Berkeley Psychic Institute

Berkeley, United States

3.4

20 reviews

By Appointment Only

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Telephone:
+1 510-558-9450
Website:
www.berkeleybpi.com
Address:
1900 Addison St Ste M, Berkeley, CA, 94704
b/t Milvia St & Martin Luther King Jr Way
Downtown Berkeley
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
380 ftUniversity Av & Martin Luther King Jr Way
460 ftUniversity Avenue & Martin Luther King Jr Way
540 ftCenter Street & Milvia Street
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Bussiness info

Good for Kids
Yes
By Appointment Only
Yes

Today

Today –
Local time (Berkeley) 14:37 Friday, 29 November 2024

Business hours

Monday 1:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Tuesday 1:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Wednesday 1:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Thursday 1:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday –
Saturday 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

General and specialized 2 hour long aura readings on a variety of topics.

8 week long meditation and healing classes starting each month.

Workshops and Demonstrations both inside the Institute and at your business, gathering or party.

Meditation is the first step on your spiritual path toward recognizing your own psychic abilities. The simplest way to be psychic is through amusement. Psychic Meditation allows you to relax and enjoy yourself in your body, as you explore your own psychic space: both the energy in the body and the energy around your body called the aura.

History

Established in 1973.

The Berkeley Psychic Institute was created as a sanctuary for sensitive people. It was started by Lewis Bostwick. It is a place for people to explore their awareness as spirit, their psychic abilities. We teach people to control their psychic abilities and know how to turn them on and off, how to have amusement with them and how to create the miracles in their lives that they want to see happen. We do this by teaching meditation, energy healing, how to read an aura, and teaching tools to deal with the energies we find ourselves taking on every day. We teach people how to find their own answers and live their own truth.

Meet the Manager

Nysa L.

Manager

I have been teaching psychic awareness for almost 10 years. I got started young; coming here for a reading at the age of 21. Once I realized this place was for real, there was no getting rid of me! I love to watch people grow and learn, especially to see them realize they ARE doing something they never thought possible — read an aura and be right on, meditate peacefully for an hour, do a healing where they locate and clear the pain on a stranger’s body. Spiritual growth isn’t difficult, it’s a committment to one’s self. Without that committment, I would not be as happy and healthy as I am today. To see others reap the benefits of that committment is a great reward for me.

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20 reviews of Berkeley Psychic Institute

