Postbag: Questions and Answers

Dear Wendy How can I walk the path of a spiritual person? I have read lots of books and taken courses but still feel confused. Kris, Kent.

 

Dear Kris, Across the world, from ancient religions to the New Age, all believe that the adoption of spiritual values in your everyday life is the best way to walk a spiritual path. Generosity, honesty, humility, kindness and tranquillity are the basis, and to avoid jealousy, greed, egotism and manipulation, make the world a better place. This is all we need to do to be a spiritual person.

 

Dear Wendy,This may seem a strange question to ask someone connected with a spiritual magazine but can you honestly say with hand on heart that you believe we don’t die? Kate Brown, Lingford, Norfolk

Dear Kate

I am absolutely convinced our spirit survive physical death. I have had personal experiences that cannot be explained in any other way. I have also received messages from mediums that cannot be explained in any other way too. I think that some people are skeptical and this is because they have not had any evidence to convince them otherwise. It is not important whether we believe in the afterlife. What is important is that we live our life as an honest person, who helps and cares for others, seeks justice and is open to the beliefs of others without judgment or criticism. For those who do believe we will live on, the emphasis of our lives is often changed by this belief. However, this does not mean that non believers are not conscientiously caring people. We are all entitled to our beliefs in this country and this is a reason for considerable celebration.

Dear Wendy,  When mediums say, for instance, I see your dad standing next to you’ or they see this or that, do they really see people who have gone to the spirit world, as solid as we are or are they just recalling sensing it? It does make me wonder! David Castle, Portsmouth

There are several types of medium, the basic abilities are that some see spirits, some hear them, others will feel something. When a medium says ‘I see your dad standing next to you’ they are actually seeing your dad and can describe his features, dress and demeanour as easily as though he were in physical life. If a medium hears what a spirit says, they will tell you the actual words used, if they sense the spirit, they will sometimes say that they feel as though they have a pain, a problem or a discomfort that the spirit experienced in physical life. Most mediums are a mixture of all three basic types of ability, that of seeing, hearing and sensing in various amounts of each. There is a simple exercise on my website to detect which works best for any individual. All you need is someone to read the exercise and someone to relax and enter the spirit realms. It might take a little practise for those who have not tried it before, but after several tries, certainly Spirit will make something will take place. 

Dear Wendy

I’ve not taken part in a healing course but when I put my hands just over someone’s body, the palms of my hands feel hot to me and other people can feel the heat radiating from them. What is this heat? Des, Lincs

Dear Des

Some healers are taught to rub their hands together vigorously before giving healing on the assumption that all illness requires heat. Some certainly do, such as illnesses that involve tension and restriction in a joint or muscle. Heat tends to reduce tension, just as a hot water bottle is recommended to soothe, warm and relax. Many circulatory conditions and also emotional distress can also cause coldness to many regions of the body, even in the warmest temperatures. Spirit know this, and use the healer’s body as a transmitter for heat directly to the affected areas. I was taught that some conditions naturally generate a great deal of heat, such as infection, inflammation, prolonged physical exertion and some hormonal conditions. Spirit then will work accordingly through the healer, producing coldness in the hands to transmit this refreshing coolness to the recipient.  

Dear Wendy

I’d love to have knowledge of everlasting life but when I hear about people who can communicate with those who have passed over I do think, why them and not me?

Paula Scott, Glasgow

Dear Paul,

I believe that the ability to communicate with the spirit world is our natural state. It would appear the ancients, primitive societies and children have greater ease of communication. I think there are a vast array of abilities, for instance, some might be precognitive (glimpses of the future), some might be hear spirit voices (clairaudience), some can allow spirit to take over their hand and write (psychography or automatic writing), some can dowse (dowsers) some use cards, such as tarot, some of course are healers and there is a vast array of different abilities within healing too. I think in the UK we have generally lost the ability, perhaps through education, lifestyle, modern technology, all kinds of reasons. Some people have managed to retain some ability and some manage to develop what they have left. We all have varying amounts. The reason why there are so many methods is that sometimes it can help a medium to use something to focus, such as a palm, this can lead into a trance like realm where the object is no longer used to focus and their spirit guides can take over and inform them. I would suggest you try a number of different methods to see what best suits you. I think you will achieve something if you try. Some make quick progress, for others, the progress is slower. However, I have taught psychic skills and I can tell you that those who don’t get anything for ages can suddenly put on a spurt and overtake the quick learners, and also those who sit quietly getting nothing can suddenly come out with some outstanding and stunning information when they do get it. Spirit is nothing if not full of surprises! 

Dear Wendy

I have just watched a TV programme “Most Haunted” and hardly slept the night. Is there any evidence for ghosts? Sally K by e-mail.

Hi Sally

Parapsychologists use magnetic detectors to trace electromagnetic fields in the area where phantoms are reported. It would seem that there is also an increase in radioactivity and radical temperature fluctuations that can be measured. Ghosts are enigmatic spirits that rarely cause anyone any harm and do not usually communicate directly. They seem to have a desire to keep a memory of a certain event alive. These ghostly spirits are usually traumatised or lost and continually return to the site of the event, playing the situation over and over like a video recording in order to resolve an internal conflict that was current at the time of their death. They appear never to change, as though they are caught in a time warp and are unaware of their current surroundings. If any spirit being creates fear or distress to anyone on the earth plane, a ceremony can be performed to help the spirit to be released from their pattern and to go on its way to its rightful place in the spirit world. This should only ever be a healing ceremony not one of confrontation or conflict.

Dear Wendy

What are the origins of the Green Man? Garry, London.

Dear Garry

The Green Man is often depicted as a large, hairy, bearded man with a club. Sometimes, he is represented as half-man, half-plant with twigs and leaves for features. His image dates back to Pagan times and can be seen on church and house architecture. These representations are symbols of rebirth, of health and vitality and of the enduring strength of nature.

Gamekeepers and forest verderers (as the latter French word suggests) still wear green clothing as camouflage so they can move through their work surroundings without disturbing wildlife.

Verderers care for the natural environment of the forest and green places to this day. Often a public house called the 'Green Man' denotes that the area was once forested and that in the area there was a man who was a herbalist and healer.

I heard an interesting story form an archivist that I have not been able to confirm. She said that most of the 'Green Man' pubs are near a hospital because the verderer was a doctor who had access to knowledge and the herbs that could heal both animals and people. He built a shelter for his work and this was the first hospital building. These 'Green Men' had access to fresh water and to fish, meat and vegetables that would be required to restore health.

The Green Man is also a symbol of the greening of nature and represents the spirit of plants and trees. 

In his role as Jack-in-the-Green, he takes part in May Day celebrations. During these ferstivals, he is said to mate with the Great Mother Earth, thereby ensuring fertility and fecundity for the land in the coming year.