Shapeshifts and Timeslips...

Jay Gage 

25 August 2022

This adventure happened some years back, when I was hosting a Retreat in Maldon, Essex. 

Essex “witch country” a fact that was not lost on me when considering the events that unfolded.

It was practice at the retreat to take the group for a walk along a country lane, an unmade track that bordered cornfields, and connected the farm we were staying on with a picturesque church, probably some half an hour walk each way, allowing for chat and photographic stops. 

The route also crossed a countrified railway bridge, of which more later. 

I would split the group into two, and would lead one half, with my co-tutor leading the second.

On the night in question, the energy of the group was very “antsy”, and it felt as if there was mischief afoot. We set off in high spirits, both groups together. However, it was soon that my group fell behind, and became aware of some very odd energies. I’m a medium, as was my ‘second in command’, Gary, but the students we were leading were not. It wasn’t long before Gary and I were aware of Spirit activity nearby. Sure enough, we passed a gentleman dressed in old fashioned clothing. He was lounging against a wall that bordered the path we were following, and meant us no harm, falling in step for a brief while, before gradually vanishing. 

Gary and I raised our eyebrows at each other, tacit agreement being that we should not mention this to “our ladies”, as they would likely completely freak out and rush back to base ! 

As we neared the church, we became aware of an incredible noise. Rising above the church flew a mass of crows – a murder – but numbering maybe 100 ! I’ve never seen such a number before, and the noise became an absolute cacophony ! As suddenly as they appeared, they wheeled around and vanished from sight, the noise vanishing with them. 

I love Corvids, and talked excitedly with the group, pointing out to them that they were also known to act as vehicles for “shape shifters” including Goddess The Morrigan, who regularly travelled as a crow. I often work with Her when performing magical work. 

By now, it was very dark, and we switched on our torches. Having reached the church, we turned around to make the walk back. Both groups had been supplied with strong Maglights, so I was surprised that we could not see the lights from the other group ahead of us, as our paths had just crossed, and they should have been easily visible. However, we carried on walking the track back, uneventfully, until we reached the railway bridge. 

As we did, a freight train crossed beneath it, loudly sounding its horn. Moments later, we became aware of a loud scream, which had merged with the sound of the train. However, once the train had passed, the scream continued, and a black figure emerged from the foot of the bridge,  screaming, and waving what appeared to be huge tattered black wings, and with something on its head resembling a pointed hood, or skull. The figure ran straight toward us, and I stepped back, preparing to (hopefully) let it pass. However, as it reached us, it disappeared, just as a voice greeted us from the bridge. 

It was the colleague who had been leading the other group. He was known for practical jokes, and in my state of shock, I barked at him that I didn’t think it was very funny, and that he should know better than to scare the students. He looked at me genuinely confused, and I told him what we had witnessed. 

 He replied that his group had been waiting the other side of the bridge for us “for ages”, although they had not been that far ahead of us on the way back, which was why it was odd that we didn’t see the powerful beams of their torches. 

He said that they heard and saw the train, but that again, it must’ve passed roughly five minutes before we had arrived. They had heard and seen nothing since. They spotted our torches some way up the Lane, so decided to wait for us. None of these times and events tallied with our experience. 

I insisted that my fellow tutor should run back and forth over the bridge, until I had satisfied myself that whatever we had seen did not correspond with anything he could have devised. We decided that this would be an appropriate time to get our groups back to the farm, especially as several of our students were now visibly shaken, and wanted to leave immediately.

Back at the safety of the farm, with plenty of warm light, and a glass of courage, we looked at the bones of the evenings events.

1)     The massive murder of crows. Despite my love of Corvids, I have never seen them in this number. It seemed completely unnatural, and once again, we wondered if at least some of them were shapeshifters. 

2)     The timeslips – 

• Having been passed by the second group, we should have been able to see their torches ahead on a completely straight lane.
• They had arrived at the bridge and decided to wait for us roughly 8 minutes before we arrived, hence their comment that they had been waiting for us “for ages”.This didn’t correlate with the fact that they should only have been maybe 3-4 minutes ahead of us.
• They experienced the train passing and leaving at least five minutes before we even arrived, although we heard and saw it upon our arrival.

