Background Article on Paul's Development of Trance Mediumship 

Spirits Speaking from the Heart at Tranquil Spirit

Channeling Spirit Communication through Trance Mediumship

Background

Article Published in the "Psychic News" on 19th January 2002

My Spiritual Experience

Two and a half years ago saw one of those points in my life where the desire to have concrete evidence of survival came more to the fore. This time I was seeking a more direct and personal experience than that provided by my occasional visits to spiritualist churches over the years. I approached the venture with an investigative approach, little thinking that it would be myself that would become the subject of investigation and the decision was one that would radically transform my life and that of my family.

The enterprise started with the purchase of a ouija board. While the device has its critics, and to a certain extent with good reason, it has also been used by many seekers, including a number of famous ones, in their first explorations of spirit contact. Also, I am a firm believer in “like attracting like”, and therefore good intent will attract benevolent spirits. So, fixing such an intent firmly in mind, my wife Eileen and myself started to sit on a regular basis two to three times a week.

It was not long before we were contacted by a number of spirits, who indicated that they were working together as a group. The clarity of the communication through the board was variable and much of the time the spirits showed a preference for using its symbols and images rather than the letters. This may however have been part of the plan. We found that the board’s indicator began to move less and less in response to questions and we were informed that they wished us to attune directly to them in order that we may receive communication through images. Sure enough the images came with a vividness and clarity that was surprising. Our regular attendance at weekly Meditation Sessions run at Stockport Christian Spiritualist Church was a great help during this development.

Time moved on and with it the next phase came. One night the board’s indicator started to move in a circular, rythmic motion, slowly coming to a halt. Simultaneously I felt what I can only describe as an independent energy filling me which took me slowly, but definitely, back into the chair in which I was sitting. Thus began the process of our spirit friends facilitating a deepening trance state, the practice of which now became a regular feature of our sitting. The spirits also indicated that they wished, in the future, to speak through me. At this stage in the proceedings I was unsure about the form that this would take.

The spirit group’s desire that we now communicate in new ways and put the board to one side was confirmed on a visit to London in the Autumn of 1999. We booked a sitting with Elizabeth Hill at the Spiritualist Association of Great Britain which proved to be fascinating. Amongst other things she informed us that the spirits who were working with us had said that we could dispense with “our ritual”, which we took to mean the board.

Many, many hours of patient sitting followed and on many occasions there seemed to be little sign of further development. However, over a period of time, the energy which had at first seemed to focus on my upper trunk and my mind, now started to focus on my throat and I began to get involuntary movements in the muscles of my throat. During this period I felt that the spirits were experimenting with me, trying to achieve “a good fit”. When further development did come it felt like a “bolt from the blue”. One night early in September 2000 we were starting a “routine” sitting when I said to Eileen: “My throat is quivering”. I had barely had time to get those words out when the first faltering words came out from Hai, the leader of our spirit group.

By coincidence or providence, a short time after this event we had the opportunity to attend some trance workshops with Mavis Pittilla. These proved most helpful, both in consolidating the development and in providing me with reassurance in working through the experiences and feelings which I was having at the time.

The fluency of the communication progressed rapidly and the number and variety of spirits who communicated also grew. Our Home Circle came into being and has recently had its first anniversary. While it is, in many respects, still early days, the last year has seen wide ranging developments, some of which seemed to come about almost by chance. One night a member of the Home Circle asked if it would be possible for one of our spirits to give us a guided meditation. Isleen‘s meditations have now become a regular feature, along with our discussions with an ever widening circle of spirit friends. While the spirit group have indicated that their main purpose is communication and teaching, they have also encouraged us to sit for physical phenomena. We have had some breezes and some of us have experienced tugs and taps, but we are still awaiting a major breakthrough on this front.

Over the last year Eileen and I have had to make a point of learning many new skills, not least because our spirit friends have expressed an interest in reaching outwards to others. Amongst other things this has involved me in learning some initial skills in web site design, the fruits of which can be viewed at www.tranquilspirit.info

I would not want to paint too euphoric a picture, for there have been the inevitable trials and tribulations on route, not least of which have been my own periodic doubts about what is actually taking place. These doubts have been further fueled by my earlier training in the social sciences and as a lecturer. The confirming evidence supplied by some mediums has been a great support through this. Opportunities to sit and talk with experienced mediums such as Stewart Alexander and Mavis Pittilla have also been of incalculable value. In spite of the difficulties, the positives of our experience have far outweighed the negatives. However, neither Eileen or myself could have imagined the significance and consequences of that decision to explore the possibility of personal spirit contact two and a half years ago.