My Diary... Diiscovering the Benefits of Nature by Accident ... Many will rush to help - but not all is not accepted... ... A comment from Dorothy ... Taken from Facebook...

                                                            My Diary...

September...

6^th – The Friendship of Love and Light Spiritualist Church, Foxbar, Paisley.

8^th -  ASK, Neilston.

10^th –  “Understanding the Basics of your Psychic Abilities”. Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church (SNU)

13^th – Dunfermline Spiritualist Church (SNU) Lady Campbell Walk, Dunfermline.

20^th – ASK, Touch Community Centre, Dunfermline.

26^th - Workshop and lecture at the Arbroath Spiritualist Church. (SNU)

28^th – Cumnock Spiritualist Church.

30^th – Dunoon Spiritualist Church.

                            Rediscovering the Benefits of Nature by Accident.

As the summer flowers start to fade and disappear the new season – autumn – brings new colour with leaves turning various shades of red, yellow, purple, orange, and, brown, yellow, yellow-green, and even purple.  Winter can be just as colourful if one plants the right sort of plant that will be in bloom until the spring snowdrop, crocus and daffodil takes over.

John had two neighbours on either side of him who suffered from severe depression, one not going out and the other only leaving home to go shopping.  They only time they would have a lengthy conversation with John when they would talk about the flowers in his garden during the summer.  So as John had more time on his hands when he retired he tried a little experiment.  He tried to have flowers in bloom in his garden all the year round.  Not only flowers to provide the colour, but plant bushes which would have a display of brightly coloured leaves and berries during the winter months.

John was amazed how well his little experiment worked.  He would chatter away to him on a regular basis and he would see them standing outside admiring the flowers.  John decided to take his little idea stage further and putting tubs with flowers in his neighbour’s gardens much to their delight.  Every season he replaced the plants much to the delight of his neighbours.  Both neighbours are getting out and about more and although John is not taking all the praise in their change he admits as well as their GP’s and medication his efforts have given them a better quality of life.  One man being aware of the change in nature of his neighbours while showing interest in his flowers.   Then with time on his hand using his talents to help those less fortunate than himself.  Once again we see how nature and colour can be of great benefit to us – something that many overlook these days. 

In my next blog I will print another situation where flowers help those in need – as long as man does not interfere.

                       Many Will Rush to Help - But Not all Help Will be Accepted.

I was listing to a phone-in on the radio and most who called in were agreeing that we lived in an uncaring society with people only caring for themselves  and would not lift a hand to help anyone in need.  Totally wrong in my book as we only have to look at the vast  sums raised in this country for charity and the amount of volunteers helping the vulnerable in society.

Three hours later I was looking out the window of a restaurant when I saw an elderly lady fall giving her head a real clatter off the pavement.  Before I could get out of my chair, cars were stopping and pedestrians were running to help the old soul.  A week later we were in holiday in England and Isabel – my wife - fell.  No sooner had Isabel hit the ground than people were rushing to help.  We do live in a caring society maybe it is not noticeable until something serious happens.

But, another side of trying to be a Good Samaritan is not always accepted.  In between the two falls I have mentioned I saw a lady lying flat out on the pavement with two ladies standing over her, one on a mobile phone.  I spotted this while driving around the bend of a busy road with double yellow lines so I could not immediately stop the car.  Once I got safely parked I ran back and it was made very clear by the two women that I was not needed and to go away.  They then started trying to get the other lady back on her feet and another passerby and I offered to help and again we were told quite abruptly we were not needed.  I took it to be that the lady on the ground was in a tantrum and the other two were her carers.  If these two ladies carry on like this, they may find no help forth coming when they really need some assistance.  

                                                  A comment from Dorothy Byrne..

Yes - it is sad when ego gets in the way and spirituality becomes just a trendy term! Sadly I have watched this happen too many times!

I agree 100% Dorothy.  To be fair there is an easy answer to this.  Those who want to be famous and make financial gains from their ‘gift' should do so without the aid of our church platforms.  Too many use our church platforms as a springboard to achieve their aim and then return if their financial gains are on the wane.  It is time church committees took notice of this and did not book those for services who don't have our religion first and foremost in their heart.  I know I will be criticized or my comments, but it is hard for many to accept spiritualism seriously as a religion as long as this sort of thing is going on. 

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Taken from Facebook...