3)     The figure on the bridge. With the best will in the world, my tutor could not have devised a method to not only grow in height, and develop wings and a hood, but also vanish into thin air. 

We believe that we experienced time-slips that night, and that there was a definite connection between the murder of crows and the winged figure on the bridge. Whenever we talk to anyone who was on that walk that night, they comment on the general “weirdness” of the occurrences, but are then happy to leave the matter behind us. 

As for me ? I still love Corvids, but prefer them to be in smaller groups, and bird sized. I don’t fancy meeting that figure again ! 

August has been an exciting month thus far !  Let's tell you about our latest news ! 

One of our most talented Tutors is returning to Inspiral. Yes, Debs Kiely is coming back to us with a fantastic all day Masterclass for you. The beauty of this course is that it is suitable for all levels - right from Beginners up to Working Mediums. Debs has something to teach you all ! 

The focus of the day is Evidence. You will discover how to really sharpen and hone the evidence you are being given, to make it incredibly relevant and spot on for your recipient. 
A message without evidence can often be a bit wishy washy, with your sitter left wanting more. But with the skills you will learn at this class, that will become a thing of the past, and you will be able to really make your mark as a medium.

This Masterclass can be booked here on the website - just type "Debs" into the search field. It is very reasonably priced at £30 for the day,

See you there, and get that evidence under your belt ! 

Inspiral Therapies

Also we are once again offering our Reiki training. This training was one of the first Inspiral Therapies courses, way back in 2014 ! 
We have always been very fairly priced with our Reiki, which is now offered at just £80 for levels 1 & 2. 

Reiki is a beautiful healing modality, which is known worldwide as one of the most recognisable forms of therapy.

It works via the energy drawn via attunements which are given to you by your tutor, and provides impressive amounts of healing and relieving of pain. Many Reiki clients become regulars,  and the professionalism and comprehension of our Tutors is second to none.

Book now, by putting "Reiki" into the search on our bookings page for all details ! 

Mani/Pedi - our latest addition ! 

Inspiral Therapies are excited to launch the first in a series of beauty based Qualification courses for you.

All women like to have well kept nails. Our Manicure/ Pedicure Qualification works on natural nails, and covers all aspects of treatment of beautiful hands and feet.

You will learn how to correctly file and shape nails, deal with cuticles, buff and paint nails and more. Your client will love the results, and you will love the course.

To find out more and book, enter "mani/pedi" in the bookings search tab !

Enjoy ! 

What's with all the Unicorns at the moment ? I found myself on Inspiral's stall on Sunday handing over yet another Unicorn keyring (ony £2 and the sweeeeeetest thing you could think of) and saying to my customer "yes, Unicorns are really hot at the moment !"

Following fast on the heels of Fairies and Angels, Unicorns are the latest thing to inundate our lives - type "Unicorn" into your Pinterest group, and find everything, from Unicorn Hair, stationery, bags, tshirts, and of course, Unicorn body glitter - aka Unicorn snot !

Unicorns are, of course, mythical creatures, who first appeared in the consciousness as blue eyed, horned beasts, in the 4th century BC. In the Middle Ages, they represented chastity and virginity, and were featured on tapestries and embroideries. Moving to current day, they raised their glittery little faces to the cult of "My Little Pony" and took over the girls aisle, as well as their hearts.

I think that they became so popular as they literally "rode in" on the little girls love of horses, but making it super-special with gorgeous colours and a mystical horn. 

And we are in need of a little magic right now. In a world that is dark and depressing, and with our futures uncertain, don't Unicorns, with their sparkle, glitter and beautiful colours just bring the right amount of light into our lives ?

The healing power of Unicorns is now becoming more apparent. Whilst Angels heal with the heart, Unicorns heal with the soul, and to combine the two creates the most beautiful healing energy.  Inspiral is fortunate to be home to Clair Missen and her Reikara Healing. Clair channelled Reikara direct from Source, and was given the Unicorns to play a part.

This has resulted in a beautiful healing modality, which utilises both Angelic and Unicorn Energies, as above,

We are  taking bookings now for Clair's next course, which is on the 24th of June. To take part, please use the following link :

http://www.inspiralmediums.com/ourshop/prod_2363320-Reikara-Training-Angels-and-Unicorns-Practitioner-Level-Grays.html

I hope to see you there, so that you too can harness the powerful energy of the Unicorns ! 

