At Boulder Psychic Institute, the student readings are typically done by groups of 2–3 students; so one person receiving a reading will have 2-3 psychics reading them.

As a reader, when you do group readings like this, you’ll find that there are generally two kinds of experiences you’ll have. One experience is the “Wow, I saw exactly what you saw!”  This can be a lot of fun, because it can feel so validating and also be kind of a bonding experience.

The other common experience is when you totally do NOT see what the other person sees. It can even be like you’re reading two different people. You see a blue rose and they see a red one. You see happiness and they see sadness. These kinds of experiences can be somewhat confusing and even invalidating for new readers when they are paired with a more experienced psychic. The new reader will often see the disparity as evidence of what a bad psychic they are—because of course the more experienced reader must be “right.”

The truth is it’s usually not that simple. There are a number of reasons why you might see different things, some of which relate to HOW you do the reading, and some of which have to do with WHAT you’re looking at.

When we read, one thing we do is agree on a color for the readers’ crown chakras. This color helps us all tune-in to the same wavelength—one that is also in affinity with where the readee is energetically. If the readers aren’t really tuned in to the same wavelength, then it’s harder for them to see things in the same way. It’s like if you and I are both in the same room, looking at a painting, but I’m looking at it straight on from 3’ away, and you are looking at it from the back right corner 10’ away, we are going to see the same painting differently.

Another reason why we might see things differently is because of our individual psychic languages. When you’re doing clairvoyant work, you are putting what you say into words that make sense to you based on your vocabulary and experience.

I grew up on Long Island but did my undergrad work at the University of Montana. I remember in Montana when I’d go into grocery stores, they’d ask me if I wanted my groceries in a “sack.” That always sounded funny to me because on Long Island it was a “bag.”

Psychically the same kind of thing can happen. Maybe I see a pink energy because to me that connotes “fun”, but for you that color is yellow. You might get confused if I say I see a pink rose when you see a yellow one, but if I continue to explain what pink means for me, you might discover that we’re actually seeing the same thing – we’re just using different words.

Sometimes we see things differently because we need to. As much as it may seem like readings are about the readee, they’re really more about – and for – you. You will often see either what you are capable of seeing at that time, or what you need to see at that time. So when I say I see that someone’s communication is very sharp and to the point, it may be because recently I was very sharp with my words, and I can easily see that energy in someone else. You may look at the same person and see that they use a lot of words to get their ideas across – and also be correct.

Maybe what I’m seeing is important in my own growth, and what you see is important in your growth. It’s not that either of us is wrong, it’s just that we’re kind of focusing on different aspects. If we go back to that painting in the room, maybe we’re looking at it from exactly the same location, but I’m focused on the people, and I say that the painting is very detailed. You look at the painting and are more drawn to the colors, which you describe as vibrant. If I say the painting is detailed and you say it’s vibrant, is either of us wrong? It’s a matter of your focus.

There are other reasons why we might see things differently, but I think for now I’ve made my point – when you’re doing readings with others, different is not wrong.

Written by Chris Petrizzo, a BPI graduate