Saturday 20 December 2014

My Diary....Mankind's biggest threat... No - to Caberet... Ban on Dalai Lama... My Favourite Hymn... Relaxing/Inspirational Music.




                                                          My Diary...

November...

1st – Bearsden and Milingavie Spiritualist Sanctuary which has changed the time of its service to 12.30 pm...
Then in the evening it was a privilege to take the service at the Love and Friendship Spiritualist Church, Couper Institute, Cathcart, Glasgow, G44 3DA.

Both above have a structured development groups that take time to let their members slowly develop their psychic abilities and understanding of Spiritualism. 

2nd – It was quiet an adventure to get to the Largs Spiritualist Church.  The weather was really bad so I thought I would leave the car at the station and travel to Largs by train.  The train only got as far as Kilwinning when the journey was terminated because of overhead cable problems further up the line.  Shuttle busses had to be called in and as I was not sure they would get me to the church on time so I had to travel to Largs by taxi.  The medium must get to the church on time.
7th – 11th I was at the Glasgow Association, Somerset Place, Glasgow.

12th – I was back to the Glasgow Association for the last of my five classes on “The Basics of Spiritualism and your Psychic Abilities.  These classes were well attended and proved my point that there are many within our religion want to have a simple structured introduction to our religion without attending expensive workshops which usually are targeted at those who are seeking to set foot on the platform
13th – I was off to the Blantyre Spiritualist Church.

16th – 18th - I took the three services at the Glasgow Central Spiritualist Church, 64 Berkeley Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, G3 7DS.
19th – I headed east to take an evening of clairvoyance at the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre in Edinburgh.

20th – Once again sitting with the Kilmarnock Spiritual Church’s fledglings.

24th– It is always a pleasure to take the trip north to the Smithton Hall,
Smithton, Inverness, IV2 7NP.  An extremely enthusiastic committee and members.
 
 
                                The Biggest Threat to Mankind
 
The British Home Secretary commented last week “Britain is facing the biggest terrorism threat in its history”.  Yet the biggest threat to mankind is cancer and surely we should be doing more to eradicate this disease.  We can send a man to the moon, land a probe on a comet millions of miles away from Earth, but for decade’s cancer has been acting like a terrorist, attacking the young, old, rich and poor alike.  Few of us will have been close to a terrorist attack or know someone who has, but we all know many who have been diagnosed with cancer.  Maybe if we paid as much attention to preventing the onslaught of cancer as we do preventing terrorist attacks then we could beat this disease.
Yes, we are making in-roads in the treatment of many types of cancers but not fast enough.  People all around the world are donating to charities to fight this disease and to comfort those in the final stages of this illness, but should not governments be doing more in the battle against cancer?  We need to get our priorities right – and fast.
 
 
                                             No - to Cabaret...
 
A long time ago I decided to work entirely within churches and any night out with a church was a no-go-area for me.  I felt that I could not expect churches to ask me to take a service if I was taking part in events that were more like entertainment etc.  Through the years I have been asked to take part in such nights and I have politely explained my position and refused, with the refusal being accepted in good grace.
Three times this year I have been asked to take part in three events which has went a stage further, with two of them being working alongside entertainers such as could be seen in a circus or fairground etc...  Again I politely explained by position and it was accepted with good grace.
Those who have this heightened ability 6th sense have the free will to do as they wish.  They can take the path of Spiritualism the religion or that of entertainment.  They cannot serve two masters.  If they do then Spiritualism is the loser. and the pioneers of our religion will have suffered in vain.  Maybe we should all think of Spiritualism’s 5th Principle – and  take “Personal Responsibility” for our  actions – making it clear whether we are Representatives of Spiritualism / Ambassadors of Spirit or going into the entertainment industry.  Churches have a big responsibility in this issue,  they need to stand up and be counted.   Think twice before they put some on their platform who is.
We can live comfortably together all we need to do is to take one path and stick to it – not keep jumping the fence whenever it suits us.  Make it clear to the public whether we are psychic or spiritualist mediums, Ambassadors for spirit or entertainers.
 
 
                                               Ban on Dalai Lama
One of the great men of our time  His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has again been refused entry to South Africa where he was scheduled to attend the 14th world summit of Nobel peace laureates.   Because of this ban other delegates have refused to attend forcing the organizers to move the summit to another country.   The gentleman of peace frequently states that his life is guided by three major commitments: the promotion of basic human values or secular ethics in the interest of human happiness, the fostering of inter-religious harmony and the preservation of Tibet's Buddhist culture, a culture of peace and non-violence. 
How such a man of peace could be banned unless South African is trying to align its self closer to China.  I am sure that Mr Nelson Mandela would not have approved of such a ban.
 
