Psychic News Magazine 42 - October 2013

psychic news Issue No 4108

October 2013

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Gerard Smith and a lifetime of service Understanding your dreams Spirit plan fulfilled on J.V. Trust week Nic Whitham’s guide to...

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Mind Body Spirit Brighton Festival

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Contents...

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Derren Brown What makes him tick?

Did Diana give permission for screen portrayal?

Star believes she did

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Hypnosis in mediumistic development We report on Chris Connelly’s recent workshop

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Spirit plan fulfilled on J.V. Trust week Coral Ryder’s portrait finds its home

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Understanding your dreams Craig Hamilton-Parker explains all in his new column

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Sixty years and counting Dr Martin Israel and the CFPSS

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Summer Spectacular in Spain Psychic artist Sandy Ingham delights the crowd

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Would you want to come back as a ghost?

It’s a ‘Yes’ for Ewan Irvine

30

The extraordinary gifts of a dog Wendy Stokes on the talents of (wo)man’s best friend

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COVER STORY: Behind the scenes with Gerard Smith A lifetime of service Travelling in the body of light Continuing our serialisation of What to do when you are dead

36

Nic Whitham’s guide to Reiki Our brand new column on complementary therapies

42

From mediumship to near-death experiences Lew Sutton reports on the recent SPR conference

44

Where are we now?

David Hopkins on why Spiritualism is about living life to the full

46

Your letters Your news, views and opinions

54

Harry Edwards scores a TV triumph From PN’s archive

61

Church and Centre listings

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Cover photo of Gerard Smith: Danny Lee

Psychic News

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Editor Susan Farrow Assistant Editor, Advertising, Circulation and Marketing Paul Brett pnadverts@gmail.com Chief Reporter Kay Hunter Technical Assistant, Design and Layout Magnus Smith

Contact details: Psychic Press Ltd, Suite 6, Thremhall Park, Start Hill, Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire CM22 7WE

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www.psychicnews.org.uk ISSN 0033-2801 The Psychic News logos are UK and Community registered trade marks of JV TR Limited (Company Number 07793490) and are used under licence Opinions expressed in PN’s Personal Experience columns are those of their individual authors and should not necessarily be taken as an endorsement by the editor.

Psychic News. Published by Psychic Press Limited. Pre-press and printing by Warners (Midland), Lincolnshire. We regret that we are unable to recommend particular mediums and healers. Whilst we endeavour to ensure those given editorial coverage on our pages and those who advertise their services are bona fide exponents, the abilities of exponents are often subjective. Advertisements appearing in Psychic News do not necessarily reflect editorial policy and no responsibility can be accepted for dissatisfaction with any service or product. Readers are asked to exercise due care when responding to advertisements.

Whilst we welcome them, PN cannot take responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, articles, photographs etc. © Psychic Press Ltd

EDITORIAL return to the high street newsagents. In doing so, we’ll be reaching a far wider readership than has been possible for many years, with the vital message that we are spiritual, eternal beings who can never die.

You’ll notice that we’re launching two new regular columns this month. Medium and author Craig Hamilton-Parker is October 2013 an expert on dream interpretation and has published numerous books on the subject. Each month he’ll be interpreting If you’re living in the UK or Europe, you’ll a selection of your dreams. Details of where to probably have noticed that autumn has begun send them are on page 19. to sneak in through the back door.

Nic Whitham is an expert in complementary It’s the season I love best – the leaves as they therapies and healing. Fully qualified in numerous turn to wonderful shades of red and gold, the therapies, he is co-owner and director of the mists over the fields, the smell of wood smoke in Banyan Retreat in Kent, a spiritual centre with an the air as people light their first fires to warm the emphasis on holistic health. Each month, Nic will increasingly chilly evenings. concentrate on a particular therapy, beginning John Keats summed it up perfectly this issue with Reiki healing. in his wonderfully atmospheric We’re delighted to welcome poem, To Autumn: Craig and Nic to the team. Both Psychic News bring a wealth of practical We want to feature as Season of mists and experience and expertise to much of your news as mellow fruitfulness, you, our readers. possible, wherever you are Close bosom-friend of Lastly, it’s important to in the world. the maturing sun; say that we could never Conspiring with him have reached this point Share your personal accounts of how to load and bless in our development marvellous mediumship and healing, With fruit the vines without your support. and your own experiences of the that round the thatchBy way of a ‘thank you’ spirit world and paranormal events. eves run; we’ve come up with a To bend with apples very special offer just Send your news to: Psychic News, the moss’d cottagefor you. You’ll find full Suite 6, Thremhall Park, Start Hill, trees, details on page 41.

Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire And fill all fruit with Nor could we have CM22 7WE ripeness to the core; achieved it without the or email: To swell the gourd, and generous help of the J.V. pneditorials@gmail.com plump the hazel shells Trust. All six trustees have With a sweet kernel; to set shown us unfailing support and budding more, encouragement, and we offer our And still more, later flowers for heartfelt thanks to them. the bees, So it’s forward into autumn with a Until they think warm days will never cease, definite spring in our step! Enjoy this issue, and For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy don’t forget to let us know what you think of it via cells. our letters pages and website forum.

From the editor

Each new season brings its own changes and challenges, and for us at PN those changes and challenges will be many this autumn. As most of you know, this is our last issue before we take the next exciting step in our development and

Sue Farrow

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Missed some of the early Psychic News magazines? Don’t panic!

We have a few copies of the issues left and for a limited period we are making them available to readers for the special price of £1.40 each, including post and packing.

Magazine 1 (Issue 4067) Includes: ITC - spirit communication for a digital age, All about the JV Trust, Dealing with the media, The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, Alan Seymour challenges the Daily Mail, Paul Brereton, Back to Scole?, and more.

Magazine 5 (Issue 4071) Includes: How John Edward convinced journalist of life after death, Sally Morgan fights back, Council refuses to help homeless church, Life before life, Lynwood Fellowship seminars for 2012, A physical séance with Bill Meadows, and more.

Magazine 2 (Issue 4068) Includes: Spirit of Youth – Andy Byng’s vision of Spiritualism’s future, The way of The White Eagle Lodge, Aboriginal spirituality, The Principles in a new light, Have researchers found a skeleton in Emma Hardinge Britten’s cupboard? and more.

Magazine 6 (Issue 4072) Sorry, issue has SOLD OUT

Magazine 3 (Issue 4069) Includes: Paul Barker on physical mediumship, Wimbledon Spiritualist Church, White Feather on reincarnation, How to run an open development group, Medium says his gift improved after losing eyesight, and more.

Magazine 4 (Issue 4070) Includes: Spiritualists tell of ordeal on sinking Costa Concordia cruise liner, Respected SNU minister resigns, Dr Ian Rubenstein – the UK’s mediumistic GP, Charles Dickens and the supernatural, David Hopkins on assisted dying.

Do animals have souls?, and more.

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Magazine 10 (Issue 4076) Sorry, issue has SOLD OUT

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Magazine 9 (Issue 4075) Sorry, issue has SOLD OUT

Magazine 11 (Issue 4077) Includes: First ever state-sanctioned professional qualification for spiritualistic services, Devon Spiritualist School, Trance mediumship on DVD, The aura, David Hopkins on Christianity, Psychic surgery and distant healing, New song to celebrate Hydesville Day, and more.

Magazine 12 (Issue 4078) Includes: Spiritualist receives bravery awards for fighting off armed attacker, Rare Lily Dale recordings, Clairvoyance and compassion, The view through a newcomer’s eyes, W.T. Stead, Psychic art, David Hopkins on the Arthur Findlay College, and more.

To order, send your name and address and which copies you would like along with a cheque payable to ‘Psychic News’ to: Psychic Press Ltd, Suite 6, Thremhall Park, Start Hill, Bishops Stortford, Herts CM22 7WE

Page 4 OR, PsychicifNews paying

by credit or debit card, call: 01279 874339

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Derren Brown – what makes him tick?

ANYONE interested in the paranormal, whether they believe in it or not, whether they are religious or not, has probably heard of Derren Brown (pictured), writes Kay Hunter.

He is a hypnotist, illusionist, magician and mentalist, and believes that the practice of these arts can seriously influence the minds of others. Yet he does not set out to harm; merely to display what might crudely be called ‘the tricks of the trade’, and by doing so illustrate how easily we can be deceived.

Brown, now 42, was born in Purley, Croydon, and attended the local Whitgift School. This was followed by the study of

Law and German at the University of Bristol. It was while he was there that he saw a stage show which persuaded him to turn to illusion and hypnosis.

He said he sought to strengthen his belief by reading about Christianity, but in fact he found no valid basis for it.

There followed a study of how people can be deceived by trickery. He can now successfully manipulate people’s thought and actions by mind control, but says this is no longer his aim.

His remit now appears to be as an entertainer,

yet when his latest stage show, Infamous, opened at the Palace Theatre in London (pictured), one critic described the show as “boring”, which seems highly unlikely. Mr Brown may have a lot of facets, but delivering boredom is not one of them.

One of his latest aims, described as his most audacious plan yet, is to convince one person that the planet has been devastated by a catastrophe. Then there is the stunt of making someone confess to a murder they didn’t commit.

Beliefs of all kinds make

it impossible to avoid the sceptics who come into our midst. In the context of Spiritualist beliefs they debunk everything, including mediumship, ghosts, physical phenomena, apports and angels.

We already have James Randi to contend with. He has been trying to catch us out for years. Derren Brown is more approachable, and admits using his own kind of trickery in order to let us see how easy it is to be deceived.

“I’m always honest about my dishonesty,” he says. So maybe he is strictly ‘For Entertainment Only’, but he will never cease to be controversial.

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Did minister see angel on security camera?

A WEST VIRGINIA evangelical minister believes he caught an angel on his home security camera.

Preacher Charles Shelton, 48, installed the security system because of the increasing amount of criminal activity in his district. Drug addicts were on the streets and there were reports of people having been killed.

Shelton told Christian Post how he awoke suddenly at around 3am on 4th August with a strong feeling that he needed to pray for his community to become safer, and for God’s healing presence.

He went downstairs to pray and said he “was sent” to go and look at the camera monitors

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in his dining room.

According to Shelton’s account to Charleston Daily Mail, a huge and brilliant ball of light passed through a window and a wall, filling the entire room with its presence. A thinner film of light on the sides “fluttered like wings”.

“I was astonished about this light,” he said.

“I thought, ‘Man, that must be the presence of the Lord’. It’s kind of hard to figure out what was going on, but the Lord said for me to come down there and pray. When I began to pray and saw that light, I said, ‘Lord,

you blew my mind’.”

Shelton refuses to accept that there could be other reasons for the light.

He believes an angel was present, and the white circle is a symbol of hope for a troubled community.

In an interview with WOWK-TV he said: “God is dispatching His angels in the neighbourhood. I believe it’s time to let the people know that help is on the way. The police can’t do it all. The neighbours can’t do it all. But who do you rely on? I rely on the Lord to do it.”

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BBC TV documentary follows teenage ‘exorcists’ THREE young women from Arizona visited the UK in September to ‘exorcise’ our demons, writes Kay Hunter.

They blamed the Harry Potter books – and made the headlines.

Brynne Larson and Tess Sherkenback (both 18), and Tess’s sister Savannah, 21, believe London is “a centre for witchcraft”. Their visit was covered in newspapers and TV as they pronounced J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books largely responsible for the UK’s “corruption”.

They told one reporter they were “horrified by the sense of evil

engulfing the UK”.

Savannah explained to Huffpost Religion: “It’s been centuries in the making, but I believe it all came to a peak with the Harry Potter books, and the Harry Potter rage that swept across England.”

Her sister Tess agreed, commenting: “The spells you’re reading in the Harry Potter books aren’t just made up – those are actual spells. They came from witchcraft books.”

Brynne added: “Harry uses this magic for good. So here we have

the dangerous idea that you can use magic for good or bad. In reality all magic is bad because

you’re getting your power from Satan.”

The girls, all Karate Black Belts, hoped to help UK teenagers to defend themselves from “inviting Satan to possess them by reciting the spells in the books”.

Their mentor is Brynne’s father, the Rev Bob Larson, a TV evangelist who claims to have performed more than 15,000 exorcisms.

Having visited Russia, Armenia and Ukraine, the group found alcoholism rife in all three places.

The UK visit marked part of a world tour, during which they were accompanied by British film-maker Dan Murdoch for his BBC documentary Teenage Exorcists.

Around 100 people attended the mass exorcism at the Amazing Grace Church in London’s Mile End. Brynne, who says she did her first exorcism when she was

13, insists it is not an act. “I’m not just doing it for the cameras,” she said. “This is life or death. Satan hates us and hates God, but I seek the triumph of good.”

Beth, 36, from Exeter, UK, visited Mile End because she believed she was infected by spirits after she suffered ME-like symptoms and couldn’t get out of bed. She lost her job.

Another visitor was convinced a pie she had eaten was cursed. “I had a burning pain in my legs and back,” she told reporters. “I heard loud talking in my head and I smelled of rotten flesh as though I’d died.”

Emma, who had travelled from Salisbury to Mile End, was disappointed. “I don’t think they broke the curse properly. I feel a bit annoyed really,” she said.

Film director Don Murdoch offered his opinion: “Whether you think they are taking advantage of the vulnerable, giving a therapy or a genuine miracle, it seems to have a short-term effect on some people. After spending six months with them I don’t think they’re frauds.”

• Teenage Exorcists was shown on BBC3 in September, but you can catch up with it on BBCiPlayer.

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Bridging the gulf between medicine and spirituality THE 4th British Congress on Medicine and Spirituality will take place in London in November.

In announcing the event, Dr Marlene Nobre, Medicine President of AME-International draws attention to the growing academic interest in exploring the links between the medical sciences and spirituality in religious practices and individualised beliefs.

Although the gulf between science and religion is still wide, remarkable progress has been made during the last decade in bridging the gap.

“The effects of spiritual

practices in Dr Marlene Nobre, patients’ health Medicine President have been an of AME-International up and coming research subject for years,” says Dr Nobre. “The underlying neurological network giving rise to spiritual beliefs is starting to be unravelled.

“Medical schools worldwide are starting to include spirituality in The 4th British their curriculum, and in Congress on Spirituality the United States more and Medicine will bring than two thirds of all together medical doctors medical schools already from different parts of offer courses in religion, the world. Those working spirituality and medicine.

Lady Victoria’s five lives DURING a lengthy interview with Jane Gordon of the Daily Mail, socialite and model Lady Victoria Hervey revealed that she believes she has had several incarnations.

She said “a reliable psychic” at the Coachella Music Festival in Palm Springs gave details of her past lives.

“I have had four past lives, three of them as a man,” she said. “I

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was a composer in 17th century Paris, I made materials in India and in Ancient Greece I was a famous politician. In Ancient Egypt I was keeper of the oils for Pharoah’s wife, and I love oils, so it all kind of fits.”

Lady Victoria, 37, is the elder daughter of Victor Hervey, 6th Marquis of Bristol and his 3rd wife. She told the Mail, “Luxury is in my blood.”

in health care and who want to know more about medicine and spirituality, or simply enjoy free exchange of ideas, are invited to join the meeting at the Thistle Marble Arch Hotel, London, on 9th and 10th November between 8.30am and 5.30pm.

• For more information visit: medspiritcongress.org

Spiritualist medium at Leicester Square Theatre MUCH praised Spiritualist medium Rebecca Sawyer will take to the stage of the Leicester Square Theatre on Friday, 11th October to give a demonstration of mediumship.

She has worked and studied at the Arthur Findlay College with some well-known teachers and exponents.

It is no secret that her personal life has been

Rebecca Sawyer fraught with immense difficulties which she has successfully overcome, since she was born a man. Her life story will be published next year.

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Doga’s popularity grows DOGA – or Yoga for Dogs, has had a rapid rise in popularity, and despite the inevitable criticisms, not all participating dog owners are barking mad, writes Kay Hunter.

It started in America when yoga enthusiasts who were also dog owners sought a way of combining human exercise and canine companionship.

Now Doga has crossed the Atlantic and its popularity is growing in the UK. Last year, Swiss-born yoga teacher Mahny Djahanguiri started running classes at Harrods’ Pet Spa for people and their dogs. She has now been approached by the Made in Chelsea producers to appear on the show.

BBC News Magazine captured a session on video. Several American Doga classes can also be seen.

A spokesperson for the Dogs Trust said: “It is important to remember that dogs can’t tell us when they have had enough. Doga, and any

variation of it, should always be carried out under the watchful eye of a trained professional.”

There were certainly professionals at Djahanguiri’s class, including Larissa Kolesnik, a dog dentist, with her

pack. Individuality is not an option. I see Doga on the same level.”

While witnessing dogs in a yoga class in Los Angeles, she decided that bringing dogs and humans together through yoga was what she

Pomeranian Schno, and Michelle Spurr, who runs a pet-sitting company, with Poppy, her Jack Russell, and Holly, her Chihuahua cross-breed.

Djahanguiri, a qualified adult’s and children’s yoga teacher, says her practice was inspired by working with the Kids Company charity.

“I was working with vulnerable and neglected children,” she said.

“These kids come from a

wanted to do.

Dr Michael Sinclair, counselling psychologist and clinical director at City Psychology Group says it’s not surprising that Doga has taken off.

Although the Hindu practice of yoga dates back to 2500BC, it still has relevance today.

“Modern times are stressful,” says Dr Sinclair. “People are losing their jobs and there is a great deal of trepidation.

Dogs are reliable and trustworthy. They give us security and a greater sense of self-worth.

“Bonding with your pet by doing Doga could be good for your health.

Research shows petting your dog can have the same effect on your mood as caring for a baby. Our brain releases the hormone oxytocin, which triggers feelings of happiness and relief from feelings of stress and depression.

“Like jogging in the park, we may lack the motivation to exercise by ourselves. But taking your dog to Doga may be a way of ensuring you get some exercise too.”

Doga originated in Florida when yoga instructor Suzi Teitelman found her new puppy, a cocker spaniel, would climb on the mat with her when she was practising.

She started incorporating dogs into her yoga classes and held her first Doga class in New York in 2002.

“It’s about sharing your mat with your dog, not shooing them away,” she says.

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New clues at Stonehenge THE origin and purpose of the construction of Stonehenge have always puzzled researchers.

They have now discovered new clues to its mysteries.

Theories have abounded about this megalithic monument near Salisbury, estimated to have been built between 3000 and 1520 BC. English Heritage, constantly pursuing investigations, has now announced “a missing piece in the jigsaw”.

Man-made ditches have been found along the ancient processional route to Stonehenge. Professor Mike Parker Pearson, a leading expert, believes excavations confirm a theory that Stonehenge was built along an Ice Age landform that happened to be on the solstice axis.

The Avenue was an

earthwork route that extended 1.5 miles from the north-eastern entrance to the standing stones. The closure of the A344 road, which cut across the route, has enabled archaeologists to excavate there for the first time.

Dr Heather Sebire, English Heritage’s Stonehenge curator, said: “The part of the Avenue

that was cut through by the road has obviously been destroyed forever, but we were hopeful that archaeology below the road would survive.

And here we have it: the missing piece in the jigsaw. It is very exciting to find a piece of physical evidence that officially makes the connection we were hoping for.”

Prof Parker Pearson

commented: “It’s hugely significant because it tells us a lot about why Stonehenge was located where it is, and why prehistoric people were so interested in the solstices. It’s not to do with worshipping the sun, some kind of calendar or astronomical observatory.

“The natural landform happens to be on the solstice axis, which brings heaven and earth into one. This is the confirmation. We are able to see the big picture.”

The excavation was conducted by Wessex Archaeology for English Heritage.

The A344 will be grassed over next year as part of English Heritage’s £27million transformation of the World Heritage Site, which receives more than a million visitors annually.

Samsung and IBM mind power experiment THE South Korean firm Samsung is experimenting with a mind control tablet. It hopes this will shake up the way people interact with their devices.

Along with American researchers, Samsung has demonstrated how people can launch/make a selection on a Galaxy tablet by concentrating on a blinking icon. They say it would be invaluable for people with mobility problems.

Samsung’s leading researcher, Insoo Kim, told MIT Technology Review website that

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thought control was a natural transition for interacting with devices.

The firm’s Galaxy S4 smartphone already allows users to control the screen with their eyes.

Using the ‘smart pause’ function, the user can look away from the screen while another feature uses eye movements to scroll through contents.

Mr Kim said that the speed with which a user can control the tablet averaged about one selection every five seconds with an accuracy of 80-95 per cent.

Professor Roozbeh Jafari, an assistant

professor of electrical engineering at the University of Texas, is working on a way to make EEG headsets more user-friendly.

Current caps have wet contact electrodes that need liquid to be placed between the scalp and the sensor. Prof Jafari plans to develop a dry version that is also less intrusive.

