Event explores ‘sixth sense’

For AnneMarie Lewis, there are things in life that just can’t be explained by logic – vibes and visions with profound messages, symbols with unexpected meaning, serendipitous moments that happen too often to be dismissed as mere coincidence.

She and others call it a “sixth sense,” a hunch, a feeling, an insight that enlightens and sometimes jolts people from out of the blue.

Throughout her life, Lewis, the founder of Spokane’s Conscious Living, has relied on this sixth sense.

“Traditional religion and medicine didn’t give me the answers,” said the Colbert resident. “I discovered they were within. The answers came through meditation and intuition.”

To help those interested in tapping into their intuitive side, Lewis and her daughter, Chrissy Curry, have organized A Psychic Affair, a two-day event to “celebrate miracles, mystics and magic.” The exhibit at the Spokane Convention Center features classes and lectures with titles such as, “Everything Happens for a Reason” and “Discover Your Innate Power for Amazing Everyday Healing.” It’s a place to learn more about all things esoteric and metaphysical, including numerology, tarot readings and interpreting dreams.

“Intuitives, sensitives and psychics can and have a practical place in our lives,” said Lewis. “They can show us new options and possibilities when things aren’t going well … Sometimes they can be that gentle voice that speaks to you without judgment and assures you that you are going to be fine despite the obstacles.”

Lewis is the same person behind the “Body, Mind and Spirit Expo,” an annual exhibit on spirituality and holistic health that has drawn 7,000 to 10,000 people each year. Over the years, the expo has featured world-renowned speakers including Deepak Chopra, a doctor, author and leader in the field of mind-body healing. Some aspects of A Psychic Affair have always been part of the expo, Lewis explained, but it wasn’t until now that an event in Spokane has focused specifically on clairvoyance and the intuitive arts.

Lewis, a native of San Francisco, has always been interested in exploring her sixth sense. Raised Catholic but encouraged to explore yoga, meditation and psychic readings, Lewis said she has been on a spiritual journey since she was a child. About six years after moving to Spokane in 1976, Lewis started bringing authors and speakers to town to talk about spiritual awareness, holistic health and other related issues. In 1991, she organized the first Body Mind and Spirit Expo. Two years later, she officially named her business Conscious Living.

Conscious Living, which Lewis describes as “a spiritual center without walls,” was based out of her home all these years. This summer, however, she and Curry began a partnership that brought Conscious Living to the eclectic Garland neighborhood. Now located in a Mission-style building at 520 W. Garland, Conscious Living will eventually include a meditation room, a library and small shop with metaphysical books, magazines and two kinds of fair-trade Craven’s Coffee called “Conscious Living” and “Living Peace Blend.”

“We don’t have an agenda,” said Curry, who’s 30 and expecting her third child. “We want to help people find peace and spiritual solace.”

Curry said she believes there are different paths to the divine. Her own spirituality has been shaped by many faiths including Buddhism, Wicca and Christianity. During her youth in Spokane, she attended Unity Church of Truth on the South Hill and started meditating at an early age.

The world of metaphysics is slowly becoming more mainstream, said Curry, noting the popularity of the TV show “Medium,” which features a young mother who can see the dead. In fact, people use their sixth sense every day without even knowing it, she said.

Both mother and daughter can remember instances in their lives when their intuition kicked in and got them through some difficult times. “If you’re open, it will guide you through spots in your life when you need help,” said Curry.

Although in the past Lewis has been shunned and even harassed for her spiritual beliefs, she continues to explore metaphysical teachings and share her knowledge with those who are open to learning more.

“What drives me is a desire for peace — in my mind, my heart, my family and ultimately my world,” said Lewis. “My religion is sitting still and connecting with my God and my source.”