 

 
 
 

Marie emails “What is your favourite hymn from the Spiritualist hymn book?”
Marie – many churches have their own hymn books but if you mean the Spiritualist National Union’s Hymn Book one stands out a mile as far as I am concerned.  It is the “Absent Healing Hymn” not often sung in churches these days with the “Healing Hymn” being more popular.  That is one of the reasons why I like to attend the Ayr Spiritualist Church (SNU) as my favourite hymn is sung at every service.
Absent Healing Hymn.....
 Enter in the Silence
Pause a while to pray
Take the best that’s in you
Give it all away
In our healing minute
Everyday we blend
Loving thoughts we sent to
All our absent friends
 People tired and weary
Hurt by grief and pain
Sick in mind and body
All the world’s the same
Father we would help them
Loving thoughts we send
Helping all thy children
With thy love to blend
 Father we are learning
How to live each day
Helping all our brothers
As we sit and pray
There is much within us
We can always find
Willingly we give it
Helping all mankind
 Music: In the Bleak-Mid-Winter.
 Words:  Ron Bowers...
 
 
             
 
Rhona - I have mentioned music that I find inspirit and relaxing of my ‘recommended page’ but I will also mention some here on my blog starting with.....
 
                                                      Christmas In The Country
 
 
I wish everyone
 
A Merry Christmas...
 
Health, Peace and Happiness in 2015....
 
 
 
 
 




 
 
 

 

Sunday 16 November 2014

My Dairy... “Our Daughter” (An amazing story in a father’s own words of his daughter’s illness, passing and proof of survival)... A Psychic Investigation Beneath Glasgow Central Station.... The Inter Faith Network and Spiritualism... The Duration of a Spiritual Service...

 
...My Diary...
 6th – 10th  We were down in Warickshire and spent a day in Cambridge...
11th – It was a pleasure to help out at the Glasgow Association’s Bring and Buy Sale... (SNU)
12th – I took the service at popular  Coatbridge Spiritualist Church.
16th – 18th – We are heading south again this time to Oxfordshire...
21st –In the opposite direction to the well attended Dalneigh Spiritualist Church in Inverness.
23th – It is always a pleasure to join forces with the Kilmarnock Church Development Circle. (SNU).
25th – A busy day with first helping out at Glasgow Central’s (SNU) coffee afternoon and then on to Falkirk Spiritualist Church (SNU) in the evening.  The latter could be doing with a little more support, so if you stay in the Falkirk area why not pay the church a visit. 
Sunday – 6.30-8pm Divine Service....  Tuesday – 6.30 – 8pm Healing .8 – 9pm  Service with mediumship.... Saturday – 7 – 8.15pm Service with mediumship
26th – Atrocious weather conditions meant that my journey to Largs Spiritualist Church (SNU) did not run smoothly.  Instead of my usual mode of transport to Largs I left the car at Glengarnock station and went by train. But that was only as far as Kilwinning as overhead cable problems and I had to take a taxi on the final lap to the church.  The medium must get to the church on time.
29th – The fourth of my five well attended classes on “The Basics of Spiritualism and our Psychic Abilities”.
30th – A short journey to ASK Dreghorn.  A very welcoming church that could do with a little more support.  So Spiritualist in the Dreghorn and Irvine areas why not pay the church a visit at Townend Community Centre, 15 Townfoot, Dreghorn,  KA11 4EQ.
 
 
 
