A Welcome to Your Spirit this Spring

Spring in the Pacific Northwest is just right around the corner for us.  Already, some of the trees are starting to flower and I am seeing new flowers sprout from the soil.  If you’re like me, you are getting excited.  It’s time to wake up from the cold dark winter and welcome back the light!

This time of year always harkens to a sense of rejuvenation.  In a way, it is not much different than what happens to our loved ones when they leave their body to transition into the afterlife.  One could easily make the case that while we are alive on planet earth, our senses become dull to the fullness of our multidimensional selves and we have entered into a type of focus that mimics a sense of hibernation inside the vastness of our souls.  Indeed, those in spirit report back that when they look at us from their vantage point, we oftentimes appear asleep in terms of our awareness.  Some spirits report that we look “dark and shadowy” – not much different than nature looking dark and barren during the winter.   

This changes when we leave this environment at death.  It is not so much because we are leaving the limited body behind (that is part of it), but also because we are stepping out of the entire space/time framework the world works in.  This departure gives the newfound spirit an entirely new perspective on the life and world just left behind.  It’s as if we have been living like a two-dimensional painting on canvass, then suddenly peeling ourselves off and seeing not only the canvass, but that we are really three-dimensional with properties and aspects of being we never knew we had!    

This has got to feel like waking up from a cold winter and finding yourself being greeted by a warm and luscious new Spring.  The Other Side has oftentimes affectionately been referred to as “the Summer Land.”  No doubt, at the moment of earthly departure, we move into the Spring time of new spiritual life and then dance into the Summer.

As we begin to re-awaken from our winter slumber, take some time to go within and re-awaken your spirit.  If you have spent much of the winter indoors, head out to welcome the new life growing all around you.  Reconnect with it.  Feel its vibrancy re-emerging and allow it to inspire a re-emergence within you.   You are a vital, beautiful, loving spirit!  Let your light shine with the new light of Spring!  Stretch out your arms, take in a big gulp of air, then feel your energy skyrocket to every corner of creation.  Know that our loved ones in spirit see this, feel it, and send it back to us.

It’s all about the cycle of life and its eternal nature.  Let’s embrace the coming seasons … or rather, let the coming seasons embrace us. 

Remember, you were born a perfect spirit.  So be sure to have a spirited day!

What Unconditional Love from the Other Side Reveals ...

I oftentimes compare and contrast what we learn from direct spirit communication and interaction (whether it be in readings or spirit research with the Washington State Ghost Society) to what was written in ancient biblical texts, and to what organized religion says about the nature of man and how it equates to the notion of God's love for us (FYI, I prefer the term "Great Creative Force" over the term "God").  I find myself often at odds with the notion that the Great Creative Force perceives us as "fallen," or "broken" or "off-the-mark."  Indeed, those in the spirit world tell us how much we are loved, that judgment is nothing like what has been told to us, and that we were actually born perfect.  

"Perfect?  Really?"  I can hear you saying.   

Actually, yes.  

Those in spirit are telling us that we were born perfect, for the simple fact that we have the ability to express and experience all outcomes (good and bad) so that we may have access to all roads of learning and expression.  "Perfection" is not an "end state" of static being, but rather the functionality inherent within our design.  Only love would grant the ability to potentially experience all possible states, positive or negative.  Those on the Other Side tell us that If we did not have access to all these different avenues, then we would be stunted; we would not fully learn; we would be held back in whatever was needed for us to become the greatest expression and reflection of the Great Spirit that we can be.  Without this perfection of experiencing all probabilities and states, spirituality would be more like a prison, rather than the unconditional love that is given us to experience All There Is. 

So as we march forward to that day of love this month, take a moment to reflect on just how much you are loved from those on the Other Side -- it is truly unconditional.  All paths to learning, to spirituality, to the Great Creative Force are already being lived by you and through you.  If you weren't loved, then such capabilities would not even exist.

Tips for a Happier Holiday Season

December has arrived!  Though many talk about the joy that comes with the holidays (and indeed, there is), I feel it is also important to acknowledge that for many, it is also one of the most stressful times of year.   The American Psychological Association Holiday stress statistics show that up to 69 percent of people are stressed about having a “lack of time,” 69 percent also are stressed by feeling a “lack of money” and 51% are stressed out about the “pressure to give and get gifts.”  

According to allonehealth.com, the stress and anxiety of the holiday season can manifest in symptoms such as headaches, sleep disturbances, fatigue, exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, short temper, upset stomach, low job satisfaction and morale, aching muscles (including lower back pain), loss of appetite, changes in behavior while at work, and a decline in productivity and work performance.  

We are also facing the “end time” of the year – a sense of finality for which we look back on the last 12 months and critique the outcome.  Since we are usually our own worst critics, guess which way that observation goes?   It can be an incredibly “heavy” and “burdensome” time of year to many.   Also, we witness nature going into hibernation, we reference the trees and plants “dying” which can also affect us psychologically.

What can we do spiritually to help us get through?  Here’s a few simple things.  

First, try to stay grounded and remember to cleanse yourself energetically.  With all the stress, along with the hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers, our auras (as well as our minds) are being bombarded with frenetic and tense energy not normally displayed by most people at other times of the year.  We may observing with our eyes, but we typically ABSORB things into our energies and emotions, so it becomes imperative that we do things that will help cleanse ourselves of this abnormal energy we are diving into and swimming around in.  

If you shower in the morning, use the power of visualization to allow the water its energetic capacity to take hold of that unwanted energy and send it right down the drain.  Additionally, wash your hands a few more times throughout the day (this is not meant to become an OCD thing).  This will not only protect you from potential germs on your hands and keeping you from getting physically sick, when you wash your hands under the faucet for more than 45 seconds, that extra time can again help to draw out negative energy collecting within your field (which might later transmute into physical maladies).

