Report for March 2009 The March 2009 visit to The Spiritualist Alliance, Auckland, NZ by David Thompson accompanied by Chris Hood, proved, yet again, another thought provoking and overwhelming experience for all those privileged people who attended the three physical materialisation séances. Each séance was fully subscribed by 20 pre-selected people, plus the NZ crew of 3 and Chris Hood, the COSC circle leader. There was no doubting that, at the end of each séance, all 60 people realised they had been subjected to life-changing experiences as the reality of the Spirit World manifestations impressed their consciousness. Organisers, Ken & Elizabeth Pretty went to great lengths to make it possible for people in others parts of NZ to share in this experience and, also to give opportunities to those who haven’t before witnessed this remarkable phenomena. Hence, there were people from the South Island [Christchurch and Dunedin], lower and middle North Island [Wellington, Hamilton, Katikati] and the Far North [Kaitaia and Kerikeri] as well as, obviously, Auckland. Consequently, 40% witnessed these remarkable events for the first time. Obviously the personal manifestations have great individual implications, but two especially stood out and overwhelmed everyone. The physical communication of a 43 year old man who had died in Perth, Australia, only an hour before; he had been invited to attend a future séance in Sydney but his unexpected demise put paid to that. Instead, the Spirit Team was able to utilise some of the energy to enable their vibrations to become more suited to that which surrounds a new arrival in the spirit world. His communication message for his wife and young children was very emotional. The other personal one followed a special experiment by the Spirit Team of enabling ectoplasm extruding from David to be seen via red light by everyone present. Under very controlled conditions and instructions given by William, the Spirit Leader, three photographs were taken. Preparations for this experiment was at least two years in the making; it seemed that everyone was fully cognisant of the uniqueness of what they saw and were suitably over-awed by the experience. After that photographic experiment was concluded and the red light extinguished, William announced that there would be another experiment, and called out for ‘Joshua’ to come and stand before the cabinet, and to hold out his hands according to precise instructions, whereupon, as Josh explained later, he felt a touch of ectoplasm as it brushed across the top of his outstretched hands, and a warm, human hand placed what turned out to be, a beautiful yet simply designed and hallmarked, silver ring upon the little finger of his right hand. William stated that this was given to Josh by his sister in spirit for ‘all the birthdays of his that she had missed.’ Other notable spirit entities to make their appearance were Louis Armstrong who gave us his party piece – the singing of ‘What Wonderful World’ and a solo mouth organ performance and Quentin Crisp who made much of Ken Pretty who now has a new nick name, that of ‘Kenny-baby’. Then there was a surprise appearance of William Davenport, one half of the famed Davenport Brothers, both 19th century physical mediums. WD had come especially to give encouragement to two Alliance members that are developing physical mediumship and spoke of the requisite need for patience. Sad to say, only a very few sitters had knowledge of this very special character in the annals of Spiritualist history but the significance of his visit was not surprising to Ken who had sent out thought requests for some advice for his student medium. When you add Timothy’s impressive light performance with the trumpet, William’s learned response to questions, Honest Jack’s straight-from-the-hip advice to individual questions, and a visit from Mae, a buxom slave from 19th century Virginia, to the very palpable influence of love that permeates each séance, surely all fear of the unknown and ‘what lies after death’ is completely banished. All in all, it was again a humbling, yet transforming experience. Saying ‘thank you’ seems so little in the face of all in which we shared. Yet say it, we must: our deepest thanks to David and members of the Circle of the Silver Cord, in both dimensions, for your dedication and commitment to this great work. Ken & Elizabeth Pretty On behalf of The Spiritualist Alliance [Auckland] Inc. www.spiritall.org.nz

Report for March 2009

The March 2009 visit to The Spiritualist Alliance, Auckland, NZ by David Thompson accompanied by Chris Hood, proved, yet again, another thought provoking and overwhelming experience for all those privileged people who attended the three physical materialisation séances.

Each séance was fully subscribed by 20 pre-selected people, plus the NZ crew of 3 and Chris Hood, the COSC circle leader. There was no doubting that, at the end of each séance, all 60 people realised they had been subjected to life-changing experiences as the reality of the Spirit World manifestations impressed their consciousness.

Organisers, Ken & Elizabeth Pretty went to great lengths to make it possible for people in others parts of NZ to share in this experience and, also to give opportunities to those who haven’t before witnessed this remarkable phenomena. Hence, there were people from the South Island [Christchurch and Dunedin], lower and middle North Island [Wellington, Hamilton, Katikati] and the Far North [Kaitaia and Kerikeri] as well as, obviously, Auckland. Consequently, 40% witnessed these remarkable events for the first time.

Obviously the personal manifestations have great individual implications, but two especially stood out and overwhelmed everyone. The physical communication of a 43 year old man who had died in Perth, Australia, only an hour before; he had been invited to attend a future séance in Sydney but his unexpected demise put paid to that. Instead, the Spirit Team was able to utilise some of the energy to enable their vibrations to become more suited to that which surrounds a new arrival in the spirit world. His communication message for his wife and young children was very emotional.

The other personal one followed a special experiment by the Spirit Team of enabling ectoplasm extruding from David to be seen via red light by everyone present. Under very controlled conditions and instructions given by William, the Spirit Leader, three photographs were taken. Preparations for this experiment was at least two years in the making; it seemed that everyone was fully cognisant of the uniqueness of what they saw and were suitably over-awed by the experience.

After that photographic experiment was concluded and the red light extinguished, William announced that there would be another experiment, and called out for ‘Joshua’ to come and stand before the cabinet, and to hold out his hands according to precise instructions, whereupon, as Josh explained later, he felt a touch of ectoplasm as it brushed across the top of his outstretched hands, and a warm, human hand placed what turned out to be, a beautiful yet simply designed and hallmarked, silver ring upon the little finger of his right hand. William stated that this was given to Josh by his sister in spirit for ‘all the birthdays of his that she had missed.’

Other notable spirit entities to make their appearance were Louis Armstrong who gave us his party piece – the singing of ‘What Wonderful World’ and a solo mouth organ performance and Quentin Crisp who made much of Ken Pretty who now has a new nick name, that of ‘Kenny-baby’. Then there was a surprise appearance of William Davenport, one half of the famed Davenport Brothers, both 19th century physical mediums. WD had come especially to give encouragement to two Alliance members that are developing physical mediumship and spoke of the requisite need for patience. Sad to say, only a very few sitters had knowledge of this very special character in the annals of Spiritualist history but the significance of his visit was not surprising to Ken who had sent out thought requests for some advice for his student medium.

When you add Timothy’s impressive light performance with the trumpet, William’s learned response to questions, Honest Jack’s straight-from-the-hip advice to individual questions, and a visit from Mae, a buxom slave from 19th century Virginia, to the very palpable influence of love that permeates each séance, surely all fear of the unknown and ‘what lies after death’ is completely banished.

All in all, it was again a humbling, yet transforming experience. Saying ‘thank you’ seems so little in the face of all in which we shared. Yet say it, we must: our deepest thanks to David and members of the Circle of the Silver Cord, in both dimensions, for your dedication and commitment to this great work.

Ken & Elizabeth Pretty

On behalf of The Spiritualist Alliance [Auckland] Inc.