Born in 1893 in London, England he was the son of a printer and a dressmaker.  When his printing apprenticeship ended in 1914 he enlisted in the British Army and entered into the Royal Sussex Regiment.  Rising to the rank of Captain, during the 1^st World War Edwards was sent to Iraq (then Persia) to work on restoring rail access between Mosul and Baghdad.  It was Edwards that the locals would turn to when they were either ill or injured, even with just a basic medical kit the recovery rate of his patients was exceptional.  Word or his miraculous healing abilities spread.

An Awakening

In 1936 Harry Edwards took part in an ‘Open Circle’ event at a spiritualist church, which caused him to re-think his spiritual views and lead to him becoming a medium in his own right.  The other mediums that Harry came into contact with were sure that his vocation was that of a healer, and did what they could to encourage him in this area.

After healing a patient terminally ill with tuberculosis and assisting in the recovery of a seriously ill cancer patient, so much of a recovery that he could return to work, his reputation as a healer grew and he began to attract media attention.  People would form lines outside of his house in order to receive healing from him and everyday there would be mounds of letters asking him for help.  By 1946 so great was the volume of his healing work that he had to pass his printing business over to his brother so that he could concentrate on his vocation.

A New Beginning

With the aid of his sisters Edwards bought a large house set within its own grounds, with the family residing on the first floor, the ground floor was given over to a healing sanctuary and offices.  The sanctuary grew and Harry’s attention was demanded around the country.  At the peak of his career he was receiving in excess of 10,000 mail requests for help a week.  At an event in Manchester where he demonstrated his gift there were six thousand people in attendance, but perhaps his most famous public demonstration was at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

Investigations

Despite scepticism from the medical professions and the church, and a number of investigations and trials carried out they concluded that the method of healing employed by Harry Edwards was ‘Out of the Scope of investigation’, meaning that they could find no other source for the healing other than divine intervention.  Harry himself joined the spiritual realms in 1976, but his healing sanctuary continues to exist and continues to provide help to individuals from around the world.  In fact his 10 o’clock healing minute is still observed to this day by many of his followers.

A Lifelong Passion

Born in 1933 Ingo Swann exhibited varying degrees of psychic potential as a child and it was during his twenties and thirties when he expressed an active interest in the occult and aspects of parapsychological research.  He began to take part in programs aimed at development of the mind and programs aimed at developing and enhancing ESP (Extra Sensory Perception) abilities.  He is perhaps most famous for his links with the phenomenon of remote viewing.  Tied to research with the Stamford Research Institute and the CIA, it is Swann that is credited with setting in place the protocols for engaging in remote viewing.

Remote Viewing

Remote viewing involves the ‘viewer’ being provided with a target, this could be a person, a place or a building or even an event.  The target would be placed in a sealed envelope.  This envelope was given to a group of people/volunteers that would go out to wherever the target was and try and achieve a psychic link with Swann, the viewer back at the centre, and he would then write and draw down the impressions that he received from the people in the field.

The drawings he made were incredibly accurate and on occasion he would be aware of the remote viewing target before the group were.  No matter what was tried or how many tests he was given he always came through with flying colours.  Objects would also be placed in sealed containers and hidden in rooms, Swann managed to locate the objects and describe what they were without entering the room or opening the box.

Sceptics and Non Believers

To prove that there is no physical boundary to what the universal mind can perceive Ingo Swann remotely viewed the area to which the Voyager space probe was to be sent.  It was being sent on a long mission to Jupiter.  Swann made observations that the planet had similarities to Saturn in the fact that it too was surrounded by a set of rings.  Swann was publicly ridiculed as no evidence for these so called planetary rings had been viewed through any telescope.  Yet when the images were retrieved when Voyager returned to Earth the rings were clearly visible.

Swann had proved again that the power of the Universal mind could indeed see what had been hidden.  Swann does not imply that he is the only one on the planet with this skill; he is a firm believer that all of us are born with some kind of psychic ability, whether these abilities are activated depends on the individual.

Drawn to the Occult

After two marriages and eight children Nostradamus set aside medicine and turned towards the occult.  His first published almanac was in 1550 and it was so well received that he went on to produce at least one annually.  All together his almanacs are believed to contain almost six and a half thousand prophesies.  However the prophesies for which he is famous today come from the thousand or so four line quatrains he wrote.  These were not incredibly well received; he was accused of being in league with the devil, or worse a fake.

