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...

 6^th – 10^th  We were down in Warickshire and spent a day in Cambridge...

11^th – It was a pleasure to help out at the Glasgow Association’s Bring and Buy Sale... (SNU)

12^th – I took the service at popular  Coatbridge Spiritualist Church.

16^th – 18^th – We are heading south again this time to Oxfordshire...

21^st –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).

25^th – 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

26^th – 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.

29^th – The fourth of my five well attended classes on “The Basics of Spiritualism and our Psychic Abilities”.

30^th – 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 31^st 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

                                               My Diary...

September...

21^st – I attended the Edinburgh Spiritual Society, 34 Albany Street, EH1 3QH. (SNU)

22^nd – 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.

25^th – 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.

28^th – My third trip north in seven days.  This time to the Perth Spiritualist Church, Methven Buildings, 40 New Row, Perth, PH1 5QA.   (SNU).

30^th – 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...

1^st A good turn out once again for my class “A Basic Introduction to Spiritualism and our Psychic Abilities” at the Glasgow Association.

2^nd – 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.

 

My Diary.... Do we really live in a civilized society? Kirsty Campbell's comments on the Seven Principles...Service of Acceptance for Irene McGilvray....

 

My Diary....

August

   17^th – A short journey for me to take the service at Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church (SNU)

18^th - Only a little further south to the Cumnock Spiritualist Church.

30^th –A few hours after returning from holiday in the north of Scotland and Orkney when we were off to the Glasgow Association.  This was for the Service of Acceptance for Irene McGilvray.

31^st – It is always a pleasure to travel to Fife and ASK Dunfermline.  As always there was a good turnout.  The committee work hard to promote Spiritualism at its best.

September...

2^nd - Neilston Spiritualist Church.

3^rd – Prestwick Spiritualist Church.

 

 

 

Is the human race really civilised? With what we see on television and read in our newspapers we believe we in the West are - and the others in many parts of the world are not. But we have to remember that not too long ago we were in many ways just as barbaric.  

In 1727 Janet Horne was the last person to be executed in Scotland for witchcraft.   Janet and her daughter were imprisoned in Dornoch jail where they were both tried and found guilty of witchcraft.  Despite being old and confused Janet’s neighbours had accused the old soul of witchcraft.  The simple fact that Janet's daughter had a deformed hand may be the only reason why people accused her of this crime. Mother and daughter were found guilty and sentenced to death.  The daughter managed to escape but poor Janet was not so fortunate. The day after sentencing she was stripped and rolled in tar, then placed in a barrel and taken in a procession to where she was burned alive.  Janet was the last person to be burned in Britain for witchcraft.  So I am sure that Spiritualists are counting their blessings that they were born in  more enlightened times as far as Scotland is concerned.

Although we have most certainly moved on from those dark days we still have much to do before we can accept the accolade of being a civilized nation. 

In my life time; -

Look at the massive abuse of children, and even worse the cover-ups that kept all this silent.  These abused children had nowhere to turn for help as many of those in authority let them down

The introduction of factory farming that is hell on earth for the animals that live their entire lives in these massive buildings... 

 

Allowing renditions flights to refuel at our airports, knowing that passengers were on their way to be tortured. 

To have bombed Iraq when there was no need too, and in doing so killed so many innocent men, women and children.

To be part of an alliance that is regularly killing and maiming innocent men, women and children with drone attacks.

The number of horses that drop dead during or after a race yet we call it a sport.

We hear almost every hour of the day on 24-hour news channels new barbaric acts somewhere in the world...  Many countries that we call our friends and allies have torture chambers where each torturer tries to outdo each other by inventing new forms of torture to inflict extreme pain on their victims... 

Human trafficking is on the increase.  

Certain parts of the world are living as we lived several hundred years ago.  So as well as criticising those who commit evil deeds we should have at the back of our mind about our past and we are still not perfect today...

We in our infinite wisdom have done our best to educate and hurry other countries and peoples along to be more civilised, to have more compassion and understanding.  But this fast-tracking in many cases has sadly failed, creating a vacuum making situations worse.  There are other times we have been involved with the sole criteria of politics or securing oil rights rather than thinking what is best for that particular country and its people...  

So it is equally as important to pray for wisdom for world leaders as it is to pray for help for the victims.  Politicians, in solving one problem usually end up creating another.   One innocent man woman and child killed is one too many.  In every country there are good and bad and we have to pray that the good of all nations are given the strength, courage, wisdom and determination to conquer the evil in their area, then not to replace one evil with another.

So many put their lives at risk I hope that the Honours system from now on take notice of those who put their life in danger assisting Humanitarian organizations.

