1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,040 Speaker 1: And you're here. Thanks for choosing the I Heart Radio 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: and Coast to Coast, a paranormal podcast network. Your quest 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: for podcasts of the paranormal, supernatural, and the unexplained ends here. 4 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: Invite you to enjoy all our shows we have on 5 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: this network, and right now, let's start with Light with 6 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: Sandra sham Plain. Welcome to our podcast. Please be aware 7 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 1: the thoughts and opinions expressed by the host are their 8 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: thoughts and opinions only and do not reflect those of 9 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: I Heart Media, I Heart Radio, Coast to Coast, am 10 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: employees of premier networks, or their sponsors and associates. We 11 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: would like to encourage you to do your own research 12 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: and discover the subject matter for yourself. Hi. I'm Sanders Shamplain. 13 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 1: For almost twenty five years, I been on a journey 14 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 1: to prove the existence of life after death. On each episode, 15 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: will discuss the reasons we now know that our loved 16 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:14,040 Speaker 1: ones have survived physical death and so will we Welcome 17 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: to Shades of the Afterlife. I've got a big smile 18 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: on my face and I was laughing just now. We 19 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: all have people in our life that love us and 20 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: support us. But when we start talking about life after death. 21 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: Sometimes one eyebrow goes up and they think we're a 22 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: little crazy. Well I was one of those people beginning 23 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 1: my journey, thinking anybody who spoke about this was a 24 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 1: little crazy. So picture this. I'm here in my mom's 25 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: house right now, and she asked me, oh, what are 26 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: you going to do for your next episode? Of course, 27 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: she loves and supports me, so I thought i'd tell her. Well, 28 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: I thought i'd call it story time with Sandra, and 29 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: I've got three books in front of me, which i'll 30 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: tell you about in just a second. But I told 31 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: her about physical mediumship some of the stories, and when 32 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: I do, she thinks I'm a little bit out there. 33 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: So when I described what I want to do this 34 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 1: show about today, I got one of those looks. Yes, 35 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: I certainly did. And I know she loves and supports me, 36 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 1: she wants me to be happy. But I just turned 37 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 1: around and left her room with a smile. Unless you 38 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: experience things for yourself, it is so difficult to believe 39 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: things are real. So I understand it. You know, I 40 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: follow some people and what they're up to, and some 41 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: of it just seems so far out there that I 42 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: don't give it any credibility. But then there's other stories 43 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: that I think, you know what, I've got to investigate this. 44 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: So today the three books I have in front of me. 45 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: One is on the Edge of the Etheric and it 46 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: was written in one by Arthur Finlay. And Arthur Finley 47 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: is someone you may have heard of, the Arthur Finley 48 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: College in the UK. It's a place where mediums go 49 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: to be trained and it's got a really big history, 50 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 1: really beautiful old property. Even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who 51 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: gave up writing Sherlock Holmes, got involved and was at 52 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 1: this wonderful place and stand stead UK to participate in 53 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 1: these physical medium seances is the word now. Seance means meeting, 54 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: but a lot of us have a spooky connotation with it. 55 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: People gathered around in a circle holding hands in the 56 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: dark and voices come out of nowhere. Well some of 57 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: that is actually true, believe it or not, and it's 58 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: not as spooky as it sounds though. Another book I 59 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: have in front of me is Alec Harris and the 60 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: full story of his remarkable physical mediumship, and it was 61 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: written by his wife, Louie Harris. And Alec Harris is 62 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: some who never ever believed in mediumship and those sort 63 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: of things, and his wife would go to these meetings, 64 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: church meetings. You know, she made light of him and 65 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: he started wondering, you know, what is she really doing. 66 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: I don't know if he questioned an affair or not, 67 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: but he was curious as to what really happens at 68 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:25,160 Speaker 1: these meetings. So he tagged along once and he found 69 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 1: out it was mediumship. Well, Alec Harris ended up becoming 70 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: one of the most famous, most well known mediums in 71 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,719 Speaker 1: the day and probably in history for some of the 72 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,919 Speaker 1: things that would happen. The third book I have is 73 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: called A History of Ghosts, The True Story of Seances, Mediums, 74 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 1: Ghosts and Ghostbusters, and it was written by Peter Ackroyd, 75 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: who is the father of Dan Ackroyd, who wrote the 76 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: movie Ghostbusters. Now, Peter's grandfather would hold these meetings and 77 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,840 Speaker 1: I don't know how aware he was as a boy, 78 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 1: and so I want to read to you a little 79 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: bit from the beginning. But in it, people would become 80 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: alive again, people would have their voices heard, and so 81 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 1: the ackroid family completely believes in spiritualism, which is a 82 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: religion based on the survival of the afterlife and with 83 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: that in their household. There were plenty of stories told 84 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:34,040 Speaker 1: of these seances and people becoming alive again, and this 85 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,799 Speaker 1: substance that was a vapor like substance that would exude 86 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: from a medium's body and the deceased people could step 87 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: into it with their etheric body and become real again, 88 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 1: while the substance was called ectoplasm. So with that, young 89 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: Dan had those seeds planted and ended up making the 90 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 1: comedy Ghostbusters. Now. As hard as it is for people 91 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: to get their mind on some of these things, the 92 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 1: basics of mediumship that we know now, which is called 93 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: evidential mediumship, all started because of this physical mediumship back 94 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:13,599 Speaker 1: in the day, back in the late eighteen hundreds. I 95 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: believe it started maybe mid to late eighteen hundreds and 96 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: into the nineteen hundreds. On one of the earlier episodes, 97 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 1: I've got a clip of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle talking 98 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:29,040 Speaker 1: about what he experienced. We've also talked to physical medium 99 