The elite section of society generally regarded his information as having been delivered to him by spirit, and soon he was giving audiences to nobles from all over the land.  They came to Nostradamus for their horoscopes and life advice.  By 1566 Nostradamus was counsellor and physician in ordinary to the King.  Whilst he has been credited with entering into a trance like state to gain his information, it would appear, through reading his own words about clearing his mind and gaining mental calm and clarity that it was meditation that was his avenue of communication rather than trance.

His Work

The Prophecies were published in three volumes in 1555, 1557 and 1558, but his works that have proved to be the most popular with centuries of readers have been the almanacs.  Nostradamus’s Almanacs were published annually from 1550 up until his death, occasionally there would be two or even three editions each year.  Though he was well known for his many predictions Nostradamus was also widely regarded as a healer, and is credited with writing a number of medical books.

Modern Sceptics

It is said that many of his prophesies are only accurate because they are proven so in retrospect, that those who want to believe find a way of making his words fit events from history.  This retroactive clairvoyance is evident because no one has ever interpreted one of his quatrains before an event has occurred.  None the less Nostradamus is still regarded as both prophet and healer and his quatrains are still studied by scholars around the world, in the hope that the natural disasters and manmade events that he prophesises do not come to pass.  Nostradamus has of course been misquoted and hoaxes have been constructed to seemingly predict events, but even so the ancient works still stand as evident of his influence on the world.

Recognising his Gift

It was during his service in the 1^st World War that Ford became aware of his ability for clairaudience (the ability to hear spirit).  During the day he would hear the names of several of his comrades, only to find their names appearing on casualty lists over the next few days, an event that was repeated day in and day out.  It was in the years after the war when he began to study psychic phenomena and joined the Spiritualist movement.

It was in 1921 when he first appeared as a trance medium, during his time in trance a guide called ‘Fletcher’ would assume control of his body and relay information from spirits.  Fletcher was to stay with him, and work with him as his ‘control’ for the rest of his life.

Travelling to the UK in 1927 he gave several well received lectures on the subject of spiritualism and the paranormal, one of which was attended by Sherlock Holmes author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who claimed that what he had witnessed during the lecture was the most spectacular demonstration of psychic ability that he had witnessed in his own forty one years of spiritualism.

The Houdini Connection

In 1928 Ford’s fame spread even further when he apparently broke the ‘Houdini Code’.  This was a secret code between the great escapologist Houdini and his wife Beatrice.  Apparently the code was created so that if Houdini died before Beatrice he would try to communicate with her through a medium using this secret code that was known only to the two of them and no one else.

The code was said to have been revealed by Ford, and the message delivered during a trance state by the voice of Fletcher.  Despite there being some scepticism at the time to the authenticity of the code revealed during the trance, Beatrice Houdini confirmed that the message was as agreed with her husband before his death and that it was not a hoax.

Still Working

During the following years Ford travelled widely, giving demonstrations of his abilities both in the US and in Britain.  A television appearance he made in 1967 revived an interest in spiritualism and all things psychic and lead to him receiving over 12,000 letters in the few weeks following his appearance.  Shortly after Ford’s death in January 1971 medium Ruth Montgomery claimed that she was receiving messages from him, Ford himself offering proof of the spiritual afterlife to those who still did not believe.  Montgomery published all of his communications with him in her own book, A World Beyond.

The Nirvana Foundation

In 1974 Sylvia realised a dream of having a legally accredited paranormal research centre when she opened the Nirvana Foundation for Psychic Research (Now the Sylvia Browne Corporation); this centre was created to further develop the research into the paranormal, and provide better understanding of the world of parapsychology.  Through this non profit entity Sylvia has assisted thousands of individuals in understanding their life and their purpose here, allowing them to find their way forwards and to find God in their own personal way.  Sylvia is a great believer in the events of our past lives being the key to any difficulties that we face in the present, and she uses past life regression therapy via hypnosis, as well as her abilities for channelling in a deep trance state to bring forward the existence of reincarnation as the key to understanding our current lives and situations.

In the Media

Sylvia has appeared on numerous daytime television shows across a variety of national networks, and appeared every week on the Montel Williams show for a staggering seventeen years.  She has appeared coast to coast in the US as well as appearing internationally.  Her public appearances sell to capacity audiences wherever she appears, and she is involved in many charitable organisations.  She spends a lot of her time trying to trace missing children as well as working with a number of police forces around the country to help solve crimes.  With over fifty published books to her name she has appeared on the world famous New York Times Best Sellers List an amazing twenty two times, selling millions of copies to eager readers all over the world.

