Peering Back, Looking Forward

2011 is history! What an amazing year filled with accomplishments, education, and more work to look forward to. The year began with the publication of my first book “Your Magical Soul: How Science and Psychic Phenomena Paint a New Picture of the Self and Reality.” This, of course, was a huge milestone, as it took over two years to complete – from writing, editing, getting permissions, to finally seeing it printed. It opened some doors in learning how to talk on radio, both broadcast and internet. It also taught me about the pitfalls to marketing and PR when you are not represented by a huge publishing house who can handle copyright legalities. Fortunately, my second book will not need to deal with such hurdles and will be a better opportunity to explore the possibilities of promotion without having to pay so close attention to the permissions granted by rights’ holders.

“Your Magical Soul” really gave me an opportunity to get myself more out into the public. I really love talking to crowds – especially if the audience can walk away with something about themselves or the nature of consciousness they may not have considered before walking in. This desire to ignite the curiosity surrounding consciousness and spirituality morphed later in the year to “Ghosts – What Have We Learned?” In this presentation, I teamed up with current Washington State Ghost Society president, Dave King, as we took a wide angle view of the nature of spirit activity from our years of investigations and contrasted it with what the public has been force-fed on television and in Hollywood movies (which has also become a blueprint for emerging paranormal groups, which may or may not be the most beneficial way to obtain results in an investigation). As we move forward in 2012, Dave and I will continue to give this presentation throughout the area – so be sure to check out the Events tab for dates and locations.

It’s also been a year filled with education, on both the paranormal and mediumship fronts. We are learning from spirits on investigations more about what life is like as an earth-bound entity; how they can manipulate their energy to affect detectors; how they view those of us in Time and Space while they are outside of it; and just what the heck is an orb?? These are questions that we are getting some very good answers to directly from the spirits through the combination of EVPs (electronic voice phenomena) and the Society’s mediums. It will take years more research with plenty more questions and tests to reach conclusive answers, but we have learned the spirits are definitely willing to communicate and give us points-of-view.

On the mediumship side, I finally received some formal training, lots of practice, and am growing at a decent pace. In August, my wife and I took a week long course with internationally renowned medium and bestselling author James Van Praagh, who told me I was already a talented medium and just needed to own it and go do the work. Easier said than done, of course, but I have been moving in that direction. I will be seeing James again in February for even more instruction, as he is giving the class here in Seattle. In the meantime, a friend introduced me to a UK medium, Martin Twycross. His 12 DVD instructional course has been such a fantastic eye-opener – I wish I had it 12 years ago when I got started.

The upside to all this learning has been the creation of a weekly Development Circle which has turned into my spiritual family. Made up of a combination of wonderful people Heidi and I met at the Van Praagh course, coupled with other developing mediums in our circle of friends, this weekly gathering has given us amazing tools, allowed us to express our fears, our doubts, but above all – grow and become better at honing our talents. Without the Circle, I’d still be shuffling my feet to get out the door!

Of course, the other wonderful addition that came along this year was teaming up with Carol Geiler to do the “Explorers of Consciousness” radio show! We have a whole load of people to thank for bringing that together. When Carol and I would get together to talk about consciousness and psychic abilities, anybody else in the room (my wife, for certain) always found the banter entertaining, and so the suggestion for a radio show came up. And since I was already working to get myself more out into the public and Carol has been emerging with her psychic gifts, it was a natural fit and we haven’t looked back since! Additionally, we also want to be available in-person, and so in 2012 we will be holding monthly psychic/spiritual support groups – one in Everett at VisionQuest and another in Bellevue at Friends, Philosophy & Tea (see Events tab for details).

Yes, it’s been an amazing year – and 2012 is going to be even better! In this next year, I will be doing public mediumship demonstrations (known as “platform demonstrations.”) The first one is being held at the Venus Moon on February 4th. This one I am considering an “experiment” as it has been several years since I’ve done readings using this type of format. But once I’ve gone through the process, expect that there will be many more to follow throughout the region.

Additionally, later in 2012 you will see the release of my second book, which will be Volume I of a two volume set regarding what life is like on the Other Side, as based on a series of replicated sittings done over the course of 14 months. No medium has ever done this type of research or reporting before in this manner (at least, none that I know of), so naturally, I am really excited to share it with everybody. It’s another one of those things that has been life-changing for me. There’s also the possibility of meditation CDs coming out later in the year (recording is already completed).

