Aura or afterimage?

Q: I still have some doubt as to whether I am really seeing auras or not.

I don't really perceive any radiating energy--it's more of a white glow often with an inner layer of color, and usually of an odd shape which may project out further in some spots (like either side of the head).

Recently I quit drinking and started attending AA. The rooms where we meet are very conducive to seeing this, and I've noticed a lot of teal or iridescent green. Tonight, I was "reading" a couple of people, and I turned my attention to 2 empty chairs across the table from me. I was shocked to notice beige "ovals" in the empty chairs where a person would have sat...

Is it at all possible that I was picking up on a spirit's aura or something similar? To be honest, the experience made me think I've been fooling myself all along, and my eyes really are playing tricks on me!

Eva's Response: It does sound like you're seeing auras - the energy or light around things.

The two oval shapes above the chairs sounds like an after-image. This happens when you stare at something for too long then look away and that image is still burned on your retina. A quick way to tell if something is an aura or an after-image is to close your eyes quickly and if you see the image on the back of your eyelids it's an after-image.

I also see spirits. I see them in 2 ways. The first is when I 'reach out' to them, for example when I'm doing a reading and I ask for the person's spirit guides to come forward. They then appear slowly in the person's aura. The second way is when the spirits contact me. This is usually when I'm not expecting it and they appear whole, like you or me, and disappear quickly. Congrats on the AA thing - you'll find that quitting the alcohol will strengthen your abilities and make you very aware. I'm pregnant and found that quitting alcohol and improving my diet has really improved my psychic perception. That's the thing with this path - you never stop learning!