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: Scott Milligan and although the clips I have for you 100 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: as part of Shades of the Afterlife are on his 101 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 1: trans mediumship, he is one of the top physical mediums 102 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 1: in the world. Trans medium ship is when someone quiets 103 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: their mind and allows someone from the spirit world to 104 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 1: speak through them. And we witness that every Friday online 105 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: and you're always welcome to join. You don't have to 106 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,559 Speaker 1: pay a penny. You can come and be my guest 107 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 1: as good to we Don't Die dot com and look 108 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:06,039 Speaker 1: at the store. You'll find all the details there. I've 109 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: witnessed physical mediumship myself probably two dozen times. I would 110 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 1: say Scott Milligan is the main medium that I have 111 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 1: sat with. Also Stuart Alexander, who's always says he's about 112 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 1: to retire and never quite does. And another fellow I 113 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: sat with a couple of times. His name is David Thompson. 114 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 1: But Scott is the one that I know the most about. 115 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: I've heard so many of his stories and they're really wonderful. 116 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: And while I myself have not witnessed people with my 117 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: eyes speaking from the afterlife, I have heard their voices, 118 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: I have felt their touch, and there's no way somebody's 119 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: going to convince me that there was trickery going on. 120 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: So I know, a skeptical mind can say, oh, this 121 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: is so hard to believe, and a lot of stuff 122 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: I agree. When it seems to good to be true, 123 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: it probably is so I know in this episode, I'm 124 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: not going to convince you of anything, nor am I trying, 125 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: But I want you to sit back, relax, and just 126 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: enjoy some of these stories. So we're going to start 127 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: out with Peter Ackroyd's book A History of Ghosts, The 128 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: True Story of Seances, Medium's Ghosts, and Ghostbusters. We're going 129 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: to start by the foreword by Dan Ackroyd. People often 130 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:31,360 Speaker 1: ask me how I came to write Ghostbusters. The truth 131 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: is that in the early nineteen hundreds, my family was 132 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: part of a worldwide cultural and social phenomena driven by 133 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: a wish to make contact with spirits of the dead, 134 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: whether the dead wanted it or not. My great grandfather, 135 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 1: Samuel Augustus Ackroyd, presided over his home circle, and the 136 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: sitters had their very own medium, Walter Ashurst, who may 137 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: believed acted as a conduit to many and varied afterworld personalities. 138 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: Whether one believes in this kind of thing or not, 139 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:10,679 Speaker 1: my family was then and is now not alone in 140 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 1: such pursuits. Thousands of people in Western society regularly hold 141 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: seances and support mediums. Around the beginning of the twentieth century, 142 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: mediums and their subsequent investigators became big stars, and spiritualism 143 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:33,359 Speaker 1: took on a distinct show business aspect. Were they fakes hoaxes? 144 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: Many to be sure, and some would say they were 145 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: all tricks. But Baron Albert Vaughan shrink not sing. The 146 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 1: German ectoplasm Hunter, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, writer of the 147 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 1: Sherlock Holmes detective series, and Sir Oliver Lodge, eminent scientist 148 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: and philosopher, were men who held the hope that someday 149 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: natural science might rationally encompassed the supernatural as a proven fact. Levitations, apports, apparitions, 150 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:12,839 Speaker 1: limbs complete with hair, skin, and bones instantly growing out 151 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: of living people, plasmic material molded into real tissue, impressions 152 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:24,359 Speaker 1: of faces and bodies. These were things seen by witnesses, skeptics, 153 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: and believers alike. Were these mere spectacles achieved by artificial devices? 154 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 1: Or some of them simply part of a reality that 155 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: exists beyond our sensible understanding. Part of Ghostbusters appeal derives 156 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: from the cold rational acceptance of the phantasmic as routine 157 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: tone that Bill Murray, Harold Ramos, director Ivan Rittman, and 158 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:53,439 Speaker 1: I were able to sustain in the movie. This element 159 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 1: originated from my great grandfather's interest in the subject and 160 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: from the books he collected. He bequeathed these to his son, 161 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: My grandfather Maurice, the Bell telephone engineer, who actually queried 162 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:12,400 Speaker 1: his colleagues about the possibility of constructing a high vibration 163 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: crystal radio as a mechanical method for contacting the spirit world. 164 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: His son, my father, as a child, witnessed seances and 165 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: kept the family books on the subject. My brother Peter 166 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 1: and I read them avidly and became lifelong supporters of 167 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 1: the American Society for Psychical Research. And from all of 168 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 1: this ghostbusters got made. My daughters are now up on 169 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: the subject, and one of them, we have found, seems 170 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: to affect photographs, glops of light and other shapes surround 171 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:50,600 Speaker 1: her when pictures are taken in and around the old 172 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 1: family farmhouse. The children will have to make their own 173 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: decisions about the verity and value of psychic studies. Their 174 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: grandfather's book, A History of Ghosts will surely assist them. 175 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: It is an objective, as any serious seeker of the 176 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 1: truth about alleged paranormal activities could wish. Both believers and 177 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: nonbelievers will first be highly entertained and then surprisingly enlightened 178 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:24,679 Speaker 1: by these stories of real empiricists chasing ghosts. And that's 179 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 1: written by dan Ackroyd. Before I go into reading the 180 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:31,439 Speaker 1: next part, I just want to tell you something. These 181 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 1: stories come from people that have been long dead, and 182 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:39,559 Speaker 1: it's very easy for us living in the two thousands 183 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: to think, will it happened long ago? These things must 184 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: be fake or didn't really happen. Here's the thing. The 185 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 1: people that got involved in this were doctors, scientists, some 186 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: of the smartest minds at the time, so there was 187 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: a lot of investigation to make sure that all this 188 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 1: is real. So let's take our break and then we'll 189 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 1: be back. You're listening to Shades of the Afterlife on 190 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio and Coast to Coast a m 191 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: Paranormal podcast Network. Don't go anywhere. There's more Shades of 192 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: the Afterlife coming right