IBM is also experimenting with mind control headsets, but Kevin Brown, an IBM senior inventor cautions: “Everyone finds it incredibly hard work focusing on controlling devices.” One experiment,

in which he sent an email using mind control, took 20 minutes.

He added: ”These things are nowhere near usable by the general population, but these experiments give us a feeling for where the technology may take us, for instance, to help with things such as locked-in syndrome.”

He envisages a future where mindcontrol headsets are used to gauge moods – so for instance, a focus group may use them to get a sense of how a crowd is responding to a politician.

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Lily Dale inspires new musical THE SPIRITUALIST community of Lily Dale, New York, was the inspiration for a new prize-winning operetta by writer and lyricist Michael McFaden, of Nashville, Tennessee.

The new operetta, City of Light, had its origins in McFaden’s annual pilgrimage to Lily Dale, which he describes as “a ramshackle Victorian town that has seen better days, where you meet the most interesting people”.

It can certainly boast some “interesting people”. Past visitors have included Harry Houdini, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, C.S. Lewis and Hollywood star Mae West, who had her own personal medium.

McFaden had been seeking a theme for a new musical, and went to a medium in an attempt to contact his late father. Among other things, the medium told him he would be writing a play about Spiritualism.

So McFaden began to work on a story about a young widow who visits Lily Dale seeking a medium to help her contact her late husband. There she meets a cross-section of Lily Dale’s unusual residents, including Houdini.

McFaden is a great fan of the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, and used the ‘lost’ music of Arthur Sullivan to accompany his lyrics. The result was that

City of Light won First Prize in last year’s New Musical Competition.

The prize was a production at the Boiler Room Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee.

This prize has now (September), been taken up in the form of three performances of City of Light, directed by Michael McFaden with musical director Rodney McCasland.

There are full period costumes, a set, and a cast of 20.

“It’s a gift to have these three performances,” says McFaden. “It’s key to taking the project to the next level.”

Has Houdini’s scrapbook been found?

HARRY HOUDINI’S 1925/26 Spiritualism scrapbook, missing for 83 years, apparently turned up earlier this year in the hands of a Southern Californian antique dealer.

It has been suspected of being a possible hoax.

Author David Haden, an expert on author H.P. Lovecraft, a collaborator of Houdini, says it could be a hoax, but the photographs look genuine.

The scrapbook covers 1925 and early 1926,

shortly after Lovecraft and C.M. Eddy, a writer on horror and the supernatural, agreed to collaborate on a book to be entitled A Cancer of Superstition.

Lovecraft prepared a detailed outline, which still exists, but Houdini’s widow cancelled the project. It is thought this was done because she was more inclined to believe in the reality of Spiritualist phenomena than her sceptical late husband.

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Inspiration, development and a spiritual removal company!

Kingswells House, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a remarkable spiritual centre. Overseen by evidential and trance medium Eileen Davies, it’s dedicated to a whole lot more than mediumistic development, writes Sue Farrow.

Though mediumship is certainly a part of its spiritual curriculum, Kingswells’ primary emphasis is on development of the whole person – spiritual development.

Visiting the centre recently, I was very much struck by the thoughtful, open-minded and spiritcentred attitude of the students, some of whom attend quite regularly.

My visit coincided with a long-anticipated event, a weekend of talks, lectures and question-and-answer sessions with Eric Hatton, honorary president of the Spiritualists’ National Union. It was a rare opportunity for students to learn from someone of immense knowledge and experience, who counted many of the great mediums of the past as personal friends.

Many had travelled long distances to meet and

Kingswells House

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Minister Eric Hatton listen to the man widely regarded as the finest inspirational speaker in Spiritualism. All were delighted to have been part of a very special weekend, in which a huge

range of spiritual subjects – historical, ethical, mediumistic and practical – came under free and frank discussion.

Physical mediumship is also very much on Kingswells’ agenda, with medium Scott Milligan giving frequent séances at this centre, of which he is now a trustee.

Attendees at his séance on the Saturday night of my visit were in for a number of surprises, including a spot of furniture removal, the extent of which only became apparent when the lights were turned on at the end.

Heavy chairs had been transported from an

Scott Milligan

area at the back of the séance room (pictured); medium and cabinet had been moved some distance, and the cabinet itself appeared in need of a little TLC! Recordings of Eric Hatton’s lectures will shortly be available to purchase, with all proceeds going to support the work of Kingswells House. Look out for an announcement in our November issue. His autobiography Taking up the Challenge is available from www.amazon.co.uk • For further information on courses and events at Kingswells, visit: www.kingswellshouse-aberdeen. org.uk

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Did Diana give permission for screen portrayal?

ACTRESS Naomi Watts believes the late Princess Diana has given permission from the spirit world for Naomi to portray her on screen.

Interviewed in the Mail on Sunday the star of Oliver Hirschbiegel’s new

movie Diana said she has so immersed herself in the role that she felt a spiritual connection with the late Princess of Wales.

“There were definitely moments when I felt Diana’s presence,” she said. “I dreamed about her a lot too, and I kept wondering, ‘Would she have liked it?’

“So I found myself constantly asking for her permission to carry on. I had saturated myself with Diana and her life and I felt this enormous responsibility of playing this iconic woman. It felt that I was

spending a lot of time with her. There was one particular moment when I felt her permission was granted. That won’t sound right in print, I know.”

The film focuses on the last two years of Diana’s life, and her Former Oscar nominee Naomi Watts romance with Photo credits: Eva Rinaldi/Wikipedia heart surgeon on one of the most Dr Hasnat Khan. famous women of my Former Oscar nominee time and an awful lot Naomi Watts was born of pressure comes with in Britain and moved to that. Everybody is going Australia when she was to have an opinion of the 14. She confesses to film and how she should have been unsure about be portrayed. taking on the role of “I also know that the Diana. exciting roles, the best “There was a lot of roles, come with a risk. hesitation on my part In the end I decided that before I agreed to do it,” I couldn’t do it.” she said. “I was taking

Sally Morgan delivers a surprise MEDIUM Sally Morgan (pictured)shocked a TV interviewer during her summer tour of Australia by announcing his wife’s secret pregnancy.

Tom Williams, interviewer on Australia’s new show Daily Edition, and his wife, fashion designer Rachel Gilbert, had kept their happy event to themselves, and even Tom’s colleagues were in the dark.

A tearful Tom confirmed the news during the interview and said he and Rachel had been hoping for a baby.

“These guys all have

babies,” he said. “I felt left out, and thought I really need to fit in with this bunch.”

Sally said after the Australian interview: “When Tom asked me if I was picking up on any energy in the studio, a man in spirit connected with Tom immediately told me that Tom was expecting a baby. I said this aloud, confirming that I believe he is expecting a daughter.

“Tom’s eyes welled up. He looked at his cohosts and revealed it was true! His wife was pregnant and he was

going to tell them all on Friday!

“I told Tom that this man in spirit was called

Paul, which he confirmed was the name of his grandfather.

It really was an incredible moment, and I would like to congratulate them both on the news.”

Some months ago Sally Morgan was awarded an apology and £125,000 from Associated Newspapers for a libellous Daily Mail article accusing her of ‘cheating’.

Psychic News Page 13

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Exploring your Mediumistic Potential through Hypnosis – a workshop with Chris Connelly This fascinating new workshop took place at Banyan Retreat on 21st and 22nd September, writes Nic Whitham.

Chris employed the use of hypnosis to enhance mediumship and communication.

All students had prior knowledge and experience of mediumship, enabling Chris to focus on hypnotherapy techniques during the first day.

His aims and objectives for the students were: • To understand the basic theory behind hypnosis.

• To attain a basic level of proficiency including hypnosis.

• To appreciate how the hypnotic state may be used in experimentation and self-development of psychic/mediumistic potential.

• To achieve sufficient proficiency to carry on experimenting after the weekend.

Exploring altered states, dispelling myths During the first day, students spent much time exploring various hypnotic states, altered states of awareness and everyday states including daydreaming. They moved on to explore the physical senses, conscious and subconscious elements of the hypnosis mind module, dispelling common myths and misunderstandings that students may have had regarding hypnosis. This

Page 14 Psychic News

had been very much on the hypnosis side of the workshop. It was now time to introduce the spirit world and mediumship. Using various exercises and techniques, the students compared communication with the spirit world in the normal state of mind with working in a hypnotic state. They found that communication was much clearer and that much more specific information was presented. More importantly, when working as the medium, it helped them to move their minds out of the way more effectively.

Chris Connelly put the students’ minds at ease for what they were about to undertake and explore throughout the rest of the weekend.

Chris explained various trance states, from light trance through to hypnotic coma and catatonic states.

These included ultra depth, where the body can be anaesthetised for minor or major surgery with total amnesia. Going on to explore various techniques including breath, tone and pace, the students began to put these techniques into practice.

Various induction scripts were provided to assist the students with these exercises.

Clearer communication On the second day, Chris started by introducing

keywords which encourage a hypnotic trance state much faster than the lengthy techniques used on the previous day. These allowed the students to experiment in many areas without having to spend time getting their fellow students into the appropriate state of hypnotic trance.

So far the focus

Automatic writing and drawing When practising automatic writing and drawing, many students felt their hand was detached, since as they had no awareness of feeling from it. The hand was still connected to the subconscious and could be manipulated through the co-operation of the spirit world.

news

Philosophy and inspirational speaking Next came spiritual/ mediumistic trance, as opposed to hypnotic trance.

Chris taught the students to use their imagination to expand their spiritual light, progressing and touching those in the spirit world, and inviting them to reach out and touch the students. The blending of their thoughts and their minds allowed the spirit world’s thoughts to become those of the students, making deep philosophical trance communication and inspirational speaking possible.

Healing and trance healing The last exercises of the day focused on healing and trance healing.

Students worked in groups of three, one being the healer, one being the patient, and the third the hypnotherapist. Students observed the difference when healing aided by hypnosis, as compared to their normal healing.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable weekend, during which all participants had a wonderful experience and learned new techniques to enhance many different forms of their mediumship.

Swimming for serenity

DO you find meditation difficult? Can you swim?

If you answer “Yes” to both questions, Madonna Gauding, author of The Meditation Bible, can help with a beginner’s guide to meditating while swimming.

“This meditation will transform ordinary swimming into spiritual practice,” she says.

“It will help you to overcome obstacles and help you to balance body and mind.”

Start by writing down what might be holding you back in life. Are you able to express yourself? Do you wish you were more organised?

Set everything on paper to get it clear in your mind.

Step 1: In the pool, select a free lane and begin swimming lengths. For the first few minutes, concentrate only on your breathing.

Step 2: Think about the obstacle you want to overcome. See yourself being held back in a situation because of some aspect of your

character or personality.

If you are afraid to express yourself at work, imagine being at the

office feeling ashamed and frustrated because you are afraid to speak to your boss.

Step 3: With each

stroke, visualise yourself making headway, overcoming your fear.

See yourself walking into your boss’s office, confidently sharing your brilliant ideas.

Step 4: Swim as many lengths as you wish, using each stroke to mentally push through your obstacles.

Madonna Gauding explains, “Swimming especially lends itself to meditation as it is an inherently rhythmic, relaxing and solitary practice.”

• The Meditation Bible is available from www.amazon.co.uk, priced at £9.51.

Psychic News Page 15

Personal Experience

Spirit plan fulfilled on J.V. Trust week Psychic artist Coral Ryder tell the extraordinary story of a spirit plan that saw an ‘ownerless’ psychic portrait find its home at last.

I

have heard numerous tales from my parents about the Arthur Findlay College, Stansted, and the many hours of fun and learning they’ve enjoyed within its walls. They’ve shared so many accounts of people they’ve met, friends they’ve made and phenomena they’ve witnessed, and as a result I have always wanted to go there.

It was with delight, then, that I discovered I had been offered a place on the annual J.V. Trust week, and I would like to thank all those who had a hand in organising and running such a wonderful, empowering week.

Atmosphere of spiritual friendship It was truly enjoyable and inspiring to be within the stunning grounds and rooms of the college. Lectures, workshops and group work catered for all levels of development, led by experienced and knowledgeable tutors.

The atmosphere reminded me very much of the fraternal weeks I’ve spent with the International Spiritualist Federation (ISF). Both have that sense of friendship and spiritual family, plus a programme with groups and tutors that made me wish I could clone myself in order to be able to attend them all!

An inspirational speaker Our host Eric Hatton, chairman of the J.V. Trust, had us all singing every morning at breakfast, setting us up on a positive note every day. His lectures were moving and captivating, and he had us hanging on every word – a true inspirational speaker.

Amongst the many other highlights of the week were demonstrations of mediumship by the various tutors, including a thought-provoking and soultouching demonstration of trance by Eileen Davies, an extract from which was printed in August’s Psychic News.

Page 16 Psychic News

Personal Experience

TIME FOR A CHANGE

INTERNATIONAL SPIRITUALIST FEDERATION

MIND, BODY & SPIRIT WEEKEND Why not join Spiritualists from around the world for a weekend of caring, sharing and greater spiritual understanding at the International Spiritualist Federation’s ‘Mind, Body & Spirit Weekend’?

21st -24th November 2013 at the Cober Hill Hotel

Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO13 0AR Registration: 1200hrs on 21st November 2013

Coral’s portrait of Ivor's son, which found its rightful owner in a ‘chance’ meeting at Stansted Hall.

Psychic artists meet In addition to all this, I had the opportunity to meet a few other spirit artists like myself, including Bill Forrester. I have admired Bill’s work for a number of years and was overjoyed to spend some time chatting with him and sharing our experiences of drawing for spirit. I would also like to thank him for the advice he gave me on drawing paper and for letting me have a piece of his to try out. The right tools do make a difference – thank you Bill!

I have often said that spirit see a much bigger picture than we do, and they proved this to me once again at the J.V. Trust week. I was impressed before setting off for Stansted to take a particular sketch pad with me, and while there I got chatting to a lovely gentlemen called Ivor, who had recently started drawing spirit portraits. He asked if I could advise him, and invited me to look over his portfolio and give him my honest opinion.

Tel: 01723 870310 Fax: 01723 870271 (to book extra nights)

With international mediums and tutors for all levels of ability The proposed training programme includes daily group work for trance, mental and spiritual mediumship, spiritual/psychic art, and healing A lecture and tutorial on the subject of physical mediumship by well-known physical medium Stewart Alexander (UK) Advanced mediumship tutoring by Bill Coller (UK/CH) Further tutors, lecturers, workshops & lectures to be announced

Non-members and day visitors are most welcome to all ISF Events

Incredible spirit planning While going through his work and chatting about the various portraits within, I was impressed to ask if he would like to see some of my own portraits. He did so, only to discover the portrait of his son that I had drawn months earlier, on the 21st March 2013. I went on to share what information I had on the young man, giving evidence that it was indeed his son and not just someone who resembled him.

The intelligence of spirit never ceases to amaze me. They knew before we did that we would both be at Stansted that week, and had already set things in motion for us to meet at the right place and right time, in order for Ivor to get a portrait of his son.

Once again, my thanks to all involved for a wonderful week, and for the friendships made. I hope to see you all again in the near future.

Many come as strangers, leaving as a friends, often returning

Booking forms and further information: ISF Bookings, 52 Fieldfare Way, Bacup, Lancs. OL13 9PP England (0)7554 668737

www.isfederation.org

Or Yours Fraternally magazine Cheque: Payable to ‘ISF’ Electronic Transfer: Please enclose a copy of payment with your booking form GB19 MIDL 40050791126938 BIC MIDL 21141M

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Credit Cards: Please telephone Bill Parkins ISF Treasurer Tel: 0044 (0) 788 019 6252

Psychic News Page 17

Understanding feature

your dreams

CRAIG HAMILTON-PARKER, Spiritualist medium, TV host and author of seven books on dreaming, begins a new monthly series on the rich world of dreams. Each month, from our November issue onwards, Craig will be here to interpret your dreams. Details of where to send them are given at the end of this article.

Here, he begins by explaining the meaning of dreaming and how psychics and mediums can use dreams to access their hidden powers.

Are dreams a portal to the spirit world?

Since the earliest times, people have believed that dreams bring special messages and may be portents of the future. The ancient Egyptians believed that the gods could communicate to them through dreams and that many of these dreams contained prophecies. The best-known examples are found in the Bible, where the famine of Egypt was revealed in a vision of fat and lean cattle.

In the Bible we also find many prophecies and stories connected with dreams, such as God granting Solomon his gift of wisdom though a dream, or how a dream warned Joseph of the cruel edict of Herod enabling him and Mary to flee into Egypt. Jacob dreamed of a ladder of angels when God announced that his offspring would spread throughout the world, while the prophet Muhammad was visited by the angel Gabriel who revealed to him a verse from the Quran.

In ancient Greece, there was a widespread belief that dreams foretold the future, although the philosopher Aristotle argued that precognitive dreams were impossible. In their special healing temples of Asclepius, the Ancient Greeks would sleep to receive a message from gods such as Hypnos, the god of sleep, Morpheus, the winged god of dreams, or even Phobetor, the bringer of nightmares. The Romans too believed that dreams were messages, could heal and foretell the future. If Julius Caesar had been less sceptical about them he may have listened to the warnings which Calpurnia, his wife, received in a dream.

Plato, Goethe, Shakespeare, Napoleon and Abraham Lincoln all assigned prophetic value to certain dreams.

In Lincoln’s case he dreamed of his own death in 1865.

In that dream, he wandered around a “death-like” White House and could hear the distant sound of sobbing. The sound led him to the East Room, where he saw a corpse laid out. Its face was covered and the body wrapped in funeral vestments. He asked the sobbing mourners who the dead person was and was told that “the president was killed by an assassin”. A few days later the dream came horribly true when John Wilkes assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in a theatre.

Psychology and dreams

Dreams as a form of revelation have also influenced scientists: it was a dream for example that revealed to the scientist Kekulé the molecular structure of carbon atoms in the benzene ring. The Nobel Prize-winning physicist Niels Bohr attributed his discovery of the orbit of electrons to a revelation in a dream.

Science does not believe that dreams are messages from the gods or portents for the future, but revelations from the parts of our thinking that we are unaware of – what they call the subconscious and unconscious.

Sigmund Freud shook the world when he claimed through his books such as The Interpretation of Dreams that every dream is a wish fulfilment and in particular our desire to find sexual gratification. Dreams reveal our secret wishes and repressed urges.

Few psychologists today follow Freud’s ideas to the letter, but they were very important in that they initiated dream research and the idea that dreams could be a way to find out what is happening to the inner you. His pupil

Dreams are today’s answers to tomorrow’s questions – Edgar Cayce

Page 18 Psychic News

feature Carl Jung developed Freud’s ideas and claimed that dreams also give us access to the primitive mind, and revealed common, collective symbols that bridged all cultures, mythology and religion.

In his autobiography Jung admitted that dreams are a door to spiritual insight. When he drew close to death, he described how he had dreams that predicted the death of his surgeon, of meeting the dead and of seeing the glory of the earth below him as he travelled outside the physical body.

Many modern psychologists dismiss both Freud and Jung and claim that dreams are nothing more than images resulting from random electrical activity in the brain as it “housecleans” itself during the night. Dreams are the brain’s way of stopping the emotions from overheating.

Interpreting dreams

I have been interpreting dreams for many years, written seven books on the subject and hosted a television show in the USA in which I interpreted dreams using both psychology and clairvoyance. I believe that dreams have multiple functions: they help to maintain sleep by allowing the emotions to settle and the thinking process to find creative ways to solve problems.

This is why, on awakening, we may have an inspired idea or feel emotionally settled. I never make a big decision without first ‘sleeping on it’.

Dreams also give us insight into our hidden feelings.

Issues we refuse to face are often presented to us during dreams. Things we push aside in waking life may be presented to us in the form of a nightmare or a recurring dream. Even the most frightening dreams are the brain’s way of bringing us back to harmony and psychological health. They talk to us though allegory, metaphor and symbolism, and by interpreting these we can grasp what dreams are trying to tell us about our life situations and inner concerns.

When interpreting dreams, we need to note the feelings the dream creates and understand that the images and content represent our emotions and thoughts about ourselves and the problems we face.

If we write down our dreams in a dream diary we are more likely to remember them and can work on the interpretations later to gain valuable insights into ourselves and our life direction.

As a medium I am most interested in the spiritual meaning of dreams. Carl Jung spoke of what he called “Grand Dreams”. These are dreams that have a transcendent quality and are frequently a personal epiphany revealing the meaning and purpose of our lives. These dreams often contain what Carl Jung called “archetypal” symbols – a collectively inherited unconscious idea that can be spiritually inspiring.

