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Ann Théato, International Psychic Medium and Spiritual Tutor, investigates psychic development, mediumship techniques, and paranormal science, so that you can come to understand your own innate psychic ability and expand your knowledge, whilst learning to develop a curious mind.

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TRANSCRIPT

Ann 

Hello everybody and welcome to Episode 57 of the Psychic Matters Podcast.  57 is my lucky number you know, so I’m delighted to have reached that amount, of episodes.  And I do feel very, very, lucky this month.  I want to say a huge thank you to all my incredible Patrons.  Your patronage has been instrumental in helping me to continue to create high quality content and I’ve been particularly taken aback by a couple of people this month – you know who you are – who have been beyond kind with their support. I’ve written to both those people privately and you know I’ve been so touched – when people really believe in you and in what you are doing – it just really touches my heart and makes our work feel so greatly valued.  Thank you very much to my wonderful Patrons – if you would like to join them – head to patreon.com/psychic matters and you can take a look at some of the benefits and perks that come along with being a Patron of the Psychic Matters podcast.

I particularly want to say a massive shout out to a friend of mine, Steven Trolland, CSNU, who has also gone above and beyond to help support the Psychic Matters Podcast.  Some of you might remember Steven from Podcast episode 51.  That episode was called Championship Mediumship, where Steven spoke about his absolute passion for skiing and snowboarding and In our episode together, Steven talked about the many difficulties he experienced following the snowboarding sport he loved. He spoke about what it felt like, despite great adversity, to go on to take 6 podiums and finally to win the British Championship title. Do go back and have a listen to that episode, it is an incredibly moving story and Steven talks about getting sponsorship from the people of his beloved village of Aviemore who created fundraising events for him, to help him to partake in snowboarding competitions and go on to stand on those six podiums and to win the British Championship title.

Well, Steven continues to be a real champion and he has paid forward the kindness shown to him, in some incredible ways and this month I have been on the receiving end.  Steven got together with two very talented medium friends of his – Louise Minhas and Fredrik Haglund, and they put on a very special Evening Of Soul – a fundraising Mediumship event. I know many of you out there bought a ticket to attend and I want to give you all huge thanks for doing that and for supporting the event,  I am over the moon to say that they raised £380, which is an incredible amount of money.   Thank you to Louise, Fredrik and Steven for your time and to each of you who came along – for buying a ticket. 

If you’d like to support the podcast – you can write a written review – it’s a brilliant way to show solidarity and written reviews really help the podcast to move up the podcast charts.  If you are on Apple, you can go to Apple podcasts, find the Psychic Matters podcast and scroll down to leave a written review or if you have a you can go to a platform called PodChaser – the link is on my website under podcasts. https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/psychic-matters-1022002

Meanwhile, settle back in your chair, this week we are exploring Spiritualism…

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With me in the studio today, I am joined by Jacqui McGleish OSNU and an accredited Spiritualist Medium. Jacqui, welcome to Psychic Matters.

Jacqui 

Thank you very much Ann. It’s lovely to be invited.

Ann 

It’s so brilliant to have you here on the show. I’ve heard all sorts of wonderful, good, positive, useful things about the work that you’re doing out there in the world. Tell us a little bit about you, Jacqui, what are you about?

Jacqui 

Really, in all honesty, I am about honesty. I’m about truth, finding your truth. Finding the real spirituality within you.

Ann 

Honesty and truth. What a wonderful place to start from. Tell us, you you’ve got a wonderful Scottish accent there. So, tell us a little bit about your background.

Jacqui 

And yes, I sound Scottish and a lot of people will say that to me, but I’m actually English. Yeah. And it’s funny because if I’m in England, they’ll say I sound Scottish and when I’m in Scotland, they say I sound English, but I am English originally, live in Scotland, and been here for 30 years now. Just over its lovely. And I class this as my home now.

Ann 

And where was it? Where were you originally from in England?

Jacqui 

I was born in Oldham, and then brought up in Lowestoft, near Great Yarmouth.

Ann 

Oh, yes, Lowestoft. Of course, we had a little chat about that, didn’t we? Because I spent some time in Pakefield, which was just beautiful.

Jacqui 

Yeah.

Ann 

And whereabouts in Scotland, are you?

Jacqui 

I’m in Glasgow.

Ann 

Fabulous. And what took you up to Scotland, then Jacqui, what took you up north?

Jacqui 

I was lucky enough to meet my husband. And it just, we knew straight away, and within a matter of three months, I was pregnant and living in Scotland.

Ann 

Oh, lovely, what a love story. That is.

Jacqui 

Yeah. Well, I think so.  We are 30 years together now. And it’s you know, it’s, he is my best friend.

Ann 

Is he spiritualist as well, is he, does he go down that line? Or does he not?

Jacqui 

He believes in Spiritualism. He believes in what I do, he doesn’t  necessarily attend churches like me.

Ann 

Yeah, because I’ve got a partner who is incredibly supportive of,   of what I’m doing, but isn’t interested in it at all. And so, I don’t really discuss it with him. And that’s fine. That’s just the way our relationship is. So, it’s different for everyone, isn’t it?

Jacqui 

Yeah, definitely.

Ann 

And so, what, what led you down the path of mediumship, in the first place, Jacqui, how did that come into your life? 