To the Future

Sylvia Browne founded the Society of Novus Spiritus, (Society of the New Spirit) another spiritual development organisation in 1986, with its basis in Christian Gnostic Theology; it is from here that ministers are trained that spread the philosophy of Sylvia Browne around the world.  Her life goals are to provide help and assistance to those in need, give shelter to those without any and spread love around the globe through an evolved spiritual community.  The newest part of her continually expanding business empire is the Sylvia Browne Hypnosis Training Centre where individuals are trained in the definitive hypnosis style and methods that she herself employs which can be used as a healing tool or as an aid in behaviour modification therapy.

Natural Talent

James delivers his messages from spirits as though he was deep in conversation with an old friend, so easy going and laid back is his style of mediumship, it can’t help but put you at ease.  He has described himself as a ‘survival evidence’ medium which means that the messages that he communicates provide such a level of information that the information cannot have come from anywhere other than the deceased, therefore evidencing that there is a form of life after death after all.  James communicates with spirits via clairsentience and clairvoyance which means that he feels and senses the emotions of those in spirit as well as being able to see images in his mind’s eye.  He can also relay the personality and character of a spirit as well as details about their death as evidence in his readings.

In the Media

James van Praagh first gained popularity by appearing on ‘The Other Side’ a talk show on NBC which focussed on paranormal issues, he soon became known as their resident expert on paranormal matters and a favourite with the viewing public.  Over the years he has appeared on shows with Oprah, Dr Phil and Larry King as well as other successful television projects.  James van Praagh is also a bestselling author and conducts teaching programs, meditation programs and seminars to capacity audiences wherever he goes.

A Health Dose of Scepticism

As with many other well known psychics there are those who are sceptical about his abilities, but this is something welcomed by James, after all it makes it all the more necessary to deliver that certain message that opens the mind of a non believer.  He also believes that all mediums are psychics but to class all psychics as mediums is incorrect, explaining that whilst a psychic can sense spiritual energy a medium can interact with it and work across the different vibrations.  James does make a point of stating that he does not predict the future or even receive insights as to what could be to come, his work offers proof that the spirit survives the transition of the death of the physical body, showing that there is more to life than just our physical existence.  He claims that the love we feel for one another is the binding force that allows communication across the realms to take place.

About Allison

Allison was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1972, and as with many other naturally gifted psychics her gifts were apparent at an early age, and she very firmly believes that all of her daughters have inherited her own gift.  Allison did indeed work for the District Attorney’s Office in Phoenix whilst studying for her degree in Political Science.  She participated in four years of testing at the University of Arizona to help them with their study into the world of mediums and other psychic phenomena.  If you were to ask her what she did for a living she would most likely tell you that she works as a medium and a profiler, as she likes to avoid the term psychic because of all of the negativity that the word attracts.

Patricia Arquette who plays Allison Dubois and fellow cast members in 'Medium'

Interpretation

One of the things that the television series has done is to open up the private world of the psychic to the public.  It can often be difficult when a medium receives visions and small snippets of information knowing how they should be interpreted, as with most things in the physical world an image can be interpreted in any number of ways, so it is the same with psychic visions.  It is knowing how to interpret what is seen and relating it to information that is already held that is the key to being a good medium.

Often visions and communications can seem cryptic in nature, symbology can take the place of real events and it can be extremely difficult knowing what the important piece of the symbolism is.  The television show makes this apparent as Allison is often told she is wrong with the information she deliver, but turns out to be accurate after all as the error was in the interpretation of the message.

Raising Awareness

The series also allowed Allison to explain some of her beliefs about the afterlife and the spirit realm in a visual form that could not accurately be relayed in words, offering viewers some answers to the questions that mediums always get asked about their own personal beliefs.  Of all of the television shows that have been aired about psychics not one has done so much to raise awareness of what it is like to live with the gift than the story of Allison Dubois.

A Medical Mystery

When he was in his twenties he suffered from an unknown illness that took away his voice, leaving him with only whispered tones for the better part of a year.  Doctors were at a loss to know what the illness was or how to treat it so they referred him to a hypnotist, with instructions to get Edgar to describe what was in fact wrong.  When the hypnotist put him to sleep he triggered Edgar’s psychic state and he told the hypnotist and the doctors that his vocal chords were in a state of paralysis due to a form of nerve strain, he also went on to relay the cure for his condition.  This was the first recorded ‘reading’ by Edgar Cayce.  He found that once in this sleep like state he could also answer questions that were put to him by friends, and soon word of his abilities spread.

