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Seeing the world through glittering eyes is no longer a walk in the park for the spiritual optimist. There is such a lack of awe these days; so little wonder. Our society has successfully stripped itself of most of its metaphysical marvels. Yet, magic prevails everywhere for those who still seek to find it. Despite our cynical age of scientific skepticism, techno-futurism and neo-draconian politics, the mystical and miraculous continues to endure in the hearts and minds of those who choose to believe. I have seen evidence of this everyday magic in my work with many people all over the world, as well as upon many of my travels. I have known it in the devoted spiritual practices and manifesting projects of my clients. I have observed it in the heroic metaphysical endeavors and healing miracles of my colleagues. And I have even witnessed it at almost every birthday party I have ever attended. Yes, most of us have at some point in our lives whispered a silent wish over the candles on a cake! I have also noticed humanity’s steadfast faith in the sparkling coin wishes tossed into the Trevi Fountain in Italy; in an old well on the Acropolis in Greece; and in the cooling pond at the Roman Baths in England. I have also found it engraved on the love locks attached to fences, gates and bridges in Paris, Rome, London and Madrid…the keys thrown away to set the intention of everlasting, unbreakable love. Yes, I have witnessed this unyielding belief in something greater than ourselves in many weird and wonderful places. The most memorable recent example was a Spaniard named Pablo, who builds sandcastles for a living on the beaches of Southern Europe. I encountered him near the Faro de Maspalomas lighthouse in Gran Canaria some weeks ago. “Never allow others to destroy your freedom of self-expression,” he told me in no uncertain terms. Above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it ~ Roald Dahl Apparently, it has happened on occasion, while his back was turned, that adult holiday-makers would purposely stomp all over one of his sand art creations… in a bizarre, spiteful attempt to destroy his meticulous work. At other times the weather simply does not play along, leaving his art a muddy mess. But Pablo’s spirit is not easily crushed. He immediately sets out to rebuild his magnificent designs every time this happens. The title inscribed on his artwork that day simply read: Dreams Come True. We tend to forget who we really are, and where we come from. These days there are those who feel that we have become spiritual beings having a post-human experience in a dystopian age. One certainly does not have to venture too far to find evidence for such a dim view. Look no further than social media, and the messy politics in the mainstream news. The average television and smart phone screen has for the most part become a barren wasteland of spiritual deprivation. Yet, amongst all of the fear-mongering, doom prophecy, hopelessness, conspicuous consumption, character assassination and a pervading lack consciousness and scarcity mentality, some of us continue to witness daily moments of magic, miracles, unconditional love and divine grace. For it is our original nature to seek and find spiritual significance and synchronicity. It is easy in this day and age to forget our own divinity and disregard how powerful we really are. But, there is nothing under the sun that shall ever defeat the soul, or eradicate the spirit. Regardless of our flawed human form, we remain powerful points of consciousness created in the image of the Divine. In spite of the total onslaught on our mystical heritage, and the daily risk of being ridiculed for engaging in the magical thinking of children, we all remain powerful creators on a holy mission. Whether we believe it, or not. So, while some may choose to live in a world which they perceive to be spinning out of control, while the powers-that-be dictate what they choose to believe, we all remain spiritual beings first and foremost. Each and every one of us is the powerful creator of our own reality experience. We are the magical children of God, the progeny of Original Consciousness, the blessed offspring of the Divine Source. And therefore some of us have no choice but to secretly continue watching the world around us with eyes of wonderment, and revel in stolen moments of magic. If only more of us would choose to do it more often. There are many places one can find everyday magic and miracles. From our own daytime imaginings and nightly dreams, to the superstitions and traditions of our families and tribes (the Sunday lunch chicken wishbone was often a major 'bone of contention' in my family). And from the inconceivable innovations of the arts and sciences, to the supernatural magnificence of the natural world and the entire cosmos. Signs of unexplained mystery and divine intervention is evident the world over. Magic truly is everywhere. In these times we now face a very simple choice. We can celebrate our spiritual heritage by becoming more aware of the mystical in our everyday lives, and reclaim our innate divinity to honor our eternal connection to the Great Beyond. Or, we just can let society and popular culture choose what we may see, and let our naked emperors or our peers choose what we must believe. We can decide to master the art of deliberate creation, or we can let others shape our reality on our behalf. Can you guess what the rest of the world has planned for your future happiness and fulfillment? Not very much at all. That's the thing with magic. You've got to know it's still here, all around us, or it just stays invisible for you ~ Charles De Lint We carry within us all the mystical power we need to transform our world. To turn on this magic you can start by turning off the news. And how about ignoring the toxic trolls on your social media feed, and instead reaching out in person to your brother and sister with some practical kindness and unconditional love. It is also never too late to seek out those moments of mysterious synchronicity and thrive in your connectedness to something much greater than yourself. Let us persist in looking for the signs and messages from beyond. Let us make an effort to count our blessings. Let us continue to hear the whispered voices of our ancestors, and listen to the calling of The Great Spirit. Like wide-eyed children, let us go forth and find the enchantment that is around us every day. We will always find what we seek, simply because we choose to look for it. For as the coin wishers and love lock owners of the world already know… a little everyday magic can go a very, very long way. © 2017 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.

How will highly sensitive people survive the new Age of Narcissism? How will empaths hold on to their sanity, well-being and inner peace, while they brave a growing toxic storm of psychic pollution in today's society. An epidemic of sociopathic attitudes, values and morals is slowly spreading like a virus through our global village. Narcissism, self-entitlement and a lack of empathy are fast becoming the toxic hallmarks of the digital age. And caught in the midst of this global whirlpool of poisonous psychic energy, is the empath, the intuitive, the highly sensitive person, who is finding it increasingly difficult to stay afloat. Despite the vast collection of empath resources available to us these days, including online coaches, therapies, books, websites, courses, workshops and podcasts , all aimed at educating and empowering the highly sensitive person and emotionally intuitive empath, our plight remains an ongoing struggle. Many of the customary strategies and guidelines are not really working for us. Empaths everywhere are increasingly finding it difficult to cope. Our predicament is real, and it’s serious. And I believe we mostly have only ourselves to blame. To explain my unconventional view on this subject, I need to start off with the following disclaimer: if you are reading this article in the hopes of finding further confirmation bias for all those lame empath stereotypes, you will be very disappointed. In this essay you will not find the customary self-indulgent ideas and self-righteous beliefs about what it means to be an empath, which is so fervently advocated by some members of our community. So, please be forewarned. This blog post is definitely not intended to lament our empath wounds, celebrate our shared ‘victimhood,' or throw another highly sensitive ‘pity-party.’ Ain’t nobody got time for that! This blog post instead aims to truly empower and give sanction to awakened, conscious empaths to fulfill their true destiny. Why is rising narcissism the foremost threat to the empath community? It’s simple really: narcissists are the polar opposite of empaths. One of the primary defining traits of pathological narcissism is a complete lack of empathy. Narcissists are devoid of compassion, and generally incapable of truly caring about anyone or anything except themselves... and those things that serve their own agenda. In stark contrast, empaths tend to be the exact opposite, sometimes to their own tragic detriment. Ask any empath who has survived an abusive relationship with a gaslighting narcissist…they will know what I am talking about. While narcissists cultivate chaos and destruction, empaths tend to care more about the well-being of others than their own. The question is: why are empaths wired this way? Our society is becoming increasingly geared towards toxic individualism, deluded self-importance, extreme entitlement and neo-narcissism. We even have cool slogans and hashtags for it these days, such as “haters gonna hate” and "sorry not sorry." ​ A growing collection of research studies show that our society is becoming increasingly geared towards toxic individualism, deluded self-importance, extreme entitlement and neo-narcissism, while we are also becoming less empathetic and civically-oriented compared to previous generations. We even have cool slogans and hashtags for it these days, such as “haters gonna hate” and "sorry not sorry." People today are also less likely to be concerned about serious social problems and the state of the natural environment. Empathy, compassion, and contributions to charity are also on the decline. These days folks are more interested in the trappings of success, image, money and fame, and much less inclined to be of service, or to give back to their community. ​Instead, blatant narcissism is increasingly being celebrated and worshipped... ranging from bratty toddlers and teenage divas, to self-obsessed social media influencers, entertainment racketeers and political supervillains. If you don’t believe me, take another critical look at your social media feed, or today's mainstream news. So, what is the solution for empaths? How do we survive this mayhem? Do we avoid engaging with mainstream society as much as possible? Should we just steer clear of all the narcissists, bullies and mean people? Many of us have tried that already, with limited success. Unfortunately, the