Another way to combat stress – and this works anytime throughout the year – is to meditate.  Sit down for about 15 minutes minimum and just let go.  Focus on nothing but your breath and allow that focus to realign your system and clear you.  Release your need to do anything or be anything, and just be STILL.  Meditation will clear both your energy systems as well as your mind.  The monkey mind goes extra crazy this time of year, so it’s important to do what we can to calm it.  

Conversely, instead of calming yourself, go out and do something that makes you crazy with happiness!  Whatever the activity is – a few hours gathering with friends, solitude with a paintbrush, turning up the music full blast and dancing – whatever it is that can interrupt the state of holiday frenzies.   Call it a “time out” if you will … and schedule as many of them as you need in order to get through the season.  Heck, be an inspiration for others to create their own seasonal “time outs.”  Sweat-inducing exercise can also help here - as well as assisting in keeping off those extra pounds from the yummy holidays feasts!

Keep in mind, as energetic beings we not only absorb, we transmit.  If we can find that stillness or ability to wash ourselves clean of the holiday stress, we can then help others do the same.  How much more joyful would that make this time of year?

So know that in closing, I most sincerely wish you –

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

A Month of Thanksgiving!

The month of Thanksgiving is here!  I say “month” because there really is so much to be thankful for that not all of it can fit into a single day.  Starting right off, the month begins with All Souls Day.  Though classically this observance is tied to the religiously faithful, the meaning behind it is still beautiful and poignant even if you’re not religious.   The day was set aside to offer prayers for the deceased (In the religious context, it was intended to offer prayers for those who had died being faithful to doctrine).  To me, whether one was religious or not, All Souls Day is an opportunity to honor and give thanks to our loved ones whose spirits gave us so much while alive, and lets them know they are not forgotten while they continue their journeys in the worlds of Spirit.

Next comes Veterans Day, November 11, in honor of what our men and women in the military have endured throughout the history of our country and their work throughout the world.  How many have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom?  I’m sure all of us would agree the death of just one person would be “too much.”  Thus, the incredible importance of this date in honoring the lives of all our military, both living and sacrificed. 

Another reason to hold this day deep within our hearts is due to its origin … November 11, 1918.  Such bloodshed and traumatic loss had not been so profoundly experienced before during World War I, at least not in the memories of those who were going through it.  Destruction and loss of life appeared on a massive scale, using technology developed during the burgeoning industrial revolution.  World War I was nicknamed “The Great War,” and for good reason … nearly 38 million casualties, ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history.  The war officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”   Perhaps if we could remember that point, someday it might come true.   So be sure to take time on Wednesday, November 11^th, to be thankful for everyone in our military, past, present, and future, for all they go through – the fears, the turmoil, the sacrifices.  Many of us, myself included, could never be so brave.

Of course, like a bow to tie off a package, there’s the national holiday of Thanksgiving.  Family, friends, and lots of great FOOD --to celebrate all that we have to be thankful for throughout the year.  To me, it’s similar to All Souls Day, except that the focus for me is on living people rather than the deceased.  Why?  Because it is so important to honor all our connections.  When we pass from this life, we can’t take anything with us – all we have are the bonds of our relationships.  We take with us the love and memories of the people in our lives, and that’s it.  Yes, we’ll take with us lessons we’ve learned from our earthly journey, but it’s our bonds to others that sustain us.  In mediumship, we often deal with clients (both living and on the Other Side) who discovered those bonds were unfortunately taken for granted, in which death has forced to bring to light.  For this reason, it’s important to reflect on our bonds now – Thanksgiving for the relationships we have – so we don’t feel regret when the inevitable happens.

Ultimately, November is about LOVE.  Love for those who have gone before us; who have made the ultimate sacrifice and faced the ultimate terrors; and for those whose love continues to nurture and sustain us -- a month truly about all the lives for which there can be nothing but Thanksgiving.

So let me say, I am thankful to all of you for allowing me to be of service.  It has truly been an honor.  I look forward to being of service in the years to come.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Summer Fun!

The summer is here!  Spring has come and gone, and the blog has been pretty silent.  It’s been quite an active time for me – 1-on-1 readings, some private home groups, a lot of personal development (falling down and getting back up) but most of all – training from halfway around the world! 

Arthur Findlay College

I spent two weeks in June at the fabulous Arthur Findlay College of mediumship and psychic studies in Stansted, England.  When I first signed up, I was told by other mediums who had previously attended the college that two weeks was too much; that the tutors were going to put me through boot camp (to the point I would question whether or not I had any mediumistic ability or wonder why I got into mediumship in the first place).  After having gone through the experience, the rumors – for me – were only half-true.  Indeed -- two weeks was too much.  By the second week, my cup had overflowed from the first week – I had still yet to process all of it!  Nevertheless, I pushed through week two and came out at the end fulfilled, happy, and with a real sense of accomplishment – not only for myself, but also for my classmates.  Yes, the tutors do work you hard, but that’s the point of being there; to learn and stretch yourself.  I walked away having a much clearer sense of my abilities, my strengths and weaknesses, and a whole wonderful group of new amazing and fantastic mediumistic friends from around the world.  (Thanks to my Japanese friends, I am starting to take Japanese language courses, with the intent to travel to Tokyo in the next few years and hopefully be able to do some readings there).

New Friends from Around the World

The other half of this amazing trip was touring London.  My wife joined me after my time at the college and we spent nearly two weeks visiting castles, monuments, and museums.  I swear, the entire history of the world is right there in London, when you factor in all the sensational museums!  (The real Rosetta Stone is at the British Museum – how cool is that?). 

