To worry when My friend says she's a light worker??

[sttropezlegs]

Name changed, but frequent poster.

Close friend of mine has started a fbook group and invited me in. In this group she has started doing videos and appears to have a number of followers now. In this group and in videos she claims to speak to spirit guides (including princess diana!!) and calls herself a light worker

I have never heard her talk of any of this before. We live a far distance apart so granted, most interaction between us is virtual so it is fair to say, I don't know all that's going on with her and don't claim to. She's just never mentioned anything like this before. We speak weekly, sometimes more.

This area is something I know nothing about, and I'm worried by the videos.

Is this a real thing?

Prepare yourself for an onslaught of conspiracy theories. Lots of the idiots I see sharing dangerous, false “information” about coronavirus (and even more out there conspiracy theories) are into this lightworker bullshit.

It’s all part of the same “I’m more enlightened than you” mentality.

I would say though, anything that brings someone comfort in difficult times, as long as it isn't asking them to part with something they don't have much of (time, money etc) is a good thing.

People are searching for meaning. Belief, even if false, can be a comfort.

My brother is a devout Christian. I am...not. So we just don't talk about it - we still get on very well and I love him to bits. It is perfectly possible to have a friendly relationship with someone whose belief system is a million miles from your own.

If she's someone you only see 'virtually' and not so much a friend, stay out of it.

For what it's worth, I don't put all my business on FB. My 'virtual' friends (old school friends for example) don't know a lot of what has actually happened in my life.

If your friend found Jesus would you be posting on here embarrassed on her behalf?

If one of my friends out of nowhere found Jesus and was over enthusiastic about it in a short amount of time, and never mentioning anything to me beforehand then I would think something is going on. Cult or mental illness.

If it was a slow process of reading and visiting church, exploring the religion then finding Jesus then it’s a lot more understandable.

Also New Age movements can be just as dangerous as your typical religions. They are usually led by charismatic people who care more about the bottom line. Read about James Arthur Ray and the “Sweat Lodge” deaths.

Actually another good site is New Age Frauds and Plastic Shamans, it’s run by Native Americans who have seen the monetisation and bastardisation of various traditions by different tribes used by New Age leaders to exploit their followers. The forum is a rabbit hole and so interesting.

New Age gurus really aren’t harmless hippies.

It's instagram spirituality lifestyle. Light workers tend to be the same people who think they have indigo children. It's tarot cards, crystals, affirmations, putting bottles outside during the full moon so you can drink moon water, sage smudging, etc.

It seems harmless, it's mostly about knowing how special you are and increasing the frequency of the planet so we can all have a nicer time. It seems daft, but really all it lacks is a good book of stories to make it a religion.

I call bunk. I’m always amazed that these people always have Princess Diana, Cleopatra, Napoleon, Anne Frank etc coming through. They never have Joe Average who was a dockworker all of his life, nothing out of the ordinary and died naturally of a heart attack at 68yo where the most exciting thing he says is ‘Is the Bristol Arms still on the corner, we had some great times there’. I’m sceptical.

I wouldn't be worried. It's her thing - leave her to it. If she makes a business out of it, so what? People who pay are people who like this stuff and want to believe. It's no worse that companies selling lipsticks for £20, moisturisers for £40 or candles that smell like celeb's vaginas' for goodness knows how much. As long as she is not making bogus medical claims, I just wouldn't get excited about it. Life can be tough. We all find out own props to get though it.

Anything that brings people comfort..is a good thing

There is that but let's not forget there are downfalls.
-The friend may be "groomed" into a cult. She was introduced into all this by a group of people at a very vulnerable time in her life.
-She is now encouraging others to join online.
-She plans to put her own money into this venture; taking courses and so on. And then will probably start charging for her services.
-A sudden huge change in someone's beliefs/ embracing niche alternative thought systems can be an indicator of mental health issues.

All these things are warning signs that something isn't right. I would be concerned about a friend who did this.

I once saw something about putting crystals in the ground to heal the earth - erm.....crystals are mined, are non-renewable and have a whole range of ethical issues. How about New Agers not buying them and leaving them in the ground in the first place?

@mintymabel, there's a huge difference between not being interested in anything alternative, and mocking it ALL without any knowledge whatsoever and using somebody else's more open mind as an excuse to pigeon-hole them as a hippy.

