a very lonely life! No further explanation or reason was offered. No guidance or consolation. No method in the madness, nor ghost in the machine. Nothing. Maybe the fortune-teller was in a really foul mood that day? ​It may seem silly that this kind of ridiculousness can create havoc in someone’s life, but it almost destroyed my client's sanity. She firmly believed this 'prophecy' to be true, and it subsequently caused her to sabotage and derail all of her relationships, gradually destroying her happiness, and almost crushing her spirit. Fortunately, she found me before it was too late, so that I could set the record straight and get her back on track. It was also not the first time I had to clean up the mess created by an ill-advised fortune-telling episode, and it certainly was not the last. I have come to accept it as an occupational hazard that comes with the territory. Being the soothsayer of the tribe is a dirty job, but someone has to do it. ​By the way, I cannot remember that I have ever encountered a client whose psychic reading revealed that they were meant to remain single all their life? And if I ever do, I am very certain that I will receive additional information from spirit to explain why this must be so, and what purpose it will serve in that person’s life. Our lives are never a mistake. Misfortune is never our true destiny. However, most fortune-tellers will never tell you this. Destiny & Co-Creation Although we are the creators of our own life experience, and we by and large hold the reigns of our own destiny, we also co-exist in a shared reality experience which we co-create with others every day. Not only does our free will operate within the confines of this collective consciousness, but the free will of others also have a profound effect on our daily lives and various aspects of our destiny. ​The future of your romantic relationship or marriage, for example, is not determined solely by you, but also by your partner’s free will choices and decisions. And what happens at work is seldom only your call (even if you are self-employed) since your customers, colleagues, employers and even the local culture and global economy, all determine the future of your career, or business. You are also not solely responsible for the election of certain political candidates, nor do you control the bad decisions made by your government. Neither can you alone be held accountable for all the misguided trends in mainstream popular culture, for example. There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul ~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox ​​For this reason a legitimate psychic reading will always focus on what you can control, instead of what you cannot control. And what you cannot control is what other people are going to think, say or do. Neither can you control the flow of the Universe, the forces of Nature, or the will of God. So, what can you control? What are you responsible for? Although you contribute to shaping the reality we live in, and although the Universe yields to your desires, and molds itself around your energetic intentions, the only thing you can ultimately control is yourself, and how you are going to choose to think, feel and act in any given situation. This is where our true power lies in being the masters of our own destiny: self-awareness, self-realization and spiritual growth through individuation, transcendence and service. ​When a genuine psychic reading reveals unwanted outcomes in your future involving the free will choices of others, you will be spiritually counseled on how to reduce its probability, or at least be advised how to better manage those predicted outcomes, even if you cannot entirely control them. Fortune-telling, on the other hand, typically does not offer this facility. Usually you will merely be informed that your spouse will leave you for someone else, for example, or that your boss will fire you. And that will be that. Period. Unless you consulted the kind of fortune-teller who would then proceed to sell you a 'love potion', 'curse removing candle' or 'magic spell' to influence the free will of others or change the outcome of your terrible fate. And meddling with the free will of others is never a good idea. In fact, it is a messy metaphysical business and a very dangerous practice. Proceed at your own risk. Destiny & Divine Intervention Some of the predestined events in our lives truly are ‘acts of God.’ Sometimes these major contrasting events in our lives serve as safety mechanisms, to protect us from our own free will, should we not stick to our original life plan, or should we make some bad choices and decisions along the way. And sometimes they kick into gear as trigger mechanisms, when we have drifted from our life path… or got stuck next to the road. These contrasting events then ignite a major life transition, or launch a whole new chapter in our lives. Or they push us in a different direction, or they elevate us to higher level. Divine intervention always changes our lives, often in very significant, and even radical ways. Whatever the aim may be, these 'acts of God' always happens at the right time and place, and for the right reasons. It is always meant to serve a higher purpose and the greater good, and it always ends up being in our own best interest - even if we cannot see it at the time. ​Who or what is responsible for these life-changing events? Your interpretation will depend on your personal belief