The word psychometry, meaning “soul measurement,” was coined by American physiology professor Joseph R. Buchanan in 1840. It is believed that objects collect energy (positive and negative) from people and animals who have touched them, making the skilled psychometrist somewhat of a psychic bloodhound, which isn’t far off. In modern history, Uri Geller used psychometry to give police the vital clue they needed to catch the nefarious Son of Sam.83
The degree of the energy encoded by frequent handling into an object depends on:
• The material of the object (cloth, metal, etc.).
• The nature of the person or the nature of the animal.
• The energy of the environment in which the object was placed.
• How many people have touched the object since its original ownership.
Practicing psychometry teaches the student why Witches cleanse, consecrate, and empower those things we own or use in a ritual environment. A night of developing psychometric skills in a group format will impress you with just how much energy an item can store!
The best way to perform psychometry is to practice and keep a record of your impressions. Photographs are the easiest way to start because you can mix what you are seeing with what your mind is sensing, then close your eyes and continue. Most Wicca 101 courses contain some type of psychometry lesson to teach you to move beyond the five senses. Some people will receive only “feelings” about the object, where others might see brief mental flashes or just “know” information without seeing or feeling a thing. The major stumbling block in psychometry is when you are pressed for information, so your logic tries to fill in the gaps.
Here are the rules of psychometry:
• Always say the first thing that comes to mind, no matter how dumb, how unrelated, or how stupid it may sound.
• Close your eyes to shut down visual impressions, cutting off part of your current beta experience (waking mind brain waves) and allowing your mind to move directly into alpha.
• Don’t get excited if someone tells you “That’s not right.” Here’s why:
(a) They may not know all the places an
object has been, and you may be
picking up an energy nuance that
they are unaware of.
(b) Different people perceive the world
in various ways. You may be right on
with your conclusion.
(c) They may be lying to you on purpose,
or in error. A bad experience can be
blocked by the best of people.
Please note that there will be times when you will get nothing. Zip. Nada. Blank. That’s life. When friends know that you have even a modicum amount of psychometric ability, they may press you to show them. Don’t do it. The most frustrating experience is to sit in a room full of people with everyone trying to give you something to hold. Unless you have an incredible talent for it while you are learning, keep the demonstrations to a minimum. Also, one last warning, but please take it to heart: If there is someone around you that you know is involved in illegal activities, or it’s a friend of a friend that just gives you the creeps, keep your head down and your mouth shut as far as your divination abilities are concerned. Once you become adept at your form of chosen divination, there is little information that will escape your knowledge. Granted, as with all things, you won’t always be right—but other people don’t know that, especially if they have seen evidence of your skill. Divination is not meant to be used in illegal activities, nor should you make yourself a target because of knowledge someone thinks you might have.