The Psychic Next Door

Back home in Chicago, every corner has a liquor store and a church. Here in Los Angeles, signs for psychics are everywhere.

Last Wednesday, I sat across from someone who told me things about myself that she shouldn't know. Indeed, I sat across from a psychic named Agi Arnold and listened to her tell me, among other things, where I sit when I write.

She's never been to my home, she's never heard me talk about where I sit. And yet, she was spot on and detailed with what she could see.

I won't tell you how I know Agi, but when I found out that she does readings, I was curious. I've never been one to be particularly superstitious, and I can't imagine living my life based off a generic magazine horoscope. But the idea of psychic phenomena is out there and it's intriguing. In my own life I've had several dreams come true and have had other stuff that I can't explain happen, so I was happy to meet Agi at a local coffee place and chat with her about her abilities.

I thought she just did palm reading and tarot cards but I quickly found out that that's not all. Agi's clairvoyant, which means she can pick up on and "see" things. She's also clairsentient, which means she can see things by feeling. For example, she can hold someone's hand or she might dream about them, and then she can see what's going on in their lives.

Agi grew up with psychics. "My mother had ability," she says. "She would drag me around to other psychics and I used I used to watch what they all did. I was fascinated by it."

This might seem like an odd thing but Agi explains, saying, "Growing up Hungarian, we had a lot of superstitions."

But the sort of superstitions Agi is talking about are more than just the typical don't walk under a ladder type of thing.

"If the lights went on and off, if they flickered, it meant someone died," she says. The strange thing is that in Agi's house, the flickering lights would actually be right.

By early high school, Agi knew she also had a knack for being able to use her inner sight. People noticed and began asking her, "Can you read my hand and tell me what's gonna happen?"

This made me wonder, can she really tell the future?

Agi told me that each reading is different. By looking at a palm, she can tell about someone's personality and details about them. She often can see a person's feelings and then, to some extent, their future. Sometimes she's even able to tell things by looking at pictures or being in a room. And ladies, if you're pregnant, Agi's definitely going to know. She told me how every time a colleague has been pregnant, she always immediately knows. She also can easily pick up on if a person's cheating.

I asked her what sorts of things people want to know about. "If they're not married, they always want to know about love. If they're married, they never want to know about that."

We both chuckled over that!

And what do the married people want to know about? "They want to know about their job."

She told me that if folks are interested in their health, they almost never say that upfront. They wait for her to tell them.

"They bypass just feeling bad and head straight to death," she says. "They automatically think they're going to die and so they're scared to ask about their health issues."

Yes, she's seen ghosts but she's never spoken to them and when I asked her about evil spirits, she tells me, "The living are more evil than anything I've ever seen."

I asked Agi about how some folks think that using your inner sight is "devil worship" or tapping into evil forces. She replied that there's something between people that allows us to feel what someone else feels, and some people are also very good at reading people. "You can tell a lot about a person based on how they walk and carry themselves, if you pay attention."

Agi went on to share that we accept that we can "see" the past and the present, so why not the future? She says if the average person relaxes enough, they can take in and see all the signs. "Sometimes your subconscious mind is knocking on your conscious mind, saying, 'wake up'."

What's it like to get a psychic vision? Agi says that for her, having a vision is like getting punched in the gut. Sometimes it knocks the air out of her.

Interestingly enough, she can't see things she's emotionally invested in. She shared that her personal attachment gets in the way and she can't tell what's reality and what's desire. But, when she's talking to a total stranger, she can be objective.

What do you think? Do you believe in psychics? If you're curious and you want a reading of your own, you can email her at agiarnold@sbcglobal.net -- yes, she does charge but she's really reasonable, and she does both individual readings and parties.

But does Agi tell all? "There's some things you're not meant to know," she says with a small smile, "and I'm not going to tell it."

Comments

Hey Liz, I know people have the ability. I met one woman who told me taking money pollutes their clarity. Isn't it just a heightened sense of intellect anyway?
Anonymous said…
I'm sure people genuinely have those psychic gifts and can tap into all sorts of invisible knowledge. Probably a lot more of us would be capable of it if our minds and senses weren't fogged by all the materialist clutter and stresses of everyday life.

My only personal experience of this is when a girlfriend and I had an identical dream one night. We only realised when I woke up and said something that made it clear it was the same dream.
Anonymous said…
There are plenty of signs for psychics here, and one in particular who is locally well known and books a year in advance! If I had to guess, I'd say that folks who cal themselves psychic are people who are intuitive and partiucularly sensitive to others emotions, facial cues and so on.
Jen said…
I absolutely believe in psychic energy and the abilities that some people have. We use such tiny percentages of our brains - who knows what other abilities we all have?

I had a life-changing experience when my sister had my chart done for my 25th birthday. Granted, it was astrology, but it was the full thing and the real deal. And like you, this woman knew so much about me it was scary. And I DID follow her advice on a variety of things and got "unstuck" on some goals in my life.

I actually have a psychic character in my novel who plays a central role. This was totally fascinating, Liz. Thanks so much for sharing it!
Unknown said…
I got little chillie willies reading this, Liz.

New Orleanians deeply believe in all of that, and practice all types of rituals, and have superstitions as well.

I also agree with Faith, that it is a heightened sense of intellect, but I also believe it is much, much more. Fascinating post, have a great holiday!
I absolutely believe in psychic abilities and think we all have them, even if they are never accessed.

The night before the election, it came to me that Barack Obama would win and that he would make Hillary Clinton his Secretary of State.