Sleep Disturbance and Spiritual Growth

Many of us on a Spiritual path complain of sleep disturbance. This could be insomnia (yes, I am writing this at gone 1.30am), too much sleep, or simply just poor quality sleep, where you can be out like a light, but just don’t seem to benefit from it. 

Those having these issues should take a look at their Spiritual world for potential answers. I believe that sleep anomalies tend to happen most when we are undergoing an energy shift, or an “upgrade” as I prefer to call them. 

These upgrades ping into your consciousness at any random time, but often prefer to hang around until you are at your most receptive – ie tucked up in bed, relaxed, and not distracted by day to day activity.

Having managed to ping – they then bed themselves in for some good old fashioned housework – building themselves a nice little niche from where they can impart their knowledge. They do not have any conscience about disturbing your rest – their sole purpose is to upgrade, and help you along your Spiritual path.

So what can we do about them ? First of all, we have to accept and welcome them. They may feel like unwanted intruders at this point in the game, but we really do need the wisdom and information that they are downloading for us – albeit in an unforgiving manner. 

It may be that, in this acceptance, we just give up and get up, rather than trying to battle with them in your bed. This solution does of course assume that your time is your own, but even with the 9-5, I used to find getting up and being constructive (note to self NOT hoovering as rest of household are not sharing your experience !) meant that at least I was not exhausted at work in that groggy manner typical of a bedtime battle with sleep.

It may also be that the times that “normal” people class as sleep time are just not natural to you. We are all programmed with our own specific needs and purpose, and that includes the need for sleep. By battling against your body’s own setting, and trying to align yourself with the “standard” you can be lining yourself up in a whole lot of trouble.

Also don’t forget that the wee small hours are often those at which our psychic ability kicks in – as it is quiet, and you can concentrate. Keep a special journal for the night – where you can jot down all thoughts and impressions – this can make fascinating reading further down the line, when upgrades are completed and documented.

Finally, don’t forget to read, or gather information from any source that may help you with your sleeplessness. We have studied the subject of sleeplessness, and there are things you can do to help you on a holistic level. Check out the workshop at the end of this article for more information on these natural approaches.

But over and above all, try to accept your sleep invaders for what they are – and learn from their visits. Remember – they are part of what makes you “special” !

http://www.inspiralmediums.com/ourshop/prod_5589757-A-Good-Nights-Sleep-the-holistic-approach-to-insomnia.html

The Rule of Thrice Returned

I am about to start skating on somewhat thin ice in some quarters with this blog, but simply cannot restrain myself any longer ! I frequent a couple of pagan and witchcraft groups, and time and time again someone throws into the conversation a warning about the "rule of three" or "thrice returned" as dire warning against any activity that may affect others that you would normally leave to Karma to sort out. The ensuing debate gets very heated, with participants on both sides passionately defending their stance, and often the original issue is buried in the fracas.

I am also often asked about Karma and thrice returned, and thought my blog was a good space to lay down my opinion clearly on this one. I must point out that it is only my opinion - other opinions are available - but hopefully it may resonate with you .....

Firstly, lets kill a few myths with the origins of the "rule". Founder of Wicca, Gerald Gardner, wrote a novel called "High Magics Aid" an adventure story in a Tolkeinesque style, which is where he founded the phrase with this sentence :

""Thou hast obeyed the Law. But mark well, when thou receivest good, so equally art bound to return good threefold." (For this is the joke in witchcraft, the witch knows, though the initiate does not, that she will get three times what she gave, so she does not strike hard.)"

A couple of writers - notably Ray Buckland - picked this up and ran with it, and it was gradually morphed into the Wiccan faith as being a tenet rather than the original fictional writing that it truly was. 

"Mind the Threefold Law you should,
Three times bad and three times good."

Those of you who do your homework will recognise the above as being taken from the Wiccan Rede - a set of guidelines for Wiccans, the origins of which are debatable. They also draw on the "three times law", and are cited as proof positive, were one needed, that the "law" is set in stone.

