Birthday Tea for a Loyal Member...Our Psychic Abilities... Hughesdale Spiritual Church.....Favourite Hymn... A Series of Workshops....

                                                  Photo by Stephanie Wilson

13^th January saw me take my first service of the year at Falkirk and District 8 Burnhead Lane (SNU), Falkirk, FK1 1UG.  As I have mentioned several times in the past that this church not only has its own premises but it uses them to the full with something going on most nights of the week.

16^th...  I was taking part in a discussion on ‘Reincarnation’.

17^th... I was taking a development Class and although the numbers were small there was plenty of enthusiasm.  Not that I am complaining as a few enthusiastic people are better that a full room of people who are only half interested.  I only hope that those attending enjoyed the night as much as I did.

20^t... This time to the Stirling Spiritualist Church, 27 King Street, Stirling, FK8 1DN.  The weather was Ok going but we had to drive through a snowstorm on the way home...

27^th This time it was south instead of north to the Ayr Spiritualist Centre (SNU) 10 Alloway Place, Ayr, KA7 2AA.   This turned out to be a special; night as after the service a surprise tea for long time member and committee member of the Centre Marjory Hatherill who was celebrating her 80^th birthday.  Marjory flings her heart and soul into the Centre, her main interest being healing.  She also enjoys the after class where she has been known to be very accurate with her readings.

30^th...  It was back to continue the discussion on ‘Reincarnation’ where we left off the week before.  Those attending the first session decided that two hours was not enough time to get fully in to this controversial subject as far as Spiritualism is concerned. 

 

 

 

Many of us, even within Spiritualism, can mistake our own ‘psychic abilities’ thinking what we are experiencing is a link from Spirit.  Our sixth sense - our psychic ability - is something we all have but many don’t know they have this 6^th sense.  Around this time last year gave a talk on “Understanding Your Psychic Abilities”.  Unknown to me at the time my words had given a gentleman in the audience food for thought and it was only last week he approached me with the following story...

 He has given me the OK to tell his story on here so as long as I change his name, so I will refer to him as Alec.

Alec had studied hard at college for his chosen profession but once in that line of work he found his heart was not in it. He moved on to several different jobs with the same results. Eventually a friend of Alec’s father offered him a job in his Estate Agents business.  Alec having no interest in such a job at that time and only took it till something more suitable came along.   But he took to this line of work like a fish to water.   

As time went on he felt he maybe had the gift of fortune telling.  Entering a property for the first time he could tell if it would sell almost as soon as it went on the market, soon after it was on the agencies books, or it would be extremely difficult to move on.  This he felt was more than just the experience one gets with years in a job.  There could be two houses right next door to each other or in the same street with their upkeep, decor and garden in the same condition, yet he could instantly tell how quickly or slowly they would take to move on.

Alec started to get carried away with this talent he felt he had.  He boasted to his family and friends about his fortune telling abilities.  But he was soon deflated when others put him to the test.  His predictions of score draws were never all that accurate so his friends did not become rich by getting twenty-four points on treble chance.  It was the same negative results with the National Lottery. 

So Alec decided he may not be a Fortune Teller after all and just be in the perfect job for him.  He had quickly learned to have an eye for a quick selling property.  His wife said it was just the experience he had gained over the years but all this did not sit too well with Alec.

He did a little bit of investigation into predicting the future and a friend suggested he visit a Spiritualist Church for answers. He was given a short shrift response by a representative of the church, who said to him in a loud and scolding voice “Fortune Telling has nothing to do with Spiritualism”.  Yes that is correct, but surely she could have taken a little more time to hear Alec’s story and maybe have given him a bit of advice.

Years passed with Alec thinking there was more too all this and looked forward with interest to my talk to a club he belonged too.  Once a month they have a guest speaker but never before on such a topic “Understanding Your Psychic Abilities”.

