Psychics have been around forever, and accounts of their powers go back to the dawn of recorded history.
From the high priestesses of ancient Egypt to the oracles of Greece, there have been reports of and belief in a group of people who were somehow believed to reach beyond the here and now to gather information about what is yet to come, or to communicate with the dead.
They’ve been called mediums, wizards, necromancers, witches, clairvoyants and spiritualists, and dozens of other titles and their supposed powers have at times caused them to be held in high esteem. At other times, those same claims of power have singled them out for banishment, punishment or even death.
In Greater Victoria, there are dozens of psychics and mediums, card readers and healers and they continue to have a dedicated group of followers who believe that they benefit from their visits and consultations.
Elizabeth Candlish is a psychic, medium and healer who has been actively servicing people in Greater Victoria for more than 15 years. She sees clients in her Sidney home where she provides psychic readings, acts as a medium to allow clients to communicate with the dead, and provides Reiki healing sessions (Reiki is a spiritual practice that involves laying on hands and channeling "life force energy" for well-being).
“I enjoy what I do because I help people,” said Candlish. “How I work is different from a trained therapist. I’ve done more for some clients in three sessions than they’ve gotten from 10 years of therapy.”
Her method, she said, is to connect with people and pick up on their energy to help them choose the right way for them to go.
It’s also to communicate with departed loved ones.
“Especially during COVID, people often didn’t have closure with those who passed,” Candlish said. “I open the door for someone to come through and communicate. It’s not necessarily the someone they want to come through, but it is who needs to come through.”
Candlish has trained at the Authur Findlay College in the U.K. and said that she is constantly working to improve her knowledge and skills, although she said that she has always had the gift of homing in on the energy of others.
Another psychic in the Sidney area, Sonia (Christianson) Varao, has not taken any training but told us that she has a natural ability to connect with the spirits of others.
“I knew that I was strange my whole life and have always felt different,” said Varao. “I’m very in tune with people and can enter your spirit and find out the intimate details of your life. Every one of us has a spirit, even animals, and I can connect with those spirits.”
Varao does not see clients in her home but tends to work with Facetime interviews and Messenger interactions. She will also travel to visit clients in their homes.
Unlike Candlish, who does not expound any particular religious beliefs, Varao is very specific about her personal relationship with God.
“As a psychic I work with God. I don’t work with the devil but he’s there and he drives me nuts,” Varao said. “I have a huge connection with God and, to save humanity, I have to have God’s baby.”
Meanwhile, critics of psychics struggle to explain the continued and growing belief in and support of psychics and mediums.
They cite what is commonly known as the ‘Barnum Effect’ (named after the famous showman, PT Barnum). That’s a phenomenon whereby people tend to accept vague, general personality descriptions as uniquely applicable to themselves.
Other times, critics say, psychic claims are simply impossible to validate.
But do psychics and the belief in psychic powers cause any harm?
Jessica Rourke, teaching professor of social psychology at the University of Victoria said that the beliefs are based on natural human characteristics.
“Humans don’t like the unknown. It’s our brain’s job to keep us as safe as possible and anything that we think will help keep us safe is something we tend to embrace,” said Rourke. “It’s scary not knowing what is happening and if a psychic reading helps relieve anxiety it’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
Where it can all go sideways, Rourke added, is if there are some people who take it too seriously, or where using a psychic, medium or healer prevents people from getting the professional attention that they may need.
“If you go see a naturopath for cancer, I guess that’s fine, but you should also go see a doctor,” Rourke said. “In the case of someone with suicidal ideation, for example, it would be ethical for a psychic to tell them to see a doctor for help. That could be a matter of a chemical imbalance … there could be a whole host of reasons behind what’s going on. A psychic shouldn’t be the only tool you use for a serious problem.”
Candlish agrees, and acknowledges that, in some cases, she has advised people to seek further professional help.
While whether to believe in psychics, mediums and healers continues to be a personal choice, there’s little doubt that their numbers in Victoria, and throughout North America, continue to grow.
“I’d tell people just to be cautious,” said Rourke. “Those visits (to a psychic) may do no harm and may even help people work through some issues. But there’s always the possibility that they can be dangerous if taken too far. Just be cautious.”
Both Candlish and Varao have websites where people can book appointments for visits.