No registration required
Place rating: 1
San Francisco, CA
It’s a cult, and they know you figured it out right after you stepped through the door. But since they won’t try to get you to move to South America and drink koolaid or anything, it’s all just kind of fun, right? OK, I got a reading, so I guess why not check out a class, then sign up for another one. Suddenly one day you’re taking out a loan for a 3-​year program where you are payng them for the privilege of teaching those classes. Huh? But I did handyman work on the Bostwick ranch to meet my «service tithing» requirement, so how did I wind up in collections with trashed credit? Hello. The mantra is you create your own reality, which means anyone vulnerable enough to fall for this baloney, as far as BPI is concerned, basically had it coming. Big golden thank-​you for that life lesson, guys. Before you other ex-​reverends and aspiring auraphiles bash me, I thought Lewis was a great man, too, folks. The hours Lew, Jeannie and I spent with the e-​meter, back when Dianetics auditing really was about becoming clear, yielded insights I would not trade for anything. But we should all ponder why the readings (here and at all of our imitation institutes) always end with the suggestion to sign up for a class? One more class, one more reading, one more program, one more institute…
Place rating: 3
Vallejo, CA
The reason I am giving it three stars and not one! Is due to the fact my first reading was absolutely mind blowing and accurate.
However, the second reading I received today was absolutely a waste of my time and money!
If I would have been told the people I would be readying with was going to be via Skype I would have definitely left. But being that I had already paid I had no choice.
As my readying was being done two of the employees (I suspect one of them supervises the office), where going in and out of my room, and making gestures at each other. I can not tell you how distracting they both were!
One of them decided to plop himself in a chair inches away from me to text, and look at the time continuously.
Then one of the readers on Skype said something to one of the men in the room he found disrespectful and it all went to crap from there.
After it was over I was rushed out like garbage.
I could tell the readers didn’t really know what the hell they were talking about. It was basic surface mess. Like when they ask you, «Tell me more about it so I could get a clear picture».Type thing.
I don’t think all of the readers are bad. The first two I had were life changing for me! The two I seen today on top of the rude men in the room is the sole reason why I gave 3 stars instead of 5.
Place rating: 1
Sparks, NV
I used to take meditation classes at the BPI, however they wanted me to start paying more money, and investing more of my time, i eventually left after being pushed to sign a contract for the clairvoyance program. BPI is a cult. They just want to take your money. I used to give out readings, and I honestly had no idea what I was saying. I didn’t feel right about it, but they would always encourage me regardless. I wasted both my money and time.
Place rating: 2
Hayward, CA
Went to the fair, it’s a good thing I proceeded with caution and only paid the 12.00 for the reading. Very general, did not make much sense, weird reading experience, I left utterly confused. They talked about colors which I had no idea what it meant. It was a waste of tme, but it was only 12.00 so didn’t lose much.
Place rating: 5
Redondo Beach, CA
I’m currently 2⁄3 done with my Clairvoyant class, my teacher is an original Student/​reverend of Dr. Bostwick. I’m truly blessed to have her as my teacher.
YES, the new students don’t usually know the colors, they are new. Pay more for a better reading. Or go to BPI, they do free readings with their students. Then your not paying and it helps the students. If you feel that you weren’t in sync & your reading was complexly off, most of the time they will match you to one more reader.
Question: I see age noted quite a bit here… referring to a woman who was (more elderly). If you have grey hair or wrinkles it doesn’t always mean you’re old. If we’re all lucky we’ll get to experience that. I’m 55 and look much younger so I see how my friends who look their age are treated. It’s not very kind. We’re just as smart and quick witted as anyone else is. We’re not losing our minds at all. ;-)
Also, when women go through menopause, their psychic abilities tend to get stronger and more precise. Why do you think old women were dipicted as «being wise»?
Place rating: 1
Albuquerque, NM
I have since received a private message from «Mz-​Urban B.» who has obviously promoted Berkeley Psychic Institute in previous reviews here, asking me if I knew everything why did I seek out a reading… Well, «Mz. B» I had hoped to get some valid insight and «spiritual counseling» as you claim Berkeley Psychic Institute provides, and I didn’t get that at all from any of the 2 sorry readings. Truth of people’s negative reviews hurts, eh?
Place rating: 4
Earth, TX
The Institute is one of the largest Psychic organizations in the world. Maybe a little smaller now because of the economy and other psychic business’s but, the most reputable regarless of the some of the negative reviews.
Don’ts,-(when you come to a fair or reading), come to receive spiritual counselings (which is what they are because the graduates are ministers and psychics), come for a reading if you think you already know the answer to everything. If you know the answers to all your questions, then you do not need to come for a reading, correct? LOL.
Be aware that the organization is not staunch and super serious. It is about offering spiritual communication with compassion and also with a playful attitude and not taking life seriously because energy does not move and you cannot create from being serious, sad or angry;)
Place rating: 5
Orange, CA