A few weeks ago Alec phoned me and said - “Your talk was most interesting, but unlike any other talk I have heard at the club, your words were not forgotten by the following day.  I tried to relate what you said to my own life and so much seems to fall into place.  So many of my questions appear to have been answered.    I started to pick out certain properties and concentrated on the owners or tenants before the sale of many of the properties I had been involved with...  Now I believe I was picking up the happy or the sad vibes that came from those families, the memories they left behind.  My sixth sense was picking up these vibrations”.

First my talk and then Alec’s research made him realise why he was so accurate with  how easy or difficult it would be to sell a particular property.  It was with his ‘psychic awareness’ not ‘predictions’.  If Alec was sensing positive and comfortable vibes when he entered the properties then prospective buyers would feel the same.  The Estate Agent went on to give many examples that were similar to the experiences I and other psychic researchers feel when entering a property.   In fact I am sure most looking at a house for the first time feel positive or negative vibes.  “This house is for me...  I knew right away this house was what I have been looking for.... From the minute I stepped through the door I felt I could not be happy there”.

So how much is your psychic abilities kicking in to different aspects of your life yet you have paid little attention to it?

 

 

If I said to you the address of the church was at the corner of Paoth and Kangaroo Roads you would soon realise that the church is in Australia.  The church in question is the Hughesdale  Spiritual Church.  Spiritualist Medium Moira McMillan has been President of the church for fourteen years.  We have been good friends for many years after we made contact on a website on Spiritualism.  I asked Moira if she would like to tell us a little about her church and its history.

“The church came into being in 1976 when a small group of ladies decided it too far to travel to the city church each week.  When approached for rental space the local council was a bit concerned!  What was this strange church?   However they gave permission and the church began with only a few dollars to their name.  The early days were spent doing a lot of fund raising; psychic days were popular and well attended.  The leader being of  Scottish decent did very well and it is due to their efforts and investments that we are able today to continue the work of the church despite rising costs and more Insurance demands made on us.   This church came into being 37 years ago and we still meet in the same hall.

The church offered a Sunday service, medium-ship development, healing, and today we offer the same thing.   Two of our committee running development classes in their homes and a healing group meeting every two weeks. Of course companionship with like minded people is a big factor and comfort for those who are troubled or in need.

Our Committee is small, a total of 5 dedicated people who work together in harmony week in week out. We also have a small number of church members who are willing to lend a hand when needed. As we meet in a public hall there is setting up and packing up to attend to and we welcome those extra hands.   We do have a book stall to provide suitable reading to those interested in the many subjects pertaining to our work with Spirit.   Membership is around 50 but as in any church the attendance varies.  Mostly about 18 but this can go higher or lower on any given week.

Most of our mediums come from around the Melbourne area; one comes by driving nearly two hours from his country home, others from outer Melbourne including the nearby Dandenong ranges”.

 

 

 

Connor asks – “What is your favourite hymn, words and music they need not be the same”.

Connor asks – “What is your favourite hymn, words and music they need not be the same”.

Hi Connor my favourite hymns both words and music is “All Things Bright and Beautiful”.  This was also my mother’s favourite hymn and she asked for it to be sung at her funeral.  Almost all of us have sung this hymn at one time but have we taken time to study the words?  How about doing that right now...

All Things Bright and Beautiful 

Refrain

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.

Refrain
[Most hymnals omit the following verse]

The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
He made them, high or lowly,
And ordered their estate.

Refrain
The purple headed mountains,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning
That brightens up the sky.

Refrain

The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.

Refrain

The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows where we play,
The rushes by the water, To gather every day.

Refrain

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.

Refrain

 

 

I will be taking a series of Workshops at the Glasgow Association of Spiritualists during 2013.  The first one of the year is a workshop for all levels of development and is on Saturday 23th February 2013.

The title for it is: "Understanding Your Psychic Abilities".  It starts at 10am and finishes at 4pm. Tickets are now available from the church office and are priced at £15 for each workshop, places on the workshops are limited, so it is advisable to get your ticket as soon as possible.  The workshops are designed for mixed levels of development including beginners.  Participants are advised to bring a packed lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2013 a Crucial Year for Spiritualism – The Religion... The Snowdrop...

