For
more than ten years, and probably going back farther than that, the
A.R.E. (Association for Research and Enlightenment) received from
its members names of psychics in their localities who had a reputation
for giving helpful psychics readings. With the cooperation of Mark
Thurston, Ph.D. (who was at that time the director for research at
the A.R.E. and is now on the faculty of Atlantic University), I and
Carol Ann
Liaros, a professional psychic who for more than ten years has
been my colleague and co-teacher at the Edgar Cayce Institute for
Intuitive Studies, began a formal program of evaluating these psychics
who had been referred to us, to determine their suitability to participate
as paid professionals to give psychic readings for the students who
attend our courses in Virginia Beach. This article is meant to explain
our evaluation process, both so that you can understand the basis
for the selection of these psychics, and so that you can appreciate
the advances that are being made in validating the psychic reading
process.
When
someone nominates a promising psychic, the name and address of that
psychic is forwarded to me for collection. Every two to three years,
as needed, I assembled the new names collected to date and organize
an "audition." It proceeds as follows: I compile the list
and submit it to The Edgar Cayce Institute. They in turn send out
an invitational letter to these psychics. The letter explains the
participation programs, which involves the psychic being paid for
doing an average of twenty psychic readings for participants in the
Edgar Cayce Legacy program that is held annually in Virginia Beach.
The letter details the current financial compensation of the program
and explains that if the psychic is interested in participating, it
is necessary for that person to go through an audition process (which
will be outlined below). The letter goes on to explain that if the
psychic successfully completes the audition process, then that person
will be added to a queue to be invited to serve as a paid psychics.
After the first year of service, assuming the evaluations from the
students were positive, then the psychic's name would be added to
the referral list of participating psychics (see part 2, below), which
was provided to people who inquired of the A.R.E. about reputable
and helpful psychics. Participation on a panel was limited to three
years, to give other psychics the opportunity, but once a psychic
was added to the list, their name would remain there. The letter also
explains that the identity of those psychics who have unsuccessful
auditions will be kept confidential and that these people will be
invited to try again at the next audition.
The
audition process:
Carol
Ann Liaros and I each prepare a set of questions. The questions are
personal and have a genuine "need to know" basis. The idea
is not to "test" psychics to see if they can correctly come
up with pre-identified information, but to evaluate their work in
a real-life context, where people ask questions for which they do
not know the answers, but for which they are seeking guidance. We
each use our same set of questions with all the psychics who participate
in the audition, so that we can compare the psychics against a common
task.
Carol
Ann and I each use a different method for receiving the readings.
Carol Ann arranges with the prospective psychic to receive the reading
over the telephone. This process allows for Carol Ann to interact
with the psychic. I send my questions through the mail and receive
in return a recorded cassette that contains the psychic reading. In
my case, I submit each question in a sealed envelope and ask the psychic
to do a reading on the unopened question, then open the envelope,
read the question, and respond with additional information. This double-response
method allows me to assess the psychic's sensitivity on the one hand,
and to note the different response, if any, to a blind as compared
to a known target.
In
evaluating the auditions, we look for psychics whom we would recommend
to our friends. Did the psychic respond to the question? Was the psychic's
communication style clear? Was the information helpful? Carol Ann
and I also use different methods and criteria for evaluating the psychics,
methods and criteria that reflect our two different audition processes.
These criteria are necessarily subjective.
We
each summarize our evaluations by applying a score, from 0 to 10,
for the reading. Those psychics who receive at least a score of 9
from both of us are passed. The others are invited to "try again
next time." The results of the audition area forwarded to the
Edgar Cayce Institute, who then, in conjunction with the A.R.E. conferences
department, notifies the psychics of the results. It is explained
to those who passed that they will receive notice in the future when
they will be invited to begin their three year tour of service.
Reflections
on the audition:
From
completing well over a hundred auditions, sometimes hearing as many
as thirty or more responses to my questions, I have noted that the
variability of the psychics' responses. I am in a unique position
to validate Edgar Cayce's suggestion that if you wish to get a psychic
reading, you should get one from at least two different psychics.
Any good psychic will provide information that will "hit home."
That subjective reaction gives a halo effect to the entire reading.
All the information in the reading will gain more credibility than
it necessarily deserves. By getting more than one reading for the
same questions, the seeker is confronted with dissimilar, yet related,
responses. Then the seeker is free to realize the subjective perspective
of each individual psychic. The seeker also must use some of his or
her own discernment to decide what conclusions to draw from the readings.