system, spiritual conviction, or religious orientation. Whoever or whatever you may choose to attribute it to, these preordained events are never designed to punish, curse, or destroy us. That is not the nature, nor the purpose of divine intervention. But fortune-tellers seldom tell you this. ​It is also important to know that predestined contrasting events due to divine intervention, are seldom revealed to us in psychic readings before they happen, for obvious reasons. Surely, it will no longer be an ‘intervention’ if we are prematurely forewarned that our apple cart is about to be upset, or that life is planning to throw us a major curve ball! But whenever life does unexpectedly rock your boat with one of these major contrasting experiences, a genuine psychic reading will reveal the true nature of such a predestined event or circumstance, and offer an explanation for why it has occurred, and how to best deal with it going forward. A good psychic reading empowers you to live your life by design. Fortune-telling typically does not offer you this option. Destiny & Fortune-Telling The real hazard of fortune-telling is not so much that it exempts us from personal responsibility, or that it leaves little room for personal choice or spiritual growth. It has a far more ominous, hidden danger in its potential for becoming a deeply destructive force in your life. In fact, I have seen how fortune-telling can potentially derail a life plan and literally interfere with God’s work. No wonder some folks describe fortune-telling as the ‘devil’s work.’ In have personally witnessed the damaged lives and broken hearts that sometimes result from the aftermath of a misguided fortune-telling. You see, the predictions of fortune-tellers sometimes actually do come true - not because those events were predestined in someone’s life, but because the person chose to believe the words of the fortune-teller, and thus set the spiritual wheels in motion to create, attract and ultimately manifest the predicted outcome into their life. In other words, they basically allowed the fortune-telling to interfere with their free will and redesigned their original life plan as a consequence. And as you may well know from movie caricatures and psychic cartoons… fortune-tellers traditionally have a reputation for being ‘negative nellies’ and’ debbie downers.’ There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost ~ Martha Graham ​My advice is to be careful about who you choose to consult with, and what information you choose to include in your personal vision for your future. Trust your intuition, and use your common sense. Legitimate psychic readings aim to inspire, enlighten, and uplift, and they never predict unavoidable tragedy, disease, and death. Real psychic readings will show you many of the options and possibilities available to you, and reveal a variety of probable and alternative outcomes for your future. And in times of need, a genuine psychic reading will come and find you when you get lost on a stormy night. ​Fortune-telling, on the other hand, typically does not offer the above prospects. It is instead nothing more than a rigid road map through an often very dark tunnel. There is only one direct path. Only one single route. It has a beginning, middle and (usually dramatic or tragic) end. You enter at birth, and exit when you croak. And you have no choice or control over what happens to you along the way. If anyone ever attempts to reduce your divinely inspired, many-splendored life plan to such a one-dimensional, trivial affair… do yourself a favor and grab your wallet, and run. © 2018 Anthon St. Maarten ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthon St. Maarten is a psychic medium and destiny coach with a global clientele of thought leaders, business executives, celebrities, politicians, academics, and luminaries in the arts and sciences in more than thirty countries spanning five continents. He is also a metaphysics teacher, psychic development coach, podcaster, and spiritual blogger. Anthon is a hereditary psychic medium in professional practice since 2004 and a liberal arts post-graduate with a major in psychology. Anthon publishes the spiritual life design blog, The S Word, and is the author of Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny and The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception.

The new year has kicked off with yet another batch of psychic predictions from all over the globe. It has become an annual tradition to predict as much doom and gloom as possible, and this year the custom was once again upheld with much enthusiasm and zeal. The usual depressing prophecies and upcoming disasters were numerous this year, coupled with some mindless trivia about celebrities and movie stars. Why? Because bad news and gossip sells. It is what most people like to hear and it is what most people like to fear. Scientific studies have shown that people prefer bad news in the media. They find it more interesting, respond to it more often and remember it much longer. They also pass the news on to others at a much faster rate. I guess it is in our nature, because knowing the bad news before everyone else might just give us a better shot at survival. Not wanting to be left out of the loop, psychics, mediums and astrologers from all over the world have once again chimed in this year with the usual sensational, high-drama stuff. This year's predictions include several massive earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mysterious diseases, floods and fires – enough to cause many a panic attack and sleepless night. Not to mention all the political upheaval, economic disaster, crime and high-profile kidnappings that have also been lined up for the year ahead. If you keep on saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet ~ Isaac Bashevis Singer The additional celebrity gossip about Hollywood marriages, break-ups and babies is simply meant to soften the blow; a feeble attempt at 'sugar-coating' and click-baiting. It is the clumsy, modern day version of good news. It also serves to entertain those who could care less about serious world events. And as is customary, the skeptics also went to town with this year’s predictions. Some had a field day mocking all the ‘fortune tellers’ by providing their own set of silly predictions for the next year, while the rest spent hours tracking and tracing last year’s failed predictions, to see how many got it wrong after all. Of course, a few careers took a temporary nose-dive because of this, and a few reputations were once again burnt at the stake. No medals were handed out to the ones who got it right last year. Neither will any statues be erected. So much negativity, cynicism and fear. I find it difficult to relate, because most of this stuff is on the fringe of my reality tunnel. You see, I choose to live in a world where good things also sometimes happen to good people; in a place where there is joy and hope for the future, and where people sometimes dare to be happy and live their lives to the fullest. Now, I am not suggesting that disastrous natural phenomena do not occur from time to time. Neither do I deny the fact that humanity is capable of extreme evil and malice. I grew up witnessing such things, in a country where hatred and violence was the norm. Yes, these things have been a part of my reality since I can remember. But, today I am guided by Spirit and as I grow older and wiser, I increasingly prefer to expand my consciousness and create my reality in such a way that it also includes the good, the positive and the uplifting. ​We are all co-creators of our shared reality and each day we contribute to this hologram of collective consciousness with our thoughts, emotions, words and deeds. However, our personal power to co-create our world also brings with it serious responsibilities. It is our divine duty to consider the well-being of our fellow-man and our planet. It also brings with it the choice to contribute to the co-creation of a better, brighter future – or not. I am not suggesting that psychic predictions should always be happy and upbeat, or blind to the truth. In a truly intuitive and spiritually aware society (which we are currently not), the prediction of cataclysmic world events should serve as a blessing to mankind. In ancient times the tribe did not solely entrust their destiny to their chief or king, but also to the shaman who advised him. A prophet is not without honor except in his own country among his own people ~ Sun Ra Personal predictions and warnings work a charm in the lives of my clients every day. Why would the same principle not apply to organisations, governments, nations and countries? Sure, there is not much anyone can do about an impending volcanic eruption in Indonesia or Italy, but a well-timed prediction could at least serve as fair warning to the people in that area. Unfortunately, history has shown repeatedly that legitimate predictions of major world events tend to be ignored or ridiculed, often with tragic consequences. It is the price humanity pays for its skepticism, complacency and lack of spiritual consciousness. This tendency is as old as time itself. Throughout human history every generation has had a 'crazy' Noah building an arc! Let’s face it; people did not even take an experienced war veteran and corporate security expert like Rick Rescorla seriously. He initially predicted the possibility of a basement bomb exploding in the World Trade Center and that is exactly what happened in 1993. Well, one would think he would at least have been taken more seriously after that, but once again he was pretty much ignored when he predicted that the next attack would come from the air, which is exactly happened on September 11, 2001. We are seeing terrorist attacks on federal government... excuse me, federal buildings… And also the New York Trade Center... the World Trade Center in 2002, with something, with a terrorist attack ~ The Jamison Twins Rescorla simply ignored the complaints of office workers when he insisted they participate in regular evacuation drills; and on 9/11 he also refused to follow the order from officials not to evacuate World Trade Center Tower Two, after the first tower had been hit. Fortunately, Rick Rescorla’s perseverance and his contempt for complacent bureaucracy ultimately saved the lives of at least 2700 people. If a natural-born leader and stubborn personality like Rick Rescorla could not get his warning through to people, what are the odds that anyone would ever take seriously the ramblings of an ‘airy-fairy’ psychic? It is documented fact that The Psychic Twins, Linda and Terry Jamison, predicted a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center two years before it happened. Their prediction was recorded in 1999 on the Art Bell Show on Coast to Coast AM. Clearly nobody took much notice at the time. But skepticism is not the only