                    May I wish everyone good health and happiness in 2013.....   

 

After a full month break from churches I am back at Falkirk Spiritualist Church SNU on Sunday. 

                          2013 a Crucial Year for Spiritualism – The Religion? 

To some 13 is an unlucky number - and to Spiritualism – The Religion - the 13^th year of the twenty-first century could be a crucial year.  This could be the year that as a religion we sink below the waves and a year where many of our churches become looked upon as little more than places of entertainment.  If things go on the way that they are doing, then there will be no comeback.

We in Spiritualism have a great responsibility on our shoulders.  By “WE” I mean all of those who have anything to do in the name of Spiritualism.    We must cast aside all the dross that has attached itself to Spiritualism the Religion.

 ·       We must separate the psychic from the spiritual.  

 ·       The entertainment from the religion. 

 ·       The ego from the caring and pastoral side.

 ·       The money making ventures from Spiritualism the Religion. 

 

We must be strong in our endeavour to separate the religion from the money making ventures and “Entertainment”

 According to The Spiritualist National Union; -

 

Spiritualism the Religion = 7 PRINCIPLES - PHILOSOPHY – RELIGION - SCIENCE - THE HISTORY....

 

The Nature of Spiritualism as a religion...

 Spiritualism is a religion that embodies the main ideas of all religions, that there is a life after death, immortality and the existence of a God.

 "The aim of Spiritualism is to effect an at-one-ment and unison of Humanity with God until every action and thought of Humanity is in perfect harmony with the Divine Will."

(Adapted from the Spiritualists' Lyceum Manual)

 One difference between Spiritualism and other religions is the acceptance of the ability, through mediumship, to offer evidence of spirit communication to a recipient and in doing so demonstrate that people survive physical death. The individual may decide if they have received sufficient evidence to give them personal proof that people survive death as individuals in Spirit. Where personally proven it provides conclusive evidence of the 4th Principle, 'The Continuous Existence of the Human Soul'.

 Mediumship and the evidence is just the key to a door to encourage further study and understanding, the message is not the goal of Spiritualism. It is what an individual chooses to do with that key once they have it, once they accept that we survive death and continue on in the unbroken cycle of eternal life of spirit that forms the purpose of Spiritualism.

 Spiritualism becomes the study of this earthly life's purpose as Spirit here and now and as such empowers anyone to take charge of the development of their own Spirituality, continually aiming to progress and live life with a fuller understanding and a greater learning experience for the Spirit.

 Spiritualism is a universal religion, one focus of which is embodied in our 5th Principle, 'Personal Responsibility'. It is by our own free will we may chose to live a better life here and now reflected by how we live. It is by our own will and choices in how we act react and interact with everyone and everything that we must each be solely responsible and accountable. In understanding and accepting this, we accept our 6th Principle of 'Compensation and Retribution' encompassing the universal and natural law of cause and effect.

 It is through personal experience and expression by the study, consideration and application of the many aspects of the religion, philosophy and science of Spiritualism that the Spiritualist gains understanding and Spiritual growth. No one person has all the answers and Spiritualism becomes a continual personal religion to be lived, to nurture and enlighten the Spirit within us, here and now.

 http://www.snu.org.uk/spiritualism/religion

 

Those who are at the helm of the main Spiritual organisations should ask these questions, before they vote on changes.  ”What does Spirit think?  How would Spirit act in such a situation?”  If mediums on church platforms are working with Spirit, should it not be the same for those on various committees?

For the title Spiritualist Church to be above the door, surely all that is connected with Spiritualism the Religion must be there at hand for those who enter.  The full package and not “Those who attend, are not here for the address”.    To be part of Spiritualism the Religion there has to be a Divine Service.  Of course there can be a separate evening of Clairvoyance but without a regular Divine Service how can that gathering be part of a religion?

 Ego – the biggest threat to Spiritualism.  Whether it is one sitting on an influential committee, a small church committee, medium, healer, in fact anything where one is face to face with the public as a representative of our religion, one must take the responsibility seriously.  We owe it to our religion and to the early pioneers who suffered a lot of personal hardship to get Spiritualism accepted.