Some may think maybe my words are a bit too graphic for such a blog, but if others are willing to sweep the truth under the carpet we should not follow suit. Spiritualism the religion does not get involved in politics but we as individuals can play our part.  I have always been opposed to protest marches but we can do so much as individuals in other ways.  We can join pressure group like Amnesty International and Animal protection groups. We can also enter into debate with our elected representatives and keeping on with our complaints till something is done. 

 

 

I have asked friends if they would like to contribute something to the site and here is; -

 Kirsty Campbell’s views on our Seven Principles.

Within S.N.U. Spiritualist centres and churches you will often hear reference given to "The Seven Principles" and in particular, the fifth principle "Personal Responsibility"  Often mentioned together with the phrase, "That we are all responsible for all we think, do and say."  But this is a very glib way of explaining this principle and really doesn't explain much at all. This principle has a hidden depth to it and to be understood needs to be studied alongside the philosophy of our religion and should also be quoted alongside the 6th principle "Compensation and retribution hereafter for all good and evil done on earth"   Why?

The Seven Principles are neutral, they do not TELL us how to live or behave. They suggest.  They operate no matter what we think of them, they just are.   So if you disagree with them, it makes no difference because they are in effect anyway and none of us can escape our responsibilities.  This is what separates Spiritualists from Christians, because Christians believe that they can take their transgressions to Jesus and he will wipe them clean. The fifth principle says that this is wrong; we do not escape out responsibilities.  

So if we have responsibility for all we think, say and do- how far does this extend?  It extends for as long as time. What you do today has the potential to affect the experience of all around you and beyond.  You will often not know the result; it’s a chain reaction which will extend ad infinitumn. It's only when we die that we are shown the results of what we did, thought or said.

So as a Spiritualist, who understands this principle, we realise that to avoid the retribution of our negative behaviours we should strive to always think and behave in a positive way.  But we always have some measure of free choice and because this principle is neutral we can say "Ok I chose to behave negatively, I will still have to accept the consequences of my actions, either in this life or the next." 

Spiritualism is not the only religion to have this principal; most other religions have it in some form. Indeed Christianity is one of the few who doesn't.  

 

 

Isobel and I felt privileged to attend Irene McGilvray’s service of 'Acceptance for the position of Officiant or Celebrant as is the term in Scotland, at the Glasgow Association. The Officiancy, is granted to those who are considered capable of conducting services such as marriages, funerals etc and is by invitation from the National Executive Committee.

The service was taken by Judith Seaman Minister and Vice President (Spiritual) of The Spiritualists' National Union.  SNU Officiants or Celebrants in Scotland are very thin on the ground in Scotland and Irene is a welcome and much needed addition to the ranks.

The phrase “A great Ambassador for Spirit” is often abused but not in this case. Irene has worked tirelessly for Spirit and the SNU for many years.  Irene works in churches throughout the UK and overseas. She has dedicated her life to the Spirit World.  She is passionate about education, demonstrating and teaching within and out with the Spiritualist movement.  She believes that education is the seed that eradicates fear and ignorance, exposing and promoting the "knowing" that life truly is eternal and that Spiritualism is not only a religion but religion based on scientific fact that promotes a wonderful philosophy positively and profoundly changing people’s lives. Irene also does a lot of charity work, especially the work she does in South Africa, between raising money here and working with the people out there, she is totally devoted to this cause.

Irene’s Qualifications & Awards; -

Award holder SNU, DSNU  speaker, DSNU  demonstrator, DSNU  academic,
Advanced academic, CSNU speaker and demonstrator,  Arthur Findlay Collage tutor, Awarded Olive Hayward prize,   Course organiser for SNU courses: SD2, SD3, SD4, S5, D5, Marking tutor, SNU Education committee member,  SNU National Warden - S/I District, a member Scottish, Irish District Council. 

The above shows that Irene has put her heart and soul into Spiritualism and will continue to do so in her new role.

With all mentioned above one would wonder when Irene had the time to play a big part in setting up Glasgow Association of Spiritualism’s Church Museum.  Irene was responsible for instigating and developing and ongoing development of the museum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Diary...Giving Something Back... An Open Mind... The 5th Principle by Jim Brown...

                                        My Diary...........

 

13^th July... My first visit to the new premises of the Milngavie and Bearsden Spiritualist Sanctuary at 106 Clobber Road, Milngavie, G62 7SR.  In only a few weeks President Elizabeth Halliday and members of the Sanctuary have put in a lot of hard work to transform the premises.  Services are at 11.15 on Sundays.  Elizabeth is planning a busy schedule at the sanctuary over the next few months so check on facebook for what is on offer.

17^th - It is always a pleasure to sit with Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church’s Development Group. (SNU)

20^th – Only a short distance up the road to the Foxbar Spiritualist Church in Paisley.