Hampton Court

A few of the highlights were visiting Hampton Court (home of King Henry VIII -- and so much other incredible history, including the commencement of the King James Bible) and the Tower of London.  Why the tower?  If you check out my blog entries from August/September 2010 (you can find those on the right-side bar), you’ll read about my experiment to link with the ill-fated Anne Boleyn, second wife to Henry VIII.  The trip to the tower brought additional confirmation from that reading, demonstrating the validity of the link. (In that reading, Anne had shown me the face of the church where they had interred her body.  I was stunned when I suddenly realized I was looking right at, with a plaque commemorating her burial.  Additionally, I purchased a fantastic book ‘The Lady in the Tower’ which chronicled her time at the tower and her execution, which brought further validations from that reading). 

Memorial showing Anne's execution at the Tower, May 1536

While at the site, I opened up and asked Anne to come forward, which she did, giving me a few more bits of data which I’ve been able to confirm, thanks to the Lady in the Tower book.  (I will be returning again next year, and will be doing some specific work connecting with Anne and these locations.  I can’t wait to see wait unfolds). 

Outside the Chapel where Anne is Interred

London is an amazing city; a definite hub for cultures from around the world.  8 million people crowd the metropolis.  Thankfully, their transit system is top notch!  The underground tube stations are incredibly easy to understand, making travel to various destinations pretty much hassle-free, in terms of logistics, so you can avoid on-street traffic (which is a nightmare).  

High Rise Apartments 

With history going back to Roman times, the architecture of ancient buildings smack down in the middle of modern city blocks makes walking the town a real treasure for the senses.  For this Pacific Northwest native, everywhere I looked, I just wanted to gasp “Wow ...”  I love history, and in some way, the city’s past was evident on nearly every street.

Old Church Among Modernity

Now that I’m home, I’m following through with what all my assessment tutors from the college (and several mediumistic students) had told me I need to do, as given to them in their readings of spirit for me.  That is, to finish writing Volume II of the Afterlife Interviews; I’m almost done typing the first draft now.  (Actually, they didn’t say Afterlife Interviews specifically – though a few them were spot on as to the book’s nature and content design.  In addition, it was said that there will be a few more books relating to spirit which I will write, and that the information will go much deeper than what is typically presented in the mainstream).  The other thing that consistently came up from spirit – and I found this absolutely fascinating – was to “write that screenplay.”  No one knew I had a background in screenwriting (that was my first love of writing, and I’ve actually had the privilege to pitch to Hollywood producers in the past).  I’ve had an idea for a script the last six months, and it came up consistently from spirit in many of the readings to “get to work on it.”  So I’m currently in “research mode” to gather the data for the storyline.  Right now, the working title is “Chasing Echoes.”  And, yes, it deals with mediumship and working with spirit (that’s all I’m going to say about it for now J).  Naturally, I am also continuing to hone and develop my mediumship skills, taking all that I have learned from the college and stretching myself with it.  That, in combination with all the writing – I’m definitely working for spirit! 

As summer turns into Fall and Winter, don’t hesitate to contact me for your own personal reading, or to set up a private home group.  Spirit wants to communicate!  I am honored and blessed to help make that connection. 

Have a great summer everyone!

With much love,

Jeffrey

 

Resurrecting Leonora Piper - A Book Review

I have never done a book review before, but just had to do it for a tome I finished two weeks ago.  As many of my friends know, one of my hobbies is studying the history of parapsychology – in particular, Victorian-era psychical research and the mediums that were investigated.  My favorite medium from the period is Leonora Piper (1857-1950).  She came to prominence in the 1880’s – a demure Boston housewife who unwittingly became a trance medium quite accidentally after visiting a medium herself.  While in the presence of the medium, she lost complete consciousness, only to find out later she had been taken over by spirit.  Her mediumship was something which baffled her and she relented to tests most people would run away from in order to understand it and further the cause of psychical research.  Some of the things she had to deal with from researchers ranged from being followed by private investigators to see if she was gathering information about potential sitters fraudulently; she was denied sitter’s real names and instead introduced by pseudonyms; she was even harassed by some investigators who – while in trance – pricked her skin and scorched her tongue with acid.

The book “Resurrecting Leonora Piper: How Science Discovered the Afterlife” by Mark Tymn took on Piper’s mediumship from the standpoint of a lawyer arguing a case in court.  Now, I’ve read quite a bit on Piper’s work, but what made this book really stand out was that Tymn no doubt did his research.  He quoted the actual transcripts from various cases, as if we were right there in the room during the communication.  He then followed up with how the sitters responded and cross-examined the data points allegedly brought through by the spirits.  Through this lens, the author effectively argued against the typical accusations charged against Piper’s authenticity.  By careful consideration, Tymn was able to show that the supernormal information she received was not a form of ESP with her client, or SuperPsi (information from a cosmic mind) or anything representing fraud.  He followed her career from when she first began, utilizing a spirit control named Phinuit, then through the years of the Imperator regime, moving between trance mediumship and automatism -- allowing the reader to be a part of Piper’s evolution as a medium.  Other authors have outlined this same evolution, however it has usually been a dry and academic description, whereas Tymn brings a sense of humanity; a person who developed as a result of her condition and the demands of spirit.   

The other thing which really made this book stand out was that the author went into far more detail about cases already known about Piper’s mediumship, such as George Pellew and the Cross Correspondences, yet he didn’t stop there (as most pro-mediumship authors do).  He found several other noteworthy cases in the transcripts and cited them to again demonstrate the likelihood of spirit interaction as being the best evidence for the information she had received. 