 The Medium – If taking on church work, must realise he/she is representing a religion - not themselves.  That they have a great responsibility on their shoulders in representing Spiritualism the Religion.  We should think also “Are we letting the pioneers of Spiritualism down?” Also mediums have responsibility for the results of their actions and words.

 Charity Nights- are part and parcel of Spiritualism but we must be careful the tail does not wag the dog.  In the past year or so such nights have seemed to snowball and it is as if there can be almost as many charity nights as church services.  I remember listening to an old medium many years ago discussing charity nights.  He said that two charity nights per church per year would enhance our Religion and the church with the local community, especially if the nights were for local charities.  He also went on to say that too many such nights would lessen the impact of these nights as being special. There may also be Mediums who wish to arrange a charity night for a cause close to their heart and that is understandable.   But when we have a charity circuit that is also competing with our churches then we have to at least take a look at the situation. Who runs this night and where, should also be up for discussion.  Better a church or as I have mentioned, a medium rather than a charity themselves.  Also better to have the charity night on church premises.  But if that is not large enough to accommodate the special night then care should surely be taken for the venue.  A charity night in a pub or club does Spiritualism the Religion no favours, even if no drinks are served during the actual clairvoyance. I say this looking at it from the general public’s side.

For example, I heard of a young couple who had lost their son when he was only a few months old.  Over the following year their grief intensified and they felt they would never get over the little one’s passing.  One night they visited a Spiritualist Church and the pair were astounded by the good evidence surrounding both sides of their families in spirit, and they got a message about their son.  The grief was still there but it had lifted a little.  That was until a few weeks later; the pair were passing a pub and saw a flyer in the window.  The Medium that gave such wonderful evidence was appearing at the venue for a night of clairvoyance.  It would have been a night in aid of a charity but the couple did not notice anymore than the name of the Medium.  Their first thoughts were “Is all this just a game, for fun all part of entertainment and we took it seriously?”  The message they had received in the church was good, was accurate for all that I heard about it.  The Medium was sincere in working with Spirit that night of the service.  But the venue of the pub cancelled most if not all of that out a few weeks later.

 The entertainment side is I feel, partly fuelled by mediums appearing in theatres like other forms of entertainment.  Their name brightly shining in lights outside of theatres must certainly confuse some people. Tickets can be expensive and I wonder if any/all celebrity mediums give a percentage of the takings to a small churches in the area, who’s numbers will have dropped that night because of his/her appearance.  But should not churches take more responsibility for Spiritualism the Reliligion and not book mediums for Divine Services who go down the theatre path?

 In relating back to what the general public think of us.  Another story I heard was about an elderly lady who had lost her husband and had not much ready cash.  She felt that the brighter the lights the better the medium.   So she borrowed money for a ticket, not realising in her grief, that only a few of the several hundred attending would get a message.  The outcome was that she did not get a message and now she was in debt.  Should we not be trying to educate the public a little more about what we are about?  This widow could have went along to her local church, her only cost would have been a free will offering and then it was up to Spirit if there was a message for the old soul or not.

 So many people today want to understand their psychic abilities and that is an area that our churches seem to neglect. Most of what is on offer, in our churches, is all about platform work.   Many on their spiritual journey turn to what is on offer outside our churches and attend anything and everything.   There is so much out there that one wonders what is manmade and what is from Spirit?   The mentality these days is: the more it costs the better it must be. Or if the person taking the session has indicated they have trained under a ‘big name’ in the psychic world, then they must be good.  One can sit through a workshop with someone but that does not mean one has excelled.

 Certificates are on offer with many courses and workshops but what clout does such a certificate have?  The S.N.U. and some other Spiritual organisations, have well established education programmes, and it’s generally regarded that their certified students have achieved a particulate standard.  But there are other Spiritual organisations and individuals who give out certificates, which are only recognised by the issuing group/ individual.   Many of these certificates are for attending so what does that tell us?  I have several certificates from criminology classes that I have attended at college.  But that says nothing about how much I learned and more about my attendance. 

