Mental and Physical Mediumship & Witnessing Star Trek-Styled Spirit Teleportations

Four types of Mental Mediums

Mental Mediumship is the most common of the two basic types of mediumship that are practiced today: there are literally hundreds of thousands of competent and genuine ‘mental’ mediums throughout the world. Although a few people do have naturally inborn early experiences of their own mental mediumship during childhood (and go on to develop such mediumship in adult life), virtually everybody (if they have the desire and patience to do so) is able to  develop one or more of the four main forms of mental mediumship to some degree if they train regularly, and sit with a development circle in a dedicated way under the guidance of a good teacher. This way, it is possible for any individual to develop the first signs of mental mediumship in a relatively short space of time; sometimes within weeks of starting their training – but after such a short period, they are not ready to work in a professional way.

A much longer period of development is really necessary and vital for the ‘fledgling medium’ to achieve an acceptable standard of mediumship. The role and ultimate aim of of the ISSMPI (International Society for Scientifc Mediumship and Parapsychological Investigation, is to ensure that all of our accredited mental mediums are working to the very highest possible standard.

The four main forms of mental mediumship are Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Clairsentience and Psychometry:

Clairvoyance:  Is the ability of the medium to ‘see’ spirit personalities. Sometimes the medium sees these spirit people as though they are real people, moving about in a normal and natural way. At other times, the medium might ‘see’ them on the ‘mirror of their mind’ within their head. What distinguishes this as mental mediumship, however, is the fact that only the medium sees these spirit people. Anybody else who is present does not. The medium can then verbally pass on to his or her ‘sitter’ or audience member exactly what they are seeing, by way of evidence.

Clairaudience:  Is the ability of the medium to ‘hear’ what the spirit personalities are saying. This gift often goes together with clairvoyance. Sometimes the medium hears these spirit voices as though they are real and coming from another real person in the room with them – or from mid-air. At other times, the medium ‘hears’ the voices within the ‘the mirror of their mind’. The medium is the only person who hears these voices, and can pass on to their ‘sitter’ or audience member exactly what the spirit person is telling them, by way of evidence for the existence of ‘life after death’. Such a ‘message’ can provide great comfort for a bereaved friend, relative or loved one.

Clairsentience:  Is the ability of the medium to ‘sense’ the presence of spirit people, and to ‘sense’ what they are saying. Again, the medium is the only person who can (through their training) sense the presence of these spirit personalities, and sense the ‘message’ from a specific spirit person that they then pass on to their ‘sitter’ who has gone to them for a ‘private’ reading, or who might receive such a message as an audience member in a Spiritualist church.

Psychometry:  Is the ability of the medium (whilst holding an object associated with the ‘sitter’) to tap into the ‘energy’ contained in that object to relay its ‘history’ with regards to its owner, and previous owners. The connection the medium receives mentally from that object can often lead into the medium receiving a further clairvoyant or clairaudient ‘message’ for the ‘sitter’.

What is Physical Mediumship?

Physical Mediumship is totally different from Mental Mediumship. Firstly, it is extremely rare at the moment, with only a handful of competent and genuine physical mediums giving public demonstrations. When physical mediumship is taking place, everybody who is present is able to witness it. It is real, and it is objective. It is indeed PHYSICAL. The actual ‘evidence’ of post mortem survival, however, which can be obtained through Physical Mediumship and its spectacular phenomena, can be truly life-changing.

The two main forms of physical mediumship and physical phenomena are:

• Ectoplasm-Based Mediumship
• Energy-Based Mediumship

Ectoplasm-Based Physical Mediumship

Physical Mediums working in this traditional way with ectoplasm are sometimes ‘born’ mediums, although in most cases, their rare mediumship comes about only by hard work, dedication, commitment and passion to be of service to Spirit and Mankind on the part of these mediums, who are prepared to sit week in and week out in a dedicated physical home circle for many years to develop their gifts (in constant liaison and co-operation with their personal Spirit Teams). It is not unusual for the development of some physical mediums to take 10 to 15 years to fully achieve an acceptable standard that delivers superb physical ‘evidence’ of survival that can be witnessed by everyone who is present.

Not everybody can be a physical medium and work with ‘ectoplasm’. Ectoplasm itself is an elusive and fascinating substance that is produced in the body of one single medium by their Spirit Team. The ectoplasm-based physical medium is very often in deep trance whilst the substance (a living, constantly moving, pulsating mass that has been likened to a cloud of ‘cotton wool’ or ‘cheesecloth’) is extruded from the medium’s body by the ‘Spirit Chemists’ and ‘Technicians’ to be used by the Spirit Team for the production of phenomena that has many different forms. The ectoplasmic substance is easy for the expert Spirit Team to manipulate; thus producing ‘Levitation’, ‘Independent Voices’ (speaking from mid-air) and indeed ‘Full-Form Materialisation’ (eventually in lit conditions).

However, Physical Mediumship can be extremely dangerous for the medium concerned (who is often in deep trance). Each time they sit in a ‘seance’ they literally endanger their own lives, with the unpleasant possibility of a ‘sitter’ doing something stupid during the seance, such as putting on a white light, or attempting to ‘grab’ a materialization during a seance. This has caused serious injury to a number of mediums in the past, when ectoplasm has shot back into the body of a medium extremely rapidly – causing (at best) burns to the medium’s body or (at worst) severe internal injury. In some cases (such as that of materialization medium Helen Duncan), this has actually led directly to the death of the medium.

Energy Based Physical Mediumship

In the 1990’s – over a 5-year period – a newer, more modern form of Physical Mediumship and Physical Phenomena was pioneered by a dedicated group of psychic researchers (including my wife Sandra and me) in the small village of Scole (on the border of UK counties Norfolk and Suffolk). We became known as the Scole Experimental Group and, whilst working in full cooperation and liaison with a wonderful team of spirit scientists, guides and helpers, conducted experimental sessions with astonishing results that included over 1,000 hours of direct communication and spectacular physical phenomena produced without ectoplasm. The phenomena that was developed through this group was Energy-Based and the results proved to be breathtaking. This phenomena did not require a single physical medium (as in the case of ectoplasm-based phenomena), although two of the group members remained in deep trance throughout the sittings for the purpose of direct communication with the Spirit Team. However, it could be said that the ‘medium’ for the phenomena at Scole was the ‘group’ itself, since every member of the group contributed to the ‘energy’ required to produce it.

Witnessing Star Trek-styled teleportation of spirit visitors

We learned very quickly from the Spirit Team of the now famous ‘Scole Experiment’ that the technology used to produce the ‘energy-based’ phenomena was totally different from the ‘ectoplasm-based’ work. For instance, when solid (or partially solid) spirit people were present in the room, their spiritual essence (or spirit body) arrived by a process of ‘teleportation’ similar to that used in the TV programme ‘Star Trek’, and the spirit visitor was able to increase or decrease the density (solidity) of their body by mentally drawing on a reservoir of ‘creative energy’ stored in a glass dome.

