The Dark Truth About Casinos: Secrets They Don't Want You to Know | Erica Barretto DSH #733

Summary

Digital Social Hour: The Dark Truth About Casinos – Secrets They Don't Want You to Know | Erica Barretto DSH #733

Release Date: September 18, 2024

In episode #733 of Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly sits down with renowned spiritual medium Erica Barretto to delve into themes of intuition, mediumship, personal growth, and the pervasive influence of ego in modern society. Despite the episode title hinting at casino secrets, the conversation primarily focuses on Erica's spiritual journey, her practices, and insights into personal and collective consciousness.

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1. Embracing Creativity and Presence

Erica Barretto opens the discussion by emphasizing the importance of tapping into one's creative side to enhance intuition and be present. She states:

“Your ability to expand and just be playful and do the things that you really enjoy. Because that's what it's about. It's about being present and not really worrying about everything that's going on around you...” (00:29)

Sean Kelly concurs, highlighting the dangers of being trapped in ego.

2. Early Spiritual Experiences and Development

Erica shares her lifelong connection with the spiritual realm, beginning at the tender age of two. She recounts:

“I had imaginary friends, that's what we would call them. But I later found out that they were actually my spirit guides.” (01:47)

This early interaction laid the foundation for her mediumship, which she honed more seriously around 2019-2020. Her family background also played a crucial role, with several relatives possessing sensitive spiritual abilities.

3. Mediumship and Evidential Practices

Erica specializes in evidential mediumship, a practice focused on providing specific, verifiable information to validate the existence of the afterlife. She explains:

“Being able to bring through specific pieces of information for the people that we read for so that you can... validate the afterlife.” (04:34)

This approach distinguishes her work from those she deems charlatans, ensuring that each reading is personalized and meaningful.

4. The Role of Tarot and Intuition

While not a palm reader herself, Erica integrates tarot into her practice, using the imagery and numbers on the cards to communicate messages tailored to each client. She notes:

“I have a different language with my guides, so you could do that yourself. That's something you could do if you are wanting to create that and just not really understanding how to hear them.” (11:38)

Sean expresses fascination with the accuracy of tarot readings, to which Erica elaborates on the significance of questions in shaping the narratives derived from the cards.

5. Understanding Spirit Guides and Visitation

The conversation delves deeper into the nature of spirit guides. Erica describes her main guide as a male mathematician from the 1800s, highlighting the unique ways these guides communicate, often through numbers and symbols. She shares personal anecdotes, including:

“They talk with their minds. And you're going to be able to, you know, receive whatever messages or... healing, whatever's needed for you in that moment.” (13:16)

Sean recounts personal experiences of hearing his late father's voice, illustrating the profound ways in which spirits attempt to communicate and guide the living.

6. Navigating Generational Trauma and Healing

Erica firmly believes in the concept of generational trauma, acknowledging how deeply past experiences can influence present behaviors and emotional states. She emphasizes the reciprocal nature of healing in mediumship:

“As the person who's going to be helping others with healing, we have to do it ourselves.” (17:15)

Through her readings, Erica often uncovers deep-seated traumas, not only aiding her clients but also facilitating her own healing journey.

7. Energy Management and Self-Care for Healers

Discussing the emotional toll of mediumship, Erica shares strategies for managing and releasing absorbed energies:

“I do some readings have been rough. I've definitely felt some things a little bit after, but I learned to really release that energy.” (18:40)

Techniques like smudging, using "psychic scissors," and energetic cleansing are integral to her self-care routine, ensuring she remains balanced and effective in her work.

8. Differentiating Dreams: Precognitive vs. Nightmares

Erica distinguishes between precognitive dreams and nightmares, explaining:

“In a nightmare, it's going to feel like a nightmare... But when it's a precognitive dream, you are an observer.” (34:43)

She encourages maintaining a dream journal to track and validate precognitive experiences, offering a practical tool for those seeking to understand their subconscious messages.

9. Experiences in Corrections and Energy Sensitivity

Drawing from her time in law enforcement, Erica recounts encounters with residual energies and "fractal energy" prevalent in correctional facilities. She clarifies:

“It's just leftover souls over there. It's a fractal of the energy.” (30:35)

These experiences underscore the pervasive nature of energy and its lingering effects in high-stress environments.

10. The Impact of Social Media and Ego

A significant portion of the conversation addresses the detrimental effects of social media on self-perception and the nurturing of ego. Erica advises:

“Comparing is the thief of joy. If you're comparing yourself to other people, you're not being yourself.” (27:28)

She advocates for cultivating presence and gratitude, asserting that reducing ego-centric thoughts leads to a more fulfilling and authentic life.

11. Cultivating Authentic Spiritual Practices

Erica stresses the importance of authenticity in spiritual practices, encouraging individuals to embrace their unique paths rather than mimicking others. She advises her students to:

“Make them your own. Take what you can and continuously grow.” (26:44)

Her commitment to offering free readings and practice circles underscores her dedication to spreading love and healing without the primary intent of financial gain.

