Craig the Psychic

This article offers a glimpse into Craig Browning's way of looking at the mystical; a kind of reconciliation between the visions of the believer and the accusations made by the cynic.

Unlike most in today's spiritually gears community Craig Browning offers a very "earthy" perspective, so fasten your astral seat-belts, it's likely to be a bumpy ride. . . 

Wisdom of the Mystic Masters

Have you ever heard the expression, "The Devil is in the Details?"

The truth of this adage  can be found in some very ancient wisdom; a practice started by our primitive ancestors and in some ways, is still happening in our 21st century lives via the auspices of Government, the Military, Corporations and even your own family and personal life.  It is what is presented and understood at the public level vs. what actually exist in the background, oft times buried, be it for the sake of National Defense or Self-Empowerment. The archaic terms for this obfuscation are as follows;

EXOTERIC --  this is the cover-story -- surface knowledge, and quite frequently what becomes a matter of folklore and mythos -- legend! Regardless, the heart of the matter is, the Exoteric expression of things is "The Lie" -- it is what we are either lead or told to believe and accept (and even at that, it's rather mutable).

Exoteric knowledge is likewise a form of "Code" -- a language known only to the "Initiate" or, in more contemporary terms, those that have been trained and thus, given knowledge about what certain symbols, patterns, colors, etc. actually mean.  It is in this position that we begin to find the theoretical solution to an ages old concept -- The Seven Keys to Enlightenment -- an idea that is alluded to within the many facets of Gnosticism; the more mystical side of any Orthodox (dogmatic) religious tradition and, ironically, the perspective that tends to be more mundane -- down-to-earth. For an example, the original Christian teaching in which Jesus was not viewed as a "God" but rather, a great Prophet -- a messenger that was 100% mortal. 

The Exoteric tradition that gained the stronger social-political position in history, offers to us a heavily modified version of this same man, complete with multiple layers of known influences and abilities credited to gods, goddesses and demi-gods (heroes) long before the 3rd & 4th century cult seized absolute power and influence over the world. 

Yes, this seems a cold and even argumentative example, but likewise pertains to issues most honest theologians and biblical historians have been aware of for centuries. Ironically, the fact that such things are known to the few and quite literally kept away from the many, reveals yet another layer of the Exoteric veneer.

"What's this got to do with these Keys to Enlightenment": you ask.

Look at each layer set onto an issue as you would a door and your knowledge -- your ability to see a hidden truth surrounding each of these doors, is a key that allows you to pass through -- to move deeper and deeper into the mystery and through this process, you gain "Gnosis" (Knowledge). . . 

. . . which just happens to be why those that sought to explain spirituality and enlightenment via this processes, were called "Gnostics".

Why?

Because "Ignorance is Bliss?"

If that were so I doubt the first 8-years of this new millennia would have given us the chaos and terror it came to know, and the decline of the world's wealthiest, most powerful nation. But hey, we can't blame all the power-hungry folk for our problems, can we?

The original reason for making things "Top Secret" (so as to use a familiar term) was to guard against the possible misuse of certain known and proven "science".  For an example, Egyptian, Greek and Roman lore is filled with tales about guarding your name; the idea that anyone knowing your "true" name, will have power over you.

Sounds impossible doesn't it?

But look at the hell people go through when their identity has been usurped by a "demon" -- a self-centered individual who hasn't just lost his own humanity, but chosen to abuse it, to bring harm and loss to others. 

On a lesser extreme, look at how you still flinch when your mother or father call you by your full name. . . 

The Moral of the Story is, even something as innocent as a person's name, has uncanny power.  But consider this; a name is but a word, if it can contain that much power and influence over our lives just how much power and influence could other words, terms and phrases have over us? 

"The Devil is in The Details". . . a term used, memory serving me right, when a certain Mr. D. Webster was trying to find his way out of a rather uncomfortable contract.  As we all know, contracts are penned by lawyers a.k.a. Wordsmiths.