Jacqui 

For me, I’ve always had this weird, strange ability. And there was really, I couldn’t put two and two together when I was growing up. And I had a very different kind of upbringing. It was a single parent family. I’m one of five, the youngest and the only girl. And when I was young, I got ill, twice, really quite ill, I had meningitis. When I was about six, yeah and was seriously ill. And something changed with me when I came out of hospital. And it was as if I had this sense of feeling things and seeing things and not really understanding it. I am a child, how do you understand or put two and two together as a child? Then I remember the, it was the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in the 70s. And there was a street party and we were sat at the street party. And I said to my friend, wow, can you see that? Look at that beautiful lady, and my friend turned around and said, I can’t see anything. And it was then I had the initial knowing that I saw something that somebody else couldn’t see. The next thing was really animals, I kept seeing dogs. And I would see these dogs following me or they would wait for me when I was being sent to bed at nighttime.  The dogs would be sitting on the stairs, and I would be absolutely terrified. These two big great dogs. And again, I see it now as an adult, but as a child, I didn’t understand that they were actually there to support me and protect me and look after me. But you don’t realise that when you’re younger. I was always told many things like, oh, you’re so dramatic, or you’re so sensitive. But I think partly, with everything that was going on around me, that I didn’t really understand, but also family life and the changes that were happening there. Yeah, I think it just all accumulated to not really understanding me.

Ann 

And did you tell your mum about the things, the people you were seeing or the dogs that were on the stairs? Were you able to share it with her?

Jacqui

It was actually my dad that brought me up.

Ann

I’m so sorry. I’m assuming, that’s a terrible assumption, isn’t it?

Jacqui

Everybody does. Everybody thinks that. My Dad, you, I would say to him, dad, this dog’s on the stairs, I’m terrified, I can’t go up the stairs. And he thought it was a tactic to stay up and he would go and check the stairs, he said there’s nothing there Jacqueline, there’s nothing there and send me off to bed. But I never really stayed in my own bed. I bed hopped, and not because not because of any other reason. But I was always frightened. And I was always lively. So, I wasn’t really a sleeper.

Ann 

Yeah. And so, your brothers, you obviously have got four, four brothers. Did you say you are one of five or one a four?

Jacqui 

One of five.

Ann 

Yes, you’re the same of me. I’ve got four brothers too. But your four brothers? Did they also see things like this? Or is it just you?

Jacqui

Just me.

Ann 

Okay.

Jacqui 

But I think that what switched it on I think, was maybe the start of a what I associate with it being switched on or was maybe the meningitis. And then when again, when I hit 12, I had meningitis again. And I was really seriously again.  Luckily enough, my dad knew the signs and got me looked at really quickly. But I was still quite ill. But it changed after that. So, what happened after that is, I started really seeing things and feeling things and becoming really, really sensitive, which caused a lot of friction within me, because I obviously I was a teenager, hormonal, going through all these different changes, but also all these changes spiritually that I didn’t understand.

Ann 

And you had no one to talk to about that, did you?

Jacqui 

Not really, that I, my friend’s mum was really good with me when I was growing up. And I had some friends that were good to me. But how do you explain what you’re seeing and what you’re feeling? Especially when they don’t understand you as a teenager. Because they associate what you’re going through is a problem with the family. Yeah, so you, you kind of look at things in a different way. And it becomes, it becomes hard within you to deal with everything that’s happening.      School was an issue. I was great at middle school, loved it. I was so good at middle school, just found it amazing.  Loved doing the acting, loved doing drama, loved doing English, loved it. Got to high school, and obviously my four brothers had preceded me. And I remember the teacher reading out the register on my first day at school and saying Willetton?  Are you related to the others that have been here before? And I said yes. And that was it. I was automatically imagined to be the same as my brothers or the problems that came with them or any issues that had happened before me. So, I really wasn’t given a chance. And that’s the honest truth. And I think as a child when you’re a teenager, and somebody says, oh, you’re just like them, you go okay, then I’ll show you. Yeah, so I really wasn’t great at school, not because I didn’t know, because I was stupid, or for any other reasons, then I kind of proved a point to them. I proved them, right really. Yeah.

Ann 

Yeah, very difficult. I do remember in my art room, my art teacher saying to me, are you the sister of Paul or Nick? And I said, yes. And he just rolled his eyes. He said, you’re even sitting in the same chair. That was the end of that. Very interesting, though. So where did you go with your spirituality at that point then?  Were you still seeing things at that age in your late teens or mid-teens?

Jacqui 

Yeah, I was definitely really sensitive to everybody around me, seeing things I didn’t really understand which frightened me and I have to be honest, I was frightened within myself. But again, I just didn’t understand what was happening. I actually got expelled from school, high school, which I do talk about it and the reason I talk about it is because it was probably a catalyst for me to start to understand I needed to change. I got a job painting and decorating which I absolutely loved. Still was getting into trouble really in a few different areas. Then I had an accident with my hand and I realised at that point when I had the accident, that I had to change. That’s when I started getting the ear whistling and the vibrations in my head and I knew that someone was trying to contact me but I didn’t understand who, but I could feel it I could sense it. I did actually go along to Lowestoft Spiritualist church once, but I just, because I was so young, I just didn’t feel like I belonged there, because everybody else was older. But so, I was already, something was calling within me to go to find out what was happening. The catalyst for me I think was after moving to Glasgow and after having in my daughter, my eldest daughter, I could see things, I could see people in the street. And I said to my neighbour, there’s a man that walks up and down the street at nighttime with a dog. And I described him, described what he was wearing, the hat he had on, the way he looked. And then my neighbour said to me, that sounds like Liz’s dad round the corner. But he’s been dead for years. And it turned out it was her dad.

