Being Part of Spiritualism... True Free Thinking

Lately I have been reading a tirade about how people hide behind computers and are not involved in Spiritualism. The person behind the tirade assumes that because people no longer want what she is offering means that they are no longer involved in or interested in Spiritualism.

Funny how when you leave one Spiritualist Church its leaders assume you have left Spiritualism for good. Usually when one leaves a specific church they left because of leader ego issues and nasty politics.

As you search for a spiritual home have a good look at the congregation. Those with little no congregation usually have this problem because they are controlling and have tried to dominate others who used to willingly work for their churches and have now left.

The church I am now connected with has a growing congregation because the management really does work together. They don't have a Reverend and maybe this is a very good thing. Most of the Spiritualist churches that do have a Reverend are saddled with this individual's ego and need to control every aspect of the organization.

I am not saying that all Reverends are bad but way too many of the ones I have met have lost sight of working for Spirit because their warped egos have gotten in the way. This is a weakness of human nature that some folks think they are above. The sad fact is that those who think they are better than others they condemn are usually the worst offenders of the very personality faults they find in others in Spiritualism.

To them I would say just because I finally had to good sense to remove myself from your churches does not mean that I am no longer involved with Spiritualism. Now I am truly a free thinker and have never been more content.

Staff Appreciation Party for the Bayer Aspirin Company

On the evening of April 16th 2007, I had the opportunity to be part of the entertainment for the staff appreciation event for Bayer Aspirin Company employees held at the Intercontinental Hotel on Bloor St. Near Avenue Rd.

The event was an evening of Magic and Mystical entertainment. As part of the theme of the evening I was hired to work as a psychic providing brief readings for the guests at the event. In the 3 1/2 hours I worked I managed to read for about 25 people out of the 100 guests that were supposed to attend the event. I did not stop all evening and had a wonderful time with the folks who chose to have a reading!

The setting was elegant and the energy was fun spirited From what I understand the Bayer employees enjoyed the evening. I particularly hope they enjoyed readings with billets and Angel Cards. It was truly a pleasure to work for such a nice group of people and I would love to do this again in the future. My thanks goes out to Robert Mckone of Luminux in Vancouver BC who hired me to work this event.

Corporate event with Real Communications for Maple Leaf Foods Staff Appreciation Day

On February 28, 2007, I was part of a corporate event with Real Communications for Maple Leaf Foods Staff Appreciation Day. I must say that I enjoyed working with Real Communications they are a top notch event planning company. My experience doing this event was hassle-free and from all accounts, I understood that the staff at Maple Leaf Foods had a great time at their Caribbean theme day.

I had a great time doing mini readings for about 40 folks using billets and Angel Cards. I would really love to work with Real Communications again. They made the day fun for both the corporate participants as well as those of us who were hired to work the event.

FunPass Frazzled to Dazzled Party Event...

On February 22, 2007 I participated in a fun ladies event put together by FunPass Productions Inc. who are based out of Vancouver BC and can be found at www.funpass.ca.

The event was at Match Bar and Woodbridge ON and had a host of different venues for the ladies from massages to trendy shopping to psychic readings. For my part, I really enjoyed meeting new people and found the promoters very easy to work with. Kelly Petchiny-Marits (President & Founder of FunPass Productions Inc.) is a really nice woman with a tone of energy. It was fun doing billet and Angel card readings and being in that kind of party atmosphere turned out to be a fun way to pass the evening!

The best part was that the event raised almost $500 for the York Region Firefighter Calendar with the Silent Auction.

Unfortunately, it was the day of one of the last storms of this winter and that seemed to affect the number of attendees. If the weather had co-operated, I am sure it would have meant better results for the event. That said I would love to work with the FunPass Productions Inc. promoters again if they were to host another event in the Toronto area in the nicer weather.

My thanks goes out to Kelly Petchiny-Marits and the FunPass team for introducing me to their events!

Cosmic Triggers= Spiritualist/New Age Saviors? Avoiding Personal Responsibility?

As I read different posts and blogs in different places there has been much mumbo jumbo about Cosmic Triggers and the unbalancing impact these supposed triggers will have on people. I am not sure I buy this idea. More likely the people who are feeling the negative impact of these so-called cosmic triggers are just reaping the negative that they have put out in the universe in the past and want to find some other event on which to blame their problems and the related dissatisfaction in life that they are experiencing.

One might see how Cosmic Triggers are a crutch for those who do not want to take responsibility for what negativity they have drawn to themselves. I guess some Spiritualists can pontificate about personal responsibility but when it comes to themselves, they look to Cosmic Triggers to explain why their lives are circling the rim of the crapper spiritually, financially and on all other levels. If life were good these folks would not keep posting about Cosmic Triggers as a way to avoid taking personal responsibility for the condition their lives are in.

When Dogmatists Run The Show….

“Of all isms I think dogmatism the worst.”

-- English freethinker George Jacob Holyoake (1817-1906).

The most dogmatic individuals who are all about THEIR rules being the only GOOD Spiritualism constantly show their own inconstancy by trying to make all their students believe that their warped perceptions of Spiritualism are accurate and right while pontificating about the lack of dogma and creed in Spiritualism. While there may be no OFFICIAL dogma and creeds to follow, these leaders are so busy trying to fit everyone into their box that they cannot see how this action is a huge deterrent to building congregations and get mighty nasty when folks reject being boxed in. Hence why there are so many churches and so little true effort to work together and DEMONSTRATE The Brotherhood of Man by example from the leadership in Spiritualism.

While some churches and their leadership do see the badmouthing of other churches as a problem the norm is that “newbies” feed a bunch of negativity and nonsense (by those who profess positive attitudes) about how the other churches are “no good” and how "those people" are running other churches are degrading what they see as “true” Spiritualism. This rubbish comes from insecure folks who are so focused on trying (by any means) to keep people at their churches and lining their pockets.

Another inconsistency seems to be that certain people rail against “psychic parlor tricks” and “low level spiritual work”. They say that psychics are only reading from the physical energy/ aura around people. And yet these people are offering aura readings as a good example of mediumship? If the aura is only a reflection of the sitter’s mental, spiritual and physical state then offering aura reading is little more than a lazy way to read and is no better than the psychics that are supposedly lacking. It seems that the cheap psychic parlor tricks are ok if they draw in the cash though.

And more on burnout… some have the warped notion that to be truly spiritual you have to give till it hurts and that if you don’t then you are not truly a giver. Where is the balance of body, mind and spirit in that kind of thinking and expectation of others? Why then do such demanding leaders/ministers only have one or two workers that they drain to the point of burnout in the first place? Could it be that the more experienced workers see these leaders for the energy suckers they really are and have moved on long a go? Seems very likely and so if you enter a church and it is obviously a one woman/man show then you know that there is something wrong and to take a good look at what is really going on in the organization before you choose to get involved.