But like any good lawyer, he was aware that not every sitting Piper conducted was a success.  As a practicing medium myself, the gem of the book came when the transcripts revealed the spirits explaining why communication wasn’t always easy – and why it sometimes out-and-out failed.  First, the information was introduced through George Pellew, a man that as a reader, we only knew was an acquaintance of Richard Hodgson, Piper’s investigator who researched her for 18 years.   Yet when Hodgson unexpectedly died and starting coming through Leonora a week after his passing, we began to see what the stumbling blocks for spirit communication were and still are today – plus, we are emotionally tied to Hodgson, having direct knowledge of his work with Piper.  As Hodgson’s spirit gained more ability and thus more confidence in communication, he was able to explain the difficulty from the spirit’s point-of-view.  This has helped me in understanding the two-way street that we as mediums drive on when linking with spirits.

The finale for spirit survival was when Tymn talked about (if only briefly) the Cross Correspondences.  This has got to be the most ignored or covered up piece of psychical research in history that – for most of the scientists who studied it – was scientific proof for life after death, based on the evidence.  Here, we have several cases where three (or more) mediums located thousands of miles apart from around the world (separated by oceans) received cryptic messages from the same spirit (or spirits, depending on the case) that only made sense once all the fragments were combined.  It is considered highly suggestive, if not definitive proof of intelligence surviving death.  In one case, the investigator requested the spirit of psychical researcher FWH Myers to draw a particular symbol when coming through the other mediums involved in the correspondence – which the spirit of Myers did accomplish.  

After reading this book, I am so amazed that the information is not more widely known.  The mediumship of Mrs. Piper turned many a skeptical inquirer -- physicists, psychologists, and lay-persons alike -- into believers.  William James, arguably considered one of the pioneers of modern psychology, considered her his “White Crow,” meaning that it only takes one white crow to prove not all crows are black – demonstrating that psychic and mediumship abilities can exist within the human condition.  Tymn convincingly demonstrates that there was no other explanation for the details and personalities that came through Piper other than spirit communication.  For me, Piper demonstrated details to a much greater extent than some of today’s most accurate and notable mediums and it baffles me that we still wrestle with the question of “Is it real”? 

Resurrecting Leonora Piper, if presented in a court of law, clearly answers that question in the affirmative.   

232 Pages

White Crow Publishing

Available at Amazon.com

Communicating with Spirits - It's Natural! Part 1

There is a belief system out there – maybe it’s one you’ve had or you know of someone who has it – that says “if spirits are real, isn’t it unnatural for them to be interacting with us?”  In other words, if there is a spirit realm and an earth realm, doesn’t it stand to reason that because they are separate places of existence that one should not be able to effectively interact with the other?  Almost like some kind of rule that says if you live in environment “A” you should not be able to communicate with environment “B”? 

It’s a belief system that has been passed down to us through the generations.  On one hand, we ask for God or angels or some other heavenly beings to impress the earthly environment to help us out when we pray, but on the other hand, we also hear “talking to spirits is not right.”  In the past (and even today) it is sometimes viewed as witchcraft or leaving one’s self open to communing with Satan if one wishes to “talk to dead people.”  Here, we get the usual sound-bites “You’re not talking to a deceased person – it’s the devil in disguise.”  What I find interesting is that those who usually make that declaration hardly have the qualitative knowledge to know such things, as they lack any experience or breadth of study in spirit communication since their own belief system keeps them totally isolated and sterilized from it. 

Nevertheless, to say that because one is living in environment “A” and should not be allowed to communicate with someone in environment “B” is like saying you can’t have two people in two different rooms of a house talk to each through an open doorway or some other intercom system … or even through the wall itself.  When we really take a closer look at it, living environments are for the expression and expansion of experience, but that doesn’t negate the ability to communicate with others in different rooms.  In fact, as I hope to demonstrate through this first of two posts, it is not only common, it is natural for communication to take place – and quite possibly, was meant to happen.

Let’s face it, when looking through the annals of history -- with stories of divine intervention, ghosts, portents revealed by deceased relatives (and these are by sane, normal, rational people) -- it is clear that spirits interpenetrate the physical realm all the time.  Quite frankly, this functionality has been a part of reality since the beginning and is considered a natural part of existence in many indigenous cultures. 

We must recall that we are spirits having a human experience.  Due to a bit of effort (intention), we have brought our awareness into this physical dimension, yet our home is really the spiritual realm.  We condition our awareness to be present in this earthly domain for the purposes it yields, in terms of growth and expansion.  Yet this does not negate that we still have parts of our soul in connection to our homeland, and are therefore co-existent with that original dimension.  This grants us continued access to it; the functionality needed to engage in cross-dimensional communication.

When we incarnate into the earthly sphere, we have asked several of our friends left in spirit to help us along in our intentions for being here.  These helpers are spirit guides, angels, whatever you would like to call them.  That we have asked them to assist goes to show that they have the ability to interpenetrate into this realm in order to do their requested tasks – otherwise, our requests for their help would be useless.  In “testing” these helpers (as many of us who are on this type of spiritual path have done), they have demonstrated that they 1) Can communicate via the mind with verification occurring in the objective world outside imagination; 2) Can orchestrate physical events that work in sending a message; 3) Can protect us from harm by either mental instruction or actual physical intervention.  This demonstrates the ability that spirit is meant to be able to interpenetrate – it is not “abnormal” or otherwise “illegal.”  Let’s face it, if they weren’t meant to, they wouldn’t be able to, nor would we ask for their assistance to interpenetrate on our behalf.  On some level, we know this interaction is capable of occurring – and that it is all right.    

