Leela J WilliamsBelief and non-belief may seem like opposing forces, yet they can coexist as a harmonious dialogue within the human experience. To me, this dance is more valuable than landing on a fixed position. Absolute belief or disbelief has limitations—even in spiritual pursuits. Both supportive beliefs and protective scepticism can also have constraints.
My fascination with belief has been both personal and professional. I’ve explored the role of belief in my psychology and experiences, and I’ve had the unique opportunity to speak with psychics, hypnotists, sceptics and motivational speakers about the power and limitations of belief. I also took a university course called ‘Belief and Non-Belief’ and delivered a talk on the same topic to UFO Research Queensland. My fascination is yet to be sated.
As Carl Jung suggested, belief is deeply intertwined with the psyche. His work reveals that the human mind is a repository of symbols and archetypes that influence our thoughts, emotions and decisions, regardless of our conscious stance on religion or spirituality. Jung’s perspective suggests that belief—whether in God, the Universe or something more abstract—often operates beyond the conscious mind’s control. It’s an archaic, perhaps even primordial, aspect of our human nature.
When people discover I am a psychic who writes and edits oracle and tarot decks, it’s not uncommon for them to put up an immediate barrier by declaring, “I don’t believe in all that stuff.” This response is less common and not as aggressive as it once was. I attribute this to an increased interest in the esoteric and how I present myself. When I was younger, I expected people to challenge or judge my interest in metaphysics. Now, I am more comfortable with my realms of interest which sets a tone that invites curiosity. There’s one example of how the power of belief can manifest in your spiritual or psychic journey!
People are often surprised to discover that I don’t expect or require them to believe in what I do. I am excited if they don’t, as it means they are opening themselves to an unknown and allowing me to be part of that journey. More surprising, is that I don’t believe all this stuff either. It’s impossible that it can all be true, and unlikely that none of it holds any truth. The secret is that believing is not necessary. Even the staunchest sceptic can gain valuable insight from a psychic or an oracle card. Turkish coffee cup reader Deniz Batuk tapped into this idea, saying:
“From the Balkans to Russia and throughout the Middle East, coffee cup readings are served up to true believers and sceptics alike. The readings lay out different life paths and outline what might unfold at the very end of each path. The non-believers don’t just get entertainment; they get a different perspective and new ideas about the options available to them.”
Deniz’s insight shows that even non-believers can find value in these practices, outside the psychic experience. Jung would likely appreciate this outlook. It’s in the space between belief and non-belief that something worth exploring often emerges.
While belief might be a projection of the mind, it’s no less real or impactful for that. We can aim to be aware of how our beliefs influence our interpretations, but we can’t exactly switch them off. This is where non-belief can be a powerful tool. It can help us step outside what we know, think critically and explore new territory.
I encourage people to carry at least a sprinkle of non-belief when consulting a psychic, oracle, or spiritual advisor. The late hypnotist Martin St James said that no one has the power to heal anyone else; healing involves being in touch with our superconsciousness, our higher self, and being an active part of the healing process. I apply this approach to psychic readings. No matter how good a psychic or spiritual counsellor is, believing in them absolutely is less helpful than being in touch with your consciousness and inviting it into the process. Good advice won’t stop being good advice just because you challenge it. Non-belief helps you retain agency, so you don’t set aside your values, sensibilities or intuitions in the pursuit of answers.
Engaging with the unknown can open us to new perspectives. It’s not about suddenly adopting a new set of beliefs, but about exploring the symbolic language of the psyche. Consulting an oracle doesn’t require belief in the supernatural. It can be an exercise in imagination, creativity and a different form of problem-solving. In the space between belief and non-belief, we are open to spontaneous revelation from the role of a dice, the fall of a charm, a snippet of poetry, a shell on the beach or a random oracle card that pops up on our social media feed. The potential for epiphany and transformation is everywhere!
Oracles, in all their forms, can hold a mirror to our unconscious and engage our superconsciousness with or without divine intervention. The symbols and messages that emerge offer insights we might not reach through reason alone. Engaging with the symbolic can have real-world benefits: it can help us see our problems from a new angle, consider solutions we hadn’t thought of or break free from rigid thinking. Sometimes, the answers we seek lie in cold, hard facts. At other times, they are revealed in the mysterious and symbolic language of the soul. Most often, the answer will exist in a dialogue somewhere between.
Connect with Leela J. Williams at https://linktr.ee/leelajwilliams. Image features Leela’s latest oracle, Maxine Gadd’s Zoologica: The Steampunk Oracle — available from www.tarotopia.com.au
*Image features cards from Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet: An Oracle Card Set presented by Toni Carmine Salerno with an introduction and how-to-use by Leela J. Williams.
Charlie Lally
Kathy Wise
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