situation is no longer that simple. The state of affairs in our world has become much more ominous and deeply pervasive. Empaths are not only facing the threat of rising levels of individualistic narcissism and psychopathic self-entitlement, but we are also confronted by a global shift towards collective narcissism and a mean-spirited bully culture. There is a disturbing new upward trend in political polarization, religious extremism, prejudice, bigotry and real hatred everywhere. Toxic tribalism is also rearing its ugly head, and increasingly we are witnessing the signs of collective entitlement and an arrogant attitude of narcissistic superiority among a growing number of countries, nations, social and cultural groups, religious organizations and political parties. Worst of all, our collective narcissism and sense of entitlement as a species is gradually destroying the planet we inhabit, since we believe as a collective that we are the 'crowning glory' of all creation. Narcissism, the lack of empathy, and relentless entitlement, is present in the very air we breathe these days. I predicted this ominous shift back in the day of all the 2012 predictions and the Mayan Calendar hype. In those days many empaths, metaphysicians, spiritual gurus, channelers and members of the New Age community were gearing up for a major global spiritual awakening, a massive shift in collective consciousness. Many believers were convinced that we were rapidly ascending to a new level of higher consciousness and a blissful, utopian existence. A new world was fast dawning, and soon we would be leaving behind the heavy, dense atmosphere of this three-dimensional world in some sort of rapture… and ascend to a fifth dimensional, heavenly new reality, where things will be so much better. Lightworkers and empaths have not been arriving on this planet in droves over the past century to lead a cheerful carnival parade into a perfect new earth reality. There is still massive amounts of work to be done before we enter that promised land. Well, that shift indeed is taking place, but much slower than anticipated. And as I expected, the birth pains of this transition process is becoming arduous, agonizing and even brutal, especially for the highly sensitive empath. Our planetary evolution was never going to be a walk in the park. ​The truth is, lightworkers and empaths have not been arriving on this planet in droves over the past century, because we were coming here to lead a cheerful carnival parade into a perfect new earth reality. Quite the contrary! There is still massive amounts of work to be done before we can even begin to imagine entering that promised land. And know this: things are going to get much worse, before they get any better. The pendulum of universal law must first complete its swing in the extreme opposite direction. Empaths merely avoiding the stark realities of our modern world is not the solution. In fact, hiding from the world is the worst thing we can do at this time in human history. It is a betrayal of our true value and purpose, and our sacred mandate. There is no running away from who empaths were designed to be… and what we came here to do. One of the central features of being an empath is our inherent desire and our gifted ability to nurture, comfort, heal, guide, and harmonize, to help make the world a better place. The empath is wired for peace, love, healing and harmony. To feel, to nurture, and to care, is our calling in this lifetime. It is why we were born this way. Avoiding what is wrong in our world is not what we came here to do. ​Empaths did not come into this world to be victims and dropouts. We came to be healers, rescuers, teachers, guides, warriors, and saviors, at a pivotal time in human evolution. Empaths are lightworkers, and more and more of us are arriving on the planet every day, because we are meant to courageously guide the human race into the dawning of the new Age of Aquarius, the era of the Water Bearer, the forthcoming astrological age of love, brotherhood, unity, integrity teamwork, group culture, social justice and technology. Jesus of Nazareth, one of the central figures of the Piscean age, predicted this transition in Luke 22:10, when his disciples asked him how they should prepare for the Passover, which commemorates the exodus from slavery… and also was to be the Last Supper before the Crucifixion. "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters,” Jesus said. The birth of the Age of Aquarius is not an easy one and is currently wreaking havoc, and causing much pain, as the world begins to make room for the new era that is to replace the old dogmatic regime of the Piscean Age. The outdated morals, beliefs and values of the Age of Pisces is now being exposed, taken to pieces, re-evaluated and dismantled on all levels, including in politics and government, religion, corporate culture and the economy, as well as in our personal lives and relationships. So, while the world may appear to be falling apart these days, we are actually in the process of a great transition or shift to a better future world. And empaths, sensitives and intuitives are meant to be of service to the world in this challenging time, as wayshowers, pioneers, healers, motivators, activists, role-models and pathmakers. We are supposed to be the guiding lights of a global shift in consciousness, and the brave leaders of a global transformation. Why then are so many of us still cowering in some forsaken, sad corner, feeling overwhelmed, confused and sorry for ourselves? The time has come for us to rise up! There is so much to be done, and we certainly have our work cut out for us. For despite all the cool self-importance and greedy self-entitlement of our modern society, statistics show that we are not becoming any happier, or feeling any more joyful or fulfilled. In fact, research shows that depression, anxiety, loneliness, addiction and suicide is on the increase, especially among the younger generation. This is in part due to the unrealistic expectations created by digital technology and popular culture, which often does not match everyday reality, as well as a world increasingly becoming devoid of empathy and compassion. Empaths are meant to be of service to the world in this challenging time... as wayshowers, pioneers, healers, activists and pathmakers. We are supposed to be the guiding lights of a global shift in consciousness, and the brave leaders of a global transformation. And how is it even possible that, after all the progress we have made as a species, there are still starving children, abused animals, human rights violations and large scale genocide to be found in our world today? If Jesus was present in human form on the planet today, I doubt he would be hiding out in La-La-Land… and neither would he be taking any silly selfies! Empaths can no longer stand idly by, while the world is suffering… no matter how difficult it is for us to breathe the current ‘toxic air of narcissism.’ Empaths are the shamans, healers and soothsayers of the tribe. We are often misunderstood, shamed and even demonized by a society that has normalized a destructive bully culture, in which we are scoffed at for being ‘too sensitive’ or ‘emotionally intense.’ In truth, we are destined to save those who mock and marginalize us. We will see who has the last laugh. The popular notion that empaths are nothing more than highly sensitive ‘sissies’ who must constantly protect themselves from sensing or feeling too much, is not just ignorant and condescending… it is downright disrespectful of the gifts and blessings we bring to this world. We are much more resilient and hardwired for struggle than we have been made to believe… or choose to believe. I first became aware of this problem myself back in 2010, when I submitted an article entitled Psychic Vampires and Energy Thieves, to a prominent online social forum for empaths. Despite my best intentions, the moderators rejected my article, stating that they cannot publish it due to its ‘disturbing’ title and subject matter. They felt it might be too distressing and deeply upsetting for their highly sensitive members. Seriously? I was gobsmacked… not sure whether I should laugh, or cry. It really is high time that we empaths and sensitives get over our victim mentality, self-imposed isolation and learned helplessness, and embrace our true calling as powerful energy diviners and alchemists. We were originally designed to transmute the negative, narcissistic energy we encounter in this world, and transform it into peace, love, harmony, and compassion. Our job here is to ‘spin straw into gold’... but without the help of the evil Rumpelstiltskin's of the world. Like King Midas, we have a mythical ‘golden touch’… or better yet, a magical heart of gold capable of great empathic magic and miracles. Our gift of empathy and our highly sensitive nature are not shortcomings, weaknesses or disabilities - they are our skills, strengths and superpowers! We are not losers, we are superheroes. We are David against a ghoulish Goliath. And we are much stronger and more powerful than we realize. ​​Highly sensitive people are too often perceived as weaklings or damaged goods. To feel intensely is not a symptom of weakness, it is the trademark of the truly alive and compassionate. It is not the empath who is broken, it is society that has become dysfunctional and emotionally disabled. There is no shame in expressing your authentic feelings. Those who are at times described as being a 'hot mess' or having 'too many issues' are the very fabric of what keeps the dream alive for a more caring, humane world. Never be ashamed to let your tears shine a light in this world. How To Thrive As An Empath So, how do empaths brave this new zeitgeist… and armor up to enter the arena? Well, the first thing we may want to do is stop using self-defeating terms like ’empath survival.’ Empath empowerment is a much better concept. We did not come here merely to survive...we are here to thrive! ​Furthermore, we certainly do not need more of the mutual coddling, communal pity parties, sensitivity stereotyping, and rehashed ‘survival tips and tricks.’ Enough already. ​The time has come for us empaths to ‘get over’ ourselves. We need to go hardcore, and we need all hands on deck. There is much work to be done and time is of the essence. We need to get on track with our own mission by cultivating the necessary knowledge, skills and lifestyle habits needed to claim back our true power and pursue our sacred spiritual purpose. In the words of Horace Mann, "we should all be ashamed to die until we have won some victory for humanity." ​To really thrive as a highly sensitive empath in the era of neo-narcissism you may want to consider the following practical guidelines and strategies to empower yourself. ​Saving others begins with rescuing yourself. Healing the world begins with facing yourself in the bathroom mirror. Conquer Your Demons We cannot bypass or avoid the need for healing on the road to empath empowerment. This is the first vital step, without which the rest of the journey is doomed to fail. Healer, heal thyself. Too many empaths are braving this new age damaged and unhealed. They have forgotten who they really are, they have been told they are useless and weak. They do not know their own strength and power, and many are giving up. Some empaths have already aborted the mission in recent years, through self-destructive choices and suicide, while others remain trapped in tragic, aimless lives of self-imposed suffering, learned helplessness, victimhood, and self-pity. Those who are struggling to cope are often also self-medicating with alcohol, food, sex, drugs or over-the-counter medication, with disastrous consequences. So, let’s get real here. If we are going to make any useful difference to ourselves and our new world, we are going to have to be brave and clean up our act. Period. True empowerment starts with dealing with any addictive behaviors, substance abuse, childhood traumas, relationship abuse and all other psychological wounds, issues and hang-ups that may be holding us back. Empowered, healed empaths are highly self-aware and know their own triggers and manage their weaknesses. They have also broken the cycle of narcissistic abuse in their lives. ​If you have been avoiding truly dealing with the damage you may have sustained as a highly sensitive being born into a ruthless world, then it is time for you to step up and do the necessary work to find your personal healing. Conquer your inner demons. For until you completed your own journey of healing, you are relatively useless to the rest of us. Saving others begins with rescuing yourself. Healing the world begins with facing yourself in the bathroom mirror… getting down on your knees in meditation… or laying back on a therapist's couch. There are no shortcuts here, and the healing process can be painful and arduous. But it must be done. Knuckle down and do the work. Evacuate Your Comfort Zone To become a truly empowered empath it is vital that we cultivate psychological hardiness and emotional resilience, by gradually building a greater tolerance for stress, adversity and change. It starts by accepting that human life is a never-ending journey of losses, challenges, beginnings and endings. It also starts with accepting personal responsibility for our well-being, and taking control of our lives. How we choose to look at life’s challenges, how we reframe them, and how we adapt to them, determines how well we will cope in the end. Empowered empaths take a genuine interest in other people and have a healthy curiosity about the world, instead of feeling alienated, distancing themselves from other people, and cutting themselves off from the world. The empowered, resilient empath also understands that control is something that comes from within, and not from the world around us. Our sense of control is often based on our own flawed perception, rather than actual reality and objective facts. Empowered empaths focus on what they can actually control in their lives, instead of obsessing and worrying about the things they have no control over. They do not settle for powerlessness, or believing that their life is controlled by fateful external forces. Empaths are emotion warriors equipped with a secret weapon which I call empathic edge. We have the superior capacity to process and transform emotional energy in all its weird and wonderful manifestations. Empowered empaths also embrace the fact that change is the norm in our daily lives, as opposed to predictable certainty, security and stability. They understand that change is not a personal threat or curse, but instead a blessed opportunity for personal growth and expansion. They also realize that negative, toxic energy is not the enemy, but instead the very ‘straw’ from which we are meant to spin the ‘gold’ of love, peace and harmony. The best way to build psychological resilience and hardiness, is to leave your empath comfort zone, and actually enter the arena of life. You have to start taking some calculated risks, put yourself out there, and actually experience life, for better and worse. And when you get knocked down (which you will) you get up and dust yourself off, work through it, and try again. You reflect on what happened and learn how to better deal with it next time. As empaths and highly sensitive people we tend to get knocked down more often, and also more easily… but only at first. Our recovery may also be more arduous and slow to begin with. But once we find our feet and become fighting fit, we become unstoppable… and can ultimately bounce back without even breaking a sweat! Why? Because empaths are emotion warriors equipped with a secret weapon which I call empathic edge. ​Empathic edge is our superior capacity or talent for analyzing, comprehending, processing and dealing with feelings and emotions. So, once we find our stride (down there in the ruthless, brutal arena) we begin to truly harness our elite ability to run circles around even the worst emotional setbacks life may throw at us and the people we care about. We were born with the innate tools to process and transform emotional energy in all its weird and wonderful manifestations… much more efficiently and effectively than most people. So, why would we be afraid? Bring it on! Streamline Your Lifestyle ​One of the defining features of an empowered empath’s way of life is that they have streamlined and decluttered their lifestyle in such a way that they have access to more of the people and things that they need to feel calm, happy and at peace. They have also released all the sabotaging crap and toxic relationships that does not serve them, or holds them back. To become more empowered as an empath we must release what no longer serves us. So, you may need to move to that cheaper home, change your dead-end job, file for that long-overdue divorce, or simply turn off your television set. Do whatever you know you need to do to find your bliss. True warriors cannot go to battle stressed out, and dragging tons of excess baggage and useless dead weight. Get rid of it! ​ Get rid of all those wretched empath labels and ​self-sabotaging stereotypes. ​Let go of the fears, doubts, narrow-mindedness, and limiting beliefs. Time to accept that you are enough. Depending on how toxic your environment and your relationships are, this is a process that may take some time. No matter how impossible it may seem at first to let go and liberate yourself, know that all things are possible with the right attitude and enough determination. Where there is a will, there is always a way. Find it. ​And while you are at it, clean up your self-esteem. Get rid of all those wretched empath labels and self-sabotaging stereotypes. Let go of the fears, doubts, narrow-mindedness, and limiting beliefs. Time to accept that you are enough. In the words of Marianne Williamson, "​Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world." Pursue Your Life Purpose In my experience the only empaths who really live happy, fulfilled lives are the ones who have gained an understanding of who they really are and why they are here, and who have found their unique way to be of service to the greater good. The most important key to empath empowerment is recognizing your life purpose and true calling, and then striving to accomplish it. You arrived on this planet with your highly sensitive nature and your empathic talents and abilities for a reason. You are a sensitive superhero on a sacred mission. Your life as an empath is a gift to this world. So, what have you done with yours today? By the way, none of us hit the ground running when we arrive here. Typically we only take up our calling and fulfill our true purpose later in life, once we have completed the necessary preparation. We must first gather all the data we need, do the necessary reconnaissance, condition ourselves for battle, face some hard knocks, setbacks and obstacles, and gain some valuable combat experience, before we are ready to embark on our hero’s journey. Your life as an empath is a gift to this world. So, what have you done with yours today? ​If you already know what you are meant to do.. then get on with it! If you have a defined, clear purpose, then stop procrastinating. The world needs all the help it can get. What are you waiting for? ​And if you have no clue yet what you are meant to contribute, then begin to make an effort to find out. You need to do some serious soul-searching and figure out what your gift is to this world. What is your mission, what is your message? What are you meant to contribute to make this world a better, safer, happier, more loving and compassionate place? What is the legacy you hope to leave behind someday? What did you come here to do? Your divine self is fully aware and informed of your reasons for being here. Your higher self is after all the architect and designer of your current life journey. The answer will come from within when the time is right. Meanwhile, follow your heart and listen to your inner guidance. We are guided every moment of every day towards our true destiny. Seek and ye shall find. Follow the breadcrumbs through the forest. Express Yourself Creatively Empaths do not have to be an artists, but at least ​stop hiding from the world and find your way to express yourself. The options and possibilities are plethora: dance, fitness, sports, science and research, motivational speaking, comedy, music, singing, songwriting, theatre and acting, writing, journaling, blogging, spiritual practice, energy healing, drawing, painting, knitting, sewing, craft-making, film making, graphic design, cooking, gardening, landscaping, fashion and beauty, carpentry, building, repairing, charity work, fundraising, activism and protesting, and so on. ​Why? Because some empaths are emotional hoarders. They become dysfunctional and suffer neurosis because they do not have effective means to transmute and release all of the emotional energy they absorb. Like scrooges they hold onto it, internalize it, cling to it... only to become frustrated, overwhelmed and psychologically poisoned. Empaths are not only designed to attract and absorb emotional energy from others, we are also meant to transform and project it for the greater good. We have a powerful ability to emotionally affect those around us. We have the power to shift people, Your deep emotionality and sensitive acuity does not belong to you, it belongs to the world! Empaths are meant to express their feelings and transform emotional energy into gilded miracles and magic that makes this world a better place. Find your way of doing this in a positive way. It will empower you and even re-calibrate your own energy. Unleash Your Inner Warrior ​ Empaths are not meant to be victims, we are hardwired to be emotional warriors. To own your empath power and accomplish your life mission successfully, you must adopt the habits of a highly-conditioned ‘soldier’ and cultivate the traits and lifestyle of true warrior. We have no chance of healing or saving the world with an army of lazy, unhealthy, demotivated, uninspired, unreliable and untrustworthy 'deadbeats.' To unleash your inner warrior you will need energetic endurance, mastery and control. Warriors need to be fighting fit - mind, body and soul. This means that you may need to make some significant changes in your lifestyle and daily habits. You may also need to adjust some of your dysfunctional behavior patterns and become more disciplined in how you manage your life. Elite warriors require elite ‘training.’ Their very survival depends on it! We have no chance of healing or saving the world with an army of lazy, unhealthy, demotivated, uninspired, unreliable and untrustworthy 'deadbeats.' Elite warriors require elite ‘training.’ Their very survival depends on it! Take care of your mind through continued study, research, reading and further education. Sort out your body and your health by making the necessary changes to your diet, nutrition, exercise and fitness, as well as any self-sabotaging lifestyle habits. And amp up your spirituality. Start taking better care of yourself... mind, body and soul. ​Also, true warriors live with honor, integrity and moral certitude. Are you trustworthy and reliable in your daily life? Do you change your mind a lot? Always making excuses? Do you avoid your commitments? Are you inconsistent or insincere? Do you manipulate, lie, cheat, steal, gossip? This is not the true nature of the empath. If you want to become truly empowered, then become true to your word, and your inherent empathic nature. Be kind. Be honest. Keep your promises. Lead by example. Do the right thing. Become the change that you wish to see in the world. Live an authentic, honorable life. And keep it real. Amp Up Your Spiritual Practice There is no way empaths can become fully empowered without a consistent, disciplined daily spiritual practice, for without faith, hope and inner guidance, warriors soon lose their way…and possibly their life. To become a truly empowered empath, you need to adopt a hardcore approach to your spiritual practice. As highly sensitive beings we need our spiritual life to be on steroids, if we are to have any real chance of thriving in this world! Empaths must be able to trust their intuition and follow their inner guidance system at all times. They must be spiritually aware enough to be able to interpret their dreams, identify signs and synchronicities, and clearly hear their inner voice. This is tricky if you are still on an old-fashioned ‘dial-up connection’ to the Big Computer In The Sky. That kind of ‘wishy washy’ spiritual connection is slow, unreliable and limiting. Empaths need a broadband or satellite connection to get the job done! And the only way to achieve that is through consistent daily spiritual practice involving, for example, meditation, breathing exercises, energy hygiene, self-healing and psychic protection work, especially psychic grounding and shielding. We also need some solitude and recreational time out…some ‘me time.’ ​To become an empowered empath you need to adopt a consistent daily spiritual practice and self-care routine that works for you, and make it a natural part of your daily lifestyle, like brushing your teeth. It is absolutely necessary and will make a massive difference in your life. Not only does spiritual practice energize, restore, heal and protect the empath, it also increases our awareness and inner guidance. It sets our target for the real work we came to accomplish in the Age of Narcissism. © 2019 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 traditional ‘clair senses’ model of ‘psychic sensing’ does not adequately represent the sophisticated nuances of all the nonsensory psychic impressions that involve cognition, emotion, and intuition. Not only are these nonsensory impressions integral to all psychic channeling or reading, but they also represent the majority of everyday psychic perceptions. A perfect example of this long-standing dilemma is the ill-conceived notion of ‘clairsentience.’ Traditional descriptions for the so-called clairsentient ‘clair sense’ typically include a confusing assortment of empathic emotions, passions, and mood states; awkwardly clumped together with various physical sensations and medical symptoms; as well as all forms of intuition, and in some instances even cognitions. The misconstrued notion of clairsentience is a baffling smorgasbord of psychic possibilities that I have struggled to make sense of myself for many years. Is it any wonder there is so much myth and misconception regarding true psychic perception? A blog intro I wrote on the subject years ago still holds true: “If you ever host a dinner party for a group of psychics, mediums and energy healers, and need a good conversation piece, the psychic ability known as ‘clairsentience’ is one of those topics that is sure to get the party started!” In my own psychic development journey, the complex, varied definitions for clairsentience never made much sense to me and it took many years of study, research, personal reflection, and professional experience to eventually figure out why it really does not make no sense (pun intended). It is simply because these definitions are an attempt to ‘pigeonhole’ psychic feelings, knowings, sensations and intuitions into a restrictive, outmoded ‘sensory’ model of psychic perception — a futile attempt at forcing ‘extrasensory pegs’ into ‘sensory holes.’ What we traditionally think of as the psychic ability of clairsentience, is not a singular psychic sense or ‘clair sense.’ It is instead an umbrella term for a range of psychic preferences, or types of mind-soul impression. That is why this concept never really correlated well with my actual psychic experiences. I now finally understood that the various nonsensory mind-soul impressions, customarily clumped together as so-called ‘subtypes’ of clairsentience, are instead distinct psychic preferences, namely clairempathy, clairsomatica, clairintuition, and claircognition. These nonsensory impressions are not mere ‘categories’ or ‘subtypes’ of clairsentience, because clairempathic feelings, clairsomatic sensations, and clairintuitive impressions are not only sentient in nature, but also sapient. Sapience is the cognitive, intellectual, conceptual qualities of psychic awareness, or the ‘thought’ aspects of psychic impression, while sentience is the emotional, intuitive, somatic qualities, or the ‘feeling’ aspects. This also correlates with the perceptive differences between the two brain hemispheres, or the left brain and right brain. Now I also understood why ‘clairsentience’ is commonly believed to be the first ‘clair sense’ to develop for most psychics and mediums[1], and why it is considered by some to be the most basic, fundamental, or ‘garden-variety’ psychic sense. For example, angel practitioner Maria G. Maas writes “the clairs of the intuitive process are mostly clairsentience and claircognizance, with clairsentience being the most common.”[2] The truth is all psychics and mediums have the gift or capacity for clairsapient-clairsentient awareness. It is in fact our one and only true psychic ability. If there is indeed a ‘sixth sense,’ then it is sapient-sentient psychic awareness, or psychic thought-feeling. The range of psychic perceptions we therefore traditionally label as ‘subtypes’ of clairsentience are instead impressions of sapient-sentient awareness, and these impressions are perceived by psychics and mediums as a diverse, unlimited array of feelings, knowings, sensations, and intuitions. THE CLAIR PREFERENCES More than a century ago, author Charles Leadbeater writes “the astral body has no specialized sense-organs.”[3] Psychics and mediums do not perceive through separate reception channels or ‘clair senses.’ Yes, psychics and mediums mentally ‘feel, know, see, hear, smell, taste, and touch,’ but these psychic impressions do not enter our conscious awareness via different psychic ‘sense organs.’ Even parapsychology concedes that psi perceptions cannot truly be separated into distinct pigeonhole categories. In a 2017 meta-analysis of psychic perceptions associated with dreams, for example, the researchers conclude that in practice separate categories of psi phenomena “may be difficult to distinguish and tend to be defined operationally.”[4] Instead of psychics and mediums having separate psychic senses or extrasensory pathways, the so-called ‘clair senses’ are perceptual preferences that differ from one psychic or medium to the next. Our potential mind-soul preferences are wide-ranging and eclectic, and they are ineffable, intrinsic, and subjective. No two psychics or mediums experience psychic impressions in exactly the same way. For example, while one psychic medium might perceive a ‘love message from spirit’ as a clairvoyant vision of a ‘red rose,’ another might experience it as the clairolfactory ‘scent of a rose,’ or even clairaudiently hear the song Bed of Roses by rock band Bon Jovi. This ‘I love you’ energy data can be rendered as an endless array of different mind-soul impressions, but the essence of the original energy data remains the same, no matter who does the channeling or reading. Spirit is simply saying, “I love you.” The traditional concept of the ‘clairs’ are therefore merely different labels for the various ‘end results’ of the same psychic ability or ‘sixth sense,’ namely the mind-soul capacity to transduce or channel energy data into conscious awareness. Instead of conceptualizing these ‘end-results’ or ‘products’ of psychic perception as different psychic abilities or separate ‘clair senses,’ it is more sensible to conceive of it as different psychic preferences, or ‘clair preferences,’ namely: Claircognizance: cognitive, knowing, precognition, prescience Clairempathy: affective, emotional, feeling, presentiment Clairsomatica: somatosensory, sensation, foresensing Clairvoyance: visual, seeing, foreseeing Clairaudience: auditory, hearing, forehearing Clairolfaction: olfactory, smelling, foresmelling Clairgustance: gustatory, tasting, foretasting Clairintuition: premonition, presage, foreboding The ‘clairs’ are not separate musical instruments that can be played individually. Instead, they are separate notes produced by just one violin, with two strings. The violin is the mind-soul; the sheet music is the energy data or akashic information; reading the sheet music is achieving psychic resonance; the two strings are sapient and sentient awareness; and drawing the bow over it to create sound is transduction; and finally, the different musical notes and tones produced are impression preferences, ultimately perceived as the holistic, fused melodies and harmonies of psychic perception. Excerpt from The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception. © 2022 Anthon St. Maarten REFERENCES [1] Williamson, L. (2009). Finding the Spirit Within: A Medium Shows the Way. Random House UK [2] Maas, M. G. (2016). Angel Practitioner Handbook: A Foundation Guide. Balboa Press. [3] Leadbeater, C.W. (1903). Clairvoyance. Second Edition. Theosophical Publishing Society. [4] 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. Doi.Org. 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.