‘Dreamer’ from Pink Sherbert Photography, Flickr Creative Commons the dead during dreams. Sometimes these dreams are symbolic and are a way to help us come to terms with our grief over a loss; but there are also times when the dead give messages of hope and proof that the human personality survives death.

I have a great many cases in my files of dreams in which the dead have helped the living. They have warned about illness, upcoming calamities, infidelity of a partner and suggested changes to make in order to avoid unpleasant situations. It is my belief that our dead loved ones do not suddenly gain insight into the future when they pass to the other side, but that their ethereal location does give them a better perspective on what is happening around us.

‘Dreams are necessary to life’ – Anais Nin

Mediumship in the sleep state

I have observed that mediumship can happen during sleep. Many people, who make no claim to special powers, nevertheless claim to have had a message from

Send me your dreams

I am looking forward to working with you, our readers, to help you unravel the secrets of your dreams. You are invited to send your dreams to us and I will interpret them, either from a psychological or spiritual perspective. I am particularly interested to hear some of the dreams that may have included psychic or mediumistic insights, as well as the dreams that puzzle you. It goes without saying that your real name will be withheld when my interpretations are published in PN. Please keep your letters and emails fairly concise and include only what you feel are the most important parts of your dream.

• Email your dreams to: pneditorials@gmail.com ‘Dream’ in the subject line. Alternatively, mark your envelope ‘Dream’ and post to: Psychic News, Suite 6, Thremhall Park, Start Hill, Bishops Stortford, Herts CM22 7WE. • To obtain Craig’s books or read more about his work with dreams, mediumship and the paranormal, visit: www.psychics.co.uk • Craig is also available for mediumistic readings by phone, and for dream interpretations by email.

Psychic News Page 19

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Crystal Wisdom

1 Lockyer Mews, Paddons Row, Tavistock, Devon PL19 0HF

Tel: 01822 618073 www.facebook.com/CrystalWisdom.UK We stock crystals, minerals, jewellery, Native American items, music and workshop CDs, books, tarot, angel, oracle cards, essential oils, candles, incense, Celtic, Egyptian, fairy and dragon gifts, Buddha, angel and chakra items, and much more!

Opening Times Monday – Friday: 10.30am to 4.30pm Saturday: 10.30am to 5.00pm

Ventnor SNU Spiritualist Church, Isle of Wight, would like to record their thanks for the generous grant received from the

Winifred Gandine-Stanton Trust which enabled us to replace 90% of the windows in our very large four-storey church.

Our application for help was responded to very quickly and generously.

The Committee and members of the church are exceedingly grateful for the help given.

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL EVENT Join Billy Roberts at the Hotel Commodore, one of the most haunted hotels in Wales, for a special ‘Paranormal Investigation’.

IS THERE REALLY ANYBODY THERE? Come along and find out.

Thursday 31st October.

Dinner and overnight accommodation with breakfast, £70 per person.

7pm: After-dinner talk with Billy Roberts Midnight until very late, the obligatory ‘Ghost Hunt’.

The Official Leslie Flint Website:

To secure your place phone Andrea or Debbie on 01597 822288

Learn all about this remarkable medium Listen to 100s of Spirit Communications

A PSYCHIC EVENT YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS!

www.leslieflint.com

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Page 20 Psychic News

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feature

What does it all mean?

E

very special interest group has its own quirky language – jargon – often unintelligible to anyone else. Just look at the medical profession – or the game of cricket!

Sadly, Spiritualists are no exception, with a plethora of weird and wonderful words relating to mediumship and spiritual matters, most of which would never arise in ‘normal’ conversation.

So, by popular request, each month we’ll attempt to demystify some commonly used Spiritualist terms, so that everyone is fully in the loop!

The P N jargo n buste r

Automatic writing:

Clairolfaction:

A process whereby a suitable individual sits passively and allows a spirit entity to take control of their physical hand in order to write information. Such information can take many forms, including evidence of survival and philosophical concepts.

Literally ‘clear smelling’. A faculty by which some mediums are able to perceive a scent conveyed by a spirit individual.

Clairaudience:

Literally ‘clear sensing’. A faculty by which most mediums are able to sense information being conveyed to them by a spirit individual.

Literally ‘clear hearing’. A faculty by which some (but not all) mediums are able to hear (objectively or subjectively) words from a spirit individual.

Clairgustance: Literally ‘clear tasting’. A faculty by which some mediums are able to perceive a taste conveyed by a spirit individual.

Clairsentience:

Clairvoyance: Literally ‘clear seeing’. A faculty by which some (but not all) mediums are able to see spirit individuals. The clarity of this ‘seeing’ varies from medium to medium.

Circle: A group of like-minded people who meet on a regular basis to develop spiritual gifts, such as psychic awareness, evidential mediumship or meditation.

Communicator: A word generally used to refer to a spirit individual who is ‘communicating’ information through a medium to an earthly recipient.

Private sitting/reading: A one-to-one appointment with a medium.

Psychic News is available from Talking Newspapers

If you’ve got a word you’d like to have defined, drop an email to pneditorials@gmail.com or write to us at the address on page 3 and we’ll do our best to include it in next month’s jargonbuster column.

Psychic News Page 21

feature

Sixty years and counting Angela Redditch reports on her recent visit to the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Churches’ Fellowship for Psychical and Spiritual Studies, at which a great and much-respected man, Dr Martin Israel, was commemorated.

The CFPSS gathered at Robert Grosseteste University in Lincoln early in September for a very special conference. The Fellowship, founded in 1953, is celebrating its diamond jubilee this year.

Commemorating a great and good man

judicious summing-up on Martin’s spiritual wisdom in the concluding section of the book.

A vocation fostered in mysterious ways?

Martin Israel’s route to his compassionate and insightful ministry was hardly ordinary and far from simple and easy. He did not come from a Christian background: he was born and grew up in South Africa during the era of white domination. He was the son of liberal Jewish parents, professional people, his father an eye surgeon.

When only three years old, Martin was given a vision of his future life, isolated and often misunderstood. It was made clear that there would be a burden of suffering he would have to bear, but could not share, to the end of his earthly days. He was also made aware that the hardships and the solitariness of his physical life were preparation for happiness, ‘glory’, in the life after death.

A major labour of love had been undertaken for this diamond anniversary: Martin Israel: an appreciation.

The launch of this book, published by the Fellowship, was the pivotal element of the conference. It honours the life and work of a much-loved Anglican priest who was a major figure for many years in the life of the Fellowship, as its chairman and later president. Martin Israel, himself psychically very sensitive, was an inspiring and compassionate spiritual adviser and healer, who used his psychic awareness to help him relate with most sensitive insight to the hundreds of troubled people who sought his advice and healing help.

John Wyborn, the book’s author-compiler, opens with the first of its four major sections, his biography of Martin Israel’s singular career. An accompanying section has been assembled from the contributions of many (nearly eighty) The Very Revd Alexander Wedderspoon friends, parishioners, fellowprofessionals, clergy of his own and other denominations, people from all backgrounds who sought his help as a healer or spiritual counsellor. Another section groups thematically as ‘reflections’ Martin’s principal teachings, published in his twenty books, lectures and sermons. The Very Revd Alex Wedderspoon, who knows Martin’s work only through his writings, but never met him, offers a

Page 22 Psychic News

Childhood trials...

He was a victim in childhood of sexual abuse by his own father, otherwise a much-respected man in his own professional field. This appalling start in life probably led to Martin’s lasting difficulties in relating informally to most other people.

Alex Wedderspoon finds the abuse hard to credit, but concludes that Martin’s probity in all other aspects of his behaviour makes it unlikely that he would have developed a fantasy about that of all subjects. A friend to whom Martin, near the end of his life, mentioned the abuse, was deeply shocked to see that talking about it reduced Martin to tears. Alex Wedderspoon points to Martin’s view that “we should

feature have a non-judgemental attitude to all forms of sexual behaviour, except the sexual abuse of children.” He adds that Martin was probably writing from his own experience when he remarked that “we do not have to seek a cross to bear in our lives.”

In Martin’s family home, he could respond to the relaxed open-hearted kindliness and warmth of his parents’ African household servants, who were free of the pretensions and rigid conventions of the white middleclass, among whom Martin was not at ease.

At a sports-focused private school, he was a fish out of water, an academic by instinct, and consequently bullied. He fought his own solitary way out of that alien environment through academic excellence which took him along a highly-successful undergraduate path through medical school, and then to a career in pathology in England.

...and professional unpleasantness

That professional life had its own strange sufferings, though. A web of hostility, snooping and favouritism within the Royal College of Surgeons’ pathology department where he was a lecturer drove Martin and a colleague into collaborating secretly in an innovative textbook on pathology. This seemingly worthy project generated great anger in the department, but General Pathology by Walter and Israel proved a great success elsewhere in the medical world, was repeatedly updated, and reappeared by demand in revised editions well into the 1980s. That seems to have been the one battle so far in his life which the young Dr Israel did not have to fight entirely alone.

Spiritual investigations...

Since coming to England in the early 1950s, he had not committed himself to any belief system, but gradually began in the 1960s to investigate the various emergent religious practices of those innovative years, as well as many of the longer-established Christian and other faiths, Spiritualism among them.

He was not confident, however, that the entities who communicated through mediums were always who they purported to be. Scientific scepticism eventually gave way, though, in another field – prayer for healing drew him, as did lecturing at retreats, where he became a sought-after speaker.

Dr Martin Israel

...and finding a spiritual home

An Anglican priest who heard him suggested that Martin should think about training for the priesthood. His earliest childhood vision had first planted the idea of a spiritual vocation in his mind, and a second experience when he was rather older had given him, while still a young Jewish boy, the conviction that he had had a direct contact with Christ.

Thus, by a roundabout and often painful route, he retired from conventional medical practice and gave the rest of his life to pastoral ministry, based in Anglicanism, but reaching out in healing prayer and compassion to suffering people of all faiths and none.

In the last years of a long earthly life, he experienced great pain and debility, but continued nonetheless to send out healing and give spiritual support to all who sought his help.

John Wyborn’s book is a fitting tribute to this great compassionate soul, “an ethnic Jew, a Christian priest and a spiritual universalist.”

• Copies of Martin Israel: An Appreciation are obtainable at £9.00 (price includes postage and packing) from The Churches’ Fellowship for Psychical and Spiritual Studies, The Rural Workshop, South Road, North Somercotes, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 7PT Tel: 01507 358845 Email: gensec@churchesfellowship.co.uk Website: www.churchesfellowship.co.uk

Psychic News Page 23

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WIMBLEDON SPIRITUALIST CHURCH Accepting the leadership of Jesus Christ 136 Hartfield Road, London SW19 3TJ President: Rev Ray Robinson Enquiries: 020 8542 2394 www.wimbledonspiritualistchurch.co.uk

Sunday 13th October 11am PAULINE PORTER Tuesday 15th 7pm Healing 7.30pm karen pyle Wed 16th 7pm Healing 7.30pm Carol conaway Thursday 17th 10am - 12noon Healing Sunday 20th 11am carol raynor nd Tues 22 7pm Healing 7.30pm IRIS BRIDGEWATER Wednesday 23rd 2.00pm A Celebration of Halloween with jackie & rose - £1.50 Wednesday 23rd 7pm Healing Wednesday 7.30pm LORRAINE HERRON Thursday 24th 10am - 12noon Healing Sunday 27th 11am jackie robinson Sunday 27th 7.30pm (£3.50) Special Evening of Clairvoyance with IVAN LEE Monday 28th 7.30pm Open Platform with ROSE ANDERSON Tuesday 29th 7pm Healing 7.30pm jackie robinson & ROSE ANDERSON Wednesday 30th 7pm Healing Wednesday 30th 7.30pm MARIA ANTONIOU Thursday 31st 10am - 12noon Healing Sun 3rd November 11am Holy Communion & Flower Service with JILL HAY th Tuesday 5 7pm Healing 7.30pm CAROL RAYNER Wed 6th 2.30pm - 5pm ~ £1.50 Mind, Body, Spirit Event ~ readings, healing, therapies, stalls and more Wednesday 6th 7pm Healing Wed 6th 7.30pm PAULINE PORTER Thursday 7th 10am - 12noon Healing Sunday 10th 11am Remembrance Service with JACKIE & RAY ROBINSON Private Readings available at the Church Church founder, Richard Arthur Bush

See a video of our church at: www.psychicnews.org.uk

Page 24 Psychic News

GRANTS

The Spiritual Truth Foundation helps Spiritualists in need, or with unexpected expenditure, by financial grants.

Last year we made grants totalling £15,000 Apply with spiritual background and reasons for request to: Grants Secretary, STF, c/o Box No 010, Psychic Press Ltd, Suite 6, Thremhall Park, Start Hill, Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire CM22 7WE (Google: STF)

What Happens When We Die? Find out from the ground-breaking collection of Trance Philosophy, Spiritual Surgery and Healing DVDs from:

www.spiritsinc.co.uk

These productions from mediums Les Driver, Ron Jordan, Ray Brown, Colin Fry and Irene Sowter include all you need to know about life here and in the hereafter.

Please send for a FREE sample DVD and pamphlet to: Michael Courtney-Hunt, 79 Oxney Road, Peterborough, PE1 5NG. or email: mch100@yahoo.co.uk sending both your name and address.

Order more than one DVD to take advantage of the special reductions plus receive details of the new title entitled ‘Cyrus’ from Trance Medium Les Driver.

personal Experience

Spectacular evidence at ‘September Spectacular’ Ann Harrison reports on the visit of talented UK psychic artist Sandy Ingham to the Acacia Centre in Murcia, Spain.

‘A September Spectacular’ was the heading on the posters announcing Sandy Ingham’s first visit to Robert and Barbara McLernon’s Acacia Centre in the Murcia region of Spain – and spectacular it certainly was. Having hosted physical mediums David Thompson, Scott Milligan and Kai Mügge during the past two years, this was another first for Robert and Barbara – an outstanding psychic artist.

When I saw Sandy working with Stewart Esler at the Stewart Alexander seminar at Cober Hill, Yorkshire, in April this year, there was no doubt in my mind that Sandy and her husband had to come to Spain for a working ‘holiday’.

This was arranged to coincide with a break in Sandy’s busy schedule of demonstrations in England, many of them with the medium Steve Holbrook.

Although a number of the centre’s usual friends had not yet returned to the area after their summer break, the room was almost at capacity to watch Robert work with Sandy.

Robert and Sandy Georgie had met only three hours before the evening demonstration but you would have thought they had been working together

for years, such was the rapport between Robert and the spirit artist working through Sandy.

All Sandy’s drawings are filmed as they develop, via a camera placed behind her shoulder and projected on to a screen. As names and objects were added to the edges of the drawing, the audience quickly joined in, calling out to Rob when something was added as they watched.

Ann Harrison These interruptions did not faze Rob, and at one point when he had picked up the connection of the name which had been written on the drawing, Leo, Sandy’s artist, quickly made a tick – showing it was correct. To which Rob said, “I’m good aren’t I?” and promptly another tick was added to the picture. Joy and laughter quickly became the order of the evening.

In just two hours seven separate drawings were done. One depicted two faces – those of a baby and a related adult. All were recognised and accepted, including one of a spirit guide for Barbara, who had become aware of him over the past few months. The evidence and additional comments on the picture confirmed his identity.

As is usual now in Sandy’s mediumship, the first contact received two drawings – one done with the right hand and the other with the left, building up at the same time, a little work done on each alternately.

Here is what Sylvia Tinnion had to say about her two drawings and the information given: “The first name Robert gave was ‘Georgie’ – a lady.

That was my mother, Georgina Rose, always known

Continued on next page

Psychic News Page 25

personal Experience Continued... in childhood as Georgie.

He followed it up with a good description of her, including her love of music – particularly classical. She played piano and banjo. The birthday card he mentioned would be for my brother’s imminent birthday. Toward the completion of the drawing, Just one Cornetto was written on the picture.

We thought this was to do with the music, but afterwards I remembered that whenever we took my mother out she insisted on having an ice-cream cornet.

I could see that the picture looked a bit like her and then I remembered that at home in England I have a photo just like the drawing, taken when she was much slimmer.

James “The other drawing was of my dad’s brother, James, always known as Uncle Jim. He was a lovely, quiet man and Rob’s description fitted him so well.

When we couldn’t place the original ‘P&J’ written on the picture, ‘AT’ was added by the spirit artist Leo so that it showed ‘Pat’. I immediately thought of my friends of many years, Pat and John, just confirming the link was with me. Everyone agreed it was a wonderful evening, even those who didn’t get messages and drawings.”

As the audience left the Acacia Centre, many were heard to say “That was brilliant!” and were asking when Sandy would visit again. One lady insisted – “You must get her back next year.!”

Billy Edgar

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Billy

Private sittings

Over the next few days Sandy gave eight onehour private sittings. One of the centre’s regular members had delayed her departure for Holland so that she could see Sandy.

In a private sitting, to her delight she received a drawing of her niece, who had passed quite recently.

Local medium Sammy Fitzsimmons wrote this after attending his wife Janet’s sitting to take notes, and receiving evidence for himself, too.

“Janet and I found the evening of psychic art and mediumship with Sandy and Robert amazing. We had never seen this type of mediumship before, and the confirmation given

by Sandy’s guides for the evidence Robert gave was excellent. The private reading with Sandy was also excellent, and carried out in a professional manner.

“During the nine years we have lived in Spain, Janet has never been given messages from any medium. Sandy was the first. Janet had asked two specific questions of spirit on the morning of her sitting. One concerned her health and the other was about her family. She was therefore very impressed when her family, especially her mum, came through and gave her the answers. Other pieces of very relevant information were also given, along with a drawing Sandy did of Janet’s brother Billy Edgar, who passed away thirteen years ago.

“Janet’s sisters also came through, as did my own mum with very important evidence of what I had placed on her chest and in her coffin, as well as outside the coffin.

It was amazing, particularly since I had deliberately placed these items with my mum so that someone would bring her through for me with this evidence.

Our thanks go to Sandy and her guides for all this. What a very kind and gentle Edgar lady she is.”

Janet asked why

personal Experience

Side-by-side drawings of Barbara McClernon’s spirit guide Joseph, and her mother, by psychic artist Sandy Ingham.

Sandy told me that she needed to draw. As soon as Sandy herself had signed it, and not the spirit artist.

Sandy asked the artist about this, and he did then sign I saw the drawing I knew it was my mum. The most important part of the drawing for me was the locket it ‘Leo’ but this is not typical.

Barbara McClernon also received two drawings. Here my mum was wearing. I wear that locket most days but had not put it on that morning. Most photos of my are her comments: mum do not show the locket as she didn’t buy it until “The drawing done at the evening demonstration is after my dad died. What a great week we had with of a guide, Joseph. He first appeared to me when my Sandy and Mike. People are still talking about it.” husband Rob was doing psychic surgery, so I didn’t realise he was with me and over the last few weeks Despite the busy week, Sandy and Mike found I have tried to give him away several times. Even time to relax and enjoy our wonderful warm on that evening, when September sunshine, and I accepted the name of they both benefited from Joseph, I was expecting a Rob’s healing hands. Mike family member. So when had a problem with his Sandy was drawing and I shoulder and neck which was asked if I knew him, I was soon rectified with said, ‘No – he must be for the ‘McLernon Method’. someone else.’ Then, when As so many clients have Sandy drew a moustache, said before him, Mike I realised it was the commented – “I can’t gentleman I had been believe it – it’s gone!” seeing around me for the Amongst other help, past few months.

Sandy received psychic “I had already booked a surgery, particularly for a private sitting with Sandy problem with her vision. because, as Rob was the To her great relief, this medium for the evening, was righted.

I did not expect to get a It was a great pleasure message. On the day of to be with them both, my sitting Sandy said to and we are already me – ‘Well, you won’t want looking forward to R a drawing,’ but during my a further visit next Barbara McClernon’s mother. very evidential sitting, year.

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Would you want to come back as a ghost?

Leading paranormal investigator and medium Ewan Irvine looks at some of the reasons why the ‘dead’ might be reluctant to leave the old familiar territory of earth.

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ave you ever asked yourself why anyone would want to come back as a ghost ? Why would someone want to stick around in this world when there is a world beyond it after we die, the heaven we all hope is waiting for us?

It’s a question I was asked a few weeks ago – one that I really had to ponder and think about.

What is a ghost?

There are a number of theories about what a ghost might be. I use the word ‘ghost’ as that’s what most people term an apparition. Some would argue that

a ghost is a person who, for whatever reason, is unable to move on from this world. Either they have unfinished business, do not realise they are dead, or simply want to stay here.

Then we have the ghosts deemed a ‘poltergeist’, where they make themself known in ways such as occurred with the Enfield poltergeist case, where furniture was said to have moved by itself, knockings were heard on walls, and children’s toys were apparently thrown around. No earthly cause could be found for these happenings. Quite a frightening experience indeed, but it has been argued before that human energy itself is a probable cause of poltergeist activity.