So … I hope you will come and share this journey with me in the New Year. You can hear me on-air twice a month with Carol on the “Explorers of Consciousness” radio show; you can catch us monthly in-person in Everett and Bellevue (depending on where you live); watch out for me and Dave as we talk about our experiences with ghosts; and please come experience the possibilities of communicating with loved ones and friends on the Other Side at any of my demonstrations.

Oh – and if you’re curious about 2012 predictions/viewpoints, then come out to Friends, Philosophy & Tea next Friday, January 6 at 7 p.m.

Thank you to everyone who has been in my life throughout 2011.

Happy New Year!

From the Heart

One of the most elusive psychic functions for me is clairaudience – this is where you hear the information being spoken to you, not unlike hearing the words of a song in your mind. Those who have attended my group readings or who have had a private sitting know that I am mainly clairvoyant and clairsentient – visual and feeling – so to be able to hear information is sporadic and not the norm for me.

Several weeks ago, I came across the story of a well-known British medium, Gordon Higginson, who was renowned in his mediumship for astounding clairaudience. He would call out first and last names, complete addresses, even telephone numbers that were being relayed to him audibly from Spirit. The story goes that, when Gordon was a youngster, his mother would place cotton or other substance in his ears to drown out the sounds of the room and force him to listen for the words of spirit. By age 12 he was already doing platform demonstrations and he went on to serve spirit until he died at age 75. He was the longest running president of the Spiritualists Nationalists Union, presiding over that post for 23 years.

Well, since I have been working to further develop clairaudience, I bought a pair of earplugs and eye-covers to try my own meditations in bringing out this faculty. I have been doing this for over a week now, and though I can’t say whether or not my clairaudience has improved, my sense of purpose, value, and dignity has shot through the roof.

Why?

My heartbeat. When I put the earplugs in, the sound of my heartbeat became amplified. Not only that, I could hear the blood rushing through my veins (probably just through the ear canal). Then factor in the rhythm of breathing – in, out, in, out. It was an intriguing opportunity to listen to all this from the aspect of a meditating observer.

When one focuses on the heartbeat, it takes perception out of the monkey mind (which is usually chatting up a storm) and places it on that which keeps our body functioning day in and day out. THUMP-THUMP … THUMP THUMP. To sit back and observe the sound of the heartbeat, the sound of blood flowing, the sound of the breath, it is quite an amazing moment. We usually take it all for granted.

For 30 minutes I bathed in that union. I was floored. I had a sense of gratitude for my body and being that I never had before. When you listen to your heart beat – steady, strong – THUMP THUMP … THUMP THUMP – and realize it beats like that not just for the 30 minutes that you’re listening to it, but for the length of your whole life … Well, it really spoke to me on a spiritual level. It shouted “You are here on purpose! You are meant to be here! You are worthy! If you weren’t, I would not be beating for so long, keeping you alive, no matter what stress you were creating in your mind!”

Listening to my own heartbeat was like listening to the voice of God, declaring my life’s mission; that I wasn’t here as a random happenstance, nor was I just fluttering about completely oblivious to what I should be doing. Something inside that sound and the automatic pumping – THUMP THUMP … THUMP THUMP – said to me that when I didn’t know what to do or when confusion clouded my mind, just stick in the earplugs and listen. Let its cadence seduce my curiosity, for somehow it knew what my mind did not.

There are many people who meditate using a mantra – repeating the same phrase or sound over and over. Through this repetition, it silences the mind and places one in a deep meditative state, which can then be opened up to various spiritual energies or dimensions. It can be quite effective. We come with our own organic built-in mantra – THUMP THUMP … THUMP THUMP. To me, it far exceeds any other phrase or sound we might adopt. It is also highly life-affirming – something you’d hope your mantra would be.

The beating of the heart is currently being attributed to how the body communicates with itself. Though the brain does play a significant role, the beating of the heart creates a pulsing magnetic field which transmits information to the body’s systems. THUMP THUMP … THUMP THUMP. There is truth to the belief of living a better life if one comes from the heart rather than the mind. The mind may inform the heart, but it is the heart which informs the body -- or at least, that is what some of the current research is suggesting.