Ann 

Gosh, that’s, that’s such an interesting journey. Just to that point. Why did they expel you from school? What had you done?

Jacqui 

You might not want to put this out there. But lots of stuff I shouldn’t have been doing. I was up to really, I would say it was all fighting really, fighting, causing trouble,  just mayhem, mayhem.

Ann 

Yeah. Okay. But it’s understandable when you, now looking back at your younger self, you think well, there was so much going on there, where you weren’t held or understood. But then again, I’ve got a friend who is so sensible, she so beautifully spoken. And she’s got a terribly sensible job now, that she talks about when she was at school at that age, just throwing the locker, no, taking all the library books off the library bookshelves and throwing all the lockers around, and she can’t understand why she did it. She got into massive trouble at the time. It was just things that kids do.

Jacqui 

I just think I was fighting against everybody. Just, nobody really understood me. I had nobody. My dad tried so hard. He was, he was a really good dad. But he had his own issues going on, being left with just the way things were, and yeah, so what do you do? What do you do?

Ann 

Yeah. Well, you fight back in the way that you can at that age, you tried to make sense of the world. So, you did that, you went on, you got a painting and decorating job which was probably quite unusual for a girl back in that, in that, at that time, to do painting and decorating. And so, what did you do to your hand?

Jacqui 

I had an accident with a window, I actually was arguing with my father. And I punched a window and the glass came down and severed four tendons in my hand.

Ann 

Jacqui!

Jacqui 

Yeah.

Ann 

Oh, my goodness. So, what did you, what did you, well, obviously, you’ve recovered from that and we’ve moved on?

Jacqui 

I actually retrained as a hairdresser. And that was really to prove to the doctors that I would survive and I would,  because he said my hand  would be not very good. So, I proved to them that yeah, it’d be fine. So, I, I was a hairdresser.

Ann 

Gosh, and how long did you cut hair for?

Jacqui 

On and off, for years. It’s, you can’t stop once you’re a hairdresser, you can’t, you’ve always got somebody to cut in  family or the dog even getting a haircut now and  again. But yeah, you’re still, you’re always a hairdresser, once you’ve once you’ve got it.

Ann 

Yeah, yeah, beautiful. So, so you go through all these experiences, but you’ve spoken here, you’ve said at the age of six or seven, you got meningitis. You had it again, at 12, and then you talked about after childbirth. And these three things that happened, this is when things sort of ratchet up another notch, ratchet up another notch. So do you think there’s something in that, something very, I don’t know, something happens to the body, and then, I don’t know where I’m going with that line of inquiry but I’m just wondering, just …

Jacqui 

it just felt for me, I think, these moments in my life, when I probably needed something there and probably needed support, that’s when spirit came through, because that’s when it changed. And that’s when it evolved every time. And even after having my eldest daughter, things racked up then, and then again, when I had my second daughter, and at the point of me saying, I need to go and see someone. And that’s when I stepped foot in a spiritualist church in Glasgow.

Ann 

And what happens when you walk through that door?

Jacqui 

At first, I was so, it was a little tiny church, and it’s called the salt market in Glasgow. And it’s really salt of the earth people, it’s people from all walks of life. And this little, tiny wee box of a church, had the big Phoenix painted on the back wall. And I walked in for a private reading. And I sat down and the medium said, oh, I don’t know why you’re here. And I went, really? And she said, yeah, you can do what I do. And I went, okay. And then she said, you have to come along to our group on Thursday. She spoke to me about a few different things said, confirmed things within my own head, what had been going on with me, and she said, come back on Thursday. So, I went back home and I actually spoke to my mother-in-law and I said she wants me to come back on Thursday, but I’m not coming by myself. You’re coming with me. So, my mother-in-law came with me.   And that she had no interest in this at that point. So, she came with me on the Thursday, and that was it. It literally was like putting on a comfy pair of shoes I felt at home I felt opened, alive. I felt like spirit could just work through me, it was unbelievable. And I gave a message that night. The message was accepted. They said it was clear, everything was precise with it. And then I stayed within the circle. And I stayed within that church, really for a couple of years until it changed hands. But I sat in the circle really for six weeks. And after that initial six weeks now, everybody hearing this will listen and probably be horrified, terrified, and thinking, how on earth could this happen? After six weeks, I went to church on the Sunday, and they didn’t have a medium. So, they approached me and they said, Jacqui, would you go up? And I went well, I’m not really dressed for it. But okay.

Ann 

Good for you.

Jacqui 

And that was it, really. That was my first service. After that it just evolved really quickly. People coming to see, then getting dates in other churches and centres, and literally it  just kind of rolled very quickly.

Ann 

That’s amazing. So that very first demonstration that you gave,  tell us, talk us through that a little bit. So, you stood up there, you’d obviously, you’ve been to the services, had you seen people demonstrating before? Did you know what you were meant to do?