 Speaking to a well respected elderly medium recently she said the she was taught to “give in the service of Spirit” rather than always looking to receive.  Maybe we should make this a priority and get back to that way of thinking for those who tread the platforms of our churches. 

 One of the biggest areas I feel that Spiritualism should make much more effort is Pastoral Care.   Many are turning towards our churches for assistance these days and we should have some form of system in place to help them.  If someone asks for help, no matter what that help may be, if we cannot help, then we should be readily equipped to pass them on to a suitable organisation.   At one time it was the ‘awareness of spirit’ that would be the main reason for someone contacting our churches, not in these troubled times; it can be almost anything that troubles an individual that makes them contact us.  No matter the problem the individual has contacted us about because we are flying under the banner of ‘church’ or ‘religion’.  They have chosen us before any other church/religion so it is up to us to play our part.  No matter how strange a person’s story may sound over the phone they should not be dismissed and we should take time to sort things out or to get help from another direction for them.

 

 

 

                                             ...The Snowdrop.....

 

The snowdrops remind me of a story a friend told me a few years ago. She was recovering from a serious

Illness and looking out of her window one morning she saw her first snowdrops of the year. Only four, but

It gave her so much pleasure as she was feeling sorry for herself that morning.

All of a sudden a neighbour’s little girl appeared in her garden and started to pick the snowdrops. Anne opened the door and shouted to the girl to come back then told her off for picking the flowers. She was floored by the little girl’s explanation. “I only took one and it was for my Nan who I am going to visit in hospital this afternoon, and I left 2p on your doorstep step for the flower.” As Anne looked down, there were three snowdrops still blowing in the wind and two-pence on the doorstep

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Parting Gift.... Sound Advice... A Young lad Contradicts a Medium....Red and Purple Poppies...

20th November - I had only a short trip up the road at ASK Neilston.  A church that is well supported by the community

21^st – Again another short trip in the opposite direction, south this time to the Temple of Light Spiritualist Church in Kilwinning.

26^th I was off to the Pollockshaws and District Spiritualist Church, Langside Halls, Shawlands, Glasgow.  This is a well established church that has helped so many people over the years.  Recently numbers have been dropping because of rumours that the church had closed.  This church has no intention of closing and apart from a two week festive break.   Its doors will open in early January to welcome all who wish to attend.

27^th I was taking a workshop at the Milngavie and Bearsden Spiritualist Sanctuary...This Sanctuary only opened in August is already part of the community.  Not only was there a good turnout at the workshop but all those who attended were very enthusiastic and talented.

28^th – Taking part in a Psychometry Experiment.  Still waiting on the final results but early reports show that the evidence given was accurate.

29^th - It was a welcome return to ASK Dreghorn.

30^th - The Angel Light Spiritualist Church This is another church which could do with some support.  So if you are in the area and have some free time on a Friday evening at 7.30 then why not drop into the Govanhill Neighbourhood Centre, Daisy Street Govanhill, Glasgow. G42 8JL.  Close to Victoria Road.

1^st December – Still not travelling too far from home I was at The Ayr Spiritualist Centre.

6^th – Landside Spiritualist Church, Langside Halls.

9^th - The Friendship of Love and Light, Foxbar, Paisley.  Founded by one of the most popular mediums in West Central Scotland, Eddie Docherty.  Sadly Eddie past in 2006 but the church still is run  in true Eddie Docherty tradition of being a place where love, comfort and help is always available. 

10^th – Taking part in a debate “Can Spiritualism be Taken Seriously?”

13^th – My last service of the year at Carluke Spiritualist Church.

 

I was giving a talk on Spiritualism when an elderly lady said that she was saddened that so many people were being cremated today.  “With cremation there is nowhere for family and friends to go to pay a little respect when one feels the need too.  When there is a plot in a cemetery one can go and stand for a few minutes in thought about the deceased, and in taking a bunch of flowers one can brighten up their last resting place.     