up. The art Bell Vault never 193 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: disappoints classic audio at your fingertips. Go now to Coast 194 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 1: to Coast a UM dot com for full details the 195 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: best afterlife information you can get. Well your own Shades 196 00:13:42,640 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 1: of the Afterlife with Sander Champlaine. Welcome to Shades of 197 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: the Afterlife. I'm Sandra Champlain, and we are doing story 198 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: time with Sandra. Our first is going to be from 199 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 1: a History of Ghosts, The True story of Seances, Mediums, 200 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:17,359 Speaker 1: ghosts and Ghostbusters. Now, this first part is the prologue, 201 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: written by Peter Ackroyd from what he remembered being young, 202 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: May twelve nine, Sydenham, Ontario, Canada. Four cars, all black, 203 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: all polished for their trip from town, rolled down the 204 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: long lane to the farmhouse, the crunch of gravel beneath 205 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: the tires momentarily silencing the birds. Dust settles on the 206 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: gleaming finishes of the automobiles and they pull up beside 207 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: the farmhouse, parking randomly on the grass. There are four 208 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 1: men in three piece suits with well shined shoes. The 209 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,480 Speaker 1: women four of them as well, all in black with 210 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: stylish hats. The faces are familiar. I have seen them 211 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: before at church or in town. These people always have 212 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: something friendly to say to me. But from here, in 213 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: my hiding place, among the newly budding lilac bushes, they 214 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 1: appear unapproachable. Their minds are on something else. I slipped unobserved, 215 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 1: across the lawn to the back of the house and 216 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 1: toward the outside cellar entrance. The cellar stairs are damp, 217 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: and as I pull open one side of the heavy 218 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: horizontal doors, I smell the rich, loamy scent of ripened apples. 219 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 1: The rest of the family is puzzled by my motive entry, 220 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 1: but I am quite content entering the house this way. 221 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: It gives me access to the experiences I might otherwise 222 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 1: miss at a young age. I am curious as they come. 223 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: I crossed the cellar, which is dimly lit by the 224 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: slanting sunlight. Entering through the outside door, I climb up 225 00:15:56,000 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: the inside cellar stairs and kneel patiently on the top, waiting. 226 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: The cellar door is open a crack. From here, I 227 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 1: can see the kitchen in one direction, and in the other, 228 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:12,120 Speaker 1: the fireplace and the table in the parlor. I can 229 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: hear the voice emanating from the radio. It is crisp 230 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 1: and clear as it delivers the news. I lean forward. 231 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 1: I can see the front door and the verandah. I 232 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 1: shift my position to see if anyone has entered yet. 233 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: But apparently the people in the driveway are enjoying the 234 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: last rays of the spring sun, the scent of lilacs, 235 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: and the sounds of bird song. My grandfather is sitting 236 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: in his usual chair by the fireplace a tent. Upon 237 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 1: hearing every last word the newscaster has to say on 238 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 1: the radio, Grandpa grunts and snaps the radio dial, silencing it. 239 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: People these days can't seem to tolerate one moment without entertainment, 240 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 1: he mutters. Moving towards the square table in the center 241 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 1: of the room, he adjusts the silk cloth in his center, 242 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: says something to one of the young, ark haired men, 243 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,639 Speaker 1: and says, it is time, my dear. He turns and 244 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: walks out the front door and stands on the veranda, 245 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:12,639 Speaker 1: his hands clasped loosely behind his back. The mantle clock 246 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 1: is ticking. I can hear the young man soft rhythmic 247 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:19,959 Speaker 1: breathing as the grown up scent of cigarettes drifts towards me. 248 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: The group with Grandpa bringing up the rear, enters the farmhouse. 249 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 1: They are chatting quietly. Once in the parlor, they are 250 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:33,119 Speaker 1: greeted by Grandma, a plump, smiling lady. I see that 251 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:36,640 Speaker 1: she is also dressed in black, as if for a funeral. 252 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 1: As the fresh breeze waffs through the house, it brings 253 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 1: another scent to me, the distinct aroma of freshly baked 254 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 1: bread and sure enough, through the crack of the door knob, 255 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 1: I can see two pans of buns glistening, and the 256 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 1: homemade butter warming at the back of the wood stove. 257 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:57,920 Speaker 1: My mouth begins to water, but my attention is drawn 258 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:01,879 Speaker 1: away from my already full stomach. Grandpa has invited the 259 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 1: guests to be seated, and I must alter my position 260 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: for a better view. I sense that it is important 261 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 1: for me to see, but remain unseen, for I am 262 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:16,119 Speaker 1: supposed to be in my bedroom preparing for bed. The 263 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 1: unlit coil lamp stands on the sideboard, waiting to do 264 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 1: its part. When dusk turns to dark, I wedge myself 265 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:27,920 Speaker 1: carefully between the wall and the inside of the cellar door, 266 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 1: sliding silently to a seated position. Comfort will be crucial. 267 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: It will be a long night. The drapes are drawn, 268 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: but there is still a faint light in the room. 269 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 1: As the guests file into the parlor, they nod significantly 270 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:47,120 Speaker 1: to the seated man and take their places, leaving vacant 271 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: the chairs on either side of the young man. Once 272 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,919 Speaker 1: the guests are seated, Grandma takes to the chair to 273 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 1: the young man's left. Grandpa follows and occupies the last 274 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,680 Speaker 1: chair to the young man's right. For the first time 275 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 1: I noticed that the young man is dressed differently from 276 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 1: the others. His attire is far more casual, an open 277 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 1: collar workshirt and a cardigan. Grandpa begins to speak. Please 278 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 1: hold hands around the table, try to think positive thoughts. 