Jacqui 

I’d been going to the church, when it started on the Thursday night in the, in the circle, I’d started going on the Sundays. So, I was watching the medium and listening. It wasn’t that I knew what I was doing, as I was actually just really interested in listening to the mediums. But it just happened. And we’d notice when I was sitting in the development group on the Thursday, that this ability had just, it was as if it was already there. And it literally was just somebody had to explain to me or say it’s okay. Just let it happen, let it out. Let it work, see what comes. Don’t be frightened of it. And I think really, that was it. And I was very fast then, I used to talk so quick. I didn’t really understand anything that was coming through. I couldn’t take anything in. And I was probably like that for about 10 years.

Ann 

But it’s interesting, isn’t it, when someone gives you permission to be who you are?

Jacqui 

Yeah,

Ann 

Because, because we’re not given permission. We’re not given permission to say that this is a true thing. That this is what happens. This is what I see. And this is how it works. People just, we don’t get permission because nobody believes you for most of your life. And it’s and when you’re given permission, and you’re held and you’re encouraged, it is a completely different ballgame.

Jacqui 

Yeah, totally, totally different. And it just felt good, comfortable. The people were like minded, they understood me, a lot of them had the same things that were going on, they understood the animals that I would see when I was growing up, the fear that I had when I was younger, even really a strange…I used to walk past the, past the graveyard in Pakefield. There’s a church, right on the top of the cliff. It’s beautiful. And I used to walk to my friend’s house when I was younger, by the graveyard. And I was never really what you’d say frightened. I was interested in what was in there. And that’s probably gonna sound terrible, because we know that you don’t die. But I was interested in the names and the dates and the people that had been in there for years and just I just found it beautiful in there. And peaceful.

Ann 

I know that exact churchyard and the church. I know exactly where it is. I can picture it in my mind because I used to run past there when I was staying in Pakefield and it is very peaceful. It’s very beautiful.

Jacqui 

Beautiful.

Ann 

So, you sat in circle for six weeks. You stood up on platform and you did your thing and then people were calling you saying please can you come and serve our centre our church? And what, where did you go from there? How did you go from being a hairdresser, to now being a spiritualist medium, very much in demand? Where does, Where did you go?

Jacqui 

This what I’m doing now was never an intended career. I have to say that I literally was happy being a mum doing my wee bit of hairdressing, just doing what I normally did. When I first started in the church in that initial standing on the platform, then our churches started contacting me and saying Jacqui could you do this date, could you do this? And I would start taking one day a month.  Then it was one day a week. And then it started to change. Probably about 10  after being a platform medium, I’d met other mediums at that point. And one in particular, had said to me, Jacqui, do you know what would be really good for you, he said, your work’s good, your mediumship’s great, but for your confidence, I think you would maybe enjoy some of the SNU courses. And it might actually help you with your knowledge and you’re understanding. And I actually think, for me, because I left school so early, and I didn’t have that knowledge, or that background of academia, doing those courses was actually really good for me. So, I, when I joined the SNU, I started off with doing the SD1. And that kind of progressed. While I was doing the courses, obviously, more churches would contact me. And you’d still you’d be picking up more dates and more dates. And I only really ever done it for expenses, it wasn’t for money, or for your name being out there, I would try and help charities do a lot of work for communities, fundraisers for schools, just to kind of spread the word of spiritualism but to help people really. And then my education with the SNU was starting to come up. And then I took my CSNU, which was, yeah, difficult. I would say difficult. When you do your first accreditation or your first board, it’s terrifying, especially when you’ve never done an exam. So that was really interesting for me. Yeah, it kind of pushed me to do a bit more.

Ann 

So, for people that are listening to this podcast, obviously I know what you’re talking about, but some people who are listening may not have heard of the SNU, they don’t know what SD1  is or CSNU. Can you perhaps explain for those people what this is?

Jacqui 

Yeah, the SNU, the Spiritualist’s National Union, you can do different courses with them. SD1 isn’t available anymore. It’s been gone a little while. But these courses actually help your understanding and your knowledge of spirit, of the work that was done before we arrived. And they talk about the pioneers, the history, and there’s a lot of learning that you can get, and a lot of knowledge. And it does help you build up a knowledge base for talking, if you’re going to be doing an address or working with students. And it really did, well it did help me, and it helped my confidence within me.

Ann 

I imagine that it would have done and like, because you say, you know, you left school without the qualifications that you, you could easily have got had circumstances been different. I found the SNU courses really interesting. Because they inform you, like you say about the pioneers of spiritualism and the history and where it came from and the shoulders on of the people on whom we stand, who took that work forward first. So, you’ve gone on, you said just there that you did your CSNU, you can you explain what the CSNU is for people?

Jacqui 

Yeah, it’s a certification, which means you’re accredited with the SNU at that level. So, I have my CSNU in Speaking. Also in Demonstrating, which is mediumship communication. I also have it in readings. And I also have it in teaching.

Ann 

That’s amazing. So, people might think, well, how can you be accredited in speaking, I can speak, what is speaking? I’m going to be examined on it. If you could just explain a little bit about each one of those, because it’s quite interesting. Speaking and the readings.

