The word psychic is loosely used to describe a wide variety of mental phenomena such
as "telepathy", "precognition", "clairvoyance","
clairaudience", "psychokenesis" and others. The word itself is derived from
the name of the Greek Goddess Psyche, who was believed to rule over dreams, visions,
mental illness and other mysterious manifestations of the deep mind. The word itself is
associated with the concept of going deep, of plunging or probing the depths of self to
gain insight, knowledge and inspiration. In a practical sense it means to obtain solutions
to problems that cannot seemingly be solved, at least from the viewpoint of our waking or
"normal" self and perceptions.
The Goddess "Psyche", and other cultural manifestations of the Divine
Feminine are intimately connected with water, and springs that arose from the ground. The
water that gushed forth from the depths of the earth was inextricably linked in the
subconscious with the emotions, dreams and visions that bubbled up from the depths of the
mind as mysteriously as the water coming forth from the earth.
Water collected from these springs was thought to possess qualities that potentate
the process of "Psychic" inspiration, and was put into special containers and
gazed into to obtain visions and knowledge. This practice we know of as
"Scrying", is as ancient as these springs, and is found almost universally. The
use of crystals and mirrors were developmental offshoots of "water Scrying".
Psyche was eventually associated with man made wells and fountains. The practice of
throwing coins into a well or fountain while making a wish is a direct descendant, a
vestigial memory of spiritual practices associated with the "Goddess" worship of
cultures worldwide.
"Psychic Abilities are viewed as somehow evil, or satanic by many western
religious organizations. Yet upon examination we find that most, if not all of these
religions and sects were founded upon the "mystical" and "psychic"
inspiration on the part of their founders.
The history of the Christian church is filled with persons bearing supernatural
gifts.
There is Paul the Simple, born in 339 A.D. A student of St. Anthony in Egypt who
performed miracles of healing and the power to read men's minds. He was called "The
Simple" because of his childlike innocence.
There was Mary Magdalene Dei Pazzi, born in 1566 who possessed the gifts of
Prophecy, the ability to read thoughts, and performed miracles of healing. She was
Canonized a Saint in 1669.
Francis Croese, born in 1804 at Comporosse, Italy, was known all over the city for
Miracles of healing and for farseeing. He invariably possessed knowledge of persons and
events far from Italy, that dumbfounded his contemporaries.
A prime example is Albertus Magnus, born in 1206. The eldest son of the Count of
Bollsdadt in Swabia, of what is now Germany. He was the Mentor of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Known for his brilliance and erudition, and his encyclopedic knowledge, he was dubbed by
his contemporaries" the universal doctor". He was for a time the personal tutor
of theology to Pope Alexander IV.
He was widely renowned for his ability to know men's thoughts, to commune with the
souls of the departed, to prophecy men's fates, as well as healing, the ability to alter
weather and other charisms of the Spirit. He was also an Astrologer, Scientist and
Philosopher who was the first to reconcile Platonic rationalism with the Theology of the
Church and the question of Faith.
His gifts lead to such controversy during the early years of the Inquisition, that
he resigned as the Bishop of Regensburg and very narrowly escaped being a victim of that
Shameful Blight on the Soul of the Church. A very vocal opponent of this Inquisition, and
the horrors that it wrought, he was ultimately unassailable because of his high standing
and unquestionable holiness. Never the less his Gifts were so profound and varied that he
remained a controversial figure, and in spite of constant calls for his canonization was
only recently canonized a Saint and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XI in
1931.
These are simply a few examples relating to the early history of the Christian
Church in the West, not including the wide history of these Gifts of the Spirit as they
manifest in all the major world religions both in the West and The East.
The nature of psychic abilities are found in the fundamental reality of the deep
interconnection that exists the apparently singular person and their environment. The
Buddhist religion points to this interconnection and interdependence between seemingly
disconnected and independent phenomena most forcefully.
We are all interconnected through more avenues and upon subtler levels than we
normally perceive. Our physical senses distract and limit us from perceiving this. Our
individual personalities, prejudices and other mental and emotional rigidities block and
distort what enters our awareness and how we react to what we perceive. This is why the
forced development of "psychic" abilities is frowned upon in spiritual
disciplines that understand them. We cannot often gain clarity through our normal
perceptions, and the forced development of perception without the ethical grounding and
mental discipline that is required, will inevitably lead to greater confusion and not
clarity. In short, everyone is psychic simply by virtue of existing. Like musical ability,
the ability to be psychic is universal in principle, in practice of course this is not the
case. Musical ability ranges hugely, from someone who is tone deaf, to a Bach, Handel or
Mendelson. In spiritual and psychic genius the range is greater, from a self centered, ego
bound, psychopathic serial killer, to a spiritual and psychic Einstein such as The Christ
and The Buddha.