Three different types of energy are blended together by the Spirit Team to produce this ‘Creative Energy’. These are:

• Energy from the Spirit World, brought by the Spirit Team
• Spiritual Energy from the sitters
• Natural Earth Energy that is found in columns or spirals in certain geographical locations around the earth

Importantly, this ‘energy-based’ newer way of working has several advantages over the more traditional ‘ectoplasm-based’ phenomena:

1. There are NO physical dangers whatsoever to the health of the mediums or sitters working with energy. If somebody does something stupid whilst phenomena is taking place, such as putting on a white light, or ‘grabbing’ a spirit person – then the phenomena simply stops.
2. A limitless variety of physical phenomena can be produced in this way, including ‘new’ types of physical phenomena that have never been witnessed before.
3. In most cases, the development of phenomena within a group working in this way is generally faster than that of ‘ectoplasm-based’ phenomena. Sometimes happens within just months as opposed to years.

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Editor’s Notes:

This article was originally published in the Afterlife Magazine by The Otherside Press which has since joined the PDN family.

Attribution for Star Trek image used in the header of this article:

​NBC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Compelling Evidence of Spirit in a Time of Need

Introduction by Leo Bonomo

From time to time, we come across wonderful evidence of Spirit, most of which is familiar to us as mediums, psychics and those newly initiated to the great reality of life after death.

Mediums become accustomed to the fact that, “Yes, of course, this is real” and can, on occasion, miss the real and far-reaching impact, the total wonderment and huge effect this realization can have on a person’s life. In the sharing below, we experience the fantastic moment of the bliss that arrives when we KNOW that we do survive death and it comes with such impactful evidence that we cannot ever dispute it.

It is the wonderful gift of Spirit that takes away all fear, as in this case. The evidence cannot be contradicted, although sceptics have certainly tried in the past. If you have ‘an interest’ but feel that you have not had proper evidence, then take heart. This story is a wonderful recounting of an incident that has many values.

The evidence presented in the following story shows that when we pass over, we can see and understand the impact of our actions, their full repercussions, and how we are driven to try and fix them. In this case, the need for love and forgiveness was demonstrated (by the person in spirit) with good evidence.

This is, to my mind, as great a story as you would ever hear; a story of our times. My thanks go out to the wonderful soul who has shared this very personal account of events that are often played out with a very different ending.

Jane’s Story - Evidence of Spirit

(Image: Canva)

Has anybody experienced anything similar to this? In 2010, I experienced something that I’ll never understand; an experience I will never ever forget but also an experience that has taken away all of my previous fears and anxieties around death and dying.

Just a typical night and I took myself off to bed, got comfy and started to read my book. After around 10 minutes, I noticed a dim orb-like light to my right. I remember not really taking that much interest in it and just carried on reading. After around an hour, I turned my lamp off and lay down.

It was only around 2 minutes after turning the light off that I noticed the dim light again. So I peeked over my duvet and to my astonishment, my dad was at the bottom of my bed! I couldn’t believe that I was actually seeing my dad and remember questioning myself, was I dreaming this? But nope. I was 100% seeing him. I really wasn’t too worried by his presence, but the strange thing was that he appeared to me with no waist or legs, just him from his belly up.

I could see every pore on his face. It was so surreal. A brightness glowed around him and he looked so very young; he held his hand out to me and even though his lips never moved, I knew he wanted me to take his hand. He never smiled once whilst he was with me and I never leant forward to take his hand either. I can’t explain why I didn’t but I felt so guilty and upset when he left that I hadn’t.

Mum said there was no way Dad was dead

Eventually, I managed to fall sleep and the first thing I did the next morning was call my mum who lived in France at the time. I told her about my experience of seeing dad standing at the bottom of my bed and at the same time, I told her that my dad must be dead! My mum told me that there was no way my dad would be dead, the reason being, my mum and dad divorced when I was 11 years old. Poor mum found out he was having an affair with another woman and he would stay with this other woman till the day he died.

Dad was never a good dad; mum said they married too young and that he worked all day and spent all night in the local pub. This upset mum, as he often came home in a state, never took any interest in family life at all, never gave her a penny and my sister and I were almost non-existent to him.

Mum said he wouldn’t have died because she had always kept in touch with a member of his family and each year they sent each other a Christmas card and would write the occasional letter to each other too. She told me, “If your dad was very poorly or had even died then I’d have been contacted.” She said she had always asked about my dad and was always told he was well.

Dad’s new wife didn’t want me around

I tried for years to be in his life and thought that when he remarried, I’d be accepted more. The woman he married was Scottish and already had five girls from her previous marriage, so I thought I’d fit in fine. But I didn’t because dad’s new wife didn’t want me around for fear of dad returning to mum one day. Well, that’s what I believed the reason to be – fat chance of that ever happening. Dad’s new wife was an absolute bitch! I never received a birthday card, nor a Christmas card ever, and after years of trying, I decided it was time to let go. I eventually gave up, but thought about him often, with a tear in my eye.

Anyway, getting back to where I left off, after speaking with mum about my experience with dad, I thought she was more than likely going to be right, so I just brushed it off and tried to forget it ever happened. I went to bed the next night but nothing out of the ordinary occurred, although I actually whispered to him in my mind as I so wanted him to appear to me again. I missed him and wished I’d taken hold of his hand.

View from the Isle of Cumbrae

​dan kearney, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

My second visitation from dad

I had an invite to my sister’s place for tea, so went along with my hubby but never mentioned anything about seeing dad. My sister’s husband said he’d got something for me; turned out to be a brochure-like magazine relating to Scotland, not that I’d ever visited Scotland. I was a little intrigued as to why he’d be giving me this and when I asked why, he replied, “I thought you’d be interested as it mentions a few historical places.” And he knew I loved history.

I remember opening up the magazine somewhere towards the middle and for some odd reason I felt a really strong connection to the island that appeared on that page. It was Cumbrae, on the Ayrshire coast of Scotland. The feeling was so strong that I turned the mag around and told everyone to look at how beautiful it was. I even told them I felt a really uncanny connection to the place and that I needed to go! They just laughed.

Five days after dad’s visitation, it got to night time again so I retired to bed. Again, nothing unusual, just the same. Got cosy and read my book. I must have been reading for near on an hour when I suddenly felt I wasn’t alone, but I never experienced a bright light. I looked around but couldn’t see anything unusual. I just had this feeling of being watched. Then I put my book down and turned off my lamp.

As I lay there for about 15 or so minutes, I felt the need to look towards the bottom of my bed and omg! Dad was stood their again. I immediately sat up. He looked exactly the same as five nights previous and he held his hand out to me again, only this time, I leant forward and held his hand. I looked on as his hand grasped mine, but felt nothing. I looked at him and he was smiling, and within seconds he was gone! My heart was absolutely broken. I cried myself to sleep but I knew for sure my dad was telling me he had died.

The next morning, I got back on the phone straight away to mum and told her that my dad was dead and that he’d visited me again. I couldn’t stop crying and she said, “Let me go, Jane, as I’m going to ring your Auntie Pat.” She was my dad’s adopted sister and the family member mum had always kept in touch with.

The last time I saw my dad was 1992, when I was 26 and married with two children. He never bothered with either of them, yet in 1991, whilst living around 30 miles away from dad, my youngest child became very poorly and was rushed to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.

Me and my hubby stayed at the hospital and one morning on arriving at my daughter’s ward, I was astonished to see my dad sat by her bedside. He saw us approach and left in the other direction. I shouted over to him but he never turned around. I’d never done anything to this man. I just wanted to be loved by him and to be part of his life but it wasn’t to be.