279 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 1: Pray silently if you wish. The young man stubs out 280 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: his cigarette. He leans back, closes his eyes, and slips 281 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 1: into a trance, and the deafening pin drop silence. It 282 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,439 Speaker 1: is as if some curtain is about to rise. But 283 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: the show is an unusual one. These guests have not 284 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: traveled from town to see a play or concert. This 285 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 1: is a meeting of dr Ackroyd's circle. A seance is 286 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: about to begin, and the people present are here to 287 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: engage in an unusual form of communication. They have come 288 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: from town to talk to the dead. Just as we're 289 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 1: at the edge of our seat, Peter Ackroyd starts chapter one. 290 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:02,199 Speaker 1: It's called Ghosts set Home the Home Circle. I'll just 291 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: read a couple of pages. The sights and sounds of 292 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 1: that afternoon scene came tumbling back to me one mild 293 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 1: winter afternoon. More than fifty years later, my sister Judy 294 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 1: and I had taken on the task of clearing out 295 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:20,679 Speaker 1: the family home in Toronto, the place where my grandfather, 296 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: Samuel Ackroyd DDS had spent the last days of his life. 297 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:29,639 Speaker 1: The house at nine Garfield Avenue had been sold, and 298 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 1: Judy and I had taken a weekend out of our 299 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: own busy schedules to decide who would get what, what 300 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:39,040 Speaker 1: would go to auction, and what would be donated to 301 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: the Salvation Army. The rest would go to the dump. 302 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 1: We had kept the dark basement for the last Several 303 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 1: items that were seen as childhood treasures had been located upstairs, 304 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: memorabilia and photos, ancient jewelry, original artworks, and a few 305 00:20:56,440 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: rare books. We were not terribly excited about what could 306 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:05,399 Speaker 1: possibly be lurking in the dark wasteland below stairs. With 307 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 1: the last drops of a Manhattan made from bonded stock 308 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: rye warming our insides, we had already made several trips 309 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 1: up and down the stairs. Next to the furnace. In 310 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:19,160 Speaker 1: a corner of what was once the coal storage bin, 311 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:23,399 Speaker 1: we came upon our last load. Most of what we 312 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 1: found was destined for the landfill. Old suitcases with jagged 313 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 1: zippers and broken handles, that proved they had been to 314 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:36,159 Speaker 1: more places than most people. Empty cardboard boxes, a stained 315 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 1: mattress from a twin bed, and in the back against 316 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: a wall, an old blue metal trunk with a dedication 317 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:49,120 Speaker 1: of two people who felt duty bound to thoroughly examine 318 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:53,439 Speaker 1: everything in their care. Judy and I pride open the 319 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:57,720 Speaker 1: rusted metal clasp with a screwdriver. We had expected to 320 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:03,800 Speaker 1: find either junk or emptiness. Instead we found history. Inside 321 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:07,159 Speaker 1: were a photo album of black and white prints attached 322 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: with triangular corner mounts, and yellowed newspapers from decades back, 323 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 1: saved for articles Germaine to the family. There was a 324 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:20,640 Speaker 1: scrap book of recipes and our father's sheepskin from Queen's 325 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 1: University Applied Science nineteen thirteen, and a bundle of notebooks 326 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 1: of the type that children used in school. They were 327 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:33,719 Speaker 1: bound together with kitchen twine. We untied the bundle and 328 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 1: began to read page after page of penciled handwriting. With 329 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 1: no anticipation of doing so. We had come across Grandpa's journals, 330 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: eighty three of them to be precise written in his 331 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 1: own hand, from nineteen o five through nineteen thirty one, 332 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 1: containing thoughts, observations, and conjectures that he clearly had hoped 333 00:22:56,760 --> 00:23:00,240 Speaker 1: might some day be shared with others with in the 334 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 1: now fragile pages were handwritten copies of letters to his 335 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: family and friends and to the editors of local newspapers. 336 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:11,960 Speaker 1: The majority of the words he recorded are actual accounts 337 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 1: of seances, most of which took place in the small 338 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 1: farmhouse on the north shore of Lowborough Lake, near the 339 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 1: village of Sydenham, Ontario. Other passages are his musings over 340 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 1: what it's all about. The notes and letters aid my 341 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 1: remembrances of the elderly gentleman who lived in that farmhouse 342 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:39,239 Speaker 1: where I spent many gloriously happy days and nights. In 343 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:42,399 Speaker 1: my mind's eye, I can still see him in his 344 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 1: faded blue shirt and baggy tweed pants, sitting on the 345 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: bank of the lake, with his feet just over the 346 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 1: edge of the dock, jotting his thoughts into a child's 347 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: notebook with his Dixon H B pencil. My grandfather created 348 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 1: in me a lifetime interest in the parent normal, an 349 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:04,359 Speaker 1: interest that has proved to be enormously engaging in fun. 350 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:07,720 Speaker 1: I have passed it on to my son's Dan and Peter, 351 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,640 Speaker 1: and it also resulted in a television series and movies 352 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 1: which have been most fun of all. In the year 353 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: of Ghostbusters release, it became the most successful comedy in 354 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:24,400 Speaker 1: film history to date. It has been seen by over 355 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 1: a billion people, and it was absolutely and directly derived 356 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: from the Blue Trunk. I hope Grandpa knows what fun 357 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: he started. Everything I've read to you thus far is 358 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:39,919 Speaker 1: only in the first fourteen pages of the book, so 359 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,239 Speaker 1: there's a lot more. But what I want to do 360 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: in our next segment together is I want to give 361 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: you some really juicy stories from the Alec Harris book. 362 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:52,399 Speaker 1: But before I do, and before I leave you. In 363 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: the book A History of Ghosts by Peter Ackroyd, he 364 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: talks about home circles. He talks about the history of 365 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:07,719 Speaker 1: mediumship and all of these fascinating pioneers, how it started, 366 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 1: what it is more about ectoplasm, all the doctors and 367 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:17,160 Speaker 1: the scientists involved, and even what happened within the home 368 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: circle of the grandfathers. In fact, it is said that 369 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 1: between nine and nineteen thirty three, in the doctor Ackroid's notebooks, 370 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 1: there were no fewer than eighty seances held. You'll also 371 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:36,919 Speaker 1: be happy to know that the young Peter Ackroyd was 372 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:40,720 Speaker 1: able to go into the seance room on one night. 