SPIRITUAL CLAIRVOYANCE
Spiritual Clairvoyance is not a well understood charism , but I will share my
experience of this. At a very young age I began experiencing what can only be described as
visions of the spirits of the departed. These visions were not simply visual, but also
encompassed elements of sensation and thought that are very hard to describe verbally. It
was at this same age, that I began experiencing what can be described as bright
multicoloured light around the bodies of those around me, what I now know is commonly
called "the Aura". You can imagine how difficult this was to describe at such a
young age. My poor grandmother had no idea how to deal with me and my "vivid
imagination". This is how most in our culture refer to such experiences. Yet how is
one to describe such perceptions, how can someone describe colour to a person who is
blind?
It was of course very difficult to integrate these experiences into the meaning and
purpose of everyday life. To try and maintain a focus on practical routines and the
demands of everyday life is difficult enough, never mind distractions of this nature. I
was very fortunate that as time went on that I discovered in books descriptions of
phenomena that corresponded with my own experience.
During my adolescence as my experience and understanding grew, I naturally became
more and more driven to delve more deeply into the nature and meaning of these
"gifts". That is how I consider them now as gifts, although for most of my life
the emotional and social isolation that resulted from these "gifts" caused a
great deal of pain. It can be extremely difficult to hold a conversation with someone
while some deceased relative of theirs is standing behind them demanding attention and
determined to communicate some message. Of course this is not an easy topic to insert into
the conversation for obvious reasons.
As my study of these matters deepened, my interest in all matters of a religious and
spiritual nature intensified over time. I have studied the dogma and philosophy of the
major world religions, and some of the more obscure ones as well. I particularly focused
on the elements that dealt with matters of mystical experience within the more dogmatic
outer expressions of popular religion. The attitude towards these type of experiences
varies widely within all religious contexts. In many religious structures, mystical
experience is feared and considered inherently evil. At the same time within these same
structures you will find mystical experience to be the pivotal force both creating and
inspiring these structures. The acceptance of these experiences limited to the structure
itself and ultimately rejecting the experiences of nonmembers, or when the experiences of
members challenge the existing power structure.
Contrary to many popular "new age" conceptions, and those held by many
adherents of spiritualism, not all and indeed very few of those in spirit seemed to me to
be sainted and all wise simply by virtue of having died. During my youth I encountered
spirits of widely differing character and temperament. Some seem lost, dazed and confused,
tied to a particular environment or person. Some were of good character and motivation
whose chief concern was the guidance and protection of those still living that they had
cared about in life. Indeed many in this category seem to have gone through some sort of
transformative experience with their death, in the sense that they seemed to possess a
deeper insight into life, and a perspective that had a profound change upon their
character. There seems to be a sense of mission about these presence's, and I did receive
intimations that they were receiving some sort of higher guidance.
There have been encounters with beings of great wisdom and love that I can Only
describe as Angelic. I encountered beings who were when alive people of great hostility
and anger, these people in their after death state seem quite earthbound. They congregate
around certain people and environments that are saturated with emotions and thoughts of a
darker quality. I have also had a number of encounters with entities that in no
discernible way seem human at all to me, they carry with them an atmosphere of such hatred
and pure malevolence, that it is not describable in words. Let me just say that they
inspire such fear in someone confronted with them, that the emotional and mental well
being of that person is threatened in such encounters.
Overall the contact that I have had with persons on the other side of the veil is a
positive one for all concerned, much pain and unresolved issues have been repaired with
such encounters.
A final word on this subject, I am not a trance medium or channeler, I am in full
consciousness in these communications with my free will and faculties fully functioning.
There is a fundamental difference between these two activities that are fully dealt with
in another article on this site. Trance medium ship, channeling and such tools as the
Ouija Board are dangerous methods of spiritual communication that can lead to obsession,
hauntings and potentially full spiritual possession.
What is a Reading?
A reading is exactly that, "a reading", of the conditions that exist both
within and without the individual, the patterns which exist that are creating suffering in
that persons life and consciousness. I reflect upon and receive inspiration and guidance
that will be of the most direct and practical use to that person at that time. I am not
omniscient of course, but my readings are accurate and relevant to my clients. I place
great emphasis on self responsibility and self empowerment.
Contrary to many peoples perception of "fortune telling", the future is
very seldom set in one path and we have a greater influence on our futures than we
normally believe. In short, these readings are practical and useful. They should be used
as a tool and a guide to assist in dealing with the issues confronting you, not as a
crutch. I do not supply fantasy and palliative platitudes. You must test and
evaluate the truth and value within my readings for yourself, and if you find the
information of value and of benefit, then and only then should you apply it yourself.
I look forward to being of service.
Respectfully, Adam Black