I'm sure you can see this vast middle ground.

Maybe she's believed in this for a long time and sees the lock down as a time to turn it into a side hustle? I've been pagan since I was 15 but it's not something I talk openly about to people in 'the real world' none of my colleagues or even some of my friends know what I practice as a religion, its personal to me, just because she's only just found out recently doesn't mean it's a sudden 180 personality change

Next time you speak to her ask her where this has all come from. Can you also ask her to tell David Bowie and Prince that I love them! 🙄

@1555CC The law of attraction as a money making scheme is flawed and not something I've contributed towards, I'm not giving it 'credence' but there is a simplified truth in the the idea that you attract in to your life what you put out. Look at you, you have made a drama bait statement and you have a reply to challenge you. You couldn't just let other people have their opinion.

Arguing with people on line brings argument and drama.

Calling somebody vile for having an opinion and then calling them closed minded for not seeing that they are not vile! lol. That is a dog chasing its tail.

Woo snake oil. Avoid her scheme and, unless close/longstanding friend and you’re concerned for her wellbeing, her!

“Law of attraction” is woo too.

@SliAnCroix, we've just had a big thread about LoA and what (often cruel) nonsense it is. Positive thinking to give you a boost is not the same thing as applying laws of the universe in your life. One has scientific evidence behind it, the other is just self-help bollocks and part of a cult mentality.

It's woo but really popular so not necessarily anything to be worried about. Just Google lightworker or put it into YouTube and site after site and channel after channel come up.

I have a colleague at work who is in to this stuff. I'm a sceptic myself but I don't challenge her on it as she would be offended, and she can really kick up a stink when she's offended.

I do feel it could be harmful however, sometimes she will tell people about dreams or visions she has had about them, and I see it as a kind of way of exerting power and influence over them, and for vulnerable people that is worrying. She has told me about deaths she has seen in my family and really, I don't want to hear that, despite not believing in it, and it makes me a bit angry. She's done similar with others, and it can make them in awe or a bit afraid of her. I'm sure she considers it her duty to share knowledge she feels has come to her.

NekoShiro I'm also a quiet Pagan.

but you must admit the circumstances and the sort of belief is suspicious.

There are are hudreds of fraudsters and plenty of cult movements in paganism.

just because paganism isn't mainstream a religion, doesn't automatically make it all harmless.

In fact because paganism is such and umbrella word its makes it damb easy to come up with new beliefs and to exploit people looking for a new meaning to their life.

I always wonder how the ghosts of Henry VIII, Anne Frank, and Princess Di find time to speak to all the nutters that regularly conjure them up.

I also agree with everything said
Today 10:28 CaptainMarvelDanvers

@NewYearNewTwatName that's very true, there are people out there doing horrible things to people under the guise of Paganism, Christianity, New Age etc,

But this thread started because OP said her friend added her to a fb group where she has videos stating she is a light worker, that's it, she didn't say her friend has suddenly started charging people's £25+ for coronavirus readings (scummy people have been doing such things) so I'm talking about this specific scenario, her friend has suddenly started acting differently during a pandemic and everyone on here is saying that she's clearly a mentally unwell con artist that should be cut out of her life.

I'm just saying that maybe she's considered herself a light worker for years and genuinely wants to just do her best with the gifts she thinks she has and has found the confidence to open up this part of her life to people and behind her back she's being insulted by a friend of hers and a load of random people online.

Surely no one in their right mind genuinely believes they're talking to a dead Princess Diana. Of course people are going to question or laugh about anyone making such preposterous claims.

I've been dying to say this:

Are you on glue LuluBellaBlue?

I'm sorry NekoShiro but if the gifts she believes she possesses are talking to princesses Diana then she is delusional.

and Why would she start inviting people to this group?

As yours, my religion and beliefs are personal, I don't want to convert anyone I don't want to tell anyone about it. it's not some path of holy of enlightenment I feel everyone should know about.

I grew up with it all, i also read the bible front to back when i was teen. I don't actually go to any druid or pagan events anymore because so many people are bat shit knobs.
The bat shit knobs always fall into two categories fool or fraud.

going on what OP has said her friend has not being practicing her 'gift' in secret and has just come out to benefit others.

She very much sounds like she's been in a vulnerable position and has been groomed.