Good teachers learn and grow with the questions their students bring to them but too many are too wrapped up in their way being the right way to really consider the view of others who are just as qualified as they are! So the opinions of the “newbies” that have come to them as students will never be heard if truth be known. These so-called “teachers” pontificate about growth and evolution but when truly challenged to do so they balk at the idea and rant about why they must cling to the status quo. They even go so far as to become paranoid about others “taking over” the organization when all that is really offered are ideas to help move the organization in the direction the leader professes that he or she wants it to go. How is being so paranoid about one’s position and status a sign of positive connection to spirit?

Good teachers also are able to learn from other teachers and do not try to one up them in front of the students because they feel jealous and insecure. Good teachers make sure to check the content of guest teachers’ teaching materials BEFORE the class and make sure that everyone is on the same page! The sign of a truly inept teacher is one who does not do the prep work and then has so little respect for the other volunteers working for him or her that he or she insists on cornering them publicly in front of the class. Shoddy presentation if that is the way he or she runs the show! Yep natural law works well and negativity might be gauged by student responses to the course material’s lack of substance and negative attitude of the said teacher to the guest teachers who were working for free while the cash flowed into the said teacher’s pocket. Again I ask whose church is dying while other churches are building nicely and teachers have more students that space permits. Seems the said teacher who was belittled in front of a class of less then 5 has 17 of his own students and other home circles need more room to accommodate interested seekers! Where people are NOT going is a sure sign of where negativity exists in full force!

Yes the internet is full of information and yes discrimination and discernment is key but for those who do their church shopping online the ideas I have expressed in the last few blogs do not just apply to the online presence these organizations have but also should help interested seekers ask truly informed questions of those who set themselves up as “teachers” in Spiritualism. The savvy seeker will take what they read online from and about the said church and enter that organization with their eyes open. They will be asking questions about the leadership, the educators and the vitality of the organization which the dogmatists running the show may find difficult to answer! That open challenge by informed seekers is where the evolution lies. Questioning and taking their church membership to places that have reasonable answers to the questions forces dogmatic dinosaurs to be accountable to the public on the public’s terms.

How to find a TRULY HEATHY and THRIVING Spiritualist Church/Learning Centre! #2--Critical Media Literacy and Website Analysis--Spiritualism Content

On reflecting on my last blog entry I realized that I forgot to add a few other details about how a truly healthy and thriving Spiritualist Church promotes itself if it wants continue to attract the increasingly spiritually and internet savvy public.

As well as posting who the regular church workers are on their web site it is customary that the church calendar (if posted online) show which workers are working on what dates few months a head of time so that seekers can check out different workers and plan their busy lives accordingly.

Again, I cannot stress how important the detailed biographies of the Spiritualist Educators selling courses are to prospective students. Given that the bios are often how discerning people judge when choosing their teachers, one cannot blame seekers for wanting to know WHO the instructors are and WHAT qualifies them to teach the courses they are expecting students to shell out serious cash for.

If an instructor is truly up to snuff and current they will have no problem indicating this in a detailed bio online. Of particular interest to experienced seekers is how current the instructor’s education in Spiritualism is and what current research and articles they have written for Spiritualist publications. It is also helpful to know what postsecondary diplomas and degrees these folks have outside of their Spiritualism training as this will give you a good idea just how broad these “teachers’” knowledge base is and if they are able to teach to people who may or may not have more education than they do.

While it is true that there is less dogma and creed in Spiritualism it is NOT dogma free as much as some would like to delude themselves it is. As soon as one sets themselves up as a teacher selling courses in Spiritualism they are saying that "THIS is what Spiritualism IS!" And yet they do not see how they are telling others what spirit is or is not? Where does the personal journey of learning or individual understanding of Spirit (that is to come from within) fit in this case?



It is definitely a matter of personal interpretation and if that is the case why do you need to spend cash and time meeting the standards of one particular Spiritualist Minister or another when all you need to do is move on when you have had your fill? But wait isn't this kind of free thinking and fluid movement that is touted as part of the no creed no dogma kind of Spiritualism actually the same kind of attitude that the New Age is often faulted for by Spiritualist Leaders? Hmmm now I am confused... No dogma so move on when you have had enough but we need standards in education??? Who sets those standards if Spiritualism is supposed to be for free thinkers?

So the rub is this Spiritualism is for free thinkers and is apparently without dogma and creed but if you want to participate in the churches you then are saddled with what their ministers’ vision of what Spiritualism is or should be.

The even sadder truth is that some Spiritualist ministers are so disparate for a congregation and church workers that they will put new students up on the platform well before they are truly ready. For may of these "newbies" the experience of working in the churches starts out as gratifying and after a time will come to be a whole lot of work as they are asked to do more and more without consideration for their need for family/life balance. New church worker burnout is all too common and usually happens in a very short time.

More experienced mediums know to pace themselves and they know how not to get in over their heads. They have learned how to say "No sorry cant do that...." and they also look for Spiritualist Churches and Learning Centres where there is a group of people dividing the church duties so they do not become over whelmed. If you are a new church worker do not let the minister suck you into being at the church more than you are comfortable attending. Go to additional events if you are interested but do not let anyone make you feel obligated.

Organizational problems and politics aside, the history and methods of Spiritualism do need to be taught if Spiritualism is going to truly thrive, but how do leaders accomplish this in a way that allows for reasonable continuity between the churches if none of them is willing to truly work together? It is obvious that the principle of The Brotherhood of Man is pontificated about more than it is exercised in some cases!

Add to the infighting in and among the different organizations the fact that there are different styles/kinds of Spiritualist Churches and you have a combination where there is little hope to reasonably standardize the education offered. This being the case then begs the question, how is the public supposed to judge what is good or bad mediumship let alone what is good education and what is rubbish? Further if this lack of consistency and varying standards of education are the norm how can Spiritualists actually claim that mediums are better than psychics? I don't know but the argument is often made regardless.

The only way to find out what is good and what is not in Spiritualism is to check out the various Spiritualist Churches and Learning Centres and make up your own mind. My intent here is not to tell folks what they should do or think but rather to give useful suggestions based on thorough critical media literacy and web site analysis experience that will help the seeker read and interpret more carefully what they are viewing online so that they can use better discernment. If my experiences help others rethink and question more thoroughly those who set themselves up as "experts" and "educators" in Spiritualism so they can avoid the nonsense and the politics and yet enjoy what the religion, philosophy and science of Spiritualism has to offer then I am pleased to help.

Feeling is Believing... Why We Know Spirit Contact is Real

Ever wonder why Spiritualists and Psychics believe as strongly as they do in the connection to the afterlife and why they know that Spirit contact is real?