373 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 1: Peeking in, he hit a broom that fell and created 374 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 1: a whole bunch of noise. The medium was entranced, and 375 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 1: a very bemused voice called out in a Bella Legosi 376 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:56,719 Speaker 1: style eerieness, would the young gentleman in the cellar way 377 00:25:56,760 --> 00:26:00,640 Speaker 1: care to join this circle? And so have to report 378 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,639 Speaker 1: he did so. When we come back, we're gonna hear 379 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 1: about another circle of Alec Harris. You're listening to Shades 380 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: of the Afterlife on the I Heart Radio and Coast 381 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 1: to Coast, a paranormal podcast Network. Don't go anywhere. There's 382 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:28,400 Speaker 1: more Shades of the Afterlife coming right up. Hey, it's 383 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:31,600 Speaker 1: the Wizard of Weird Joshua Pee Warren. Don't forget to 384 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 1: check out my show Strange Things each week as I 385 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:38,920 Speaker 1: bring you the world of the truly amazing and bizarre 386 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: right here on the I Heart Radio and Coast to Coast, 387 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: a m paranormal podcast network, and now more Sandra on 388 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 1: the Your Heart Radio on Coast to Coast Damn Paranormal 389 00:26:52,760 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 1: podcast Network. Welcome back to Shades of the Afterlife I'm 390 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 1: Sander Champlain and we're going to move on to another book. 391 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 1: This one's called Alec Harris The Full Story of his 392 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 1: remarkable physical Mediumship by his wife Louie Harris. It's a 393 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 1: story about how a young man skeptical of all things psychic, 394 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: became one of the world's most brilliant materialization mediums. Alec 395 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:37,920 Speaker 1: and Louie Harris were married for forty six years, and 396 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 1: forty of those years until his passing in four they 397 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:47,399 Speaker 1: were devoted to bringing hope, comfort and enlightenment to countless people. 398 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: In the book, Louie tells of her husband's development of 399 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 1: trance direct voice healing and after six years of work 400 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:03,400 Speaker 1: with their spirit team of people solidly materializing in red light. 401 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:07,439 Speaker 1: Included in the book are wonderful accounts of families reuniting 402 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:11,400 Speaker 1: across the fale of death and old friends coming back 403 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 1: in to talk with each other in many languages that 404 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 1: were unknown to Alec. I also want to just paint 405 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 1: the picture of what one of these home circles looks like. 406 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:25,600 Speaker 1: It's inside a room with lots of curtains or drapes 407 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,440 Speaker 1: around the windows so that no light shines in typically 408 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:33,040 Speaker 1: held at nighttime. The medium, who is Alec Harris in 409 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:35,679 Speaker 1: this case, is in a corner of a room and 410 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 1: there is a black curtain in front of him, so 411 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 1: they call that a cabinet so the energy can build 412 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: up for the spirit world to use alex energy to 413 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 1: produce things. When the medium sits for physical mediumship, their 414 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:57,320 Speaker 1: eyes are closed and they're pretty much knocked out. They 415 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: are in a trance like state. They most likely have 416 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:05,760 Speaker 1: no idea of what is going on because the spirit 417 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:09,200 Speaker 1: people are blending with their energies and using them. The 418 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:11,640 Speaker 1: first story I'm going to share in our story time 419 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: here begins in chapter six. Now, the first part of 420 00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:19,640 Speaker 1: the book was talking about Louie Harris, her beliefs, her interests, 421 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 1: falling in love with her husband, how her brother Ted 422 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: became a spiritualist. He became a medium, and that was 423 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 1: really frowned on in the family because you know, people 424 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 1: thought mediums in the afterlife was crazy. But after two 425 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 1: years of him being a medium and his sister doing 426 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 1: some work to start attending the things he was attending, 427 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:47,560 Speaker 1: she herself got wrapped up in spiritualism. She would tell 428 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 1: white lies to her husband Alec, that she was going 429 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: to these meetings, and one day he wanted to attend 430 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:57,120 Speaker 1: a meeting and a long story short, he became one 431 00:29:57,160 --> 00:30:00,080 Speaker 1: of these mediums. Now where we're going to go. His 432 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:04,480 Speaker 1: first story is he is a trance medium, so he 433 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:07,600 Speaker 1: knows the spirit world is working through him and talking 434 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:12,280 Speaker 1: through him, but the physical manifestations hadn't taken place yet. 435 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: This is one of the first times where the spirit 436 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:21,040 Speaker 1: world actually does some physical things to him. On Christmas night, 437 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 1: Phillis and I suggested to Alec that we should have 438 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:29,560 Speaker 1: a circle, thinking it would be nice to exchange greetings 439 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 1: with many of our friends in the spirit world. To 440 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:37,000 Speaker 1: our surprise, Alec readily agreed. He usually had to be 441 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 1: coaxed to give any extra circles. Being an unwilling convert 442 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 1: to spiritualism, he was never very keen on spending long 443 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:48,920 Speaker 1: periods in trance. Before he could change his mind, we 444 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:52,360 Speaker 1: quickly hung a curtain across the room to form a cabinet. 445 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 1: Alec was placed inside, and at his request, we tied 446 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:01,160 Speaker 1: his hands and feet. My mother had already gone to bed. 447 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 1: The fire was very low, and we screened its glow 448 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:08,320 Speaker 1: as best we could. In our haste, we had not 449 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 1: darkened the windows completely, and being a moonlight night, the 450 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 1: soft beams filtered into the room, so that we were 451 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:19,760 Speaker 1: able to see much better than usual. No sooner had 452 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 1: Alec lapsed into trance than I. Wonga said, We're going 453 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: to try and experiment tonight. Please tie string around each 454 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:31,880 Speaker 1: of the knots in the cord binding the medium, make 455 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:35,239 Speaker 1: them extra secure. We ask you to do this so 456 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 1: that the medium, when he wakes, will have no doubts 457 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 1: what had taken place was indeed the work of spirit 458 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:45,600 Speaker 1: and no one else. It will be a feat that 459 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 1: no human entity could perform. Then, with a note of 460 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 1: amusement in his voice, he added, also have your long 461 00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:59,320 Speaker 1: coat ready. Please secure the knots. Now Puzzled, we set 462 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:01,920 Speaker 1: to work on the cord, making a very good job 463 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:05,520 Speaker 1: of it. This done, Phillis and I took our places 464 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 1: and began to sing carols. I forgot to mention singing 465 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 1: builds energy for manifestations to occur. This done, Phillis and 466 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:20,600 Speaker 1: I took our places and began to sing carols. After 467 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:24,560 Speaker 1: a moment, Yokum joined us with his beautiful, deep musical voice. 468 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:29,240 Speaker 1: Then the spirit children added their voices in beautiful harmony. 469 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:32,800 Speaker 1: Then two voices could be heard singing together. We had 470 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 1: a lovely Christmas party. Yoakum and the children entertained us 471 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:40,920 Speaker 1: throughout the evening, making amusing remarks to keep us in 472 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 1: fits of laughter. The moon later became very bright by 473 00:32:45,320 --> 00:32:48,840 Speaker 1: its lights. The trumpets were clearly visible in their entirety, 474 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 1: not just the luminous areas painted around the edges. The 475 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:56,840 Speaker 1: curtains forming the cabinet did not quite reach to the floor. 