Jacqui 

Yeah. Well, having you’re, the speaking is really, when whenever you go to a church and you hear the medium do an address at the beginning, but it’s, it’s at a level where you can really talk about the philosophy of the principles, and you can bring them in and philosophise about them within your own talking. And you do this by either working inspirationally or you can speak inspirationally. But you can also add that in, using a bit of your background and your understanding, and even how you’ve managed to get to that point. There are many, many people who come into our spiritual churches and centres who are like you, and sometimes they need to understand that, and see that for themselves to realise their own potential and where they go in the future and how they can get help with them         .

Ann 

Yeah, and that’s a really important point because it’s about your own potential and you as a soul on this earth. Everybody has their own unique challenges. And, and that’s okay, that’s fine. We can’t all be academics and really wonderful. We haven’t all had a very smooth childhood and life growing up. And so, it’s really good that they meet you where you are.

Jacqui 

I think it’s super important that we look at everybody within our spiritual communities. Because we are all unique. We all have varying abilities. And actually, I think if we can tap into that spiritual side of everybody, I think it will just make life so much easier, where you can talk openly about any issues, you’re not afraid of others by saying how you are and how you feel.

Jacqui 

When I mentioned the principles, what I mean it the Seven Principles of Spiritualism and they are: the Fatherhood of God; the Brotherhood of Man; The Communion of Spirits and The Ministry of Angels; The Continuous Existence of The Human Soul; Personal Responsibility; Compensation and Retribution Hereafter for All Good and Evil Deeds Done on Earth and Eternal Progress Open to Every Human Soul.

Ann 

And they’re the Principles that people live by, if you’re a Spiritualist, we live by these Principles, that’s, it’s like the Ten Commandments, but the Seven Principles.

Jacqui 

Yeah, they were given to spirit and developed through the mediumship of Emma Hardinge Britten over two decades.

Ann 

And you’ve gone on to become an OSNU. And  even I’m not too sure what that is. Could you explain?

Jacqui 

Yeah, OSNU is an Officiant with the Spiritualist’s National Union. That means that I’ve sat boards, they’ve looked at me, and they’ve made sure that I hit the correct standard, again for being able to speak in public. So, I can now do weddings, you can do, I’ve always done funerals anyway, but you can now do funerals at, at the SNU  standard. And you can also help within your communities, within your churches, you can help with if somebody needs you at their bedside, you can be there and you can support them, and give them the spiritual support that they need for that time and families. So yeah, I’m available, if anybody needs help.

Ann 

Wonderful. And we’ll get your website or your Facebook page, or your details of how people can, can connect with you at the end of this interview. But I know as part of that process of becoming an OSNU, you gave a most amazing and beautiful address. I wonder if you’d be prepared to share that with us on this podcast episode?

Jacqui 

Yeah, I would love to do that. And I’m really pleased that you’ve, you’ve asked that, because I’ve had so many people asked me after the service, if I would record it if they could listen to it again. So that’s really good of you and I appreciate that. Thank you very much Ann. Most of you here are spiritualists. And so therefore you will understand the sacrifices that are made for the work that we do. The late nights, the travelling and all weathers and being away from your family. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Whilst we help many, the impact that we can have on others is immense. Yes, those who are grieving, but also sometimes setting others on their own spiritual path and supporting them is one of the most rewarding aspects of our work. We sometimes need to remind ourselves this work is not about winning or being the best. Our job is about service but service to who or whom? I want to ask you all here as Spiritualists, are you prepared to fail? As we stand here together as a brotherhood of Spiritualists, I asked you, are you prepared to fail morally, emotionally, and for mankind? I want us to take a look. Reflect on history and ask ourselves how we move Spiritualism forward. Not just for us hardened Spiritualists here. But for every human being on this planet, for spirit unseen and for the spheres, we cannot yet truly understand. In my understanding, my work is for humanity, mankind and the planet and

Jacqui 

Not for self. Let us take a look. A look back at the pioneers that came before us. Let us stand in awe at their unwavering belief in God. Their steadfast approach to fight established beliefs that most people believed in the sacrifice they made for the freedom that we now have.  And then we need to ask ourselves why today? Are we still trying to fight for Spiritualism and to have a place in this world? I wonder if it’s because we try to philosophise on the Principles in this modern life. But we keep our thinking in the past. Do we play lip service to the Principles on a Sunday and do not apply them to every other day in our lives? We need to stand on the shoulders of our pioneers from the past use their achievements as building blocks. And like the Phoenix that comes out in the flames bring a new approach to what we do. Is it time now to learn to recognise those workers that want change within our religion? To modernise spiritualism for not only the 21st century, but for the 22nd and 23rd. For friends, if we do not start to change spiritualism as we know it, it will be lost. I quote from Lesley Flint’s book, Voice in The Dark. His guide asked the question, why has spiritualism not spread across the world and changed the face, as it was promised? He then also replied, Because the average spiritualist does not know what it means to live his life as a true spiritualist. Over the last two years life as we knew it has changed. We have gone through a global pandemic, where we have lost many, many lives. Where we have gone from clapping for the people who kept the country moving, to verbally abusing them when things aren’t going right. Where is the spirituality in the way we all support each other? We need to change how we see each human being. We need to see that the spirit within needs nourishment, just like the physical body. We need to support the people whose understanding differs from us. We are lucky that we know after the physical dies, that their spirit moves into another phase of life. We give evidence to this on a regular basis within our churches, week in and week out.  And whilst this is good to get people into our churches to start with, we need to look at keeping them coming in. But not just for the communication. But to truly understand the wider implications of this wonderful religion. Where the support they receive within our churches builds an acquired knowledge they can apply to themselves and for their community within. Being a spiritualist isn’t just about the communications that we give. Like I said, that’s the key to the door. What happens next? Our philosophies and our teachings should be spoken about and brought forward within our services for all to hear and see, the way we live our lives and treat each other is what community see. Not just merely blind promises to the principles. When I was younger, I was the child that no one really liked to be around. The truth of the matter is, I was really annoying. I had red hair, a high-pitched voice and I just would never sit still. I was a child from a broken home. A single parent family. It wasn’t a new thing back then. But my dad did find it hard trying to look after five children. I was the youngest and the only girl. And my dad used to say to me, Jacqueline, you’re worse than all the boys put together. I struggled as an adolescent to fit in, just to find my place. I loved Middle School. I enjoyed the work. I did every sport possible. I played the double bass and I excelled really. Then my first day at high school. I remember the teacher called the register. When he got to my name, he said are you related to the others that have been here before? I said yes. And that was it. I was tarred with the same brush as a couple of my older brothers. I was failed by the teacher who thought that small comment was okay. So high school was an issue for me, not because I wasn’t clever. But because I was looked at as challenging. I also had to live up to the status that the teacher would apply to me. Because as a child, that’s exactly what you do. I was asked to leave school at around 14.  It was explained that I would be expelled, I’d caused so much trouble. What I will say though, is I was never given the chance to succeed. I was given a label, and I was judged from the word go.  So, at 15, I started work, I was given an apprenticeship as a painted decorator. I went to college one day a week, and on building sites all over the east. I loved it. I passed my first year and on to my second when I’d had an accident, I had severed four tendons in my right hand. And now we all know, if you’re a decorator, the use of your hands is really important. Well, probably critical. The doctor who rebuilt my hand said that I should consider a job in the warm. So, after healing, and physiotherapy, I started a YTS scheme in hairdressing. And at this point, I was 17. And probably a little bit scary. My first spiritual sighting I remember was after I’d had meningitis when I was five, or six.  It was the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, and we had a street party. I remember saying to my friend, wow, look at that beautiful lady. Her dress was long and flowy. And she had a lovely hat on her head. And my friend says, I don’t see anything. After this, I started to see dogs a lot. No one else saw the dogs. And I was always scared to sleep and would always end up in someone else’s bed in my house. At 12, I got meningitis again. And this was strange, as it wasn’t as serious as the first time. But I was hospitalised and very ill. I started to feel things sense things in my head, which at the time, I tried so hard to dismiss. This was around the same time I was going to high school. So along with the teacher issues, I think looking at it now as an adult, I struggled to understand what was happening. When talking to others about it, they would say things like, Jacqueline, you’re so dramatic, or for goodness’ sake, Jacqueline, go to bed. There are no dogs on the stairs. That’s something I remember my dad saying to me all the time, I can still hear his words echo in my ears. So why do I talk about the past? I do this so you can understand me. As you can see, I have a fierce determination to succeed. Over many years of spiritual work, I have been pushed literally to breaking point. This is not because of the work or the hours, but because of ego and not my ego either. The only reason I will discuss this today, is I intend to be the change within other people’s journey. So, they do not have to go on the road that I travelled. To extend a hand that says I will support you. Many people within spiritualism have had similar problems to myself, where a natural spiritual ability is not celebrated and nurtured, where you are held back from achieving your true potential, because others are scared of what you may achieve. Like I said earlier, this is not a competition. But this is just a thought. What would happen if we did nurture these people that come along with an ability that they don’t understand? What if we were to support them and their journey? Would we then be able to create more people that can help others to support many, many more?  Is this not the true meaning of spiritualism, as said within the Principles.  Eternal progress open to every human soul? When I have been down and felt I could no longer go on, my daughter said to me, mum, extinguishing someone else’s candle will not make theirs burn brighter. So, let’s try to help every one’s light burn to the brightest level. I can only imagine a time in my religion, where we as a community come together and support all. The no matter what they wish to achieve, no matter what walk of life they come from, no matter what we see on the outside, let us not judge but encompass the differences we all have, and create a spiritualism that is ready for the future. Many years ago, I read a piece of work by Maurice Barbanell. This is called The Implications of Spiritualism. And it was written many, many years ago. Why today is this still relevant? Have we not moved on? This segment that I quote really speaks of a world today. I wasn’t born when this was written. Why have we not created the change that has been needed for so long? Whether you orthodox or agnostic, ritual, poor, educated or illiterate, a cabinet minister or a crossing sweeper, dictator or peasant, you cannot alter the law of cause and effect as it operates in your life. That is a great message of spiritualism. Because you are spirit, you survived death. And because you are spirit, you are alive today. The Spirit within you which causes you to live is the same spirit that animates every member of every nation, of every race, and of every colour. Spiritually, the people of the world are one. Spiritualism reveals the spiritual oneness of all mankind. God has made us all members of one vast spiritual family. When that fact is understood and applied in human, national and international life, war will be driven from the face of the earth, man will have learned not to kill his spiritual brother. Properly understood, spiritualism will become one of the greatest forces for good in the world. When its truths have spread far and wide, and the majority of people accept its teachings and regulate their lives accordingly, a new era will dawn for humanity. We need to create this change from now on. We need to be real spiritualists. All my life I have been judged by others. I was the girl from a broken home. I was the angry teenager. I was far too young to be on platform. I was then judged on my knowledge, my capabilities, my commitment, my close my teaching. No one ever asked me about my God, why I believe I’m still here today, doing what I do today. Because I recognise my own struggles, that I can become a catalyst for change. I aim to be the butterfly that flaps its wings in Glasgow, which changes the energy in the rest of the world. I believe that my God is within every fibre of my being that this energy lights me up when I work for others. I know my true destiny is to be of service to others within this world. I truly believe that God and spirit had a plan for me. And when I met adversity, I received the strength and guidance to push through for the greater good. I want to be that Guiding Light in someone else’s darkness, where they can feel the arms of their loved ones encompass and love them from afar. The Guiding Light of a teacher that encompasses the differences within us all to show you, your differences can be your greatest strength. To bring light around your loved ones when they are at their lowest ebb, to support that soul in their journey ahead. However, they may need me. To join together with God couples who wish to spend their lives supporting and nourishing each other.  No matter what, I want to be the light to minister to the needs of all. Whether you are a spiritualist or not, I will listen. I will care. I will support and I will always try to do my best in whatever I am asked. This is not only for God and the spirit world, but for mankind. I work with in truth, nature and light. I am a spiritualist. I asked you right at the beginning of this address, are you willing to fail? I am willing to fail because that means more really, I have tried everything within my power. I am willing to fail until my last physical breath leaves my body. No matter what life throws at you, there is always the possibility to fail. I will fight to succeed in every aspect of my life. I will strive not to fail. But I am willing to fail as that means I have tried. Can you say the same?

Ann 

Wow. I’m absolutely honoured to have been able to hear that directly from you. I know this is for our podcast and obviously everybody’s listening to this, but there is such beauty and power in the words that you’ve just spoken there. It’s amazing.

Jacqui 

Thank you.

Ann 

Yeah, really beautiful. I loved some of the things that you said, I loved your, “I Am the butterfly that flaps its wings in Glasgow”. I just thought that was so beautiful “and makes the change, creates the change.” And I loved your “I am a Spiritualist” so much power in that, when you truly understand what being a Spiritualist really, truly means.

Jacqui 

I just think if you look at even The Barbanell, The Implications of Spiritualism, that was written so long ago, why, why are we still fighting to stop war? And why are we hurting each other still and, it just, yeah, we need to change, we, we need to change.

Ann 

And what’s great is, and what’s great about your speech there is, you give people the tool how to change and it’s purely, don’t judge other people. Everybody is equal.

Jacqui 

We are equal. We just need to see that. And help each other, strive to help each other. Help others on their spiritual journey. Let them find themselves. And so many people get lost in spiritualism. And I mean this in a really nice way, sometimes we look everywhere for the answers when the answers are actually within you. You just have to take the time to listen. See where you need to go. It took me years to get that, years to understand that it’s… the answers come from within. And sometimes we know them, we say them, we can hear them, we can hear our inner voice telling us, but we don’t listen, because we don’t think we’re good enough to listen.

Ann 

Very true. That’s amazing. I’m so happy that you shared that with us. I think people are going to get so much out of that there was just so much packed into that beautiful speech.

Ann 

Your father, who you speak of so fondly and so beautifully? Did he support your work as a spiritualist medium? Did he know about it? How did, you know as you grew, not, not when you were younger, obviously, I know you’ve spoken about that, but when you were older, what did your father say about your work?

Jacqui 

My Dad and my Mum didn’t want us to be brought up with religion. Because they were, they wanted us to choose our own path. So, when I said to my dad and spoke to him about spiritualism, he was a bit dumbfounded if I’m totally honest, at the beginning, but he used to come to churches with me, and he would come and visit. I would take him to churches when I was working. He liked it. He enjoyed it. He saw a lot of people. I don’t know whether you would say he believed, towards the end. But what I would say is, he definitely came round to it. And it’s funny that you, you asked me that and because my dad passed 10 years ago, and we used to have a joke. My dad would always phone me when I was at my busiest in the day, and I would say, oh Dad, I can’t speak just now I’ll call you later. And he would say, oh, for goodness’ sake, Jacqueline, and I’d say it’s okay, Dad, you can always speak to me, even if you’re dead, it’s fine. And it was always a joke. And when my dad died, my dad died very suddenly. And we were actually away on holiday. And I didn’t know. It wasn’t till we came back on the Tuesday that we, we found out my dad had died. On the Saturday night, I went to bed, and I had the strangest dream. And I told everybody the next morning, and they were like, no, no, really, yeah, it’s a joke. But it wasn’t. When we got back, and we checked my dad’s phone. My dad died really quickly of an aneurysm. And he was actually checking the credit on his phone when he died. So, there was a timestamp. My dad died at 11.34 on the Saturday night. I had the dream after 12 o’clock. And my dad was making a joke about where he was. I just didn’t put two and two together. I thought he was just having a joke.

Ann 

That’s amazing.

Jacqui    

Yeah.

Ann 

Gosh, what an interesting story that is.