The uncanny Cumbrae connection

The telephone rang and I knew it would be mum calling, so I quickly grabbed it. I immediately asked if she’d managed to contact Auntie Pat and her reply was, “You were right Jane, your dad passed away on 18th February 2007”.

So I had for sure received a visit from my dad not once, but twice! Mum also told me that she had strong words with Auntie Pat over the phone and told her how utterly disgusted and upset she was that she had not contacted her over his death back in 2007. She also asked how she could have written back in past letters stating that he was well, when all along he’d been dead for the last 3 years!

Mum said that for the entire time she ranted down the phone to Auntie Pat, there was just silence, until she told her to at least tell her where he was buried, so then at least her girls could go and pay their respects to their dad. “The thing is, Linda,” came the reply, “he’s not buried, he’s cremated. But his body isn’t close enough for the girls to visit as his wishes were to have his ashes scattered on the Island of Cumbrae, Ayrshire in Scotland.”

Omg! Omg ! The magazine, the connection I felt with this Island of Cumbrae; an island I never knew existed but felt such tremendous connection with because it was my dad’s final resting place. He found a way to contact me to let me know of his passing, something his wife should have done, and Auntie Pat. But they chose not too and I cannot forgive them for that; even my mum cut ties with Auntie Pat because in her eyes, what she did was so unforgivable.

It’ll be like finding a needle in a haystack

Although he was never around for me, he’s still my dad and always will be. I love him very much and I’m happy he came to let me know he had passed, as that proves to me his love and I know wholeheartedly that he’s sorry for the past because I just get that feeling. I’ve never seen him since that second visit but know he’s around very often.

This experience wasn’t a dream. This experience was real and has taken all the fear out of dying. I know there is more to come after this life because since my two visitations from my dad, I’ve had a few more experiences that didn’t involve seeing him.

I’ve also since been up to Scotland and took a short ferry ride over to the island with my hubby. That in itself was very odd as I had no idea where dad was resting. Auntie Pat had only told mum he was on the island. Once I’d driven off the ferry, I turned left, which took us down to the beach.

It was so very quiet, not a soul to be seen and my hubby said there was no way I’d find my dads resting place. He got out of the car to ask someone in a local shop if they had any idea where most of the resting places were to be found, but they didn’t know. They just told my hubby, “It’ll be like finding a needle in a haystack.”

(Image: Canva)

As we turned the car around to go the other way, a lone bagpiper came off the beach playing the bagpipes. It was so odd because nobody was around except for me and the hubby. We sat and listened as he played, and I just cried. Then we carried on and after travelling for around two miles, I abruptly said to my hubby, “STOP! He’s here.”

There were stone steps to my right and I felt he was at the top of those steps. My hubby said to me, “You’re mad, Jane”, but I got out and once I reached the top, there he was. I found him. The feeling was so overwhelming. There I was, finally with my dad and at peace with myself.

Leo Bonomo’s Response to Jane’s Story

This is a fantastic, beautiful story that mediums are very familiar with. Your Dad had given you clues to his passing at a time when you were open, and guided you to the very spot he was laid to rest. Not only that, he has acknowledged that he had wronged you and wanted your forgiveness which you had given him. He was aware of your regret and persistent enough to come back and try again, giving you the encouragement you needed. I think it is a wonderful thing. I, myself, have given evidence of a need to forgive someone who has passed but sometimes, such terrible things have been done, that people are still unwilling to forgive.

When we experience something like this, it is a forceful awakening to the ‘real life,’ that the personality survives death. Death is only of the body, the gross material we have created for our means, that is all. You have been blessed and your Dad has given you the greatest gift anyone could ever give.

Evidence that we are eternal

The realisation that we are eternal, the realisation that death is nothing to fear, that we do survive and that ‘we shall meet again’, I am so very sure that this story will encourage so many others who may not yet have found that comfort you have and are experiencing. While you have shared this, I do not think you have realised the full impact it will have on others.

There is a reason you have shared beyond what you know with great evidence, too. Thank you for sharing this light, love and experience for all to share. It is wonderfully touching.

Light, always,

Leo.

Gog & Magog: London’s Legendary Giant Guardians & Their English Kin

​From Hobbit-like ‘Beaker People’ to ancient guardian giants

There was once apparently a time when giants strode England’s green and pleasant land; actual behemoths, not simply lanky folk, especially when they’re compared to the swarthy, furtive, hobbit-like, and meanly acquisitive Basque-descended ‘Beaker People’ of the time - who to this very day, constitute a fair percentage of the country’s indigenous population. Quite obvious when one wanders down the streets of many an English burgh, where these shuffling, unwashed, gimlet-eyed figures are common.

Gog and Magog: The Giants in Guildhall (1859)

​Frederick William Fairholt (1814 – 3 April 1866), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

You want further proof? Aye, our ancestors were not Celts, Anglo-Saxons, Picts, Vikings or Normans, but Basques from Northern Spain:

There are few, if any contemporary sightings of giants in the UK; aside from Northern Ireland, where genetically mutated AIP-gene* ogres still abide in Sperrin mountains of Mid-Ulster, some of their forbears having reached 7ft 6in tall.

*AIP - Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Interacting Protein. Gene which causes pituitary adenomas in some families with acromegaly (a rare disorder that occurs when the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone after the skeleton has finished growing) and occasionally prolactinomas (noncancerous (benign) pituitary tumors that produce a hormone called prolactin, that triggers breast milk production), and very rarely with other types of pituitary adenomas.

​Patrick Murphy (1834–1862), from Ulster’s County Down was a fairground performer, possibly the tallest person ever recorded at 8 feet 1 inch.

Patrick Murphy, the Irish Giant (1857)

​See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Legendary Giants

But in England, the giants are (mainly) the stuff of legend, figures such as Avon-Gorge creating brothers Goram and Vincent (Bristol), 28ft tall Jack o' Legs (Hertfordshire, some factual basis - perhaps), Blunderbore, Cormoran, two-headed Thunderdell (all Cornish), Ascapart (Hampshire), Colbrand (Winchester), the Penhill Giant (Yorkshire), William of Lindholme (Doncaster, also Yorkshire) and Yernagate (The New Forest).

No doubt there are other Welsh, Scotch and Irish (as we have seen) giants, but for the purpose of this investigation, I will concentrate on English - and more specifically London leviathans.

Sculpture of Goram the Giant in the grounds of Ashton Court

​BristolIcarus, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

David Lowery’s excellent The Green Knight (2021) contains a very evocative scene where a questing Sir Gawain (Dev Patel) encounters a group of giants:

Gog and Magog: London’s Protectors

The names first appear in the Old Testament's Book of Ezekiel. Gog is a landowner and Magog is the land’s name. In Revelation, they become one single being — representing the hostile nations of the world.

In London lore, Gog and Magog (or possibly Magog and Cornelius) were supposedly the gigantic product of the thirty-three naughty daughters of Roman emperor Diocletian (242/245 – 311/312 AD) and the demonic imps they'd been enjoying frantic carnal congress with.

When Brutus (not that one) founded ‘New Troy’ (which would later become London), he brought to heel the pair, indenturing them as guardians of the city, chaining them on leads outside his palace, which is now the venerable London Guildhall.