476 00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:02,920 Speaker 1: I saw beneath them a white, ami transparent substance billowing 477 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:07,479 Speaker 1: along the floor. My stomach constricted with excitement as I 478 00:33:07,560 --> 00:33:13,640 Speaker 1: realized that a materialization was probably forming. Phyllis was very still. 479 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:17,560 Speaker 1: She had also seen this substance, and we waited expectantly 480 00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:22,800 Speaker 1: for developments. After a while, two spirit arms projected from 481 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:27,080 Speaker 1: the cabinet, holding a shoe in each hand. One shoe 482 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:31,280 Speaker 1: was placed on my lap and the other on Phyllis's next. 483 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 1: Alex belt and jumper were laid alongside the shoes. As 484 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:39,239 Speaker 1: this was taking place, I again experienced a feeling of 485 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:43,160 Speaker 1: extreme cold. My body temperature dropped to the point where 486 00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:46,960 Speaker 1: I was shivering. Then a deep, droning hum could be 487 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 1: heard from the cabinet, and Adula announced himself he was 488 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:55,719 Speaker 1: producing the same powerful resonant vibration that he emitted at 489 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:59,840 Speaker 1: the healing circles, and I felt much relieved. Suddenly we 490 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 1: heard Alec, whom we had bound with cords, rise from 491 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 1: his chair. The curtains parted, and he stepped out of 492 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:12,799 Speaker 1: the cabinet to be greeted by our shocked exclamations. He 493 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:17,719 Speaker 1: was now also minus his trousers. I promptly jumped up 494 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:21,200 Speaker 1: and protectively draped my winter coat around him, as it 495 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:23,799 Speaker 1: was cold in the room now and the fire was 496 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:27,160 Speaker 1: only an ember's. He came out of trance, and glancing 497 00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:30,680 Speaker 1: down at his state of undress, no trousers, belt, shoes, 498 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:34,440 Speaker 1: or jersey, he wrinkled his brow in puzzlement and exclaimed, 499 00:34:34,520 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 1: what's going on here? What happened? We quickly switched on 500 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:41,800 Speaker 1: the light and drew aside the cabinet curtains. Phyllis, Alec 501 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:45,720 Speaker 1: and I stood in shocked silence, unable to believe our eyes. 502 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:50,960 Speaker 1: They're sitting in the chair, just as if Alec's body 503 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:55,560 Speaker 1: was still inside them, with the ropes still securely binding them. 504 00:34:55,680 --> 00:35:00,439 Speaker 1: Were his trousers impossible? Alex said, He glan ups down 505 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:03,360 Speaker 1: at his lower torso to confirm that he really was 506 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:07,799 Speaker 1: without his trousers. It's amazing, he added, I can't understand it. 507 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:10,600 Speaker 1: So this shows the spirit world definitely have a sense 508 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:13,360 Speaker 1: of humor. I'm going to fast forward in the book 509 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:17,240 Speaker 1: a couple of years, and this is in ninety two, 510 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:23,480 Speaker 1: after Alec started having materializations of people stepping into the 511 00:35:23,520 --> 00:35:27,640 Speaker 1: ectoplasm and in the room with the people with the 512 00:35:27,680 --> 00:35:32,000 Speaker 1: red light on, here we go in. We were still 513 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:36,040 Speaker 1: giving voice circles at our Spiritualist church. On a Friday 514 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:38,719 Speaker 1: one night, I felt the presence of a young soldier 515 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:42,600 Speaker 1: who was trying very hard to communicate but having no success. 516 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:47,360 Speaker 1: I sensed his bitter disappointment at this failure. When the 517 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:50,080 Speaker 1: circle ended, I was drawn to a woman who looked 518 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:53,479 Speaker 1: very strained. I felt like she was on the edge 519 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:57,080 Speaker 1: of a breakdown. I approached her, asking if she would 520 00:35:57,080 --> 00:36:01,240 Speaker 1: like to come to our circle on Sunday. At this point, 521 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:04,400 Speaker 1: the presence of the young soldier came very close, and 522 00:36:04,480 --> 00:36:08,040 Speaker 1: I knew that he had come for her. On the night, 523 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:11,759 Speaker 1: the lady presented herself, I placed her in the front row. 524 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:15,840 Speaker 1: We always sat in two rows close to the cabinet. 525 00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:21,000 Speaker 1: Shortly after we began, a young lad stepped from the cabinet. 526 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 1: He held out his arms to the woman crying and said, Mum, 527 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:30,080 Speaker 1: it's dairy. She gave an anguished cry, jumped from her 528 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:33,160 Speaker 1: seat and went to the boy. He put his arms 529 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:36,799 Speaker 1: around her. The mother broke down and wept in her 530 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: dead son's arms, releasing much of her tensions over the 531 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:44,480 Speaker 1: past months. The boy gently comforted his mother, saying he 532 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:47,840 Speaker 1: was always with her. Then he changed the subject and 533 00:36:47,960 --> 00:36:52,400 Speaker 1: quite unexpectedly, said, Mum, I want you to be quite 534 00:36:52,480 --> 00:36:58,520 Speaker 1: sure that this is really me. Look, I've still got it. See. 535 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:01,080 Speaker 1: He took her hand and placed it on his chest. 536 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:05,400 Speaker 1: Can you feel it, mum? He asked. He had had 537 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:09,600 Speaker 1: a deformed breastbone, which his family had laughingly called his 538 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:14,320 Speaker 1: chicken bone. To give his mother positive proof of his identity, 539 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:19,160 Speaker 1: he materialized his deformity to convince her. There was not 540 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:22,880 Speaker 1: a dry eye among us as we witnessed this beautiful 541 00:37:23,239 --> 00:37:27,399 Speaker 1: and touching reunion of a lonely grieving mother with her 542 00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:31,719 Speaker 1: dead son. I have another short story here, okay. This 543 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:34,359 Speaker 1: is a story of a gentleman who was at one 544 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:37,719 Speaker 1: of these seances. There appeared to be what seemed to 545 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:40,880 Speaker 1: be a white rod, which thrust itself along the floor 546 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:44,319 Speaker 1: from under the cabinet curtains. It moved as if it 547 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:48,320 Speaker 1: were alive. The end began to enlarge into a ball, 548 00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:53,160 Speaker 1: until there was a mass of moving, pulsating ectoplasm about 549 00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:57,320 Speaker 1: the size of a large stone. It became elongated vertically 550 00:37:57,719 --> 00:38:01,400 Speaker 1: until it was the height of a human being. Gradually, 551 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:05,480 Speaker 1: as if it was being sculptured, there appeared a face, 552 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:11,239 Speaker 1: and then ahead, Soon the form was completely human, clothed 553 00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:16,520 Speaker 1: in ectoplasmic draperies. The materialized spirit began to walk around 554 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:19,600 Speaker 1: the room and was able to speak to us. As 555 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:23,239 Speaker 1: the power waned, we saw the spirit dissolve and collapse 556 00:38:23,600 --> 00:38:27,400 Speaker 1: into an empty space. Then occurred the most wonderful and 557 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:32,720 Speaker 1: beautiful manifestation of the entire seance. A charming Spanish girl 558 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:36,840 Speaker 1: gracefully glided through the curtains and enthralled us with a 559 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:41,680 Speaker 1: dancing display. It was fascinating to watch her elegant movements. 