You were born with at least one special, paranormal gift. You may be highly sensitive and intuitive, able to tune into the thoughts and feelings of others, or you could be a natural healer. You might have mediumistic talents, with the ability to receive messages from the Spirit realm.

I created the James Van Praagh School of Mystical Arts specifically to help my students to explore, nurture and expand their natural gifts, and I’ve been thrilled with their progress!

Occasionally, I get emails from students who feel like they are stalled. They believe that their gifts have gone dormant or even disappeared. If you feel like you’ve hit a roadblock on your personal journey to enlightenment, I have good news for you. It happens to everyone at one point or another, and there are some quick and simple ways to get unstuck.

Here are five techniques to try.

1) Have an honest talk with yourself. Are you creating your own roadblocks? Fear, impatience and denial can sabotage your progress. Pause for a moment and take stock. Have you received critical feedback or judgment from others that has caused you to back off from your quest? Is your intuition telling you something that your mind desperately wants to ignore?  Are you tempted to give up because you’re not progressing as quickly as you would like. Take time to acknowledge your feelings and write them down in your journal. Admitting your challenges and reservations is the first step toward moving past them.

2) Connect with like-minded individuals. The wonderful thing about humans is that we are all so unique – but when you are working on developing your psychic, mediumistic or healing skills it’s critical to spend time with others who share and understand your goals. I offer my students opportunities to connect and collaborate through live workshops, student calls, my Student Facebook Page and development circles. This week, I even hosted a free student assessment meeting for graduates of my certification program – and I hope to do that again soon!

3) Take regular timeouts from your day-to-day obligations. The noise and activities of everyday life can drown out the voice of your soul – your intuition. Taking time to connect with source each day through meditation or mindful pursuits allows your inner voice to be heard, along with enhancing your awareness of signs from angels, guides and deceased loved ones.

4) Seek inspiration from spiritual teachers. There are so many opportunities to get inspired and rejuvenated by the journeys and experiences of others. Hay House radio provides a chance to listen to wonderful authors and teachers, including Davidji, Denise Linn, Anita Moorjani and me! Books, workshops, webinars and lectures can all help you move forward on your spiritual path.

5) Allow yourself time to nourish your soul – you are worth it! It might seem selfish to put yourself first, but when you take care of you, everyone benefits. If you’re serious about becoming a psychic, medium or healer, it’s important to retreat from the everyday to work on your craft. A spiritual retreat, like the one I have scheduled with Davidji in San Diego this August 26th – 28th, will address every one of the items listed here!

I hope you’ll join beloved spiritual teacher and meditation master Davidji and I in the beautiful, tranquil setting of the Rancho Bernardo Inn. You’ll form relationships with like-minded people, learn from inspiring teachers and tap into your inner stillness to connect with Spirit in ways you have never experienced. You will come away with an enduring understanding of the difference meditation will make in your life and spiritual practices, and a deeper awareness and appreciation for your own spiritual gifts.