Attachment to familiar places My team and I go into a location such as the Edinburgh Vaults, or Mary King’s Close, again in Edinburgh, which contained a mixture of houses and workplaces many years ago. These, of course, change through history; families move away, residents pass on, and what may have been a shoemaker’s in the past becomes a butcher’s shop, etc.

People become attached to these places while they are here in earthly life. They worked or lived there, often for many years. We have a tendency in this life to revisit places that hold memories for us our first house, the place we grew up, and more. Perhaps like us, those in the spirit world are often just visiting places that hold powerful memories for them.

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The Glencoe massacre Ghosts and 21st We look at locations where there are repeated reports century technology of significant events. One example here in Scotland is at Glencoe. On 13th February 1692 a group of soldiers from Clan Campbell took brutal action against soldiers of the Clan MacDonald at Glencoe. Accepting their kind offer of hospitality and beds for the night, the Glen Campbell soldiers later awoke during the night and brutally slaughtered around 40 of the MacDonald soldiers who were fast asleep. Since then, there have been numerous sightings at Glencoe of the massacre that took place, replaying over and over again throughout the centuries.

Some would suggest that such events in history are so emotionally charged that they are in some way soaked into the very fabric of our earth, almost like being recorded on magnetic tape. On occasions, the play button is somehow triggered and the events replay.

Seeing a loved one who has passed There are those who say they have seen a family member after that person has died. I remember the story of a friend who was sitting in her lounge. When she looked up she saw her grandmother, who passed many years ago, walking across the room and smiling at her. Although initially scared, she later felt that her grandmother was giving her reassurance that the problems she was facing at that time would pass.

We also have other types of ghostly activity in the 21st century. Many have claimed not only to have seen the ghost of a person who has died, but to have heard from them too. There are cases of those who have received a telephone call from them.

Sometimes these have been received on phones that do not actually work, and on a few occasions, on a toy telephone. In addition, there are a number of documented cases of emails being received from beyond the grave.

Let’s look again at our original question, taking into account all the above information. Why would we want to come back as a ghost? We would probably all have different reasons. But I would like to think that if it were me, I would want to give some sort of proof that all is well; that I am well and that life goes on even after death. That proof is given through mediums like myself, but there are also millions of people in the world who claim to have had some sort of paranormal experience of their own. In fact, ask anyone! If they themselves have not had such an experience, they will almost certainly know someone who has.

So I’ve given my reason for coming back as a ghost. The question still remains though: why would you want to come back as a ghost ? And then again, perhaps you wouldn’t!

For more about Ewan’s work, visit: www.ewanirvine.co.uk

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The extraordinary gifts of a dog London-based writer and spiritual worker Wendy Stokes considers some of the wonderful gifts and abilities of the species known as “(wo)man’s best friend”.

Many dogs are trained in a special role – some to use their eyes for blind people, some to be the ears of their deaf human companions. Others are trained to fetch and carry for disabled people, to detect the imminent onset of an epileptic fit in the vital minutes before it happens, to sense when a diabetic person is low on insulin, and even to detect cancer through their extraordinary sense of smell.

In care homes and hospices, many dogs have been

known to sit calmly by the bed of someone about to die. Dogs assist police officers in apprehending criminals, detecting the presence of illegal drugs, and in times of war act as messengers and detect incendiary devices. This last is work of great bravery and skill, for which many dogs have been decorated.

All shapes, sizes and personalities Dogs who are simply domestic pets and companions can recognise up to two dozen commands, and trained dogs can recognise a hundred! It’s a joy to take your dog to training classes – a shared activity that increases and strengthens the bond of affection and respect between animal and human.

Our four-legged friends are excellent and loyal companions, and walking a dog is an ideal way to keep healthy. People will often stop to talk to a dog owner and offer a compliment.

Dogs have been bred for 10,000 years to be a helper, a guard, and to be “(wo)man’s best friend”. They come in an endless variety of personalities, sizes and shapes and there is a dog to suit everyone’s requirements. Many believe that dogs have a soul that survives earthly death, while some people who have undergone a neardeath experience on an operating table, report when

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feature revived that they heard a deceased and much-loved pet barking. Some even report that they have seen a deceased and loved dog in the afterlife running to greet them with a wagging tail.

Dogs, however, have many needs. They can live for up to 20 years (occasionally even longer than that) and have many daily requirements. They are also a considerable expense, especially in vet bills for vital inoculations against distemper, canine hepatitis, leptospirosis and canine parvovirus. If the dog is not walked sufficiently on pavements, its nails will need clipping – a further expense.

Selective breeding for looks rather than health has created dogs with hidden genetic defects that are both painful and inconvenient for the animal, a selfish exercise on the part of humans. Neutering is optional but calms the animal and prevents unwanted attention from other dogs. If you want to have a dog in your life, you should buy from a reputable source, certainly not a puppy mill, pet shop or internet seller.

Puppies need to be handled caringly and sensitively while still very young, or they could fail to become comfortable with humans. © Wendy Stokes If you do buy from a breeder, always see the conditions the mother has lived in, as she will teach her offspring many important lessons during those early weeks of life, including preliminary toilet training, and that even a nip can hurt. Because dog breeding is a commercial business, many such dogs are unable to find good homes, and rescue centres are full to overflowing.

Perhaps the saddest cases are those who have been abandoned in countries abroad. Many people who lived and worked abroad, and owned a dog, have downsized or moved due to the current recession. The cost of air flights and passports means that many dogs are now roaming the hills of Lanzarote and other places that were once thriving holiday centres.

We cannot think of homeless dogs without remembering the suffering and unloved street dogs in very poor countries such as Romania, or worse, in countries with endemic rabies, such as Sri Lanka, where dogs are treated as potential transmitters of this deadly disease, and are stoned, poisoned and left to die a horrendous death by the side of the road.

Spiritualists respect animals Many Spiritualists have a special regard for animals, and for pets in particular. Many use their skills to raise money for animal charities, and adopt from a reputable rescue centre when they can.

Please consider rescue If you are thinking about buying a dog, please consider visiting a responsible rescue centre that will recommend a dog suitable for your personal circumstances. One of the most important factors is to choose one with the best personality to fit in with your family. Huskies pull heavy sleds all day in arctic conditions; collies run a hundred miles a day on the slopes of mountains; such dogs need many miles of walking per day in order to be content and relaxed in a small urban home.

Greyhounds, on the other hand, are elegant and quiet and do not need much exercise.

© Wendy Stokes

For life, and even perhaps for eternity If you find a dog with the correct temperament, you and they will be in love always – perhaps for eternity. There is no limit to the unconditional love, loyalty and companionship of (wo)man’s best friend.

• Some useful telephone numbers: RSPCA: 0300 123 4555: PDSA: 0800 731 2502 Blue Cross: 01993 8222651: Retired Greyhound Trust: 020 8335 3016 and Battersea Dogs Home: 0843 509 4444 • Some useful websites: Dogs Trust: www.dogstrust.org.uk K-9 Angels: k-9angels.org and facebook.com/K9Angels SOS Sri Lanka: facebook.com/pages/Animal-SOS-SriLanka/165576613502654

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Behind the scenes with...

Gerard Smith Gerard Smith is widely regarded as one of the most gifted and accurate evidential mediums in Spiritualism. The embodiment of integrity and humility, he never seeks publicity, but editor Sue Farrow managed (gently, of course!) to twist his arm...

How old were you when you first had a ‘paranormal’ experience, and what was it?

Did you feel anything at all happening during that time?

Sense anyone, see anyone?

No, nothing at all. I then moved into a circle within the church, a I was about 11 or 12. In those development circle with another days there used to be a mobile lady in charge. I sat in that for grocery shop that came round. maybe a year and never saw a I had a dream in connection thing. Not a single thing. with that grocery shop that somebody had died. I woke up Medium Gerard Smith So were you thinking, “What and thought it was just a bad with Sue Farrow am I doing here?” dream, and I remember my father coming in and telling me I was, yes, but I still enjoyed sitting there quietly not to worry, everything was all right. A week later the wife of the man with the mobile shop passed away. That – it was a lovely feeling. The circle leader would go round us all to see if we’d received any occasion would just have been telepathy, though, not awareness of spirit, and certainly not any understanding impressions, and from time to time Mrs Higginson would come into the room. On one of of spirit. That didn’t come until until I went to a those occasions the circle leader was going round Spiritualist church. as usual and said to me, ‘Nothing?’ but Mrs Higginson insisted, ‘You’ve got something.’

Did you have a particular teacher or helper who There were two sisters in the circle at the time mentored you? and as I looked round them, I thought, ‘Where has she come from?’ I could see another person After I’d attended Longton Spiritualist Church for who hadn’t been there when we started, but some time, Gordon Higginson’s mother, Fanny, when I closed my eyes she was still there, and I invited me to join a group she was starting on a thought, ‘Oh my goodness me!’ Mrs Higginson Thursday evening. I told her it was not for me, told me to stand up and I said, ‘But I haven’t got but she said firmly, ‘It’s not what you want, it’s anyone,’ and she said, ‘Oh, you have.’ Then she what the spirit world wants!’ I wasn’t remotely took a pen out of her bag and wrote something interested, because I didn’t imagine there would on a bit of paper, folded it up and said to me: be anything in the way of development for me, ‘Now, say what you have got. Just give a little bit but she was determined and told me I had to be of description to the ladies.’ Well, I did, and to there by 7.15pm. my amazement the sisters said, ‘Oh, that’s our Down a corridor there were five healing rooms aunt!’ Then Mrs Higginson passed me the piece of and she chose the end one which looked out onto paper and I saw that what she had written was a very busy main road at the front of the ‘Olive and Olwen’s aunt’. It was confirmation of building. I thought to myself, ‘Well, of all the what I had said. rooms to choose, she has chosen this one!’ For eight months we sat on hard wooden chairs from So that was your first ever message?

7.30 to 8.45 and never spoke a word. If Mrs Higginson thought you were nodding off, Yes, and that’s how it all started – very gradually. she would give you a prod with a long garden Then I got into a good home circle as well, and a cane!

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lot of development took place there. The members were all established older Spiritualists, and I was the young one, but they were very nice people, and the development was a very gradual thing. I sat in that circle for fifteen years, and it was there that I met a wonderful Spiritualist named Mrs Ada Timmis. She was remarkable, and became a wonderful friend and mentor to me – a beautiful soul who passed to spirit in 1997.

Eventually I started to do some work locally but I went out with a speaker. She did the address and I did the mediumship. Gordon Higginson encouraged that.

What made you decide to make mediumship your life, rather than having a ‘normal’ job?

I never actually had it in mind to do it full time. But one day, in church, Gordon Higginson said that he wanted to speak to me. He told me that in a few months’ time I was going to have some news regarding work. He told me I shouldn’t worry about it, because ‘you’ll be doing what I am doing by next year’. He added that I’d never be well off, but I’d always have enough. I was in a state of disbelief, but it happened exactly as he’d said.

I think a lot of people are totally unaware of the huge responsibility and implications behind mediumship. Some are wanting to be ‘doing’ it but not realising just how it can alter and change the course of lives. There are so many courses covering mediumship these days, and I think those fundamental things should most definitely be incorporated into the teaching.

Do you think that compassion and empathy are prerequisites for a good and honourable medium?

I would certainly like to think so, but it isn’t always the case. I’m sure, though, that on some level it could perhaps make all the difference.

Turning to the mundane, what are your hobbies/ interests when you are not working?

I enjoy gardening, creative writing, poetry, literature and listening to music. I also like doing collage and other artistic things. I certainly wouldn’t want to be fiddling about with anything mechanical, and definitely not anything electronic!

You see, hear and sense spirit communicators.

Does one of those faculties dominate when you’re working?

I think two of them do – clairvoyance and clairaudience. But I would say the clairvoyance is most prominent because a lot of the time I’m very visually aware of the spirit communicator.

You are well known for going direct to the recipient of a message, rather than giving out information in the hope of discovering who can accept it. Does your strong clairvoyance assist you with that, and if so, how?

Yes, I think it’s connected with that, because I often see the communicator near to the recipient.

What, in your opinion, is the most important purpose of mediumship?

The most important thing, I think, is to bring that love from the spirit communicator so close, to bring the awareness of the two worlds into reality.

There’s a lot of perceived ‘kudos’ attached to being a medium these days, with many people taking courses and workshops. Leaving aside the vexed question of whether mediumship can actually be ‘learned’, do you think enough is taught about the enormous responsibility of being a working medium?

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Travelling in the body of light (Out-of-body experiences)

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great many people write to me at my newspaper and internet columns and claim to have travelled outside their bodies.

Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are surprisingly common. Surveys have yielded different results showing that between 25-60 per cent of people questioned claimed to have experienced an OBE. Whatever the true figure, it is clear from surveys, and my bulging mailbag, that this is certainly not an uncommon experience. Here is an example from one of the many thousands of letters and emails sent to me: “A few years ago I had an extremely painful operation without anaesthetic,” a woman wrote. “I left the hospital 20 minutes after the surgery in a state of shock, anger and mixed emotions. My centre of vision suddenly changed. I stood about 3 storeys higher, above myself, looking down at the scene below. I could see the pedestrians walking by, the cars and buses, the flat rooftops of the buildings. I even saw myself stop at the kerb, look both ways and cross the street.”

struggling to get in.

One of the most famous examples of this happened to Charles A. Lindbergh in 1927 as he made the first ever flight across the Atlantic in his plane the Spirit of St Louis: “I existed independently of time and matter. I felt myself departing from my body as I imagine a spirit would depart – emanating into the cockpit, extending through the fuselage as though no frame of fabric or wool were there, angling upward, outward, until I reformed in an awareness far distant from the human form I left in a fast-flying transatlantic plane. But I remained connected to my body through a

“Often a period of severe stress or shock or fatigue can induce the astral body to temporarily separate from the physical body”

What to do when you are dead: Living better in the afterlife

By Craig Hamilton Parker

“I existed independently of time and matter”

She went on, “I have a bald spot on the top of my head, and I noticed there was a small scar on it that I did not know was there!”

This is an unusual case because the OBE happened while she was walking along the street. Celia Green, a UK psychical investigator, cited a couple of cases in which motorcyclists left their bodies while driving at high speed. (Fortunately, they did not have accidents.)

Pilots have also had similar experiences, finding themselves apparently outside their aircraft

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long-extended strand, a strand so tenuous that it could have been severed by a breath.”

Most out-of-body experiences happen spontaneously. Often a period of severe stress or shock or fatigue can induce the astral body to temporarily separate from the physical body.

Reports also come from people who say they have had an OBE while they were resting, sleeping or dreaming.

The majority of OBEs occur when people are in bed, ill or resting, with a smaller percentage coming while the person is drugged or medicated.

There is a high incidence of out-ofbody experience during puberty.

Of course some of these experiences may be fantasy but there are a great many cases on record now that give empirical proof that such experiences do exist, because the astral traveller has seen and described things from the journey that he or she could not

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Continuing our six-part serialisation of Craig Hamilton Parker’s critically acclaimed guide to the next life have known. For example, out-ofbody travellers have read off numbers from random-number generating machines placed in a room separate from their physical bodies, or seen target objects placed at a distance, even on the roofs of buildings.

What to do if you leave your body?

“Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful.

It’s the transitions that are troublesome.” Isaac Asimov (science fiction writer, 1920-1992) The experience of leaving the physical body is usually a pleasurable one. I have had a number of OBEs myself, and it always feels natural and an enjoyable experience.

However, my first OBE, which happened during my adolescence, was frightening.

As I was falling asleep, I felt myself rise to the ceiling. I looked around and saw myself on the bed. My immediate thought was that I had died in my sleep, and I panicked.

Instantaneously, there was a feeling of great shaking, and I felt myself shoot back into my body like a whip being lashed. There was a huge bang and a flash of light, and I awoke with my body drenched in cold sweat.

Nowadays, if the same thing happens, I remain calm and enjoy the experience of being free of the body. I realise that it is a natural experience and is safe if consciously practised. There may be those, perhaps, who have had “one OBE too many” and ended up in the spirit world permanently. Being dead, they would have no conventional way to let us know what had happened!

That said, however, through experience I believe OBEs to be safe, because I know of no cases where

communicating spirits have warned against it. Also, there have been no reported cases of people dying while practising OBE experiments under laboratory conditions.

It is possible to induce an out-ofbody experience. These are described in detail in my other books: The Hidden Meaning of Dreams and Remembering your Dreams, also published by Sterling.

The simplest methods of OBE inductions require you to deliberately relax very deeply and visualise that you are being pulled towards a point in the room, such as light fixture. As the physical mechanism of the body becomes quiescent, the body of light continues to remain active. Instead of resting in the physical body, it goes out of the body and into the astral plane. The body of light lays aside the physical body like we lay aside our clothes. It is also possible to use lucid dream techniques to trigger astral flight.

“My whole bed lifted up and floated down the corridor” If you take a nap and find yourself out of your body, don’t panic. Enjoy the experience. It is likely, at first, to last only moments, but with practice the experience can be sustained.

Some mystical teachings say that everyone astral travels every night – it’s just that we forget that we’ve done it once we wake up.

used a sleep technique, you may lose awareness of the experience in the same way you forget your dreams upon waking.

Travelling in the body of light is easy, provided one practises. It takes perseverance and patience.

Initially, you may indulge yourself in the enjoyable sensations that arise as you free yourself of your physical form. The physical body feels sluggish in comparison to its astral counterpart. It is like clay compared to light. The body of light is pure life-force.

You may see your physical body laid on the bed as I did and decide that now is the time to venture further afield. Perhaps you will travel to places you know, or move to far off countries on the other side of the world. Imagine the feeling of soaring high above the world and seeing the landscape moving below you!

When I was a young man, my grandfather was very ill. Coming close to death, he spoke to me about an experience he had while in the hospital. His eyes were shining with delight and excitement as he spoke. “My whole bed lifted up and floated down the corridor over there,” he said. “It was wonderful.

I flew out of the hospital and all over the world. I even saw the continent of Australia laid out below me. Craig, I will never be afraid of dying. You must never fear death.”

Those few words, from someone so close to me, and whom I could trust implicitly, had a profound effect on me.

Part of the art of astral travel is being able to recall the experience when you return to the body. If you have

Next month: Thoughts have wings: getting your message across.

For more about Craig Hamilton-Parker and his work, or to buy a copy of What to do when you are dead, visit: www.mediums.org

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s ’ m a h t i h Nic W . . . o t guide feature

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eginning this month, we’re launching a brand new series on complementary therapies. Our columnist Nic Whitham is coowner and manager of Banyan Retreat, a spiritual development sanctuary and natural healing centre in Ashford, Kent.

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a Japanese word more generally translated as ‘universal life energy’. As most Reiki practitioners know, it is generally believed that Dr Mikao Usui (1865-1926) reintroduced Reiki as a modern-day hands-onhealing modality in the early 1900s. It was taken to the USA in the 1970s by Mrs Hawayo Takata (1900-1980) and has been popular around the world ever since.

Did Usui exist?

Thousands of students are given training and attunements into this form of healing each year, even though there is no evidence that a man or monk named Usui ever existed. Reiki students are taught that Usui was a monk in a Buddhist temple and also studied at the University of Chicago in his quest to find the source of healing power, but neither has records of anyone by that name having attended. Kathleen Milner, the founder of ‘Tera Mai,’ asks the question: “Did Takata invent Dr Usui so that healing would get into the world ?” She goes on to say: “What if Takata went to Japan prior to World War II and came across a Buddhist monastery where a minor initiation began the process of opening her to her own healing channels and connection to Source? Did Takata receive the initiations that she passed on in a consciousness-raising experience?

She would have also realized that at that time, Americans would not accept Reiki if they knew it came from a woman or a Buddhist.”

This is all good food for thought and there are many more questions which could be asked, but however Reiki healing came into being, it is one of the most popular modalities of hands-on-healing available today.

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Reiki Spiritual understanding

Reiki is not just a healing modality, it also aids personal development, encourages students along a pathway of unfoldment to awaken innate personal gifts. It also has a spiritual aspect which allows students to have experiences of spirit that guide each to their own spiritual understanding.

When a Reiki practitioner or master links with the cosmic radiant energy, the practitioner draws energy and focuses it through their hands, thus providing a link between themself and the client. Some have described this connection as an opening or expanding of the chakras, filling them with universal life energy.

Intelligent healing energy This energy can be applied to the practitioner himself, to animals or plants, and can even heal over long distances. It does not matter about the condition being treated, the practitioner does not even have to know about that condition. The intelligence of the healing energy will seek out the cause of the problem. It also touches the individual receiving the healing on a soul level.