560 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:44,680 Speaker 1: As she turned quickly on her toes, the hem of 561 00:38:44,719 --> 00:38:49,280 Speaker 1: her billowing white dress flicked on my cheek. It felt 562 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:53,479 Speaker 1: as soft as gossamer. Now we have to go into 563 00:38:53,480 --> 00:38:56,960 Speaker 1: our last break, but you better believe me that I 564 00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:59,920 Speaker 1: am most definitely going to tell you some more story 565 00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:03,560 Speaker 1: when we get back all right, you're listening to Shades 566 00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:06,720 Speaker 1: of the Afterlife on the I Heart Radio and Coast 567 00:39:06,719 --> 00:39:15,520 Speaker 1: to Coast AM Paranormal Podcast Network. The Coast to Coast 568 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:17,319 Speaker 1: a M mobile app is here and waiting for you 569 00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:19,760 Speaker 1: right now. With the app, you can hear classic shows 570 00:39:19,760 --> 00:39:22,399 Speaker 1: from the past seven years, listen to the current live show, 571 00:39:22,520 --> 00:39:24,320 Speaker 1: and get access to the art Bell Vault where you 572 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:26,840 Speaker 1: can listen to uninterrupted audio. So head on over to 573 00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:29,120 Speaker 1: the Coast to Coast AM dot com website. We have 574 00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:30,919 Speaker 1: a handy video guide to help you get the most 575 00:39:30,920 --> 00:39:33,480 Speaker 1: out of your mobile app usage. All the info is 576 00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:37,080 Speaker 1: waiting for you now at Coast to Coast AM dot com. 577 00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:46,279 Speaker 1: That's Coast to Coast AM dot com. I'm George Nor. 578 00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:48,640 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to the I Heart Radio and 579 00:39:48,719 --> 00:39:56,520 Speaker 1: Coast to Coast a UM Paranormal Podcast Network. Okay, folks, 580 00:39:56,560 --> 00:39:59,160 Speaker 1: we need your music. Hey, it's producer Tom at Coast 581 00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:01,479 Speaker 1: to Coast AM and every first Sunday of the month 582 00:40:01,680 --> 00:40:04,600 Speaker 1: we play music from emerging artists just like you. If 583 00:40:04,600 --> 00:40:07,399 Speaker 1: you're a musician or a singer and have recorded music 584 00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:09,920 Speaker 1: you'd like to submit, it's very easy. Just go to 585 00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:12,480 Speaker 1: Coast to Coast a M dot com. Click the Emerging 586 00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:15,799 Speaker 1: Artists banner in the carousel, follow the instructions, and we 587 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:18,480 Speaker 1: just might play your music on the air. Go now 588 00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:20,680 Speaker 1: to Coast to Coast am dot com to send us 589 00:40:20,719 --> 00:40:36,800 Speaker 1: your recording. That's Coast to Coast am dot com. Welcome 590 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:39,719 Speaker 1: back to Shades of the Afterlife. I'm Sandra Champlain and 591 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:44,440 Speaker 1: we are having story time with Sandra. Currently, I'm reading 592 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:48,320 Speaker 1: some things from the book Alec Harris, the full story 593 00:40:48,440 --> 00:40:53,319 Speaker 1: of his remarkable physical mediumship, probably my top favorite book 594 00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:57,320 Speaker 1: on physical mediumship. I read it cover to cover many times, 595 00:40:57,680 --> 00:40:59,920 Speaker 1: and so I'm just reading some snippets out of it 596 00:41:00,040 --> 00:41:04,920 Speaker 1: today for you. So let me see where we should 597 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:11,240 Speaker 1: go on this particular occasion. All this is nineteen fifty five. 598 00:41:12,480 --> 00:41:16,960 Speaker 1: Louis and Alec Harris go to visit some friends in 599 00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:21,800 Speaker 1: the Isle of Man, and she writes it was April, 600 00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:24,359 Speaker 1: in a delightful time of year to be in the 601 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:27,960 Speaker 1: Isle of Man. Our reunion with Sally and John had 602 00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:32,840 Speaker 1: been a happy one. John informed us that a certain 603 00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:38,120 Speaker 1: medical man of international repute and one with extraordinary powers 604 00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:41,080 Speaker 1: of his own, had expressed a wish to meet us. 605 00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:46,200 Speaker 1: He wanted to witness spirit materialization through alex mediumship, of 606 00:41:46,280 --> 00:41:50,240 Speaker 1: which he had heard excellent reports. His name is Dr. 607 00:41:50,480 --> 00:41:54,160 Speaker 1: Sir Alexander Cannon, said John. He is a great friend 608 00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:58,120 Speaker 1: of mine. He is the author of several most fascinating books. 609 00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:01,160 Speaker 1: I'd like you both to me eat him, and perhaps 610 00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:04,440 Speaker 1: you will give him a sitting. Sir Alexander said, he 611 00:42:04,480 --> 00:42:07,520 Speaker 1: had long waited to sit with Alec, and so we 612 00:42:07,600 --> 00:42:10,800 Speaker 1: formed a circle. It proved to be a very good circle. 613 00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:16,600 Speaker 1: The highlight of the evening was the materialization of Mahatma Gandhi, 614 00:42:16,760 --> 00:42:21,600 Speaker 1: who came especially for Sir Alexander. The little Indian holy 615 00:42:21,640 --> 00:42:25,920 Speaker 1: man was exactly as he had been on earth. He 616 00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:31,560 Speaker 1: was painfully thin, almost emaciated through many long fasts. Gandhi 617 00:42:31,600 --> 00:42:36,919 Speaker 1: wore his customary loincloth and the well remembered steel rimmed spectacles. 618 00:42:37,560 --> 00:42:42,040 Speaker 1: He conversed at length with Sir Alexander in Hindu standing, 619 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:45,920 Speaker 1: a language familiar to the doctor but certainly not to Alec. 620 00:42:46,640 --> 00:42:51,840 Speaker 1: Our eminent sitter was very impressed with the manifestation, particularly 621 00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:56,080 Speaker 1: at the accuracy of detail of the materialized form and 622 00:42:56,120 --> 00:43:00,520 Speaker 1: the timbre of his voice. Sir Alexander knew mahat Gandhi 623 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:06,120 Speaker 1: extremely well, Gandhi's conversing in his vernacular tongue was even 624 00:43:06,120 --> 00:43:09,520 Speaker 1: more convincing evidence as far as he was concerned. But 625 00:43:09,600 --> 00:43:15,239 Speaker 1: the doctor was to have further indisputable evidence. Two Tibetan 626 00:43:15,239 --> 00:43:19,040 Speaker 1: monks materialized. They conversed with him in a little known 627 00:43:19,040 --> 00:43:23,600 Speaker 1: Tibetan tongue. Sir Alexander was one of the few white 628 00:43:23,640 --> 00:43:27,480 Speaker 1: people in the world who could understand this Tibetan language. 629 00:43:27,880 --> 00:43:30,680 Speaker 1: He was highly satisfied with what he had seen and 630 00:43:30,719 --> 00:43:34,919 Speaker 1: what he had heard. A London Sunday newspaper was investigating 631 00:43:34,960 --> 00:43:39,239 Speaker 1: the subject of spiritualism. Some disbeliever had written in that 632 00:43:39,320 --> 00:43:43,000 Speaker 1: newspaper that the whole concept of life after death and 633 00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:46,680 Speaker 1: the return to Earth of spirits was a lot of rubbish. 634 00:43:46,840 --> 00:43:50,560 Speaker 1: He had stated categorically that no one ever came back 635 00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:53,319 Speaker 1: from the dead. In other words, once you were dead, 636 00:43:53,560 --> 00:43:57,120 Speaker 1: you stayed dead. Dick was incensed at the bleak picture 637 00:43:57,200 --> 00:44:02,280 Speaker 1: portrayed by this writer. Mediumship in general had been openly discredited, 638 00:44:02,560 --> 00:44:05,799 Speaker 1: and he felt that alex work had been denigrated. He 639 00:44:05,880 --> 00:44:08,520 Speaker 1: promptly took up his pen and wrote to the newspaper 640 00:44:09,080 --> 00:44:14,040 Speaker 1: vehemently defending spiritualism, which he avowed had proved that life 641 00:44:14,200 --> 00:44:18,960 Speaker 1: definitely continued after death. He proceeded to give an account 642 00:44:19,080 --> 00:44:23,920 Speaker 1: of his many experiences in the Alec Harris seance room. 643 00:44:24,040 --> 00:44:27,239 Speaker 1: His letter in the Sunday edition painted so realistic a 644 00:44:27,280 --> 00:44:31,720 Speaker 1: picture of literally hundreds of occasions when he had shaken 645 00:44:31,760 --> 00:44:36,680 Speaker 1: hands with spirit entities who appeared as if in the flesh, 646 00:44:36,760 --> 00:44:40,879 Speaker 1: and of how he had intelligent conversations with them, that 647 00:44:40,960 --> 00:44:44,680 Speaker 1: it immediately brought two reporters to his door at breakfast 648 00:44:44,719 --> 00:44:48,560 Speaker 1: time the next morning. They wished to investigate this remarkable 649 00:44:48,600 --> 00:44:52,040 Speaker 1: circle on behalf of their paper, and asked if they 650 00:44:52,120 --> 00:44:55,319 Speaker 1: might be included in a sitting. Poor Dick was now 651 00:44:55,320 --> 00:44:58,560 Speaker 1: on a quandary on joining our circle. He had given 652 00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:01,839 Speaker 1: an undertaking not to broadcast what took place in our 653 00:45:01,840 --> 00:45:08,640 Speaker 1: seances for fear of unpleasant repercussions from possible belligerent disbelievers 654 00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:13,520 Speaker 1: or over enthusiastic investigators. Now you've put me in a fix, 655 00:45:13,560 --> 00:45:17,000 Speaker 1: he said, This will probably get me thrown out of 656 00:45:17,000 --> 00:45:21,160 Speaker 1: the circle. That's the last thing I want. When they 657 00:45:21,200 --> 00:45:23,799 Speaker 1: showed no sign of retreating, he decided that he had 658 00:45:23,840 --> 00:45:27,239 Speaker 1: better bring them down to me. After meeting them, I 659 00:45:27,280 --> 00:45:31,360 Speaker 1: consulted with Alec, who gave consideration and a searching appraisal 660 00:45:31,400 --> 00:45:34,880 Speaker 1: of the gentleman gave his approval to these two strangers 661 00:45:35,160 --> 00:45:39,000 Speaker 1: being included among the sitters at the next circle the 662 00:45:39,080 --> 00:45:42,240 Speaker 1: next evening. I told them it would be our private 663 00:45:42,320 --> 00:45:46,200 Speaker 1: circle and urged them to refrain from taking any alcohol. 