Psychic Reading: Beware The Messiah Complex

By Keith Atkinson

Beware The Messiah Complex

One hazard and lesson of this business I learned the hard way when I first got into it, is what I have come to call the MESSIAH COMPLEX. I almost fell into it myself, and it was a rough lesson to learn. Over the years, I have learned that many other people connected to this business also suffer from it in one form or another, and it can sometimes become quite detrimental, not only in the professional field, but also in your personal life.

Simply stated, it boils down to, "Look what I can do!" then letting what you can do go to your head. Once that is locked into your mind, you begin to think you can do no wrong. Be prepared for surprises and reality shock if you do get into this frame of mind.

I now poke fun at this complex so I don't take it seriously. I joke around about it, even in the pages of my books, but for a novice, it is no laughing matter and should be taken seriously. (There are some people who say mine still comes through anyway, usually when I'm writing.) This complex comes when you start working with psychic energy and other people, and you begin to get positive responses coming back to you.

At it's worse, you begin to believe you can change people's lives. You can't. You can do nothing that they will not allow you to do, and you should reject that because you do not need the added responsibility. Remember, you cannot take away others' freedom of choice to improve their lives, or to put them on hold. It is their choice and decision.

If you do get caught in the trap of thinking you can, you then begin to believe you have became infallible. If you do that, you usually begin to take yourself too seriously. After all, you have "the power" to change things, "the power" of seeing and knowing things, "the power" to foretell the future, "the power" to influence the lives of others, "the power" to heal and any other thing you want to add to the list. If you get into this frame of mind, that is when reality will hit you the hardest.

In the best situation, if you do not deal with it, it will shut you down and you may find yourself being ignored and ostracized by friends, family and coworkers, perhaps even ending up with a nervous breakdown. You do this because you also have "the power" to screw up your life so bad that it could take months or even years to get back to where you should be.

The other extreme is that you could become the next David Koresh or Jim Jones. There are many people out there with Messiah Complexes who do not go to the extremes those two did. This is what happens when, for whatever reason, you begin to believe all the information you are getting is true and accurate, without first verifying it. You begin to believe you are infallible. If you are the least bit negative, then these messages can take on ominous tones. If you are the least bit paranoid, they can make you worse. You might start saying things like, "Mine is the only true path or way. I am the only one getting the correct information. I have direct contact with (insert whoever here), and they have warned me of the disaster that is coming. Only I and those who believe in me will be saved." No offense to anyone personally, but what a load of garbage.

I have had statements of this type said to me many times over the years, but usually not to those extremes, and mostly by people who are no longer in the business. They did not last long. Those who did make that type or statement have moved into other areas, surrounded by their own small circle of "believers and followers," ignored by those in the business who are serious about what they do.

I have also seen those people who faced reality after going through a period like that. In one instance I know of, the person moved into the country to never be seen again. Last rumor had him living the life of a hermit, avoiding and ignoring everyone. He was leading a very lonely existence, afraid of his potential and what had happened before. Others got their lives in order and continued on in the business, doing "reality checks" every so often to keep themselves real.

No matter how good you are, or think you are, almost everyone will go through a period like this. It almost appears to be normal when first getting into the psychic field. However, if you keep an even balance in your life, it will not last long and you will come through it stronger. It will also help if you keep that little bit of self-doubt I keep mentioning. Other people can supply invaluable feedback during this period. A partner or mate who keeps you "real" or grounded is very helpful.

This can have its benefits as well as its drawbacks. In order to succeed in this business, you need the support of those around you, but they MUST help ground or balance you, help to "keep you human." If they are overly supportive and back you completely, they make it easier for you to slip into the "Messiah Trap." If they do not back you and fight you every step of the way, it can keep you from realizing your potential. Once more, you see where it is most important to have that "balance" in your life.

If the other person is not supportive in any way, it can lead to some major problems within the relationship. Be prepared and deal with them as they arise. I even know of some relationships that ended because of the person developing their abilities. At least, that is what got the blame. In reality, the problems were much deeper than that, but you also have to remember just how easy it can become to rationalize situations or events in our lives when we are involved in this field. It's another occupational hazard.

