Intuitive tips from a psychic medium
What regular schmegular people can learn from someone who speaks to the dead for a living
The best part of reporting EVERYDAY INTUITION was by far interviewing experts of all stripes. At the tippy top is Nelly Reznik, a psychic medium and stand-up comic from Brooklyn. I asked her to share her thoughts about intuition and some tips and tricks for everyday Josephines.
(In addition to being talented and adorable she can also deadlift 220 lbs)
LG: You’re a psychic medium. Can you give us a quick breakdown of the distinction between intuition/psychic ability/mediumship? And how does intuition relate to psychic ability, anyway?
NR: Mediumship is the practice of communicating with spirits. Psychic ability is the practice of tuning in and receiving information about people, situations, past/present/future, anything having to do with reality. Mediumship is: I talked to your dead grandma and she said she was divorced. Psychic is: I tuned in and saw/felt/knew that your grandma was divorced).
Intuition is something in between instinct and psychic ability. None of these skills are more or less advanced than the others, they're just appropriate for different purposes. Intuition is a sense of feeling or knowing something, usually having to do with survival, safety, or our needs. Psychic ability might tell you, "I tuned in and saw that my friend's boyfriend is cheating on her." Intuition might tell you, "Okay, but maybe don't bust in and tell her that, you weirdo." Intuition won't necessarily tell you the "why" of something, or even the "how," but the details are often not even that helpful, anyway.
LG: What misconceptions around your work do you most frequently confront?
NR: That it's scary or dangerous! It's actually mostly fun and silly because that's how I like to approach things, and more often than not, it's very loving, even when heavy stuff comes up. Ghosts can't hurt us. There's enough suffering on this planet, let's not make up more of it.
LG: How does intuition show up for you?
NR: These days, it's often a deep knowing that I can't shake, and I've worked hard to be able to trust it and go with it when it comes. Sometimes it's about small, inconsequential things like which flavor of protein powder will be good vs. disgusting, and other times it's about big life decisions, like going to grad school. I'll feel it in my body like an "uh oh." We often ignore our intuition because it can tell us things that go against logic, but that's exactly WHY it's useful! (i.e. I like vanilla! What do you mean, this vanilla flavored protein powder will be gross? I'll get it anyway. Wait, this is gross! Why didn't I intuit this? Oh wait, I did? And I ignored the feeling and bought it anyway? No!")
LG: How do you personally distinguish between anxiety and intuition?
NR: Anxiety, for me, is a constant loop of unhelpful criticism coming from my brain. I say loop because it's so repetitive and redundant. It also feels like a heaviness in my body, especially on my chest, and sometimes a difficulty breathing. I know this because when I feel anxious, which is often, I take a moment to notice and study how I know that I'm feeling anxious.
Intuition feels totally different. It's less personal and less emotionally charged. Even if it's about a topic I feel strongly about and my intuition is telling me something that should elicit an emotion from me, the information itself is fairly neutral. Even if the intuition is unpleasant, the uncomfortable feeling starts to dissipate once I acknowledge it.
LG: Any tips for people who want to develop a relationship with their intuition?
NR: Take my class, Intuition Immersive! I'm working on my program schedule for 2025, and I'm thinking of offering the program again either in the summer or the fall. Check back here soon: https://www.nellyreznik.com/workshops--events.html.
(Ed note: I’ve taken several classes with Nelly and have found them all revelatory, and she is a very fun and funny teacher.)
If you don't want to do that, I do have some other tips!
My main tips are:
1) Be a student of your intuition and anxiety: Any time you realize you've had an intuitive moment, like you catch yourself saying, "I KNEW this person was going to text me and then they did," get really granular in noting how you knew. Was it a passing thought? If so, what was the quality of that thought in terms of emotion/neutrality? Was it a feeling? Did you see an image of a text coming through? Maybe a combination? Just get curious and write it down.
2) Don't be precious about your findings: Your relationship with your intuition requires the same kind of patience and nurturing as any other relationship. You wouldn't meet a hottie and then on the first day tell them you want to marry them and set up all these weird rules, so don't be dramatic about whether or not you're intuitive, either. Just play and have fun! It'll develop.
LG: And can you offer any advice on how to get the most out of a psychic reading?
NR: Only go if you have a real need to, even if it's just an intuitive feeling that it's time. Curiosity is not a good enough reason to go - you wouldn't get a medical procedure just to see if it's real, you'd probably leave disappointed. Same rules apply here. You want to find your balance between having topics and things you're coming in for, and being open to the process and what comes up naturally. For example, maybe you feel like you're in a dead end relationship and that's what compels you to get a reading, but the psychic keeps picking up on your childhood relationship with your parents. This may give you important insight into your patterns and what's going on beyond a yes/no answer.
LG: Tell us about Comediumship!
This is my show where I do stand up comedy and live audience readings. It's the most fun ever. A friend described it as "crowd work with both the living and the dead." You should come! I won't be mean or pick on you, unless you're an asshole. I do it every month at Under St. Marks Theater in the East Village in Manhattan: https://tickets.frigid.nyc/event/6897:502/6897:5637/
Thanks, Nelly!!!
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Manohla’s remembrance of David Lynch.
The Antidote by Oliver Burkeman. The subtitle was made for me and my people: “Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking.”