12. Personal Reflections and Closing Thoughts

In the closing segments, Erica and Sean reflect on the balance between helping others and maintaining personal well-being. Erica reiterates the significance of intention in spiritual work:

“When you give and you give without the intention of receiving anything in return, that's where the magic is.” (29:41)

Sean shares personal stories of spiritual guidance, highlighting the protective and guiding roles that spirit plays in our lives.

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Notable Quotes

• Erica Barretto (01:47): “I had imaginary friends, that's what we would call them. But I later found out that they were actually my spirit guides.”

• Erica Barretto (04:34): “Being able to bring through specific pieces of information for the people that we read for so that you can... validate the afterlife.”

• Erica Barretto (11:38): “I have a different language with my guides, so you could do that yourself.”

• Erica Barretto (13:16): “They talk with their minds... receive whatever messages or... healing, whatever's needed for you in that moment.”

• Erica Barretto (27:28): “Comparing is the thief of joy. If you're comparing yourself to other people, you're not being yourself.”

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Conclusion

Sean Kelly's conversation with Erica Barretto offers a deep dive into the intricacies of mediumship, intuition, and the challenges of maintaining authenticity in a world dominated by ego and social comparison. Erica's insights provide valuable guidance for individuals seeking to enhance their spiritual awareness, heal generational traumas, and cultivate a more present and fulfilling life.

For More Information and Readings:

• Website: loveandlighthealingheart.com
• Instagram: Intuitively.Erica
• TikTok: IntuitivelyErica

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Note: This summary is crafted based on the provided transcript, which focuses on spiritual discussions rather than the episode's title concerning casino secrets.

Transcript

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[Erica Barretto]

Or creative side of your mind, because that's where a lot of our abilities come from. Right. Your ability to expand and just be playful and do the things that you really enjoy. Because that's what it's about. It's about being present and not really worrying about everything that's going on around you because it really takes you out of that element and puts you in ego.

[Host]

Right. Ego is a dangerous spot to be in.

[Erica Barretto]

It is.

[Host]

A lot of people are in it. All right, guys, got Erica Barretto here. Welcome to Vegas.

[Erica Barretto]

Oh, thank you for having me. I'm so grateful for being here. Thank you.

[Host]

Of course. I'm sure you've been feeling all sorts of energy here in Vegas.

[Erica Barretto]

Yes, definitely. A lot. All different kinds, especially through the casinos.

[Host]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I always ask people, like psychics, I come here, like, what they're feeling. They say it's a lot of different stuff.

[Erica Barretto]

Absolutely. Yeah. I felt it immediately when we came in and, and even in the hotel room, so. Definitely can feel it throughout.

[Host]

The casinos have a lot of death.

[Erica Barretto]

They do, yeah. Especially with some events that have occurred here in the past. So I definitely felt a lot of that.

[Host]

Yeah. There's. There's one a week, suicide because of gambling.

[Erica Barretto]

Wow.

[Host]

But you'll never see it in the news.

[Erica Barretto]

I never knew that.

[Host]

Yeah. People jumping off balconies or whatever. It's. It's pretty serious.

[Erica Barretto]

That's interesting because we were definitely feeling some stuff there, so.

[Host]

Wow.

[Erica Barretto]

Wow.

[Host]

Have you always had these spiritual gifts?

[Erica Barretto]

Well, I have experienced a lot since I was younger. I had a lot of spiritual experiences. I want to say since I was 2 years old. I had imaginary friends, that's what we would call them. But I later found out that they were actually my spirit guides.

[Host]

Wow.

[Erica Barretto]

So I also do a lot of like precognitive dreams, premonitions, like things that I experience, but I didn't really get into my full on practices with actual development and doing it like properly and ethically until about. I want to say. What was I about? I want to say like 2019, 2020 was when I really started to like dive in and just really wanted to learn because I just knew. Right. I just knew Something was different. I knew that I was just a little bit more sensitive to different situations. But it does run in my family.

[Host]

Oh, it does.

[Erica Barretto]

My grandmother, she's a palm reader. She could also do mediumship. A lot of the women in my family are actually very sensitive, so I just kind of honed in on it to make it my, you know, my thing so I can help others.

[Host]

I love that. How does the palm reading work?

[Erica Barretto]

So I don't do palm reading. It's not my expertise. But I know that you would look at the palms and you would look according to certain lines. They tell you different things. Things like health, marriage. I know certain things. Like exes tell you, like if you're psychic, how psychic you are. Even marriage lines. Right. So this is a. This is what I know. So apparently, like, these two lines here on the side, if you can see them, they are your relationship lines and your marriage lines. So you may be able to distinguish. Like, for me, when they told me I have one serious relationship and one marriage, because I only have two lines.

[Host]

Got it.

[Erica Barretto]

So, yeah. There's nothing else there. So.

[Host]

So I have, like, a big line. Right. So that's marriage.

[Erica Barretto]

Yes, that's definitely marriage.

[Host]

Okay. I'm getting married next year, so that makes sense. And it's on both hands. The same thing.

[Erica Barretto]

Congratul. Oh, okay. So that's a rare thing, too, to have mirroring things on both hands.