But how can this be if they are simply taken from a work of fiction ? Written by the founder of Wicca, admittedly, but fiction nonetheless ?

Also if it were that simple, we would all be donating to charity and helping old ladies cross the road like crazy, and would, as a result, be absolutely stinking rich ?! 

And as for Karma ? Genuine Karma is NOT set along the lines of the three time law. Karma is a cornerstone of many Eastern faiths, and is your fate in your next life, as based on your actions in this one. Karma doesnt come along and sort out the man in the local shop for shortchanging you, but if he does it often enough in this life, he will certainly pay the price (no pun intended) in the next one. So certainly it should help you focus on generally behaving yourself in your day to day activities.

However if you wish to compare Karma to your situation - consider this.....

You are walking down the road and a total stranger comes up and punches you in the face for no reason.

Do you :

A) Punch them back - hard !

B) Go home and nurse your nose whilst waiting for Karma to catch up with him.

I dont know many people who would chose option B if they were honest. So, given that we would choose option A, does this not, in fact, make us Karma ? 

And as for the law of thrice returned - I believe personally that this is now bandied about as a way of stopping new witches or members of the Craft from throwing around curses and hexes left right and centre, as they celebrate their newly found ability. As you find your footing, you will become more relaxed with it, and the need to worry about some kind of unversal punishment becomes less encompassing.

You will also start to cross-examine yourself as to your motives and find ways to establish whether your have been "naughty or nice" with  your workings, and whether you are prepared to risk any potential fall out around your actions - not caused by any fictitious "law" but by natural cause and effect.

An example of a working I did some time ago is when a client came to me and told me that she was being sexually and physically abused by her ex-partner. I set a spell to make him impotent and lose his desire and aggression, which worked. Now, some could say that I deserved to get the threefold law back at me for interfering with his free will - but I say I did a good thing, by stopping his behaviour toward my client without physically harming him.

So you see how the threefold law couldve been applied, but in fact did not as I acted for the common good by getting a sexual predator out of the picture ?

Hopefully this blog will have given you some idea of how the "threefold law" does not genuinely carry the clout some Wiccans would have you believe, if in fact it carries any. It is my belief that those walking the path of the Craft should do so in joy, with happiness and love in their heart, not fear. I hope this overview has given you the next step to be able to do so.

Blessed Be xxx

Deuteronomy 18:9-12. "And do not let your people practice fortune-telling or sorcery, or allow them to interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is an object of horror and disgust to the Lord." 

As some of you may know, I suffer from insomnia, and Facebook has been in many ways my salvation - enabling me to work, but also chat, into the small hours. Using my trusty i-pad (other tablet gadgets are available lol) , I can post my adverts and have chatty comments on the side as I work - perfect solution to my sleepless nights !

However there is a certain time when the UK give in to the Sandman, and I am left with the Americans coming online. They have a very different take on a lot of things, and its quite interesting to talk to them. However, no chat has ever given me quite the food for thought as one I recently had with a woman who lived in Deadwood.

I have to say, my knowledge of Deadwood until now had been confined to Calamity Jane, and the rather rowdy song about the stagecoach coming up over the hill, so I was fascinated to hear what this woman had to say about my way of life.

She was really interested in the work that I do, not only running Inspiral, but also the meetings that we hold at the Haven every week. She expressed regret that she was unable to attend a similar centre, and talked about how it would have helped her through a recent bereavement to know that the support was there and that we do not just die and thats it.

I suggested that if there wasnt a centre in Deadwood, maybe there may be one in a neighbouring town, when she dropped the bombshell - to do what I do in Deadwood is actually illegal ! 

Deadwood's ordinance states : 

“No person shall advertise or engage in or carry on any business of telling fortunes, carrying on a business advertising or involving a cult or psychics powers, facilities or forces, clairvoyants, spirits, mediumship, seership, prophesy, astrology, palmistry, necromancy, or other craft, science cards, tellsman, charms, potions, magnetism or magnetized articles or substances, oriental mysteries or magic of any kind or nature or numerology, or engage in any of these businesses within the city limits.”