The attunements There are normally three Reiki attunements (or initiations) Reiki I, Reiki II and Reiki master. The initiation is the process by which a master shares with the student the ability to practise. This is a more common practice in Asian spiritual traditions.

It is extremely difficult to demystify the attunement process completely, since it is quite mystical in nature.

The process will allow the student to be opened and aligned to the Reiki energy and to be able to channel the healing energy. The sacred Reiki symbols are drawn into the student’s aura at the chakras,

feature hands and feet. The energy moves through the student, through the crown chakra and creates an internal channel for the energy to flow.

The attunement is guided by a Higher Power, and functions at a higher level of awareness. This allows the student after a Reiki II attunement to think of the symbol or use any other way to activate it, and the energy the symbol is aligned to will begin to flow.

Different forms of Reiki There are many different forms of Reiki available today, mainly due to the fact that nobody has successfully trademarked Usui Reiki. Although some forms of Reiki – such as Tera Mai Reiki and Seichem, Karuna Reiki and Lightarian Reiki – have been successfully trademarked, this leaves the door open for any master to add their own stamp to the form of Reiki they teach.

Beware of internet attunements

Transcendental sacred symbols The sacred Reiki symbols are normally only revealed to students who are about to be attuned to Reiki II or Reiki master. Depending upon the branch of Reiki the student chooses to study, and the lineage of the Reiki master who is teaching, the sacred symbols will be different. They range from highly complex Japanese Kanji characters to actual symbols.

Some of the early Reiki masters insisted on a ritual burning of the notes, which probably caused much confusion and some of the early masters may have modified the symbols to the written meaning in Kanji characters. Whatever the origin of the symbols used in modern day Reiki, they allow the practitioner to give the healing energy additional focus and purpose.

There are similarities between some of the Usui Reiki symbols and the powerful symbols from Zen Buddhism. The symbols are transcendental in nature and enhance the Reiki healing by working on the root cause of a problem or condition.

This aspect should be given careful consideration when choosing a Reiki master, if you plan to learn how to practise Reiki yourself. It is also worth noting here that a number of people offer to teach Reiki and give the attunements over the internet.

If you choose this method then please proceed with extreme caution, although it may be possible to teach the history and theory of Reiki healing, it is certainly not possible to complete the attunements in this way.

The right intent matters most Wherever you are on your healing pathway, please remember that it matters less how you use the symbols, or where you place your hands.

As with all forms of healing, it matters most that you create the right intent. Intent is the one thing that will open the healing channel and control the flow of healing energy.

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Nic Whitham has been a spiritual healer for the past 40 years and holds an ITEC qualification in anatomy and physiology, reflexology, and Indian head massage. He also practises Thai massage, is a Reiki master, and a qualified teacher and practitioner of electro-crystal therapy and polycontrast interference photography. Nic also has in-depth knowledge and understanding of the bio-energy field and its impact on health.

Feeling extremely passionate about ensuring that healing is taught correctly, Nic teaches both spiritual and Reiki healing. His certified spiritual healing courses are affiliated to the British Alliance of Healing Associations.

Nic feels strongly about promoting a healthy lifestyle and the good use of complementary therapies as an alternative to mainstream medical use of pharmacology, where appropriate.

You can contact him via the Banyan Retreat on: 01233 714155 or visit: www.banyanretreat.com

• Next month: Reflexology Psychic News Page 37

FEATURE

The Rector, the Vicar and the ghost of Old Jeffrey Trevor Davey tells the story of the Wesley family’s very determined ‘visitor’ The Reverend Samuel Wesley became Anglican rector of the parish church of Saint Andrews, Epworth (at that time in North Lincolnshire), in 1695. He was also responsible for the smaller parish of Wroot. This was under the benevolence of Queen Mary II, although Wesley’s ways of thinking were not to the liking of the locals.

A big house and a big family The rectory was a large building, a necessity since Wesley and his wife Susanna had four children when they moved in, and later had a further fifteen, only ten of whom survived to adulthood. With such a large family there were also male and female servants.

It is clear, therefore, that the family was living well, although it is recorded that Samuel struggled financially and supplemented his income by writing poetry.

A big family and big talents Both Samuel and Susanna came from families whose fathers were rectors, but were said to be prominent “dissenting” members of the established Church of England. Two of the sons, John and Charles, attended grammar school and went on to Oxford University.

These two sons eventually initiated the Methodist Church. John was better known as an orator, although his brother Charles was no mean preacher in his own right, but turned his passion to the writing of hymns that were sung originally at Methodist gatherings in fields, chapels and market squares.

In fact, Charles Wesley wrote more than 3,000

hymns, becoming perhaps the most famous hymn lyricist of all time. To this day, Wesley’s hymns are a part of many services throughout the world, including the popular Christmas carol Hark, the Herald Angels Sing and Love Divine, all Loves Excelling. Another son, Samuel, became a well-known artist.

A big fire – and a bigger new house In 1709 the original rectory – which had a thatched roof – was set on fire, possibly by vandals. John Wesley, who was just five or six at the time, was rescued from an upper storey window. It is recorded that he never forgot this incident and attributed his rescue to God for his purpose in life. The rectory was then rebuilt in Queen Anne-style as a much larger building. The building was in a poor state by 1954, when the British Methodist Church bought it and restored the house to its former glory, subsequently opening it to the public.

Big trouble begins In 1716, when John Wesley was about twelve, he, along with others, witnessed paranormal events occurring in the house. On 1st December 1716, children and servants began to talk about strange noises they had heard, such as knockings and the sound of footsteps going up and down the stairs during the night. Rector Wesley of course had words with the children and servants about these ‘imagined’ events and suggested that they had emanated from young men who had an interest in his four grown up daughters!

In response, the children said to their father that they wished the ghost would come knocking at his door!

Jeffrey’s attic room at Epworth Rectory, from The Young People’s Wesley, by W. McDonald.

Page 38 Psychic News

FEATURE

Epworth Rectory – possibly depicting the building as it was at the time of the rappings – before 1851 when the ‘window tax’ was repealed.

A big dog to the rescue? Not likely!

The very next night, nine loud knocks thudded on the walls of the Reverend and Mrs Wesley’s bedchamber.

The rector thought some mischief-maker was responsible and decided to acquire a large dog to deter these persons unknown. He obtained a mastiff, but when the noises commenced, all the brave dog did was to whimper and hide behind the frightened children!

A big noise gets noisier Two nights later, the sounds were so extreme that the rector and his wife were forced out of bed to investigate. They searched the property but could find no obvious cause for the sounds. Eventually, when the knockings in the nursery became particularly loud, the rector asked: “Why do you disturb innocent children? If you have something to say, come to my study!”

As if in answer to his challenge, a loud knock sounded on the study door with such force that its boards must surely have been shattered. The rector had had enough and decided to consult with the vicar of Hoxley. who agreed to lead devotions that very night to see if the ‘visitor’ would dare to make themself known in his presence. Evidently the communication was so good that the vicar of Hoxley fled in fear!

Eventually the children overcome their fear of the intruder, accepting him and naming him ‘Old Jeffrey’.

If people suggested that the sounds were due to natural causes such as rats, birds or the wind, the sounds became more distinct and the doubter was swiftly put to rights!

A most punctual haunting The sounds were always heard at ten in the evening, and after a while the rector recalled a historical form of what today we would call exorcism. This involved taking a large trumpet and blowing it as loudly as possible in every room of the house. In this case, however, it proved to be a complete failure, and the ‘visitor’ was undeterred. Then, just as everybody was getting used to Old Jeffrey, the phenomena ceased abruptly, never to return.

A well-recorded case The provenance of these events is exceptional, with recorded statements from family and servants, together with letters written during the period.

We will never be sure how these paranormal occurrences, and the influence of spirit energies, affected the spiritual understanding of both the Wesley brothers. However, in the light of today’s greater understanding and acceptance of spirit communication, it is certainly fascinating to wonder.

• This article is compiled from The Epworth Phenomena 1917 by Dudley Wright, statements/accounts and letters of the time, miscellaneous documents and websites.

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Psychic News Page 39

personal opinion

Thinking outside the trap New Zealand medium and teacher Ken Pretty responds to a letter from reader Bob Berry, first published in our August issue, and reproduced below.

The answer to Bob Berry’s “confusion” (Issue 4106) lies in the fact that far too many students are taught using a set pattern, and no matter how long they work for spirit, they never stray or move on from its rigidity.

As such, they are unaware of the trap of what I call common denominators.

Think outside that trap Most folk have a name, two eyes, nose and mouth, so descriptions often ‘fit’ many of us. As such, they do not often identify a contact personally. One sorts this by a singular thing that sets them apart such as the contact having only one eye, leg, arm, a finger missing, or no teeth for instance, and it is far quicker too!

Don’t hunt: let the Other Side send details In addition, far too many students are taught to look for details – pictures, words, and feelings – often wrought from too much meditation in circle.

In consequence, they tend - albeit unaware to ‘associate’, thereby utilising their own thoughts and building up images rather than receiving them, as is the true way to successful communication.

We all receive telepathically – mind to mind – from spirit and our brain converts the input into words, pictures, and feelings. On spiritside, though often not clarified, there is nothing physical, so except in very

Page 40 Psychic News

rare instances, we do not, when using clairvoyance, clairaudience, or clairsentience, physically, see, hear, or feel any contact; ergo, such words are used for both recipients’ and mediums’ convenience only. (The exception to this is when demonstrating physical phenomena, but even then, as always, it must rely upon the medium’s brain being utilised.)

Rival claimants?

Ask communicator for clinching detail When more than one person ‘claims’ the contact, the medium should always be able to clarify, by asking for a particular thing, relevant only between the contact and the right recipient.

After all, almost certainly the medium will not know the contact, even if they know the recipient, so Then the third giving this particular item person claims to of information should accept most of the clinch the link indubitably, information already and ‘dismiss’ any other given to the other claimant. two and the link is continued with My own methods additional details. Each of the three recipients In one of my addresses, is sent ‘very much I speak of when we used love’ by the person in surnames, but today only spirit.

Christian names are used Is this an example by most, and certainly of the Holy Trinity at in New Zealand. Even work (?!) or can telemarketers address someone offer an you as if they were explanation? your best friend! When I would feel most demonstrating, however, upset if I were given a I very rarely use names personal message/ and never give long evidence from a loved descriptions. I rarely go one, only to find that direct to someone for a everything is then contact, as I state that shared with two I need to speak with the strangers. person who did such and Bob Berry, Somerset such before they came

Mediumistic mix-up or Holy Trinity?

I am confused.

A detailed description of a person in spirit, including conditions and linked names, is offered at an evening of clairvoyance. Three people accept the details so the medium seeks further confirmation and eventually focuses on one recipient.

Most of the lengthy information is accepted by the first person but the second of the three can also accept much of the information. So the medium continues with (apparently) the same link and the second person happily accepts the evidence.

:

here tonight, or to speak to someone whose name includes certain letters.

I will also ask a member (or several) of the audience to give me the first letter they think of, and invariably I will go directly to the recipient, even with letters like x, z, or q. I’ve also invited four first-time members of the audience to come to the rostrum, so we can illustrate that mediumship is easy – it is we humans who make it difficult!

I ask each person for the first thing that comes into their head. I then add something else and tell somebody that they can ‘take’ what has been said.

Magically my spirit helpers are always accurate, even though five strangers have been involved in ‘giving’ the evidence.

Last circle night, I had a medium as a guest to see how I conducted my circle. My eight students all gave evidential messages, but none was for Mary the medium. I then said I would get the first link and each circle member would give a piece of evidential information. I added that we’d go around the circle twice, and then I would cap it all off with the rest of the message, all of which would be for Mary. Hence, she had 18 pieces of evidence of a personal nature including my ending of it with the person’s relationship that was the contact. My students are taught as I work, i.e. to never ask recipients questions – only to ask of spirit. This is not showing off, it is simply to demonstrate just how much spirit can work with anyone, and also with all at once.

u o y k n a Th e n o y r e v to e

From the November issue of Psychic News, the general public will have a chance to find out all about Spiritualism as PN returns once more to many newsagents’ shelves, and can be ordered from any newsagent in the UK. This achievement is something we’ve been working hard to achieve for a long time, as it means Psychic News will have a far wider readership than it has enjoyed for many, many years.

Experiment! On their side and ours!

Now in the 65th year of my mediumistic ministry, I still learn something new daily, and I am always learning from my students. I do things that other mediums are not doing, or are afraid to try. I like to push the envelope to show folk just how much spirit enjoy visiting us, and I never take the credit, as I’m only the deliverer. My spirit helpers do the real work.

One should work as if crossing stepping-stones in a river. If one goes straight down a road, one mostly gets dross, as one can miss the important side turnings where the ‘gold’ is hiding. Keep it strictly simple; don’t add on bits as so many of our mediums do today, which is possibly how Bob Berry’s medium got so mixed up. He or she might begin to know just who their helpers are, if they’d just put in the time and effort…

We would like to thank all churches, centres advertisers and readers for their support in helping us achieve this success. To show our appreciation we will be giving a massive 50% discount on all new display advertisement bookings made before 1st November 2013. If you would like your advertisement to appear in the November issue, please send us your details or arrange your advert before 14th October – via email, post or over the phone.

For details of our rates – don’t forget to take off the 50% – either visit our website at:

Small and specific for clinching evidence In conclusion, the best evidence is found in trivia, not in descriptions. Sir Oliver Lodge wrote in 1930: “To complain of triviality in the events selected as evidence for continued personal existence and memory is stupid, or at the least thoughtlessness, because, when studied, the best messages are found to constitute links in the chain of evidence demonstrating continued existence or human survival beyond the adventure of bodily death.” So, never think it’s just floccinaucinihilipilification!

• For more about Ken Pretty, visit: kpretty.medium@clear.net.nz

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Psychic News Page 41

feature

From mediumship to Near-Death experiences Lew Sutton reports on a conference that’s seen the Society for Psychical Research making a welcome return towards its roots.

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hree interesting accounts of mediumship were on the agenda at this year’s Society for Psychical Research’s (SPR) conference. In recent years many of the presentations have been perhaps of more interest to professional parapsychologists than to Spiritualists in general. However, this year amongst such material we saw a greater selection of presentations on mediumship, both traditional and the Electronic Voice Phenomena type (EVP), plus intriguing Near-Death Experiences (NDEs).

Mediumship and EVP

Aspects of EVP were also covered by David Luke and Ann Winsper. David Luke, together with Ross Friday, looked at how we perceive the typically indistinct EVP voices. They had compared EVP recordings with simulated EVP and also static noise to see if apophenia (such as hearing meaningful sounds in random noise) could account for the phenomena. The trial results were partially in favour of the phenomena. Ann Winsper looked briefly at the history of EVP and went on to examine psychological aspects of EVP with an emphasis on how expectation and belief in the phenomena can affect interpretation of what is being heard.

The first contribution on mediumship was titled The Spiritualist Development Circle as Laboratory: A brave Some Reflections on Methodology personal account Arising from Apprentice Participation

by David Wilson. Don’t let the lengthy A poignant account of encounters with title put you off! There seems to be mediumship came from Trevor Hamilton competition for the most impressive who gave the after-dinner speech on the title at these conferences! David formal Saturday evening. He very bravely described the process of opening related his introduction to mediums after the up his mediumistic ability at the tragic loss of his son in a road accident. He David Wilson Edinburgh Portobello SNU church as gave a very touching account of his many Photo credit: religiousstudiesproject.org experiences and warned of the vulnerability part of his shamanic studies. He now serves churches in the London area. of those who have lost dear ones. He said A revised version of his PhD thesis on mediums have a huge moral responsibility in shamanism and mediumship has been such circumstances. published by Bloomsbury.

Medium Rachel Browning provided Positive effects of the second mediumship presentation NDEs, ELEs and OBEs with The Relationship Between Physical Phenomena and Electronic Of particular interest regarding evidence Voice Phenomena Reported in Séances supporting the spiritualistic survival with a Physical Circle from 2008 to hypothesis were the presentations covering 2013. Rachel reported on psychic End-of-life Experiences (ELEs), Near-Death development within her circle and Experiences (NDEs) and Out-of-Body played excerpts of voice phenomena Experiences (OBEs). Mika Iwasaki & Tatsu which came across reasonably clearly.

Hirakawa presented statistical results from In fact, better than some examples 18 cases of NDEs in Japan, with emphasis on Rachel Browning I have heard in recent times at the after-effects of those experiences, which seminars and conferences. Apparently seemed substantially positive. As has been flashing light phenomena and transfiguration occurred noted before, NDE reports globally show great similarity concurrent with some of the EVP. Interestingly, EVP with the ‘Being of Light’ interpreted in relationship to appeared on two recorders being run simultaneously. local beliefs.

Page 42 Psychic News

feature Guest speaker and renowned researcher Dr Peter Fenwick looked at the commonality between ELEs and cardiac arrest NDEs. Cardiac arrest cases in hospital environments are particularly important as, depending on the degree of patient monitoring, they may determine if the patient was ‘brain dead’ at the time of the OBE and/or NDE.

News readers. The titles of all 23 presentations are listed on www.psychicnews.org.uk together with the references mentioned in this report.

Good news for Helen Duncan supporters

A famous case

Dr

However, I must refer to statements made by Neil Spring during his talk on researching for his fictional book The For many years the famous Pam Ghost Hunters (to be published in this Reynolds aneurysm case provided month), focusing on Harry Price and perhaps the best evidence the Borley haunting. Neil’s damning supporting the reality of NDEs. assessment of the infamous Harry Price This account is covered in detail should be music to the ears of those in cardiologist Pim van Lommel’s wishing for evidence to counteract the 2010 book Consciousness Beyond Pam Reynolds from damaging statements Price made on Life. The portrayals of the event the BBC programme: mediums, especially the famous late I have seen on national TV have Pam Sees God. Scottish physical medium Helen Duncan. not done justice to the case, One of Neil’s milder statements concerned omitting important details. Since Price prioritising self-promotion above truth – with which this type of omission happens so often, I wonder if it’s I totally agree. due to incompetence or deliberate decision? However, world expert Dr Fenwick brought us up to date with an impressive evidential account in Dr Sam Parnia’s Summary 2013 book The Lazarus Effect (pp240-254), where lack of brain activity during the NDE was My personal preference would unquestionable. This event happened in 2011 at be to see more papers on Southampton General Hospital, UK. investigating mediumistic phenomena presented at the conferences. However, the SPR Precognition can only fill the programme with what has been submitted.

There were five presentations on precognitive It strikes me that many of the matters, three dealing with dreams. However, it papers presented these days seems that precognitive dreams are somewhat are of a more peripheral nature reluctant to manifest in laboratory conditions. It is compared to the investigative the spontaneous activities that formed a major unexpected Author part of the SPR’s work in its first ones that can Neil Spring 60 years or so. Not so much be impressive – ‘fieldwork’ is carried out these which of course days, the last major one being in the 1990s resulting in are so difficult to verify the excellent Scole Report (Keen, Ellison and Fontana, as a precognitive event.

1999).

The nature of time The reasons may be mainly due to high investigative itself naturally featured costs of fieldwork plus insufficient first-class mediums large in this section on putting themselves forward as guinea pigs. For precognition. Fernando parapsychologists, I wonder if it is easier to get funding de Pablos considered the for laboratory trials rather than fieldwork – which I guess theoretical possibility of is viewed as more speculative. time running backwards!

For mediums, there is historically the prospect of David Vernon had devised tedious trials that never quite satisfy the investigators a clever experiment Sam Parnia which ruled out conscious and give definitive conclusions to their investigations.

However, there are signs of improving co-operation influences in precognition. Fergus Hinds considered that between Spiritualists and the SPR. The latest was the non-physical worlds would not be restricted to time and first in a series of planned science days held at the space dimensions, thus interaction with such worlds could Stafford-based SNU Arthur Findlay Centre earlier this account for precognition occurring. year, and reported extensively in Psychic News by editor Sue Farrow. This builds on the links formed over two decades ago with what was known as the joint Miscellanea ‘Council of PRISM’ project.

In total, the conference contained 23 presentations, • For a list of books mentioned in this article, covering an eclectic range of material, so this report has visit: www.psychicnews.org.uk focused on those most likely to be of interest to Psychic

Psychic News Page 43

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feature

Where are we now?

by David Hopkins

In the first of two articles looking at what Spiritualism is, David Hopkins explains why its primary purpose is about living life to the full.

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sychic News is in the early stages of a new chapter in its history as it is once again becoming available to the general public through newsagents, rather than its more traditional outlets through groups and individuals connected with or having an interest in Spiritualism, whether in specific or general terms.

Confusing jargon?

In any ‘interest group’ there will be language used and ideas embraced that an ‘outsider’ might not always find easy to grasp. If you are not British and haven’t even a vague knowledge of cricket, then ‘googly’, ‘leg before’, ‘slips’ and ‘hit for six’ could be a bit confusing!

