Occasionally, a client will voice a concern over what their spouse or family will think if they were to start openly meditating, or doing the short “homework†I usually give after a session. More frequently, clients will tell me that their friends wouldn’t understand their spiritual beliefs, and that they fear they are leaving their loved ones behind on their path of spiritual growth.
I’m well familiar with what I call “coming out of the spiritual closet.†While I came out of that particular closet many years ago, coming out of the “psychic closet†took a little longer. Whatever closet we’re coming out of – it’s not easy. Until we do it. Then we realize that authenticity takes far less work and energy than fear. We also realize that, while we felt all alone in our closet, we’re actually in good company!
Six years ago, I would have told you that I’m a massage therapist, and I “also do intuitive readings.†Four years ago I would have told that I’m an “intuitive consultant?†Yes, with a question mark behind it, as if I was asking for approval and understanding. I’ve cycled through the terms “professional intuitive†or simply “intuitive†only to have 95% of people say “What’s that?†Just over the course of the last year, I’ve finally surrendered. If you were to ask me what I do for a living today, I’ll tell you very simply “I’m a psychic.†Granted, that term doesn’t begin to encompass the spiritual healing aspect of my work. But it gives people an excellent idea of what I do. It’s as authentic as I can get in a single sentence.
Beautiful things have started happening since I’ve begun announcing myself as a psychic. People in all kinds of situations, from all kinds of background have started “coming out†to me. On airplanes and in coffee shops, they tell me about their own psychic or intuitive flashes. They tell me about their precognitive dreams. They tell me about their dead mother’s Spirit hovering about. They know I’m the last person to ever consider them weird or crazy.
At a recent business networking conference, I found a staggering number of healers and spiritual seekers right below their entrepreneurial surface. I met a wonderful woman who makes light bulbs that mimic natural sunlight. After I told her what I did for a living, she revealed that her light bulbs were imprinted with sacred geometry which she had intuitively received. This was the real impact of her product – but not one she openly advertised. Throughout the conference, I connected with highly spiritual people in this unlikely business setting. It seems to me that the spiritual closet is a very crowded place!
When we openly step into our authenticity, we give everyone around us permission to step into their own. We find that there are many, many like-minded people in our lives who are very concerned about what WE might think if we knew THEIR spiritual beliefs! We may find that, while some of our loved ones disagree with our perspective, they love us just as much as before. They may even share themselves in new and courageous ways because we are willing to reveal ourselves with greater honesty. We realize that the people who think we’re “nuts†or “weird†don’t really add much to our lives, anyway. Through our authenticity, we attract like-minded people that support and encourage us on our path.
I promise you that you are not alone in the “closet,†and that “coming out†is less lonely than staying in hiding.
Are you willing to make 2009 a year of stepping into your authenticity?
Blessings,
Andrea
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Andrea, you bowled me over with this one! Although I have been intuitive my whole life, I am new to the whole realm of the psyche in a professional sense. I have been struggling with this very thing as I launch my new business – so your post is VERY timely!
I have been going with “intuitive consultant” because, to me, it sounded less flaky than “I’m a psychic”! But it is also more obscure and, you are absolutely right, less authentic. I’ll try the “I’m a psychic” description on for size and let you know how it fits.
Blessings,
Keena
That great philosopher Dr Seuss said it best I thinK, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
Andrea,
Times have changed considerably, and what was once thought of as something only to be found in California, the land of “fruits and nuts,” is now found everywhere and surprisingly accepted. While some people are so open minded that their brains fall out, the positive side is that many, many people are more accepting of what is different and unusual. As for psychics, after all, there is a prime-time hit going into its fifth season: Medium!
Even if we were in times more prone to bigotry and persecution, it would still be better to be what we are, rather than, as you say, be subject to fear.
I am reminded of a cartoon from the New Yorker in the 60′s. A cop has pulled over a driver with a goatee, and is asking him, “Is that a beard?.” Yes, times have changed.
I agree totally with you Andrea.
To put it simply it’s all about being honest..honest with yourself and everyone you meet….easier said than done. But that is my goal for 2009..
Peter B.
Wow.
It “just happened” that I couldn’t sleep, so here I am at 4:30 in the morning. Started to check my email, but the dish “just happened” to go out from an approaching storm at that precise moment. This “just happened” to send me to re-read my saved copies of the course sample and the book sample – immediately after which the dish “just happened” to come back on, which “just happened” to send me to Borders website, and when I found no reviews of the book, I “just happened” to check Amazon, which led me to this blog post. And by the way, the topic of the post, posted yesterday, is exactly something I’ve been struggling with for some time. I’m learning nothing just happens.