Gog and Magog live on

Nonsense? Probably. But the legend lived on, with the two fearsome colossi continuing on as the city's guardians. Effigies appeared at the coronation of Elizabeth I in 1558 and made recorded appearances at the Lord Mayor's Show over the years preceding the enthronement.

The custom of carrying effigies and images such as Gog and Magog at festivals is a hangover from the good old days of human sacrifice, when the victim was replaced with a symbolic representation. The custom of carrying figures at festivals was common during the Middle Ages in England and the giants of myth were among them. Just 20 miles up the road in Hertfordshire, there is an annual St Albans Pilgrimage, where ‘12ft tall carnival puppets, representing figures from the story of St Alban, take to the streets to re-enact his historic story. The puppets are accompanied by people of all ages dressed as lions, Roman soldiers, angels, chariots and more.’ (Source: St Albans Cathedral website)

Made by the Worshipful Company of Basketmakers, wicker figures of Gog and Magog are the latest incarnation to take part of the London Mayors Parade and have been part of the show since the reign of Henry V.

From 1839 until the late 1920s, figures of the two were displayed at the front of Sir John Bennett's Clock Shop on Cheapside. Bizarrely though, they now live in the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan.

Other Gog and Magog statues have been in Guildhall for centuries; the current ones date from 1954, replacing 18th century statues destroyed in the blitz, which in turn, replaced the wicker and paste 17th century ones, which were eaten by rodents. A still earlier set were burnt in the Great Fire in 1666.

Charles Dickens describes statues coming to life

Cheeky Cockney kids were told to behave otherwise the pair would eat them for supper; Charles Dickens in Master Humphrey's Clock describes the statues coming to life and necking large quantities of wine.

‘The statues of the two giants, Gog and Magog, each above fourteen feet in height, those which succeeded to still older and more barbarous figures, after the Great Fire of London, and which stand in the Guildhall to this day, were endowed with life and motion. These guardian genii of the City had quitted their pedestals, and reclined in easy attitudes in the great stained glass window. Between them was an ancient cask, which seemed to be full of wine; for the younger Giant, clapping his huge hand upon it, and throwing up his mighty leg, burst into an exulting laugh, which reverberated through the hall like thunder.’

Earliest surviving representations in the UK - Possibly

Figures of the duo are also to found at the church of St Dunstan-in-the-West; the statues are, I believe the earliest surviving representations in the UK, dating from the 14th century. Probably, unless they are instead of Old King Lud, flanked by his two sons Androgeus and Theomantius. They previously were mounted at Ludgate, until it was dismantled in the 18th century, finding a new home within their niche at St Dunstan-in-the-West.

The Fleet Street frontage is noted for its clock where definitely Gog and Magog beat the hourly bell with their clubs.

The Biblical take on the names:

I loved this as a kid:

The Selfish Giant (1971)

Stephen Arnell’s novel THE GREAT ONE is available on Amazon Kindle:

The Great One : The Secret Memoirs of Pompey the Great eBook : Arnell, Stephen: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

The Great One : The Secret Memoirs of Pompey the Great eBook : Arnell, Stephen: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

www.amazon.co.uk

Is Spiritualism Losing Its Roots?

When we speak of the birth of spiritualism, we often think of the Fox sisters as the start of the spiritualist movement, and tend to forget that both spiritualism and mediumship, have their roots in the dawn of mankind.

“The Witch of Endor Calling Up the Spirit of the Prophet Samuel” Painting by Nikolai Ge, 1857

​Nikolai Ge, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

There are many accounts of mediums within the world religions. A prime example of an early séance, the Hebrew Bible tells of the Witch of Endor, a medium who apparently brought forth the Prophet Samuel’s spirit in her home at the behest of King Saul of the Kingdom of Israel (I Samuel 28:3–25). Even now, scholars argue that Moses was a medium who had the ability of automatic writing in connection to the Ten Commandments. These small examples remind us that mediumship and spiritualism are deeply rooted in the history of mankind. With that long history in mind, we must consider the Fox sisters as the birth of Modern Spiritualism and the spiritualist organizations that exist today, rather than spiritualism as a whole.

Solutions to a Common Problem in Spiritualism

When I first came into mediumship in the spiritualist church, I did attend development circles, but I felt something was not right, especially after being taken onto the rostrum by a medium far too soon, which I now find is an ongoing occurrence within the movement today. Although I could not put my finger on it at the time, I realize now that with the lack of good mentors, teachers, and development circles, I faced a lack of knowledge around the subject that I needed.

So I decided to do what many of our great pioneers did in the past and find the right direction with spirit via the old ways. This incorporated setting aside time to study, read and research – especially the many great literary works that were written by Maurice Barbanell through his guide Silver Birch; Ivy Northage and Chan; and Arthur Findley. And the list goes on.

The time and effort required for self-development, unfolding and understanding ourselves and the spiritual side of self also seems to be a forgotten part of mediumship development. Gordon Higginson once said: “Development should be split into three areas: theory, getting to know one’s self, and then the spirit world.” It takes time, effort and discipline to nurture such qualities. This should be pointed out by all tutors to their students.

Our Home Circle put so much time and effort into this when we developed Trance and Physical mediumship. Sitting with spirit and sitting to build the energy, is not carried out by many within the movement or not relayed by tutors to their students. Attending Open Circles – not just at your regular church or center but further afield – is important for your development because it is within these groups that you gain valuable experience by working in a different environment.

We have personal responsibility to other people, ourselves, and of course spirit.

“Newisms,” Practices, and Rituals in Spiritualism

The teachings that were once presented by many mediums of the past have now either been forgotten or watered down to the point that true mediumship is but a shadow of its former self. Stardom and fame seems, to many, more important than proving the continuation of life through concrete evidence.

I am seeing that, instead of evidence, time and time again counseling is being offered during demonstrations by mediums who usually have little or no knowledge around this area.

But look also how we have brought into mediumship what my team called “newisms” – or in layman’s terms, new age practices and rituals. Look at the mediums of the past and you will find that things such as grounding, chakras and protection were never mentioned. Yet these are being taught in many development groups. Chakras are connected to Eastern practices and especially Reiki. The term grounding just means bringing yourself back from the spiritual side of your work to your physical life which can be achieved by participating in normal every-day activities, such as spending time in nature, housework, going out with friends, to name a few.

Evil Spirits or Just Negative Energy?

One area which seems to cause a lot of controversy is the “new-age” idea of protection. But what are we truly protecting ourselves from? Being a highly-advanced species, the question is, why would we revert to bygone practices created by mankind during their infancy of evolution?

Of course the finger of suspicion can be pointed at orthodox religion which created evil, demons and hell. But can it not be argued that we make our own heaven and hell here on the physical plane? We talk about spiritualism being a religion? This comes once again from man and not spirit. In fact, Silver Birch – speaking to us from spirit – states “Spiritualism means nothing in the spirit world for it is but a name.”

Religion, Science and Spirituality

Look at how new age practices have ingrained themselves into mediumship. They have nothing to do with mediumship and the development of individuals, and should be kept separate. Many great spiritualists were scientists and carried out some amazing and fantastic work around the whole subject, such as Sir William Crookes, Sir Oliver Lodge, and Arthur Findley. But the scientific research in spiritualism is not highlighted like it once was. For example, the great scientific work over a five year period by Arthur Findley with John Campbell Sloan (Where Two Worlds Meet) brought so much information to the forefront in regards to spirit and the spirit world, why is work like that not being taught, not being emphasized, and worst of all, not continuing?

