Spirits at the Hall

I hope everyone is well and that those reading from the British Isles are enjoying this fabulous UK weather. I arrived home yesterday afternoon (Saturday) having done seven days - twelve hours a day on a college course in Essex and have been so lucky with the weather. There was an added bonus of no TV, no newspapers and just a luxury half hour in the morning listening to Chris Evans on BBC Radio 2 on my mobile phone in my bedroom.

My residential course was held at the magnificent Arthur Findlay College housed at Stansted not too far from the international airport set in many acres of its own grounds. The fanciful name of a hard but hugely enjoyable course was 'The Spirit, the Psychic and the Artist.' There were students from around the world. On my course were a Dane, an American, Dutch, German, Scot, Englishman (Lancastrian to boot!) and three Yorkshire folk. They all spoke superb English which put me to shame.
Other nationalities at the college doing other interesting psychic courses included Irish, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, and probably more I have forgotten - forgive me. In simple terms, I learnt to enhance my skill or ability to communicate with spirit with the additional difficulty of learning to draw the faces I saw. I can't give you an example of my work because we gave our pictures of other's loved ones for them to keep!

The college itself is housed in a magnificent hall which has gone through a number of transformations to be the place it is today. The first Hall was said to have been on the site as far back as 1216, the land being owned then by Baron Mountfitchet, the same Baron who owned Runnymeade where King John was made to sign the Magna Carta. The present house with a curious mix of dynastic styles was probably substantially completed by around the 1870s.

James Arthur Findlay MBE, JP, was a retired Glaswegian stockbroker, a contemporary and friend of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He came to Essex in 1923 looking to retire and fell in love with the hall and bought it and the 400 acres of agricultural land that went with it, for just £8,800! Findlay himself wasn't a Spiritualist, but he did investigate the subject very thoroughly and wrote a number of books on the subject, many of which are still in print today. The Hall was given up during the war as a hospital, but returned to the Findlays when hostilities had finished. He bequeathed the house to the Spiritualist's National Union (SNU) in his will in 1964 and they own the house to this day and run it as a college for the advancement of psychic science.

We weren't allowed to take photographs inside the college, but I've reproduced my picture of the outside of the house and snapshots of just part of the grounds which don't really do it credit. I can't speak with my wife about the course, she doesn't believe in what I do although she agreed for me to go and although she doesn't support it, she doesn't stand in the way of my psychic/Spiritualist work. My profound love goes to Shirley Ann and Barry who are my mentors and very good friends for their encouragement and support.

The special and very talented people on the course were: Sharla, Ans, Paul, Ann, Karin, Thomas, Stefanie, Barry and Shirley Ann and me. The class tutor was Su Wood and her other fellow course tutors were Stella Upton and Lynn Cottrell.

I have learned so much from these dedicated tutors, great and inspiring teachers all.

I've spent Saturday afternoon and most of today, Sunday, cutting the grass and planting out my flowers which had survived the stewardship of my dear wife who doesn't know the difference between a weed and a cultivated plant. The hot weather had encouraged a phenomenal amount of blanket weed in the pond, so that had to be dragged out. Between us we've built a garden bench and the best surprise of all, my wife had completely redecorated the kitchen while I was away - it looks brand new, amazing what a lick of paint and a deep clean can do.

The flowers in the garden are fantastic, everything is green. the wildlife is so active - everything is good right now. I just have to look forward to work tomorrow. But another fortnight sees us away into the sun for ten days, so lots to look forward to.

Home made salad tonight - yummy.

I hope you have a great week in front of you - enjoy. Click on any of the above pics to enlarge them.

The art of living -
Is forgetting and forgiving.

Chat soon

Ta-ra
History of Stansted Hall by courtesy of SNU - ISBN 0902 036 157

Dripper on the roof

I hope the week has treated you well and that you've managed to survive the cold frosty nights. Ne'er cast a clout 'till May is out.

Welcome to new follower Mick Cope - now there's a blast from the past. Hello Mick it's good to have you on board.

Nothing much has been happening in this world of routine so I shouldn't complain really, I have been really busy preparing to go away for a week's holiday to a specialist college in Essex for a course of study on psychic art. I've been doing some psychic art recently, drawing dead people for those for whom I am doing readings and so far it's been very positive, so I'm off to get a grip of this specialist subject and see what happens. If nothing else, it will be a relaxing week in the company of good friends.

I am about to type a list of things to do for my nearest and dearest who will be having her own break - at home away from me! Water plants in greenhouse, feed fish, put the domestic bin out on such and such a day, put the blue recycling bin out on another day and so on and so forth. I didn't realise how much of the domestic chore rota I had under my wing of responsibility.

We have had our flat garage roof felted this week after we had noticed some leaks this winter. The roof has been felted for about seven years now and was time for renewal anyway. Don't ever have a property with a flat roof - pain in the neck! I wish I could afford a pitched roof - if I win the Euro Millions tonight - I'll have one.

The trouble is the roofer has left a mess behind. Yes he's done a good job on the roof, he's swept up and cleared away, but he's left tar drips on a window, oily tar marks on the white double glazing window frames and on a garden seat and I am not pleased at all.

So, there'll be no blog for a week, mercifully, less for you to read therefore, and I'll update you with a precis of what happens at the college when I get back.

Have a great weekend and a successful productive week next week.

Chat soon

Ta-ra.

'A' level frenzy

In the UK it's 'A' level results day. 'A' levels, the right of passage between school and University or college or a life working and earning hard cash. As always, the press seem to have a field day in rubbishing the results saying it's too easy and the simple and flawed argument they use is that it must be easier because more are passing. Doh! They would of course hate to admit that teaching standards might be improving through Governmental or local policies and controls, better head teaching and direction, committed teachers, kids getting brighter, parents more supportive etc.

My youngest lad has received his results today and he got what he wanted, a B and two C grades. He would have liked a couple of higher grades, but like me, he has to graft to learn, nothing sticks photographically and to achieve them he worked damned hard and even resat his interim exams (AS levels) to improve his grades. Long hours, hard work and determination got him his reward, a place at Liverpool University. I have told him in no uncertain terms that the hard work will start once he gets there and this last year will seem like a picnic compared to what he'll have to do, but he'll give it his best shot. My motto with all my children is simple: 'Do your best, work hard and you will get the best results for you.' I ask nothing more. Well done son!

I was so relieved that he had been accepted by his University, I was more nervous than him waiting for the results and on the prospect of trying to find another one if he wasn't accepted at such short notice and in such fierce competition for places.

I have joined up with two good friends to do a week's course at the Arthur Findlay College in Essex next year on 'The Spirit, the Psychic and The Artist.' My good friend Shirley Ann is an exception psychic artist and her partner Barry is also a great psychic medium and both are good experienced artists in their own right so I'll need to do a little catching up and do some serious drawing practice. Drawing people I always think is the hardest thing to do, capturing a likeness, capturing character, the unique smile perhaps, the distinctive jaw line, unlike the equally as challenging but docile and well behaved apple and orange still life. What is best to use - pencils, charcoal, something else and what is the best paper to use? I'll find out of course unless you have any suggestions.

I asked my other half for permission to go, although I had already made my mind up because she doesn't believe or more accurately approve of this spiritual 'mumbo-jumbo'. Her only concern was the cost, but for full board it seemed extremely reasonable. Anyway, approval was tacitly given so I need to save a couple of hundred pounds but I think it's a good investment for my personal development.

My middle lad has just brought me a welcome cuppa so I'll finish that off and think about an hour on the old treadmill.

Chat soon

Ta-ra.