The same applies in occupations, hobbies and many other parts of our lives. If you have an interest in/ or knowledge of Spiritualism and allied fields, then you are likely to know the jargon; it then become all too easy to use that jargon without thinking about anyone outside the fold.

No right way Perhaps it would be useful to look first at some of the ideas we express and then some of the words

Page 44 Psychic News

used and give them some definition.

May I suggest that this exercise could benefit many already linked with Spiritualism? We may be not just defining but re-defining things we say, believe and think. Not that my views should be taken as representing a definitive expression of what is and what ain’t the ‘right’ meaning! The thing for ‘old hand’ and ‘newbie’ to understand is that the only ‘right’ way is the way that is right for each of us individually.

We don’t have all the answers Spiritualism doesn’t have all the answers – you may have worked that out already! Spiritualists have assembled a degree of knowledge and some wisdom since the midnineteenth century, based on experience both personal and from family, friends and colleagues.

This includes the application of reason, common sense and logic, and the use of intuition and other senses, coupled with emotion. A view on life has been built up (and is shared at a general level) that leads the individual to an acceptance of a range of conclusions.

These include the fact that there is a creative force in the universe

that is the source of everything that exists. Next there is an acceptance of the inter-relationship between all forms of life and this produces a working hypothesis that being a part of ‘creation’ the termination of life is no longer a logical concept.

Spiritualism exists to help any individual, and indeed all humanity, to live each section of life in a manner that • brings greater understanding (and therefore greater acceptance) of the underlying divinity of all • brings happiness from knowledge and wisdom from experience • allows the individual to expand an awareness of personal progression towards a closer working relationship with the creative energy of the universe • helps an understanding that being part of the eternal spirit, cessation of life is impossible, though the form and style of that life may change on a regular basis throughout eternity

Spiritualism is about living life to the full I read recently a view expressed on the Psychic News online forum that “Spiritualism was initiated by SPIRIT to give evidence of life after [death] for those who grieve and take away the fear of death.” This I find

feature an extremely limiting and indeed shallow and short-sighted view of the purpose of Spiritualism!

Spiritualism does not exist to give evidence of life after death, but to help every person to live life to the fullest. It may bring comfort in periods of stress and trauma but this is only a temporary stage to prepare for whatever subsequent challenges may come along.

Spiritualism may help with offering some answers, but with every answer it leads the student (and we are all that) to further questions, the answers for some of which we accept may not be within our grasp or our capability of understanding at this point in our development.

We can’t die for the life of us!

One of the generally-accepted principles in Spiritualism is that we are on a never-ending journey and that there is eternity ahead of each of us, whether we like it or not, whether or not we concur with that concept, whether or not we even want it.

It does not depend on belief, on acceptance of any particular creed or philosophy, on the following of any pattern of practices, on adherence to ancient writings, dogmas or tenets, or even acceptance of a ‘specialised’ divinity of any one or more individuals. To put it another way, we cannot die for the life of us!

Spiritualism is not unique in accepting that life continues after the death of the physical body. It is however different in how it deals with this idea. It says that it happens to everyone, regardless of belief or desire. It says that no matter what sort of life we lived in our time here on the earth, we will pass into what is called, for want of a better term, the ‘spirit world’ (though we are as much spirit now as we ever were or will be), where we will be given the opportunity to review our actions, thoughts and words, and progress to a level of greater understanding of the effects on ourselves and others of all that we did.

Progress is inevitable More than that, Spiritualists believe that such progress is inevitable, that despite our personal desires there will come a time when everyone realises and accepts that progress must take place. We will move from A to B, then to C and so on, though the route and speed of the journey may be affected by personal choices.

You don’t have to be a Spiritualist to go into the spirit world but it might ease your way forward and assist the rate of progress, by just having some knowledge that you do not terminate your existence after a century or so on earth. Being forewarned that you are preparing your future surroundings may suggest the advisability of changing R the manner in which you live your current fragment of life.

You can read part two of David Hopkins’ article in the November issue of Psychic News.

• David Hopkins is an SNU minister, author and broadcaster.

Psychic News Page 45

YOUR LETTERS

Readers’ Letters

In each issue we will give £10 to the author of the letter we find most interesting.

Send your letters to: Psychic News, Suite 6, Thremhall Park, Start Hill, Bishops Stortford, Herts CM22 7WE or email them to: pneditorials@gmail.com

Stephen Turoff became a German doctor The article about Stephen Turoff (Issue 4107) was of special interest to a friend and myself.

Many years ago, having seen Stephen work ‘miracles’ and knowing that my friend was in need of the kind of help he could provide, I drove her to his home. I was amazed to be shown into a room packed with people waiting to see him.

We were eventually taken to the room where Stephen was working, and I was further amazed to see not Stephen, but the person he had become in order to heal – a German doctor!

My friend was soon dealt with and I expected us to leave. But in a guttural voice the spirit doctor ordered me to lie down on the table. I told him there was nothing wrong with me, but he replied: “Do as you are

discover a scar, several told!” inches long, and stitches So I lay on the bed neatly sewn to close the and looked up at the area. I showed this scar ceiling, wondering why on earth he wanted to work on me. He asked me to lower my trousers slightly and I did as I was told. I then felt him doing something on my stomach – but there was no pain.

After a few minutes I was told the doctor had finished, and to get up. What Healer Stephen Turoff I didn’t know was that he had to many friends and told sliced my stomach with a them the story, and it scalpel, inserted his hand was not long before there and removed what he was no scar visible at all. showed me was a lump.

I do so enjoy Psychic He then flicked that lump News – it’s a great into a receptacle. The magazine. truly amazing thing came Ella Carstairs, later. Arriving home, I Norfolk lowered my trousers to

‘Such an honest thing to do’ Thank you for the article about Stephen Turoff (Issue 4107). I am looking forward to the next instalment concerning his ability for bilocation.

I first met Stephen about 30 years ago, when we were living in the same Essex village. He did a tarot reading for me and I remember being pleased with it, though my notes are long gone.

I then saw him twice at the church I used to attend. He really impressed me, but for very different reasons.

On the first occasion he stood up and admitted he wasn’t getting any links from spirit. It was such an honest thing to do – no waffling or generalisations to save him embarrassment.

The next time I

The editor reserves the right to edit or shorten letters Opinions expressed are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial team. Don’t forget to include a photo of yourself when sending us a letter (optional). Contact details can be found at the top of this page.

Page 46 Psychic News

YOUR LETTERS

Spiritualism ‘has mislaid its essential spark’ T£h1is issue’s

David Hopkins’ article A point of Principle was excellent and extremely thought-provoking (Issue 4107).

He is of course quite correct to point out that ...”the SNU was born into a Victorian, Christian, male-dominated context, with all the restrictions and prejudices those words convey”.

Today we live in very different circumstances, where discrimination of all kinds is prohibited under law. It is now taken as read that women and men, black and white, heterosexual and homosexual are of equal worth in every respect.

saw him, he was (metaphorically) on fire. Giving such precise details – full names, addresses and other information. That was amazing, as you can imagine.

Although I moved to Norfolk many years ago, I was aware that Stephen had become a healer, but I hadn’t heard of the light phenomena before reading your article. The pink ray in the photograph always denotes love to me, and this is clearly something he has in abundance.

Rita Mackenzie, via email

It does seem strange, then, that a oncepioneering organisation such as the Spiritualists’ National Union has allowed itself to lose sight of the need for contemporary relevance and far-sightedness.

I wonder how this happened?

The Seven Principles were perfect for the time and social context in which they were imparted, but Spiritualism by its very nature is about evolution and growth, the raising of consciousness, and a continuous process of personal development and self-auditing in order to better serve those

0 letter winner

PN columnist David Hopkins around us.

The Spiritualist movement seems to have mislaid its pioneering spirit, that essential spark of joyful inspiration and self-confidence that formerly permitted it to think outside the box and challenge inequality and

injustice wherever they were found.

Surely those who run the SNU must realise that some of the wording of the Seven Principles can lead to feelings of exclusion and confusion? I call on them to revisit that wording in the very near future, perhaps under the guidance of David Hopkins, whose grasp of philosophical matters and contemporary needs seems admirable.

Ben Brook-Martin, via email

Everyone should read On the Edge of the Etheric

I have been interested in Spiritualism for over 50 years. When I first started, I purchased a book, Fifty Years a Medium, by Estelle Roberts. I’ll just say that I was doing quite well.

Then, because of the situation around me, I did not progress, and in between times I bought a book of Silver Birch trance teachings through the mediumship of Maurice Barbanell. These two volumes kept my interest alive.

About ten years ago I came back into the fold of spirit, and just two years ago purchased a copy of On The Edge of The Etheric by Arthur Findlay. This is a book that Spiritualists and nonSpiritualists alike should read.

It’s about Arthur Findlay’s sittings with the Scottish direct voice medium John Campbell Sloan, who did not make a brass farthing from his mediumship. Week after

week he sat there proving survival and serving spirit.

Armed with these three books, I began to progress, and am now in a trance circle run by a wonderful lady called Heather. All in this circle are progressing nicely.

Maybe, just maybe, thanks to our circle and these three inspiring books, I am on the edge of becoming a medium.

Michael Tinsley, Essex

Continued on next page R

Psychic News Page 47

YOUR LETTERS Continued...

Interview was ‘inspiring and refreshing’ Your interview with Bill Meadows, the physical medium, was a delight to read (Issue 4107).

I attended one of Bill’s séances last year and was struck by the same humility and self-effacing attitude that was reflected in the interview with Sue. At a time when humility is in short supply from mediums in general, it is inspiring and so refreshing to read about a man who came to mediumship in mature years, and has nothing of “the great I am” about him. Don’t ever change, Bill!

Jenny Munroe, Gloucestershire

Billy Roberts responds to reader

Billy Roberts Whilst I appreciate Judith Cottle’s letter about my article in Issue 4105, I did feel it was a backhanded compliment.She either mixed me up with some other medium, or intended the letter to

discredit me in some way.

I have never done a demonstration of clairvoyance in Bedworth, and the one and only time I have appeared there was when I conducted a workshop in 1984, for medium Jean Chapman.

I would never, ever offer someone a reading on the street, on the way to a car park. Not only is this unethical, but I have always found it difficult to do ‘readings’ at the best of times, let alone approach someone on the street. Besides, I would have been with my wife and she most certainly would not have allowed this to happen. Even today I try to avoid doing private readings.

Billy Roberts, via email

Will spiritual websites really be censored?

I was appalled by the news revealed in Kay Hunter’s piece Pornography, violence and – esoteric websites?

(Issue 4107).

How can it be that a very praiseworthy plan to protect children from pornographic and violent material on the internet should extend

to the blocking of “Esoteric Websites and Alternative Spirituality”?

Where is the link between spiritual discussion forums and explicit sex and violence?

Am I missing something?

And most importantly, why hasn’t this plan (if accurate) been made public via television and radio news bulletins in the same way that the crack-down on accessible pornography has been broadcast widely?

And what exactly is “alternative spirituality”?

Alternative to what?

Does it, for example, refer to any religious or spiritual thought and practice at odds with the Christian world view?

I can’t believe I’m alone in finding this proposal worrying, particularly if it comes down to a handful of government ministers blocking avenues of spiritual thought of which they themselves disapprove.

Perhaps PN could ask the relevant government department for clarification on precisely what this “blocking” is likely to include? If it includes Spiritualist websites, and those of other recognised religions, it is an extremely serious issue and should be vociferously opposed.

Giles Dawson, via email

12 Woburn Walk, London WC1H 0HJ

Tel: 020 7387 0358 Mob: 07948 922414 Email: clearlydestiny@gmail.com for more detailed information and to book

Tarot /clairvoyant/channelled readings Regular day and evening closed circles Wide range of workshop activities Workshop and therapy room to rent

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Page 48 Psychic News

To advertise in Psychic News call 01279 874337 Discounted rates for Churches and Centres

r i a p a n i w s t e k c of ti

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our chance to win tickets to the fabulous Brighton Mind Body Spirit Festival.

The organisers are offering Psychic News readers the chance to win ten pairs of tickets to the 36th annual Mind Body Spirit Festival, to be held at The Brighton Centre, Kings Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 2GR from 1-3 November.

The packed programme of events will include “inspiration, exploration, yogafication, musification” and all the delights that celebrate and affirm the union of Mind Body and Spirit.

Lose yourself in contemporary live music from the free stage. Enjoy the free New Wellbeing Studio featuring movement, dance and TaiChi. Energise yourself in the Mantra Lounge, and visit no less than 36 awesome workshops.

For full details of the festival, visit: www.mindbodyspirit.co.uk or see the back cover.

For your chance to win one of the ten pairs of tickets on offer, complete the sudoku puzzle below and send the numbers which appear in the shaded centre row, from left to right, to: Brighton Festival, Psychic News, Suite 6, Thremhall Park, Start Hill, Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire CM22 7WE. You can also enter via email to: pneditorials@gmail.com The closing date for entries is Tuesday 22nd October 2013.

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Psychic News Page 49

news

Fighting for every heartbeat together A BIG Charity Night at Rawtenstall SNU Church raised £820 for the British Heart Foundation.

It all began when medium and healer Adam Berry discovered his partner was suffering from heart failure, and decided to do something to support research.

Together with his partner Shaun McVeigh,

called upon a few friends and his mentor Mavis Pittilla, to help host a special evening of mediumship.

He has been a student of Mavis Pittilla’s mentorship programme and said, “It was an honour and privilege to share a platform with such an accomplished and respected mentor and friend. Mavis’s 40

British Heart Foundation from representative Barbara Dunn, Adam and Mavis helped members of the audience connect with loved ones in the spirit world.

Many were new to this

Medium Adam Berry donated 100 cupcakes which were raffled.

The £820 raised took the fund to nearly £4,000, exceeding the original target. The event triggered several appreciative comments on social media networks.

From left to right: Shaun McVeigh, Belinda Swana – Director of The Events Service, Barbara Dunn – British Heart Foundation Fundraising Volunteer Manager for Lancashire, Isle of Man and South Lakes, and mediums Adam Berry and Mavis Pittilla.

and with help from friends, he fixed a goal of £3,000 to raise for the British Heart Foundation’s ‘Mending Broken Hearts’ campaign.

Adam and Shaun have already completed a number of challenges, including the demanding ‘Three Peaks’ hike in Yorkshire.

For the Rawtenstall fundraising event Adam

Page 50 Psychic News

years’ experience shone through, and we are honoured to have her support.”

The BHF fundraising group was kindly allowed to use the church, which was packed to capacity and witnessed a night of excellent evidential mediumship, chaired by Jean Else.

After a brief talk about the work of the

experience.

Adam and Shaun had already secured donations from sources which included Tesco, Adam’s employer Emanuel Whittaker, and private donors.

Cupcake Angels

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Medium Mavis Pittilla

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Psychic News Page 51

news

From Cassadaga to Glasgow – with some strange encounters on the way!

GATESHEAD medium Stewart Robertson (pictured right), recently returned from a successful visit to Florida, had an unexpected nonspiritual encounter while he was there.

“One afternoon I opened the door of the first-floor flat where I was staying, to be confronted by a four-foot long brown snake whose head was just outside the door,” he told Psychic News.

“I don’t know who had

Page 52 Psychic News

the bigger shock – me or the snake! I gently prodded it with a stick and it slid rapidly away to the foot of the stairs and disappeared into some trees.”

While Stewart was in Cassadaga, two Florida black bears were seen around the village, scavenging for food in the mediums’ refuse bins. The week before he arrived a Bigfoot sighting was reported. TV crews descended and found a huge print from which a

plaster cast was made.

The real purpose of Stewart’s visit was, of course, to demonstrate mediumship, which he did at the Colby Memorial Temple in Cassadaga, Volusia County, and a

Spiritualist Association took place at the Swallow Hotel, at which a new national president was elected – Philip Greenup of Springwell Village, Sunderland.

Philip, who has been a

well-attended church in Daytona Beach. He also visited the new Smyrna Beach.

Daytona Beach was celebrating two years of opening, and a full church heard of plans for a second centre in the future.

The United States has 24 affiliated churches, centres and healers throughout the UK, from Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands.

Back in Gateshead, the 21st AGM of the

medium for over 25 years, succeeds the late Glenys Clarke of Southport, who sadly passed with cancer in 2012.

A highlight of the AGM was a transfiguration demonstration by May Primrose of Glasgow’s Jean Primrose Church in Charinex, Glasgow, of which she is president.

Among various spirit reunions was one between a Gateshead medium and his late twin brother.

FREE DEVELOPMENT LISTINGS Psychic News wants to put readers in touch with development groups and circles in their area.

Are you looking for sitters to join your development circle – or starting a new one?

Are you looking for a circle?

We will advertise your details free of charge for three issues, as long as there is no charge to join or attend your group. Email your wording (up to 35 words) to: pnadverts@gmail.com or post details to: Psychic News Circle, Suite 6, Thremhall Park, Start Hill, Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire CM22 7WE

Please ensure your name and contact details are included on all correspondence.

Psychic News reserves the right to refuse or remove these notices at any time.

Listen to the spiritualist song

Spiritual Age

by Nicky Beckitt Robson and Coral Ryder and watch the video celebrating Hydesville and the birth of Modern Spiritualism at

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Psychic News Page 53

news

Diamond anniversary at Wood Green IT IS 60 years since Wood Green Christian Spiritualist Church, North London, came into existence. The influence of its founder is still very much in evidence today.

Mrs Ida Stenning, a committed and gifted medium who devoted her life to Spiritualism, was responsible for the origins of the church and healing sanctuary. The project developed until during the 1970s the church doors were opening to a congregation of a

hundred.

President Jason Davis told Psychic News: “As the years have passed, our church has had the solid foundation of its supporting members, including past church presidents, who dedicate themselves to keeping our doors open. We have very valuable volunteers.”

In addition to regular Sunday and Wednesday services, Ida Stenning’s son Basil holds weekly healing sessions.

Jason Davis said: “In celebrating our 60th anniversary, we thank the many mediums and healers who have helped to bridge the two worlds and prove survival. We look ahead to the next decade

with great optimism, reaching out to the next generation.

“Mrs Stenning, our Minister in Spirit, believed that the young generation is the future of Spiritualism.

This is still true today.”

Ida Stenning is quoted elsewhere as saying: “The aim of Spiritualism Ida Stenning is to effect a complete Spiritualist Church still ‘at-one-ment’ and unison carries the message. with God till man’s every action and thought is in • For more information perfect harmony with the see the church’s website Divine Will.” at: woodgreenspiritualist Sixty years on, church.co.uk Wood Green Christian

Psychic questioned by police THE family of Claudia Lawrence, 36, who went missing in March 2009, called in the police, following a psychic’s “grossly intrusive” behaviour.

Claudia, a chef in York University’s kitchen, has not been seen since she walked to work from her home in Heworth, York.

Nottingham-based psychic Rodney Ballard, 66, who claims that Claudia has been

Page 54 Psychic News

murdered and is buried in a shallow grave, was questioned by North Yorkshire police in September. Ballard first began to follow the case shortly after Claudia vanished.

He travelled to her home and laid two wreaths at the door. He says he has visions of events and knows who killed her. In one post on his website he put a pencil sketch of a man strangling a woman on the front seat

of a car.

A police spokeswoman said: “We are aware of the posts and are looking into the matter. These types of messages are unhelpful and cause great distress to people close to Claudia.”

Martin Dales, a family friend, commented: “He seems to have become obsessed by the whole investigation. This has gone on and on, and needs to be stopped.”

Ballard, a retired

coal industry electrical engineer from Carlton, Nottingham, insisted his visions were true.

He said: “I can see things and can make contact with the lost souls and those no longer with us. I have a lot of conviction.

“People don’t believe you because they think you’re mad. I’m fighting for Claudia and that’s it.

I’ll just carry on and if the knowledge is given to me, I will release it.”

news

Journey into the Light (incorporating Rescue Work)

by Iris Wright

Bill and Iris Wright have been working mediums for 30 years and during that time have had experience of many home circles.

Eventually, in 1996, Spirit Guides advised them that they were now ready to do some ‘Rescue Work in circle’ should they wish to do so. This was agreed upon by all present.

Many came through to be helped, and conversations with lost spirits were taped as they were helped over into the Light of the Spirit World. These were then copied down by Iris to be put in book form along with the medium’s own experiences.

Many different personalities came through. This makes interesting reading for the layperson or for those who wish to know more as understanding becomes their own.

Priced at £8.99 + £1 p&p.