If we were to look at the spirit world through science instead of religion, we would start to understand more about energy. Like electricity, which is energy, there is a positive and a negative. Our actions, thoughts, and words create a vibration or energy. If we are positive in such things we create a larger amount of positive energy, and vice-versa when we are negative in such actions. These negative energies can be picked up by sensitives and mediums, but problems can arise where some see this as a negative or evil spirit. Negative energy can often be felt in buildings where some traumatic past event occurred and it is really easy to disperse by counter-acting this energy with positive energy.

In 1947, John Butler wrote in his book Exploring the Psychic World:

“Many people were aware of the existence of Spiritualism even before it was generally discovered, but they could not explain it scientifically. Now, however, with our deeper knowledge of the constitution of matter and our increasing knowledge of energy, wavelengths, and vibrations, we can, in the main, do so. We can show that the claims of Spiritualists are more and more confirmed by every advance in our knowledge concerning the nature of matter.”

If you walk into many spiritualist churches and centers, you find that crosses, Bibles and other Christian artifacts adorn the walls. We have adopted Christian scriptures and hymns. Not to mention the new trend where some people wear Christian uniforms such as dog collars and vestments. We are seeing the spiritualist movement following the same path as the Christian Church, branching off into sub-groups and following Christian ideology or their own ideology.

Too often now within mediumship, it comes down to money, stardom, and fame. We no longer explore the spiritual nature of ourselves, nor take the time to spend with those who work with us from the spirit world, those invisible friends who never judge us and who unconditionally love us at all times.

Returning to Our Roots 

Let us get back to how spiritualism and mediumship were first presented to us in their simplest and purest form. We just need to remember that it is about Dedication, Discipline, Commitment and Perseverance which were the words spirit gave to me when I first started. There was a line in an old book about spiritualism I will never forget: “Spiritualism is not a religion, it is a discovery of an actual fact in nature. Like other facts in nature, it always existed and operated, even before it was discovered.” (John Butler, Exploring the Psychic World)

Divine Law Is Perfect In Operation

Many laws exist that govern us. We have man’s law, the laws of physics and scientific laws such as the law of gravity and laws of the state, laws of the organization, religious law and so forth. All laws have been developed as a method of control and to conduct behavior, and are, of course, designed to create structure from chaos. Laws are all about governing and there’s no greater quote that explains this concept than from the Swiss philosopher ‘Jean Jacques Rousseau’ who argued in 1762 that:

People are born free and must willingly give legitimate authority to the government through a “social contract” for mutual preservation.

At this moment in time, we as a people have never felt so incarcerated as man dictates what he feels is right and just – control based on perception.

A Divine Law That Supersedes All Of Man’s Laws That Are Governed By Perception

However, there’s one set of laws that governs all of humanity, nature and creation. It is known as our Divine Law. As an example, allow me to relay a story that might explain how Divine Law operates above and beyond all of man’s laws and to which man has no power to change.

She Confirmed Her Soul’s Path That Was Governed By Divine Law

Katherine* was a devoted wife and mother, until she was stricken by cancer that eventually caused her to pass to the world of spirit. Her husband, Michael*, who is now my closest friend, was guided to me by events that were outside the norm of operations governed by man. One of the greatest conundrums of Katherine’s journey through her illness and subsequent passing, was that if this journey was indeed chosen by her for a greater purpose, was it meant to be, and why did she suffer in the way that she did? Could anything have prevented that path that Laura went down?

For Michael, this was a question that needed some confirmation. He had always felt this was a course that Katherine had chosen, but confirmation would require substantial evidence in order to be accepted. Anyone can offer a judgment or perception based on one’s ego or own perceptions whether they are false or true to them, but only evidence from the person who chose their path would be sufficient enough to go some way to offering an explanation.

He Would Have Given Anything To Have Changed It!

Michael would have done anything he could at the time to change the outcome of the journey. His wife was suffering and if he could have changed places, he would. Prayer to change the outcome, prayer to heal, or anything that could have reversed the path she was on, he would have done, and given. The suffering for all members of the family was absolutely overwhelming.

At the time, Michael could not see the greater picture, and Katherine, confined to the consciousness of this earth plane, would not have seen that picture or known how it would impact things forever more. Anyone in Michael’s position would do anything they could to change what was transpiring at that moment. These situations are reminiscent of the story of Jesus in accordance with Divine Will and Divine Law as exemplified during the agony in the garden, when Jesus had to succumb to what was inevitably governed by will and Divine Law.

There Was No Change

No matter what Michael or Katherine wanted, it could not be changed. Why? Well, the soul is governed by Divine Law and also knows what it needs for growth, what it needs for service or what it has chosen as its path for whatever divine reasoning it has. Yet, we who exist on this plane may not have the knowledge or understanding of the different needs of the soul, which may not be in accordance with what we desire or want as human beings. Though the connection is there, the perception can be different.

Katherine Confirms Her Path

Katherine finally came through during a mediumship sitting with a complex yet important piece of evidence that confirmed her path was chosen at the soul level and that no man-made law or human desire could have prevented the inevitable. She had to convey to her husband that the words in a song he resonated with were understood, and why that song meant so much to Michael in terms of the love they had, the journey they went through together as one.

This was achieved by leading evidence in a pattern and, toward the end of the sitting, conveying her understanding of that song which had important words and meanings that were known only to Michael. In fact, she did not know of the song when she existed on this side of life. This demonstrated that she was aware of the wording, the music and why Michael made the connection to that particular song. Therefore, she confirmed that her path had a higher authority that was not able to be changed due to the service and the lessons it offered to foster growth and change in the lives of others.

This example shows that no matter what we desire, or what we want for our own gratification, no matter how we plead or demand change of outcomes or ask for the cup to be passed as in the case of the garden at Gethsemane, Divine Law is perfect in its operation and no perception or power of man can change these laws.

What Is Divine Law

Divine Law governs all of creation and comes from the mind of God or Source, no matter how you label your perception. We only exist because of Divine Law and without it, no life or nature would be possible. Consequently, Divine Law is often misunderstood. Man has created a perception of Divine Law that actually does not adhere to what real Divine Law is, or how it operates.

When one starts to talk about Divine Law, religion immediately comes to mind as if these laws are only understood by religious beliefs and practice. However, that could not be further from the truth. Religion is man-made and therefore not the source of Divine Law. However, certain laws will exist within the religious perception but only from the reality of hidden truths that exist within all religious beliefs, such as the Divine Law of Love that exists within the basis of all religious belief.

Misconception Of Law To Suit the Ego

Many individuals, spiritual teachers and organizations will almost color what they perceive as a Divine Law to suit them or to suit the need of the EGO. One such example would be the belief in Reincarnation as being a Divine Law. If we look deeply into this, and learn from the wisdom of those gone before us and from explanations we have received from the other side of life, we would see that Reincarnation is a choice and not a law. There is no necessity governed by any other need that says it is an inevitable law to which we all must adhere.

We have a choice whether to reincarnate or not. That choice is given to us by free will, which is another law that is perfect in its operation and allows us to make the choice to reincarnate or not – hence the Law of Free Will allows us to choose between the action of Reincarnation.