THUMP THUMP … THUMP THUMP.

I encourage you to put some earplugs in and just focus on your heartbeat, your blood flow, and the sound of your breath. Be an observer. Notice it happens without any assistance from your mind. And then consider this has gone on for decades and will continue to go on until you pass into spirit.

You are here on purpose. You are worthwhile. You are a spiritual being manifested from the heart-center of life. THUMP THUMP … THUMP THUMP.

Something tells me this is why the ancient Egyptians left the heart intact in the mummies and instead removed the brain.

They knew the heart was the true seat of wisdom.


Oh – has my clairaudience improved? Only time will tell. I have heard some things come through in-between beats and had a very successful time catching a few names in my Development Circle last week. Was that a result of listening to my heartbeat or the realization of intention? I don’t know.

But I will continue to listen to my heart for answers.

Why Is That Ghost Haunting Me?

Are you experiencing phenomena that is unsettling, disturbing, and sometimes frightening? Are you hearing strange noises? Seeing lights? Appliances turning on and off? Objects moving? The sense of being touched?

When we are confronted with things that are “out of the ordinary,” we are often filled with a sense of dread. The mysterious invites a multitude of questions, colored with the emotions we are experiencing in the face of such strange occurrences. When we automatically react in fear to something we do not know or understand, it can wreak havoc on our bodies and imaginations. “Am I losing my mind?” “Is there something in my house besides me and my family?” “Is something out to get me?” The terror points to our most basic need: safety. The fear can be mild to severe – scattered nerves, losing several nights of sleep and becoming physically ill, to driving one completely out of the house.

Thanks to Hollywood and the slough of “ghost hunting” shows on television, not to mention the times in our youth of listening to spooky stories around the campfire, we have been taught that strange occurrences are to be met with nothing more than fear. Yet after having been investigating ghosts for several years, I have come to realize the “strange” isn’t meant to be fearful – nor are the spirits really trying to scare you.

When it comes to ghosts, dramatic re-enactments have created an illusion about just what the nature of the supernatural is like and “what they’re up to.” It goes like this: If you hear a strange noise but cannot find what is creating it and it defies explanation – something unseen is trying to torment you. If you see strange balls of lightning when there should be no atmospheric disturbance – something unseen is trying to alarm you. If electrical appliances are experiencing strange anomalies (and you’re sure it’s not the wiring) – then something unseen is trying to toy with you. If objects are moving of their own accord – something unseen is definitely trying to scare the bejeezus out of you.

Well, actually no – not necessarily. Something (or rather someone) may definitely be interested in getting your attention, but may not have any motive whatsoever in trying to make you scream.

What ghost stories and Hollywood forget is that a ghost is still a person. That is, they still have a mind, emotions, desires, and even their own fears (Yes, ghosts have fears, too). In performing all the unusual acts, they may be trying to tell you something that has nothing to do with the dreaded demand “Get out!” And if conditions are persisting, chances are they are feeling that their message isn’t being heard or understood. Maybe because the fear you’re experiencing is getting in the way.

In succumbing to fear, we keep ourselves imprisoned and unable to move through such emotion to discover what is truly waiting on the other side of it. Unfortunately, we also have this notion that what is on the other side might not be so pleasant, especially when it comes to ghosts. This is why I remind everyone that ghosts are still people -- and should be honored and respected AS people, and treated with the same type of courtesy and respect as a neighbor.

Let’s face it, most people in the act of communication are not doing it from a standpoint of tormenting, scaring, or playing practical jokes. They have something important to say – and when it comes to energetic barriers between the “spirit world” and the “earthly realm,” the amount of energy consumed by a ghost to push a message from there to here is actually quite draining. Why waste it to scare someone? In the majority of cases I’ve investigated, the spirit had no intention whatsoever of frightening anybody, but had everything to do with some other type of conversation. Unfortunately, when fear and panic become the standard mode of response, we block any ability to determine what the message is really about.

Also, it’s not an “us versus them” communication – another great take-away from good campfire ghost stories and Hollywood horror fests. The majority of haunting phenomena is not meant to pit the living against the dead (or even the dead against the living), but rather is an attempt to initiate communication for the purpose of passing some kind of relevant information. Repeated occurrences reveals that the message is not being clearly received, and so the spirit feels it has to make several attempts (and in different ways) until what it needs to say can be properly understood.

