Dear Soul Arcanum:
I’ve long been interested in developing my own psychic abilities, but something in me keeps holding back. Are there reasons one should NOT pursue this? How do you know when you’re ready, when this is what you’re supposed to do?
– Jan
Dear Jan:
It has been my experience that the way one approaches psychic development – the quality of energy one puts into it – will determine the quality of the experiences that unfold. The following questions will hopefully illuminate the attributes that facilitate a pleasant, positive, successful psychic journey.
Fear/Faith
Do you believe the Universe is a benevolent place? Do you trust your own judgment, or do you dismiss your own experiences as “unreal” if they don’t match what you’ve been taught to believe by others? Are you afraid of delving into psychic matters?
Faith is important because it both fuels success and protects us from negativity. Whatever we focus upon expands, so if we explore psychic matters with fear that we will come to harm, we will have scary experiences. One does not have to be totally fearless, mind you; a little fear of the new and as yet unknown is what I call excitement! Fearing eternal damnation, however, is not the kind of fear you want to push through. Lose the fear by educating yourself first.
Ethics
Do you have a strong sense of integrity? Are you honest with others and yourself? What is your motivation for delving into psychic matters?
Integrity is important because psychic knowledge is a huge responsibility. We will be held accountable for our knowledge, therefore, those who unwittingly blunder may feel the undesirable effects of that “mistake,” but those who should know better and choose to do wrong will experience far greater consequences. Picture a child riding a tricycle and crashing full speed into a tree, versus a man driving a Porsche full speed into a tree – the greater power of the Porsche means greater consequences if mistakes are made.
Respect
Do you have a healthy respect for spiritual phenomena? Can you respect these matters without fearing them?
This is important because those who play at spirit communication and fail to respect psychic processes are generally careless, and often attract mischievous entities and undesirable experiences. This approach can become a pointless game or drama – which is exactly what these folks signed up for.
Timing
Is your life sailing along smoothly for the most part, or do you have a lot of dramas to manage? Do you have the time and the inner resources to devote to psychic development now?
Timing is important for obvious reasons. If we’re already overwhelmed with normal life, how can we expect to take on a new paranormal realm of experience? One must master one level of experience before messing around with another. To leap ahead would be like the little boy on the tricycle getting behind the wheel of that Porsche.
Courage
Are you willing to face and conquer your own fears? Are you at peace with the fact that there is a shadow side of life? Are you prepared for your personal life to be turned on its head?
Courage is essential because we will be tested as we move forward. These tests are similar to driving tests; they’re meant to prevent us from getting hurt. Before we’re allowed to take off down the road in a Porsche, we have to prove we can handle ourselves on slippery pavement, in unfavorable conditions, etc. Also, when we begin to develop psychically, our personal lives often get turned upside down because as we devote ourselves to this path, the people and circumstances that could hinder us naturally get cleared out of our way.
Physical Health:
Are you strong and healthy? Do you use drugs (either recreational or medicinal) on a regular basis? Do you have unhealthy addictions to food, alcohol, drama, certain people – whatever – that are getting the better of you? Do you enjoy high energy and a sense of well-being?
Physical health is important because a high vibration is needed to access psychic realms. If we strain for those realms while in poor health, it’s like someone who is out of shape trying to climb a mountain. It will be much harder (if not impossible), and the odds of getting hurt are greater.
Emotional Health:
Are you emotionally stable? Have you moved past the common pattern of dependent/codependent, victim/rescuer? Do you take responsibility for what you create in your life, and do you expect others to do the same?
Emotional health is important because opening psychically means opening to outside influences. If we are emotionally fragile or unbalanced, then when we are down or out of control, we’ll attract similar energies, which will just send us further in that direction. It can be overwhelming to feel others’ emotions. We’re all doing this the time, of course, but before we cultivate even greater sensitivity, we’re wise to have our own emotions balanced.
Psychological Health:
Are you clear-thinking and discerning? Are you grounded in this reality? Are you engaged in other strenuous studies, or are you ready for new challenging courses? Are you curious and prepared to study and practice?
Psychological health is important because it’s so easy to lose touch with common reality when we move into this realm where incredible things happen right and left. This is one of the biggest risks in psychic development. We’re all familiar with the stereotype of the “New Ager” who sees meaning in every dust mote and blade of grass she encounters. As with most stereotypes, there is some truth to this one; we have to be very grounded psychologically to walk the fine line between being open-minded and being so far “out there” that we can no longer relate to others.
Spiritual Health:
Do you strive for the high ideals of love, forgiveness and compassion in your daily life? Do you have a sense of yourself as part of a larger whole? Do you feel connected to God/Spirit/the Divine? Is a desire to grow spiritually a central driving force in your life?
The more we trust in Spirit, the more open we are to being helped by Spirit. By aligning with high ideals, we align with Divine guidance and with the conditions essential to a positive psychic experience.
Beliefs:
Do you believe psychic ability is real and possible? That it is natural and normal? Have you ever had psychic experiences yourself? Did you trust those experiences as real? Are you well-read regarding psychic subjects?
It is wise to maintain healthy skepticism, but an active disbelief in psychic abilities will bar us from them. This has been proven in experiment after experiment; those who believe in psychic abilities demonstrate the most psychic ability.
Being Called
Finally, do you feel called to develop psychically? Are you fascinated by these subjects, and do you feel compelled to explore them?
While meeting the above criteria is helpful, it’s not essential. A strong calling from deep within is all you really need. You don’t have to wrangle with the questions above if your heart knows its true path. Just honor that calling, and you will be led.
I don’t want to give the impression that psychic development is only for a perfect chosen few, or that it is rare or even hard to achieve. No one is 100% together. Heck, I felt intimidated by the above questions, and I wrote them! If you’re not ready, however, you won’t go as far as fast, and your path may be bumpier. If you approach this with a solid foundation, it can be an easy, wondrous, delightful journey.
– Soul Arcanum
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