In Walking With Angels I explain how over the past few years my perspective regarding a number of spiritual matters has changed, illness being one. Although I can accept that part of why we are here on this earth is for our spirits to grow and learn I find it unacceptable to believe that pain and abuse are necessary for this to happen. I can separate the spiritual from the physical and I believe the spirit worlds influence on the physical body is truly limited.
I also believe that whilst we are here in our physical bodies physical things can just go wrong, with no rhyme or reason to is and certainly with no pre-ordained intent for it to be a lesson. What lesson would someone learn who suffers a lifetime of pain, discomfort or disease and why would they chose this for themselves. What lesson would someone who isn’t able to express themselves learn that they couldn’t learn in other ways?
I think it’s just a fact of physical life and maybe it’s all too easy to attribute this to life’s lessons or karma and maybe the great spirit (or whatever people chose to term it) isn’t some great puppet master controlling everything. We also have free will, and sometimes the choices we make can affect the physical too, or the choices of those around us can have an impact on that too. Recent experiences in my own life made me re-evaluate a number of things, this being one.
Sometimes bad stuff just happens, it’s part and parcel of life and is never easy to experience or see those we love experience and I think to attribute these things to some great plan must be very frustrating and displeasing for those going through things and rightly so.
It was never the intent to solve murders on this show as we were realistic enough to know it doesn’t work that why. If only!. We aimed to bring a sense of closure and peace to those we worked with and give some extra insight if possible where information was lacking. It was more about helping the living families than trying to put people behind bars and I think we were often very successful in this. If information came through that the producers felt could be of benefit I believe it was passed on to the authorities but beyond that I am not sure. I am not sure how the law enforcement perceived us and in many ways it doesn’t really matter. I think openly they would need to distance themselves from this kind of stuff but I know that in one case definitely the investigating police were part and parcel to many parts of the investigating we did. I have also worked with police on other cases too but of course it remains undisclosed.
When we set up the Avalon Project 11 yrs ago when there were far less outlets for good tuition and we just wanted everyone to have access to the best teachers, demonstrators and inspirers in a friendly supportive environment.
We encourage free thinking and sharing of experiences and try to instil in our attendees that comparing themselves to others, trying to be better or developing without enjoying the experience isn’t that way to go. It’s not a race where the destination is the final goal, it’s about enjoying the journey and having a love and respect for the work and the spirit world.
Actually I am a stranger to paranormal investigation and have only ever done a handful to be honest. I tend to work primarily in the area of evidential mediumship. I have done a few investigations and enjoy them but I think you have to work to your strengths and be guided where you think you can be most help. For Most Haunted Live 4 I was only actually asked to be in the audience to support Living TV’s Paranormal programming but Colin Fry and I were then invited to take part in some aspects. It was very brief but good fun.
The best advice I would give to any paranormal team is to not feel pressured or obliged to head towards dramatics. We know that on the whole working with spirit is a simple and beautiful thing and shouldn’t be complicated for the sake of effect. Mostly this type of works involves dealing with residual energies and picking up on past events when there is often no spirit presence and I think this is often a misconception of those that are not aware so needs to be made clear. Of course spirit encounters can occur but I always believe we are always in control of those we allow to connect to us and work with us and it can be detrimental to portray otherwise. Also, there should always be respect for the other world and credit it with the vast intelligence that is has, probably more than we can comprehend in this life.
People often say this but actually in real life I don’t think I am that funny at all. Maybe I get influenced by those that work with me. I think it’s important for the evening to be kept light and fun for everyone and even though the messages can often be serious and very emotional this needs to be balanced. The spirit people keep their sense of humour so why not allow this to be part of the evening too.
I don’t get a lot of time so tend not to get hooked on things. I have a house abroad and when I go there I usually work my way through a box set or two. Things i have enjoyed recently are The Sopranos which I have now completed all six series and more recently Dexter, which is just amazing. When at home I like documentaries, one offs that don’t need a massive time commitment or for you to be home every week at a certain time.
Nina Simone, Judy Garland and Gandalf (for the past or fictional) and Liza Minnelli, Shirley Maclaine and Victoria Wood – Just because they are people I admire or they would be very interesting and fun. Would be great for Judy to do a few after dinner songs!