Ever wondered how a psychic connects with you over a long distance? Or maybe you have thought about how it is even possible for psychics to do remote readings via a phone call or video chat? Well, contrary to popular belief psychic reading or channeling is not like a ‘tin can telephone’ children used to play with in the good old days. Psychics do not connect with you directly via a phone line or electrical wires, or computer hardware for that matter. Psychic reading or channeling is not like a ‘tin can phone’ kids use to talk to each other remotely through the length of a piece of string tied between two empty cans. True psychic perception is not such a simplistic, linear ‘connection’ between, for example, this world and the spirit realm, or between two minds or souls. It is also not like an old-fashioned internet dial-up connection, with a copper wire phone line connecting a home computer to a server in the next city. Instead, psychic resonance is more like ‘connecting to wi-fi,’ or ‘tuning in to radio waves.’ Radio waves are everywhere and ever-present, but we only hear the music for a particular station once we tune in to its unique bandwidth or frequency. The 'energy data' or metaphysical information that psychics and mediums 'read' is nonlocal, omnipresent, omniscient, and universal. It exists all around us, as it is ‘embedded’ in the expanded field, plane, or matrix of universal consciousness. It is beyond our everyday reality, ‘encoded’ on various bandwidths with its own vibrational frequencies, yet it is immediately and directly available to be consciously perceived by anyone at any time. Psychologist Paul Stevens explains, “there is a great deal of information naturally being broadcast from every living system, and from a great many non-living systems, which would be available to a receptive system sensitive to it. Just as we tend to be unaware that every television program, every radio broadcast, information about weather systems, transport systems and a myriad other human-related activities is being continually broadcast away from our planet into space, we also ignore the fact that every aspect of our ongoing cell activity has been broadcast to the world around us in a variety of different ways. The information is there - we have only to find ways of using it."[1] Psychics and mediums therefore do not connect to an external ‘big computer in the sky.’ Instead, everyone’s mind-soul already exists within the big computer’s ‘mainframe,’ or better yet, we are all an extension or expression of it. Everyone and everything in the universe is connected, in the here and now, as well as in the past and the future, and universally. The omniscient ‘music’ that psychics and mediums ‘tune in to’ has always existed, and always will. And the play list keeps on expanding every second of every day, as humanity and the natural world add more new experiences, creations, and intentions to the universal akashic record. The ‘music’ we tune in to is therefore not restricted by what Einstein calls the ‘optical illusion’ of human consciousness. In the expanded mental (mind-soul) state of psychic awareness, psychics resonate with unconscious energy frequencies or ‘hidden bandwidths’ which allows us to vividly hear ‘more of the music’ that is otherwise mostly playing only in the background. This cosmic music also includes various ‘vintage tracks,’ that have not been played in an exceedingly long time, as well as some of the ‘future hits’ that are yet to be produced and recorded. It is however important to note, not even the most gifted psychics and mediums can ever perceive all of the ‘music,’ nor can we ‘listen to the radio’ all of the time. In fact, we would not be able to lead any kind of normal life if we did. Philosopher William James famously says, “mystical states cannot be sustained for long. Except in rare instances, half an hour, or at most an hour or two, seems to be the limit beyond which they fade into the light of common day.” Psychics and mediums therefore only perceive a few notes of the ‘universal music’ at a time, by temporarily expanding our mind-soul awareness, or raising our vibration in order to ‘tune in’ or resonate with certain energy data or psi. This is mostly achieved purposely, but it also manifests spontaneously as random mental events of ‘tuning in and out’ — something many of us experience from an early age, but learn to control more effectively with further development. It is also important to note that the notion of psychics and mediums ‘tuning in’ to the ‘music or radio waves’ of the universe is not an ideal analogy. While it serves to illustrate the concept of psychic resonance, it may also evoke the flawed notion once again that psychic perception is some sort of ‘sender-transmission-receiver’ process. True psychic perception is not a transmission of external signals or inputs through time and space, but rather an expanded mental awareness of nonlocal energy data. THE UNIVERSAL FIELD To imagine the universal field of consciousness from which psychics and mediums channel or transduce unconscious energy data into conscious awareness, consider the idea that everything consists of energy. We know this from quantum physics. On the subatomic level there is no physical matter, there is only energy.[2] The entire universe is essentially a ‘matrix of energy’ that underpins or constitutes everything. This universal energy field or metaphysical platform of all existence is known by many names in various scientific paradigms, esoteric belief systems, and spiritual traditions, including Aether, A-field, Akashic Record, Astral Plane, Beyond The Veil, Book Of Life, Chokmâh, Collective Unconscious, Conscious Universe, Dark Matter, Divine, Fifth Element, Gaia Mind, God, Great Spirit, Heaven, Life Force, Matrix, Nirvana, Nonphysical, Other Side, Paradise, Promised Land, Psychic Reservoir, Soniferous Ether, Source Energy, Spirit Realm, Superconscious, Superstring Field, The Eternal, Unified Field, Universal Intelligence, Universal Mind, and Universe. Author Gregg Braden explains explains this universal field as not something that is ‘out there,’ but rather it is the very stuff that holds us together. “The universe can be viewed as a massive computer with our consciousness as the operating system and our emotions or feelings as the software.”[3] Author Kevin Todeschi refers to it as the “universe's super-computer system, or perhaps what today would be called cloud computing.”[4] Parapsychologist Samah Zahran describes it as the ‘unified, global information universe that potentially explains psi phenomena in a measurable way.’[5] THE AKASHIC RECORD Pierre Teilhard de Chardin believes “there is neither spirit nor matter in the world; the stuff of the universe is spirit-matter. No other substance but this could produce the human molecule.”[6] Many psychics and mediums refer to this ‘spirit-matter’ as the akasha, or the akashic record. The akasha is traditionally believed to be a metaphysical or etheric collection of all knowledge, insight, experience, and wisdom recorded throughout the ages. It is like an omniscient ‘mainframe’ of psi, or the universal energy data ‘library’ where every thought, word, deed, feeling, idea, intention, invention, imagining, and life experience is recorded and archived for posterity. A similar concept in Judaism and Christianity is the Book of Life, also known as the Book of Remembrance. Luke 10:20 states "rejoice that your names are written in heaven,” and Malachi 3:16 states, “a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.” The Quran verse 27:75 states there is nothing that is hidden in the heaven or the earth, but it is recorded in a ‘clear record’ (or a ‘manifest book,’ or ‘the preserved tablet’). According to Islamic philosopher, Abul A'la Maududi the record referred to here is not the Quran itself, but instead the Divine Record in which everything is recorded.[7] The term ‘akasha’ was adopted by Western occultism and spiritualism in the late 19th century from traditional Indian cosmology. It is originally a Sanskrit word derived from the root kāś meaning ‘to be.’ According to Hindu mysticism the akasha is the first of five elementary principles of nature, out of which the other elements of earth (prithivi), water (apas), fire (tejas), and air (vayu) are created.[8] In some languages the word akash is still used in reference to concepts like ‘sky,’ ‘open space,’ and ‘atmosphere.’ Vedanta philosophy, one of the oldest spiritual doctrines, defines the akasha as the ‘ethereal fluid pervading the cosmos,’ or the ‘primordial matter’ from which all else in the universe is created. At the beginning of time, akasha is motionless and unmanifested, until prana (the primordial life force) acts upon it to create all things in the universe. Akasha is therefore the infinite and omnipresent material of the universe, while prana is the infinite, omnipresent manifesting power of the universe.[9] The akasha is therefore the very fabric of all conscious and unconscious existence. It is the eternal reservoir of all physical and nonphysical experience and karmic wisdom, collected since the beginning of time, including everything that is currently being ‘recorded;’ as well as that which is already intended for the future. Psychic channeling or reading is therefore the conversion or transduction into conscious awareness some of these akashic ‘records’ or ‘files.’ New Thought author Ernest Holmes writes “when we remember that subjective mind is universal, we will come to the conclusion that the history of [humanity] is written in the mental atmosphere of the globe on which we live.” Everything that has ever happened on this planet has left its imprint on the walls of time; and could we walk down the corridors and read the writings; we should be reading the human history. This should seem simple when we realize that the vibrations of the human voice can be preserved in the receptive phonographic disc, and reproduced at will. If we were to impress one of these discs with the vibration of some one's voice and lay it away for a million years, it would still reproduce those vibrations. It is not hard then to understand how the walls of time may be hung with the pictures of human events, and how one who sees these pictures may read the history of humanity.[10] When a psychic or medium channels or reads, we are essentially seeing what Holmes describes as the ‘pictures on the walls of time,’ or listening to the ‘phonographic discs’ of recorded human events. We are browsing ‘soul files’ in the akashic archives. When asked what the source of his information was for psychic readings, Edgar Cayce said it comes from two sources, namely the subconscious mind of the person he was reading for, as well as from the akashic record. In reading number 1650-1 Cayce describes it as “God's book of remembrance” in which is recorded both the “good and bad activities of every single day of each entity, each soul in the material world.”[11] Author Jess Stearn adds, “Cayce seemed gifted with a universal mind, which seemingly drew on a subconscious register of everything that had ever happened, or was going to happen.”[12] PSYCHIC CHANNELING Psychic channeling or reading is therefore the conscious perception of nonlocal ‘energy data’ or akashic information in the form of mental (mind-soul) impressions. It is mostly done for the benefit of a person or group, or other living beings and the natural environment, as well as for society or humanity at large. Psychic channeling is essentially the reading of information on the ‘cosmic internet.’ It is the ‘scanning’ or ‘browsing’ of energy data or metaphysical information encoded in the akashic internet. However, in our physical state, humans cannot consciously perceive this nonphysical information in its original ‘coded’ or unconscious form. Instead, our mind must transduce, convert, or ‘channel’ this unconscious data into conscious awareness, for us to perceive it as various psychic perceptions, which depending on the psychic perception preferences of the psychic or medium may include any of the following: Claircognizance: cognitive, knowing, precognition, prescience Clairempathy: affective, emotional, feeling, presentiment Clairsomatica: somatosensory, sensation, foresensing Clairvoyance: visual, seeing, foreseeing Clairaudience: auditory, hearing, forehearing Clairolfaction: olfactory, smelling, foresmelling Clairgustance: gustatory, tasting, foretasting Clairintuition: premonition, presage, foreboding PSYCHIC READING VERSUS MEDIUMSHIP Psychics essentially perceive energy data of currently living persons, while mediums channel the energy data of deceased persons, spirit entities, or discarnate beings, as well as etheric, universal 'wisdom data' from the akasha. ​ A predictive psychic, for example, perceives a living person’s future probabilities and potentials, while a past life reader or a psychic energy healer perceives the previous incarnations, past life experiences, and ancestral legacy associated with a particular person or soul identity. ​ An evidential medium or mental medium channels the energy data of those who have departed this life and have transitioned to another plane of existence, also known as the afterlife, heaven, spirit realm, or ‘other side.' This is mostly done for the purpose of providing afterlife validations, soul family records, inspirational and healing information, as well as life guidance for the benefit of living persons (relatives and friends) associated with that spirit entity or personality's most recent physical incarnation. Furthermore, a trance medium or trance channel channels the omniscient energy data or universal sagacity (akashic wisdom data) of a particular discarnate spirit personality or nonphysical entity, or group of energies, such as deities, ascended masters, avatars, angels, spirit guides, and so on. This typically serves the purpose of broader spiritual guidance, metaphysical insight, and universal wisdom for the greater good of humanity. Adapted from The Sensible Psychic: A Leading-Edge Guide To True Psychic Perception. © 2022 Anthon St. Maarten REFERENCES [1] Stevens, P. (1997). A Biophysical Approach To Psi Effects And Experience. Psychology Ph.D. Thesis Collection, The University of Edinburgh. [2] Sutter, P. (2019). Is It A Wave Or A Particle? It's Both, Sort Of. Space.com [3] Braden, G. (2008) The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles And Belief. Hay House Inc [4] Todeschi, K.J. (1998) Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records: The Book of Life. Association for Research and Enlightenment Press. [5] Zahran, S.K. (2019) Is Psi an Ability to React with Vibrations? Anaest & Sur Open Access J. (ID: 000513). [6] Teilhard de Chardin, P. (1936) A Sketch of a Personalistic Universe. [7] Maududi, A. (1932). Understanding The Quran. Islamic Foundation. [8] Prasad, R. (1897). The Science Of Breath And The Philosophy Of The Tattvas. Theosophical Publishing Society. [9] Swami Vivekananda. (1920). Raja Yoga. Brentano’s. [10] Holmes, E. S. (1926). R. M. McBride & Company. [11] Todeschi, K.J. (1998) Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records: The Book of Life. Association for Research and Enlightenment Press. [12] Stearn, J. (1967). Edgar Cayce: The Sleeping Prophet. Doubleday. 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.

