The Gift: Understand and Develop Your Psychic Abilities

by Echo Bodine, Melody Beattie (Foreword)

For thirty-five years, best-selling author and popular workshop leader Echo Bodine has been using her psychic powers to help people gain clarity and find healing. Now she presents an accessible guide to understanding and exploring one's own psychic abilities. The book begins by dispelling common myths about psychics and defining the four psychic gifts. It then discusses the implications of becoming a professional psychic and offers self-protection techniques. Readers also learn four basic exercises for accessing the "third eye," and ways to interpret and understand psychic information.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Metaphysics, Mysticism, Paranormal, Esp, New Age

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 31, 2003

Reviews

[NON · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has helped me in understanding my gift(s) in a much deeper level. The great thing about Echo Bodine (other than her simplicity) is that she doesn't seek to dominate and keep her readers dependent on her books. She aims to empower and connect her readers to their own inner guidance. The Gift is specifically helpful if you suspect that you have any psychic abilities and wants to learn more about them.
Before reading The Gift, I recommend you to read A Still, Small Voice: A Psychic's Guide to Awakening Intuition first because it is best to start by connecting with intuition before attempting any in-depth development.

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I studied under Echo. She is amazing, and she taught me a lot about knowing God by listening. It precipitated a wealth of magical moments that I will always cherish. If you are interested in the basic functions of, and types of psychic gifts, she lays it out beautifully.

[Nancy Rector · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this before and am reading it again as a "refresher" course on connecting with the inner guidance we all have available to us. This gal is awesome and VERY spiritual/religious. She is all about getting our own direction communication from God or whatever power you believe in.

[Stacey M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Echos writing style. She really gets it and really helps people tie in religious upbringing with psychic abilities which aren't always combined. Loved it!

[Jennifer Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great writing style. A very interesting read...not just for those with the gift that use it regularly, but also good for those who seek the guidance of psychics and mediums.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every so often I will get a hint or premonition. I always chalked it up to weird coincidence until recently when I got a reading. The psychic told me I had a specific kind of gift. I may never do anything about it, but Echo helped me to understand it better. I'm much more a believer now that something is happening and not as odd as I previously thought.

[Claudia Loureiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Echo Bodine. I am very impressed with her writing style - very reader friendly. The author is down to earth. This book helps to put things in perspective. Lot's of good and usable info included. I especially appreciate her chapter on what the Bible says about psychic abilities. She has helped me to understand where the psychic gifts come from and presented Biblical scripture to back it up. I look forward to reading more of Echo Bodine's books.

[Marla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really helpful

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

:)

[Juliet Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

For any of you looking for a good beginners guide to developing psychic abilities, this is a useful read, and for anyone with an orthodox background and qualms about what the Bible says, there's a ton of information here to put your mind at ease. There are exercises to flex your mental muscles and start receiving psychic information and case studies of five professional psychics for more perspective.

Now, all mediums are psychic but not all psychics are mediums. Yes, mediums and psychics have similar gifts, but there's a subtle difference: while a medium works with spirit, a psychic works with the living. The Gift focuses on developing abilities that tap into the energy of you and me, not “them next door”.

Don’t get me wrong - if you want to develop as a psychic, this is a good starting point. If you want to develop as a medium, you have to read into it an extra level, transposing the application of the skills in the exercises onto the rostrum, as it were. There's a lot more to developing mediumship than ‘The Gift’ covers and I recommend reading a few more books, including some of this author’s, that are designed with the budding medium in mind.

If you read this book as a beginner, you might find the concept of light switches and zip-up heads a bit surreal, but I have to tell you, that's what I've been doing for years before reading it. And what is the likelihood that I'd pick up a book by a long-time psychic thousands of miles away and find exactly the technique I found prodding around in my own head? I tell you, in this game, there's no such thing as surreal!

So, while I say read under the advisement this is more for psychics than mediums, I can't argue with technique, the reinforcement of principles for working with people, or the attitudes and misconceptions we face outside of spiritual circles.
It's a strong start with good advice and well researched references.

[Pat Jurgens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is more practical in nature than Echo's first book Echoes of the Soul. It is basically written for someone who wants to know if they have psychic gifts and how to develop them. Everyone has the potential to develop psychically, but this book seems to focus on those who are serious about becoming a psychic. The first part describing psychic abilities was intriguing but as the text became more specific about the how to's of becoming a psychic, I lost interest.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting topics and good advice on accessing, turning on and off your psychic abilities. Some timeless advice is included, as well as meditations, exercises, and additional resources. I especiallly like the interviews with the professional psychics at the end of the book. This is my first book on this topic and I have several additional questions now!

[Kitn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am still looking for something practical to help explain why I'm able to say what my friend is thinking without knowing it, and why I'm able to finish my husband's sentences with information I'm not privy to. Unfortunately this is just anecdotes and advice about business etiquette with a fat side of God bothering.

[Fatana Olomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful for new psychics

It was a very good starting point for me to figure out more about this new subject. She explains a lot and has a lot of information to help you with.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction into psychic abilities with some helpful exercises.

[Susan Jost · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for anyone interested in increasing their intuition. We all have it!

[Rebekah Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved everything about this book

[In the Light of the Moon Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this authors writing style. She’s easy to read and I appreciate getting concrete ideas on how to enhance my psychic development. I look forward to reading more of her work!

[BRenda MUllen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and quick read

[Peg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read that provides insight to how psychics work; however, I remain skeptical.

[Laura Larson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok. It gave some good information but I was hoping for more explanation as to what I was going through.

It's a good book for basic understanding.

[Theresa Destefano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have yet to read something written by Bodine that I didn't fully enjoy