Psychic powers have existed since ancient times, and reports of their powers date back to the dawn of recorded history.
From the high priestesses of ancient Egypt to the oracles of Greece, there are accounts of and beliefs in a group of people who were believed to be able to reach beyond the here and now to gather information about the future or communicate with the dead.
They were called mediums, sorcerers, necromancers, witches, clairvoyants, spiritualists, and dozens of other titles. Their supposed powers sometimes led to great prestige. But sometimes the same claims to power also led to banishment, punishment, or even death.
There are dozens of psychics, mediums, card readers and healers in the Greater Victoria area, and they continue to have a loyal following who believe in the benefit of their visits and consultations.
Elizabeth Candlish is a psychic, medium and healer who has been actively ministering to people in the Greater Victoria area for over 15 years. She receives clients in her home in Sidney where she gives them psychic readings, acts as a medium allowing clients to communicate with the dead, and offers Reiki healing sessions (Reiki is a spiritual practice that involves laying on of hands and channeling “life force energy” for well-being).
“I like my job because I help people,” Candlish said. “The way I work is different from that of a trained therapist. For some clients, I have accomplished more in three sessions than in ten years of therapy.”
Her method, she said, is to connect with people, absorb their energy and help them choose the right path for them.
It also serves to communicate with deceased relatives.
“Particularly during COVID, people often haven’t been able to have closure with the deceased,” Candlish said. “I open the door so someone can come by and communicate with them. It’s not necessarily the person they want to come by, but it’s the person who needs to come by.”
Candlish trained at Arthur Findlay College in the UK and said she is constantly working to improve her knowledge and skills, although she said she has always had a gift for tuning into the energy of others.
Another Sidney-area psychic, Sonia (Christianson) Varao, has no training but told us she has a natural ability to contact the spirits of others.
“I knew my whole life that I was strange and always felt different,” Varao said. “I’m very attuned to people and can get into their soul and find out the intimate details of their lives. Each of us has a soul, even animals, and I can connect with those souls.”
Varao does not see her clients at their homes, but rather conducts Facetime interviews and Messenger interactions. She also travels to her clients’ homes.
Unlike Candlish, who has no particular religious beliefs, Varao places great value on her personal relationship with God.
“As a psychic, I work with God. I don’t work with the devil, but he is there and he drives me crazy,” Varao said. “I have a strong connection with God and to save humanity, I have to have God’s baby.”
At the same time, critics of psychic abilities find it difficult to explain the continued and growing belief in and support for these powers.
They cite the so-called “Barnum effect” (named after the famous showman PT Barnum), a phenomenon in which people accept vague, general personality descriptions as applying exclusively to them.
In other cases, critics say, it is simply impossible to confirm claims of psychic abilities.
But can clairvoyants and belief in supernatural powers cause any harm?
Jessica Rourke, a professor of social psychology at the University of Victoria, said these 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 we believe will help us be safe is something we’re happy to embrace,” Rourke said. “It’s scary not knowing what’s happening, and if a spiritual reading helps reduce anxiety, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
However, Rourke added, things can go wrong if there are people who take the matter too seriously, or if using a psychic, medium or healer prevents people from getting the professional attention they may need.
“If you’re going to a naturopathic doctor for cancer, that’s probably fine, but you should also go to a doctor,” Rourke said. “For example, if someone is having suicidal thoughts, it would be ethical for a psychic to advise them to see a doctor. It could be a chemical imbalance… there could be any number of reasons. A psychic should not be the only tool you use for a serious problem.”
Candlish agrees, admitting that in some cases she has advised people to seek further professional help.
While belief in psychics, mediums and healers remains a personal choice, there is little doubt that their numbers continue to grow in Victoria and across North America.
“I would advise people to be cautious,” Rourke said. “These visits (to a psychic) can’t do any harm and may even help people deal with some problems. But there’s always the possibility that they can become dangerous if you overdo it. Just be careful.”
Both Candlish and Varao have websites where visitors can book appointments.