Now, this interpenetration is not 24/7 for each individual, for we are here in the flesh for a reason and they are simply here to assist – not to live their lives focused in this world, nor doing our personal bidding.  (If they were to be so focused, they would have incarnated themselves and given us a chain to hold them with).  This does not mean they do not spend chunks of time interacting or that they are not meant to have the ability to interact – or that we are not meant to have the same interaction back into their realm with them. 

When you factor in the notion that everyone has at least 1 or 2 spirit helpers (and usually quite a few more), and that when people are aware of them, greater communication commences … this becomes a loud roar that signals spirit having the right and ability to interpenetrate naturally and organically into the environment.  Though I may not be getting messages from my spirit helpers at this very moment (it isn’t necessary), that doesn’t mean spirit isn’t acting on somebody else’s benefit right now.  On a planet with 7 billion people, guaranteed, millions of spirits are right now sending thoughts, messages, and doing work to orchestrate their alliance with people living here.  And these are just the spirit guides!  But imagine that interaction happening right now … All over the planet …

Now, let’s take into account those friends and relatives who have died -- another level of spiritual “populace” in conjunction with guides and angels.  Many people often feel their lost loved ones nearby after they have passed.  Many claim to talk to them in dreams or receive psychic communication from them.  Moreover, in many cases, these deceased loved ones have demonstrated interpenetration by apporting objects and also making complex events happen in the objective “out-there” world to the benefit of people still here.  Now, add that to the work being done by people’s spirit guides and helpers across the planet at this very moment … Millions of people are getting messages from their lost loved ones in so many different ways … Millions are getting inspiration and messages from their spirit guides, too.  Cross-dimensional communication and interpenetration is happening all the time.

Spirit is interacting with us constantly.  Naturally.  It is not paranormal, it is normal.

This is all supposed to be happening.  It is a natural part of existence and reality. 

Part Two: The Greater Picture, The Larger Act of Awareness

The Inner Landscape

Hello, again, everyone! This week’s blog is a mixture of information received during a meditation and the culmination of some research into the psychic “landscape.” We are always curious about where and how psychic information is perceived and received, and while on vacation I chanced upon a book written by a well-respected and researched medium from the 1930’s – 1960’s. She talked about how she was compelled to follow the “inner landscape” which gave her the psychic information she was receiving. Her description of the environment was inspiring and matched often what I have felt when receiving psychic information. So, for the last few weeks, I have focused on the concept “inner landscape” and received some messages about our interaction with it. Hopefully this entry will inspire you to check it out for yourself! Have a great week!

_______________________________________________________

(The details were taken from a meditation and have been re-written in the third person for ease of narrative.)

The ego-mind is engaged mainly in the “upper” portion of perceiving reality, and it’s usually focused on the external part of our experiences – what’s out in front of us in the physical environment – utilizing the standard five senses. The physical body, however, can perceive greater vistas and is not confined to the “beam” of external sights “outside.” In that sense, the inner senses of the physical organism can provide a more holistic and encompassing perception than strictly the ego-mind can, as the ego-mind sifts what it takes in – keeping what it wants and discarding the rest, based on one’s personal beliefs and attitudes.

We have labeled the body’s perceptions and information – that deep inner voice and landscape – as the “subconscious” or “unconscious.” Whether this is actually part of the body or that it is merely accessible by the body’s inner senses, it doesn’t much matter; but we are given a chance to enter into union with this locale. Such designations of “subconscious” or “unconscious” make us think and feel that access to the domain are hidden or somehow “not in view” of our normal conscious minds and requires a great amount of work, mystery, and thus distrust (and dare I say, suspicion?).

This is actually not the case.

It’s not that this inner consciousness is “sub” (meaning below or less-than), or even “un” (meaning “not,” as in “not- conscious” and hence inaccessible); rather, this inner ocean is just the “ignored consciousness.” It is flowing right there in full view, vigor, and splendor – we have just lost touch with acknowledging and honoring it. What’s worse, with the aforementioned designations, we are telling ourselves that it’s really not easily seen, heard, much less understood, so we build up beliefs which amount to barriers that need to be addressed and removed from the ego-mind before coming into its full embrace and receive its wisdom. Well, when you ignore something for so long, that happens …

As mentioned earlier, in the past few weeks I have focused on going deeper into this landscape. What I am discovering is that this inner environment is highly intelligent and detail oriented. That is, I am beginning to believe that it can communicate in finer detail than we do in normal consciousness – it’s not confined by the limitations of language. The work comes in taking time to learn its unique linguistics: the sights, sounds, symbols and feelings it utilizes in presenting information. And since it is holistic, it takes into account an infinite amount of variables that our normal conscious “up there” brain filters out.

This inner landscape is part and parcel of a pervading consciousness field that all life shares – meaning, it is the larger field of knowledge and information that is eternal and all-encompassing in nature. Our personalities burst from this field in the course of a lifetime, and unfortunately, we unwittingly lose sight of it and ignore it for modes of thinking in the “external” world, of which we forget were seeded and birthed from this field in the first place.