Image: NoDerog, Canva

A Divine Law Is Harmonious And Needs Other Laws To Operate

There is a grave misjudgement which perceives Divine Laws as being separate laws that operate only within their individual purpose or remit. But let’s consider something within two of these Divine Laws. Let’s look at the following;

• The Law of Karma
• The Law Of Responsibility

Each of these laws actually work in harmony with one another and therefore the Law of Harmonic Resonance comes into play with both of these laws. Nevertheless, to make it easier to understand, we will only use the example of these two laws to exemplify how one is reliant on the other.

I fully understand that we could sub-divide even more into other laws of the universe, but we must begin somewhere and sow that seed from which we can grow. Therefore, we now have a nice segway into understanding the Law of Karma, which can be thought of in terms of cause and effect – again comprising another Divine Law. Furthermore, we can understand the Law of Karma more simply in layman’s terms i.e. ‘What you give out you get back’ or you ‘Reap what you sow’. So how does this correspond with another law that is in harmonious resonance – the Law of Responsibility?

Responsibility

The Law of Responsibility is perceived as a law that makes you responsible for all that you are, all that you think, all that you perceive or believe, all that you act upon and all that you say. In essence, you are wholly responsible for every aspect of you, down to mind, body and soul. Therefore, what you choose under free will to think or act upon is your responsibility and no one else can be held responsible for the choices you make or express as a Divine Being.

As a consequence, if you choose unwisely and do something that perhaps goes against other laws, you will have to pay a karmic price for the choices you make. As you are responsible for your choices and how you act upon those choices, which are governed by free will, the consequences of those actions will actually have a karmic effect. The truth is that each law in this example is working in harmony with the other laws and one cannot exist without the other.

Destiny Is Not Purpose

Let’s go back to Katherine and Michael. Purpose is not destiny and your purpose changes in accordance with the choices you make that are based on the journey. But inevitably, each chosen purpose leads to the one destiny which is what you chose before you incarnated upon the earthplane.

The choices Katherine made, impacted upon her purpose at each stage in her life; her purpose as a wife and her purpose as a mother, yet her destiny was on the same path as her purposes which could not be changed, even though purposes change based on the choices you make. You can choose different paths which have different purposes, but your destiny remains that constant truth. Each law that governs our destiny is that which is in harmony with Divine Will and, therefore, Divine Law.

No matter what Michael wanted at the time when all the events were taking place, it could not change Katherine’s destiny and how those Divine Laws were operating. When Katherine came through during the mediumship sitting and confirmed her destiny was to be of greater service, it brought a level of comfort to understand how Divine Law and Divine Will operate and govern our lives from every moment.

Awareness Of Divine Law

Awareness of Divine Law goes beyond perception or theory. It is something that requires discernment to be able to understand the resonance within each governing law and how that law is in correspondence to another. This also means that one with awareness of this deeper level of understanding about not just the law, but its operation, relationship and mechanics, will have to be more aware of how it operates within one’s life. One who is ignorant of such laws or who has no understanding, will not experience the impact as much as the discerning individual who understands that law, for the impact of such laws will be meted out with more impact. Consequently, one who has spiritual awareness of Divine Laws can in fact suffer more because these laws govern this earth plane and impact the soul’s growth.

It is therefore important that one has awareness of Divine Law in operation within the universe and of course one’s life. By understanding the governance of Divine Law, we can learn to live in harmony with ourselves, with others and of course with nature. Divine Law supersedes all other laws made by man’s perception and of course ignorance and man’s perception cannot change the operation of Divine Law.

* Real names not used

Founding the Noah’s Ark Society to Save Physical Mediumship

Back in 1990 (nearly 30 years ago now), I founded the Noah’s Ark Society (NAS) to help save physical mediumship – which, at that time, appeared set to become extinct. Many of the few remaining physical mediums who were demonstrating in public at that time were elderly, deteriorating in health, and undertaking less and less work as their mediumships ‘wound down’.

For instance, within the next four years, two of the best known physical mediums – Gordon Higginson and Leslie Flint both passed to Spirit. Several other well-known physical mediums, such as Maud Gunning and Geoffrey Jacobs, had already passed to Spirit a little earlier as well. Some genuine physical mediums such as Rita Goold (who was working in a different energy-based way) had been forced to discontinue their mediumship due to alarming threats (including death threats) from anonymous ‘Arch Sceptics’ who – without any proof – accused them of fraud. Some excellent physical mediums like John Squires of Romford simply gave up because of health issues.

Ilkeston Physical mediumship circle

With the public’s increasing lack of access to séances and demonstrations of physical mediumship, and the lack of any exciting reports regarding encouraging contemporary results in this unique field of mediumship, it was perhaps inevitable that public interest in the subject would fade away. Instead of witnessing available demonstrations of physical mediumship (the publicity of which, naturally, would have generated considerable interest from scientists and the public), and since practical experience was sadly lacking, anyone seeking more knowledge and information was forced to go to the history books for answers! I remember more than one person at that time remarking to me: “Physical Mediumship – isn’t that something that happened way back in time – but is no longer being practiced?”

In 1989, my wife Sandra and I moved into a rented Church of England Rectory at Postwick – just a few miles East of Norwich. For many years, we had run our own home circles for the development of physical phenomena in the Romford area and had, in fact, actually met in a physical circle at Romford where the medium John Squires went on to develop the Independent Voice phenomenon (of an excellent quality) to almost rival that of Leslie Flint. My own interest as a researcher of physical mediumship goes back to 1972.

Once at Postwick, it was not long before I began to miss the home circles we had run and, although we did ask around the area, we never discovered any physical home circles who were looking for sitters at that time. Consequentially, a little later, we did once again start our own home circle at Postwick – but that is another story.

In the meantime, in March 1989, an advert for sitters in a physical circle at Ilkeston, Derbyshire appeared in the ‘Psychic News’. I replied and agreed to meet the trance medium of that circle, Stuart Hellen and his wife Valarie, for a chat. Although the circle was 130 miles away from Postwick, they had been asked by their Spirit Team to start a physical circle, running just once per month on the Saturday closest to the new moon. The traveling was therefore not too frequent, and when asked, I was happy to join the circle.

Regular communicators in the Ilkeston Group

Woodbury type on paper mount, late 1860s-1870s

​See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In April 1989, I was present at their first proper physical phenomena sitting. Several raps occurred, together with psychic breezes, and ‘whistling’ was clearly heard over the singing of the group. Later in the year, after a few more sittings, I was able to arrange for the circle members to visit Leslie Flint, whom I had known for several years. Through his Independent Voice mediumship, the group received confirmation of the work they were doing to develop physical mediumship, and much evidence concerning the circle. The well-known Victorian Novelist and Spiritualist Florence Marryat (1833-1899) also became a regular communicator in the Ilkeston Group. Her book ‘There Is No Death’ is one I can highly recommend!

Stuart Hellen’s mediumistic development continued apace and early in 1990, at the request of the Spirit Team, Stuart’s chair was moved into a cabinet and during this first ‘cabinet’ sitting, the circle was taken unawares when the initial attempt at Independent Voice took place. This phenomena continued to develop during the further sittings in 1990.

In late 1989, another advert had appeared in the ‘Psychic News’ for sitters to attend another physical circle – this time in Hove, near Brighton. Again (and I shall never know quite why!) I replied, despite the fact that this circle was actually 140 miles away from our home – in a totally different direction. This group was run by John Austin, a veteran Spiritualist and his wife Gerry. They too knew Leslie Flint well. Although it was a weekly circle, I joined this group, too.