While many folks might want to challenge the understanding these folks have of the Spirit World there are just some experiences that cannot be explained away. In my work as a Spiritualist Medium/Psychic Advisor I hear all kinds of different personal stories where people have been touched in a very real way by their loved ones who are now in spirit.

A few weeks ago I received a wonderful email from one of the sitters in my development circle explaining how her grandmother came through with beautiful proof that she had come to visit this woman earlier in the evening during the development class. I am pleased to share here on this blog with the writer’s permission the section of email as it was written to me a few weeks ago. I hope in doing so I can help others understand how wonderful spirit contact can be.

According to Anne in an email dated January 31, 2007:

“On our way home from your house last night we [Anne and her husband Denis] were talking about our meditation and we both felt that we'd had a really wonderful experience. When we got home there was this wonderful smell in the house like someone had been baking. The house was warm and the aroma was all around the house even up the stairs and in the bedroom. At first I thought I had left something in the over and checked but nothing; we went all around the house sniffing trying to find out where the smell was coming from but we couldn't find anything. All I could think of was that Sarah mentioned that she saw someone around me that could have been my grandmother and she was an awesome cook and baked all time. I could feel her presence, as I do sometimes, and could see her smiling at us. I still find it amazing when these incidents happen, no wonder we love Tuesdays!”

When I consider such events I have to think they happen to remind us that our loved ones in spirit love us very much and do come to visit us and remind us of good times and joyful memories. In asking for proof that it was her grandmother that was near during the development circle Anne and her husband both experienced a welcoming home that only her grandmother would/could offer to them. It is these loving experiences shared with spirit that strengthens our belief that everything and everyone is connected and that there is much more to this life than the here and now.

With that understanding in mind Spiritualist Mediums and Psychics find peace and healing and personal balance in their lives and feel compelled to share these experiences with others so that they too might enjoy such occurrences in their lives. As a Spiritualist Medium/ Psychic Advisor my primary goal is to help others discover who is near them from the Spirit world and what blessings these folks in spirit wish to share with them.

It is with many thanks that I share Anne’s personal story and encourage others to share their positive personal experiences with their guides, teachers and loved ones who are in the spirit realm.

Please feel free to add your positive experience with spirit contact to the discussion area of this blog.

Spiritual Wisdom Does It Still Exist In REAL-TIME???

Additional comments to my last blog I have been in Spiritualism a long time since I was 24 and I am 37 now but that does not mean I felt good about it for that entire time. While I never regretted opening to spirit and where my life has come to, I resent the fact that I was used and abused by some who call themselves ministers. I can say only that I am relieved that that part of my life is closed and I have moved beyond the control of these kinds of people.

That said it seems one person insists on copying my comments on discussion threads in TRYING to make some kind of point in the comment areas of my blogs. Damned if I know what it is but, I do not endorse plagiarism. Therefore, I have deleted the posts only to have her repost them and will say that folks who do such things are definitely mentally unbalanced or maybe just stupid, two dimensional and lazy. Who knows what her problem is? But there comes a time when one needs to respond and I have done that here and in the comment section of the blog where she posted my content. Annoying but at least I know she is reading them! I guess that is something eh? On that note though, it would be nice if that said minister could come up with an original way to interact with people on blogs and in discussion threads.

It is good to be away from her and at a church where real community and willingness to allow others to grow rather than power struggles and controlling behaviors are the norm. Wonder if her church is still running at this point? When I left there was little to nothing doing and although they have a web site the other churches have been under the impression that the church is closed for business. That sure explains why we never had a congregation to speak of when we moved the church to Etobicoke. And it was pretty much dead for several years prior to that when it was located in Scarborough IMHO! There is NO mystery as to why though!

Britten Memorial Spiritualist Church an Update...

I had the most interesting conversation with the President of Britten Memorial Spiritualist Church today. It seems the church is in transition and it is not a Christian Spiritualist Church. While many of the members are Christian Spiritualists the church board is trying to broaden the perspective a bit and encourage a wider scope of information sharing and learning.

After a very thought provoking, several hour discussion with Martin, I must say that I think I have found a new Church home! I like the fact I could share in a vast variety of topics with this man who I spoke with for most of the afternoon. Happily, I found myself affirming many things I have felt for many years about Spirit, Mediumship, and Spiritualism through shared ideas with Martian that I had not heard anywhere else.

Spirit does direct and guide and I must say that I am truly enjoying this new part of my life adventure.

Rediscovering What Spiritualism and Church SHOULD be About!

On Sunday evening I did something I had not done since the summer. I went to church! You know how sometimes you just feel the need to be somewhere and so you go not knowing why but knowing you had to go at that particular time.

Anyway I went to Britten Memorial Spiritualist Church. I had no idea why I needed to be there but I went with an open mind. So I find myself at this little store front church tucked between two older commercial units. I see there is a number key lock on the door and I am thinking what the heck? But something prods me to enter.

Inside I found a beautifully decorated church and people happily getting ready for the Christmas Service. It has been many years since I set foot in a Christian Spiritualist Church so I was surprised that spirit would think to push me to come out on this night of all nights! Again I am thinking to myself, what the heck? And yet I am comfortable and feeling quite at home. One of the regular members has introduced herself to me and started explaining to me who is who and how things work at this church. It was like being introduced to someone’s family for the first time! I was totally amazed and felt so welcomed and this woman made sure that the folks who run things at this church met me also. Now I had talked to the president of the church several months prior and was totally surprised that he remembered me.

As the service progressed I remembered why I used to enjoy going to church. I felt more community in this little church than I had in the last 3 years I had spent in Spiritualism. After the service I stuck around for the coffee and visit and got to talk to most of the members who were also there enjoying fellowship with each other. I must say that it had been many years since I actually felt the true spirit of Christmas in a church and I found myself thinking about how glad I was that I had made the effort to attend that night.

What I saw and felt during the service and at the coffee and visit after was a group of people truly working as a community. The minister of this church passed away several months prior and this little church really has pulled together to pick up the pieces. Everyone I met that evening seemed genuinely pleased to welcome me as a newcomer and the president of the church even introduced me as a professional reader which shocked the heck out of me. None of these folks were threatened by the fact that I am an established reader who was coming into their church. What a nice change compared to my last experience! I must say that because I felt so welcomed and accepted as I am I gladly gave messages to those who asked or who spirit told me needed a word or two.

Although I would not consider myself a Christian Spiritualist, I will gladly attend this church again and even offer to help where I can because just by being kind and open these folks gave me something I felt was lost in Spiritualism. They showed me that there is genuine caring community and fellowship in their Spiritualist Church and really made an effort to welcome me into their congregation. Now I know why Spirit drew me out on Sunday night. Spirit wanted me to see what Spiritualism is supposed to be about. Love, community service, fellowship and healing! I feel blessed to have shared in the Christmas Service at Britten Memorial Spiritualist Church. I am looking forward to attending again in the New Year!