When I come out of the closet, it will be very similar to finding out that George W. Bush is secretly a liberal.
There are so many examples of my being pushed in this direction. So OK, I give up already!
Thanks, Andrea – you’re the best. (and a shout out to one of my Earth Angels, Anna Conlan.)
Oh yeah…just checked the radar again and the storm that was covering half the state has completely disappeared in the space of a half-hour. Like I said…wow.
P.S. – Anyone who remembers Reddy Kilowatt must be ancient – I know _I_ am, LOL…
THis was beautiful! Thank you! Coming out of the closet for me, was last year when I finally said out loud, “I do not believe the Bible is the word of God.”
I shocked myself and my friends and lost some friends because of it. But…I have been happier and more at peace with myself than ever before and I am embracing my spiritual journey with excitement and gratitude.
Hi Andrea,
By stepping into authenticity, we are making the effort to be more align with ourselves. Sometime what we want to do may not be “normal” to what the society think that we should be doing, but that should not be the reason to stop us from doing what we want.
Cheers
Vincent
Personal Development Blogger
Hi Andrea,
WHAT an important message and how beautifully stated! I definitely have dealt with this a lot this last year and have been coming to terms with it. I think I shocked many in my close circle when earlier this year I set “developing spiritually” is my intention but I also attracted a lot of wonderful people into my life. I have made my spiritual development (for the most part) very public and have met with both resistance from some and others reaching out to me to tell me their own stories.
I am so grateful I made this my intention and wow did those floodgates open! I am still deciding what title “fits” me and healer is one I am throwing around but hesitate on since I don’t feel it is ME doing the healing.
But since I facilitate it and it gives a good direct word to what I do (though not all encompassing), much like “psychic” for you… I just might have to get used to it! I am currently at the healer(? questionmark) stage! 
Thanks Andrea for this post — it definitely gave me food for thought. I have definitely stepped out of my spiritual closet and have learned that as you said, the people who think “nuts” or “Weird” are not the ones that have our best interest at heart. I am grateful I have discovered what my purpose is and there is nothing that could get me back in that closet!
You are one of those wonderful people I attracted to me this year that I learned oodles from spiritually and am so very grateful to you! I wish you much happiness and abundance for 2009!
Love, Jenny
This is a great post! I am partly out of my own spiritual closet since I say that I am a healer. Next step is adding psychic but one step at a time.
I love the quote in David’s comment: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.â€
I was quite apprehensive to write about or share my spiritual experiences, I am not sure if people would hire a designer who claims to originate from the north star.
Nonetheless, I decided that I would rather attract clients who resonate with me, or at least be open minded about my beliefs. Family-wise, apart from my partner, most of them think I’m making a joke when I talk about my spirit guides, but I do not try to change their perceptions, because I know that everyone of us have our own time and space to awaken & discover.
An excellent post indeed & one that I know on a very intimate level myself now. I took nearly 20 years to step out of my own self-imposed closet & suffered like hell for it.
2 weeks ago I finally decided I had enough of fighting with myself & decided to come out as what I truly am. I use the term ‘intuitive empath’ myself just for the sake of having a description but most names don’t come close to encompassing what we truly are.
The part I most agree with is: “authenticity takes far less work and energy than fear”
You will also suddenly become more alive in life than ever before.
Here’s to a great 2009 for you & everyone.
2007 was the year that I admitted to being a Writer and a Lightworker. 2008 was the year that I owned the title of Healer. I wonder what 2009 will bring. Whatever it is, I look forward to enjoying all of it. Great article Andrea.
Andrea,
I love this post! You totally “beat” me to writing about reclaiming the “p” word — this has been a big theme for my development in the last few months too.
Slade
Amen!
I have also come to realise the role I play in people’s lives is one which gives them permission to show their spiritual sides.
Personally it feels like there is always a closet to come out of, so far I’ve come out of the spiritual closet, the healer closet, the agnostic closet and the angel closet.
Whenever I tell people I work with angels, cue the avalanche of angel and spirit guides stories. The more of us that ‘come out’ the better and contrary to being ridiculed I actually find I am more respected.
Great post x x x
I actually stumbled across your site via Lola Fayemi’s e-newletter (what up girl!) because she mentioned that she has an interview with you. This was the best post I’ve read on this issue, ever. This was “real.” Love that. Thanks for being so spot on.