Those Mystic Masters of old understood these things, though it was in a primitive manner compared to how scholars and researchers have managed to compound the power and influence of such simple things -- a Magickle reality the naysayers refuse to see or, when they do catch that all so important glimpse, they quickly back-track, finding a means by which to stitch said reality into their own fabric rather than acknowledging the fact that "Magick" is real. 

The Way of the Wise?

 How can one honestly consider his/her self to be "Wise" when they outwardly express a belief in the fantasiful?

How can my burning a green candle during a waxing moon on a particular day at a specific time bring money into my life?

ANSWER: I wont!

What it will do is serve as a focusing tool via which our affirmation/invocation/prayer & intonation creates a specific harmonic that ties-in with all those other subtle energies shared with us by the lunar phase, the hour, etc. It is part of a cosmic generator designed to etherically tip the karmic scale to our favor.  While it may seem hog-wash to some the fact remains that it is a form of Physical Science, just that it relies on exceptionally fine/subtle energies and Metaphysical principles skeptics prefer to ignore and even disallow in their version of the Universe. Yet, in this we find another irony that carries the weight of this Exoteric/Esoteric dichotomy -- the fact that the very same Hermetic Laws that govern Physical science are applicable to the Science of Mind and Soul -- Metaphysics. 

The "Awakening" however isn't just a point of irony, but a rather sad realization many from within the so-called "New Age" community won't wish to deal with -- the fact that the skeptics are "right". 

Not in the ways they wish to be, but in pragmatic modes even they do not comprehend most of the time.

 Continued Above. . .

Everywhere a Sign

A Truth About "Cold Reading"

When it comes to the act of either giving or getting a Psychic Reading the naysayers are going to tell you that it's only psycho-babble; a combination of double-speak, Barnum Statements and canned spiel. Well, as someone that's actually written more than a few books on this subject I can assure you, the cynics are wrong!

. . . sort of

You see, most everything in life has an Esoteric meaning; Exoterically we might see the color Yellow but Esoterically that particular color has some very specific meanings or "energies".  When it comes to the operation of Magick Yellow is used to stimulate the higher brain functions, higher consciousness and even strengthened morality {see http://www.precisionintermedia.com/color.html for more insight about colors and their psychological significance).  This same truth exists when it comes to the various Oracles used by Readers, each card or stone, even their position in a spread, all of it has very specific meanings or "Interpretations" which, when you get right down to it, is a canned spiel -- a "Cold Reading" if you would. 

I'll even point out that most of these symbols host a "Forer Effect" to them; that is to say, there is a built-in set of opposites in the majority of instance.  However, the sense of agreement I'm deliberately painting here, also have a very important sense of limit; a factor that the cynics cannot explain.

While I have no desire to go into the multitude of "Outs" (a.k.a. excuses) our detractors love to employ at this time, I can assure you, they are more than plentiful and oft times, cruel. But like every popular Televangelists of opinionated commentator on FOX NEWS, these clowns will never admit that they go over the top and will never be happy with any explanation that doesn't fit their narrow view on things.

In Conclusion

This article was penned for one reason; to help you understand, at least to some degree, that the naysayers do have a very legitimate point and it ties directly to the tradition of keeping certain truths and realities "silent" until the neophyte has applied his/her self in the effort of learning that particular path.

I could easily sit with a group and teach ever bit of this information to them, showing them in very specific ways how we hide the truth from ourselves by the very nature of our "faith" -- our belief in the magickle and more importantly, our "need" for it all to be real. But "faith" in the magickle should never be an escape, nor an excuse for us.  If we are trudging the Ways of Wisdom then we should chose consciously to actually be WISE.  Of course, that does mean sitting the fantasies and various delusions we have, on a shelf, never to be touched again.

Sure, it's going to be a difficult thing to do at first, but think of how much power we will gain in life as both, individuals and as a community when we choose to SEE what's actually there; peeling back those layers that obfuscate and even force us off course here and there, but I can assure you, the more you learn and the more you learn to apply that knowledge in your life, the magick you'll begin to see -- not so much the effects of magick as the means by which enchantment really happens.

Thanks for Dropping By