A few days ago a friend and I went to a spiritualist camp. One of the biggest and most famous in the country, I suppose. We went to see a guest speaker who claims to be able to bring Messages from Beyond. In fact, that was the name of the presentation. Going to this place has been on my list of things to do for quite some time and now seemed like a good time to go.
We went with an open mind, prepared to experience, or not, whatever the event offered. As any of my readers know, I am completely open to the idea of communication from the "other side" (although I don't believe it is another side, but just a part of this side we cannot see under normal circumstances). I also believe that some people are more in tune and able to percieve these messages and sights. I have to say up front that we came home disappointed by the event, but I'm only going to report the facts here and let the reader judge for themselves. I promise to tell the truth as I percieved it.
First, we got to the camp and I liked it alot. The buildings were old and the atmosphere was very unique. I will be going back to take pictures and maybe try a reading or other experience there. We first partook of the book store and I bought many more books than I should have. None of them are for actual 'reading' but they are more like pieces of art and education combined.
Then we went to dinner at the restaurant. The food at the restaurant was exceptional although we only had salads and cheese because we were pressed for time. The musician playing the piano and singing, I'm sorry to say, was not so good. Too loud and not very talented. But that isn't what we were there for.
Finally we went to the presentation. The room was small and there were plastic chairs set up for an audience of what turned out to be about 20. The windows were covered so there was no outside light. But the room was well lit. We had no idea what to expect from this experience, so we just took seats near the front where we thought we would be able to see well. It turned out that every person in the audience was to get a reading. Unexpected, but nice. However, there was a lot of noise and disruption and I find it hard to believe that even a very sensitive person would be able to draw on a spirit or guide for every single person every single time especially under these less than ideal circumstances.
He started from the back of the room and seemed to take quite a long time with each person, throwing out names and memories and thoughts in a very random way. Some people he seemed to hit a mark with, others not so much. If he wasn't hitting, he moved on fairly quickly. After about 10 people some themes seemed to be developing...lots of people were teachers, had the gift, drove fast, seemed to know to slow down when a policeman was there, were healers, were recieving healing from beyond, took on too much and should ask for help, almost everyone had a doctor and an indian guide. There was just enough specific information to allow someone to choose to believe if that is what they wanted. Mostly it was generalisms. By the time he got to the end, he was moving much faster.
Finally he got to me and my friend. I was a little nervous and hopefully expectant. Soon after he started with me, I was disappointed. But I will report on what he said that was and wasn't accurate and you can judge for yourself. He started by saying he saw many around me, as he had with every person. He said he felt an uncle, and the name Mike. First all of my uncles are living and none of them are Mike. The only Mike of significance in my life was my first husband and father of my children. He said he was seeing a man, probably my grandfather. I had hoped he would go on about that, but he did not.
Then he said from 6-11 a Doctor Waterford was a close healer to me and there was something with my leg, my knee that was injured, but not severely. By healer he meant in the spirit world, so I can't address that. I never had a bad knee injury other than scraped knees. I had ankle injuries, but they were on the opposite leg of the one he indicated. He said at the age of 13 I became a rebel and turned away from the religion that my parents wanted for me. Ok, at the age of 13 everyone becomes a rebel and I may have been a bit worse than some, but religion was not a part of our home life on a regular basis, so this has no bearing.
He said I love the outdoors and love the water...love putting my feet in the water. These are both true and something he didn't say to anyone else, but also I am very tan, so anyone observant would make that assumption. Then he said my Indian guide was Running Creek, which just made me giggle.
He specifically said that he saw 'no young people' around me, I believe I may have reacted to that in some way, because then he changed and said there was a young boy, perhaps a cousin, who was about 9 and had died in a bad way, maybe hit by a car. There is no young man that I am aware of that died young in my life. What is interesting about this though, is that a medium that contacted my aunt soon after Michaela died, said that she (Michaela) was with a young boy about 9, but she couldn't figure out the relationship. So if anyone in my family can enlighten me, that would be helpful.
He said to me, like almost everyone else, that I was bored at work, but there would be a good opportunity coming in June. He said that I wanted to start my own business, which used to be true but no longer is a priority for me and seemed disoriented when I disagreed. Then he said suddenly that Frank was there, but his real name, on his birth certificate, was Francis and asked if I knew who he meant. I responded honestly, that my great Uncle Frank had died a few days ago (its only fair to be honest). I have no idea if his real name was Francis. He said to tell everyone that he made it to the other side safely and everything was well with him. Since I was not close to this man and only remember meeting him once or twice, that seems like a stretch, but ok. There were some other things that he said, but I can't remember right now. Thankfully my friend took some notes, that helped me remember this much.
Then he moved on to my friend. Again, I could see a lot of truth in what he said, much more than with me, such as identifying her as good financially (she has a degree in finance), but that is more her story than mine.
Afterwards some people asked specific questions about the loved ones that they had come hoping to hear from. He sent one woman crying from the room when he said her son had died with some recklessness but he wasn't alone now and was with a dog as his constant companion. I could tell that they and the others who asked specific questions went away disappointed, but I couldn't bring myself to ask anything.
Finally we stayed for a second presentation that was called Transfiguration. In this the room is darkened and a red light is shined on the medium's face. During the 'seance' spirits are to manifest themselves across his face and wierd things may or may not happen depending on the energy in the room. Nothing weird happened and it did seem as though his face changed, but it also seemed like I could create the same effect with a dim flashlight in a dark room. He was constantly moving his head slowing around changing the shadows and the light he was using was a normal light, it had something on its base that was purported to be a dimmer, but seemed in the shape and size of a camera. Of course, a true phony would be found out instantly by that, so I doubt is was anything of significance. The more noise that was made by the crowd, the more spirits came (and the more he moved his head). I was amused by this performance more than anything. But to be fair at one point, the people on the other side of the room, about 5 of them, started talking about seeing a beautiful blond young woman who kept coming back and they were calling for her to come back. I did not see this, but it gave me pause to think.
Overall, there was enough truth that was presented to allow anyone who wanted to believe to believe, but not enough validation for anyone to say for sure that this person was able to deliver on what he promised. I remain open minded, but skeptical of this particular man. Unfortunately it is a field that is wide open to abuse and fraud.
Yet so many people do it! Ready or not. Able or not. Most of us figure it out through trial and error. Most of us do not become child abusers or deadbeats or do really much at all that messes up a child for life in any major way. We are very good at protecting our children. Sometimes I think we are too good at it. I often look at my children and contemplate the concepts of Nature Vs. Nurture. But I do know, for a fact, that for many years, the formative years, the parent is the only source of information that is treated as reliable; so parents, please be careful. Take fear for example. Just because something scared you doesn't mean it will necessarily scare your child...unless you tell them that it is scary. 
There are a million mistakes parents make. I know I made more than my share. Kids are built to survive regardless of how inept we are, but they do learn from us. From what we say and what we do and how we treat people. And they might also learn from what we fear. So do your kid a favor if you can, let them develop their own crazy little phobias, don't pass on yours.