The law was introduced just 20 years ago, in a town that makes a substantial income from tourists visiting for gambling activities, and also has a long history of prostitution. However, to have your hand read in this town, would leave you, and your reader, open to arrest, a fine, and possibe imprisonment !

Although 1 in 7 Americans are believed to have visited a medium in the past year, many US states are less than hospitable to the spiritually minded. 

The Detroit suburb of Warren in 2010 began requiring psychics to get licenses that entail fingerprinting and criminal background checks.

Meanwhile, St Johnsbury, Vt, repealed its venerable soothsaying ban in 2008 amid concerns that it outlawed feng shui, the traditional Chinese practice of harmonisng one's environment for health and financial benefits.

A federal appeals court upheld a psychic-licensing law in Chesterfield County, but courts in some states, including Alexandria and Montgomery, recently overthrew fortunetelling bans as infringement of free speech.

Maryland's Court of Appeal wrote in 2010 : "Fortune-telling may be pure entertainment, it may give individuals some insight into the future, or it may be hokum," but Montgomery County's prohibition on paid psychic readings has "a chilling effect on constitutionally protected speech"

So signs are variable, where Deadwood refuse to repeal in a recent debate, other states are being forced by the Courts to stop this archaic practice. 

Of course, the bans are driven by the church. My chat buddy revealed to me that there were churches "practically wall to wall" in her town, and that they were the ones who opposed the "fortune telling" as they believed it was against the Bibles teaching to speak with the dead.

I was quite humbled once I had finished speaking with her, and I must admit, a little tearful. 

It makes you realise how much we still take for granted here in the UK. We have the right to practice our religion - Spiritualism - openly and without persecution, and all aspects of the spiritual world, and practices related to "fortune telling" are performed without restriction.

How fortunate are we that we no longer have to meet in secret in private homes ?

Maybe next time we decide to start fighting amongst ourselves, and playing the "Im more spiritual than you are" game, we should remember that in the USA there are many people who risk imprisonment to have the freedom to do what we are doing. We should be grateful and present a solid, positive face, so we can PROVE to the established Church and any of our other detractors that we are here to stay.

Would love your comments on this one - feel free to feed back !

Love Jay xxx 

One of the first times you may encounter a sense of failure on your Spiritual path will be the time that someone asks you whether you know your Spirit Guide, and you admit that you do not. You are made to feel somehow inferior, as if a failure on your part to know your Guide is in some way indicative of a carelessness towards them - as if you do not realise their importance, or, worse still, are not spiritually developed enough to have been rewarded with their presence ! For every one of you who believes they dont know their Guide, there is a very frustrated evolved soul jumping up and down waiting to be noticed ! The truth is, we all have Guides, its just that some of us are not yet tuned into them sufficiently to be aware of their presence.  

So how do you meet your Guide ? Well, typically, my experience of meeting Brian, my Guide, was not terribly esoteric. I was staying overnight in an old coaching inn in the Cotswolds with my husband, who is not only terrified of the Spirit World, but also becomes very unnerved by my contact with them at times (he really did marry the wrong woman!). When we arrived in the room I gave it my customary "scan", and all appeared well, so we went down for a late dinner. Returning to our room that night all was well, so we went to bed for the night and were both soon sleeping soundly. At around 2am, I awoke, realising I was not alone. At the door of the room stood a massive man - thick black beard and lots of straggly black hair, wearing rough clothes, and big black boots. He reminded me of an old fashioned pirate. Realising he was in Spirit, I watched as he crossed the room, and sat on my edge of the bed. He grunted, and leaned forward to remove his boots - by this time I could smell him - a greasy, wet dog kind of smell - and to my horror laid down on the bed - literally on top of me ! It was the most bizarre thing ever - I could feel the weight of a large fully grown man, smell his weird smell, and hear him breathing. I was rigid - the last thing I could do was to wake my husband, as believe me we would have been checking out at 2am !  

I was squeaking in my mind ..... get off .... get off .... and bellowing to my guides, who for some reason didnt show (of which more later). eventually, with one last Get The **** Off !!!! He disappeared. I then tried to settle back into an uneasy sleep, waking my husband as soon as was decent and suggesting we moved on   The weird thing was, later that morning in the car I still couldnt shift the image of the man, and his smuggler type appearance. my husband then turned to me and told me he had had a dreadful nights sleep, as he kept dreaming about pirates !  