 
                                            Our Daughter.
 Beautiful, sensitive with a lively interest in others.  This young woman was 29 years old with a husband and two small children.  Well loved by all, her cheery manner brightened up many a sad time.  The diagnosis of inoperable cervical cancer was all the more shattering because inoperable means it’s bad but she looked so well.   The next two years were a roller-coaster of emotions as treatment gave hope, tears, relief, then again worry, anger and helplessness as we watched our beautiful child bravely lose her battle.
The surgeons eventually told me and her husband that there would be no more chemotherapy but the painkillers would be increased.    I was devastated and on our return home I felt afraid to enter her bedroom.  She asked me “What did he say dad?”  I told her “Love isn’t going to be enough this time”.  She said “I have been trying to tell you but you that but you wouldn’t accept it”.  I broke my heart and we cried together as my child tried to reassure me, her father who had always fixed things before.  She seemed calm, at peace and even slept better.  I know that some of you have been in the same awful situation but this explanation is needed in order to tell about the extra ordinary happenings later.
We were advised to try healing and contacted the Glasgow Association of Spiritualists in Somerset Place.  The healers were so helpful and kind to us.  As our daughter weakened they came to us on home visits only asking for a cup of tea for their valuable time and commitment.  The temporary pain relief, more colour to her cheeks and brighter eyes testified to the benefits of these visits...  She asked so many questions like “What do you see when you die?”  “What will I feel” and “What will I do at the last moment?  My wife and I sat by her bed and played haunting songs of Charles Lansborough.  He is a very special performer who writes good songs like “My Forever Friend”.  Our daughter commented on seeing her grandmother who had passed on and who she was very fond off.  We couldn’t see anything but as her last few days passed she began talking to her granddad too.  She hugged them and was hugged by them, describing them as we sat wishing we could see and hear them.  She was now off all medication saying to her doctor that healing was all she needed.
The Hospice sent the senior doctor to check why; when the pain should have been unbearable she was not taking anything.  He left accepting the strange circumstances.  Our daughter smiled through her ordeal and apologised to her mother for the personal care that she needed day and night, having refused the available nursing volunteers.  It was difficult watching my wife tend the baby she had given birth too.  Our daughter seemed to spend hours in a quiet dream like state, but when she spoke to us she told us that she had been in a wonderful place.  As she described it her eyes lit up.  I now believe she was lifting in and out of her body in a sort of trial run.  As she talked, we as her parents were forced to admit that the greatest loss we ever had to cope with was about to happen.  My wife asked our daughter “If there is life after this, let us know”, and the reply “Watch for the butterfly”.
She passed at 6.15 on a cold snowy morning in January.  My wife minded me to observe that our daughter was covered by what looked to be a haze of steam or mist.  We felt that we had to say goodbye and told her we loved her.  I previously believed that death was slow shutting down of the body as it died.  Now I felt, holding her hand, and my wife holding her other hand, a powerful sensation like a whoosh of energy as she left her body.  It felt similar to sitting on a plane at the end of a runway, then whoosh – you feel it go.  Powerful and strong, yet leaving a frail body that could not possibly have supplied the energy to blast out of it in that way.  “She has gone” we told each other.  Gone yes, but not died but actually gone somewhere.
The weather for the week of her funeral was the coldest for a century, minus 18 degrees according to the press.  The service was taken by the Rev Jim Biggins, Minister of Glasgow Association of Spiritualists of Somerset Place and close to 300 attended.  The coffin lay between two open curtains.  The minister told us to all be happy because the body is just a shell and the spirit flies free.  As if on cue a Red Admiral butterfly flew out from between the open curtains, dancing and fluttering over the first few rows of people.  As they pointed to it, the buzz of conversation caused the Minister to pause and look around.  The butterfly seemed to be excited and wanted to be noticed, not behaving like usual types.  Our granddaughter said “Sure that’s my mummy isn’t it.
Many people went on to the reception a few miles away.  There a friend came up to me and said “You must see this”.  Outside on the frosty glass window was another butterfly wings beating and very much alive.  This one was larger but an unlikely visitor in the extremely cold conditions outside.  We thanked our daughter for the pure love that crosses between this word and the next.  I checked the butterfly world and was informed that no Red Admiral would be alive in minus 18o of icy conditions let alone fly so energetically.  The reference library tells me that the Red Admiral is called “the messenger”.  I believe the Greek word for it is “psyche”.  The Native American sign for spirit is a “butterfly”.
On the morning she passed our telephone rang a few times despite being unplugged from the wall socket.  Our daughter promised “to set dad up with the phone – you watch” in a letter we received later.  Her children saw her in the woods just briefly on a family visit.
We are ordinary folk still trying to come to terms with all this, but we consider ourselves lucky that we were shown something that perhaps others are more aware off by study or natural awareness.  Until we see our daughter again we have been helped.
I hope that our story will have helped you a little.  A little piece of a huge jigsaw is all we see for now.  Someday we will all understand the bigger picture.
Our thanks to the Glasgow Association of Spiritualists.
Name withheld for family reasons.
 



Glasgow's Central Station has started running behind-the-scenes tours taking in everything from the huge glass roof to derelict tunnels deep underground.  I felt privileged to be asked by the Scottish Ghost Club to take part in an investigation – note ‘investigation’ not ‘ghost hunts’ as many paranormal organizations call such evenings.  So on 31st August 2012 I descended into the depths of Glasgow Central Station.   Full official report can be found on the www.ghostclub.org.uk/gc_invest_main.htm 
 
 
 
The SNU is one of the four new organizations recently accepted to the Inter Faith network.  The others being the Pagan Federation, the Druid Network and the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints.
The Inter Faith Network for the UK works to promote understanding, cooperation and good relations between organisations and persons of different faiths in the UK.  The IFN provides opportunities for linking and sharing of good practice, providing advice and information to help the development of new inter faith initiatives and the strengthening of existing ones. It also raises awareness within wider society of the importance of inter faith issues and develops programmes to increase understanding about faith communities, including both their distinctive features and areas of common ground.
David Hopkins, SNU Minister, author and broadcaster is the Inter Faith Ambassador for the SNU.  I have great respect for the Rev Hopkins who writes some excellent articles in his regular monthly contributions to the Psychic News”.