This is where information perceived as “psychic” resides. The term “psychic” is again a term that we as a species have created (obviously – we write our own language). At one point in our several hundred thousand year history, the abilities perceived as “mystical, psychic experiences” were a normal part of our everyday lives. We would not have grown out of the Stone Age without them, as they were used to foresee eminent dangers to individual and tribe; to “remote view” where the good hunting grounds were located; to communicate with deceased ancestors for wisdom and guidance. But eventually we turned away from acknowledging and utilizing this inner field and its information in lieu of defining the “out there” experience as being somehow separate and divisible from us, by virtue of its physical appearance and how, at times, it appears to come “at” us rather than “from” us. I guess this could be perceived as the Fall from Grace. Those who remained conscious of the “unconscious” could perceive events as being seeded and grown from this primal well of all creation, but as more and more people took to adopting a new way of thinking and relating to the outside world, the more the inner landscape lost its light, its luster, grew “out-of-focus” until it was finally relegated to being a “sub” portion of our being, instead of the very base of all we are and do. So now, when this inner portion is accessed and its typical information brought forth, it “appears” mysterious, miraculous, or somehow “not normal” (when in fact, it really should be), and hence we have applied the term “psychic” with all its other-worldly connotations.

Nevertheless, this inner landscape is a vital part of everyone. We just have to learn to look within, and upon that glance, dip our toe into the water and decide whether or not we really wish to remain upon the shore or dive in and swim.

‘til next time!

Relationships: The Purpose of Life

In an earlier post I alluded to the notion of mediumship as being a relationship between the medium and the deceased. I thought a bit more about that concept of relationship and came upon a profound realization: Relationships are really what we’re all about.

We have often heard the saying that when we die, there’s nothing we can take with us. In the sense of physical belongings, this is true. However, we do take our connections to friends and family. That is, our ties with everyone we had any type of relationship with remains within us, and it is those bonds that define us, and ultimately inspires the act of communicating across the void.

When we look back on our lives and consider the ramifications of our actions, the ultimate declaration is how it affected others in combination with ourselves. Again, this points to our relationships, and not something physically tangible. Reports of the “life review” from those who have returned from near death experiences reveal that the process places the newly deceased within the shoes of those who they affected; they get to feel the emotions – happiness, sadness, turmoil – that enveloped the people who they shared experiences with. This showcase of becoming the other person highlights that our relationships are the primal force behind our lives. It doesn’t matter how much money someone makes; it doesn’t matter how many or how few “toys” one accumulates. No, what matters is how we bond with one another and affect one another.

Stories of reincarnation further cement this notion. We always hear of people who come back together, sharing lives and balancing “karmic debt” amongst one another, revealing that our current environment is really nothing more than a contextual stage of which to address things of much greater relevance: our relationships. That these encounters can sometimes last for decades highlights that it is our bonds which really drive the course of our lives. When we think about success, we envision being surrounded by adoring friends and family, praising us and congratulating our efforts. Conversely, when we think of failure, we often think of being ridiculed or abandoned. This shows we view our outcomes in what we feel as being in relationship to others. Either those relationships are positive, pointing to our success, or negative, revealing our failures.

Relationships cross the void of life and death. Everything else physically comes to an end when we die. Likewise, we also leave things behind from the spiritual realms when we incarnate into a body. In either case, our relationships – our bonds to people – remain. They don’t change. And it’s what we continue enjoying and working to improve throughout our histories, whether we are on earth or on the Other Side.

What I came to realize this week is that the meaning of life … may be the meaning of our relationships. Earlier, I would have said it’s about becoming the most magnificent soul you can be – uncovering and harnessing all your abilities. That may still be true in a certain sense, but in the grand scheme, who you become will still have an effect on others, pointing to the realization that the concept of relationship is really what it’s all about. How does your change and growth not only affect you, but also others? This will be the marker for which you measure the success of your existence. It’s still what will be played back to you at the time of your life review.

What really makes our lives is the quality of our relationships. They can be good, bad, or indifferent. Much of what we feel inside is wrapped up with our bonds and cannot be stripped away. The nature of our relationships, in fact, is the real currency in our experience. For those whom we share nurturing and caring bonds, scientific studies have shown amplified effects when it comes to producing results with random number generators and intentioned healing in comparison to single individuals or strangers that get paired up without any history together. ESP studies also show better results when it comes to sending and receiving information if tested with bonded pairs.

The one thing that carries with us no matter whether we are on earth or on the Other Side are our relationships. When you strip all else away, our bonds remain. Our connections to people continue. It is what we engage in constantly. It is our eternal natures and provides the ultimate meaning for our lives.

This provides another reason why we must learn to love one another, for we cannot escape that it is our bonds that make our lives – and hence the quality of our existence and our universe.

Consider the wars. Consider the celebrations. Consider the little tiffs or a gentle smile. Either way, they are about bonding, our relationships, those things which give our moments meaning. And now that I think about it, they give our moments the greatest meaning possible.

It’s all about our relationships.

Til next time …

Psychic Mediumship as Relationship

As a left-brain analytical kind of guy, when it comes to psychic functioning, the way I naturally approached it was like looking at parts of an engine: Part A goes into Part B which results in the functionality of C. In many cases, this kind of logic has won out – insights were gained, processes were learned, and development ensued. However, this kind of reasoning cannot account for unknown variables and has, on occasion, been used as a method at trying to find the elusive needles in the parapsychological haystack. Unfortunately, such things are incredibly hard to tease out and I’m still left with not fully understanding how certain functions operate. This ignorance sometimes fills my rational mind with an irrational conclusion of “Since you don’t understand the complete overall mechanism, you cannot perfect the usage of it.” This is like saying, because I don’t understand how the drive shaft of an automobile operates, I shouldn’t be able to drive the darn vehicle.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

In my course to better understand or have a deeper connection and ability with uncovering psychic functions, the first step to gathering such data has always been by going into meditation and letting go of all the expectations, anticipation, and harbored belief systems inside my consciousness that might hinder revelation. By simply stating within myself “I do not know how such-and-such operates,” I can then let go of all things that I might introduce as filters to incoming information. In saying “I do not know,” I must be willing to release any and all barriers and accept that such filters may be the very reason why ignorance has prevailed over knowledge in my humble pursuits.

