Dangers of Being Fascinated with Psychics

The fascination is understandable. Psychics, with their extrasensory perception and glimpses into the future, can be very enticing. But while the fascination can be a fun indulgence, it’s important to be aware of the potential dangers.

Buddhists and followers of other faiths don’t need much convincing that psychic abilities are real, because psychicism is usually part of their belief system. Thus they are at a higher risk of being exploited by psychics.

So, what are the dangers if you tend to be fascinated with psychics as a Buddhist?

The ‘psychic’ may actually be a sociopathic psychopath

Some people who appear to be psychic are actually psychopaths. People tend to think of psychopaths as cold-blooded killers due to how they are usually portrayed in the media, but most psychopaths aren’t physically violent. They are however necessarily good at mind-reading through facial expression, body language and way of speaking. As such they can easily pass themselves off as psychics.

If a person with psychopathy (an inborn condition) also develops sociopathy (formally called Antisocial Personality Disorder), then not only is he highly capable of manipulation, he also becomes desirous of causing trouble to others. So, if you’re easily impressed by psychics, you’re also easily taken for a ride by a sociopathic psychopath. (For more, see ‘Buddhist’ Teachers to Watch Out For.)

Relying on psychics will hinder your growth

Being psychic doesn’t imply wisdom. Yet, if you’re fascinated with psychics, it’s likely that you also assume wisdom in them. You may then become dependent on them to think for you. If that happens, you will stop using your own wisdom, thus stopping its growth. You may even end up not trusting your own intuition, thus putting yourself in greater danger.

A wise, psychic teacher wishing for his students’ well-being may choose to use his paranormal abilities to help them develop their own wisdom, but would not foster dependence on him.

Psychic claims can be a gateway to cults

Being fascinated with psychics places you at a higher risk of being sucked into cults, because cult leaders are almost certain to be considered psychic by their followers. (For more, see Is Your Buddhist Group Cultish?)

Is what you’re paying for really worth it?

For your fascination, you also run a higher risk of being scammed, getting charged large sums of money for whatever product or service they offer. Even if the psychic ability is real, we still need to check for ourselves whether we’re actually getting our money’s worth.

Psychic powers don’t imply spiritual attainment

A lesser but still significant concern for Buddhists is the possibility of overestimating a person’s spiritual attainment. One can be psychic without being enlightened, and vice versa. However, many Buddhists tend to assume the two are connected, and thus if they themselves are psychic or their teacher is, they fall into the delusion of overestimation. Remember: Even the rogue monk Devadatta was supposed to have various psychic powers.

Conclusion

Psychicism per se is harmless. However, being fascinated with it carries potential dangers. By understanding these dangers and approaching psychicism with a healthy dose of scepticism, you can save yourself a lot of problems. 

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