Yes depression is such a bitch and seems relentless. A lot of us have been close to that edge, and some have lost friends and loved ones. Let's look out for each other and stop sweeping mental illness under the carpet. If I don't see your name, I'll understand. May I ask my family and friends wherever you might be, to kindly copy and paste this status for one hour to give a moment of support to all those who have family problems, health struggles, job issues, worries of any kind and just need to know that someone cares. Do it for all of us, for nobody is immune

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My Diary... Saying Grace... Prayers from around the world with food being the theme... Harvest Service... Sir Nicholas Winton.

                                            

                                                    My Diary...

August

9^th – Falkirk Spiritualist Church (SNU)

12^th – Perth Spiritualist Church (SNU)

13^th – Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church (SNU) The first of four workshops on “Understanding the Basics of your Psychic Abilities”.

16^th – Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church (SNU)

18^th – The Association of Spiritual Knowledge (ASK) Cumbernauld.

20^th - “Understanding the Basics of your Psychic Abilities”. Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church (SNU)

27^th - Understanding the Basics of your Psychic Abilities”. Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church (SNU)

                                                     Saying Grace

In a restaurant recently I saw a family quietly saying Grace before starting their meal.  It took me back to my childhood when one or two older members of the family did say Grace.  When I got home I looked this up on the Internet and found that a poll a few years ago asked if people said Grace before eating.  Most of those who said ‘no’ commented that they were lucky to just have the whole family sit down together to eat, let alone say grace.   So it looks like saying Grace has become a thing of the past.  That may not be surprising as those connected with religion are becoming fewer as each year passes.

But do we need the whole family around the table before we can say Grace?  It need not be of religious content we can take thirty or so seconds contemplation before we eat.  In this day and age most of us are rushing about and those few quiet seconds may let our brain drop down a gear so we can savour the taste of the food more than we would have done. . People who do it tend to eat more slowly, aiding digestion,

 Taking a few seconds to think how the food has reached our plate. From the moment the seed was planted, the minute the animal was born, all through the food chain process so you don’t starve and you enjoy your meal.  Making you appreciate what you are eating and not to take it for granted or waste it.

I have always felt that Spiritualism should have a Harvest Service and the produce donated could be given to local food banks.  I am sure Spirit would be in favour of this.  Many of our grandparents relied on their vegetable plot to supplement their meals.   I am sure our forefathers would think of the Harvest festival as a great idea especially if some of it came from our own gardens.

                                                            Harvest Service

In a restaurant recently I saw a family quietly saying Grace before starting their meal.  It took me back to my childhood when one or two older members of the family did say Grace.  When I got home I looked this up on the Internet and found that a poll a few years ago asked if people said Grace before eating.  Most of those who said ‘no’ commented that they were lucky to just have the whole family sit down together to eat, let alone say grace.   So it looks like saying Grace has become a thing of the past.  That may not be surprising as those connected with religion are becoming fewer as each year passes.

But do we need the whole family around the table before we can say Grace?  It need not be of religious content we can take thirty or so seconds contemplation before we eat.  In this day and age most of us are rushing about and those few quiet seconds may let our brain drop down a gear so we can savour the taste of the food more than we would have done. . People who do it tend to eat more slowly, aiding digestion,

 Taking a few seconds to think how the food has reached our plate. From the moment the seed was planted, the minute the animal was born, all through the food chain process so you don’t starve and you enjoy your meal.  Making you appreciate what you are eating and not to take it for granted or waste it.

I have always felt that Spiritualism should have a Harvest Service and the produce donated could be given to local food banks.  I am sure Spirit would be in favour of this.  Many of our grandparents relied on their vegetable plot to supplement their meals.   I am sure our forefathers would think of the Harvest 

festival as a great idea especially if some of it came from our own gardens.

Here are some prayers from around the world with food being the theme...

Buddhist Tradition--From Thich Nhat Hanh...

“The plate is filled with food. I am aware that each morsel is the fruit of much hard work by those who produced it”.

Native American Tradition...

“Preparing to Eat Now that I am about to eat, O Great Spirit, give my thanks to the beasts and birds whom You have provided for my hunger; and pray deliver my sorrow that living things must make a sacrifice for my comfort and well-being”.

Islamic Tradition... As we sit at table and rejoice in the mercy and goodness of the one God, may the bonds of friendship be strengthened, may our fellowship be a light in the darkness, and—most importantly—may we remember that in opening ourselves to each other we open ourselves to God”...