Another
observation is that Carol Ann and I have generally agreed as to who
are the top psychics. It is rare for one of us to assign to a psychic
a score above 9 while the other of us assigns a score below nine.
We tend to agree on who to pass. Although it remains to have this
informal observation confirmed by a third part researcher, my observation
nevertheless suggests that there may be common agreement as to who
is a competent and helpful psychic. That people might agree on who
are the "good ones' suggests that there is something definite,
if not definable, something helpful, something positive about good
psychics that seekers may agree about. That in itself would be a beginning
basis for the validation of the reality of psychic readings, whatever
the underlying process.
Part
2
The
Advisory the Institute Includes with a Request from the Public for
the List of Psychics
Midge
Woods
In
Response to your Request about where you can get a psychic reading:
From
the perspective of the Edgar Cayce readings, each of us is our own
best psychic. Whether the information comes from a hunch, an intuition,
our dreams, or synchronicity, each of us possesses a wealth of internal
guidance that can be drawn upon whenever we need it. In fact, the
Cayce material suggests that our true natural state is psychic and
that as we progress spiritually in our lives we will have more personal
experiences with this psychic dimension of our beings. Still, there
are times in life when we may feel the need to receive external guidance.
just as it is appropriate for individuals to seek out help from a
doctor, a counselor, a minister, or a trusted friend, there may be
occasions when we feel the need for intuitive information.
Because
of this interest in psychic information, the ARE has been working
with programs and materials that have helped individuals get in touch
with their own internal guidance. In addition, we also have ongoing
programs featuring psychics who describe their own experiences seeking
personal guidance as well as some of their own experiences helping
others. Each year we offer a program in Virginia Beach entitled "Psychic
Development and Research Project," whereby individuals are assisted
in recognizing their own psychic information. In addition, for those
who are interested, the program offers the opportunity to receive
a psychic reading from a professional. We also offer "Psychic
Training" programs throughout the country that are designed to
help individuals discover and utilize the guidance from within themselves.
Whenever
we feature a "Professional Psychic" on one of our seminars
or programs, it is because the individual has demonstrated some measurable
ability. However, individuals on our programs are not being recommended
by ARE. We have worked with individualds who are sincere, ethical,
and interested in being helpful to others. We have yet to find an
individual who is 100% accurate--and that includes Edgar Cayce, whose
"batting average" is still considered the highest known
in contemporary times. The physical, mental, and emotional condition
at the time of the reading of the person getting guidance, as well
as that of the psychic, may affect the accuracy of the information
and/or the ability to communicate/understand this information clearly
and coherently.
There
are many precautions that need to be considered when working with
psychic information or a psychic. For those interested, two volumes
of the Edgar Cayce Library
Series
offer verbatim insights from the Cayce readings about the potentials
and pitfalls of using psychic information. Those volumes are entitled:
Psychic Development (Vol 8) and Psychic Awareness (Vol
9).
One
of the most successful programs we offer enables individuals to connect
more successfully and safely with that psychic inner nature that we
all possess. This program, The Search for God study group , gives
a practical approach to spiritual growth and community through a series
of twenty four lessons first outlined by Edgar Cayce. Through prayer,
meditation, lessons on topics such as "cooperation," and
experiences with others of a like mind in small group format, psychic
experiences are somehow enhanced as a natural by-product of soul growth.
The group also provides a mutually supportive balance as we learn
to utilize the psychic aspect of our natures in practical, every day
life. You can locate the nearest ARE study group by calling our Study
Group Department at their toll free number 877-428-2734.
We
have available, at your request, some free information about evaluating
psychic information that includes questions to ask yourself before
getting a reading as well as questions you can ask the psychic to
help elicit the clearest answers.
For
those interested in discovering their past lives, our staff has developed
a number of quality publications and videos ( such as How To Remember
Your Past Lives and Discovering Your Souls Purpose ) that are available
by calling ARE Press at 800-723-1112.
In
seeking a psychic reading involving health concerns, we’ve pulled
together by topics a great deal of material from the Cayce readings,
which are available to members in the form of "Circulating Files."
Although
we are unable to recommend a particular psychic at this time, there
is a wealth of information, programs, and materials available to you.
Please let us know how we might assist you further, and thank you
for your inquiry.
Part
3
List
of Professional Psychics who Participate with the Edgar Cayce Institute
for Intuitive Studies
The
data in this list was checked and updated for this publication (9/5/01).
Fees vary by psychic and are not listed. For further information on
how psychics may apply to audition to get onto this list see www.creativespirit.net/researchonpsychics