This man of course turned out to be Brian, who is with me to this day. I refer to him as Brian, as he resembles the actor Brian Blessed (google him!) and Brian is quite happy with that (he once said to me " Im blessed so that makes sense" - guide humour - never particularly good). Now the reason I tell this story is several fold. Firstly, you will remember that I mentioned that none of my guides were around when I was yelling for help. I believe this to be because Brian is in fact the same energy. I believe that our Guides show themselves to us in a form we find acceptable. When I first started out, my Guide was a little girl called Elizabeth. She was a gentle, teaching energy, but as I developed spiritually I needed someone who was stronger more protective, and more kick-ass, so she became Brian and he came along. Had I had Brian from day one, I would have died on the spot - he is immense - best part of 7ft tall, and quite imposing looking - so Elizabeth was easier for me to accept. But I do believe they are intrinsically the same energy.  

This to me partly explains why so many people have Native Americans and Chinese guides. Not only are Guides generally highly evolved souls, and these cultures are of course far more spiritual than ours, but a lot of you EXPECT your Guides to look like that - so to keep in your comfort zone, they do ! Guides are souls - energies - not people, so can assume whatever shape is most appropriate at the time.  

A brief note on one small point that drives me nuts .... relatives in Spirit are NOT Guides ! Sure, they may help you, in fact my grandmother and best friend often pop up with some much needed advice, but they are helpers, NOT Guides ! Guides are deeply evolved souls who have passed way beyond the veil of an earthly existence and are no longer going to reincarnate. So please do not confuse the two.   Now, I mentioned that Brian has a very distinctive smell. This to me is what I term a Guide "calling card" -   I smell Brian often before I see or sense him - I also get a prickling feeling in my chin, which is his distinctive beard. These are ways I know that he is with me. He always stands behind me, but I know he is there mainly due to these two calling cards. So think carefully about your spiritual work. Are there subtle signs your Guide is there - maybe as small as an odour or a tickly chin ?  All Guides have calling cards, and as soon as you can recognise yours, you will be halfway to meeting them fully.  

Your Guides are there - you just have to stay yourself, sit in the silence and ASK ! They will be overjoyed to no longer be overlooked, and will try their best to make that contact with you - and believe me, when they do, it will be the start of a lifelong relationship of the most rewarding kind.  

Ask for signs - ask them to touch you - ask them to let you know they are there. As surely as night follows day you will meet them, they are waiting in the wings, and cannot wait to start their journey with you. Let me know how you get on !  

Blessed be, Jay xxx

Spent the morning sorting out photographs to go onto the site showing some of our past events. Lovely memories of some really great days over the past two years, wanting to repeat some of these days NOW !!!

I'm particularly proud of the photo of Kelvedon Bunker paranormal night, showing Gary and Claire, and the energy created by a little spirit girl we met there. She was a child of a family who had lived on the farmland prior to the bunker being built, and made what was an otherwise relatively quiet location, really memorable. She was looking for her family, and as a result, we had the wonderful experience of crossing her back to Spirit to be met by her family. We don't usually cross over Spirits on investigations, but where children are concerned, we really like to help if we can. To capture her energy on film whilst she was standing with us is something really special - I think for this reason this is one of my favourite spirit photos.

I have to say that one of my favourite activities with Inspiral has to be the Paranormal Adventures ! You really can't beat meeting Spirit on their home ground. With this in mind, we are running a very exciting new workshop - Paranormal Investigator - with seasoned ghosthunter Debbie Dean. This is a great afternoon working with Debbie, learning from her experiences, and covering all aspects of running a successful ghost hunt, from how to use technical equipment, to how to contact Spirit to gain the best results. Learn about electronic voice phenomena, ouija and glasswork, table tipping, and loads more ! This workshop is running in Grays on the 29th September, and 10th February in Cuffley. Why not book in now, and get the most from your next paranormal adventure with us ?

Finally, a great day with Diana at the Goddess workshop yesterday. During the course of the day we were joined by an injured fox, whom we have now "adopted" and are feeding - no coincidence he should arrive on a day dedicated to the protector of wild animals !