After sitting with the circle for a number of months, John and Gerry decided that they needed a new carpet for the lounge in which their sittings took place. The manager of a local carpet warehouse called to measure up the room, and instinctively made the comment that he knew what that room was used for. ‘Séances!’ There was no way he could have known this by normal means, so John and Gerry chatted to him about their interest. The result was that the young man Colin Fry was asked to join the circle. He agreed, and history was born! It was not long before Colin’s physical mediumship took off, and he started to go into deep trance. In terms of physical phenomena, his development was quite rapid. Within months, advanced examples of physical phenomena were taking place and by mid 1990, it was apparent that he was going to be an excellent physical medium. I personally witnessed one of the first instances of his phenomena, when a coin was suddenly apported into the centre of the circle from the medium’s solar plexus. Later, when levitation of the medium became commonplace, he was once levitated, complete with chair, through a wall into the next room!

How the Noah’s Ark Society was born

Meanwhile, back at the Ilkeston Circle in May 1990, it was on the anniversary of the inaugural meeting of the ‘Link of Home Circles’ (held in 1931 and attended by its founder – Mr Noah Zerdin) that a spirit personality communicated with us in the Independent Direct Voice. This was no less than Noah Zerdin himself, who had been a mentor to Leslie Flint in his early days, and many other mediums besides. He specifically asked us to: “Start a Society which would educate the public about physical mediumship – ensuring its safe development, demonstration and practice – as well as generally promoting physical mediumship and its phenomena to the public”.

This, for us, was a very exciting development, and we quickly realised the significance of such a message, and the importance of actually implementing Noah Zerdin’s request. After the sitting, we sat round discussing the possibility of starting such a society. Since I had more experience in this specialist type of mediumship and its phenomena than the others, I agreed to take over the responsibilities and practicalities of putting the society together, and badgered the other circle members to join me on the initial committee to help with the basic work (which involved an awful lot of diplomatic persuasion!)

At that time, I was in a reasonable position financially and was able to fund the society in its early days out of my own pocket. I came up with the name myself – The Noah’s Ark Society (I guess with a little help from Spirit), and commissioned an art studio in Norwich to produce a suitable logo. The name was suitable for three reasons:

1)  The ‘Noah’ referred to Noah Zerdin, who had been the spirit communicator who asked us to start the Society.

2)  Biblically speaking, ‘Noah’s Ark’ was a vessel that saved many species of animals from their ultimate extinction. The Noah’s Ark Society aimed to save a particular form of mediumship – physical mediumship – from extinction too.

3)  The ‘Ark of the Covenant’ – biblically speaking – was a repository for psychic power and spiritual knowledge. That seemed particularly appropriate here too!

Over the next few weeks, I placed adverts regularly throughout the psychic press to notify the public of the new organization. We sent out information sheets to interested people, detailing the aims and objects of the new Society, and inviting them to join the NAS. There was to be a monthly newsletter starting in August 1990 with Issue 1 and although much preparatory work had been done before that date (including the rapid recruitment of members), it was generally accepted that the Society would be officially formed in that month.

The very first member – number 001 – was Stewart Alexander. He agreed to join the committee and to be the ‘Archive Officer’. However, it was to be quite some time before he actually admitted to me that he was a physical medium himself! I started the Newsletter as planned, and edited it. In those early days it was produced by me on a photocopier (initially at my workplace, starting at 5.50am!)

The first committee consisted of just the members of the Ilkeston Circle, together with Stewart Alexander. I did not want to take on the mantle of ‘President’ myself, preferring instead to remain as ‘General Secretary’, which allowed me to quietly get on with the building, expansion and running of the Society. It was agreed by all that the first ‘President’ would be the medium – Stuart Hellen. The first ‘Treasurer’ was Denise Lacey, another Ilkeston sitter. Apart from Stewart as ‘Archive Officer’, the rest of the committee was made up by: Stuart’s wife Valarie Hellen; Michelle Hackett; Mark Stanley and Jaquie Turner.

The psychic press reported and trumpeted the details of the new Society. Because of that, our adverts, and ‘word of mouth’ generally, the NAS membership grew rapidly over the first few months. Physical circles from all over the world joined as well, together with dozens of individual interested people and researchers. We quickly surpassed the significant benchmark of 100 members, and approached 200. All of a sudden, it became clear that as well as the committed physical circles and researchers already involved in our specialist subject, there was also – amongst those who had never come across physical mediumship themselves before the advent of the NAS – a new, and massive interest in physical mediumship and its phenomena from the general public, many of whom were totally lacking ANY knowledge of the reality of physical phenomena. The NAS, therefore, provided a rallying point for interested people. We set out a programme of education so that everyone could learn the basic facts and so that members who had not previously done so, could witness demonstrations of physical mediumship themselves on a regular basis.

I wrote a NAS teaching guide on the ‘Development of Physical Mediumship and its Phenomena’, based on the traditional use of ‘ectoplasm’ (at that early stage, nobody knew that excellent phenomena could be produced using only ‘energy’. The ‘Scole Experiment’ and its work came later.) This, like the Newsletter, was produced in large numbers by me on my work’s copier machine, with a copy of this teaching booklet being sent out free to all members – together with Newsletter number 2 in September, 1990.

Over the next few months, the NAS continued to grow at a rapid rate, and the contacts that we made through the Society proved to be most useful. At a general meeting in January 1991, veteran medium and researcher Alan Crossley was elected as the new ‘President’, and I became ‘Chairman’ of the Noah’s Ark Society – a position I held until Sandra and I withdrew from the NAS in September 1994 (at the specific request of our Scole Spirit Team), to concentrate on our work with the Scole Experimental Group, which was producing some really amazing and exclusive Physical Phenomena – working in a brand new ‘energy-based’

The first NAS physical mediumship demonstration

At a residential Seminar in Leicester in May (with almost 100 people present), the very first NAS demonstration of Physical Mediumship took place, using medium Colin Fry (at that time identified simply as ‘Lincoln’). It was a huge success and – Stewart Alexander (who was present) recognised the importance and full impact of such a public demonstration. He was immediately motivated to offer to undertake similar public demonstrations for the NAS in the future so – for many years, members were able to witness demonstrations of physical mediumship by these two superb mediums.

Stewart Alexander later took over as ‘President’ of the Noah’s Ark Society. The last ‘President’, the late George Cranley, engineered the closing of the NAS in 2004. The ‘Vice-President’ at that time was the late Colin Fry – a superb Physical Medium.

It is quite clear today that there is now a massive interest in Physical Mediumship and its phenomena all over the world. Newer (and often younger) physical mediums are developing and coming on to the scene in so many different countries. I have no doubt personally that the work of the Noah’s Ark Society and the later work of the Scole Experimental Group have contributed tremendously to that interest, and motivated a large number of those emerging physical mediums to develop their own mediumship and phenomena.

In conclusion, therefore, I think I can justly claim that the ‘Noah’s Ark Society’, which set out to ‘save’ Physical Mediumship and its phenomena achieved, in part, exactly what it set out to do. The subject (and practice) of Physical Mediumship today is thriving and continuing to expand constantly. Therefore it is far more commonplace (and available to the public) than it used to be. Interest in this specialised subject indeed continues to grow at a rapid rate.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in The Afterlife Magazine by The Otherside Press which has since joined the PDN family.