Order from: Iris Wright, Rainbows End, 5 Harbour Hill Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 3PX Published by Con-Psy Publications. P.O. Box 14, Greenford, Middlesex UB6 0UF

ISBN 9781898 680529

Psychic News Page 55

From the archives Spirit healing has at last received almost fair television treatment. BBC2 viewers saw two healers at work for 13 minutes, in a 50-minute “Whicker’s World” programme on Saturday. And Whicker, whose mischievous sarcasm is usually never far from the surface, must be congratulated on being the first reporter ever to give the subject of unorthodox healing an unbiased presentation.

Seven of those 13 minutes were excellent. Harry Edwards dealt with a stream of patients, quickly, effectively and in a down-to-earth manner. The camera captured the joy, relief and amazement of patients who found they could move limbs and spines which were crippled before the healing.

But six of those 13 minutes, unhappily, were disastrous. To Leah Doctors must go the dubious distinction of almost undoing all the good caused by Edwards’ appearance.

Tried to do too much Whicker’s programme was sub-titled, “A very serious doctor – he comes from the sixth sphere…” This looked like biased presentation from the beginning, but it wasn’t.

He merely quoted Mrs. Doctors.

It is easy to criticise a programme of this nature.

Like previous attempts to deal with “fringe” subjects, it tried to do and show too much. At its conclusion, viewers had seen cures brought about by stings from freshly killed bees and by

Page 56 Psychic News

This month: Harry Edwards scores a TV triumph Healing praised by press critics But ‘spirit doctor’ invites ridicule

acupuncture needles stuck into the skin.

They had been told that herbs, radiesthesia, osteopathy and hypnotherapy could also bring results where medicine had failed. And witches popped up again, dancing in a circle and chanting magic spells! They were an obvious butt for Whicker’s bemused but penetrating scepticism as he peered at them from outside their woodland cottage.

Patients’ dilemma Whicker did for TV what Brian Inglis has done in articles and books: appealed for a closer look at unorthodox practitioners.

“Today, if suffering from some disease of civilisation you couldn’t be cured in the right – the orthodox – way, would you prefer not to be cured at all?” he asked. Unorthodox treatment, he stressed, might well do less harm than the “most innocuous of drugs, for all effective drugs, even aspirin, can be harmful.

“This evening Mrs. Waite joins

Leah Doctors as she appeared on TV.

By Roy Stemman

the million hopeful people who each year take their pain and their troubles to faith healers,” said Whicker. Viewers saw her enter Croydon National Spiritualist Church, Surrey, and take her seat in the audience. “Tonight,” he added, “she goes before the man called by believers, ‘the greatest healer in the world’.”

Viewers watched Edwards treating a woman who had suffered with rheumatoid arthritis for 12 years. They heard his own commentary as healing occurred: “You see here the wrist is locked. I’m going to try to loosen it for you. Up and down now.

When did you last do that?” The smiling woman replied, “Not for a long, long time.”

She then gripped Edwards’ hand and pulled it hard. There was no pain. Edwards also treated her neck, which was locked, and her spine, which was slightly out of alignment.

Hospital treatment As she walked, beaming, from the platform, Whicker commented: “Faith healers may now visit patients in 1,500 hospitals.

They’ve had remarkable effects upon health, particularly that one half of those ill whose complaints have no organic cause; who suffer psychosomatic symptoms like rashes or muscular pains, headaches or neuroses. These may be imaginary, but they’re also real… and their treatment can require something other than medicine.

“Each week Harry Edwards treats 5,000 people, usually by absent healing,

and receives 800 letters. Treating incurable diseases requires a wiser intelligence than the human mind, he believes, and he invokes divine guidance.

“There are some 10,000 healers in Britain today who believe they possess this supernatural gift. They range from a West End doctor to an old Devonshire farmer who cures warts by telephone.”

The Devonshire farmer died some time ago. The whole purpose of Edwards’ public demonstration was to prove that organic as well as psychosomatic illnesses responded to healing.

A more serious error occurred when Whicker quoted “a critic of healing by prayer almost a century ago who noted a weakness.

Royalty are the most prayed-for people alive and often among the shortest lived.”

Such a generalisation is ridiculous, and probably easy to disprove. To quote a critic of 100 years ago in the face of the abundant, contemporary success of spirit healing hardly does justice to Whicker’s otherwise balanced attitude to the subject.

If anything, it shows he had little ammunition against healing.

‘Rapid improvement’ Psychic News readers will know the full story of Mrs. Trixie Waite’s successful first visit to Edwards (PN December 4). She was one of several newcomers who received instant benefit at Edwards’ hands, and willingly testified to the fact. BBC-2 viewers saw Edwards heal her damaged spine (the result of a fall downstairs a year before) through a steel corset. She bent, touched

From PN’s ARCHIVES conduct a spirit operation” on a woman with a sliding hernia.

‘Performs miracles’

Harry Edwards in action, as thousands of viewers saw him on Saturday.

This woman's rheumatoid arthritis, which had crippled her for 12 years, dispersed before her eyes. her toes, and pretended to put on a stocking. These were impossible feats before the healing took place. Whicker commented: “For Mrs. Waite, a rapid and remarkable improvement, certainly, though she must know critics say most of these cures are only temporary remissions.

Patients are soon back where they were.

“Spiritual healers claim many cures which cannot be explained by medical science. But doctors reply that by diverting patients from sound clinical practices such treatment can do more harm than good.”

Not so! This was Whicker’s one major fault, a misleading statement in an otherwise excellent commentary. Had the visual results of the healing “overstated” its case, and were Whicker’s remarks aimed at “balancing” this?

Does it matter what critics say about healing? It is proof that matters, and there are sufficient cases on record of permanent cures to refute all the sceptics. As for the doctors’ fears, Whicker had answered this himself, earlier,

when he pointed out it was the medical rejects who turned as a last resort, to “fringe” healers.

‘Incurables’ healed This was the evident at the Croydon healing meeting which Whicker and his 10-man TV crew attended. Every one of the patients treated had either been given up by doctors as incurable, or were receiving only pain killing drugs for their ills.

The seven-minute Edwards feature ended with a shot of Harold Vigurs, the Croydon church president, bidding the healer and his colleagues, George and Olive Burton, farewell outside the premises. Whicker commented: “Edwards, now in his 70s, was a shop-keeper” – actually he was a printer – “till he attended a Spiritualist séance and learnt he was a healer. Since then his rallies at the Albert Hall and Trafalgar Square have been attended by thousands. He believes all human ailments, from sickness of the soul to cancer, can be cured by spiritual healing.

“Tonight he leaves another

gathering of the faithful in his Mercedes, bound for his Surrey retreat where he is besieged by the many he’s helped and the many more who believe.”

Edwards doesn’t have a Mercedes. He was driven away in Olive Burton’s “old Mercedes”, he told Psychic News on Monday.

How a place that is “besieged” by hundreds can be described as a “retreat” wasn’t explained.

But these are minor criticisms.

Compared with Edwards’ previous TV appearances, when he was attacked by critics, this programme can be described as “fair” reporting.

Leah Doctors received similar unbiased treatment. That her appearance was ludicrous is her own fault. She should have realised that trance mediumship of this nature would not translate well to the screen. She should have declined the offer to appear in trance.

Above the crackling recording of “Ava Maria” she was heard praying that her spirit doctor and helpers would heal the patient.

Whicker explained that she was about “to go into trance and

She told him she could go into trance only when “Dr Chang” was there. Said Mrs. Doctors: “He’s 5ft. 2in. in height. He was 72 when he passed over. He wears a short, grey beard, a slim-built person. He wears a purple cloak and a little round, black hat.”

Then came the nonsense which the BBC publicity men pounced on to angle their preprogramme blurb, “He’s a very serious doctor and he comes from the sixth sphere, which is very high, therefore he can perform miracles.”

Nobody, Leah Doctors should know, can perform miracles. But it soon became evident that her knowledge of the subject wasn’t as extensive as it should be.

She went into trance. Her hands moved over the patient’s body.

“What are you doing?” asked Whicker. The quaint voice of “Dr. Chang” replied: “We operate on the spirit body as a surgeon would on this earth on the body. We do the same work with knives that come from the spirit world. Er… we have about a dozen knives.

Er…a sister of mercy stands here who hands me instruments for each operation.”

No stitches needed In reply to another question “Dr. Chang” said he practised 500 years ago, in Hong Kong.

Asked which diseases he could cure, he replied, “Er…practically everything, er…if God allows the person to come through all right.”

Her hands all this time were moving across the woman’s abdomen. She then made a patting motion with her hands over the centre area. “Dr. Chang” explained he was closing up “this spirit operation. We don’t stitch it up, we close it up. This takes over night to heal up.” Then, placing the medium’s hands on the woman, “Dr. Chang” added, “Now just a little healing on it to clear the condition of the patient.”

The funniest moment was yet to come. The medium’s hands

Psychic News Page 57

From PN’s ARCHIVES

Olive Burton and husband George help Harry Edwards in giving healing to this man who had been deaf in one ear for 15 years. This was one case which didn’t show immediate improvement. made a strange pulling movement.

Whicker asked what was happening. “Dr. Chang” replied: “These are ‘gloves’ to protect the healer. They come from the spirit world. They are protection so that the healer doesn’t take on the condition of the patient.”

The thought that Leah Doctors might “catch” a sliding hernia if she didn’t wear her “spirit gloves” would have been hilarious if it wasn’t so pathetic. “Dr. Chang” asked if Whicker had any more questions. The commentator found it impossible to suppress a strained laugh as he replied “I don’t think so, thank you, Dr. Chang.”

Guide picks pin-ups When she returned from the trance, Leah Doctors said “Dr. Chang” had helped her in many ways – including financially.

“He’s helped me get my own house, or healing sanctuary, by helping me win a competition in ‘Reveille.’

“The competition was to pick out the six best photographs of Jayne Mansfield in order, out of

Page 58 Psychic News

ten. Now there are hundreds of ways of doing it. ‘Dr. Chang’ said he would help me with it. I won it the very first week.”

“Very nice too,” was Whicker’s somewhat astonished reply. Other unorthodox healers were also seen at work. A radiesthetist tested substances with a swinging pendulum to find which were beneficial or harmful to a patient. Viewers learned that every one has a “vibrational quality similar to the visual aura seen by Spiritualists.

“We’re all surrounded by personal vibrations which extend from a healthy body for exactly eight inches. Wherever there’s an ailment the pendulum detects a decrease in length.

Hypnotherapist Pat Fryer was seen “regressing” a 25-year old woman back to infancy, though Whicker didn’t stress that this wasn’t part of her usual treatment.

It was an experiment, to show what hypnosis could achieve especially for the TV cameras.

Whicker’s views seemed to have fluctuated a great deal during the making of the programme. He referred to Edwards both as a faith

and a spiritual healer.

We saw Mrs. E. Bone’s coven of witches dancing in a circle in order to send healing to a woman in Tooting, London, S.W., with rheumatism. Mrs. Bone – a registered nurse – and her fellowwitches were modestly covered by smocks. They usually dance naked.

“I’ve called this meeting tonight to do some work for Ivy,” she told her fellow witches. Ivy seemed very grateful later when she announced, “It’s been much better.”

‘Healing happens!’

In his “News of the World” column, next day, Whicker said this witch ceremony “had its moments and gave great satisfaction to all concerned (other, I suspect, than that little old lady back in Tooting).”

Perhaps he’d forgotten her TV testimony. He devoted his column entirely to the programme, and summed up with these words: “As you may have seen last night, faith healing happens, and women with joints stiff, painful and useless for years, tripped down the steps from the platform

after the large, competent hands of Harry Edwards had rested upon them.

“All practitioners of fringe medicine believe, sometimes fanatically that lives and suffering and money would be saved if only orthodoxy would stop and listen to their theories; certainly throughout history unorthodox methods of healing have been laughed at and even outlawed – but have sometimes later been accepted by orthodoxy as ‘new’ discoveries.”

The “Sunday Times” and Monday’s “The Times” praised the programme. The former said the feature was “deliberately inconclusive.” It added: “The jokes, conscious and unconscious, were good. You could hardly hope for better entertainment than Dr. Chang, the 500-year-dead spirit surgeon, who once helped his medium to win a ‘Reveille’ competition by picking the six best photos of Jayne Mansfield.”

Strangest discovery The reviewer added that the worrying weight of the programme came down “on the side of trying anything once…and partly because it showed many apparently instant cures which were not investigated. A sequel might help restore a judicial balance.”

“The Times” implied a tribute to Edwards by describing his work as “direct, impressive faith healing.” Understandably, it described Leah Doctors as “perhaps the strangest of Whicker’s discoveries, but his questions suggested neither incredulity nor prejudice.”

Each new television analysis of spirit truths goes one step nearer what Spiritualists hope for.

But even an almost fair report like Whicker’s is marred by a hodge-podge of so much else. The result is confusion. Final comment comes from Edwards: “It was a very interesting programme.

Whicker did it very well. We have no complaints at all. There were obviously things they could have done a bit better, but we’re very happy with the result. Whicker’s commentary was excellent.”

This article first appeared in PN on January 22nd 1966

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Spiritualist church ENGLAND

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Cheshire

DORSET

BEDFORDSHIRE

Amersham Spiritualist Centre Amersham Common Village Hall, White Lion Road (A404), Amersham, Bucks. HP7 9JD * President: Jean Sabatini Tel: 01494 866159 Website: www.amersham spiritualistcentre.org.uk Friday 11th October 7.15pm DAVID COLE Fri 18th 7.15pm LORRAINE GILBERT Friday 25th 7.15pm RAY PRINCE Wed 30th 7.15pm ROY SUNLEY Friday 8th November 7.15pm VAL & TONY HARDWARE Fri 15th 7.15pm VAL BROWN There are healing sessions held after the meeting

STOCKPORT CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALIST CHURCH 46 Old Road, Stockport SK4 1TD President: Mr A. PARKER Tel: 0161 427 6279 www.stockportchristian spiritualistchurch.com * Sunday 3.00pm Divine Service Monday 7.00pm Healing Tuesday 7.30pm Clairvoyance Wed 7.30pm Music & Meditation Friday 11am - 3pm Private Readings Saturday 11am - 3pm Private Readings 7.00pm Clairvoyance & Open Circle

BOURNEMOUTH SPIRITUALIST CHURCH * 16 Bath Road, Bournemouth, Dorset BH1 2PE Tel: 01202 551751 www.bsnuc.co.uk Sunday 10.45am & 6.30pm Divine Service Monday 7.30pm Spiritual Awareness Wednesday, various - see website Thursday 3pm Service Healing Monday to Friday - various times

CORNWALL

Dalkeith Street SNU Spiritualist Church Dalkeith Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA141SP Tel: 07884481961 Email: phd2003@sky.com Divine Service each Tuesday at 7pm Contact us for details of our Open Circle and Awareness Group

Luton National Spiritualist Church 1A Grove Road, Luton, Bedfordshire LU1 1QJ Tel: 01582 732657 www.lutonnationalspiritualist church.co.uk Find us on Facebook Sunday Service 6.30pm Open Circle Tuesdays - see website All Welcome

BERKSHIRE Burghfield PIOneer Centre James Lane, Burghfield, Reading, Berkshire Rg30 3Rs * Monday Evenings 7.30pm Divine Service Contact: Sharon Spence 0118 9456283 Maidenhead Spiritualist Church – S.N.U. A TEACHING CHURCH York Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1SF (Behind W.R.V.S. Centre) Own Car Park Sunday 6.30pm Service Wednesday Healing 1.30pm - 3.00pm & 7.00pm - 8.30pm Thursday 7.30pm Mediumship Certain Fridays at 7.30pm Open Platform / Workshop Saturday Specials Monthly Private Readings President Pam Saunders Tel: 01753 530774 Web Page: maidenhead. spiritualist.church.weebly.com Solemnised for Weddings, Namings and Funerals Reading Spiritualist Church York Lodge, 81 Baker Street, Reading, Berkshire RG1 7XY Tel: 0118 950 7281 www.readingsc.org Sunday 6.30pm Service with Address and Clairvoyance Monday 1.30pm Spiritual Healing Wed 7.30pm Spiritual Healing Thursday 7.45pm Demonstration of Mediumship Friday (3rd in the month) 7.30pm Open Platform All Welcome

BUDE FREE SPIRITS SPIRITUALIST CHURCH The Parkhouse Centre, Ergue-Gaberic Way, Bude, Cornwall EX23 8LG * www.budefreespirits.co.uk Every Thursday 7.30pm - 9.00pm bude healing clinic: Every Wednesday 7.00pm - 9.00pm Visiting mediums who would like to serve Bude Free Spirits please contact Carol on 01840 770057 Callington Christian Spiritualist Church c/o 4 Newport Close, Callington, Cornwall PL17 7NP Tel: 01579 382114 Email: christdina@hotmail.com Alternating weekly every Wednesday One Wednesday 7.30pm Service Following Wednesday at 7pm Open Circle Visiting mediums who would like to serve the church please ring or email All Welcome Penzance Christian Spiritualist Church Bread Street, Penzance, Cornwall Tel: 01736 368431 * Sunday 6.00pm Service Followed by Healing Thursday 7.00pm Service Followed by Healing Saturday 10am - 12.30pm Private Readings All are welcome

Please ensure we have your church or centre listings for the November magazine by 14th October.

Email them to: pnadverts@gmail.com

Page 60 Psychic News

CUMBRIA

DEVON DAWLISH GUIDING LIGHT Hedley Way Centre, Manor Gardens, Dawlish, Devon EX7 9AJ * Website: www.guidinglightdawlish.webs.com Clairvoyance Evenings Alternate Tuesdays at 7.30pm £3 at the door - followed by Healing Details: 01626 866192 Exeter Spiritualist Church York Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 6PF Tel: 01884 861012 * www.exeterspiritualistchurch.co.uk Sunday 6.30pm Service Wednesday 3.00pm Mediumship See website for details of special events and development group HONITON SPIRITUALIST GROUP Masonic Hall, Northcote Lane, Honiton, Devon EX14 1NP Mondays 7pm - 8.30pm Healing 8pm Clairvoyance (£3.50 admission) Tel: 01404 548420 Email: enquiries@ honitonspiritgroup.co.uk http://honitonspiritgroup.co.uk/

KINSON SPIRITUALIST GROUP * Kinson Community Centre, Pelhams Park, Kinson, Bournemouth BH10 7LH Tel: 01202 715754 www.lightawareness.com/kinson/ Sunday 6.30pm Divine Service 2nd Monday in month at 8.00pm Clairvoyance Demonstration

ESSEX SPIRITUAL HEARTS HEALING CENTRE In loving memory of Fred Dartnall Corringham Village Hall, Springhouse Road, Corringham, Essex SS17 7LE * Tel: 01375 676585 or 07889 288875 Join us for a friendly evening Friends old and new welcome Each Monday from 6.30pm - 10pm Private 1:1 Readings Spiritual Healing with Registered Essex Healers An evening of Clairvoyance with Guest Medium weekly New Age jewellery and crystals Open Spiritual Discussion from 7pm Raffle, free tea, coffee, cake & biscuits Entrance fee £3.00 ALL proceeds go to charities Follow us on Facebook epping Spiritualist Church Thornwood Village Hall, Weald Hall Lane, Thornwood, Epping, Essex CM16 6ND * Enquiries: Ruth 01992 576677 or Teresa 01992 812650 (Registered Charity 284561) Tuesday Healing: 1pm to 2.20pm Tuesday Service: 2.45pm Last Friday of every month at 8pm Evening of Clairvoyance £5

See our full list of churches, centres and retailers that stock Psychic News at

www.psychicnews.org.uk

churches and centres HertfordSHIRE

KENT (cont)

LINCOLNSHIRE

LONDON (cont)

CARPENDERS PARK CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALISTS * Bushford Scout Hall, St Georges Drive, Carpenders Park, Watford, Herts. WD19 5HD (Hall cannot be seen from road – go up drive between numbers 37 and 39 St Georges Drive) Contact Chris Palmer: 01923 221918 Sundays 10.30am Divine Service Healing available All are welcome An activity table is provided for children

WEST WICKHAM SPIRITUALIST CHURCH Surrey Road, West Wickham, Kent BR4 0JU * Mediums’ Secretary: 01959 573049 www.westwickhamspiritualist church.co.uk Sunday 13th October 6.30pm STEPHEN MORRELL Wednesday 16th 8pm Evening of Mediumship with JOAN DEMPSEY Sunday 20th 6.30pm DAVID HARRIS Sunday 27th 6.30pm BILL MANSFIELD (Chinese Painter) Sunday 3rd November 6.30pm SYLVIA WOOLOFF Wednesday 6th 8pm Evening of Mediumship with BRENDA COTTINGHAM Sunday 10th 6.30pm ANDREW DANIELS Sunday 17th 6.30pm MOLLIE & PETER McMANUS Healing on Tuesdays at 2.00pm

Starlight Awareness Group * The Pavilion, Wainfleet Road, Skegness, Lincolnshire PE25 2EL Contact Pat and Elsie: 01754 810680 Website: starlightgroup.info Sunday Services 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month at 6.30pm - 8pm Also: Developing self-empowerment through meditation for elimination of past hurts creating a balance within self. Working with spirit and universal energies. Spirit healing training and qualification (Lincolnshire Association of Healers). Spiritual mediumship within its many forms.