Mediums are better than Psychics or are they??

I often read and post on various Spiritualism discussion boards and while I expect folks to disagree I will never understand the bugaboo between the terms medium and psychic. For most people these words are interchangeable but for dogmatists in Spiritualism these words seem to mean to very different things. Psychics tend to be viewed by these judgmental Spiritualists as suspect or less capable spiritual readers.

The party line for most Spiritualists seems to be that mediums are superior to psychics because they approach reading and message work from a Spiritualist perspective while psychics are assumed to be New Age flakes and money hungry. Now political correctness dictates that ministers are careful who they say these kinds of comments to but, often behind closed doors (in the form of disparaging humour shared with other Spiritualists) bigoted comments about psychics and the greed of these “New Agers” as a means to demean folks who are spiritual seekers but not involved with the Spiritualist movement are the norm rather than the exception.

Out of the mouth of one minister I often heard the comment “Any jackass and his monkey can be a psychic but it takes work to be a medium.” Now as shocking as this might seem to the reader I have come to understand that people who make such comments are insecure, jealous bigots who will put down others that they feel are a threat to them and their financial and professional position. Once I made this realization I began to rethink what I was told about the differences between psychics and mediums.

Spiritualists will say things like:

Psychics are dealing with lower/earth bound spirits.

Psychics are reading the sitters mind or physical energy and not connecting properly to spirit.

And the best one is that psychics are more focused on money and material gain than Spiritualist mediums.

Not only are these statements bigoted they are outright lies in my opinion that are rooted in jealousy, bigotry, hypocrisy and the good old double standard that allows Spiritualists to condemn psychics for being materially focused when they are just as money hungry as the folks they accuse of this fault .

The only real difference between a psychic and a medium is that a medium has been trained to work in the Spiritualist churches and most psychics have gotten their training and reading experience in other venues like psychic fairs.

This is not to say that all psychics are good practitioners but Spiritualists cannot honestly claim that all mediums are working at the highest standard either. I have seen as many bad mediums on the church platforms in my 12 years as an active Spiritualist as I see in cheesy psychic listings and websites on the web. Even though most Spiritualists know there are good and bad mediums just like there are good and bad psychics there are some dogmatic people who disparage anything that is outside the confines of Spiritualism and thus their grasp. In an effort to justify their position as a minister and Spiritualism as a movement they will take great pains to define to death the differences between the terms medium vs. psychic as if this is in anyway helpful to interested seekers.

The reality is that there is no consistency in mediumship training within the churches. For example I went to one Spiritualist church looking for a development circle and was told they don’t do that but they have a Bible Study! They figured that they could leave mediumship and message work up to God’s inspiration!

Another church I went to was very focused on a development circle where the goal was physical manifestation of spirit through one medium. In that group there is one medium and the rest of the sitters are used as energy sources or "batteries" so to speak. This kind of circle is a throw back to the early days of Spiritualism and does not tend to allow for each member to enjoy full spiritual progress on a personal level.

The latest church development circle I was in was one where the minister’s biases, phobias and judgmental attitude prevented any real spiritual growth in the sitters. She was pushing them so hard to become mediums that many were uncomfortable in circle because they felt intimidated and afraid of what might happen if they could not bring a message.

Now this is just a sampling of the diverse and not always good training that is going on in the Spiritualist Churches in Ontario and yet all of them call their workers mediums. I ask you, how is the seeker supposed to know what quality of medium they will be exposed to in the churches with this kind of lack of constancy and continuity between these organizations? If the Spiritualist churches and their ministers are having this much trouble training their mediums what gives them the right to condemn psychics for supposedly lacking integrity as readers and suggesting that their work is suspect and lacking quality?

Again I say that the idea that mediums are more spiritual and not as focused on material gain is also bogus. This delusion notion that mediums are some how more spiritually evolved than psychics is just a complete farce! I have seen ministers (who are also mediums) that bleed their churches dry for rent when the church is barely surviving make these kinds of nefarious claims about other practitioners while they are as bad as the “New Age” psychics they are trying to demonize for what they claim is their money hungry behavour.

What is even sadder is that these ministers believe their own delusions and lies and pontificate about spiritual progression, working with elevated spirit guides and developing high standards for mediumship while this kind of negativity seeps out of their bodies, minds and spirits. And then they wonder why their church is suffering and they are losing their mediumship ability?

I do not wonder at all why they and their churches are in the bad state they are in. Bigotry, jealousy, hypocrisy and unjustifiable double standards are huge negatives that consume all the energy around them so that nothing positive can thrive! The Law of Attraction says that like draws to like and yet they do not see the damage their attitude is doing to their organizations!

Spell Caster Scams Online: Radio Interviews for 1290 CJBK and the CBC

On Halloween day I had a very interesting experience. It was the day for radio interviews. In the morning I was interviewed on The Shauna Rae Show on News Talk 1290 CJBK (London, Ontario) at 11 am. (http://www.cjbk.com/). The topic was Spell Casters Online. Once I got past my nervousness, I enjoyed talking to the host I found her to be friendly, and interested in the topic. The whole interview maybe lasted about 5-7 minutes but it was a great experience!

It was excellent practice for later that afternoon when I was asked to talk to different hosts cross Canada for CBC Radio via Nationally Syndicated Interviews. (http://www.cbc.ca/) Over about 2 and half hours, I spoke to 10 different hosts from St. John’s to Winnipeg about the subject of “Spell Casting Scams”. This experience was fascinating because I was in a studio booth for the most part by myself waiting for each of the hosts to call in. Although I was unnerved the studio people were great! They made sure I knew what to do and prepared me for each host.

Each host approached the topic in a slightly different way and my feeling is that the women were more openly interested in the topic then the men. I wonder if this is because women are more likely to consider checking out Spell Casters on the internet when their relationships are in trouble. My sense from the men is that they could not believe that Spell Casters on line is a thriving business. In spite of the male hosts’ disbelief the figures quoted in the Globe and Mail article on the same topic that appeared in the Saturday paper under the title “Love Spell $99.99” says that “more than four million sites pop up”. Anyway, once getting past the shock it was easy to tell the hosts both male and female how the scams work and how the exchange of money for spells in illegal in Ontario.

Basically when the seeker goes to the spell caster they are told that the spell is going to cost X amount of dollars. Sounds straight forward right? Well no… then they are told that there is more to the spell casting procedure and that it is going to take several more sessions for the spell to be ready to use. Of course this means more visits to the spell caster and more money spent. So that love spell for $99.99 will actually cost the seeker will into several thousands of dollars by the time they realize that they have been taken to the cleaners.

