Key Number Four—Keep a Journal
Now why would I tell you to keep a journal? Let me share with you what I did for many years. I had a notebook that I carried with me practically everywhere I went to record spontaneous impressions. I’d be driving and something would flash in; as soon as I could, I’d write in my notebook, recording the date, the time, and my impressions, not my interpretations of my impressions. Did I see a flash of a white uniform and smell a smell like antiseptic, and then feel this bustling activity? My interpretation might be that I am seeing a hospital and a nurse. However, the first thing I do is write down the impressions as I perceived them.
Before I went to bed, I would meditate for a short while and ask myself questions such as: “What will be happening of significance in the city of Buffalo, NY in the next thirty days?” I would wait for the impressions to come and write them down. Then I would continue with questions such as: “What is going to happen of significance in New York state in the next thirty days?” and record my impressions. I would continue by posing questions about the country and the globe and record my impressions. Also, I would ask about a friend, having received in advance “carte blanche” to tune into him or her at any time.
The next day when the volunteers came into the office, I would tell them what was written in my journal. Because I didn’t watch television, didn’t read the newspaper, didn’t listen to the radio, many of the things recorded could happen, and I wouldn’t be aware that they had happened. Since the volunteers knew this, they would monitor the news. I left space in my notebook for feedback. When I received the feedback, I would record it in that space. I would put in the article and underline the parts that were accurate comparing my impressions and my interpretation of my impressions.
This helps in many different ways. One, it will help you learn the difference between a wish, a fear, your imagination, a guess, or a psychic impression. You may find you have several impressions about a car accident, and you record them in your notebook. The car accident never happens! Other things do, but those don’t. You begin to get a clear picture that this may be a fear, not an intuition. This process helps to distinguish between these experiences. Record the content of the intuition or the basic message; then write how it appeared. Was it vivid, clear, or somewhat clear? Was it far away or close? Was it well-defined or hazy? Some people experience a clear and defined image as an intuitive one; others, because they are visual and have such a good imagination, find when the image is fuzzy, they have an intuition. When they get a clear and defined impression, they are experiencing imagination. Again we all receive our intuitive impressions differently.
Keeping a journal helps you to learn how to judge your timing. When you get an impression and write it down, record the date, the time, the impressions, your interpretation, and wait to see what happens. When the event happens, look in your journal, and check the date you received the impression; for illustration purposes, let’s say you recorded it on February 15. The event that you were writing about then happened thirty days later. It is important to watch that type of pattern. Some people get impressions shortly before an event; others far in advance. With the aid of your journal, you begin to know your timing. Paying attention to where you receive the information is also important. Was it right up in your face, in your head, outside your body? How far away or how close was it? When the event occurs (you may have seen it to the right), it happened in thirty days from the recorded intuition. This may lead you to wonder if you see the image to the right; does it mean it’s going to happen in thirty days? A pattern of timing is evolving.
Time is one of the areas where mistakes frequently occur because there is no time. Often the event you learn about from a psychic is correct, but the timing is inaccurate. By journalizing, observing, and checking your impressions, you hone the skill of timing. By paying attention to where you get your impressions, where you see, or feel, or know, you can recognize how you receive future events. When I see or feel them slightly to the left that is the past; when they are to the right, they tend to be about the future, directly in front of me is the present. Some people discover the opposite is true for them.
Keeping a journal will help keep you balanced and humble. When doing readings, some people have a tendency to remember the correct answers and forget the misses; others are at the opposite end of the spectrum. They remember all the things that were wrong and don’t remember what was right until their friends say, “Oh, don’t you remember, you said. . . .” There it is in black and white in your journal and can be an accuracy barometer of your abilities. The psychic arena is one in which it is easy to get too egotistical or self-deluded; it is a field in which there can be a great deal of self-delusion. If you are doing really well and people are extremely complimentary, it is very easy to lose your perspective and become egotistical. However, if you have a record of your impressions, review your journal notes, and are aware of which impressions were correct and of which ones were not correct, you will discover the areas in which your accuracy seems to be higher. Just because someone is psychic doesn’t mean he or she is accurate in all areas. Most people tend to be more accurate in the areas in which they are interested.
As I was keeping this notebook, one of my discoveries was that I seem to be skillful in precognition. In a scientific experiment that lasted for two years, I was tested and was found to be 93 to 97% accurate when predicting the future. However, I became interested in the 7% inaccuracy. Why aren’t readings 100% accurate? I discovered there are many reasons for inaccuracy. Some of the reasons are the following: the future can be changed; the way you are feeling that day affects accuracy; negative ions in the air stimulate psychic ability. The scientists kept records of moon phases, and it became obvious that during a full moon my scores went up; my accuracy also increased when I had my period! All my friends wanted a reading when there was a full moon, and I had my period! There are many things that influence accuracy.
As you keep this notebook, you will learn your own symbols—some symbols are universal and some are personal. I also found my attitude about the readings was influential in the accuracy. When you have an aversion to a person and still make the heart connection, you get in touch with the soul; negativity disappears and probably won’t interfere in the reading at all.
Key Number Five—Be a People Watcher
Being a people watcher is a characteristic many psychics seem to share, and an erroneous assumption held by most was that everyone was a people watcher! I became aware that wasn’t necessarily true when I was sent to Jean Houston’s institute in Pomona, NY, where she was going to train two of us for three days. A woman, an architect, who also worked at The Human Dimensions Institute and I were chosen to go. After participating in some exercises, Jean gave each of us the thesis for her next PhD. She explained that we were to symbolically change places by doing everything the way the other person did them. We went to dinner where I proceeded to sit in the corner so I could see the door. The conversation went something like this with my friend asking “Why are you sitting there?” and my reply “I like to see the door.” “Why do you like to see the door?” “I like to see the people come in.” “Why do you like to see the people come in?” Now I’m getting exasperated! “Well, don’t you?” I asked. “I like to look at them. You know you can tell by the look on their face and the way they hold themselves, if they are happy, or sad, or angry.” She wanted to know why I cared. I explained that I like to make up a story about the people I see. For example, this person looks angry, and I make up a story about her. She had a fight with her sister, and because they are in business together, it’s affecting the business and the family. She replied “I never heard of that!” At that point, I wanted to know what she did. She explained she sits with her back to the door so she will not be distracted from the person with whom she is talking. I couldn’t believe it! In order to follow Jean’s instructions, she had me sit with my back to the door while she sat facing the door. She watched the people come in and made up stories about