The Very First Public Séance of Physical Medium, Colin Fry

A few months before he passed to Spirit in August 2015, Sandra and I enjoyed an excellent lunch with our good friend Colin Fry at a restaurant in Mazarron, close to our home in Spain. We shared some lovely memories of the early days, when Colin was just starting to develop what became a superb (and eventually quite famous) physical and later, clairvoyant mediumship.

What made the memories even more precious at our final meeting was the fact that we had been there in the very beginning – I had myself been a member of his development circle (the ‘Swift’ Circle) at Hove for some time, and was privileged to witness some of the Colin’s first physical phenomena.

Colin Fry (19 May 1962 – 25 August 2015)

Shortly after my formation of the Noah’s Ark Society (NAS), we planned our first residential members seminar at the Park International Hotel in Leicester, UK, in May, 1991. By then, Colin’s own physical mediumship was sufficiently developed for us to consider the possibility of inviting him to undertake the responsibility of being the very first physical medium to demonstrate Physical Mediumship for the NAS at that seminar.

It was important for us that Colin Fry, as a new and unknown physical medium at that time, first put the suggestion to his personal and circle guides for their approval before he agreed to do the demonstration. We were delighted to soon learn that Colin’s spirit team were happy for him to agree, so the arrangements for the experimental séance went ahead, with the actual event planned for Saturday May 11th.

Physical mediumship séance preparations

The Noah’s Ark Society felt that we should protect the identity of any of our demonstrating physical mediums (once news of their mediumship was out) to prevent them being inundated with requests from the public for private sittings before they were ready to do general public work, and I therefore came up with the pseudonym of ‘Lincoln’ for Colin Fry, which was as near as possible an anagram of his Christian name. So our demonstrating medium at that time simply became ‘Lincoln’.

The Park International Hotel provided a large conference room with 20 foot high ceilings and we prepared it very carefully for the séance. 96 people including the medium, attended, with an inner circle of 16; a middle circle of 32 and an outer circle of 47 people.

Although every effort was made to darken the room, a sliver of dim light still got in, due to the large size of the conference room and its many windows. Two light metal ‘trumpets’, painted with fluorescent bands; a tambourine; pen, pencils, and paper – plus vitamins and water were placed at the center of the circle before the sitting began.

What particularly struck the President of the Noah’s Ark Society, Alan Crossley, when he first met Colin Fry, was his striking resemblance to famous physical medium Jack Webber who, like Colin, also worked in an ectoplasmic-based way. Alan Crossley was a veteran medium and researcher who was an expert in Physical Mediumship and its phenomena and had often organized séances for Helen Duncan (the well-known materialization medium).

A symphony of spirit

Cable ties were used to secure the medium’s wrists to his chair, and his feet were also tied to the chair legs. Once fastened, these cable ties cannot be undone. They have steel teeth in them and are normally used in engineering work. Consequently, at the end of the séance, the medium has to be cut loose. I explained to the delegates that, whilst hoped for, results could not be guaranteed, as this was an experimental séance, but it was important that the test conditions were strictly adhered to. We tried to reproduce as faithfully as possible the conditions the medium sat in during his own home circle.

There was a short period after the séance started where we were quiet, to allow the medium to enter his usual deep trance state but, as soon as everybody began to sing, the phenomena started to happen. One of the trumpets moved off the floor and started to tap the tambourine – quite clearly in time to the music. It then rose high up in the air as if conducting the song whilst tapping out the beat. At the end of the singing, the trumpet ‘dipped’ as if it was taking a bow!

Because of the small amount of light that was entering the room, it was possible for us to see the outline of the top of the medium’s head during the proceedings. We also witnessed the two trumpets up in the air simultaneously (although many feet apart), and the levitated tambourine being shaken in time to the music. One member of the medium’s circle asked that the tambourine be levitated high into the air, whereupon it shot up to a height of 15 to 18 feet, and was waved over the heads of the sitters – some distance away from the medium. It then moved rapidly in an arc before landing with a bang under a seat at the back of the second row.

First ‘Voice’ Communication from ‘The Mandarin’

The first ‘voice’ communication received was from a teaching guide known as ‘The Mandarin’, who spoke through the levitated trumpet. He recommended that all physical circles placed some crushed or powdered vitamins and minerals in their circle. Vitamins C; D; Riboflavin (vitamin B2); iron; magnesium, calcium and salt were all recommended. ‘The Mandarin’ also stated that a new baby – who was a potential physical medium – had been born that very day in Leicester.

The second communicator was a young ‘Cockney’ named ‘Charlie’, who was a regular speaker in the home circle. He suddenly announced that he was NOT going to use the trumpet, which was then thrown into the middle of the circle before he then started to speak in ‘Independent Voice’, using the ectoplasmic ‘voicebox’, which he said was built about two feet away from the medium. Because of the unusual conditions and the unintended influx of light, he explained that Spirit were unable to move the ‘voicebox’ about as they did in their home circle.

Whilst ‘Charlie’ was answering questions from the floor, we could hear paper being torn off the pad, and one piece of this actually landed on the lap of one of the ladies who was present. Jokingly, he said that he could not find the pencil – so he would have to write the messages elsewhere, and then ‘apport’ them into the circle. These would be found at the end of the séance, and would be evidential to the recipients.

Messages from beyond

As predicted, when the séance was over, two screwed-up pieces of tissue paper were found. No tissue paper of any kind had been brought into the circle by anybody present, so, indeed these must have been apported into the room. When one of these messages was opened, it was intended for a lady who was present, and was from her deceased 10-year-old son. It read: “Mummy xxxx Richard”. This was indeed very evidential to the lady sitter. The second message read: “Annie, I still love you”. This, too, was extremely evidential to the lady who received it. The words were printed in the form of little dots – very much like braille – or the print from a dot matrix printer.

The third communicator ‘Daphne’ was also a regular visitor to the ‘Swift’ home circle. She explained that her role was to convey personal messages during sittings but in the Spirit World, her main function was to help children who passed over at an early age. Even though the lighting conditions were less than adequate – nevertheless – the Independent Voices were loud and clear.

During the séance, those of us close to the cabinet were able to confirm that at no point had the medium moved from his chair, as we were able to see the top of his head at all times. When the sitting was over, the medium remained firmly bound by cable ties, and had to be cut free. We also noticed that the bowl containing the vitamins and minerals showed signs of its contents having been used.

Special thanks went to ‘Lincoln’ and his circle members for taking part in this historic experimental séance, particularly in view of the fact that Colin Fry had only been sitting for development of just over ONE year! Needless to say, this public demonstration by physical medium Colin created headlines in the ‘Psychic News’ in its May 25th issue 1991.

Colin Fry continued to demonstrate for members of the Noah’s Ark Society on many occasions – both at our home in Scole and during subsequent residential seminars. In fact, it was this first demonstration in Leicester that prompted deep trance and physical medium Stewart Alexander (who was present) to speak of his own mediumship, and to volunteer, like Colin, to demonstrate physical phenomena for members of the Noah’s Ark Society.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in The Afterlife Magazine by The Otherside Press which has since joined the PDN family.

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