I could see where the old soul was coming from.  Although one can have a rose bush or a tree planted in the crematorium grounds with a little plaque of the name of the deceased, to many it is not the same as having a grave stone and a plot in a cemetery.  There are those who will plant a tree or a bush in their garden in memory of a loved one something they can look out on every day.  It is all down to personal preference but it can cause a lot of strife in families.

Somewhere to go, something to look at in memory of a loved one can take many forms... here is a novel way that we could all think about and maybe use our own version as far as remembering a loved one is concerned.

Stephanie and Josephine had been good friends for many years and when Josephine had been diagnosed with a terminal illness she gave the lovely candle holder pictured above to Stephanie.  A lovely gift in normal times but with Josephine being so ill – what a better gift to be exchanged between friends. 

Although Stephanie treasured the lovely gift from her close friend, after Josephine’s passing it took on much more significance.  In all her suffering Josephine took time to seek out a gift for a good friend.  Not only a gift for her good friend - but a special gift – a gift with such lovely words that would be coming from Josephine’s heart.  The gift has pride and place in Stephanie’s house, always noticeable when anyone walks into the lounge.  Josephine’s light shone in this life and the love that she put into selecting this gift still shines on when a candle is lit in the holder Stephanie is sure that her good friend draws close.

                          ............Sound Advice..........

 What is the best advdvice I could offer to a fledgling about to set foot on the platform for the first time?  The same advice I was given many years ago.   This was not from a medium but from two elderly ladies who were members of our church.  Neither ever claimed to have heighted psychic abilities but both had their finger on the pulse as far as Spiritualism – the religion was concerned.  In fact their advice started almost as soon as I started attending the church. 

It was either my first or second visit to the church they said “Don’t look on this as the paranormal, all this is natural. It is not us that are strange; it is those outside who are not aware of what is around them”.  I nearly burst out laughing at this but they were genuine and sincere so I decided to have an open mind and give spiritualism a chance

Right from the start they seemed to have this crazy notion that I would end up on the platform of a spiritualist church.   As far as I was concerned there was absolutely no chance of that every happening.   At that time I had absolutely no confidence, I felt I had no psychic abilities and I had no ambition to be a medium.

During my early days in spiritualism I would sit right at the back of the church behind a large cheese plant.  But this did not keep me hidden from the mediums as I constantly got a message from spirit.    These messages contained good information that could certainly point to a strong possibility of life after death.  But...  I could always dilute this strong possibility before I got home.  The medium had read my mind, being able to detect memories stored in my brain from the past.  Or I may just have mentioned something about the incident and the person coming forward from spirit before the service.  And then there was the firewall that no medium’s message every got past – it was not in my script which I felt each family member might give me as evidence that it was them.

Then one night I was impressed by a medium, a young medium wearing a green dress – the reason for me mentioning the dress will become apparent in a moment.  The two old dears must have noticed less of a scowl on my face after the service.    They came up to me and said “You were impressed by that young lady this evening”.   I had to admit I was, but not with the message she gave me although that was impressive, I was more taken by her address. An address that made so much fall into place as far as spiritualism was concerned.

The two old souls thinking it was the clairvoyance then came out with – “Just imagine her taking off that lovely green dress”.  I was amazed at this comment and hoping others around us would not hear our conversation about the young medium undressing.  And horrified as to what they would come out with next.  But what they said could be the best advice given to any spiritualist medium.

“Just imaging that young lass change out of that dress and into a football strip.  She plays a game of football and scores three goals.  Everyone will be praising her, but for any player to score three goals they must be part of a team.  This young lady was part of a team tonight – she had her spirit guides and helpers with her.

A football team has a crowd cheering them on.  This young lady tonight did not have a crowd cheering her on – but she had a congregation sending out a lot of love to her.

So remember when you are on the platform you are only part of a team. And when you think the service has went well, be proud, pat yourself on the back, but also give praise to all connected with the good link with spirit”

Those words I have never forgotten and after every service I always say

“Thank you...