I am often asked whether spirit guides and angels support or guide me in my work. Do I actually see them? Can I tell you the name of your spirit guide? I am also asked whether I believe in ghosts, demons and poltergeists. My answers to these questions are both yes, and no. The existence of non-physical beings has always fascinated mankind. We continue to be intrigued by the presence of spiritual entities from other realms, planes or dimensions. It is an aspect of our spiritual experience that is often the focal point for much discussion, speculation, debate, and even controversy and conflict. There are many similarities in the range of experiences and encounters of this nature that people report. The most commonly sited include the spirits of family members who have crossed over, as well as guardian angels, celestial guides, elementals, spirit animals and even extraterrestrial beings. However, there is also much disparity and many contradictions in that which people see and believe. So, whose version or vision is accurate? And do angels and spirit guides really exist? I believe such beings and entities do exist, not because I experience them in the same way as others do, but because there are many people who share similar beliefs about such entities and report similar experiences with them. And I respect that. I do not claim to know all the answers to the mysteries of the spiritual realm. Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth. Unseen, both when we wake and when we sleep ~ John Milton All I know is what I know from personal experience and insight gathered from years of metaphysical research, spiritual writing and psychic mediumship work with thousands of clients all over the world. From both my professional perspective and my personal belief system, these manifestations of spirit are all essentially one and the same thing, and they all come from one and the same Source. All life forms and inanimate objects, throughout the Universe, consist of pure energy, which vibrates at varying frequencies. In the end, we are all simply products of this one stream of positive, creative energy, whether we are physical or spiritual in our current form. And this Source Energy, of which we all are merely a vibrational expression, or point of consciousness, is an all-encompassing force of goodness, well-being, pure love and eternal expansion. So yes, ​I do sense ’spirit guides’ and ‘angels’ around me, but I do not see them in a stereotypical shape or form. I don’t see angels with wings and halos, or guides who look like ethereal humans. When I do see 'angels and guides' they appear to me in a much more simple form, which can best be described as floating orbs of light, or flickering bundles of ‘fireflies'...sometimes accompanied by a unique odor. However, when I do mediumship readings I tend to experience spirit in a more familiar human form, when the form or appearance of the spiritual entity will be more acceptable or recognizable for the person for whom I am doing the reading. Spirit has the tendency to reveal itself in a form that each of us can more easily relate to, or that fits more easily into our frame or reference. Most of my clients are obviously more open to receiving guidance or messages from their deceased grandmother, instead of a 'transparent cloud of tiny light bubbles!' Therefore these spirit messages from the other side are typically delivered to me in this format, which I can then convey to the other person in a recognizable way. I have also seen 'Yarden,' my own main spirit guide, in human form, because I felt the sincere need for it at the time. In my experience, all the varying manifestations of spirit entities, including angels or guides, are merely labels or concepts we use as a shared language or vocabulary, in order to interpret what we perceive and experience, when we do engage with spirit, as well as to explain it to others. Their true form lies far beyond our current ability to fully understand, being somewhat akin to complex geometric patterns, incandescent like fire-works. But angels do take on forms that we can grasp. They do this for two reasons: so that we can perceive them on a level closer to our own; and to veil, or step down, the intensity of their vibrations so that we can endure them ~ David Goddard Our diverse versions of spirit experiences are plethora and mostly based on our religious beliefs; the stories we were told during our childhood; the folklore, myths and legends of our diverse cultural backgrounds; as well as the images and concepts we absorb from the media and popular culture, including films, books and the arts. For this reason, it is common to find that your perception of what a spirit guide is, or what an angel looks like, would differ somewhat from the next person. Should you ask a foreigner, from a completely different cultural background, chances are you would either find that they have no knowledge of the existence of such beings, or they will describe them in a form completely unfamiliar to you and radically different from your version. This leaves us with the question of undesirable manifestations or 'lower energy' entities, such as ghosts, shadow people, vampires, succubi and demonic forces. Do they exist? Sure they do. These manifestations are a grim reality for many people all over the world. However, these things do not exist in my world. I choose to place my focus and intention elsewhere. I know from very personal experience that we are all powerful creators of our own reality experience and masters of our own destiny. What we prefer to focus upon and what we choose to believe, is what we ultimately perceive and experience in life. I choose not to surround myself with negativity and evil, neither do I entertain the lower vibrational patterns associated with fear, despair, misery and death. That is not the kind of reality experience I signed up for in this lifetime. Dark forces or evil entities, in my opinion, are not manifestations of God, Spirit, the Light or the Universal Life Source. In my experience, they are fear-based manifestations created by humans to explain or justify unpleasant life experiences, shift the blame for human error, or even to control and manipulate others. However, once again, I do not stand in judgment of those who do believe in evil entities or dark forces. If believing in an on-going battle between good and evil provides someone with a familiar, comfortable platform from which they can launch their unique spiritual expansion, I cannot see why such beliefs should be condemned by a fellow seeker. If talking to angels, seeing spirit guides, or exorcising demons enables a person to fulfill their life calling and achieve their soul purpose in this lifetime, who am I to judge their path? To each his own. I also do not expect anyone to share my professional views or personal perception of celestial beings, paranormal phenomena or spirit entities. There is no right or wrong way of experiencing spiritual manifestations. Everybody’s interpretation or translation is accurate in my opinion, and it always has merit within the unique cultural environment of the particular believer. Different strokes for different folks, as long as it serves the greater good. In the end we all come from the same place, ​Expansion and continued creation is dependent on diversity and individuality. It is my conviction that when one is in pure vibrational alignment with Spirit or Source, there is no need, or desire, to judge, criticize or discredit the spiritual experiences or beliefs of others. © 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.

I am sure you have heard the lame, old joke: "How come you never see the headline, 'Psychic Wins Lottery?" Well, who says they don't? It just so happens that psychics actually do win the lottery! Skeptics like to ask silly questions, like why psychics don’t use their extrasensory abilities to predict the winning lottery numbers. This question may have some merit in a stand-up comedy routine, and ​I enjoy a clever joke as much as the next person, but once everyone has had their laugh, all that remains for me is a tragic reflection of the lack of spiritual depth, as well as the superficial materialism of our modern society. When I hear the old 'psychics never win the lottery' joke, I always wonder why no one ever asks this question of their priest, pastor or minister? So, let me ask it now. Why don’t you ever read headlines about spiritual leaders who have received the winning lottery numbers through prayer or meditation, for example? The truth is there have actually been several reports of psychics and their clients winning the lottery. Yes, psychics do win the lottery! It proves that the lame old lottery gag is indeed a myth, but what is often far more significant is the actual circumstances surrounding these wins. Here’s something to think about…how come you never see a headline like ‘Psychic Wins Lottery’? ~ Jay Leno Recently I had the unpleasant experience of listening to a friend and colleague being poked fun at during a live radio broadcast. She is a remarkable and truly gifted person and she was invited as a guest to speak about the work psychics do, but ended up being ambushed by the two presenters. The conversation that followed soon sounded like cross-questioning, instead of it being an objective, investigative interview. Of course, the tired old lottery joke once again made its sad appearance. Clearly these two ‘journalists’ had not done much homework. I often wonder why intelligent, educated people would value bouncing, colorful balls, with numbers on them, as a reliable scientific measurement and proof of a spiritual phenomenon? Psychic ability, clairvoyance and mediumship are special blessings to humanity, not a circus act? Asking a psychic to guess what you had for breakfast, what your favorite color is, or to predict the next lottery, is like using a highly trained guide dog or a uniquely gifted musician to perform silly party tricks. In fact, the best way to spot a fake psychic is to ask them to jump through hoops in a dog-and-pony show for your entertainment. If they oblige, you most certainly have a scam artist on your hands. This kind of thing is simply not what our gifts and our calling is about. If it’s the Psychic Network why do they need a phone number? ~ Robin Williams Truly gifted psychics are the soothsayers, spiritual guides, shamans and healers of our species. We have been here for centuries, since the origins of man, and we will continue to follow our calling and perform our divine duties with diligence. If we were meant to predict lotteries purely for profit and personal gain, there would in fact be no psychics available to do readings for anyone; neither would there ultimately be any lotteries to predict. Psychics would all be millionaires and we would probably control all the resources in the world. Seldom will you read news reports about how psychic readings have transformed the lives of people. These small miracles happen all the time; I witness them myself on a daily basis. Fact is, such mundane success stories do not make sensational newspaper reports, neither are they very entertaining as dinner party jokes. ​A good example of psychics winning the lottery is the group of psychics in Australia, who won their share of a $22 million jackpot in September 2006. Each of the psychics in the syndicate was blessed with an estimated $85,000 each. Far more significant than the actual amount they won, is the fact that these ladies did not get together for selfish purposes. They were not motivated by greed, and winning the lottery was not their original motivation. The truth of the matter is that the ‘lucky’ group started out as a social club for local ladies, with the aim of doing charitable work in their community. These ladies got together on a regular basis, to not only have lunch and chat, but to support needy families and other charitable causes. Funds were collected at meetings and then slipped, anonymously, under the door of some or other house in the neighborhood, wherever it was most needed. After they won the lottery, these ladies made it clear that they will be continuing their charity work. Their intention was to share this blessing with their community. Just to be clear, the winning numbers were revealed to at least two of these ladies in a dream. It was not a chance event, it was destined. Neither did they do any magic spells or voodoo to get the desired results. The win was simply revealed to them in a spontaneous dream. More examples of psychics winning lotteries include the following media reports: Psychic predicted own lottery win - Belfast Telegraph Psychic quits job.. after winning £2.2m on National Lottery - Daily Record & Sunday Mail Tarot-card reader scoopes a £772,906 Lottery Jackpot - Machester Evening News $32M Lottery Winner Believes in Magic - Newser Psychic predicts lotto win - Yahoo7 News Brockley mum's £50,000 Lottery win predicted by psychic - News Shopper $14 Million Lotto Winner Says Psychic Told Him He'd Win - CityNews Psychic helps woman win $6.8M lottery - Canadian Online Explorer Builder scoops £3m Lotto win after psychic's premonition - Mail Online Ex-cop follows psychic reader's advice and wins $1,000 per day for life - Daily News Lottery Winner Must Share $1.7 Million Jackpot With Psychic Waiter - Huffington Post Lotto winners forewarned by fortune teller - The Dominion Post NZ lotto win follows psychic prediction - The Sydney Morning Herald Mum's £5.4m lottery win after dead brother told her in a dream - Mirror For more up-to-date reports of psychics winning the lottery visit my Pinterest board dedicated to this subject. It is common knowledge among the psychic community, as well as those who are spiritually aware, that the information or messages we receive during psychic readings are dependent on what is revealed to us at that moment in time. We only receive what is truly necessary and destined for that specific person at that point in their life. No more, no less. If you are meant to hear the next winning lottery numbers from your psychic, believe me you will. Asking for it, or even demanding it, will seldom yield the desired results, unless your ‘psychic’ is using questionable methods of a darker, lower vibrational origin. By the way, did you know your actual odds of winning the lottery depend on where you play, but it typically ranges from 1 in 10 million to 1 in 20 million. And did you know that you are 6 to 45 times more likely to die from a lightning strike than winning the lottery? So, why did those Australian psychics win the lottery? Maybe it is something worthwhile to carefully think about. © 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.

