Sheila Murphy, Part 2.

Sheila, an Argentinean in Buenos Aires whom I interviewed in the previous column, also studied alchemy. She went on vision quests to Condor Blanco, Chile, an area that used to be very indigenous and that is rumored to hold much indigenous power to this day. She also went to Mexico, to Playa del Carmen—her search from reading feet to regressions to Tarot was long. She never took up astrology, but she went more towards healing. She began to use a book that, when opened, would diagnose the illnesses of the people. She found she could name the source of stress. She began to do this kind of work, though she did not know why.

Sheila used to work at the Expo, where she read both hands and allowed each person to ask three questions for as few as 40 pesos (a little over ten US dollars). She liked to go to the Expo not only to offer popular readings, but also for what she could learn there. She feels this is an urgent time of change and that it is important to take every opportunity to awaken people with the service she performs. Many people came to the expo to ask Sheila questions about work and other matters of daily life. Sheila sees questions like these as opportunities to focus more on the person’s spiritual needs.

Much like the Hindu palmists interviewed in my last book, Opening Palms (which can be ordered for $10 plus shipping through femspec@aol.com or Amazon), Sheila takes the questions of the querents and expands them.

Hindu palmists do this to lead the person to the Hindu religion; they lead chants, suggest diet changes, offer talisman, and present clothing recommendations and mantras as routes through which to focus energy after readings. Sheila, on the other hand, aims not to lead people into a particular religion, but to elevate the energy of the planet and encourage individuals to listen to their own internal voices. She considers herself to be doing her part to make the upcoming transition happen more smoothly.

I asked Sheila a question that often arises in my own work. If she is performing such a positive function, as it is clear she is, how can she explain the negative view of palmistry that we all encounter in the public? Sheila’s answer is that the people are afraid. She says she could go clear out the negative energy of a house and make a lot of money offering such commercial services, but she prefers to work positively.

When people come to Sheila, she tries to help, and not to put the person down. She does not want people to go away from her readings thinking that she is so impressive, saying, “the witch told me…” Rather, she wants people to go away from her readings feeling more confident about themselves.

I asked Sheila what she does when she sees something negative, like a health problem. She replied that she talks around the problem but doesn’t name it. Instead, she will say, “around such an age, try to go to visit a doctor. Nothing will happen,” she assures the client, “but the energy in your hands is a little low at that time.”

Sheila has studied with many teachers, including Avi Greenberg, who taught her how to work with feet, and Christelle Chopard, who knew a little about palms but who basically used to channel her readings. She also studied with one teacher at the CEPE (Center of Parapsychology in Buenos Aires) giving a course, but found that the teacher talked more generally about philosophy.

Sheila does her consulting of feet and hands in a room in her house. When asked what advise she has to offer those who want to enter the field of palmistry, she says people really have to want to study. And they have to start with getting people to listen to themselves.

Sheila also explains that there are four discos solares, or solar discs, in Argentina. They emanate from a very strong force of ancient priests’ knowledge. She goes to these places to receive energy, from the cities that are still contained underground. She says there are such spots on Shasta, and in Troncadore as well.