When it comes to communicating with spirits in the act of mediumship, I have learned a great deal about the process through my own decades-long career, as well as studying the literature of psychic investigators analyzing legitimate mediums going back over a century. Having this information has been truly priceless in understanding the theoretical processes of how information from the deceased is filtered through the medium to delivery for the sitter. But like most psychics (or I at least assume) I am always trying to find the puzzle piece that allows for more information to be revealed … more exacting data to provide greater, deeper, and more detailed communication. In essence, I have been studying the drive-shaft of my vehicle and forgetting that I am already steering the car with my foot on the gas!

Though I consider mediumship a process in terms of entry and understanding of information, it may not necessarily be so left-brain precise as looking at a schematic of a mechanical device. With mediumship, the sender and the receiver – the spirit and myself, respectively – are not machines. We are consciousness. And though sometimes consciousness can behave with a certain degree of predictability like a machine, that doesn’t mean we are cog-and-wheel devices. The act of communication, whether with someone who is deceased or with your best friend who is still alive, isn’t so much about knowing the intricacies of the quantum field network that allows for the vibrations of sound to hit your eardrums or how a frequency produces the sound or imagery deep inside the cortexes of the brain, it is about the relationship you are engaged in.

In talking with a friend, you don’t worry about how your friend transmits his voice and how you’re hearing it; you’re more in tune with the nature of the conversation and making that emotional and psychological bond with your partner. As you strive to connect, the both of you reach a state of synchrony – that is, your body movements react in tandem to the tone of the conversation. A bystander who cannot hear the words would still be able to see the connection the two of you share because of the way you move in concert with one another. If he could hear the general tone, he would notice how the inflections and style of speech also follow each other. Though the cadence may have been a bit muddled when the conversation started, scientists have discovered that people synchronize in multiple ways during conversations, and the longer they communicate, the more they connect and mirror each other. Through this mirrored behavior, the two have essentially bonded and become entangled. And this entanglement is not so different from the entanglement we hear about in quantum mechanics.

In quantum mechanics when two particles become entangled, they share data and mirror each other even after they have been separated – no matter what the distance. If you separate two entangled particles to the tune of a million miles, if you switch the spin axis on one, the other particle will immediately spin in suit, even though the span of an entire galaxy may exist between them! In conversation with another individual, fortunately the distance isn’t that vast – just a few feet really – and this allows for a type of macro version of relational entanglement similar to our quantum cousins.

How does this help us with psychic abilities?

By understanding that, yes, there is a process going on during communication with a spirit, but what is also happening is the building of a relationship. The communication between spirit and medium is theoretically no different than you talking with your friend. We may believe a “barrier” exists that separates us, but in the end, that may be a complete misnomer when we consider how two people begin to synchronize and entangle through the bond of communication itself.

In attempting to understand the mechanics of communication transfer, the preoccupation of the process may inhibit that deeper connection that occurs when one is truly focused on the conversation and the relationship as it is occurring in the moment. As two people connect through the act of conversation, entrainment happens and several aspects of their minds, behavior, and even blood flow, begin to synchronize and move in harmony with one another. This happens naturally, and if one were to get too wrapped up in the analysis of the mechanics, the possibility of interrupting that harmony becomes greater.

Communication happens when the sender (spirit) and the receiver (medium) are in sync. We have heard many times that the energy of the deceased is faster than ours, and so they have to slow down; while conversely we on the earth plane attempt to “speed up” and meet with the discarnate in the energetic middle. It is at this space where synchronization, entrainment, energetic coherence – the hallmarks of entanglement — occurs. In other words, the energies vibrate at a similar frequency and it is at that point where information can begin to transfer from one mind to another. The similar frequencies allows the data to “leap” from Sender to Receiver because, essentially, they have bonded; a bridge exists through the act of synchrony. This doesn’t mean there aren’t obstacles or other variables that can create distortions and variances and invite occasional confusion in the course of psychic informational exchange. However, once synchronization has been achieved, it can be theorized that these obstacles are negligible and not massive barriers that completely confound reception and loss of the spirit’s intended meaning. The incoming information might be confusing with the inclusion of unintended distortions or psychic “static”, but with a little work, effort, letting go of expectations and internal strife, they may be overcome through the bond – the energetic entanglement – of the relationship.

Perhaps, then, another clue in psychic development is not only to understand the mechanical process of how a certain type of functioning theoretically operates, but also to engage in the depth of the relationship itself. The deeper and more meaningful the relationship is to spirit, the more that relationship might engage all the facets one is trying to figure out mechanically and analytically. It is through the entanglement of the relationship, that active bond, where the processes (perhaps unbeknownst to the logical left-brain mind) are inspired and emboldened to activate.

In the end, by pursuing that deeper relationship, the rewards may be greater than simply receiving a better or more enhanced opportunity for communication. Instead, you begin to acknowledge the ties that bind all life everywhere; that there is no distinction between where you end and where the world of spirit begins. By the nature of your entanglement through the act of such meaningful relationships, you are intrinsically bound, bonded, and wedded to all life, both seen and (typically) unseen.

Remembering Rose

This week I received the sad news of the passing of one of my eldest clients, Rose, affectionately known as “Grammy.” I met Grammy at my first private household group reading back in 2007. Though her body was frail because of her advanced age, when it came time to do her reading, her spiritual energy was still a fiery whirlwind of desire and exuberance. Over the course of several years and numerous readings, it was clear that Grammy led one heck of a life, filled with drive and zest. It was always a hoot when I would connect with one of her deceased husbands.