Bryn: - ideally, how long should a Spiritual service last?

An interesting question... I would say 75-80 minutes. 10/15 minutes for the address, 40 minutes for the clairvoyance and 15 minutes for the reading, hymns/music and for absent healing.

 


 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday 5 October 2014

My Diary... Spiritual Harvest Festival... Psychic Suppers... Comments...



 
 
 

                                               My Diary...
September...
21st – I attended the Edinburgh Spiritual Society, 34 Albany Street, EH1 3QH. (SNU)
22nd – I travelled north to the Inverness Spiritualist Church (SNU).  A very hard working committee and enthusiastic members keep Spiritualism very much alive in the north.
25th – Again my route is north and this time to the Arbroath Spiritualist Church,
20-22 Commerce Street, Arbroath, DD11 1NB.  (SNU)  Service is at 7.30 on a Thursday evening. A church that could be doing with some support.
28th – My third trip north in seven days.  This time to the Perth Spiritualist Church, Methven Buildings, 40 New Row, Perth, PH1 5QA.   (SNU).
30th – I received a great welcome from The Ascension Christian Spiritualist Church,  Fred Paton Day Care Centre, 19 Carrington St, Glasgow G4 9AJ.  Services Sunday 6.30 and Tuesdays 7.30.  Another church that could be doing with a bit more support. 
October...
1st A good turn out once again for my class “A Basic Introduction to Spiritualism and our Psychic Abilities” at the Glasgow Association.
2nd – There was a good turnout at the Pyramid Spiritualist Church, Leithland Neighbourhood Centre, Kempsthorn Road, Pollock, G53 5SR.  A friendly little church that is always well supported by the local community.
 
 

                                                A Spiritual Harvest Festival...
 
Looking at a website memories of Scotland the words ‘harvest festival’ brought back many memories for me.  I have never been aware of a Harvest Festival  taking place in Spiritualist churches in this area so I searched on Google.  I found that several English churches have such a service.  One website did catch my eye it was the Progress Spiritualist Church, Mount Lawley, Western Australia.
HARVEST FESTIVAL - SUNDAY 24th AUGUST

The Churches annual Harvest Festival will be held on Sunday 24th August.
On this day the Church celebrates both the physical harvest and spiritual harvest of workers.
Dedications
Dedications are held on the day. Here a dedicant offers their life to God, Divine Truth and in service of humanity. Please see Andy for further information or offer yourself for dedication.
Here is a Spiritual Harvest with a difference – a Spiritual difference.  With a  little tweaking to the Australian version we could format a service that would be ideal for our services in this part of the world.  We Spiritualists have no special days like Orthodox churches and maybe if we could adopt a Harvest Festival for mind as well as body.   Not to make a public dedication of our beliefs - but in private.  To bring produce that can later be shared to local homeless charities and food banks.  And during the service for each individual to silently look back at the past year to see what we can harvest from it in terms positive spiritual progression

Here is a Spiritual Harvest with a difference – a Spiritual difference.  Something with a little tweaking to the Australian version that would be ideal for our Spiritualist Churches.   We Spiritualists have no special days like Orthodox churches and maybe if we adopt a Harvest Festival for mind as well as body.   Not to make a public dedication of our belief - but in private.  To bring produce that can later be shared to local homeless charities and food banks.  And during the service for each individual to silently look back at the past year to see what we can harvest from it in terms positive spiritual progression

 
 

                                                                  Psychic Suppers...


In the past psychic suppers used to be quite popular but over the years they have almost disappeared. Recently a church asked me to take part in a psychic supper which I agreed too, only for a few weeks later to be told it had to be cancelled.  The reason was mediums were not too keen on taking part. I have noticed in the past, the public have been keen on such an evening but mediums have not.  I wonder why? Surely this is a night with a difference but at the same time keeping within the boundaries of Spiritualism as a religion.  Such nights would help to keep church finances healthy and some of the proceeds could go  to a local charity.  Of course it is hard work for the committee but it doesn’t seem to be the committees that are complaining.  I am sure Spirit would be happier with psychic suppers than mediums giving evenings of clairvoyance in pubs’ clubs and theatres

 
 

My comments on “Do we really live in a civilised society” in my last blog have caused quite a bit of controversy.
Gwen emailed: - Tom, you call yourself a spiritualist yet you can only see the dark side of life. There’s a lot of good going on out there and yet you concentrate on all that is negative. You maybe have to look at your own self. 
Mark – Tom, not a balanced article. You dwelt on all that was negative and never mentioned anything positive about the civilised society that we do live in. 
D – Were you having an off day when writing your last blog?
Pepper – In my world the good by far outweighs the bad.
Parker – Tom I agree with your 100%.
Brent – if politicians and others in charge took personal responsibility for their actions I am sure the world would be a better place.