Another common spell casting scam happens when the seeker goes to a psychic or palm reader and is told that they have an evil spell on them that only the said psychic/ palm reader can remove for a cost of course. Now for a reader to do this to the public is manipulation and extortion through the use of scare tactics. They make the seeker think that they are cursed and convince them to spend their hard earned cash to have the spell removed. This is illegal in Ontario. It is illegal because the reader uses fear and threats to get money out of the seeker who is coming to the reader for a promised service and is persuaded under false pretenses to spend more money than they were prepared to because they are now under pressure.

When a seeker comes for a reading they should know the total cost of the reading, the length of the reading and they should have the choice to stop the reading at any time before the end of the session and not have to pay for it if they are not comfortable. There should be no extra pressure to spend more money or to continue with a session with witch the seeker is not comfortable.

Reputable readers well:

1. Take the time to answer your questions before you book the appointment.

2. Advise you of the cost of their services and what these services include before you book or as you begin the session.

3. Allow you to ask questions as you go along.

4. Allow you to direct the reading with your questions or the area of focus you would like to have the reading take.

5. Record the sessions for you or allow you to take notes

6. Allow you to stop the session and cancel payment if you are not happy with the session as long as you let them know before the end of the session. Most honest readers know when a reading is not going well for some reason and will usually stop the reading themselves and advise the seeker to find another reader and offer to assist them in some other way if possible. If you stop the session the reader keeps their tape and you keep your money and that is that.

Whenever you are going for a psychic reading you have the right to be comfortable. You also owe it to yourself not to leave you common sense behind. Go with your gut! If something feels wrong it usually is!

Another 15 minutes of Fame it seems….

To my surprise I actually was interviewed and quoted in this article below for the Globe and Mail! Quite frankly I thought that the interview was a ruse on the part of the reporter to get a free reading. I get many folks calling and saying that they work in the media and that if I do a reading for them that they will promote my site for me.

As the interview continued I realized that Rebecca Eckler was a serious reporter and enjoyed the interview with her. For your convenience I have included the complete text of the article below:

Love Potion $99.99

REBECCA ECKLER

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

Are you unlucky at love? Desperate to get your man back? Or do you just want to see the jerk squirm? For some broken-hearted women, the dark arts promise more consolation than a trip to the spa. And there are plenty of practitioners out there offering vengeance — for a price.

Just Google “spell casters” and more than four million sites pop up. It seems the best revenge is not living well, but a well-cast spell.

Internet spell casters offer a range of services from “Return my Lover” and “Break Them Up” to “Stop a Divorce” and “Revenge Spells.”

I decided to go spell shopping on behalf of a friend, whose five-year, on-again, off-again romantic obsession had ended in disaster. But most of those I contacted seemed more interested in my credit-card number than my friend's love life. Sister Zhana at lovemiracles.net spent two seconds on the phone explaining she specializes in “love, career, family and enemies,” before cutting short the call.

One of the more intriguing services is offered by Spell Master Tony, at extremespells.com. During October, his “custom revenge spell” was on sale for only $99.99, down from $329. For that, Tony will not only see that your ex is fired from his job, he'll ensure that his dog runs away too. (If he could just make all his hair fall out, I might be sold.)

Catherine MacDonald, a psychic reader outside Toronto, says most Internet spell casters “are rip-off artists. There is no such thing as spells or quick fixes. The Internet has spawned a whole generation of people who believe in spells. I get about one call a week asking if I do spells. I don't. They all know about them from the Internet.”

According to MacDonald, the women seeking these services are not nut cases. Often they're professionals who should know better.

“They prey on people who they know are desperate. They are making a ton of money and it pisses me off. A fool and his money are easily parted, as the saying goes. I've seen sites that cost up to $1,200 to cast spells. It amazes me people just aren't good at using common sense.”

MacDonald says she counsels women to consider why they would want someone who came back just because of a spell. Sensible advice, yes, but for many women in a state of romantic desperation, it doesn't really matter why their lover comes back — as long as he does.

These are the women that Internet spell casters are after.

Angel Carra at supernaturalservices.com offers a “Stop a Divorce” spell for $59.90. However, as she writes on her site, her “top love spell” is the “Super Love Spell,” which costs $99.90.

“If your main goal is to get your lover to return fast, with new feelings for you and to keep you together in love for ever, this is for you,” she writes.

All her spells are guaranteed to work or your money back — “100-per-cent guaranteed.” If you read the fine print, however, you get your refund back only after nine months.

The appeal of surfing the Net fantasizing about revenge or getting him back is understandable. It can also be addictive, and most sites are skilled at convincing you they really work, with client testimonials like this one from spellsthatwork.com: “I wanted to let you know I am seeing great results as from your previous work. Frank is admitting and calling and coming around to see that he misses me tremendously and needs to be with me.”

At www.worldsmostpowerfulspells.com, High Priestess Katherine Uhls warns that she is so busy she may “stop taking clients at any time. . . . If you are serious about ordering, don't delay.”

Emagickspells.com offers a “bad luck spell,” which will “target one person's life and make it a living misery of the most terrible misfortune possible.”

MacDonald thinks this is bad karma. “If you put negativity out there, it will come back to you. That's the basic principle I follow. Basically, if you are seeking revenge or trying to mend a broken heart, you must trust that it will happen on its own.”

Which, of course, is not as much fun as searching for spell casters.

As for my friend, I'm taking her to the Stillwater Spa. At least I know their facials work.

Special to The Globe and Mail

Source: LINK

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

If you enjoy discussion you can go to the Globe and Mail website and join the discussion attached to the article.

From this article I was also asked to do several other interviews!

A Radio Interview on the subject of "Spell Casters Online" for The Shauna Rae Show on News Talk 1290 CJBK (London, Ontario) on October 31, 2006—11 am. http://www.cjbk.com/

I also have an interview with CBC for a number of shows from 3-6 pm on Tuesday, October 31, 2006.

And as I mentioned in an earlier blog, I did an interview about “Spiritualism" on the Rogers Cable cast show 3 D Dialogue. Show aired October 23, 26, and 28, 2006. LINK

I am so thankful for all these opportunities to share my experience of the psychic aspect and psychic industry with the public.

Spiritualist Churches Cults or not? How to find out...

W5 http://www.ctv.ca/wfive did a frightening story this week about the power of a cult in Hamilton Ontario. This story called "Pied Piper of Hamilton" made me think. It is a story that was aired on W5 this weekend that discusses a Christian cult in Hamilton Ontario. To read the story go to this LINK

While cults are more common that we would like to think, and are usually associated with Christian and Muslim splinter groups, no spiritual/religious path is safe. The dynamics that turn a well meaning church group into a potential cult have to do with the human greed and desire for power over others. I found this W5 report fascinating and frightening.

