Plenty of people think they want to be "psychic". But, as they say, with great power comes great responsibility. In the psychic world (and life in general, I find), it tends to more the reverse: with great response-ability comes great power.
Physical Health
I like to think of psychic ability as a a stacked pyramid, with physical health as the foundation. Problems in this area will create major obstacles to achieving the type of psychic clarity I teach. Here are some questions to help you know if your foundation is strong enough for you to get use out of psychic training.
Do you pay attention to what you eat, focusing on lots of plain water, fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains (if any), healthy fats, and good sources of protein? All the good psychics I know are a little fanatical about what they put into their bodies. It's hard to know if the psychic sensitivity or physical sensitivity came first, but there's certainly a link. If you're going to be getting very intuitive, you have to support that with taking care of what you're eating and drinking. It's hard to do a reading when you have a headache or stomachache.
Do you have a normal regimen of physical activity? Something many psychics seem to have in common is that they are in reasonably good shape. Many enjoy getting out into nature as part of their normal routine, but some (like me) are fine working out on the soccer field or on a bike ride in town. When I do readings for my trainees that don't have a regular schedule of physical activity, their guides harp on and on about it. Get those channels cleared out by moving your body regularly.
Are you sleeping enough? This one is super simple. In order to receive psychic information, you have to meditate. If you're meditating while dead-tired, you'll fall asleep. (Note to sleep-cheaters: Caffeine is not an adequate substitute for sufficient sleep!)
Are you dependent on painkillers, alcohol, cigarettes, or other drugs? Aside from prescription painkillers, most prescribed drugs don't interfere with psychic ability. Painkillers, though, regardless of whether they're of the over-the-counter variety (such as aspirin or ibuprofen) or something stronger, interrupt the pathways through which much of the intuition operates. As such, they can be a great relief for the very sensitive who are easily overwhelmed with the abundant flow of intuitive information they encounter each day. It's a trap, though! If you're under the influence of painkillers, alcohol, or non-prescription drugs, don't bother coming to class. You can still work on meditation and the other elements I discuss in this post, but I won't train you until you can come to class sober and free from addictions.
Emotional Outlook
Sitting on top of physical health in our psychic pyramid is an aspect of emotional health that is prerequisite to the type of impressive psychic clarity that I wish everyone had. Labeling this section is difficult, because it really encompasses a lot of different ideas. At it's most basic, it's about overcoming ego and judgment, and stepping into empathy and compassion.
In a psychic reading, the reader steps quite totally into the sitter's experience of life, and it's imperative to remain grounded in what's true for the sitter and his/her guide team, not what you as the reader personally believe. This task is much more difficult than it sounds, but there are some things that you can do to prepare the way.
Have you been to therapy?
As I've written before, many of the life experiences that can contribute to psychic ability (as opposed to psychic usefulness), can contribute to some unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It's the very things that make us most sensitive that can rob us of our clarity.
Unresolved trauma can lead to subconscious prejudices and blind spots that are, at best, unhelpful. I think that's why it's common for my students' guides to recommend shadow work. If you haven't done much therapy, some shadow work is a good place to start.
It's also important to have good boundaries and self-care routines. Being sensitive can be overwhelming in ways that people who aren't so sensitive can't understand. If you're already emotionally stretched to the limit, you'll need to commit to what may be a radical change in your lifestyle if you want to accommodate psychic training, but that might be just the thing you need!
Do you enjoy holding space for other people's stories?
Many people initially pursue psychic training because they think it's "cool". They want to learn something unique and impressive. But this ability isn't a neato trick to pull out at the next cocktail party. I mean, it is fun at parties, but only because it allows the trained psychic TO BE OF SERVICE. The purpose of psychic ability, in my opinion, is to be of service to others. It's not about being "cool". It's about the benefit one can bring to others' healing and growth process.
Some people want to help others, but for selfish reasons. Maybe they want gratitude. Maybe they want to feel like they're better than others. Maybe they want to bank "points" that they can cash in for favors later.
A person truly cut out for psychic work is someone who is naturally wants to know what goes on deep inside the people they know. They tend to ask lots of questions, and especially questions that gently uncover people's core values and meaningful life experiences. They tend to talk about themselves much less than most. They know how to hold space, and they practice it as frequently as possible.
Spiritual Discipline
Becoming good at anything requires a lot of time. Ten thousand hours, some say. Wiccans suggest a year and a day is the optimal length of time for introductory spiritual training. But however you want to break it down, there's no question that one has to be willing to put in time and effort in order to learn to be really good with controlling their psychic abilities. The suggestions below are typical homework assignments for my students, and if you're already doing them, training will be easier for you to adjust to.
Journaling
During training, journaling is essential. Not only is it a very effective way to clear the mind - which is critical for attaining that ever-important receptive meditational state - but it's a wonderful stepping stone to an automatic writing practice that will prime the mind for later direct channeling of wisdom from the higher self. I recommend doing a "thought dump" every evening before bed and/or before meditation sessions, which consists of simply writing down anything that comes to mind until there's nothing left to write. Some days, this will be quite a lot of writing. Other days, especially after writing every day for some time, there may be less to write.
Meditating
Ah, the holy gateway to the wisdom of the universe... The importance of meditation shouldn't need much explanation, I hope. If you're not an experienced meditator, you will become so by the end of training! You can get started with any number of meditation videos on YouTube. The onger and deeper you can maintain a "no thought" meditational state prior to training, the quicker you'll be able to progress.
Psychic training isn't for everyone, but most people who are living a lifestyle with a slightly-above-average physical and emotional health routines should be fine. Some may have to take it more slowly than others, but it's not a race. If you have any questions about psychic training, feel free to contact me!