[Host]

Well, yeah, that. Lines on both.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah. So when both hands mirror, according to what I have been, like, told, that is actually a rare thing.

[Host]

Really?

[Erica Barretto]

But one. Especially on how the person develops this technique of reading, because people learn differently. But the lady who I actually got a palm reading from when I went to Salem, she told me that she learned with two hands. So one hand would be like your younger childhood and the other hand would be your adult life.

[Host]

Interesting.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah.

[Host]

So, okay, well, I am getting married kind of young, so that could be why.

[Erica Barretto]

Could. Could. Wow, that's interesting.

[Host]

That's cool. So what's your specialty? Because there's a lot of different.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah, so my specialty, what I started off with is. Is mediumship, but it's a specific type, which is evidential mediumship, which is based on evidence. Right. Being able to bring through specific pieces of information for the people that we read for so that you can. We can just validate the afterlife. Right. Because there's so many people that I want to say we call them charlatans, which they would be, you know, scammers. But if you're bringing through specific pieces of evidence, there's the proof is right there. It speaks for itself because I I bring through information that spirit gives me that only you would know. Memories, specific items, maybe places you would have visit. Right? But it's very specific to you which makes it, I believe that much more better so that you can connect better with it and of course the healing that comes from it. Right, I started.

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[Host]

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[Erica Barretto]

LinkedIn the place to be in my my path with that and intuitive tarot which is, you know, I know what the tarot card meanings are, but I also can look at the pictures and they just tell me different things each time depending on what I'm getting psychically and I'll get or whatever that is just to give whatever I have to give for the person that I'm reading for.

[Host]

Yeah, tarot cards fascinate me because logically, you know, picking a random card, 1 out of 50 chance or whatever, but it always seems to hit. You know what I mean? It's crazy.

[Erica Barretto]

It does. I really love it because I feel like those are tools that are used and they're very specific to you. Right. They tell a story and, you know, according to who the practitioner is and how they read. Everybody's different, but it. You get information, but it's very specific for you. So I. I love it.

[Host]

I love that the psychic stuff is mind blowing. I have a personal psychic that I use sometimes, and she predicted when I'd buy a house, when I'd come into money, when I'd get into relationships. Spot on.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah. Because the cards have numbers on them. Each card has numbers and, like, depending on the questions that the client would ask for. If, like, for instance, I had a client who asked, you know, when she would have a baby, and I said, well, let's ask the cards. So I was just lining them up, and I got a card which was the number 12. I was like, well, it's showing me a year. And she was like, you know what? That's funny, because that's exactly what I'm trying to plan to have a child a year. So it's very specific, especially, you know, when you ask the right questions. Because sometimes if you don't ask the right questions, it could be like, I don't know, it could be all over the place. So it's how you ask the questions is how the story will be told.

[Host]

With the cards, are you able to defy the cards? Like, can you change the prediction ever?

[Erica Barretto]

I don't think you can change the prediction. I think that the cards pretty much change it. And, like, it gives you the story, Right? But here's the thing. Like, if I'm pulling cards and I pull, I'll pull like five cards, right? But now I'm looking at the spread, and I'm like, okay, you know what? This one goes here, this one here. Like, that's how that would go, depending on what it makes me feel. Feel. But if I'm pulling them out the way I, you know, just directly pull them out the deck, it's just how I feel, really. And if I feel like, okay, you know what? This goes here, this one's there, and that's how I tell the story.

[Host]

So, yeah, what are some common problems people come to you? Like, questions they want answered?

[Erica Barretto]

A lot of love, a lot of love, a lot of job, finances, things of that nature. And sometimes they'll ask questions about just spirit led, which is the ones that I love so much. Because you're just really leaving it up to the cards to tell you what it is that you need to hear.

[Host]

Right?

[Erica Barretto]

Because it's like, sometimes people will have specific Questions. But when you just let the universe do its thing and give you what it is that you're needing for that moment, I think that's way more. I don't know. I think that's a better, like, thing to do, because the story that comes out for the client, it's like. It's. It's exactly what they needed to know. And I feel like it's so helpful. So. Yeah, I love that.

[Host]

That's cool. You mentioned you saw your spirit guides at 2 years old.

[Erica Barretto]

Yes.

[Host]

Are those just you from past lives or who exactly are those guides?

[Erica Barretto]

I have not connected them to my past lives, but what I do feel, because I see them, and for me, they. It's a man. I have a man, a male main guide who is a man. But we have several guides. I have so many for different areas and things in my life. But I do have one main. One that's always with me as well as my loved ones, who I wouldn't say they were. They are my spirit guides, but they are like my helpers. They do help me, but I don't know, I feel like they. They're just there for. They don't. They're not there to do the job. That's one thing. They're there to just help us, guide us, nudge us in the right direction. But who are they? I don't know specifically who they are. I don't even know if they had a life on Earth, because that's questions you could definitely ask your guides. You can ask them, like, who were you? What did you do?

[Host]

You never asked yours.

[Erica Barretto]

I did. We did a meditation once, and in this meditation, I got that my spirit guide was a mathematician. A mathematician from, like, the 1800s. And of course, I looked up mathematicians, and I got a few of them, but I really couldn't pick.

[Host]

But that'd be tough to find.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah, Yeah. I. But I'm like, you know what? That'd be funny that you'd be a mathematician, because you're always giving me numbers, and I'm dyslexic, and I just cannot figure it out with the numbers. So I think it's quite. It's like a joke every time I get numbers and I'm like, okay, I get it. I know what I have to do because I have, like, a specific language. Which you could do with your spirit guides. You can create a language with them, and I do it with numbers. So when I see certain things, like, certain people think, oh, there's a universal, you know, meaning for 1, 1, 1 2. 2. 2. 3. 3. 3. But for me, they don't mean the same thing.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Erica Barretto]

I have a different language with my guides, so you could do that yourself. That's something you could do if you are wanting to create that and just not really understanding how to hear them. You can create a language with them, with numbers and symbols.

[Host]

Yeah. That's interesting. Sometimes I feel like my guides are trying to reach me in my dreams.

[Erica Barretto]

They. Do you think exactly how they do it? Yeah. Especially for somebody who's not really. Like, if you're not, it takes a. Being aware. Right. Being aware, being present in order for you to really hear them. Right. And that's where my next thing was, with intuition. Because now that's what I really love to teach people. Because I can, you know, help you, but you could also do it yourself. And that's my main goal, is to help people so that they know that you could do this too. Like, I'm not special because I can talk to the other side and I can do tarot. Everybody can do it. It's just really taking the time to be present, be aware, so that you could, you know, understand the language, the symbols or whatever it is, and they will come to you in your dreams first. So that's like level one of awareness, understanding whatever it is that they're trying to give you. Keeping a dream journal. Right. Which is very important so that you could decipher the messages that are coming out, whether it's coming from your subconscious mind or if it's coming from, you know, universal consciousness, which is your guides. And that's where we connect with them. So. Yeah, that's a. That's a great way. And that's also a way the loved ones come through.

[Host]

Yeah. I've seen some. Some deceased loved ones in my dreams.

[Erica Barretto]

Visitation.

[Host]

So what's the meaning of that?

[Erica Barretto]

Those are visitations, and those are very valid experiences. They are just as real as how me and you sitting here right now.

[Host]

Wow.

[Erica Barretto]

Those are. I think they're so meaningful because I feel like when you are in that state of awareness in your dreams and they visit you, you wake up feeling like if you were just right in front of them. There's just attachment of feeling. And I don't know if you've noticed this, but they don't talk with their mouths. They talk with their minds.

[Host]

Whoa. Yeah. Never actually talk to me with their mouth.

[Erica Barretto]

No, because they're speaking to you with their minds. And that's how, you know, it's like a. It's a visitation. It's a valid visitation because they're not going to speak to you and you're going to see their mouth moving. No, they're going to speak with, to, to you with their minds. And you're going to be able to, you know, receive whatever messages or, you know, healing, whatever's needed for you in that moment. But those are really valid experiences.

[Host]

That is interesting. So does that mean they haven't crossed yet, if they're appearing in dreams?

[Erica Barretto]

No, they definitely cross. So that's another thing that gets told a lot with mediumship. And there's so many different beliefs and so many different practices, you know, because depending on what it is that you do, how you go about your mediumship, I practice the way I've practiced and learned and developed. Spirit does not get stuck. Spirit immediately goes over to the other side. Now it's like an elevator, right, of frequencies. So depending on, you know, things that they may have experienced, these are the things that they have to deal with. That's called the life Review. But everybody goes to the other side now for energies that feel like they're stuck here, right. Is what people would say. Stuck, spirit, spirits. It's more of just that energy. It's like fractals of energy that people experience. That energy of feeling like, oh, that's somebody here or. And it's also the interpretation, right? So if a medium isn't properly developed and they feel like this person is angry or if they went through something, it's going to feel like they're stuck, right? But when you really feel into that and you expand a little bit more on that energy, you're going to get this sense of feeling that this is how this person was in life. These are the experiences that they had when they were here. They might have had some mental health issues, they might have had some addictions that they were going through. Whatever life experiences they have, that is what they're bringing you. That's what the evidence is. So it's up to the medium to interpret the, the message that way. But if you're not properly developed, it's easy to really not, you know, get that, that feeling of, well, you know what? I think they're stuck or they're in a dark place. No, that's where they were when they were alive. More than likely when they expand more, you'll get that sense of feeling that they are in a beautiful place. Cuz most likely. I've had so many different readings with so many different experiences with people who have taken themselves over to the other side. Traumatic passings by other people's hands. Right. Different types of passings, traumatic and car accidents. It's all the same. They'll show you things, but they all go to the other side and they. And sometimes they will explain what their heaven looks like. So whether they like to fish or whether they were somebody who loved rainbows and gardens and trees, that's what they'll show me.

[Host]

That's cool.

[Erica Barretto]

But I'll also get that feeling like, oh, this is blissful. This is beautiful. This is their heaven. Yeah, yeah. So it's just. It's about the feeling and it's about the interpretation. But I necessarily don't believe that's. Spirits get stuck. Spirit is highly intelligent. They know things that are happening in the future or in the past. Like, there's no time on the other side. None whatsoever. So I don't know. I just can't explain it any more better than then. They are highly intelligent. And for our egoic minds to believe that we can cross over a soul, that's just crazy to me.

[Host]

Yeah, that's interesting that there's no time. So 10 years could pass on this earth, and for them it feels like nothing.

[Erica Barretto]

Like nothing.

[Host]

Wow.

[Erica Barretto]

Like nothing.

[Host]

That's crazy.

[Erica Barretto]

So. And it's funny, I don't know if you've ever seen that movie, a ghost story. Me and my sister were just talking about that the other day. And it's a real good storyline where you could see how spirit kind of knows, like, things from the future in the past, but everything's all at once because there's no timeline. So it's an interesting watch.

[Host]

That is fascinating. Do you believe in generational trauma?

[Erica Barretto]

Yes, absolutely, 100%.

[Host]

And that's passed down from either side of the. Like, mother and father.

[Erica Barretto]

Either side. Yes, I definitely believe in that. And that has to do a lot with the healing work. And as a medium, I have to say a lot of people don't, like, fully go through with development because of how much work we have to do. As the person who's going to be helping others with healing, we have to do it ourselves. And sometimes when we give readings to other people, there's things there that are like light bulbs that go off. Like, oh, okay, that makes a lot of sense to me. But I wouldn't say that to my client. But those are things. It's like the healing goals, vice versa. Like I'm. I'm helping. And their loved ones bringing through the reading here to help with that trauma. Meanwhile, it's actually helping me too, because there's so many things that spirit will bring through. Through our own encyclopedia of experiences. And that's why I think there's so many people that can do this, because we all have different encyclopedias of experience. I won't have the same experience as somebody else who's another medium. You know, they may have had a different type of childhood trauma versus mine, but I'm able to relate to the person that's sitting in front of me. And that's why I say spirits so intelligent. Because I feel like there's a way that they align these meetings up in a way that I'm able to speak to them and bring through the evidence, because it's like, I already know it. It's part of my encyclopedia.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Erica Barretto]

Of experiences.

[Host]

I love that. When you're healing people, do you ever feel like their trauma latches on to you?

[Erica Barretto]

I want to say some readings have been rough. I've definitely felt some things a little bit after, but I learned to really release that energy. At the beginning, it was rough because I didn't really know how to properly do it. So I would feel it for a while. But now, so much I don't like. I really just, you know, I feel like it's about the intent that we put in it. We just release, whether it's, you know, whatever practices you do. I do like showers. I do the smudging, the sage, whatever it is that helps me. But I definitely do just energetic things, or I'll just, you know, imagine what do I call them? Psychic scissors. I cut the little psychic strings off. So I just do that to, you know, clear the energy off.

[Host]

But that's important because a lot of healers actually pass away young.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah.

[Host]

And I don't know if they're. They know that they need to be clearing their energy all the time.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah. I think that some people. I mean, you know what? That's a good thing. That's a. Like, I never thought about that.

[Host]

Yeah. A lot of them pass away super young. And they say your pets inherit your trauma and sickness, too.

[Erica Barretto]

Oh, my goodness.

[Host]

And they. They pass away pretty early.

[Erica Barretto]

So I never even thought about that. I do believe that the pets, though, they do come back, especially the ones that we've had, and they come back to us in different. Other, like, other pets. Because if you look at the pets, and sometimes if you had, like, a pet from the past, and there's something that your other pet would have done, now your new pet does it, but it's, like, a little bit different. So, like, if they had a little like, cough. Or maybe they were just pickers. Yeah, it's kind of the same.

[Host]

But that makes me feel better knowing that.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah. Because your pets and pets come through too, in reading.

[Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Erica Barretto]

Oh, my God.

[Host]

They can talk.

[Erica Barretto]

They can talk. Dogs. Yes, they can talk. Right. You know, it's just like, they'll give. They'll give me, like, their favorite toy, their favorite little, like, blanket or little snacks, like, whether it's ice cream or whatever their owner would have gave them. And their energy, it feels like. Feels like baby energy. Like, it's so playful. It's high. It's high. Loving energy that the pets come through itself. I. I love when they come through for clients.

[Host]

Why is the energy so, like, good when you're a baby? And then it kind of. You know what I mean?

[Erica Barretto]

With the pets.

[Host]

No, with human babies, like, it's so pure, and then it kind of.

[Erica Barretto]

They are pure. We get. We get society, man. It's. It's the way that we are conditioned. Right. The way society conditions us and making us feel like we have to prove ourselves or we have to. It's like the school system as well. I feel it really changes us. And. And I say, like, I believe it's at the age of seven where the consciousness changes. So from that imaginative state, you know, the playfulness, now it becomes the, well, why do I look like this? And why is my hair like this? Or why is their shoes better than my shoes?

[Host]

Right.

[Erica Barretto]

You know, and there's different things that happen there because now the comparison comes in. The ego is developing. So now things change because now it's like, okay, well, that. That imaginative energy now becomes a little bit lower, you know, in frequency. Because now you're worried about everything else around you. You're not worried about what. I mean, what am I doing right here in front of me? Right. So it changes because now your awareness changes to. To the different things. So I believe it's society.

[Host]

That's so true. I remember first grade, everyone was friends. And then second, third grade started getting a little clicky.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah. Like, your shoes have lights of. I don't.

[Host]

Yeah. That is so relatable. Yeah. I wish we could keep that first grade mindset longer.

[Erica Barretto]

And you know what? And I think when people are tapping in, like, if you are really wanting to work on, like, your intuition and things like that, the most important thing for you to do is to be aware, is to be present, but also utilize your creative side of your mind, because that's where a lot of our abilities come from. Right. Your ability to expand and just be playful and do the things that you really enjoy. Because that's what it's about. It's about being present and not really worrying about everything that's going on around you. Because it really takes you out of that element and puts you in an ego. So.

[Host]

Right. Ego's a dangerous spot to be in.

[Erica Barretto]

It is.

[Host]

A lot of people are in it.

[Erica Barretto]

It is. I feel like majority of society is in it. And that's why a lot of things I feel like are going on in the world right now.

[Host]

You know.

[Erica Barretto]

And people are just so stuck on worrying about what everybody else is doing. How much can I make? And you know, And I think there's just so much more to life to worry about.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Erica Barretto]

And especially just not worrying about everybody else. But being helpful. Finding something where you can be helpful for people. And I feel like that's where a lot of things get, like. I want to say it gets blind for people because everybody's worried about me, me. What can I do for me, me. But what could you do for somebody else?

[Sponsor]

100.

[Erica Barretto]

And I feel like that really helps. Right. Even if it's just. And I call those, like planting the seeds. So that's why I love to help people. I love to teach people. I do a free, like, practice circles and stuff because I want people to learn to be present, to be here. You could do this too. And when you do that, your life gets that much better. Like, I really believe that because when you become aware of the thoughts, you kind of dim the light on the ego. Right. And you brighten that up. And it's almost like you question everything now. So present is key.

[Host]

Yeah. It's been a battle for me. Coming from a narcissistic family. That was the way I thought pretty oftenly. But I've had to shift that massively. But even now I feel ego creeping up here and there and I gotta just be aware of it.

[Erica Barretto]

That's it. That's it. You're winning. Though. Once you become aware, nothing else matters. Because even if you find yourself and you think, oh man, I'm an ego, again, it doesn't matter. You just became aware that you were an ego.

[Host]

Right.

[Erica Barretto]

That right there alone is like, you're winning, you're succeeding. So when you do that continuously do that. Right. That will help you to be more expansive. And also looking at people and the way they react. You can tell when people are an ego and you can tell when somebody is being present. There's a big difference. And especially with people who are really successful. If you are doing things in the moment and you are really enjoying what you're doing, you're not an ego. Believe it or not, you're. Because you're present, you're enjoying what you're doing, but when you're doing something, and I just had this conversation this morning reading a book, which is another good book. A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. Beautiful book.

[Host]

I've heard of it.

[Erica Barretto]

Beautiful book. And in this book, I was actually reading it before here. And when you are, it's like when you are doing things and you're. You're not, and you're an ego and you're actually thinking about, well, how can I be on top of that one? How can I get better? How can I make more? That's ego. Because you're not worrying about being in the present and just focusing on that one thing that you're good at.

[Host]

So many people think like that too.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah. So if you're thinking about how do I get better or what can I do to get one up on this one, or just be more successful, make more money. You're an ego. Damn.

[Host]

That's the mindset of a lot of business and entrepreneurs, though. So do you think that's harmful to them?

[Erica Barretto]

Not if they enjoy what they're doing and being helpful to help other people.

[Host]

Got it.

[Erica Barretto]

Because if they're helpful for other people and trying to, I guess, pave a little path for them, then I don't believe that they're an ego. Because if they enjoy it and they're good at it.

[Host]

Yeah, there's a balance. That's why with podcasting, it's the perfect balance for me, because I love it. Money's decent, but we're just inspiring so many people. It's awesome. Like we're saving lives.

[Erica Barretto]

Exactly. But you see, like, that's a beautiful thing because you're also planting a seed in people's lives. You're also helping them and giving them different perspectives, different views, open mindedness. Right. Not really focusing on one thing, but being very open to different things.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Erica Barretto]

Different cultures, different whatever it is, different beliefs. Right. Because there's so many different things that everybody has. And that's another thing people think like, well, if you're not this way, then you, you're not good. Right. But there's the good and the bad. That's the ego. So just, Just be. Just be. Just be.

[Host]

Yeah. It's important to discuss multiple things. Like if we had this conversation five, ten years ago, I would have doubted it. Most People would have. Right. But now I feel like it's becoming more acknowledged.

[Erica Barretto]

It is. It's the awareness and the expansion of consciousness on a collective level. Because I feel like people are just being more aware of things that are going on around them. But I think the practices of just, I want to say being helpful or just being present and practicing gratitude as well is something that is. Is helpful with that. But it's just this level of, like, worrying about other people and not just focusing on the self, so.

[Host]

Right. A lot of people compare themselves because of social media.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah.

[Host]

It's dangerous.

[Erica Barretto]

It is a scary place, social media. I try not to do much scrolling.

[Host]

I don't scroll on my feed.

[Erica Barretto]

Oh, my gosh. You can't. You can't. It will destroy you. Yeah, but, yeah, I've had to learn that. That wasn't something I knew right away. Right. I had to learn that. And it's been helpful to just do what I have to do. Spread the message, spread the love and retract. Like, yeah, pull back and just let it do its thing.

[Host]

It's a dangerous game. I remember in high school, I used to want a six pack just so I could look good for photos.

[Erica Barretto]

That's.

[Host]

That was the reason. Just to compare myself to other guys.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah.

[Host]

It's crazy, right?

[Erica Barretto]

It is, it is. And so many people do that. And I think that's what keeps everybody sad. Right. Because you're comparing. Comparing is the thief of joy. If you're comparing yourself to other people, you're not being yourself. If everybody looked the same, that'd be boring.

[Host]

Right.

[Erica Barretto]

And that's why I also say, like, with this work, if everybody taught the same exact things, it'd be boring. And that's why it's so important, especially if you find a teacher that teaches these type of practices, whether it's mediumship or you wanting to learn about psychism, intuition. I feel like teachers should meet their students where they're at. Right. Don't change them and make them a you. Like, don't become me because of what I do. Be you. And I tell that to every one of my students. Like, please just always stay yourself. You're gonna have so many different mentors, but it's so important for you. You might mirror some things that I do, which is beautiful, but make them your own. Make them your own. Take what you can and continuously grow. Grow and just spread the seeds. Continue to help other people. Because I just feel like that's what this spiritual work is about. Right. And. And that's why I think a lot of practices with spirituality, yes, there's money to be made. There are people, you know, there's several people making hundreds of thousands of dollars doing this. But if that's your main focus, then you're in this for the wrong reason, because that's not what it should be about. It should really be about the helping, the healing, trying to reach as many people as you can. Right. And I. That's why I do a lot of free stuff. It's a balance. Right. So like I'll do free readings on my social media platforms and I'll do free practice circles and I mentor a few people for free.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Erica Barretto]

I do that because that's the way I give back. And when I do that, it's. I kid you not, I get to my website and then it's like bling. Somebody booked with me.

[Host]

Right.

[Erica Barretto]

So I'm like, thank you.

[Host]

Comes back to you.

[Erica Barretto]

It does. It comes back. And when you give and you give without the intention of receiving anything in return, that's where the magic is. Cuz you're giving from your heart, you're giving from a place of love.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Erica Barretto]

And it balances its way out.

[Host]

Absolutely. I feel that way with podcasters too. They shouldn't be in it for money. No, that shouldn't be the main thing.

[Erica Barretto]

No, it shouldn't. But it, I mean, a lot of.

[Host]

People started just to make money, but it's like the wrong mindset in my opinion.

[Erica Barretto]

And I feel like it catches up. Eventually it catches up because it's either burnout. Right. There's the comparison thing again.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Erica Barretto]

And then they start looking at different ways to do things. But if you went into something with broadness. Right. Openness to different. Just different things and that maybe staying in a niche. Right. Just being open to whatever it is, you keep yourself out into that openness to being able to experience different things.

[Host]

Yeah. Have you ever come across a haunting or anything crazy?

[Erica Barretto]

Oh, my goodness. So I used to work in corrections.

[Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Erica Barretto]

I was in law enforcement. And this was a story I had told before. But I had walked into an area and I saw somebody upstairs, stairs. And when I looked, I was like, who's that? Why are they out from their cell? Because everybody's sleeping. Why is this person walking around? So I looked back to my officer. My officer was like, well, there's nobody there. I was like, what do you mean? I looked up, nobody there. And she began to tell me a story about, you know, a soul that was there that had taken their lives and threw themselves Over. And that's soul is still lingering around in there. And it was a very high profile area with a lot of different situations that happen with inmates that were there. But that energy is still there. Like she. It's just the energy, the fractal, not the soul, the fractal of the energy. But you just pick up on that, like hauntings. And that's what that is. That's fractal energy of what you're feeling there.

[Host]

Oh, so it's not the soul.

[Erica Barretto]

It's just leftover souls over there. It's a fractal of the energy. That's why some people like, oh, well, things are moving. And why do I hear knocking? A lot of the times that's just your grandma trying to get your attention. Like, you know, that's just somebody, probably one of your loved ones just trying to say, like, hey, yeah, right. And it's the same thing. Like if you hear somebody yell your name, like some, some people like, oh, that's evil. No, you're not supposed to answer people who yell your name. But that could just be your loved one. Remember, they're at a different frequency. It's like a radio station. So you have to kind of turn the dial in order to be able to get them at that same frequency. So you can hear them. Right. But if you are not aware enough, you're gonna hear them like yelling versus Right. Saying my name. But you'll hear them yelling. And that's because they're like, can you hear me? But it's not because they're trying to scare you. It's because they're trying to get your attention.