reason people often disregard authentic predictions. Apart from mankind’s tendency towards laziness, cynicism and complacency, the false prophets among us are also to blame. Too many fake predictions are whipped up every new year for entertainment purposes, with the secret hope of promoting someone’s career or to sell more books or tickets. This kind of self-serving sensationalism does nobody any good in the greater scheme of things. In my experience, true prophecies and spiritual messages of global importance do not come on demand, much less for entertainment purposes. When these prophecies do come forth, they are channeled through those who are of pure intent and who have a selfless heart. The receiver in turn will pass along the message to whom it may concern, without any fanfare or publicity. The receiver of the message may, of course, choose to listen or not, at their own peril. Furthermore, if a volcano is destined to erupt in Indonesia or Italy, you can be sure that Spirit is most capable of communicating the warning to a gifted Indonesian or Italian, instead of some celebrity psychic on the other side of the planet. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” ~ Mark 6:4 There are lightworkers and spiritual messengers in every community, and every nation, and every country, and they mostly perform their divine duty behind the scenes. And should publicity, fame or public recognition seek them out, it will be to create awareness and serve the greater good – certainly not their ego. We can expect even worse fear-mongering and psychic showcasing next year, because as you probably know the Mayan long-count calendar will be grinding to a screeching halt in 2012. There are those who believe that this foretells all kinds of terrible calamities, including the end of the world. And there is very little time left to sell all those 2012 books. The end is indeed nigh. Next time you read a list of new year’s predictions, consider if they have been published in order to save lives and make the world a better place? Ask yourself whether those messages were channeled by the owner of a selfless heart, or have they been concocted simply to stroke an ego or make a few bucks? It is easy to separate the wheat from the chaff. Simply trust your gut. You have been blessed with an unfailing inner guidance system. Learn to follow your intuition, use your common sense, and don’t believe everything you read. © 2011 Anthon St. Maarten ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthon St. Maarten is a psychic medium and destiny coach with a global clientele of thought leaders, business executives, celebrities, politicians, academics, and luminaries in the arts and sciences in more than thirty countries spanning five continents. He is also a metaphysics teacher, psychic development coach, podcaster, and spiritual blogger. Anthon is a hereditary psychic medium in professional practice since 2004 and a liberal arts post-graduate with a major in psychology. Anthon publishes the spiritual life design blog, The S Word, and is the author of Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny and The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception.

The modern psychic medium faces the challenge of remaining true to a spiritual calling, despite the sometimes unrealistic client expectations engendered by popular culture. Mediumship is in truth not a dog and pony show aimed at applause or viewer ratings. It is a spiritual endeavor that seeks to validate, console, heal and uplift. It's a blessing from beyond... like a phone call from God. Mediumship presented as entertainment is a double-edged sword. The media hype generated by psychic television shows, and live stage performances featuring celebrity mediums, has no doubt contributed much to an increased public awareness of mediumship. It has liberated spiritualism from the stereotype of the 19th century séance by bringing the work of the psychic medium into the public domain and mainstream culture. But does mediumship as an entertainment genre do spiritualism and the daily work of psychics any real justice? I am certainly not a purist. Neither am I a traditionalist when it comes to spiritual matters. I tend to shy away from any form of fundamentalism or fanaticism. But having the work of talented mediums dished up as trivial amusement has certainly proven to be a mixed blessing in my own practice as psychic medium. The modern psychic medium faces the challenge of remaining true to a spiritual calling, despite the sometimes unrealistic client expectations engendered by popular culture and the mass media. Mediumship is after all not a psychic sideshow, but a spiritual blessing. It is a gift to humanity. There is a reason why the outdoor services at the Lily Dale Assembly, for example, are traditionally described as “religious services”. So many people in this world seem to think being a medium is glamorous and something with an almost ‘celebrity’ status. That’s probably because we see it portrayed on our television screens in that way ~ Lorraine Holloway-White Mediumship is not aimed at applause or viewer ratings – it seeks to validate, console, heal and uplift. Mediumship is a phone call from God. “Ghost whispering”, as it is portrayed on your television screen, is therefore not an accurate reflection of what you should expect from a proper mediumship reading. If you are planning to consult with a psychic medium or spiritualist, you may find it