Remember this is always team work...

You – the congregation – send your love to spirit...

Spirit - sends their love back...

And hopefully the medium gets the interpretation of the information spirit is sending correct...

I hope  that this is what you have experienced this evening.

Then one night they said “Every time you stand up on the platform take a deep breath, look at the congregation and think to yourself - there will be many in the congregation that will have a stronger link with spirit than you will ever have.  They will have close ties with spirit in their everyday lives, working in all areas of the community, the care profession just being one”.

I am ashamed to say I could have screamed that night “I know, I know that there will be countless people have a much stronger link with spirit than I will ever have.  I will never appear on the platform, I have never any ambition to appear on the platform”. 

But these two ladies were right and their comments above are something I have always taken on board and think of their words every time I appear on the platform.

There were many more words of wisdom from these ladies...

“Whenever you step on the platform and you have no nerves in the pit of your stomach just think, Spirit could be on strike that evening or there is a public holiday in the spirit world”.

This was not meant as a joke maybe more of a warning to keep one’s ego intact.

I don’t think there are any better words of wisdom to help a medium about to step on the platform for the first time and also throughout their years serving spirit...

 Vince emails –“Ever since I was a small boy I always thought that the worst time to die was around Christmas and the New Year as for that family of the deceased the festive period would never be the same again.   What are your thoughts on this?

Vince your email reminds me of an incident at a spiritualist church almost twenty years ago.  A medium said in her address said roughly what you mentioned in your email.  A 11-year-old lad took exception to this and shocked the congregation by making his thoughts known.  He said that five years before his father had died on the first day of the school summer holidays and the young lad always dreaded the break from school in the summer.   It was the same at Christmas.  “So I dread both summer and Christmas” said the young man.  The medium and chairwoman were not too pleased at the interruption but I could see where the young man was coming from and I am sure most of the congregation did also.

We will always connect something with the passing of a loved-one   one lady’s mother passed on the 6^th of April and when the 6^th of any month comes around the daughter has an off day.    One chap said to me that he his dad was over his time because he had suffered so much the last two years of his life and could do nothing for himself.  So there was no real grieving when the old soul passed.  Also no grieving at the anniversary of his passing each year.  But the son said there was always a tear in his eye on the day of the Ayr Gold Cup as that was his dad’s special day of the year, the only day in the year when he went to the races.

There are those who will say “It must be great to be a spiritualist as you will not go through the grieving process.  You believe your loved ones live on and there can be communication with them”.  Alas that is far from the truth.  Even though we believe we are only human and we can grieve as long as or even longer than those who don’t believe in life after death.

No matter how long we are in this life we will always have memories of loved ones that have passed on before us.  I am sure those in spirit would prefer us to have happy memories instead of sad ones.  Instead of those memories dwelling on the time of the passing which may have been a traumatic time, think back to a happy moment you enjoyed with them.

 

 

 

A mistake in my last blog meant that I put the wrong comments under the title “Red and Purple Poppies”.  So here it is now....

Colin asks – “I saw several people wearing a purple poppy on their lapel alongside a red one.  Has the purple poppy got anything to do with Spiritualism?” 

The purple poppy has been issued by Animal Aid to commemorate all animal victims of war.  This is not meant to be an alternative to the traditional red poppy, as the two can be worn side by side as a reminder that both humans and animals – have been – and continue to be victims of war.

During human conflicts animals have been used as messengers, for detection, scouting and rescue, as beasts of burden and on the frontline.  They have been used for companionship in the trenches and continue to be used for horrific warfare experiments in Labourites. 

I must admit I did not know about “The Purple Poppy” till I checked after receiving Colin’s email.  Next year I will be wearing both red and purple poppies.

 

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Latest on the poem page is a poem a little girl gave to her grandmother the other day.  Only a few lines but the words show the love this young lady has for her grandmother...

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A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all that have contributed to this site in 2012.  Also those who have looked into the site I hope that you got some benefit from it.