·        22^nd – I visit a long running church with a new name... The Ascension Christian Spiritualist Church, Fred Paton Day Centre, 19 Carrington St, G4 9AJ.  Many will know this Church as Mrs. Primrose’s Church.   Excellent Medium in her own right Jackie McLaughlin is now President.  The Services are 6.30pm on a Sunday and 7.30pm on a Tuesday.  Why not go along one evening and give this church some support.

27^th – I headed north to the Bon Accord Spiritualist Church, Aberdeen. (SNU)  A church with its own premises and full use is made of this with something on most nights of the week.

30^th – Again north to Perth Spiritualist Church (SNU) where Ivy Campbell and her committee make everyone welcome.  At long last Ivy has decided to take the step on to the platform and I wish Ivy well in this sphere

1^st - August – I attended the memorial Service for Bill Storey at Stirling Spiritualist Church (SNU).  Bill entered Spiritualism just after WWII and Spiritualism became a big part of his life.  A Healer Bill was always on hand to give advice to new Healers coming through the ranks. 

3^rd –I had a pleasant journey to Dunfermline Spiritualist Church (SNU) - 3 Lady Campbells Walk, KY12 0QH.

4^th – There is always a good turnout  at Pollockshaws and District Spiritualist Church, Langside, Halls< Glasgow G41 2QR.

5^th – I took the service at the Free Spirit Spiritualist Church Kilmarnock...

12^th – I gave a lecture to ASK Cumbernauld.


                                             

 

                                   Giving Something Back...

 A Quote from white Eagle; -

“Don’t be in such a hurry about Spiritual matters. Go step-by-step, and be very sure. When the time is ripe opportunity will be given to you to do your work which the master as planned for you”.

The wise words of the likes of White Eagle and Silver Birch were once revered by Spiritualists.  But sadly today many look on their teachings as old-fashioned and out of date. Take for example Silver Birch’s “Go step-by-step”.  Many who enter our churches these days want to be fast tracked onto the platform and starting out on a money venture within months. .

When I started out, as I have repeated constantly in this blog, there was a four year development class. Taking time to go through all issues of Spiritualism, and personal development. These classes were taken by mediums and experienced members of the church.  The cost was £1 per evening and that included a cup of tea... What a difference today and I had to agree with a comment I heard recently, “if you are a spiritualist wanting to develop and find out more about you religion you need a deep pocket”. Sadly that is a case, so much taking and not enough putting back. 

So in trying to give something back and help others to understand Spiritualism and  psychic abilities I will be taking five sessions at the Glasgow Association on; -

17th-Sept

1st Oct

15th-Oct

29th-Oct

12th Nov

£5 per class or all 5, for £20.

Please contact the Glasgow Association on 0141 332 4626

 

 

                                               An Open Mind...

A friend from one of the mainstream churches is always complaining about society today.  Everything is doom and gloom he never sees that there is so much good being done by ordinary people.   To be a Spiritualist one has to  have an open mind and with this open mind we become aware of so much others miss.  Here is some of the good I have noticed in recent weeks.

A mother was over the moon about the achievements of her little daughter.  Seeing the joy on the mother’s face would have made many think her daughter had won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.  Not so, but the achievement was equal to that of winning such a medal.  The mother told me that her 4-y-o daughter Sue can now switch on the laptop, link in to a CBBC game and work out the challenge.  This was well beyond Sue’s parent’s dreams only six months ago.

The mother was quick to mention 6-y-o Brenda, daughter of a neighbour.  For six months Brenda has made sure she has time to visit little Sue for at least half-an-hour each day.  No matter what she is doing she must have that time for her little friend.  I was told that Brenda does not pity Sue like many others do; she treats her like an equal.  With that and tons of patience Sue has responded and has achieved so much in the past few months.   

Both Sue and Brenda are champions...

And also..............

My sister, her family and members of her church befriended several members of the Ghanaian Para team.  They were cheering on Patrick Obeng who had been with the two leaders approaching the final bend of a race when there was a collision and Patrick fell onto the track.  Team mates, others in the race, spectators and friends were all devastated at the young man’s misfortune.  But the young Ghanaian praised God and got on with supporting his teammates still to take part in their events. Regularly we see the tantrums of well paid professional when things don’t go right for them.  Patrick is a real true sportsman.

 

 

                                                  Jim Brown...

 

As I mentioned in my last blog Jim Brown passed away on 11^th July.  Holmsford Bridge Crematorium was full to capacity for Jim’s funeral Service which was taken by Officient Mrs Linda Muir.

Jim and May Brown were great Ambassadors for Spirit, Jim with his address and May with her Clairvoyance.  I met May and Jim the first night I entered a Spiritualist Church. I learned a lot from May as circle leader in my second year sitting in the development circle.  Jim was always on hand to offer encouragement and advice when I needed it.

Jim had a great knowledge of Spiritualism and shared this with us in his lectures.   I seldom saw Jim without a smile, he enjoyed life, he enjoyed being a Spiritualist, and he enjoyed taking time for others.  Jim was a well sought after Spiritual Healer.

I am sure all our thoughts go out to May and her family at this time.

                                  

 

                                                              ******************

 

                            The 5^th Principle -   By Jim Brown

 As Spiritualists, we have received through continuous communication with Spirit what is now known as the Seven Principles of Spiritualism.

These principles were given to all Spiritualists to study and use as a guide by which to live our lives here on earth and to prepare us for our future life in the world of spirit.     

The fifth principle points us in the direction of Personal Responsibility and shows that we each have a responsibility towards other people as well as ourselves.

This responsibility, if we recognize it, towards others should take the form of help and assistance and we should give it where it is needed.

In the process of doing so we will become more aware of our own selves and the feelings of caring that will be awakened within us.

As spiritualists, we also know that we are responsible for our thoughts and actions and by being aware of our responsibilities towards other people; we will learn to control our emotions.

There will be a time when we will come up against a person or a situation that we will find difficult.

 However, as I said when we are aware of our responsibility to our own feelings then we must carry on and do what our conscience prompts us to do.

From what we have been told in the communications and teachings that we have received from Spirit we know that we have a great responsibility towards God’s Laws.

In addition, we have the free will to decide to live by these laws and in doing so, create peace and happiness for ourselves and for those around us, or to live a selfish and self-centred life of misery and loneliness.

Anyone new who has come into Spiritualism should be encouraged to make a study of this principle so that in time, they will come to a fuller and deeper understanding of it.

 And when they do they will find that there is a real incentive to try to lead a better life here on this earth and to desire a better fellowship in our relation with other people, and to live in harmony with God, who is our heavenly Father.          

 To recognize and understand God’s laws will allow us to live in spiritual harmony with God and other people.

 This is possible for us all and we should try to understand that it is our responsibility to strive towards this spiritual harmony, for we must learn to love those with whom we come in contact with, whether we like them or not, and if we can achieve this goal then happiness and harmony will come into our lives.

In our relationship with God and our fellowman, we should understand our responsibility for advancing the development of these relationships.  

The person who leads a good life is one who seeks and strives for the development of spiritual awareness.

 That person will find that everyday life is kinder and troubles and worries can be overcome more easily, for the acceptance of personal responsibility does have a positive effect.

Also we each have the infinite possibilities of spiritual progress both here on this physical world and in the world of spirit.

And as we build our own character here on this physical world we will be making our own future in the world of spirit.

 By a study of this principle, we will learn to overcome any negative tendencies that we may have, and as we progress and learn to cut out all misbehaviour from our lives, we will find that we are automatically correcting those thoughts and actions that will allow us to achieve spiritual progress.

However, should anyone wish to live a selfish life they will reap the rewards of that life, not only here on this earth, but also in the world of spirit, until such time as they decide to change their ways.

They shall merely live a life of spiritual self-deception only to come to a grim realization of their mistakes when they ultimately arrive in the world of spirit.

As spiritualists we believe that to a certain degree our own mind conditions our surroundings here on this earth, for as we think so we are, but as the World of Spirit is a world of mind and thought, it conditions our surroundings there to a much greater degree.

 If our minds and thoughts are self-centred making us selfish, if we care nothing for the feelings of other people, and only for ourselves, we will create a condition of isolation for ourselves in the spirit world.

 In our study of this principle we will learn to face up to the reality that all the harmful effects of our own thoughts and actions and they will remain with us until, by our own efforts we change them and only then shall we make any real spiritual progress.

There is what is known as the law of cause and effect and it follows us into the world of spirit and automatically adjusts our relationships.

Therefore, the realization of our responsibilities and a willingness to live up to them allows us to join with the positive power of goodness and will change our spiritual surroundings both here on earth and in the Spirit world.

 We are all tied together by the harmony of our common origin, by the existence of natural law, by the progressive power of wisdom and by the happiness of love.

All of these display that spirituality that lies within each of us and is striving to produce a harmonious balance.

 All of what I’ve just said is not a theological statement of some high church dignitary of what is believed to be the truth, it is the truth as based on the evidence and the experience of the people who now live in the spirit world, and which they have communicated to us.

 So, let me close by saying that in the practice of the fifth principle of personal responsibility we have a moral incentive to lead a better life, to show kindness and consideration to other people and to live in harmony with God