useful to adjust your expectations and cultivate a flexible attitude, to ensure you get the most from your session. Remember that mediumship is always an experiment, and never an exact science. Booking a session with a medium does not guarantee you will receive any messages from spirit. Mediumship is not a dial-up service, nor is it a fast food order. Spirit does not communicate on-demand and the psychic medium is not an automated teller machine (ATM). In my practice it seldom happens that nothing comes through during a session, but from time to time I do experience a complete, resounding silence… like a ‘dead phone line’ from the other side. In these rare cases I simply refund the client. Nothing more to be done. Like some experiments, mediumship sessions sometimes fail, and it is usually not the fault of the client, nor the medium for that matter. I have, however, noticed that connection is sometimes blocked by spirit when a client expects the session to be entertaining, or dished up like the frivolous 'comediumship' they have seen on television. Humor can indeed be very healing during a mediumship reading, and some fun and laughter is often welcome when the mood becomes too solemn. But, when humor and entertainment happen to be the main aim of a session, it is unlikely that the reading will be much of a success. ​Beware also those “mediums” who claim they can call on specific spirits to come forth on your behalf. True Lightworkers will never command the dead. That is not spiritualism or mediumship, it is necromancy. And necromancy is a dark magical art using spirit invocation as a form of divination. Summoning spirits is treacherous territory and certainly not something to be trifled with for entertainment purposes. Do mediums who go into a trance make moaning sounds and gyrate their bodies in circles, before speaking in loud exaggerated voices? Yes, they do - when they’re hamming it up! ~ Gordon Smith It is impossible to control or predict who will come through during a mediumship reading. You may expect your deceased grandmother, but instead you might receive messages from a former colleague, or a distant cousin. Spirit shall communicate as it pleases. Patience in this regard sometimes does pay off, because once the initial communicators have been acknowledged and dealt with, the loved ones who you were hoping to hear from might speak up next. Different spiritual energies or personalities will also communicate in different ways, utilizing the medium’s different pathways of psychic ability in their own, unique way. For example, in some sessions I often rely more on clairyoyance and clairaudience, while in others I will receive more information through clairsentient and claircognisant channels. How the information presents itself is beyond my control, and sometimes also subject to my flawed, human interpretation. In my experience spirit often comes through only once to validate that there is life after death, and to bring messages of hope, consolation and forgiveness. I have had many cases where clients failed in their attempts to get additional messages from the same loved one, by scheduling unnecessary follow-up sessions. If you have had a successful, satisfying mediumship session concerning a specific loved one, I recommend you be content and grateful, and let your loved one rest in peace. ​​Clients who pursue what I call “psychic binge sessions” are either struggling to accept their bereavement, or they are using repeated readings to postpone the necessary process of grief. Much worse, for some individuals it is a hobby or mere entertainment. Mediums who encourage people to get repetitive follow-up readings about the same family member are simply not being ethical. Mediumship is not meant to be a weekly tea party. ​​I have, however, experienced some interesting cases where spirit came through repeatedly, sometimes in very remarkable ways. My most memorable experience was with a deceased airline pilot who came through on three occasions over a period of about two months. On each occasion the session was with a different family member: first his mother, then his wife, and finally his daughter. This in itself was unusual, but what made it even more extraordinary was that none of the three women knew that the other would be consulting with me. Each of them booked their own session without knowing that the other had done the same. They all found me of their own accord, a few weeks apart, without ever discussing it with each other. In fact, two of them had not spoken a single word to each other in the five years since this man’s passing! In time it became clear why the former pilot was so determined to guide his relatives to me for mediumship consultations. ​​His family had become torn apart after his passing. He was the key person who always kept his large family together and his passing left a considerable void. He was no longer around to guide and lead his family, who was now falling to pieces due to strife and petty feuds. The separate consultations I had with his three relatives ultimately served to heal many wounds and to reunite the family. Part of the reason that the prominent Spiritualist leader Emma Hardinge Britten left her work as a public ‘test medium’ for a career in lecturing for the cause, seems to be that her ’spirit friends’ told her not to turn mediumship into a show from the platform ~ Charles & Penelope Emmons I have also found over the years that some clients are so