I had a great time at the last Psychic Fair. That aura cleansing felt really great.
You know, if you told me I would be getting aura cleansings a year ago, I would have laughed and laughed. But they actually do feel good! And BPI does them for free at these fairs.
I sprang for some readings and honestly, I don’t really believe in that stuff, but some of the readers did manage to say things that related to me. But again, since I don’t necessarily believe 100%, I can’t really judge their ability. I had a fun time though.
They were very very friendly. I really liked this place.
Place rating: 3
Hayward, CA
Good but way rip off in price. It was $ 8,000 for the Clairvoyant Program, heard its $ 10,000 now if you are 35 years or older. Be careful. When you join the Clairvoyant Program they make you do maid service for the tithing that you have to fulfill. That means cleaning toilets, cleaning the dirty kitchen, organizing their filthy closets and buying, preparing and bringing the food for any party they want to throw at a whims notice. Some laugh and humiliate you. You will learn amazing things that will help you in life, but you will also be permanently scarred from the way some of the staff behaves in such an unprofessional way for such a high price. A life changing experience good and bad in extremes.
Place rating: 5
San Leandro, CA
Still using the tools I learned in the mid 90’s. What is taught there absolutely rocks! They usually throw a fair once a month and its easy to get a inexpensive reading. I also took the classes about creating a relationship with my future children. My big wish was for some sleep, well three kids in the book and I have only lost 9 nights worth.
Place rating: 3
Houston, TX
I had a 90 minute relationship reading with a graduate reader. The first hour was dedicated to reading post lives and how they might affect me in the present– I didn’t derek so sure about this part. Then she read the seven layers of my aura and this seemed more relevant. The last 30 minutes were dedicated to direct questions about the relationship. This part had a lot of value and helping me clarify which direction to go in. The reading turned up the volume in what I have known intuitively.
Place rating: 1
Seattle, WA
I went for a relationship reading, and must say it was absolutely INACCURATE and the WORST experience ever. Everything the four people told me about my relationship status was completely WRONG. I guess since most people go there for past lives reading, there’s no way to know whether they are full of nonsense or not. I am a spiritual person who has had lots of good experiences before, but BPI is a complete waste of time and money. They seemed to be very unprofessional, contradicting each other, and confused about what the other person was supposed to do. The worst was when they thought that it would be funny to tell, «bad jokes,» at which point, halfway through the supposedly 1.5 reading, I asked them to stop because it was a complete waste of my time. Then they insisted that I pay them for being absolutely inaccurate. $ 60 down the drain. Don’t waste your money.
Place rating: 3
Berkeley, CA
I have had different types of healings before & approached this with an open mind. The reading was interesting but somewhat disappointing for the money and time invested.
Upon entering I felt pressured to get a «healing» before my private reading was scheduled to start, performed by another person who was a part of a simultaneous clinic in a common area.
BPI would do well to pay a bit more attention to their space– the room where the reading was held was pretty bare, fluorescent lit, and I sat on a straight backed chair for the full 90 minutes or so. I’m not high maintenance but a few small touches could make the physical space much more comfortable for healing.
The female reader leading the reading was quite good. The physically present «side chair» seemed well intentioned but nervous, and near the end kept pushing the center’s meditation classes in a product placement type way. I was surprised that the other «side chair» was participating through an audio webcast. Speaking to this disembodied voice coming from a laptop was a bit strange while discussing very personal issues. It would have been nice to have been informed of this beforehand. This reader was also the least «accurate» of the readers. He felt the need to name very specific examples of things he was describing– some of which were way off, such as addressing issues with a partner that I do not have!
Overall, it was worth a shot, and I have friends who have had better experiences here, but I left somewhat frustrated. I will be sticking with reiki and acupuncture for my healing!
Place rating: 5
Concord, CA
our hold oh lets say life info at all cost. our hopefully best choices is what spills out for «iives and quality» there of that we drag around and live with. How can we opiate, or i mean
operate with info of false fear imprinted yesteryear. get neutral, presently affixed in ever changing now, Simply kindergarten simply now .THE UNIVERSE BENDS TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR PERCEPTION THERE OF INTERESTING SHIFT AFFORDED BY HOMELESS PERSON ASKING FOR CHANGE OUTSIDE IN FRONT OF BUILDING.
Place rating: 5
Sacramento, CA
This place is awesome! I’ve had experience with other psychics who seem a bit creepy and they aren’t genuinely interested. I experienced the exact opposite here. Although the readings were different then ones I’ve experienced any where else, they were also more personal. The reader talked about things that were only in my thoughts or things she could have never known. About my aspirations, my feelings and even referring to cloths I have that I wore for specific occasions.
Also, the women’s (and men’s) healing clinics are great! I even took a couple of their meditation classes. What I learned from everything is that I can heal myself. How to have healthy boundaries and to better understand my relationship with others as well as myself.
Taking classes there felt like getting in a really long run, then taking a shower and eating a delicious meal, in that order. I recommend it.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
I used to frequent this place, and I even took their introductory course on psychic meditation, which, by the way, was just awesome. I still use the tools I learned in that class and find them quite helpful. As a matter of fact, when I got in a car accident and the doctors gave me muscle relaxers to relax my back muscles (which tend to get very tight when you’re in an accident, and then stay tight for some time), I thankfully was taking that class, or just had finished, and was able to relax my back tension without drugs and with specific tools I learned in that class. Booya! Take that, doctors!!!
I highly recommend going to one of the psychic fairs and at least getting everything you can for free. They usually have free healings, and they may have free female and male healings/​cleansings, too.
I have paid for readings there, and I also took my mother to get an extended reading. Here’s what is to keep in mind: this is a school, and there are a million different readers. Someone reading your energy is, as I understand it, picking up mostly on things in you that relate to the reader, so every reading is different, and sometimes you may get a reader that you feel doesn’t really do a great job. That is part of it.
But I’ve gotten really wonderful readings here, too. It all depends on who you get to read you. It’s a lot more like therapy than anything else, really. But don’t expect to be blown away – you may be, but don’t expect it.
Everyone there is really nice and helpful, and the people come from a wide variety of backgrounds. It’s really a warm and inviting place, and not at all what you might expect.
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
I originally first learned about the Berkeley Psychic Institute when I was in high school, it must have been 2000, or 01. I’d always known I was psychic, so I’ve always been interested in other people who display such abilities. The first reading I got at the Psychic fair was dead on, the girl read the fuck out of me, and explained my abilities to me, which at the time made them a lot less scary. It was also free, I think she knew about my senses right away, so she wanted to get me in on it while I was still young. I’ve gone to a bunch of psychic fairs over the years, although I have never taken classes here. I’ve spoken to many members, and they’re all really on point– they’ll even let me know when I’m surrounded by psychic vampires.
Now, if I could only use this skill to figure out how to get really wealthy…
Place rating: 4
Vallejo, CA
I stumbled upon one of the BPI psychic fairs in Berkley. glad I did.
I chose a $ 12⁄10 minute reading, requesting the topic of personal relationships.
The student reader was rather good!
I gave some background info.
She listened, closed her eyes, went into a bit or a trance, then gave her impressions, (she accurately corrected a misstatement I made earlier.) As she offered clarity on my situation/​& suggestions, I felt she was genuinely tapping into some relevant perspective.
My time ended too quick, (interrupted by the monitor who allowed for a few free minutes) would like option to continue for 10 min more, and pay another $ 12, without loosing the flow of the moment.
I initially avoided the free healing, but followed reader’s advice and sat for one. this surprised me as I kind of felt as if my brain was being ‘rewired’ in some healing way.
My dream that evening was an uplifting one of being released from a jail after serving my alloted time)
(I also got a $ 30 parking ticket during fair, but didn’t care. I had a good experience worth the price in full)
Place rating: 2
Concord, CA
I convinced my boyfriend to go here with me for one of their psychic fairs. I checked the website and I swear it advertised readings at $ 10 each or 3 for $ 30 but I guess I read wrong because when we got there the price was $ 12 each or 3 for $ 30. We each paid for the 3; after all we were having fun.
First all the readers are students so don’t expect anything mind blowing. I’ve been to Boston’s Tea Room and have had great experiences that I choose to right about later plus I am fairly intuitive and read cards as well.
The palm and tarot readings are classic and are supposed to be 10 minutes so when, if, you go ask what kind of spread the reader is going to conduct (tarot). As far as the palm, the reader barely glanced at my palm instead choosing to read the energy generating from it? While her narratives about the energy being generated were interesting I was never told about the colors and what they mean. I also had a past life reading that had similar connections to the palm reading (different readers all the time) but again they couldn’t tell me what the colors mean. Colors have very strong symbolic readings and shouldn’t be «whatever you want them to mean».
I have yet to find any place that in the bay area that is good and reasonable as the Tea Room in Boston.
The psychic fair included a free aura cleanse which was good!
Place rating: 3
San Francisco, CA
Took classes here for a hefty price and not the greatest teacher, but hey, this was in the early days when their founder Mr. Bostwick was still alive and they got a ground swell going for classes throughout the West Coast (Berkeley, Sacramento, Palo Alto, Santa Rosa, etc.)started on a way to develop psi ability for those interested in confirming they were not crazy for feeling or seeing «ahem…certain…unusual …things». That’s all I can say for now, but they participate in many Psychic Fairs and can have students give free healings. And free healing exercises have generally been positive for me. Try it free first and go with skeptical (sp?) thoughts. That is okay. The healing still works and informs.