Consulting Spiritual Advisors--Eyewitness Account

A couple of threads on this board have brought to mind an experience I had last year with a "spiritual advisor"/shaman and maybe it would be illuminating to recount it.

After a series of illnesses and general bad luck I had decided to consult a shaman. After trying the "when the student is ready, the teacher will come" route with no luck, I decided to open up my "Natural Living" New Age directory and hire one. I found a woman who billed herself as a spiritual advisor/shaman/healer/'psychotherapist"(!). She lived in a hip, bohemian part of town, had a rich clientele, and seemed on the up-and-up. The free consultation I had with her on the phone convinced me that finally I found the person who would "clean my soul" and put me on the right path.

Her waiting room and office was amazing--full of crystals, Buddhas, angels, Indian totems, and incense. Her bookshelves were stocked with many New Age books I was familiar with, as well as a display of one she wrote herself. In the first session, it was revealed to me that my main problem was that I was a "star child," probably a "walk-in," who was caught in a realm of "mundanes." My family were evil and irredeemable and I should never speak to them again--which wouldn't be so hard, because they were not truly my family. My Goth collection of books and dolls were Evil and a porthole to demonic forces and I should through them out immediately without hesitation. I should also throw out anything colored black or that represented "disharmony." Then she got a "psychic flash" from her "spirit guide" that I would really need to come in twice a week in order to keep the "dark forces" at bay. At $250 a session ( a lot, but it's around the ballpark for the more well-known "advisors") I told her there was no way I could do it. So we made an appointment for the next week.

In the interim, I threw out all the "dark influence" items from my apartment. I am telling you from experience that absoultely nothing changed, except for the fact that my kick-@$$ Living Dead Doll collection in in a landfill somewhere.

At the second session, we did some "hypnotherapy," which gave me a series of panic attacks. My spiritual advisor said it was probably the "dark forces" who didn't want to relinquish their hold on me. She also told me that my mother was psychically attacking her since last week, and that whatever I did to not give her information of where she works or her name. She also said that my throwing out all my dark items had started a "spiritual war" and that it was very necessary to see her twice a week--rather, her "spirit guide" told her this. I had been around enough 'spiritually advanced' guru-in-their-own-mind types to see the writing on the wall with this lady. It was depressing, frankly. But I felt pressured to do aonther session. I'd give it one more try.

I never made it to the third session. I just couldn't bear to face her--mainly because I was going to fire her. I should have fired her last session! Chicken! So I had a "phone session" with her. After about 15 minutes, I just blurted out that I couldn't see her any more. Her response? She seriously asked me if the "dark forces" had told me this. I am not kidding. I said I just didn't think the sessions were helping. She told me that she sensed from the very first session that I had some "dark aura" around me and that frankly it made her uncomfortable. She said that I was so flush with these dark forces that there wouldn't be anything she could have done for me even if we continued the sessions. Yes, gentlemen and ladies--I was told that I "made my choice" to lie in bed with the forces of evil. Then she inquired about the payment for the session.

Before you think this was just some gypsy-storefront type of deal and this was an obvious swindler from the word "go," this was a Sylvia Browne-type grandmotherly lady with an upscale clientele, people in her waiting room, certificates on her wall, etc. To a person who is open to New Age experiences she seemed pretty legit. But in the end, she fell into the pattern of so many other guru types that I have known.

Things to watch out for if you decide to hire a spiritual advisor/shaman:
1) If the shaman's "spirit guide" tells him or her that you need to spend more money/increase # of sessions/undergo expensive "treatments" in order to be well.
2) You are told that you are an advanced form of life and that's why you are having problems with others.
3) An attempt is made to convince you to cut off ties with friends and or family--I believe this is the first step to brainwashing. Also, if they tell you not to tell anybody you're seeing this person.
4) Absolutist thinking. Talk of grand spiritual battles of "good" versus "evil." If you hear such talk you might well want to inquire what exactly consitutes "good" and "bad".
5) Hypnotherapy, channeling, and other mind-f**ks. If you want hypnotherapy, don't go to a "shaman," go to a licensed hypnotherapist and/or somebody with a more objective view on life.
6) Also be aware that if you reject this spiritual advisor they will (probably out of spite) f**k with your mind even more by telling you that the reason you rejected them was that you're being "possessed"/influenced by the "dark forces." I've never met a guru-type that didn't consider those who disagreed with him or her in league with some sort of evil forces.

Also, it goes without saying that you shouldn't spend more than $75 tops on a "spiritual advisor." Or you could buy a membership at a gym or purchase an excercise bike and let your endorphins fix your mood up a little.

Let's be careful out there people. Wanting to spiritually develop is fine but remember that there are a lot of sharks.

--The Amazing Cassi

2) You are told that you are an advanced form of life and that's why you are having problems with others.


I don't agree with that being a precursor. The rest were all pretty standard. The problem is that people seeking spiritual advice from others can often be vunerable and believe almost anything a 'psychic' tells them. I too can buy certificates from psychic guilds worldwide, they only take a few hundred dollars each, no proof of talent is required.

Bravo Clay,

clap, clap,clap.

I full agree, had the same stuff happen to me. Very wise on your part. Nicely laid out story. Got any carrots? Suger cube?....
$250 bucks! how many carrots would that buy?

Originally posted by Mayet
2) You are told that you are an advanced form of life and that's why you are having problems with others.


I don't agree with that being a precursor.

Believing that one is an "advanced form of life" is one of the biggest traps one can fall into when delving in metaphysical/occult/New Age circles. Some people, it is true, demonstrate more intuitive ability or psychic sensitivity than others--some might even do wonderous feats like predict things or read minds. These are skills, skills just like a person who is unusually adept at programming computers or baking or sewing or dancing or debating is. Believing that we are evolutionarily superior or even "walk-in" spirits or "chosen" or alien hybrids are the first step to alienating (if you will excuse the pun) oneself from the rest of the world. Admittedly, to some people the rest of the world seems like a bunch of pinheads or muggles or what have you--this just means that sometimes people are insensitive and life sucks, not that one is "advanced." Which is not to say that we as individuals are not special, but that we are special within the context of our mundane humanity--and further, that gurus or gods or spirit guides shouldn't have to tell us this, we should know it for our selves if we have a moderately healthy self-image.

I am all for occult/metaphysical inquiry--but if we don't do it with a measure of skepticism, rationality, humor, and humbleless, the chances of one losing touch with reality or becoming a thrall to some cult or guru or even (if you believe in these things) the silver tongue of some low-level discarnate entity who enjoys watching us self-destruct in the pyre of our own puffed-up ego is great.