Most people feel they are powerless in the face of an invisible adversary – who apparently can do things without advanced notice that leave one frightened. What we must realize is that a ghost is not an adversary, it is a person who wants to say something, but knows some kind of barrier exists to where its voice is not being heard. Indeed, in that moment of seeing lights, hearing something strange, or seeing something move, there is an initial reaction of surprise and fear … But then we should realize: we don’t really know what the motive was for such an event.

At this point, I would invite you to let go of the fear and get curious. Chalk the event off as a need to get your attention – but your attention to what?

Instead of frightening you, a ghost may have these motives:

* Asking for your help. You may have displayed certain knowledge, wisdom, or other skills that the spirit feels can help them through their own dilemmas. Yes, spirits do have personal problems, just like everyone else. Instead of running away in fear, ask “Is there something I can do to help you?” There are many ways to initiate a “yes/no” type of communication to find answers (such as knocks, spinning rods, or certain EMF meters). Sometimes, spirits aren’t aware they have died, only that something about them has changed – and they might be trying to ask you for help in figuring things out.

* Trying to help you. If you are new to the house/dwelling, as “uncool” and “unfrightening” as it sounds, a ghost may be trying to warn you of danger with the structure. Bad wiring, bad pipes, watch your foot at the end of the stairs … We have been schooled to think that ghosts want to harm us, yet they sometimes are concerned with the exact opposite – they want to keep us safe and help us, too.

* Trying to tell you they are angry and don’t like what you’re doing. Yes, sometimes the phenomena is because the spirits are angry. This happens typically as a result of remodeling an old home. During the construction process, the energy of the environment is being radically changed; and a spirit is more keenly aware of subtle energy vibrations than we are. Reassuring them that even though the structure is changing, the changes are not meant to adversely affect them or drive them out and that they will be all right can make a big difference. Not only are you acknowledging their feelings about what’s happening, you’re also telling them they will still be okay. Moreover, you’re also remaining in your own power by telling them the house is now under your ownership. You’re not bowing down to them or letting them think they can push you around – but you are being sensitive to their own dislikes and potential fears in kindness (they may not know what the new energy configuration of the remodeling might mean to them and how it affects their energy).

* Misunderstanding what’s really happening (and in some cases, you haven’t cleared things up yet.) What do I mean? I had a frightened young lady tell me she had the spirit of a young girl attached to her who kept calling her “mommy.” I asked if she had explained to the ghost that she wasn’t really her mommy and it was a case of mistaken identity, and she said “no.” Sometimes spirits DO make mistakes and if we’re not willing to let them know it, we cannot expect them to change their behavior. Like anybody, a spirit may have the wrong perception of what is happening around them and you may need to clear things up.

The life of an earthbound spirit can be confusing. Just because someone has died does not give them special knowledge about what has happened to them or the nature of the universe (In fact, their perceptions about the universe may be even more mixed up than before they passed). This can leave them groping for help, answers, and some kind of assistance.

Why do they remain behind? Here is a short list:

* They haven’t realized they’ve died, but are aware that something is different.

* They are too afraid to move on, for fear of being judged.

* They are too emotionally attached to an environment, object, or person. (This attachment may be joyful or painful).

* They confuse an attachment to something in the present with something they were attached to in the past, without realizing they are not one and the same.

Whatever the case, a ghost is still a person, who – like most of us – is trying to live each day to the best of their ability in the only ways they know how (in what may be a confusing and chaotic environment). They have varying beliefs, emotions, and attitudes like the rest of us. And just like the rest of us, they are mostly interested in meaningful communication with heartfelt purpose – not the kind to send you vacating the property with more gray hairs than what you came in with.

Unless the spirits are doing things to deliberately hurt you, such as pushing you down the stairs, lighting things on fire, or other things that are clearly meant to harm your person or put your life in jeopardy – do not assume they are out to frighten you. Assume they are people, and then figure out on a person-to-person level what it is they are really trying to say. If you’re willing to pay attention and get passed the fear, you might be amazed by what you will learn. Your ability to assist and communicate with another human being may go way beyond what you thought was possible. *********