664 00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:49,640 Speaker 1: I received a firm promise that they would comply with 665 00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:53,719 Speaker 1: this request. I silently prayed that it would be as 666 00:45:53,800 --> 00:45:58,000 Speaker 1: satisfactory circle. One can never guarantee how a circle will 667 00:45:58,040 --> 00:46:01,320 Speaker 1: turn out. We are entirely in the hands of those 668 00:46:01,360 --> 00:46:05,520 Speaker 1: on the other side. Fortunately, it was a good seance. 669 00:46:05,960 --> 00:46:09,759 Speaker 1: My mother came fully materialized and was recognized by the 670 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:13,520 Speaker 1: two reporters who had seen her photograph before going into 671 00:46:13,520 --> 00:46:18,800 Speaker 1: the sanctuary. When Kitty, our saucy little child spirit showed 672 00:46:18,840 --> 00:46:22,640 Speaker 1: herself with two braids hanging down either side of her face, 673 00:46:23,120 --> 00:46:26,560 Speaker 1: one of the gentlemen remarked, you're a pretty girl. How 674 00:46:26,600 --> 00:46:30,120 Speaker 1: old are you, to which she pertly replied, it's very 675 00:46:30,200 --> 00:46:33,000 Speaker 1: rude to ask a lady her age, which raised a 676 00:46:33,120 --> 00:46:37,080 Speaker 1: laugh all around. Alec Dick and I breathed a sigh 677 00:46:37,080 --> 00:46:40,080 Speaker 1: of relief when a good report of our circle appeared 678 00:46:40,080 --> 00:46:43,600 Speaker 1: in the next Sunday's edition of the paper. Dick, however, 679 00:46:43,800 --> 00:46:46,040 Speaker 1: vowed that he would be more careful in the future 680 00:46:46,120 --> 00:46:49,880 Speaker 1: how he defended spiritualism. Now, this is a short story 681 00:46:50,080 --> 00:46:55,120 Speaker 1: from March nine fifty seven, when Alec and Louis went 682 00:46:55,440 --> 00:47:00,760 Speaker 1: to South Africa. About four weeks after our arrived Full Durban, 683 00:47:01,160 --> 00:47:05,080 Speaker 1: I suddenly had a depressed feeling about our cat Bobby. 684 00:47:05,320 --> 00:47:07,600 Speaker 1: I told Alec that I was sure that there was 685 00:47:07,640 --> 00:47:11,000 Speaker 1: something very wrong with him. I kept seeing his dear 686 00:47:11,040 --> 00:47:14,399 Speaker 1: little face rise up before me, and I became very 687 00:47:14,440 --> 00:47:17,960 Speaker 1: anxious about his well being. No amount of soothing on 688 00:47:18,080 --> 00:47:22,080 Speaker 1: Alex's part made me feel any better. The next Tuesday, 689 00:47:22,160 --> 00:47:25,600 Speaker 1: when we had our circle, Phillis touched my arms, saying, 690 00:47:26,239 --> 00:47:30,320 Speaker 1: lou I can see a Persian cat walking around the room. 691 00:47:30,440 --> 00:47:35,160 Speaker 1: Phyllis herself was very psychic. Just then, the scientist Guide 692 00:47:35,200 --> 00:47:39,600 Speaker 1: emerged from the cabinet, carrying something under his robe. He 693 00:47:39,719 --> 00:47:42,200 Speaker 1: came right up to me, and as he turned I 694 00:47:42,239 --> 00:47:45,759 Speaker 1: saw a bushy tail protruding from under the arm of 695 00:47:45,800 --> 00:47:49,200 Speaker 1: his robe. A sudden fear clutched at my heart, and 696 00:47:49,280 --> 00:47:51,960 Speaker 1: I asked, is that a cat you have there? Sir? 697 00:47:53,000 --> 00:47:56,239 Speaker 1: He did not answer, but returned with the bundle to 698 00:47:56,320 --> 00:48:00,120 Speaker 1: the cabinet. Six days later, we had a letter from 699 00:48:00,160 --> 00:48:04,279 Speaker 1: Auntie Thomas saying that dear Bobby had passed away. In 700 00:48:04,400 --> 00:48:06,720 Speaker 1: spite of all the loving care that had been given 701 00:48:06,760 --> 00:48:10,239 Speaker 1: to him. He apparently pined for us and died of 702 00:48:10,320 --> 00:48:13,879 Speaker 1: a broken heart on that very Tuesday that the scientist 703 00:48:14,120 --> 00:48:17,560 Speaker 1: had brought him to the circle. When I asked that 704 00:48:17,719 --> 00:48:20,520 Speaker 1: spirit at the next circle if it was indeed my 705 00:48:20,600 --> 00:48:23,919 Speaker 1: cat Bobby he had brought with him, he replied who 706 00:48:23,920 --> 00:48:28,000 Speaker 1: else he wanted to come see his mother? I suffered 707 00:48:28,080 --> 00:48:32,319 Speaker 1: terrible pains of guilt at having forsaken him, for he 708 00:48:32,400 --> 00:48:34,880 Speaker 1: was just like a baby to me, giving me so 709 00:48:34,960 --> 00:48:38,480 Speaker 1: much love. But once he went to spirit, I always 710 00:48:38,560 --> 00:48:42,000 Speaker 1: felt him close to me. There were many instances of 711 00:48:42,120 --> 00:48:47,160 Speaker 1: animal materialization and our seances. My niece's cat was once 712 00:48:47,200 --> 00:48:50,000 Speaker 1: placed on her lap and she was able to stroke 713 00:48:50,120 --> 00:48:54,319 Speaker 1: its soft fur. While a doctor's wife pet Siamese cat 714 00:48:54,560 --> 00:49:00,839 Speaker 1: ming materialized, giving the characteristic horse Siamese cry, and then 715 00:49:00,880 --> 00:49:04,200 Speaker 1: proceeded to brush itself against her legs and clod at 716 00:49:04,200 --> 00:49:07,560 Speaker 1: her shoe. After the seance, the claw marks were still 717 00:49:07,680 --> 00:49:11,800 Speaker 1: visible on the suede material of the shoe. Our dog 718 00:49:11,920 --> 00:49:16,160 Speaker 1: materialized to us in South Africa. He came wagging his tail, 719 00:49:16,239 --> 00:49:19,560 Speaker 1: barked and licked my hand, at which a spirit voice 720 00:49:19,680 --> 00:49:23,359 Speaker 1: from somewhere above the cabinet warrant do not touch the dog, 721 00:49:23,960 --> 00:49:26,400 Speaker 1: to which I replied, I did not touch him. He 722 00:49:26,520 --> 00:49:30,560 Speaker 1: touched me. Then I saw the little body become transparent 723 00:49:30,920 --> 00:49:35,880 Speaker 1: and the animal slowly dematerialized. The other sitters in the 724 00:49:36,000 --> 00:49:41,520 Speaker 1: room were fascinated by this unusual manifestation. Alec Harris worked 725 00:49:41,560 --> 00:49:45,160 Speaker 1: for forty years as a physical medium, and over the 726 00:49:45,200 --> 00:49:49,720 Speaker 1: course of these many years, thousands of loved ones would 727 00:49:50,040 --> 00:49:55,480 Speaker 1: re materialize, walk out of the cabinet and actually be seen, 728 00:49:56,160 --> 00:49:59,920 Speaker 1: and their loved ones could hear them to me the story, 729 00:50:00,000 --> 00:50:03,560 Speaker 1: These are so precious of these reunions. How can you 730 00:50:03,640 --> 00:50:09,000 Speaker 1: not believe? But living in two as I record this, 731 00:50:09,440 --> 00:50:12,839 Speaker 1: it's really hard to believe. We're trained to be skeptical, 732 00:50:13,440 --> 00:50:17,120 Speaker 1: which is probably a good thing. And in truth, physical 733 00:50:17,200 --> 00:50:20,880 Speaker 1: mediumship was very, very big back in the day, but 734 00:50:21,120 --> 00:50:25,360 Speaker 1: the Charlatans and the con artists got involved and started 735 00:50:25,440 --> 00:50:28,799 Speaker 1: charging huge sums of money saying that they could bring 736 00:50:28,880 --> 00:50:32,160 Speaker 1: through people's loved ones, and of course with the wars 737 00:50:32,280 --> 00:50:36,960 Speaker 1: going on, people paid the money hoping to connect these 738 00:50:37,000 --> 00:50:41,160 Speaker 1: mediums like Alec Harris only charged a very very small 739 00:50:41,239 --> 00:50:44,160 Speaker 1: fee just so he and Louis could live their life, 740 00:50:44,360 --> 00:50:48,440 Speaker 1: you know, pay the bills for me. The physical medium 741 00:50:48,560 --> 00:50:51,680 Speaker 1: that I'm closest to is Scott Milligan, and for the 742 00:50:51,719 --> 00:50:54,880 Speaker 1: past couple of years the virus has shut down everything. 743 00:50:54,960 --> 00:50:58,399 Speaker 1: But just prior to we were doing live events and 744 00:50:58,480 --> 00:51:02,280 Speaker 1: held some seances. And although they happened in the dark, 745 00:51:02,280 --> 00:51:06,760 Speaker 1: with the occasional red light going on, I didn't see people, 746 00:51:07,080 --> 00:51:09,959 Speaker 1: but like I said at the beginning, I felt them, 747 00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:12,359 Speaker 1: and I could hear them, and I could hear them 748 00:51:12,400 --> 00:51:15,960 Speaker 1: speaking to their loved ones. Nothing I can convince you of, 749 00:51:16,120 --> 00:51:19,120 Speaker 1: nor would I try. In this episode, I didn't get 750 00:51:19,160 --> 00:51:22,319 Speaker 1: an opportunity to get into On the Edge of the 751 00:51:22,480 --> 00:51:27,319 Speaker 1: Etheric by Arthur Finlay, but it's definitely a good read, 752 00:51:27,400 --> 00:51:31,960 Speaker 1: and he talks about his medium, Mr John Sloan. I've 753 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:37,000 Speaker 1: done several live Q and A sessions with Scott Milligan 754 00:51:37,160 --> 00:51:42,560 Speaker 1: and he has some amazing stories of physical mediumship. My 755 00:51:42,680 --> 00:51:46,120 Speaker 1: favorite is when a young woman came out of the cabinet, 756 00:51:46,560 --> 00:51:51,600 Speaker 1: introduced herself to him as his older sister Emma, and 757 00:51:51,719 --> 00:51:55,560 Speaker 1: upon returning to his home, he asked his mom if 758 00:51:55,600 --> 00:51:59,399 Speaker 1: she had had a child before, and sure enough there 759 00:51:59,440 --> 00:52:03,080 Speaker 1: was a baby earl named Emma. I have so much 760 00:52:03,080 --> 00:52:05,440 Speaker 1: more to tell you, but we don't have any time 761 00:52:05,760 --> 00:52:09,120 Speaker 1: until the next episode. And if this episode has made 762 00:52:09,120 --> 00:52:12,239 Speaker 1: a difference for you, let me know, will you. My 763 00:52:12,320 --> 00:52:16,680 Speaker 1: email is Sandra Champlaine at gmail dot com and come 764 00:52:16,760 --> 00:52:19,080 Speaker 1: join us on one of our free events that we 765 00:52:19,239 --> 00:52:22,759 Speaker 1: Don't Die dot com. So in closing, my name is 766 00:52:22,800 --> 00:52:26,000 Speaker 1: Sander Champlain. I'm always so happy to be your host. 767 00:52:26,480 --> 00:52:29,560 Speaker 1: You've been listening to Shades of the Afterlife on the 768 00:52:29,600 --> 00:52:33,160 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio and Coast to Coast, a M paranormal 769 00:52:33,280 --> 00:52:49,440 Speaker 1: podcast network, and if you like this episode of Shades 770 00:52:49,480 --> 00:52:51,919 Speaker 1: of the Afterlife, wait until you hear the next one. 771 00:52:52,280 --> 00:52:54,440 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to the I Heart Radio and 772 00:52:54,480 --> 00:52:57,280 Speaker 1: Coast to Coast, a M paranormal podcast network.