Life Changing Events

Whilst Edgar was working as a photographer one of his readings ended up saving the life of his wife, Gertrude.  Another of his readings stopped his son from losing his sight and it was after these two major events that Edgar decided that his life should be devoted to helping others through his readings.  Over the course of forty three years, from 1904 to 1644 Edgar is known to have provided over 14,000 individual readings to people, all of which were during his sleep like state.  His readings were guided and conducted by Gertrude, whilst it was the job of his secretary Gladys Davis to record all of the information that was communicated.

Was Edgar Cayce a Healer?

A lot of the information passed on during his readings related to medical matters.  Cayce was able, either through trance mediumship or some kind of extended remote viewing ability, to look inside of the human body and reveal many things relating to the health and wellbeing of his clients.  The way that Cayce worked has been described as pioneering as he performed his readings without the usual paraphernalia of contemporary psychics and mediums.  Aside from the wealth of medical information offered, Cayce also provided insights into the future including details about the two world wars and the American depression as well as a third world war with the Middle East, which could well be what we are currently experiencing in modern times.

How it Worked

Into Paul’s tanks were placed two boxes, each containing the same type of food, the only difference between the boxes being the coloured national flags of the participating teams in the next round of the World Cup.  His team of choice was interpreted as being the box that he took his food from first, the flag on the box representing the country which would win the next game.  Over the course of the tournament Paul scored a staggering 100% success rate with his predictions.  He correctly identified seven of the German national team’s match outcomes as well as the result of the final between the Netherlands and Spain.  Paul had previously been employed as a soothsayer for the national team in the Euro 2008 tournament, where he had previously recorded an 86% (12 out of 14) success rate.

History

Paul only had a relatively short history in the world of TV psychic’s, being born at the Sea Life Centre in Weymouth, he was then transferred to Oberhousen in Germany, although various claims have been made the Paul was in fact a wild octopus caught in the Mediterranean Sea.  Several attempts were made by interested business parties to have Paul transferred overseas, sums to the value of 30,000 euros were offered as a ‘transfer fee’ to have him placed on display in Spain, however the offer was rejected as it was feared that Paul could have ended up as an expensive menu item rather than a living display.

The subject of Paul ending up as someone’s dinner made international news, with the Spanish Prime Minister offering a team of bodyguards to guard his tank to protect him from eager gourmets, whilst the Minister for the Environment said that Paul would be offered conservation protective status to ensure that he would not be eaten by the Germans.

Luck or Psychic Ability?

Some academics claimed that Pauls apparent success was down to luck, and that the same success rate could be achieved by simply tossing a coin, however it was never matched.  With his keeper claiming that the boxes and mussels used as food were identical in each case, and the possibility of a tie in the game removed Paul had a 1 in 2 chance of getting the result correct, with odds of 1 in 256 of getting all eight results correct.

A Broad Appeal

TJ is very down to earth and very natural in the way that she works and her accuracy has never been called into question.  Whether through live performances on the stage or demonstrations at psychic events both nationally and internationally, TJ continues to deliver what her clients need in order to either reassure, guide or allow them to move on after a loss.

Her increasing popularity has led to TJ making a number of appearances on television including for the Extra Factor for ITV and appearing on Destiny TV, as well as appearing for Zone Reality television in twenty one episodes of Psychic Private Eyes, which she worked on whilst also investigating other police cases like missing people and unsolved cases for CBS Reality television in America.  She has even been asked to provide a psychic reading for HRH Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall during an appearance on daytime television with well known British Hosts Richard Madely and Judy Finnegan.

Theatre Shows and Books

As well as hosting her own theatre tour TJ has worked with both Colin Fry and Derek Acorah in presenting the Three Mediums theatre tour which toured four of the UK’s major cities and included a highly popular sell out performance at London’s famous Hammersmith Apollo theatre.  A further Three Mediums Series is also planned for the future.  With two books currently to her name; Signs from the Afterlife and Living with the Gift she is at present working on the third literary offering which is due to be published later in the year.  TJ also writes regular articles and columns for Spirit and Destiny magazine and also Fate and Fortune magazine.

Towards the Future

Throughout her life TJ Higgs has wanted others to understand her gifts and be able to share in her knowledge, to further promote this she will be opening her first spiritual centre at the beginning of June 2012, and she is thrilled that she is seeing the realisation of a lifelong dream.  It is hoped that this new centre for spiritual studies will offer workshops and seminars that will allow people to further understand the spiritual realm and help then to develop their own psychic skills and talents.  In the meantime TJ will continue to tour, provide theatre shows and will continue working on her book in order that she can reach as many people as possible that need her help and guidance in the physical realm.