When it comes to psychics and the metaphysical world, there’s likely a skeptic for each believer, and Kristopher Kelly was no different in the beginning of his journey.
That’s hard to fathom, given his obvious absorption of various healing methods and communications with and connection to other worldly existence through the use of personalized therapies, meditation, crystals and oils.
“Each stone is going to emit a certain energy. And to keep it simple, people are antennas, we absorb energy from anything, what’s around our environments, people around us, things like that. So, when you start involving healing crystals in your life, you're going to match the healing crystal with the healing need that you have,” Kelly said during an interview with The Batavian Monday at his Ascension Outpost shop on Center Street, Batavia. “Once you’re open, you start to gravitate towards certain stones … and are much more plugged in.”
Kelly was not at all plugged in when he was perishing as a broken person both physically and mentally, severely disabled from an accident and addicted to opiates that barely dulled the pain, he said. He had gone to more than 50 doctors, and had unsuccessful surgeries during his seven-year course of trying to survive.
Although he didn’t really believe in this stuff, he was intrigued — and desperate enough — to learn more, he said. He kept hearing a voice telling him to go to Lily Dale, and he eventually went with his mom. A psychic told his mom that she was a healer, but said nothing about Kristopher.
His curiosity — and perhaps dander — was piqued, and he wanted to learn more. While at a Universalist Unitarian Church service, the reverend pointed to him and said that he had a gift. He followed up by attending intuitive classes and reiki — which, he said. was the only thing that helped his pain besides the strong dosage of opiates.
“I saw a doctor for every single joint in my body besides my hips. I mean literally every single one. Then I was going to counseling, I started developing severe depression, anxiety PTSD, ADHD,” he said. “I was planning my death, the pain was so bad. I couldn’t walk, I was living on the floor. I couldn’t stand for more than two minutes.”
He felt that his body was deteriorating, and that nothing medically was working, he said. He was introduced to reiki attunement, an energy healing which he describes as “ having a switch flipped on inside your body,” he said. “It helps your body rapidly regenerate.”
After level one of self-healing, he went on to the second level, which is healing others, he said. He attributes the various psychic modalities for his own recovery, which included stretching, meditation, crystals and oils on a daily basis. Not being able to work, the now 34-year-old took classes and obtained certifications three to four days a week, he said.
He said can perform theta healing, which is repatterning the subconscious mind. Using brain waves, this technique can create “instant healings,” versus integrated energy therapy, which uses the power of angels to pull out negative energy and imprint forgiveness, he said.
“They quite literally feel different because they are different. They do not have the energy from the traumatic experiences bogging them down anymore. It's like throwing off that 10-pound sack on your back, and they literally feel 10 pounds lighter,” he said. “So they immediately walk out my doors and start acting different, feeling different, their relationships will be different, and they'll have better experiences come into their life.”
The crystals, such as rose quartz and Kelly’s favorite, labradorite, have individualized energies to them, he said. Labradorite, a glossy black stone with blue streaks — depending on how the light hits it — “awakens psychic abilities such as telepathy and prophecy,” an accompanying card states.
“When people come to see me, they’re getting something more advanced,” he said. “My passion is getting people to understand themselves. I channel different spirit guides so that people start rapidly changing their lives (through self-recognition).”
If customers are seeking guidance, he can recommend books to read, oils to use, and crystals for what he believes have healing and strengthening power.
Kelly’s upcoming classes are wide-ranging, from How to Connect With Extraterrestrials to How to Purge Emotions and Balance Your Energy.
There are others who teach additional classes because Ascension Outpost is not just about healing, he said, rather, it’s also about connecting the community, providing opportunities to socialize and promoting local artists.
The wall mural in the shop — a bright, colorful array of symbols and scenes as a “depiction of the path to enlightenment” — was painted by Megan Dysinger of Buffalo. Her work is “very powerful,” he said, and she has artwork, jewelry and tarot cards, with an expectation to do tarot card readings within the next two months.
Kelly’s shop houses Glass Roots’ items, plus CD chantings, necklaces, bracelets, and many types and colors of crystals and polished stones.
He has one employee, Sierra Browne, in Batavia, and they are very passionate about “what we’ve been through and healed from,” Kelly said.
“We have overcome a lot, and now that we’ve hit a certain point, now I’m able to start going to jails, healthcare and rehab facilities,” he said, inviting others to share their experiences and have a comfortable place to visit. “To be able to say, ‘this is my story, this is what I’ve overcome.’ This is somewhere they can come to, it’s accountability, and keep moving past this.”
The Batavia shop is at 12 Center St. and is open noon to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. For questions or to set up an appointment, call 716-638-7187.
Top Photo of Kristopher Kelly with one of his favorite stones, labradorite, at his shop, Ascension Outpost in Batavia; photo above is Kelly next to a portion of the mural painted for him at the store on Center Street. He also owns Ascension Outpost at 21 Main St., Attica. Photos by Joanne Beck.