Have you ever considered that while you believe you are creating your own reality, you may actually be recreating someone else’s version? Have you ever considered that many of us may be shaping a future planned for us by others? Are you sure that the content of your reality experience is truly by your own design? Many spiritually aware people believe that we are the co-creators of our own reality experience and masters of our destiny. Some of us go with the flow, weaving this divine knowledge intuitively into our daily existence, while others prefer to focus on it more deliberately, in order to shape their lives more proactively. Whatever your approach, are you sure that your reality experience is truly by your own design? There has been much debate and speculation in recent years about what ‘reality’ truly is. The spiritually aware need no convincing of some of these new ideas, but the jury still seems to be out among the scientific community. There are, however, scientists, academics and theorists who agree that reality is a hologram of consciousness created by our collective projection of it. Each of us tends to think we see things as they are, that we are objective. But this is not the case. We see the world, not as it is, but as we are - or, as we are conditioned to see it ~ Stephen Covey From this perspective, life and the world as we know it, is basically a 3-D movie, which all of us collectively produce, direct and star in, on a daily basis. These modern theories about reality and unconscious co-creation are partly based on concepts arising from science, such as the ‘measurement problem’ found in Quantum Physics. The measurement dilemma refers to an unusual phenomenon that has baffled experts. It was found that before matter manifests, it exists in many possible ways or places. According to quantum theory, matter does not exist in a specific state, or appear in a specific place, until it has been focused upon by measuring it. Only when a particle’s behavior has been measured by a scientist focusing on it, can its actual state or future manifestation be predicted. This may confirm the belief that our thoughts, words and feelings actually create our reality. These new perspectives on consciousness and reality perception also gave rise to concepts like the reality tunnel, popularized by Timothy Leary and Robert Anton Wilson. The reality tunnel theory states that we each create and perceive reality in our own unique and subjective way, based on our own belief system, social conditioning, cultural background and personal experiences. The world you live in is your individual interpretation of reality, via your senses, shaped by your personal beliefs and experience ‘filters’. Some experts will also tell you that according to quantum theory phenomena, objects (matter) does not appear to exist at all. What we perceive as other people, animals and things are merely vibrations or varying frequencies of energy. The only thing that does exist is energy, or consciousness. Consciousness is what holds it all together. Consciousness is what shapes and drives our Universe. Some call this ‘the matrix’ or 'field' to which we are all connected; others describe it as the Collective Consciousness, Spirit, Source or God. Some theorists further describe the Universe as originating from the size of a pea, which has expanded over millions of years, and continues to expand indefinitely. However, in essence we are all still a small part of that original little orb. Now if we are all connected in this way, and we are all co-creating our reality together, the following question comes to mind: is it in our best interest for each of us to do this ‘co-creating’ from inside our own reality tunnel, or not? In other words, what happens if many of us line up our beliefs and thoughts and feelings, and we begin to coordinate our reality ‘tunnel vision’? Imagine the awesome possibilities, if we could all coordinate our reality tunnels for the greater good, if we would all strive together for peace, love and harmony. From this perspective, John Lennon’s vision of a future world, without prejudice, hatred and suffering, does seem very plausible. There will be so much Light at the end of such a joint reality tunnel! But, what if your reality tunnel is being ‘hacked’? Be honest, is your reality tunnel a pure version of your strongest spiritual connection, your deepest intuitive insight, your true personal conviction? Or is your version of reality being shaped by politics, mainstream and social media, corporate marketing, or even by conspiracy theories and mass hysteria? If an increasing number of us globally are daily viewing the same apocalyptic television footage, or the same doomsday movies, and if we are all reading the same gloomy newspaper reports and fake news, how unique or pure is each of our personal reality tunnels really? Next time you stroll out of a cinema, for example, after having watched the latest blockbuster, consider what each member of the audience will be doing with the ideas, images and impressions they picked up from watching that film. And then ask yourself if you will be joining your fellow audience members in adding the same grey shades of fear, prejudice, violence, cynicism or misguided propaganda to the interior of your reality tunnel? Just think about it. © 2010 Anthon St. MaartenABOUT 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.

There really is no need for everyone to always agree with our views, or abide by our personal rules, values or morals. We were never meant to be the same, feel the same, think the same, or believe the same. Imagine how different our world would be if we minded our own business and left each other in peace. Social media? Not today satan, not today. If you can change just one thing about the world we live in, what would it be? The typical response from most people would probably be something along the lines of a standard beauty pageant response, such as ‘world peace’ or ‘global warming’. Sure, these are all noble causes, but do they truly solve all our problems? What if there was an often overlooked and a very basic adjustment we could all make - something that could potentially revolutionize the society we live in? I mean, what would happen if we all simply gave up our attempts at trying to control, manipulate and coerce others into being what we expect them to be, or to behave in ways we expect them to? Sure, it will not solve all our socio-economic or environmental problems, but it might just get us much further than we currently imagine possible. If you knew your potential to feel good, you would ask no one to be different so that you can feel good. You would free yourself of all of that cumbersome impossibility of needing to control the world, or control your mate, or control your child ~ Abraham-Hicks Our efforts to control others are seldom for their benefit - we actually do it for our own gratification, or our own sense of security. We trust others behaving 'our way' will make us feel better. We expect others to meet our demands and expectations. We try to exert this control so that we can feel satisfied and content with the way things are in our corner of the world. My favorite spiritual teacher, Abraham-Hicks, refers to this as “all that cumbersome impossibility”, which in my opinion is the perfect way to describe it! For the fact of the matter is that it is simply impossible to indefinitely control others, no matter how much we may persist. Eventually we will lose the battle. And, be honest now, it does become quite a burdensome bother to constantly try and exert control over everyone and everything around you. It is exhausting just to think about it, and yet so many of us continue to try and hold the reigns, believing we will somehow be able to call all of the shots, all of the time. And this extends far beyond just our social, work or family circle. For until one nation ceases its attempts to dominate another, there will never be true freedom. Until one religion relinquishes its quest to prove its god superior to that of another, there shall never be world peace. We will never truly prosper or experience lasting harmony, until we refrain from preaching the gospel of our own moral values and our personal preferences by forcing it upon others. As a psychic advisor I interact on a daily basis with clients who have yet to discover the truth about “that cumbersome impossibility”. So many people I do psychic readings for are either hoping to control someone else, or they wish to escape the hold someone else has over them. If you are in a abusive relationship or an environment where you feel controlled, pressured or intimidated, you need to take action! Only you can make the necessary changes. Never stop questioning. Never be bullied. Do not let others define you, or decide for you. ​Even if you are physically imprisoned or financially trapped, you can still set yourself free. Each and every personal freedom or material possession can be taken away from you, but nobody has the power to imprison your mind, dictate your emotions or enslave your soul, unless you allow them to do that. And sometimes, when it is within your power to do so, it is best to turn the other cheek, or to simply let it go. If you can, just walk away. On the flipside, we too often tend to believe that a partner, a parent, a child, or a friend or co-worker holds the key to how we feel now, or how happy we will be in the future. How we feel today or tomorrow should not be dependent on others. Never. There is only one person who should have the right to determine your joy and happiness, and that is you! Nobody else can provide or withhold your well-being, unless you let them. Until we accept that we really have no control over anything, we shall find no peace, nor harmony, and we shall never know true spiritual enlightenment. We are not supposed to all be the same, feel the same, think the same, or believe the same. The key to continued expansion of our Universe lies in diversity, not in conformity and coercion. Conventionality is the death of creation. Set yourself free from all that cumbersome impossibility. © 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.