“I have a male here who he’s really close to you … There’s an age gap …. He’s passing a lot of affection to you – a husband figure.”
“They all wanted me. Oh god - which one is it?”

It was obvious, Grammy was quite the hot momma back in her younger years, leaving a trail of ex-husbands in her wake. Listening to these boisterous readings, through the laughter one could sense that she never wished to be tied down and wanted to live life to its fullest. Even still, you could tell she loved all her husbands, and they all loved her. And each husband, by the nature of her energy and the information that came though, was a relationship filled with fiery magnetism. She outlived them all, but in the course of these readings, her sway over them remained. I can remember one reading where 3 or 4 them came through, giving some quick evidential material to identify themselves, then commented about how they were all sitting around the card table partying and waiting to see her again. In the last few years when she was able to attend the group sittings, she was always curious about when that next cowboy was going to ride in and sweep her off her feet.

But things got tough, as they always do. In the latter end of her golden years, her passion for romance soon shifted into a desire to simply be free of pain. Her body hurt; it was tired. And the last time I saw Grammy, I think it was around November or December, when I took her hand to better connect with her energy, it was clear some of her fire had dwindled. (Even still, ex-husbands were there to say how much they loved her, and also provide a few quick glimpses of moments from the past that would get everyone laughing). Naturally, Grammy’s family was wondering how much longer she had, and I, too, wondered. The contrast of her energy from earlier readings to that final sitting was definitely different; but it was to be expected. Still, I knew I wasn’t going to get answer of when the dreaded timeframe would be for her departure, and to be honest, I wouldn’t have wanted to hear it in the first place.

The course of the last year was a tumultuous one, for both Grammy and her family. There were periods where they thought she was going to pass away, but then her fire would come back. I remember forecasting a series of months where things were going to get really tough physically and medically, and everyone wondered (including myself) if that was going to be “the time.” When those months came, a few events did trumpet some big struggles. Throughout the course of her decline, there were times when she would stop eating and drinking; she would become incredibly stubborn and difficult to deal with. But, when you’re holding onto life, or recalling your younger years when your body could exercise the choices of your mind, no doubt frustration and anger boils up as a natural reaction to the dissonance of mind to body, coupled with a sense of spiritual repression as things wind down. “To stay or to go” had to be a tremendous struggle for her. When one lived life with such gusto as she, how do you approach what can only be perceived as the end?

The last time I saw her, I was so honored. It was a testament to her strength, just to be there.

Earlier this week, I started receiving some signs. I did not know who they were for. When I saw an image of a Raven land on my kitchen counter while washing dishes, there was an unmistakable sense of knowing, someone was about to pass. And when you receive such a chill, it’s hard to shake off. I wasn’t told who, and truth be known, my emotions probably would’ve blocked the information.

The next day at work, my car was practically dive-bombed by a crow – a relative of the Raven. Here was another sign, which sent my mind spinning. To my detriment, the week was busy with many projects and events, keeping me way too tired to do my usual morning meditations. Perhaps if I had, I would’ve been open to receiving more information …

Then I received two more signs … A crow flew right by my head, nearly striking me as it went. The definitive answer came when I did my radio interview with Rhonda Hohmann on Wednesday. She mentioned she had pulled an animal card earlier in the day. When she said it was a butterfly, my heart sank. Though the card itself had a very upbeat and positive message for Rhonda, the butterfly itself is a personal symbol I had chosen over a year ago to represent that someone was going to pass over to the Other Side … A caterpillar getting its wings. The butterfly symbol came through significantly a week before my cat passed last year, so there was no doubt when Rhonda said it was the butterfly card she had received, the spirits were not only giving her a positive message regarding her experience, but also telling me “This is it. Someone will be passing shortly.”

I got the news Thursday evening through a friend. I knew at that moment, it indeed was Grammy the spirits were warning me about. When I contacted her family to give my condolences, they told me how her caregivers could feel the time was close. Terri, her granddaughter, had connected with spirit guides earlier in the week through her spiritual development circle, and they informed her Grammy would pass within 3 days – and they were right. My friend Carol, when she tried to psychically check in on Grammy before the end, mentioned all she could pick up was a very high-energy, high-level being protecting her. She detected this being around the same timeframe I had started to see the Raven and crows. Carol wasn’t given a date, but the presence of this awesome angel gave her the real sense of foreshadow.

As I turned away from my desk when receiving the news, I wondered when it would be before I would hear from her. I’ve connected with the newly departed in the past, in some cases within just a couple of days. Curiosity getting the best of me, I opened my senses just a little. I didn’t expect Grammy to come through, and indeed she did not. Instead, however, I was given a wonderful snapshot of moments just after her departure.

All the loves of her life were there, welcoming her as they said they would. And I was shown Grammy with an awestruck gaze, smiling joyously, FEELING free and gasping “Oh my! This is so wonderful! Why did I wait so long to finally experience this side of life?” She was definitely ready to burst with that fire, passion, and exuberance that I was so honored to experience from her several years ago – bursting brighter than she had been in decades. There was this definite sense of casting off the physical world without a moment’s hesitation – running off into the sunrise of newfound bliss.

Grammy’s life and death has affected a great many people. For me, she is my first client to pass away while I still do this work. She is my first client the spirits tried to forewarn me about with a message of demise. It is sad and I will miss her at the gatherings, yet I know in just a few short months, her energy will come back into my field again and we will have a great conversation. I suspect, it is going to be one of the most profound and moving sittings of my life. I wonder, selfishly, how it will change me.

No doubt, with Grammy, it will be filled with excitement, passion, and laughter.

Until we meet again, Grammy, I will be here ready to hear from you …

Jeffrey