2004-Spiritual Evolution

Sylvia Browne (born Sylvia Celeste Shoemaker; October 19, 1936) is an American author who describes herself as a psychic and spiritual medium.[1] She has made several appearances on Larry King Live, was a weekly guest on The Montel Williams Show, and hosts her own hour-long show on Hay House Radio, discussing paranormal issues and giving callers advice in her role as a psychic.

In 1992, Browne was convicted of investment fraud and grand theft.[2] Her claims and predictions have caused numerous controversies and reports of her failed predictions have appeared in several newspapers.[3][4][5] Critics such as James Randi, with whom she has had a long-running feud, allege that she is a cold reader whose readings are indistinguishable from those achieved by mentalists using cold and hot reading techniques. Press coverage has asserted that she is inaccurate overall.[6]

Sylvia Browne, born Sylvia Celeste Shoemaker on October 19, 1936,[7] grew up in Kansas City, Missouri.[8] Her father was Jewish and had many jobs, including mail delivery, jewelry sales and time as a vice president of a major freight line. Her mother was Episcopalian,[9] and her maternal grandmother Ada Coil was a devout Lutheran.[9] However, Browne said in 2001 that she was Jewish.[10]

Browne claims that visions started appearing at age five and that her grandmother, who claimed to be a psychic medium, helped her understand why she had them. Browne also asserts that her great-uncle was also a psychic medium and was "rabid about UFOs."[11]

Browne started to give psychic readings in 1974 and has attracted both supporters and detractors.[8] She has given thousands of one-on-one readings with a wide variety of groups and individuals. As of 2008, she charges $850 for a 20–30-minute telephone reading.[12] Browne claims to have provided information to police departments and the FBI as a psychic detective.[10] However, in at least one case that James Randi researched, a police officer with whom Browne claimed to have worked did not even work at the police department.[13]

In May 2003, she told Larry King in an interview that she would die at the age of 88.[14] On March 21, 2011, Browne suffered a massive heart attack in Hawaii and her website asked for donations to her church.[15]

Browne is the head of the Sylvia Browne Corporation and Sylvia Browne Enterprises. In 1986, she founded a Campbell, California church known as the Society of Novus Spiritus. In a 2010 interview, Linda Rossi, Browne's business manager, told KMOV-TV that Browne's businesses earn $3 million a year.[16] According to its website, the church has forty ministers, although only a small number are actually paid employees. Those that are paid also work for Sylvia Browne Corporation and Sylvia Browne Enterprises, and are members of the board of directors of the church.


Novus Spiritus refers to itself as "Gnostic Christian."[21] It states that it follows the same traditions and teachings which Jesus himself followed, yet does not exclude Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, or Hinduism. The society claims to teach the Biblical works of Jesus Christ while also incorporating the Gnostic Gospels (e.g., Gospel of Mary Magdalene), and says that while the Bible is a "marvelous book" and should be used as a teaching tool, it is not the "unaltered word of God".[22]

Sylvia Browne
Born Sylvia Celeste Shoemaker
October 19, 1936 (age 76)
Kansas City, Missouri
Occupation Self-described psychic and medium
Spouse(s) Gary Dufresne (1959–1972; divorced)
Kenzil Dalzell Brown (?-?)
Larry Lee Beck (?-2002; divorced)
Michael (m. 2009)
Children Christopher Dufresne, Paul Dufresne
Website
sylviabrowne.com