Jewish Tradition--Adapted from an Haggadah of Liberation...

“We dedicate this meal to our hopes and dreams for the future. We dream of a world not threatened by destruction. We dream of a world in which all people are free to be themselves. We dream of a world at peace”...

From the Native American Iroquois Tradition...

We return thanks to the corn, and to her sisters, the beans and squashes, which give us life. We return thanks to the bushes and trees, which provide us with fruit. We return thanks to the Great Spirit, in who is embodied all goodness, and who directs all things for the good of his children.

Buddhist Tradition--From Thich Nhat Hanh

“With the first mouthful, I promise to practice loving kindness. With the second, I promise to help relieve the suffering of others. With the third, I promise to see others’ joy as my own. With the fourth, I promise to learn the way of non-attachment and equanimity”...

Buddhist Tradition--From Thich Nhat Hanh...

 “All living things are struggling for life. May they all have enough food today”.

                                              

                                                   Sir Nicholas Winton.

In today’s a celebratory mad-world we are forgetting the really special people who have lived among us.  Those who have risked or given their lives in trying to help others or their country.  Men and women on many occasions who’s heroic acts will never be made public.

One special gentleman in this category passed on 1^st July this year, Sir Nicholas Winton.  Sir Nickolas organised the rescue of 669 children destined for Nazi concentration camps.  Then a stockbroker, he arranged for trains to carry Jewish children out of occupied Prague.  A no mean feat considering what was going on in the area at that time.  He died on the anniversary of the departure of a train in 1939 carrying the largest number of children - 241.  Sir Nicholas brought the children to Britain, battling bureaucracy at both ends, saving them from almost certain death, and then kept quiet about his exploits for a half-century.  He organised a total of eight trains from Prague, with some other forms of transport also set up from Vienna.

Truly amazing, but one other thing connected with saving the lives of these children is that the world did not know of this for over 40-years.  This ‘Great Escape’ by the ‘Kinder transport trains’ this only came to light in 1988 when Sir Nicholas appeared on BBC’s “This is Your Life”. 

Sir Nickolas Winton a truly amazing and modest man.

As I have said there will be others who have carried out humanitarian tasks, many losing their lives and yet we will never hear about them.  Maybe all of our Spiritual Organizations should meet and decide on a date each year where we can have a commemoration service for “Unknown Heroes – ones  whose deeds will never be known.

My Diary ... All Three in One Service ... The Most Inspirational Words Ever? ... How could mankind do this?

My Diary

June...

24^th - The Kilwinning Temple of Light Spiritualist Church. A church that has been in the town for at least forty-years and one of the first churches I took a service at.  Remembering back I was so nervous that I asked another medium to share the platform with me.  This was Fay McMillan and although Fay was an excellent medium she decided to work with Spirit in other ways.

26^th - Angel Light Spiritualist Church. Govanhill Neighbourhood Centre. Daisy St, Glasgow, G42 8JL.   A small church which has been running for a good many years now thanks to the hard work of Nancy, Christine and Liz.

28^th - My booking at The Love and Friendship Spiritualist Church. Couper Institute, Clarkston Road, Glasgow G44, had to be cancelled.  Even when renting a hall all the year round there are times when our churches have to give way for a very special local event and this was one of them. I am not complaining as it would have given this hard-working committee a break, a rare Sunday off.

July...

7^th – The Free Spiritualist Church, Kilmarnock.

27^th –  The Saltcoats Spiritual Church, Argyll Community Centre,  Saltcoats, KA21 5AF.  Another church which has been running for many years and again one that I took a service at in my early steps along my spiritual path.  I have to mention Wendy, Jean and Irene for their hard work over several decades to make this a very busy church.

 

29^th - Edinburgh College of Parapsychology : 2 Melville St, Edinburgh EH3 7NS.  Check out  http://www.edinburghpsychiccollege.com      for forthcoming attractions.

                                          All Three in One Service

Since I came into Spiritualism twenty-five years ago there have been many changes, some positive and others negative.  Personally the most positive change is including the Healing Service with the Divine Service.  The first time I experienced this was at the Milngavie and Bearsden Spiritualist Church and although it is slowly catching on 

 I would like to see a quicker transition.