determined to connect with a specific person that they experience what is known as 'psychic amnesia.' In these cases the sitter does not recognize or understand any of the information I relay to them, because it is not coming from the person they are hoping to hear from, or in the form they expected. Only much later in the session, or sometimes days, weeks or months later, do they suddenly connect the dots and comprehend what the message was all about. One client contacted me two years after a reading to let me know she finally figured out who I was talking about! It is also not wise to strike some sort of ‘bargain’ with spirit before your reading. Don’t make deals about what you expect the message to be. Some people try to make a mental agreement with their loved one to present specific information, or relay certain facts as proof of the authenticity of the reading. This strategy is seldom effective, and often the client misses out on valuable messages, because they were holding out to hear about that golden pendant, or the funny bumper sticker, or that photo on the dresser. Spirit communication does not always convey what we demand to hear. It is best to keep an open mind and not have rigid expectations, because it simply sets you up for disappointment. It is best to keep an open mind and have no set expectations, but never attempt to force any of the information to 'fit.' A successful mediumship reading does not always run as smoothly as depicted on television. Anyone who has been to a recording of a psychic show will tell you that the show they later saw on television did not accurately reflect the actual chronological events of the original live performance. ​ Nineteenth-century British medium Bessie Williams said, ‘When these mediumistic gifts are used, it should be for some higher purpose than an hour’s entertainment ~ Charles & Penelope Emmons Broadcasts featuring celebrity mediums are usually edited to create drama and add entertainment value. Do not expect your reading with a psychic medium to necessarily offer a similar series of quick-fire and awe-inspiring 'hits,' or amazing 'aha moments.' If psychic parlor tricks are what you’re after, you might find the typical, garden-variety medium rather dull and unimaginative. Other precautions you can take when consulting with a psychic medium is to ensure that you are relaxed, well-rested and sober. Participating in a mediumship session when you are stressed, sleep deprived, intoxicated, or stoned, is never a good idea. It will affect the clarity of the reading and will most likely restrict the quality of the psychic connection. Most of all, approaching a mediumship session with love, trust and respect will ensure the best clarity and accuracy during the reading. I remember one incident where a client booked a second reading with me, less than a month after her first session. Instead of booking under her own name, she chose for some bizarre reason to schedule the second session under a false name by using a pseudonym. The moment we connected on the phone I instantly knew that we had spoken before. I asked her if this was true, but she vehemently denied it. I was once again shown that we had spoken before, yet still she denied it. I asked her for the third time, and then she suddenly admitted that “we may have spoken before”. She finally admitted that we had indeed spoken before. When I asked her why she was pretending to be someone else, she confessed that she was so astonished by the accuracy of the first reading, during which I communicated with her deceased husband, that she decided to “test” me the second time… to see if I was the real deal? Apparently none of the powerful evidence this client had received from her husband during the first session fully satisfied her skeptical disposition, but she must have been sufficiently impressed to make a second appointment. So much for staring a gift horse in the mouth... Oddly, the duplicitous client was very shocked when I informed her I was unable to continue with the second session. She apologized, and she tried to encourage me to go on with the reading, but at this point everything inside me had simply shut down. In these situations it almost feels as if spirit slams the door in my face, and the phone line to the other side is then nothing more than a distant dial tone. She did not understand that I could not find it in myself to act as a medium for someone who treats me with such contempt and disrespect. Psychic mediums tend to be highly sensitive souls; we have to be in order to do this work. I cannot speak for other psychics and mediums, but personally I find it quite impossible to perform a 'dog and pony show' for those who offend me, and those who choose not to believe. © 2016 Anthon St. Maarten ABOUT THE AUTHOR Anthon St. Maarten is a psychic medium and destiny coach with a global clientele of thought leaders, business executives, celebrities, politicians, academics, and luminaries in the arts and sciences in more than thirty countries spanning five continents. He is also a metaphysics teacher, psychic development coach, podcaster, and spiritual blogger. Anthon is a hereditary psychic medium in professional practice since 2004 and a liberal arts post-graduate with a major in psychology. Anthon publishes the spiritual life design blog, The S Word, and is the author of Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny and The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception.