(Akashic Records): What Is an Akashic Records Reading? A Complete Beginner's Guide

Have you ever felt that your soul carries lessons older than this lifetime? Or wondered why certain people, places or challenges feel strangely familiar? Many seekers exploring these questions eventually come across the Akashic Records.

This guide explains what the Akashic Records are, how a reading works and what you can realistically expect from one.

What are the Akashic Records?

The word Akasha comes from Sanskrit and means "ether" or "space". The Akashic Records are described as an energetic library holding the complete journey of every soul: every thought, word, action and intention across all lifetimes.

The concept appears in various forms across traditions, from Vedic texts to Theosophy, and was popularised in the West by the psychic Edgar Cayce, who claimed to draw many of his readings from this source.

Think of it as your soul's personal file, one that holds not just your history but also your potential.

How does a reading work?

An akashic records reading is conducted by a trained reader who opens the records using a sacred prayer or a specific meditative process. Once the records are open, the reader receives guidance through images, words, feelings or a sense of knowing, and shares it with you.

A typical session follows these steps:

1. Setting intentions: you share the questions you'd like answered.

2. Opening the records: the reader enters a focused, meditative state and recites an opening prayer.

3. Receiving guidance: your questions are asked one by one, and the reader relays the answers.

4. Closing the records: the session is closed formally, and the reader may help you reflect on the key messages.

Sessions usually last 45 to 90 minutes and can be done in person or online, since the records are believed to be accessible from anywhere.

What can you ask?

The Akashic Records respond best to open, growth-oriented questions. Good examples include:

• What is my soul's purpose in this lifetime?

• Why do I keep repeating this pattern in relationships?

• What is the karmic connection between me and this person?

• What is blocking me from moving forward in my career?

• What do I need to learn from this difficult situation?

Questions asking for yes/no predictions ("Will I get this job?") tend to receive less useful answers. The records focus on understanding and growth rather than fortune-telling.

What a reading can help with

People seek Akashic readings for:

• Clarity during major transitions: career changes, divorce, relocation

• Understanding relationships: especially intense or confusing connections

• Releasing karmic patterns: recurring financial, health-related or emotional cycles

• Spiritual direction: understanding gifts, purpose and next steps

• Healing old wounds: gaining perspective on past experiences to finally let them go

How it differs from other readings

Many practitioners, including Dr. Geetanjali Saxena, combine Akashic Records work with other modalities such as tarot, numerology or past life regression, to give clients a fuller picture.

How to prepare

• Write down 5–8 questions, starting with the most important.

• Avoid heavy meals, alcohol or rushing into the session.

• Keep a notebook handy, or ask whether the session can be recorded.

• Come with an open mind; answers sometimes arrive in unexpected forms.

After the reading

It's common to feel emotional, lighter or deeply reflective afterwards. Some insights make immediate sense; others reveal their meaning over days or weeks. Revisit your notes after a month; you may notice how much has shifted.

An Akashic Records reading is not about predicting your future. It's about understanding your soul's journey so you can move forward with greater awareness and peace.