Looking at the program and the sites listed on this blog what did I learn? Well quite simply that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" as the saying goes. With this in mind, I have begun to understand why some folks look at Spiritualism and define it as a cult. I beg to differ. It is not the philosophical, scientific and religious ideas that Spiritualism is grounded on that make it seem like a cult, rather it is the ministers in power who lose themselves to their desire for money, power and position who can turn what can a healthy meeting place and spiritual lifestyle into a cult.

What are the signs that you or someone you care about is in a cult?

According to Rick Ross, Expert Consultant and Intervention Specialist:

"TEN WARNING SIGNS OF A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE GROUP/LEADER.

1. Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
2. No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
3. No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
4. Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
5. There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
6. Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
7. There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
8. Followers feel they can never be "good enough".
9. The group/leader is always right.
10. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.

TEN WARNING SIGNS REGARDING PEOPLE INVOLVED IN/WITH A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE GROUP/LEADER.

1. Extreme obsessiveness [sic] regarding the group/leader resulting in the exclusion of almost every practical consideration.
2. Individual identity, the group, the leader and/or God as distinct and separate categories of existence become increasingly blurred. Instead, in the follower's mind these identities become substantially and increasingly fused--as that person's involvement with the group/leader continues and deepens.
3. Whenever the group/leader is criticized or questioned it is characterized as "persecution".
4. Uncharacteristically stilted and seemingly programmed conversation and mannerisms, cloning of the group/leader in personal behavior.
5. Dependency upon the group/leader for problem solving, solutions, and definitions without meaningful reflective thought. A seeming inability to think independently or analyze situations without group/leader involvement.
6. Hyperactivity centered on the group/leader agenda, which seems to supercede [sic] any personal goals or individual interests.
7. A dramatic loss of spontaneity and sense of humor.
8. Increasing isolation from family and old friends unless they demonstrate an interest in the group/leader.
9. Anything the group/leader does can be justified no matter how harsh or harmful.
10. Former followers are at best-considered negative or worse evil and under bad influences. They can not be trusted and personal contact is avoided.

TEN SIGNS OF A SAFE GROUP/LEADER.

1. A safe group/leader will answer your questions without becoming judgmental and punitive.
2. A safe group/leader will disclose information such as finances and often offer an independently audited financial statement regarding budget and expenses. Safe groups and leaders will tell you more than you want to know.
3. A safe group/leader is often democratic, sharing decision making and encouraging accountability and oversight.
4. A safe group/leader may have disgruntled former followers, but will not vilify, excommunicate and forbid others from associating with them.
5. A safe group/leader will not have a paper trail of overwhelmingly negative records, books, articles and statements about them.
6. A safe group/leader will encourage family communication, community interaction and existing friendships and not feel threatened.
7. A safe group/leader will recognize reasonable boundaries and limitations when dealing with others.
8. A safe group/leader will encourage critical thinking, individual autonomy and feelings of self-esteem.
9. A safe group/leader will admit failings and mistakes and accept constructive criticism and advice.
10. A safe group/leader will not be the only source of knowledge and learning excluding everyone else, but value dialogue and the free exchange of ideas.

Don't be naïve, develop a good BS Detector.

You can protect yourself from unsafe groups and leaders by developing a good BS detector. Check things out, know the facts and examine the evidence. A safe group will be patient with your decision making process. If a group or leader grows angry and anxious just because you want to make an informed and careful decision before joining; beware." http://www.rickross.com/warningsigns.html

Now while a few of the organizations I was involved with over the years do not fit all the above listed items on the list of unsafe leader/group there are some factors that are red flags to me now. The big one I would say is about the money! "SHOW ME THE MONEY!"

LEARNING FROM MY EXPERIENCE AND SHARING IT-SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER:

Where's it going and who is benefiting from the funds generated from the church? Ask questions and if you think the answers you are getting are fishy then find out why that is. If the church is paying money to members for work or for building rental find out if these folks are claiming the earnings as they should or if they are using the front of "church" status to launder funds. Sounds nuts but does happen so better to find out for sure what is what.

1. Are there proper checks and balances re the bank accounts and is the church having to answer to the proper professionals: Provincial Government, Revenue Canada, External Auditors and Accountants?

If not then the chance of the organization being a cult is very likely. If you are on the board and especially if you have signing authority make sure you know exactly what is getting paid and when with the cheques you sign! NEVER sign over blank cheque no matter how much you trust the leader of the group or the other signing authorities involved. Remember you are financially responsible if something goes wrong and ignorance of what is going on will not be good protection of you if you do end up sued and in court for misappropriation of the church funds! Find out what your responsibilities and rights are do not take the leader's word for it. Ask your lawyer and an accountant and check in with the government too if need be.

2. How is the church registered as a business with the Government? Is it truly a charity or a not for profit organization or is it a business that is making money and not paying its taxes to the appropriate government agencies.

You can call The Companies Branch of your Provincial or Federal Government and ask for details about the specific church you are thinking of attending. This is the branch of the government that is responsible for business registry in your particular province or territory or county depending on what level the business is at. They will be glad to tell you the business status and incorporation date of the organization and any other information they have concerning the said organization. I am sure this also includes any legal and financial problems connected to the organization that have been reported and investigated. By the same token you can call this branch of government and find out how to report any organization that seems suspect. I am sure they will be able to advise you as to what the procedures are for forwarding a formal complaint if you should need to.

3. Is the church attached to a proper Governing/Religious Umbrella Organization like the National Spiritualist Association of Spiritualist Churches in the US or the Spiritualist National Union in the UK?

If the church is "independent" and they have no one to answer to then it leaves the group vulnerable to an egocentric charismatic leader who may or may not have a legitimate agenda for the organization. NEVER get involved with any group that does not have a proper connection to the appropriate religious governing body! There is safety in numbers, solid organizational structure and regulated standards that have to be met.

Not all Spiritualist Churches are alike but the best adage is "buyer beware", and "don't leave your common sense at the door" if you do choose to become involved. Do you your own research. Ask questions and make sure the answers you are given make sense and indicate a solid integrity of the organization.

And if my experience is common within Spiritualist circles, then education (or the lack of it) makes little difference. Controlling, charismatic Ministers and the groups they try to build for their own egocentric purposes are successful because they play their psychological head games out over time! Being psychically sensitive can help you navigate these kinds of situations, but true mediums/psychics do not read for friends, family or themselves because they are often too close to the situation. Get an external perspective be you psychic or not! Ross is right you really do have to be a good BS detector and make sure you check things out for yourself as you go along! Find out the right questions to ask and make sure you get answers. If the answers you do get set off red flags and things seem fishy they likely are and the only way you can know for sure is to check things out for yourself or get the right people in to do so. Most of all follow your gut/intuition in these situations if something does not sit right with you it likely isn't right. I followed my feelings and got out in good time and now know that if I ever go back to a Spiritualist church I will be asking the right questions to the right people and if I don't like what I hear I will not ignore my feelings. I will just not get involved and will report suspect organizations if I have enough evidence to do so.