Jacqui 

See if I told you the whole dream, you would honestly, it was, it’s so funny. It’s really funny. It’s just the way my dad would make a joke out of my mum. And he did it in the dream. And it was, and I talk about this on platform, I turned this into an address. And people are like, wow, but we’re not meant to know that somebody’s died. It’s not meant to be, you’re meant to find out in a natural way.  But my dad told me was okay.

Ann 

Yeah, beautiful. And it’s beautiful, that he was able to come, to watch you on platform, to watch you working, and to understand everything that would have gone on for you in your childhood, which made you this beautiful medium that you are today.

Jacqui 

Yeah, I’ve been, I was really lucky. My dad thoroughly respected what I did, was very proud of me, I think in that I would push myself. And he saw that. And I had changed from being that angry teenager and got to know myself. And that, for me was the most important thing. So that was good. And even my mum, my mum still comes to see me work if she’s here. And, and she appreciates what I do. And she sees the work that I do and the help that people get and the comfort. And that for me is, is good.

Ann 

Yeah, that’s beautiful. And it’s really, it must bring a lot of comfort to your mum as well to know that you’ve, your girl done good. You know, no matter what happened in your family unit when you were growing up, that you’ve, you’ve come out the other side of that, and you’ve got something very beautiful to offer the world. I bet that’s very comforting for her.

Jacqui 

Yeah, I think for her, for my family, all my friends. Most people are, know that I will always try and help where I can. Even my students. I’m very honest about my own journey, and honest about how you approach your own journey and how you develop your own spiritual awareness. I have a no-nonsense approach. I don’t like jargon, I don’t like, sometimes we add too much into it. And we take that ability away. We’re not sheep. You can’t take the personality out of the medium. You have to keep that in there because that’s what you are. But it’s how you evolve that, how you change it, how you adapt it, to the work that you’re doing, in whatever area you’re working in, because we all, we all, are all unique, but you need to keep that uniqueness. It’s, it’s what lights you up?

Ann 

Yeah. Beautiful. And you’ve spoken about your students. So, what are you teaching? I know that you do classes and workshops, if people are listening to this podcast, where can they find you Jacqui, what are you offering people?

Jacqui 

I do many things. I’m kind of an all-rounder really. So, I do, do readings. I do many churches and services. As an OSNU, obviously, I can bring couples together in marriage, but I can also do funeral services. What lights me up a lot is teaching. My students are a big thing for me. I love seeing the light shine within someone else. So, I run many workshops around Glasgow, in Scotland online as well. I have international students, and I run a mentoring group as well. And I’ve had that for a number of years, which has been very successful.

Ann 

If people want to come and join you, Jacqui, how do they? How do they get   hold of you?

Jacqui 

You can get me on Facebook. Jacqui, McGleish, Spiritualist Medium, send me a message contact me that way. I don’t have a website as yet.

Ann 

Perfect, so if people want to come and find you, you’re very easily findable on Facebook, and I’ll put the link to your Facebook page directly in the show notes for this episode, so people will be able to pick that up there. Maybe just the final thing I’d like to ask Jacqui, gosh, I know we’re a little bit overtime.

Jacqui 

That’s okay, I’m fine.

Ann 

Oh right, as a child when you saw spirit people, and you were so frightened by what you were seeing, feeling, experiencing, what do you think we can do to, I suppose as a movement of Spiritualists, Lightworkers, mediums across the world, psychics as well, how can we help and assist our children with these gifts? What do you think is the way  forward there at the moment?

Jacqui 

I think we need to explain to children that if they see something, that it’s okay, don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. Also, don’t always just say no, there’s nothing there. Just go right, okay, is there? Would you want to tell me about it and explain?  And just try and get an understanding of what their feelings are. Rather than create something bigger than it actually is? Or make it bigger than it actually is? Just try and understand.

Ann 

So, if you could wind time back, and you say to your father, Dad, there’s two dogs on the stairs. I can’t go to bed. What would your preferred response for him be?

Jacqui 

Come on, I’ll take you up. That’s fine. They’re not gonna hurt you.

Ann 

Perfect. Jacqui, I know you’ve got a wonderful course coming up called Soul Steps, can you tell us about that?

Jacqui 

Yes, Soul Steps is the brainchild of myself, Adam Berry, and Suzette Carlisle-Thorley and the three of us have come together, and between us we have so many years of experience, as teachers and working mediums, and it’s actually to provide steps, small steps, how to enhance your own self, how to take your spiritual abilities that little bit further, and just really easy guidance for everybody. What we’re going to be doing is three-hour sessions. And hopefully the dates for this will be coming out soon. But if anybody does want to get in touch regarding this, just contact us on SoulStepscourse@gmail.com

Ann 

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. And what level is that for?  Is that for beginners to advanced, all levels,

Jacqui  

All levels. I think that there’s an issue with putting a label on it. I think some, some people learn from beginners up to advanced, as long as we teach in the right way.

Ann 

Jacqui, thank you so much for coming onto the show and sharing all your incredible knowledge with us. I know that people are going to get so much out of this episode. I can’t thank you enough. Jacqui  McGleish, thank you for coming in.

Jacqui 

 Thank you very much, Ann, it’s been an absolute pleasure, and I look forward to seeing you again in the future. Thank you.

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