Spiritual philosophy.

Trance communication.

LEWISHAM SPIRITUALIST CHURCH 65 Boone Street, Lewisham, London SE13 5SA * Website: Lewishamspiritualistchurch.com Tel: 020 8852 7823 Mediums’ Secretary: 078 2672 3575 Sunday 6.30pm - 8pm Service Tuesday 12.30pm - 2.30pm Private Readings (Bookable with Mediums’ Secretary) Tuesday 1pm - 2.30pm Healing Thursday 7.15pm - 8.30pm Healing 7.15pm - 9pm Group Readings All welcome

HITCHIN SPIRITUALIST CHURCH Whinbush Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1PZ * Tel: 07581 492507 www.hitchinspiritualist church.co.uk Sunday Service 6.30pm Healing Tuesdays 2.00pm & 7.30pm Demonstrations and workshops as advertised on website All welcome

ISLE OF WIGHT VENTNOR SPIRITUALIST CHURCH 8 Victoria Street, Ventnor, Isle of Wight PO38 1ET * Email: groving69@live.co.uk Website: www.ventnor spiritualistchurch.webs.com Contact: 07800 986288 Sunday 6.30pm Divine Service Thursday 12 noon - 2pm Healing Tuesday/Thursday 7pm Various Groups and Circles (Ring for details) Special Events: See website and local press

KENT The Sanctuary of Healing Christian Spiritualist Church Mills Terrace, Chatham, Kent ME4 5NZ Tel: 01634-880039 Email: george.mcqueen@yahoo.co.uk Website: www.sanctuaryofhealing.co.uk Sunday Services: 6.30pm Healing: Wednesdays 10am - 1pm and Fridays 4pm - 6pm Clairvoyance: Friday Evenings at 8pm We also offer various workshops and special evenings of clairvoyance.

Please look on our website for further information

LONDON

Dearnley Spiritualist Church 14-16 New Road, Dearnley, Littleborough, Lancs. OL15 8LX Tel: 01706 377 122 Sunday 10.20am Lyceum Sunday 6.15pm Divine Service Last Sunday in the month 7.45pm Spiritual Healing Tuesday 1.30pm - 2.45pm Development Group Thursday 7.30pm Evening of Mediumship Thursday 8.45pm Spiritual Healing Other events as advertised in the church and in local press

ForGet-Me-Not Sanctuary Of Spiritual Friends * Anstridge Road Community Hall, Anstridge Road, Eltham SE9 2LL Enquiries: 020 8300 0870 Mondays 7pm for 7.30pm start Development Circle All welcome Wednesdays 7.30pm for 7.45pm start Wednesday 16th October BRENDA COTTINGHAM Wed 23rd LAURIE CLIFFT Wed 30th Psychic Supper Wednesday 6th November REV. FIONAGH CLIFFT Wed 13th LUKE CUNNINGHAM Wed 20th REV. LIZ MARTIN We also run Counselling Courses (Certificated) and 2-Year Healing Courses (Certificated)

Bolton Spiritualist Church 21 Bradford Street, Bolton, Lancashire BL2 1HT Phone: 01204 430053 www.boltonspiritualists.co.uk Email: bolton.committee@mail.com SERVICE TIMES Sunday 2pm Divine Service Monday 12 noon - 1.15pm Healing Monday 2pm Mediumship Service Wednesday 7.30pm Open Circle Thurs 7.30pm Mediumship Service Friday 7.30pm & 8.30pm Healing and Healing Circle 1st Saturday of each month 10am - 1pm Private Sittings Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Hendon Independent Spiritualist Church Cheshir Hall, Foster Street (off Brent Street), Hendon, London NW4 2AA * Enquiries: Lorraine 020 8346 0289 www.hendonspiritualist church.co.uk Every Monday at 7.30pm (except Bank Holidays) Address and Clairvoyance Entrance: £3 inc refreshments & raffle 14th Oct PATRICK CARBERRY 21st Oct LINDA CHANT 28th Oct ANDY MULLIGAN (Psychic Artist) 4th Nov TESS BEDI 11th Nov DEREK O’NEILL 18th Nov LESLIE TURTON

LANCASHIRE

THE LONDON SPIRITUAL MISSION * Spiritualist Church, 13 Pembridge Place W2 President: Peter Geekie Tel: 020 7229 2024 Acting Secretary/Mediums’ Secretary: Ann Burbedge Tel: 07902 455658 www.spiritualmission.co.uk Sunday 13th October 11am JANET GLASGOW 6.30pm STEWART KEEYS Wednesday 16th 7.30pm MILDRED DAVIDSON Sun 20th 11am MARCIO AMARAL 6.30pm TERRY & PAULINE FIRKS Wed 23rd 7.30pm LORRAINE HERON Sunday 27th 11am BILLY COOK 6.30pm BILLY COOK Wed 30th 7.30pm EDDIE MORGAN Sunday 3rd November 11am Devotional Service ROBIN WINBOW 6.30pm AVRIL PRICE Wed 6th 7.30pm VAL BROWN Saturday 9th 7pm Demonstration

by The LSM Students Freewill Offering Sun 10th 11am ANGELA WATKINS 6.30pm BELINDA OLIN Wed 13th 7.30pm JANICE BROOKS Spiritual Healing: Monday 11.00am - 1.00pm, 2pm - 3pm & 5.15pm - 7.30pm Thursday 5.00pm - 7.30pm INDUCTION LOOP provided for the benefit of hearing aid users Rochester Square Spiritualist Temple Rochester Square, London NW1 9RY * Contact: 0791 378 8390 Tues 6.30 - 8.30pm Spiritual Healing Wednesday 7.30pm Mediumship Saturday 7.30pm Demonstration of Mediumship Sunday 11.00am Divine Service We have Private Readings usually on the first Saturday of every month Also, Open Platform (7pm, £2) last Friday of every month Please see our website: www.rsst.vpweb.co.uk Or we can be found on Facebook

Psychic News Page 61

LONDON (Cont.)

The way of life foundation The North Middlesex Golf Club, The Manor House, Friern Lane, Whetstone, London N20 0NL * Mondays 7.30pm to 9.15pm We alternate between demonstrations of Mediumship and talks on spiritual subjects, meditation also included.

Groups, Workshops & Talks available.

Plus New Children’s Group. Come along and join our friendly community and feel free to ask any questions.

For more info call Tracy Antoniou on: 0771 871 9081 or visit: www. thewayoflife foundation.org/diary WALTHAMSTOW NATIONAL SPIRITUALIST CHURCH Vestry Road E17 9NH * Tel: 020 8503 6942 www.vestryrdspiritualistchurch.org Sundays 6.30pm Service Mondays 7 - 9pm Healing Service Tuesdays 2.00pm Mediumship Thursdays 7.30pm Awareness Circle WOOD GREEN SPIRITUALIST CHURCH (Cnr of Maryland Road) High Road, Wood Green, London N22 5AR * Minister in Spirit: Mrs Ida Stenning Enquiries: 020 8888 1992 Website: www.woodgreen spiritualistchurch.co.uk Sunday 6.30pm Service Wednesday 7.30pm Service Tuesday 7.00pm - 8.30pm Healing Thursday 2.00pm - 4.30pm Healing

Teachings of Infinite Wisdom

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A treasure of a book, holding the gems of truth from her spirit guides, Pharaoh and Ming Fu. Priced at £4.50 including p&p.

From: May Clark 10, Northampton Way St. Leonards-on-sea East Sussex TN38 9QN

MEDIUMS

Names featured in these columns are sent by the advertiser or taken from their website.

If your name appears incorrectly please contact the advertiser and Psychic News.

Tel: 01279 874337 or email: pnadverts@gmail.com

Page 62 Psychic News

WOODFORD SPIRITUALIST CHURCH 9 Grove Crescent, South Woodford, London E18 2JR * Enquiries: 020 8989 6149 www.woodfordchurch.com Sunday 13th October 12noon - 3pm £6 (£5 membs) Workshop: ‘Universal Inspired Life’ with Suzanne Mitchell Sunday 13th October 4pm - 5.30pm (doors close at 4.15pm) £3 Open Group Meditation with Esther Emanuel No booking required. Just turn up.

No previous experience required.

Sunday 13th October 6.30pm SUSAN GRIFFITHS Monday 14th 2pm VAL BICKERSTAFF Saturday 19th 12noon - 3pm £6 (£5 membs) Workshop with ALAN ALBISTON Sunday 20th 11am - 4pm ~ £20 (multiple booking offer also available. Please see website or call Heather on 020 8529 8097 or 07773 127178) ‘The Butterfly Emerging’ Workshop with Heather Andrews-Dobbs, Zoe Owl & kate Hinc Sun 20th 6.30pm JEFF PHILLIPS Monday 21st 2pm STEPHEN FRAINE Saturday 26th 12noon - 3pm £6 (£5 membs) ‘Signs, Symbols and Spiritual Paths’ Workshop with JUDITH THORNE Sun 27th 11am - 4pm ~ £10 at door Shamanic Workshop Sunday 27th 6.30pm REG BALDWIN Monday 28th 2pm Pat MacNally & Daniel Naughnane Saturday 2nd November 7.30pm ~ £3 Demonstration of Mediumship Sun 3rd 11am - 4pm ~ £10 at door Shamanic Workshop with Sharon Law & Shelly Joseph Sunday 3rd 6.30pm MARCIO DO AMARAL Monday 4th 2pm KEITH HUDSON Saturday 9th 7.30pm ~ Free Demonstration of mediumship by FLEDGLINGS Sun 10th 2 - 4pm £1 admission Private Readings by FLEDGLINGS Sunday 10th 4pm - 5.30pm (doors close at 4.15pm) £3 Open Group Meditation with Esther Emanuel No booking required. Just turn up.

No previous experience required.

Sunday 10th 6.30pm ALAN ALBISTON Weekly: Tuesdays 7.30 - 9pm £3 Open Circle Weds 2 - 4pm & 7.30 - 9pm Healing Fridays 7.30 - 9pm £3 Open Circle First Friday of the month at 7.30pm Open Circle for Platform Mediums

See our great rates

for advertising on the Psychic News website at: www.psychicnews.org.uk

MIDDLESEX HAMPTON HILL SPIRITUALIST CHURCH Angel Close, Windmill Road, Hampton Hill TW12 1RG * Enquiries: 020 8941 5177 www.hamptonhillspiritualists. webeden.co.uk Sunday 6.30pm Divine Service Wednesday 7.30pm Healing Thursday 7.30pm Midweek Service Monthly classes at 7.30pm: 1st Monday Open Platform 2nd and last Monday Open Awareness Circle 2nd Tues Mediumship Theory Class 3rd Monday Mediumship Practice Circle 3rd Tuesday Open Healing Circle 4th Tuesday Speakers and Philosophy Class KENTON SPIRITUALIST CHURCH AND HEALING CENTRE 35 Churchill Avenue, Kenton, Nr. Harrow, Middlesex HA3 0AX Enquiries: 020 8621 3103 * Sunday 6.30pm Service Wednesday 7.30pm - 9pm Healing Thursday 7.45pm Service The Light on the Hill Harrow Spiritualist Church 1 Vaughan Road, Harrow, Middlesex, London HA1 1DP * www.lightonthehill.moonfruit.com Email: lightonthehill@live.co.uk Tel: 07528 348 432 Service Times: Sunday 7.30pm - 9pm Wednesday 7.45pm - 9pm Healing Services: Monday 10am - 12pm Wednesday 9.15pm - 9.45pm Sunday 7.30pm at start of Service

norfolk NORTH WALSHAM SPIRITUAL CENTRE St Johns Ambulance Hall, Preference Place, Bacton Road, North Walsham, Norfolk NR28 9DR Contact: Rachel Finbow Tel: 01263 588016 Sunday Service at 6.30pm

SOMERSET YEOVIL PSYCHIC SOCIETY Monmouth Hall, Monmouth Road, Yeovil, Somerset BA21 5NP Tel: 0196 322 0306 Meetings on Wednesdays at 7.30pm For Clairvoyant Evenings and Special Evenings please see our website at: www.yeovilpsychics.org.uk

Alcombe and Minehead Christian Spiritualist Church * Grove Place, Manor Road, Alcombe, Minehead, Somerset TA24 6EH Tel: 0783 110 4896 Summer Sunday Service 6.30pm (March to end of October) Winter Sunday Service 3.00pm (November to end of February) Healing groups, a monthly healing day, healing evenings, open circles, evenings of clairvoyance all available on various days during each month.

See our website for the full day-by-day itinerary of what our church can offer you. www.mineheadspiritualist church.co.uk

SURREY CROYDON SPIRITUALIST CHURCH Chatsworth Road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 1HE President: Mrs Mollie McManus OSNU, LSSNU Contact telephone numbers: 020 8688 1827 & 07990 535942 E-mail: alanpseymour@btinternet.com For special events see our website: www.croydon spiritualistchurch.org.uk Sunday 11am Service Sunday 6.30pm Service Wednesday 7.45pm Service Thursday Healing 1.30pm - 3.30pm & 6.00pm - 8.00pm Open Platform third Monday of each month at 7.30pm Kingston National Spiritualist Church Villiers Road, Kingston upon Thames KT1 3AR Website: www.kingstonsc.org General Secretary: Mrs Gerrie Chaney Tel: 020 8401 6967 Sunday Services: 11am and 6.30pm Monday Evening of Mediumship: 7.30pm £3 (£2 Members) Monday Healing 8.45pm - 9.45pm (Donation).

Wednesday Healing 2pm - 4pm Enter through side gate (Donation) Please visit our website to see all our events!

SUSSEX - EAST BRIGHTON NATIONAL SPIRITUALIST CHURCH Edward Street, Brighton BN2 0JR Website: www.brightonnational spiritualistchurch.com Enquiries: 01273 571168 or 01273 683088 Sunday Services 11am and 6.30pm Wednesday 7.30pm Mediumship (Open Circle 7.30pm last Wednesday every month) Healing: Wednesday 11am-12 noon Thursday 7pm - 8pm Friday 7.30pm Awareness Group

Brighton & Hove Central Spiritualist Church 9/10 Boundary Passage, Brighton BN1 3BJ Website: www.brightonandhove spiritualistchurch.org President: Deborah Knowles Tel: 01273 731329 Sunday Service 11am Monday Mediumship 3pm Tuesday Spiritual Healing 1pm-3pm Thursday Awareness group 7pm

SUSSEX - WEST

WEST MIDS (Cont.)

Stourbridge National Spiritualist Church Union Street, Stourbridge, West Midlands DY8 1PJ * Website: www.stourbridge spiritualistchurch.co.uk Tel: 01384 825060 or 01384 352082 Sunday 6.30pm Service Monday 2.30pm Service Occasional Saturdays 7.30pm Monday 1 - 2pm Healing Thursday 7.30 - 9pm Healing All welcome

East Grinstead Spiritual Church Old Court House, College Lane, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 3LS www.egspiritualist.co.uk Sunday Services are held on the first and third Sunday of every month, starting from 11.00am and finishing at 1.00pm Evening Demonstrations of Mediumship take place on the fourth Friday of every month From 7.30pm until 9.30pm Entry is £4.00 per person

Sutton Coldfield Spiritualist Church Kenelm Road, Off Manor Hill, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B73 6HD Website: www.scsconline.co.uk Tel: 0121 354 3266 Sunday 6.30pm Service Monday 1.30pm Service Occasional Wednesdays 7.30pm Thursday 8.00pm Healing Saturday 11.00am Healing All Welcome

warwickshire

YORKSHIRE

Rugby Independent Spiritualist Church Pennington Mews (Off Lawford Road), Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 2RG Tel: 07854 833119 Email: rugbyspiritualistchurch @gmail.com Websites: www.rugbyspiritualistchurch.com and www.facebook.com/Rugby.

Spiritualist.Church Sunday Services 6.30pm Clairvoyant Evenings twice monthly £4 Open Circle (Mondays 8pm) twice monthly £2 Private Readings (Saturday mornings)

Barnsley Spiritualist Church * Pitt Street West, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 1BB Tel: 0114 283 1238 or 07787 407667 www.barnsleyspiritualistchurch.org Sunday 6.15pm - 7.30pm Divine Service Wednesday 7pm - 8pm Mediumship Thurs 1pm - 2.30pm Healing Clinic Saturday 6.30pm - 7.15pm Healing Service Saturday 7.30pm - 8.30pm Open Circle Other events as advertised in the church or on our website

WEST MIDLANDS Dudley Spiritualist Centre * Inc. Dudley & Great Bridge Spiritualist Church, Buffery Centre, Paradise, Dudley, West Midlands DY2 8NB Associated to the Spiritualists’ National Union Enquiries: Ms S. Whittle PAS Tel: 01384 75192 Charity Registration 261898 Tuesday Healing 6.30pm - 7.15pm Members’ Circles 7.30pm - 9.00pm Development Group Thursday st rd 1 , 3 & 5th weeks in the month Demonstration starting at 7.30pm Thursday Divine Service: 2nd & 4th week in month Starting at 7.30pm (Doors open 7pm) Home Visits Private Sittings arranged by request Special events/services as advertised A warm welcome to all

Normanton Spiritualist Church Hopetown and Loscoe Centre, Back of Oxford Street, Normanton, West Yorkshire WF6 1QE Email: normantonsnucentre@ hotmail.co.uk Enquiries: 07722 370086 Sunday 6.30pm Divine Service Tuesday 6.30 Healing Service Wednesday 7.00pm Service with Demonstration of Mediumship Other events advertised in the church Follow us on Facebook All welcome

WALES HAFAN Y COED SPIRITUAL CENTRE / RETREAT Tel: 01639 730985 www.hafanycoed.com See our main advert in this issue

WALES (Cont.)

GUERNSEY

Tywyn Spiritualist Church & Centre Station Road, Tywyn, Gwynedd LL36 9AH Website: www. tywyn-spiritualist-church.co.uk Email: admin@tywynspiritualist-church.co.uk Services on Fridays at 7.30pm Find us on Facebook at: facebook.com/ tywynspiritualistchurch

The Greeting Place Foundation Spiritualist Centre * Douzaine Room, St Peters, Guernsey, Channel Islands Enquiries to: Margaret Phillips Tel: 01481 256629 E-mail: greetingplace@cwgsy.net Website: www.healingand spiritualcentre.com Our regular services are: Sunday 11.00am Address and Communication Wednesday 7.30pm Healing Group Saturday 10.30am Healing Clinic Other services as announced Everyone welcome

SCOTLAND Glasgow Central Association of Spiritualists 64 Berkeley Street, Glasgow G3 7DS Tel: 0141 221 6201 Sunday 5pm to 6pm Healing Sunday 6.30pm to 7.30pm Divine Service Monday 7.30pm to 8.30pm Evening of Mediumship Tuesday 2pm to 3pm Afternoon of Mediumship Thursday 7.30pm Meditation Group The Little Rose Christian Spiritualist Church Barmulloch Community Centre, 46 Wallacewell Quadrant, Barmulloch, Glasgow G21 3PX President: Gary B. Gray Tel: 0141 347 0455 Mob: 07812 40 40 43 Email: gagr215@aol.com www.thelittlerosechurch.co.uk Service every Thursday at 7pm.

All Welcome Perth Spiritualist Church 40 New Row, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland PH1 5QA Tel: 07724 411 922 Sunday 6.30pm Divine Service Followed by Healing (8.15pm) Wednesday 7 .00pm Service Followed by Healing (8.30pm) white eagle spiritualist church Buchan Park Bowling Club, Albyn Place, Greendykes Road, Broxburn, West Lothian EH52 5AF Tel: 0770 8252 469 www.whiteeaglespiritualist church.org Service every Tuesday at 7.30pm Doors open at 6.45pm Follow us on Facebook

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U.S.A. FIRST SPIRITUALIST CHURCH 3777 42nd Street, San Diego, CA 92105, USA Pastor: Rev Doris Horvath www.1st-spiritualistchurch.org Sunday 10.00am Healing Service Sunday 11.00am Worship Service Plus full itinerary

GREECE

Spiritualist Society of Athens * “The Divine Light” Channelled Teachings from the highest authority of the Heavenly Kingdom.

Various spiritual leaders, from Socrates and St. John the Baptist to Goethe and Newton teach invaluable lessons to humanity. www.divinelight.org.gr E-mail: info@divinelight.org.gr Address: 12 Niovis Str., Athens, Greece, 11252

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