Spiritualism is a package, a package which includes Philosophy, Clairvoyance, Healing and much more.  Surely having our three main ingredients at a Divine Service makes sense?  Speaking as a medium I feel the healing being incorporated lifts the energies within the church compliment each other and makes for more powerful energies throughout the service. 

Why should healing and our healers be pushed to a slot before or after a divine service, or even  .on a different day?  OK – there may be so many wanting healing that time might be a problem, but surely we can add fifteen minutes to the service for healing.  If there is a greater demand for Healing, then it could continue after the service or those who have their own premises on a different day as well.

Maybe some churches could give this a month's trial.

P.S.  The other positive change I have found was instead of an opening prayer was five minutes contemplation.  This I also experienced for the first time at the Milingavie and Bearsden Spiritualist Church.  A church that is no longer with us, but left a legacy of positive changes to our Divine Services...  All this is down to the Founder and President Elizabeth Halliday who is also an excellent Spiritualist Medium.

                                              The Most Inspirational Words Ever?

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a £20 note. In the room of 200, he asked. "Who would like this £20 bill?"

Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this £20 to one of you - but first, let me do this."

He proceeded to crumple the “20 note up. He then asked. "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" He dropped it on the
ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?"

Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No
matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth £20.
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless; but no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still
priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by ...WHO WE ARE.
You are special - don't ever forget it. 

Author Unknown  

                                          How could mankind do this?

I have got to the stage in life where I felt that nothing could shock me.  I have long believed that man’s inhumanity to his fellow man and other creatures on this planet knows no bounds.  But last week an article by Liz Jones in the Mail on Sunday (15/8/15) left me feeling upset for days.  How can such a thing are going on in 2015 in a Commonwealth country I kept asking myself.

The article described the treatment of elephants at a Temple in Southern India.  I put the link on facebook, but removed it in seconds as it would have upset so many people  Anyone who feels they would like to read this article please go prepare to be extremely shocked.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3199391/Tortured-tourists-Chained-spot-20-years-Beaten-submission-secret-jungle-training-camps-terrible-plight-Indian-elephants-LIZ-JONES.html

As you will all know we are no angels at home as far as the treatment of animals are concerned.  Our factory farms (Animal concentration camps) ... Fatalities and injuries on or horse/dog racing tracks ... Puppy farms ... Dog fighting.

Benita emails; -  We owe so much to the animal kingdom yet our laws are weak if in place at all to punish someone who abuses an animal.

I hope that those who only get a slap on the wrist for abusing another species in our courts are dealt with in a stricter way when they reach the Spirit World.  What do you think about  Karma where the person who has committed such an act returns as that animal and receives similar treatment?

The above reminded me of an email I still had to answer and here it is...

Hi Benita – At first glance I entirely agree with what you say ... BUT ... that means more and more creatures will in suffer and it will create more and more abusers.  And in turn will mean the vicious circle of animal abuse will not end.  What we need is for sentencing to fit the crime in our courts'.  For such sentences to be a deterrent and make people think twice before abusing an animal.  We have to sort out our won mess and not leave it all to Spirit.

My Diary ... The International Medium ... Hunger ... A nasty protest ... Forthcoming events at Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church SNU ...

My Diary...

May

10^th – It is always an enjoyable visit to the Coatbridge Spiritualist Church.  This church has been on the go from the mid 1940s and still going strong.

11^th – Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church.  ** More about up and coming events at the church further down the blog**

20^th – Another class at the Glasgow Association of “Understanding your psychic abilities”.

22^nd / 26^th – I attended the Glasgow Association and during that time I took a workshop, four services and private sittings.

28^th – My furthest journey of the month to the Arbroath Spiritualist Church. (SNU)  It was a lovely warm evening but that  did not stop a good attendance.

June

6^th/7^th – Aberdeen Bon Accord Spiritual Church (SNU) Where I had a busy two days with a workshop, a lecture and two services.

10^th - Saw the last of my four classes on “Understanding your psychic abilities” at the Glasgow Association.  Thanks to all who attended.

11^th – It was a real pleasure to help out at Kilmarnock Church’s (SNU) Open Day in aid of Touched by Suicide.  The sum raised  was £915.

21^st – I was over in the Kingdom of Fife taking the divine service at Dunfermline Spiritualist Church. 