[Host]

Yep. Happened to my cousin in Iraq. So his father passed and he was walking with his best friend and his father screamed his voice he heard in his ear and he jumped.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah.

[Host]

Landmine blew up. His best friend died. His thigh got blown off, but he survived. And similar story with me. I'm at the airport and I hear my dad's voice in my ear, like, Sean, like, just screams my name. I'm like, what the hell has ever happened before? We get on the plane and it gets delayed. I'm like, what the hell? Gets delayed again. So now I'm like, I'm getting off the scene because also my fiance was with me and her dad was in her dreams the night before.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah.

[Host]

And he just passed too. So we both got off that plane and it ended up never taking off.

[Erica Barretto]

Wow.

[Host]

Crazy, right?

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah. That's what. Because that's what they're there to do. They're. They're there to help us, to nudge us and to give us signs. Right. However that is. So I always say, don't ignore it. Don't ignore it, because it's always there to help us and guide us in the right direction. But, yeah, spirit has a nice way of kind of getting our attention.

[Host]

I was really upset because I got upgraded to first class.

[Erica Barretto]

Yeah.

[Host]

I didn't want to get off, but, man, that's crazy.

[Erica Barretto]

Well, yeah. I mean, he saved you, right? I was like, it took off.

[Host]

Yeah. Probably would have crashed because the stabilizer wasn't working.

[Erica Barretto]

The wings. Yeah. So, I mean, there's so many different experiences I've had. I want to say I felt like I've always felt things just kind of standing there, and I've always kind of known things were with me. I just. I would be kind of freaked out when I was a kid. And I didn't really know because I was like, what is that?

[Host]

Yeah.

[Erica Barretto]

Why do I always feel like somebody is just standing there? And I didn't understand.

[Host]

I used to feel that, too.

[Erica Barretto]

And then after, I, like, I had to retire, so I don't work no more because I had, like, a major brain surgery that kind of, like, messes with my balance. So after that surgery, things kind of gotten a little bit louder, and it was just hard. I couldn't ignore it then. And I was just like, why am I seeing people? And I'm just seeing them from the corner of my eyes. I am hearing things. My dreams were very vivid, and I had, like, a super duper scary, like, precognitive, like, premonition dream of, like, a world event that happened. It happened. And I was like, what's going on? Like, why am I seeing. Holy crap. So now I don't get so much scared now. I just kind of see it for what it is.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Erica Barretto]

It's not, because it's not a nightmare for me. So that's another way of being able to distinguish a precognitive dream versus a nightmare. In a nightmare, it's going to feel like a nightmare. Like, you're going to be running, you're screaming, you're frantic. But when it's a precognitive dream, you are an observer. You're calm, and you're just looking around and seeing things happening. So therefore, you can tell the difference in energy. Like, okay, okay, I see that. I see that. And you wake up and it's just like, what was that? Like, what was. Why did. I just, like, had that experience? And I've recorded these things which is why I could say they're precognitive and they. Some of them have, you know, come true. I record them in the dream journal and I write them down and now I can go back and say like, check, check, check. Those have, you know, been validated. So, yeah, they can be freaky.

[Host]

But yeah, sometimes your dreams are so accurate and they end up coming true. Right.

[Erica Barretto]

They do. A lot of them. And again, that's just another way that we receive messages. No, pay attention. Right. Because that's how the universe speaks to us. When we are not aware enough in the physical to pick up on the sign.

[Host]

Yeah. What do nightmares mean, in your opinion? I used to have those a lot as a child.

[Erica Barretto]

Nightmares, to me are levels of the subconscious mind of things that we have went through, our traumas, fears, things that we have experienced where they'll come and haunt us. Whether it's like us thinking there's like shark people chasing us or whatever it is. Right. It'll come up in different ways, but I also feel like it's just the subconscious mind just playing the fears out to us. But it's also helpful, right, because it's things you need to work on. So if there's something there and it's a nightmare, try to figure out, why is it a nightmare? What were you seeing? Were you seeing bears? Were you seeing. Were you in a room that was closing in on you? Were the windows closed? Was there water coming in? What dream was it? Try to decipher what it is that you're getting because there's a message there. Whatever it is, there's a message there. Yeah, it's just about paying attention to what it is.

[Host]

Erica, it's been fun. Where can people find out more about you and potentially get a reading?

[Erica Barretto]

You can find me. I'm on Tick Tock. I go by intuitively. Erica. I'm on Instagram. My website is loveandlighthealingheart.com you can schedule with me there. If you are interested in learning about mediumship intuition, you could also look free circles there. I have free development. And that's at again, loveandlighthealinghearts. Com.

[Host]

Perfect. We'll link below. Thanks for coming on.

[Erica Barretto]

Thank you.

[Host]

Yeah, thanks for watching, guys, as always. See you tomorrow.

[Erica Barretto]

Thanks for having me.