Sylvia Browne: Psychic, Con-Artist, or Both?

What I Discovered About Sylvia Browne:

I recently discovered a little something about a woman named Sylvia Browne, who happens to be a well-known name in the Psychic community.

There’s always been something about Sylvia Browne that I don’t like. It’s a deeper feeling than something on the surface; it strikes me down to the very core of my being. I’ve never been able to figure it out. What is it about her? Why don’t I like her? What can I see in her that others can’t? This has been plaguing me for years.

Years and years ago, I used to watch Sylvia Browne, with my mother, when she would come on The Montel Williams Show. We would anticipate those episodes to see Sylvia read members of the audience. And even more anticipated were the episodes near the end of each year where Sylvia Browne would give her predictions for the upcoming year. I used to sit there watching, wishing that I could do what she does; wishing that my psychic abilities were as strong as hers.

And then one day, something happened. I was watching the show with my mother, and there was something that Sylvia said that struck me as odd, funny, unusual; I had a “wait a minute” moment. What Sylvia Browne had said, almost word for word I had just heard somewhere else, but not from her. What she had said I had watched probably a month or so prior on the Discovery Channel on one of their programs. What she said had something to do with her predictions.

Of course, upon hearing this, and going over it carefully in my mind, I started to pay more attention to the detail of what came out of Ms. Sylvia Browne’s mouth. Not only in her appearances on The Montel Williams Show, but in her books as well. The more I paid attention, the more I heard that was familiar. I couldn’t stand to watch this fraud anymore. In my mind, that’s what she was, a complete fraud.

I then started to look online to see what I could find out about her, to see if she was real, or a complete phony. What I soon discovered seemed to solidify my impression and opinions of her. As it turns out, Sylvia Browne and her now ex-husband, ran some major scams in the past. They took a lot of people for a lot of money. Her husband was charged, but she made a deal and was pretty much off-the-hook. Well, Sylvia Browne was not off-the-hook in my book.

Then, further reading turned up that she started her own church. What!?!? The more I read, the more shocked and outraged I’d become.

No wonder I get strange vibes from that woman. I know this can’t be all, but it’s something to go on, right?

Then, about 10 years ago, a local psychic opened up a shop in the shopping center down the street from me. I stopped in one day to see what she had at her store. While looking over her gems and things, we got to talking about psychic stuff; I mentioned I was a psychic too and that my son was showing signs as well. Somehow or other the discussion drifted to Sylvia Browne. It was at this point that I found out that Sylvia charges (at least at that time, could be more now, I really don’t know) $1,000/person to see her when she goes to talk anywhere. $1,000 a head is pretty pricey if you ask me. What real psychic would charge so much?

Of course, upon hearing this, my mind naturally pointed me back to the con-artist thing. I just can’t understand why she would need to charge so much for people to come and see her. It doesn’t cost THAT much to rent out a hall or conference room or any venue to warrant such a high cover charge; especially when thousands of people are let through the doors. The woman is making a fortune off of people.

So, for years now, I have not been able to stand Sylvia Browne or anything she has had to say. And for years, the evidence has been mounting to make her look more and more fraudulent and like a con-artist. And through these years, I’ve been informing everyone I know that follows her about what I’ve discovered and all of my observations. Naturally, no one listens. They choose to go on believing her every word. Fine, whatever, that’s your choice; I still don’t like her.

It wasn’t until very recently, that something changed in the way that I view Sylvia Browne. Something very interesting happened to me.

Recently, I have joined some online groups which have helped me to put my abilities to use and have also helped me to discover abilities that I didn’t know I had, but have always wanted. It was by using my abilities much more frequently, and discovering that which was there, but didn’t realize that made me see more than I ever thought I would.

When talking with people, or reading things, I have always had images pop into my mind’s eye. I never realized how important those images are or even that they meant something. Nor could I see the connection between those images and what it was I was reading, or who it was I was talking to. It was in this discovery that I realized that there is something to Sylvia Browne’s abilities.

These events now took me to re-evaluating everything that I’ve ever learned about this woman named Sylvia Browne. I realized, looking back at her appearances, what she was doing is what I can do. I have that same ability; the difference is, she is able to quickly pick up on what she is seeing or hearing, and I am still in the process of being able to determine quickly what it is that I see and hear.

So, now I am at a point where, I still see her as somewhat of a con-artist and rip-off artist, but I know she has some very strong abilities, and probably always has. I never really doubted that she has psychic abilities; it was mainly with her predictions and some of the other stuff she’s said that I have the problem with. I couldn’t prove 100% her abilities as a psychic, until now. Not that I can prove 100%, but I know she has some abilities.

Now, More Realizations, And Possibilities About Sylvia Browne

The fact that she charges so much for her appearances and conferences, could be because it’s a deterrent to try to limit how many people go see her, but I don’t think that’s it at all. I believe she loves the money, and I’m sticking to that belief until I see proof otherwise. That opinion of her has been the same since the beginning.

Then there’s what she says about “Heaven”. She claims that “The Other Side” or “Heaven” is a constant 78-degrees Fahrenheit. I can only imagine that this is HER ideal temperature because it is not everyone’s. And as anyone who follows the spiritual side of things has come to realize, “heaven” is what is most pleasant for you. There is not a set “heaven” for everyone where everything is the same. Just my two cents on it. One of those things about her that doesn’t sit right with me.

Another disagreement I have with her and her beliefs is her point about “The Other Side” existing 3-feet above the ground. Sorry, but I don’t buy that one. It is not within my current beliefs that it is 3-feet above our visual ground. My view on it is, what she sees as “The Other Side” is simply another frequency where our energy resides when not in this physical form. So, for some of you that would mean, ‘when you die’ that is where you go. Call the place what you will, but it is more a matter of frequency than it is of distance.

And now, just now, the church thing occurred to me. Sylvia Browne, having started her own church was very odd to me. This seemed like another scam, a way for her to start her own cult, and to have her own crazed followers. (And possibly to make more money.) That very well may be the case, however, it’s not impossible that she started it because of her own beliefs about a “mother god” and a “father god”; beliefs which don’t fit into other religions. If that’s why she started her own church, then so be it, it’s a legitimate enough reason; I can deal with that, for now.

Sorry, but at my current level of being, I cannot understand why or how anyone who is psychic can stick to a set of beliefs; it’s very limiting. Yes, I get that it helps some people get through, and for others, it’s what they’ve always known, but I can’t understand the need to keep those limitations. So much more can be seen and done if you can see beyond your religious and other beliefs.

I personally don’t have a belief in any form of deity. Any beliefs that I do have are constantly re-forming to create new possibilities for what is out there; I cannot stick to an ultimate, be-all end-all belief or belief system, hence religion. Sylvia Browne has, but I will not.

Sorry, I sort of ranted a little bit there and went way from my points about Sylvia Browne. So, let’s get back to Sylvia Browne, shall we?

I still don’t like Sylvia Browne; there’s just something about that woman I can’t put my finger on. Maybe it’s her cockiness, or maybe it’s her arrogance, or maybe it’s just her attitude in general. Maybe it’s something I’m sensing about her that is a secret that only she knows and carries with her; I don’t know. What I do know is that she gives something off in her energy that makes me not like her, that I can say for sure.

UPDATE: NOVEMBER 20, 2013

Two days after posting this article on my thoughts about Sylvia Browne, she has died.

Sylvia Browne has died at the age of 77, in San Jose, California. Time of death is recorded as 7:10am (PST). Her cause of death has yet to be reported.