Agi definitely sounds like the real thing, including the part about being unable to predict events in her own life. I don't think any of the authentic psychics can do that for the reason she gave.

This kind of thing has always fascinated me.
Mes Deux Cents said…
HI Liz,

I think the further we get from the womb the more we lose whatever psychic abilities we might have.

I remember as a child constantly having deja vu moments. But as time went by they subsided and I rarely have them now as an adult.

Society tells us that psychic ability is a scam and that we shouldn't believe in it, therefore most of us don't take time to try to enhance that ability.

As they say, if you don't use it, you lose it.

I hope you and your boys and hubby have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
:)
Malik Akbar said…
I think some people are very shrewd and highly intuitive, and those qualities combined with an occasional unbidden vision might make them appear to be "psychic", but I don't think it's the kind of thing that allows you to "read the future" like it's a book. I think what most psychics do is tell people things about themselves that they already knew, but really never thought about or wanted to admit.
Ian Lidster said…
I worked with a guy whose wife was a well-known and widely reputed psychic. Nice lady. I even went for a reading myself during a stressful time in my life and enjoyed the experience and some of her predictions actually manifested in a certain way.
But, one day her husband was in a motorcycle accident. He smashed his leg badly and was off work for quite a while.
When he returned colleagues razzed him as to why his wife hadn't forewarned him. Did she not see it or, if she didn't, why did she keep mum? Hmm.
Liz Dwyer said…
Faith,
That's what Agi thought as well and so she didn't for awhile. Very interesting. I always take it as your spirit sort of connecting with the next world, and so maybe it should be saved for then, but who knows!

Nick,
Same dream! What did y'all do when you realized it? We do fog our lives up with a bunch of unnecessary "clutter". I guess that's why setting aside time to meditate is so important. It re-centers you and grounds you again.

Citizen,
Wow, a year in advance? She must be the business! Sign me up for a visit!

JenIt would be interesting to see what a chart would say. I'm a Capricorn but tend to think the stuff magazine horoscopes say is so generic that there must be some other twist to it. Folks have told me that knowing sun signs and the time you were born makes all the difference.

House,
The first time I got my palm read was in New Orleans and it was SO cheesy! Homegirl told me I love to cook and felt my hands, noticed they were rough, and then said I must be involved in a trade where I use my hands! :) You have a great holiday too!

Heart,
I think we probably all have some sort of abilities and just shut it down or don't access it. How interesting that you pegged Clinton as Sec. of State! I wonder when the formal announcement will get made? I think Agi is definitely the real thing. She knew exactly where I sit in my house and how the lighting in my house bugs me and a bunch of other stuff. It was weird!

Mes,
I had a lot of deja vu as a child too. I wonder why. The sad thing is that so many people do try to scam and that's unfortunate.

Malik,
True, like that show the Mentalist. The character is not a psychic, he just is able to read people very well and pay attention to lots of stuff.
Liz Dwyer said…
Ian,
I'd wonder about that too, but maybe she couldn't see it happening to her husband because of her own personal relationship to him? I would be one of those folks wondering that too though. I wonder how much psychics and therapists have in common. It seems folks would go to both when they feel like they need answers/direction in life.
Toni Campbell said…
although i've never had a reading i totally believe in psychic ability. i'm glad you were able to find a genuine one and not some charlatan.
sippinwineman said…
There are other realms. Most of us don't cannot feel it or just ignore it.
My grandfather received from my dead grandmother and deceased mom a winning lottery number. He had it split among my brothers and sisters and a week later HE passed. I've other stories but I'm an ignorer.
I like your blog, by the way, but you know this from "Lola gets". I'm "Michael"
April said…
This sounds SO much like a convo I had with a friend of mine (from England, not LA) about her psychic abilities. Although, she's never charged for her talent. She does it more as a hobby.
Because of that, I think there are some people who can just see that. Like some people can sing, and some can't.
Miriam said…
I agree w/Faith in that I think its heightened intellect. I actuaaly read a kabbalistic work explaining how Joseph was able to interpret dreams. Alas, I still didn't understand.

However, I also think its partly something peopke inherite or can tap into if they have a "fleshy" heart (as opposed to a hardened heart)

Mes Deux Cent said:
"I think the further we get from the womb the more we lose whatever psychic abilities we might have."

Interestingly, we all have very active pineal glands -the part of the brain that's supposed connects the spiritual to the physical, the third eye as its called-- when we are young, but it gets less active as we age -so I've read.
Liz Dwyer said…
Toni,
I don't know if I'd ever ask her to do an official reading for me. She only told me a few things because I asked her what sort of things people ask about and what sort of things she tells them. I don't know if I really want to know any of it!

Sippin/Michael,
Hey there! Wow, that's really something about the lottery numbers. How can I get my relatives to hook me up like that? Glad you like the blog AND that you said hi! Come back soon!

April,
The singing thing is a good analogy. Yes, there are quite a few who try and really shouldn't, which is why we have American Idol!

Miriam,
That sounds really interesting to read about that. I'm not sure if I would understand it either though.
TLC said…
I am a long time lurker and have come out of hiding.

Thank you so much for posting this story as I spoke with Agi and it was an amazing experience. I was pleased at the things that she told me, some of which were hard to hear, but honest and needed to be said.

It was my first time having a reading done as I was always doubtful, but she hit the essence of who I am right on the head.

Again, thanks for posting your experience as it has helped me greatly to seek out Agi. The experience was wonderful.
Liz Dwyer said…
TLC,
Oh good! I'm so very glad you talked with her and that it was helpful to you! That makes me really happy. Glad you delurked too!

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