I Am Psychic… And So Are You!

Psychic Abilities

Yes, I can perceive things without using my five physical senses. Yes, I can sometimes know things about events or situations before they happen. Yes, I can sense what is going on with someone underneath the surface. Yes, I can read cards and other oracle tools to gain insight into situations or relationships. Yes, I can communicate to the souls of loved ones on the Other Side.

And NO, none of this makes me “special”.

I believe these are all innate abilities that we each have within ourselves. The only difference is some of us may be a bit more in tune with them than others. But anyone can harness these innate abilities to some extent with dedication and practice.

This is why I no longer call my intuitive abilities “gifts”. Because that makes it seem that I have received something special that you have not. And I don’t believe that is true.

It is possible I was born with a more natural affinity to them than some, but I have worked hard to cultivate my abilities because I love being able to use them to help others. People generally come to me for intuitive guidance not because I was born with some special gift, but because my unique way of communicating this guidance resonates with them on some level or they have heard from others who had a good experience.

But all this comes more from thousands of hours in meditation, practice, and study as well my own personality and desire to help others than it does from my natural intuitive ability.

Beware The “Gifted”

The more “special” or “gifted” a psychic or medium purports to be – such as advertising as being from X generations of psychics, claiming to be the only person who can do something – the more cautious you should be cautious about using their services. Unfortunately, it is common to encounter people who are not genuine or even downright delusional.

Early in my development, I went out to lunch with a couple of fellow students from a Tarot class. Our talk turned to the subject of whether everyone had intuitive ability or could learn it. I felt strongly that we all have it – like a muscle that gets bigger when you exercise it. But one of my fellow students insisted that he was special because he “talks to Spirit 24/7”. He believed this to be a special gift belonging only to him and became agitated when I questioned him about it.

I was genuinely interested in why he felt that way. It was so different from my experience and my beliefs and I wanted to understand. But when I asked him he immediately became angry, red-faced and confrontational. He began pointing at strangers in the restaurant, shouting “HE doesn’t have it! And SHE doesn’t have it!”. And he stormed out of the restaurant (without paying I might add!).

Needless to say, I was appalled – as were my fellow Tarot students and all the fellow diners in the restaurant – at his outburst of rage. But I also felt bad for him, because this was clearly a display of pure ego and insecurity. I suspect he could not handle anyone questioning his abilities being a “gift”, and he felt threatened in a way I couldn’t have imagined when we began our discussion.

Hindsight is 20/20

Suddenly, I played back previous encounters I had with this guy in class and it all started to make sense…

• …Hiding in a corner where he thought nobody could see, and searching through his Tarot deck face up to cherry pick a few specific cards when asked to do a Tarot exercise. Then lying and bragging to the teacher – and the class – about his “special” results that he got direct from Spirit.
• …Hearing him repeatedly brag that was Spirit told him he was going to be on the radio and TV by the end of the year. The following year he was saying the same thing, and last I checked – years later – this had not happened.
• …Watching him insist to others that Spirit told him that he was meant to be romantic partners with another someone in the class – a man in a committed long-term relationship with a woman.
• …Listening to him brag about accosting unsuspecting strangers on the street to give them a taste of a mediumship reading – followed by his business card they could buy a reading from him to get more.
• …Seeing him repeatedly fail to pick up any accurate psychic info during practice readings with others, then later brag about his accuracy.
• …Feeling sorry for him as I watched him go into a mental tailspin – convinced he had lost his “gift” – because a misguided fellow student somehow convinced him that he had dismissed one of his spirit guides while attempting to help him upgrade his Spirit team.

Spirit or Ego?

So did this guy really have a special gift where Spirit talked to him “24/7”? I saw no evidence of it. I don’t believe Spirit would focus on fame and fortune. I don’t believe they would encourage someone to stalk a person who could never return their romantic interest. I don’t believe Spirit would insist on forcing communication with people who were not ready to hear from their loved ones on the other side – particularly as a way of drumming up business. I also don’t believe Spirit would abandon someone just because someone else believed they were doing some silly ritual to “upgrade” that person’s guides!

Years later I checked and this guy was still open for business. Still insisting on his special gifts and special connection to Spirit. Still offering paid readings to people. I wonder how many of them know there are better options and you don’t have to believe someone just because they proclaim loudly how special they are special and gifted.

But he is hardly alone. There are many out there just like him. The more gifted and special they tout themselves to be, the more it typically means they are insincere, insecure or sometimes even unstable.

Born This Way

The most authentic psychics and mediums I have met all believe that everyone is born with these natural abilities. Those of us who cultivate them and do readings for others see our jobs not as a way to to pad our wallets, or to puff ourselves up as being special or better than others. But rather as a way to serve as examples that there is more to life than what we perceive with our five physical senses. And to prove that there are intuitive or spiritual sources of guidance out there available to all.

The best spiritual teachers and intuitive readers will teach you that they are no different than you.

If you are interested in developing your own innate abilities – and you DO have them – I always recommend to everyone the same starting point to everyone as a good first step: Meditation, meditation, meditation! I also run a Facebook group dedicated to promoting good sources of learning. I also offer psychic and mediumship classes in the group.

~Medium Tim Thomas