SPIRITUALITY is moving into the mainstream, as more people open their minds to the power of intuition and other energies.
When Allison DuBois was 17 years old, a “spirit�?told her to move her bed from one side of the room to the other.
Two hours later, a truck crashed into the exact place where her bed used to lie.
Clearly, listening to your intuition can be a good thing.
DuBois, the inspiration behind the hit Channel Ten show Medium and the author of three books, once studied to become a lawyer, but found her intuitive gifts were better used helping the FBI solve crimes involving missing children, and communicating messages from the spirit world to loved ones through readings.
Years ago, “witches�?such as DuBois, who behaved so “spookily�? were burnt at the stake, but it seems the world is opening up to the spirit world like never before.
DuBois has sold more than 180,000 copies of her books about the spirit world in Australia alone, and the show Medium, very closely modelled on her life as an FBI profiler, is still going strong three years after its launch, with 13 million regular viewers in the US.
Lizzy Rose, Australia’s foremost celebrity psychic, who is currently in negotiations with TV networks for a reality TV show based on her work, says she has noticed a dramatic shift in the number of people who are open to experiencing the spirit world.
Much like DuBois, she says she receives her messages through signs, dreams and “flashes�? and has been a practising psychic for almost 30 years, accredited by the Victorian and Federal Police for her help in solving crimes.
Spirit level
“I’ve noticed a big shift in the number and demographic of people visiting me since 1999, so I call this the awareness age,�?Rose says. “People are much more questioning and explorative now.
We don’t just take as fact the conventions we grew up with, or the beliefs of our parents, and there has also been a move away from the fear-based religions, which used to brand psychic stuff as ‘evil�?�?/FONT>
Indeed, a number one bestseller on various US and Australian book lists since its launch in November 2006 was Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret (Simon & Schuster), a non-fiction exploration of the law of attraction, a decidedly spiritual topic.
It doesn’t stop there.
Asking someone’s star sign at a party is no longer seen as kooky.
These days you can even ask their moon sign and nobody bats an eyelid.
One Australian online astrologer, Mystic Medusa, recently conducted an online “poll�?questioning characteristics of the star signs, and 40,000 people responded.
Active energies
Rose confirms the shift has also meant that men are now just as interested in spiritual readings as women.
“In 1987, I’d say that about 80 per cent of my clients were women, and 20 per cent men,�?she says. “But both were very light-hearted about the whole thing.
"Nowadays, it’s almost an even split, and clients are much more serious about actually learning something about themselves, not just about knowing what’s around the corner for them, but about how they can actively make the most of their lives with the energies they have at their disposal.�?/FONT>
But messing around with the spirit world is no longer just relegated to people’s personal lives, or seen as a last-ditch effort when things go wrong.
Melbourne businesswoman Kate Forster started a blog to document how adding spirituality to her work could benefit her corporate marketing business.
"The results were astounding,�?she says. “I studied everything from Wicca and runes to tarot, astrology and feng shui and it all benefited my business in some way, probably because I was learning about myself, and to trust my own instincts."
The annual Mind Body Spirit Festival, a biannual three-day event held in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, where visitors can get their auras read, go to a psychic workshop or have their chakras balanced, is experiencing rapid growth in the number of visitors, with a 42 per cent increase from 2005 to 2006, when 50,634 people paid to get through the doors.
Rose says this all signifies a return to the times of old, when psychics, astrologers and mystics were powerful and respected and kings and queens would summon them to read the future of their countries, and major decisions were made according to the signs.
But Rose says seeing the spiritual world clearly and regularly can be a mixed blessing. “I see auras 24/7. I wouldn’t know what it’s like to look at a plant, animal or person and not see colours around it. This isn’t always pleasant.
“I have to eat organic food, because I can see the colours and energy around chemically manufactured stuff. I also have a hard time doing simple things such as going on dates or even shopping without getting distracted, because I see so much of what’s going on inside the person.�?/FONT>
But psychic mediums do see a purpose to their vocation. “Out of the thousands of readings that I’ve taken part in, I’ve never had a spirit come through and say that he should have worked more or spent less time helping others,�?says DuBois.
Despite having helped to solve many high-profile crimes in Melbourne, Rose says she still encounters the odd sceptic who asks why she hasn’t won the lottery or isn’t living the perfect life if she is truly psychic.
“Why would I be here if I had nothing to learn or work towards?
"If it wasn’t for those lows that fall over the footpath, I wouldn’t have enjoyed the highs, learned to see the perfection in everything and become closer to my own inner knowledge.
"None of that would have happened if I always had and knew everything.�?/FONT>
Increase your intuition
Most psychics experience their intuition through flashes, messages and dreams. Here are some ways to increase your psychic potential.
Mystic Medusa says: “Carl Jung said that dreams are the royal road to the subconscious, and keeping a dream diary is the easiest and most effective way to boost intuition.
Even if you just jot down a few words, when you read back over it, it’s amazing how many messages and insights there are.�?/FONT>
Sonia Choquette, psychic and author of The Psychic Pathway (Piatkus Books), advises: “It is essential to keep a journal where you do not censor, edit or dismiss anything.
"Simply be willing to notice and write down any and all unusual, funny, coincidental or bizarre experiences as they occur.
"By recording what occurs in your life over a period of days, you can begin to see how many times intuition pops up and struggles with other influences.�?/FONT>
Choquette writes: “Some of the least perceptive people I know are that way because they are in such a rush. Those who live more slowly, who take time to notice the world around them and focus inward for guidance from the higher plane, will be psychically guided and more effective.�?
Links: www.mysticmedusa.com
www.lizzyrose.com.au, www.spiritualbiz.blogspot.com
www.mbsfestival.com.au, www.allisondubois.com
The Top 10 Ways to Increase Your Intuition
1. Learn muscle testing. You can check your intuitive hunches with yes/no questions. See the links and resource list below for ideas where to start.
2. Pay attention to what catches your eye or ear. Don't worry about what it means, just notice.
3. Ask questions. What's really going on here? What do I need to know? What's the best course of action for me? Then be open for an answer in unexpected ways.
4. Meditate. It quiets the mind and increases your vibration, both necessary for increased intuition.
5. Edit your editor. Most intuitive hunches get edited out before we let them come fully into our minds. Or an intuitive thought comes in and we can immediately tell ourselves we're wrong. Counter those thoughts with, "What if I'm right? What would I do with this information?"
6. Learn the energy language of emotions. See the links/resource modules below for where to start.
7. Listen to your body. A tightening or pulling away is an indicator of things not being right or a "no", while expansion and relaxation is a "thumbs up."
8. Honor your way of perceiving. If someone else has a different sense about something, know that everyone has a unique perception signature.
9. Ask a question about something before going to sleep. Pay attention to the first thought in your head right after waking up.
10. Pay attention to your dreams. Ask questions to get the meaning and let the answers come in their own time.
11. (I couldn't keep it to just 10!) Use divination tools. There's lots out there from Runes to Angel Cards to Alchemy Stones. They're fun and provide lots of info.
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