So You are in Canada and you Want Credentials in Spiritualism eh?

Why is it the spiritual leaders that accuse others of going in ever decreasing circles up their own _ _ _ s are the worst offenders of the vary thing of which they accuse others? They gripe there is no progress but they are the first to put road blocks in the way of the so called desired progress they proclaim to be working towards. Seems to me that these folks are stuck in a rut! In fact they are so much going in circles that they keep pontificating about the same philosophy and yet cannot, do, not or choose not to practice it themselves. In fact some are in such a rut that if you read their blogs long enough you will find all they are doing is copying and posting snippets from the so-called “courses” for which they expect folks to shell out their hard earned money.

I don’t know about other Spiritualists, but why in hell would anyone pay $80 bucks for a course that has done nothing but degrade in 10 years as the so-called teacher has become more and more closed minded? More important if you look the content that the so-called “Reverend”/ “teacher” is trying to sell to the public can be easily found in the monotonous discussion posts on the said church web site and on the blogs of the supposed Reverend. This pathetic display from a spiritual leader who professes to be evolving and growing and yet has only used the internet to perpetuate the same old problems that have always been the curse of Spiritualism makes me wonder why folks should waste their time, money and effort.

If you are seriously thinking of paying for courses in Spiritualism and have found a church to do that first check on the web and see what the so-called “Reverend”/ “teacher” is regurgitating in discussion forums and in blogs online. Unless the individual is truly an innovative thinker, chances are you will read every thought he or she has ever had re the subject of Spiritualism and not have to shell out the cash in the long run. That is the situation where I am from anyway, and if you want real Spiritualist education do a background check on the one who is setting themselves up as teacher first! Google them by NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS, and CHRURCH ADDRESS (if you have that information) and take a thorough look! You will be amazed how much you can find for free! After doing that, if you still are seeking credentials then here are some hard learned lessons from my 12 years experience in several different churches in various communities.

As a Spiritualist I am often asked by people: “Where do I go for training in Spiritualism?” That is not an easy question to answer. The main problem in Canada is that there is no truly reputable official organization to offer courses. The Spiritualist Church of Canada is in transition with their course material and it is very expensive for what you get. All other training comes from the individual churches and therefore is only recognized within their particular church organization.

If you are looking for a stable organization to train you in Spiritualism and as a Minister the best thing you can do is contact the NSAC (National Spiritualist Association of Churches of America). Yes they are a US organization but their name is respected in Spiritualist circles and they with the Morris Pratt Institute have been providing reputable Spiritualist education from the early days. You could also contact the SNU (Spiritualist National Union) in the UK but the cost of doing their courses via correspondence and the cost of postage may be prohibitive for some folks.

If you are in the Toronto area there are several churches that have development circles and it is up to you to find the one that works for you. My personal picks would be Britten Memorial Church and Church of Universal Love The others are either mixed up with Christian Spiritualism and not training people in the psychic aspect or they are consumed with politics and have no real power to offer credentials no matter how much they would like to make you think they do.

The adage “buyer be ware” fits here… You really have to look at where the so-called “courses” and any promised “credentials” offered by the said church are going to take you into the future.

The ongoing problem here is that none of the churches work together and each is competing for a very small number of clientele. For example the total number of folks who identify as Spiritualists in Canada according to the 2001 Census is 3,295 of that 1,060 are male and 2,235 are female. In Ontario these numbers are 1,410 total Spiritualists and of those 490 are male and 915 are female. Now looking at the Toronto figures this number gets even smaller. The total Spiritualists for Toronto are 385 and of that number 115 are male and 270 are female. With this small number, why is it there are 5 different spiritualist churches in Toronto? Never mind those outside the city and within the GTA? The simple answer is personality clashes, politics and power struggles.

So what does this mean to you as a seeker? Well to put it quite simply most of these organizations do not have a stable congregation. Most Spiritualists who have been around for a long time make the circuit and attend more than one church. Now the argument may be made that there are many others who attend that do not call themselves Spiritualists but the problem with that argument is that those who do not buy into Spiritualism as dictated by the said Reverend of a given church may find that they may not be truly welcome to learn more about it or offer their experiences to it. It seems to be that folks are expected to buy the whole “Spiritualism” bag (as understood by the particular Reverend of course) first and ask questions later. This being the general atmosphere of many of the Spiritualist churches no wonder they have difficulty drawing new people in to form a congregation let alone a stable board of directors. But let’s look at the other folks who might wish to attend a Spiritualist church.

The next large group that tends to cross over into Spiritualism is the New Age lot. Now these folks tend to have a broad range of beliefs and not many would commit to Spiritualism in a concrete way because they usually find it confining. That said let’s look at the numbers for Canada, Ontario and Toronto as we did for the self-identified Spiritualists: Again according to the Census for 2001 it is obvious that these numbers are even smaller that the Spiritualists listed above. According to the figures, the number of New Age folks in Canada total 1,525 and of that 545 are male and 985 are female. This number gets even smaller when you look at the provincial and local level but let’s do it for argument sake anyway. So in Ontario the total number of self identified New Age believers is 380 and of that 105 are male and 170 are female. Now for Toronto that number decreases again to a total of New Age folks being 210 and of that very small number 55 are male and 150 are female.

Now I could continue this for those who practice Native and Shamanistic traditions but to be frankly honest in my experience most of these folks have strong connections to their own traditions and would not find themselves or their spiritual ideas truly welcome within most of the Spiritualist Churches. While some ministers pontificate about being in touch with Native Spirit Guides many of them are absolutely ignorant as to the true strength of these age old traditions and are usually too narrow minded to even really make the effort to try to learn what these spiritual paths have to offer and how they might complement Spiritualism. My 12 years of experience showed me that most Spiritualist leaders are too busy trying to tell others that their understanding of Spiritualism is the only way it can be and they go out of their way to shut out those with new, different or other spiritual concepts because they want to be “the teacher” and “control” how others walk their walk with Spirit. Now this is not to say this is the case in all the churches but it has been what I have seen in several of them so needless to say Spiritualism does not usually draw many people from the Native or Eastern traditions and if it does they usually get the impression that they are truly not welcome and move on anyway. So what you end up with is a bunch of old white folks in the leadership who have serious hang ups and fears pontificating about how to be spiritual when they prove to be the least able or willing to practice what they preach!

Post Script: The above comments in this blog are in no way a condemnation of all of Spiritualism or Spiritualist Educators across the board but does target those so called "teachers" in Spiritualism who do not know what they are doing because they lack the proper education/skills, and who run their churches like cults where they are the chief potentate. So as the old adage goes: When seeking Spiritualist Education in Canada "Buyer be ware" is the best way for newbie seekers to protect their interests.

Cosmic Triggers, Natural Law, Forgiveness and Personal Responsibility

While it is possible to learn to change thought patterns and in that what we say and do, the struggle for most of us is that we do not really cope well with change. It is a daily struggle and it seems that it is even more challenging for folks who are wrapped up with title and self perceived power and right to control others to truly live by the spiritual principles they profess to live by. Again it seems they pontificate about Natural Law and PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY and yet these notions seem to apply to everyone but themselves.

It seems that those that are insecure and need titles and to control others are the least likely to make the necessary changes. Now this is almost expected with politicians and other leaders in the secular world but it is also a problem in the spiritual community as well. It seems that the very Reverend who is supposed to be a guide to others and not caught up in title and material greed is the worst offender in spite of long winded pontifications as to how others should live their lives, develop their spirituality and mediumistic gifts and use these to help others in the world around them. Now it is fair to say that all people including those propping themselves up as spiritual leaders are flawed, but it can also be said that if you look closely as to what is going around these folks you can get a good idea as to their true intent and focus.

In Spiritualism the issue has always been poorly educated, insecure leaders trying to build themselves up through exerting as strangle hold on their congregation. They love the power that derive from their title and the attention they get from working as a medium. Then there is the issue of money. My experience in many different churches has shown me that most of these leaders are money hungry, jealous and conniving if the truth be known. So why do people bother with Spiritualism? Well like any other religion the principles are sound even if the leadership leaves much to be desired. If you are interested in Spiritualism the best thing you could do is to attend several churches and find a medium you like and trust to teach you what they know and see if you can find a well organized home circle to attend. Do not get totally involved with one church. Doing this will mean that you will soon find your life consumed by the agenda of the above described spiritual leaders who are all about taking care of their own needs first. Visit many churches and keep your options open. Do not let any one tell you how to walk your walk with spirit. Let spirit guide you. Read the books that draw you and go to the churches you feel most comfortable in. The idea is that Spirit will be with you wherever you find community and fellowship. Community and fellowship does not require that you become tied to any one church.

Spirit contact was discovered and experimented with in home circles. Then it split in two paths: Psychic Science Research groups and the Spiritualist Churches. Both are useful to the seeker in learning how to work with their own psychic abilities and developing as a medium and a healer. While I feel it is essential to have positive spiritual focus to be a strong medium how you develop that spiritual relationship with your guardian, guides and teachers is between you them and God. It cannot be dictated to you by anyone who proclaims that they are your teacher. While we do learn from those around us and the shared experience will help us form our relationship with our spirit helpers, it is not just ONE teacher that will have an impact on us. You will have many teachers in various areas in your life at the same time. This is especially true of spiritual development. Various guides and teachers will come in when needed to convey the right message or idea that will help you on your path. While working with a knowledgeable Spiritualist is helpful if you are exploring Spiritualism do not become indoctrinated in anyone’s way of thinking. They are only a person just like you and you do not want to give anyone that kind of power over your spiritual development. Ask questions, find good reading materials, discuss what you are reading and thinking with many different Spiritualists to get a range of views and connect with Spirit and know that you will be guided. Your connection to Spirit will be unique and individual just like you are and no one teacher has all the answers and more importantly NO ONE has the right to tell you that you must DO IT THEIR WAY. If you come across this kind of control freak who is professing to be a teacher remove yourself from that situation as soon as possible!

The best teacher is one that knows that he or she does not have all the answers and that there is still much to learn. They usually are secure in their position in life and respect the views of others who they help to guide. They should be well educated in many areas of life not just Spiritualism and they should be able to adapt to the needs of you and others they teach.

Wherever you go for spiritual development have a good look at how the leader conducts him or herself with others. If they gossip or bring up past problems in Spiritualism or their lives all the time then know that these folks have much work to do and that you will only be able to learn so much from them.

If the person you are learning from is truly secure and together they will not constantly drudge up hurts from the past and will be able and willing to forgive those who they feel have wronged them. Just releasing hurts is not enough. If you release the hurt without forgiveness of the one who hurt you, you are only putting out the negativity of the experience into the world around you and that hurt will not leave you but only repeat itself in your life. Forgiveness is the energy that neutralizes the negativity of the hurtful situation and allows you to truly get on with your life.

So whether you need Cosmic Triggers in your life or you know that the energy works by Natural Law and is a moment by moment ongoing process the focus is still the same. We are each PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE for the energy that we create and as we create it will return to us in kind be it positive or negative. It does not need to be any more complicated than that.

My 15 Minutes of Fame??

There are moments in life when everything just seems to be going on a flow. I must say that this time in my life seems to be one of those moments filled with synchronicity! I was blessed to find this great 2 bedroom apartment that allows me to work and teach from home and I am fortunate enough to be able to cover all my expenses and yet enjoy myself! I am so peaceful and thankful for the way things worked out!

Finally getting settled after the move, thank God! Feels so good to have this place feeling like home! So much has happened since I last wrote on my blog. At the end of July I was interviewed for a television program called 3D Dialogue. It was a very interesting experience! The show is a local cable cast multi-faith discussion show where folks from different spiritual beliefs are interviewed about their faiths. I found the host to be very insightful and respectful. Also found that the interview time few by. It was only a 7 minute interview where I was asked about Spiritualism. So much for my 15 minutes of fame eh? Actually, I really found it quite easy to talk to the host of the show and am very pleased to have had the opportunity to represent my religious community in the GTA. The show does not air until the week of the 23 of October 2006 but I am really curious how it turned out. For more information on the show as it is broadcast in the Toronto Ontario Canada area and the host (T. Sher Singh) click this link

Funny thing was it took longer for me to sign the release forms and to go through makeup than it did for me to do the entire interview! All about image you know! Knowing me, I will not like myself on TV I have never liked myself on video (but then who does?) and although I have done a few commercials for local charities at different times of my life, I always felt funny about how I come across on TV! Ego aside my hope is that the short, informal interview helps people to understand Spiritualism, and for those seeking maybe seeing the interview will be a positive influence that will encourage some people to take a deeper look at the religion, philosophy and science of Spiritualism as a possible path. Not that I wish to convert people rather simply that I found Spiritualism to be a way that works for me and if it helps others too then great.

On a different but related note, I have managed to get a group together and have started holding psychic development circles in my home. There are about 8 of us at the moment and it is wonderful to have a strong group of people that are interested in working on their own spiritual growth and psychic development. Given that there is a strong interest I am considering starting a second circle on a different night. I have a few people who might be interested and so if you read this blog entry, are in the local vicinity and figure you would like to find out more you can drop me a line using the contact link at this site or you can email me at cmac29@rogers.com.