22^nd -  Pollockshaws and District Church in the Langside Halls Glasgow.  This church has been running for close on 40-years and has been of great service to the local community.   Recently numbers have been dropping so why not give this church some support.  But, hold on the church is closed till the first Monday in August... 

                                             The International Medium

Constantly I get a drip, drip of emails concerning the subject of International Mediums.  Here are a few; -

“What are your views on those mediums who want to be billed as International mediums?”  LB.

“A church may announce that the medium who is taking the service is from say Germany, but surely not as an International?” M

A medium freelancing can call themselves what they like, but I find it out of place when a church advertises or announces a medium as an International medium?”  Blair.

A Spiritual Medium links with another dimension and relays messages from there to love-ones here,  a wonderful achievement uniting the two worlds.  Adding “International” only means that they have stepped over a man-made line drawn in the sand.  I don’t think Spirit recognizes International borders. 

In sport an International whatever is picked as the best in that country at their particular sport.  With mediums it is that you have been recommended, noticed, or happen to be in another country and a church becomes aware that you are there.  Not all mediums who work abroad use the “International” title.  I know of two who were extremely angry when “International” was used in their introduction.  Both male mediums of the old-school said it went against all they had worked for in the service of spirit.

                                                             Hunger

When we think of hunger we think of that happening in other countries not here in the UK, even though so many are using food banks in this country these days.  The other night a young gentleman approached me showing me some coins in his hand.  He asked if I could please add seventy-pence so he could buy something to eat.  As I had only minutes to catch a bus I said “sorry” and walked on.  Already that day I had given to two people begging in the street so I did not feel guilty.  Yet, something made me stop and miss the bus.

I looked back at the young man he did not look under the influence of drink or drugs he was shabbily dressed, but clean.  Putting my hand in my pocket I found that the coins I had added up to exactly 70p.  So, I took it as a sign that I had done right to miss my bus and give the young man the coins.  As we walked along the road together he said that being homeless was terrible to cope with, but having an empty stomach was hell on earth.  He went on to say that he was not going to buy trash food, but something that was good for the body and left me at the entrance to a Sainsbury’s store.  I was interested in what he was going to buy and out he came with yoghurts.

I will not forget the look on that young man’s face when I  I hope that things are now looking up for him.  This is not the first time I have heard a homeless person say that hunger is harder to bear

 than being homeless.

                                                           Protest

What should have been a special day for the members of a newly-formed Christian Spiritualist Church in England turned out to be a very upsetting time to say the least.  Their first service in new premises with invited guests included the Mayor, Mayoress, representatives of the local council and local MP was marred by an unsavoury protest.  The church committee had also invited three other local churches, two apologised for not being able to attend as they were already running their own services at that time   The third refused and said they intended to protest on the day.

Protest they did  ... It is alleged they formed a human chain and accused the Spiritualists of being devil worshipers who were corrupting ignorant and uneducated minds.  It was not only church goers who fell foul of this mob, but others visiting the building for other purposes...  It was reported  that a really vile comment was made to a pregnant lady, who was visiting the building at the time..   It says a lot for the committee after having had to put up with such a situation that they still invited the protesters into the church service to experience what we are all about...  Needless to say they refused.

The following evening another protest and the police attended the scene. 

This time the police took an interest into it being a potentially a religious hate crime. After a discussion with both parties no further action was taken.     I suppose the correct action to take for the sake of peace in the community ... but should it happen again........

At least local dignitaries experienced the love and reverence of a Spiritual service and were able to compare it with the wrath of another religion.

                           Forthcoming events at Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church SNU>

I will be taking a series of 4 workshops on “Understanding Your Psychic Abilities” at Kilmarnock Spiritual Church on 13th, 20^th, 27^th August and 10^th September.  Admission free... 

also....

The highlight of the Spiritual year in Ayrshire is The Kilmarnock Experience held in Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church (SNU) 7^th – 9^th August.

This year sharing their wealth of knowledge is  Stansted Tutor Paul Jacobs and Linda Bennett CSNU.   Friday evening there is a double demonstration of mediumship, Saturday workshops from 10.00am-4.30pm, Saturday evening 7.00pm The John Findlay lecture, followed by a double demonstration of mediumship, Sunday 10.00-4.30pm workshops, and to close the weekend both these wonderful mediums will be taking our divine service. Bookings are now being taken at the church, or call 07988688620. The cost of this weekend will be £75; there are tickets available for part of the seminar