When I use the term "Messiah Complex," I do not mean that you will roam around in the proverbial sackcloth and ashes, spouting doom and gloom to everyone and anyone who will listen, or telling them how much better things will be when you are in charge and running things. It only means that you will probably get into the frame of mind that you are "the best," or "the only one." The complex can take many forms, and I see it in business people and blue-collar workers alike. No one is safe from it.

Usually it manifests in one of its more mild forms of "I'm irreplaceable and the best at what I do." You may be the best, but nobody is irreplaceable. One exercise I learned to illustrate this point, is to put your hand into a bowl of water. When you pull it out, look at the hole you left. You may have caused a few ripples, but the hole is filled very quickly after your departure. This example applies in almost every area of your life, both business and personal. You are not irreplaceable to anything or anybody. You can only make a difference while you are there.

The Messiah Complex does not usually go to the extremes I have mentioned. That depends on the individual. Most times, it just takes the form of "major ego" problems, like the "I am the greatest" frame of mind and the "I am the only one who can do this" mentality. Both are usually wrong. Nothing in this business is restricted to just one person.

For example, one night when several of us went out for dinner together, one reader looked at those gathered and stated how she was the "only one" who could do a reading in a particular way. She explained how she had come up with it, how she had developed it, and how she was the only person in the world who could do it. Another lady sitting at the table started to laugh. She had not only learned that technique from her grandmother, but she then pointed to another reader at the table who had been doing readings using that method several years before. In fact, she explained how she herself had used it extensively for the past eight years. The first person that had spoken grew very quiet and did not say a word for the rest of the evening. I thought she had learned her lesson.

It was about four years later when I again had the opportunity to join her in conversation with other people. This time, she stated that she had come up with something new, and was the only person who could do it. It was almost the identical conversation from before. She was describing techniques and methods that I had used twelve years before, again claiming them as original and of her own inspiration. I kept quiet and shook my head. She had not learned her lesson. I believe that one day she will, and I hope she can handle it.

In this business, very little - if anything - is new. It is only the approach and technique that change because of the individual using them. This form of the Messiah Complex is rather harmless. The only person it is affecting is the individual. As long as it does not get any worse than it is, it will probably remain a problem only to herself. She, however, probably does not think of it as a problem. That is where the trouble with the Messiah Complex can really come out. If you have it, you don't realize you do, as one of the symptoms is denial. It is only after the fact, once it has been resolved or comes to a breaking point, that you realize what happened.

The Messiah Complex can be just a harmless, ego-inflating occupational hazard. It can also become and cause a major problem. I even know some people who do not suffer from it at all, in any of its forms, but they are in the minority. At least they do not show the symptoms in any publicly noticeable form. If you keep the balance in your life, a strong grasp on reality, the realization that you are normal, and maintain a sense of humor, you will never have to be concerned about it.

In the Psychic Field, the Messiah Complex is just one of those things to be aware of. Listen to any warnings you may get that can give you hints that it is happening. Just make sure that it is not another person's fear and insecurity causing their concern. This may be the hardest thing to do. You MUST be honest with yourself. This is the only way to prevent and avoid the pitfalls of the Complex in this or any other area of your life.

Keith Atkinson's Brief Bio:

Keith has been a professional clairvoyant since 1980, developing a clientele around the world. He has been involved in police cases, such as accident sites, missing persons and other areas. He has worked on archeological sites, including Oak Island "Money Pit", the castle ruins in Nova Scotia, and on other sites in New York, southern Ontario and along the east coast of North America. He has been on a television special about UFO's, as well as having been the guest or interviewed on numerous radio and television programs. Keith, like most clairvoyants, was born with the ability to see and feel things. He began a professional career as a psychic in 1980 and within a brief time, he had gained trust and respect among his peers for his honesty, integrity and commitment to others. Keith has a clientele ranging from Canada, Europe, Spain, Africa, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Australia. Keith is direct and blunt with his clients. He does this to help people think, give them insight into themselves, possibly aiding in them looking at things a little differently. He believes that by doing this, a person can usually resolve most, if not all the problems they encounter during their life.

Visit him at: http://www.luvdragons.ca/keith.htm