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Are you a Real or Unreal Spiritualist?

Asks Leslie Price

This curious question was posed years ago by a North London Spiritualist friend of mine called Edwin Butler. (He was so old he once passed a cup of tea to Sir Oliver Lodge at a meeting.)

Real Spiritualists, he suggested were those who took their Spiritualist philosophy or religion neat. They had no need of extra doctrines, dogmas, trappings or affiliations,

They might be admirers of guides like Silver Birch, of mediums like Emma Hardinge Britten or books like “The Rock of Truth”. Ernest Oaten, who did the first UK radio broadcast on Spiritualism, was a fine exponent of Real Spiritualism.

Unreal Spiritualists (and by now you may appreciate that my friend Edwin was being humorous with a serious purpose) are the rest. They usually belong to some other tradition as well. They may be Christian Spiritualists, Buddhist Spiritualists and so on. Sometimes they are rather looked down on, and thought to be in need of orthodox crutches, rather than face the full implications of Spiritualist philosophy!

Edwin was an Unreal Spiritualist by his own definition. He had become a Spiritualist, and then a Christian, without ceasing to be a Spiritualist. Indeed, since his second wife was the medium Maisie Besant (who passed recently) he experienced more of Spiritualism than most people.

Needless to say, I think there is room for both Real and Unreal Spiritualists in the Movement. People are at different stages of their spiritual journey, and may be called to particular places. To argue that Real or Unreal is superior is wrong.

Notable Unreal Spiritualists include William Crookes, who was a Churchwarden in the Anglican Church; Percy Wilson sometime SNU president who was a Unitarian

(today he could not join the SNU possibly); W.T. Stead who was a Congregationalist, and C.W. Leadbeater who was a Theosophist.

How about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? Was he Real or Unreal? He obviously rejected the biblical faith, and taught “The New Revelation”. Yet he wanted Spiritualists in the SNU and elsewhere, to accept the leadership of Jesus Christ? Perhaps he was partly Real!

All this shows the limitations of labels. In any case, there have always been both Real and Unreal Spiritualists. Sometimes, one or other tendency has a boost. In the 1930s, for example, the Greater World led by Winifred Moyes forged ahead with Christian Spiritualism, while at the same time Arthur Findlay launched a powerful series of work on Real Spiritualism.

The important thing is mutual respect, regardless of label. Membership qualifications that limit applicants are quite legitimate, so long as they don’t lead to denigration of those who do not qualify. What do you think?

Leslie Price was editor of the Christian Parapsychologist for many years. He is the founding editor of Psypioneer.

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What is the Meaning of Life?

Is So Much More than Survival Evidence

Letter by James McQuitty

Let me start by asking you a question. Do you realise that in terms of gaining spiritual knowledge, the understanding that we all survive the transition commonly called ‘death,’ is merely the tip of the iceberg? Are you aware that greater spiritual realisation and deeper insights to the never-ending journey of the soul, the very reason you were born, is available?

So many people seem to get stuck at what I will call stage one, which is the basic understanding that there is life after ‘death.’ Perhaps they think that gaining further knowledge and understanding is either superfluous to their needs, or too complicated for them to unravel?

Yet spiritual knowledge and far greater understanding is not beyond anyone’s grasp. In fact, I’ve personally produced a teaching CD that will fast track you through the basic levels, the stepping stones, to a far deeper and more revealing understanding of your eternal journey of discovery, to reveal nothing less than ‘The Meaning of Life.’

This knowledge encapsulates exhilarating and awe inspiring insights into realms of progression that we will one day progress through. By reaching towards these levels of understanding we open our awareness to higher knowledge, inspiration and wisdom. My CD is not an intellectual production; it uses no confusing jargon or language, it is my ‘gift’ to all people.

Who am I to boldly tell you this? My name is James McQuitty, although I generally prefer, Jim. I have been writing books and articles of a spiritual nature since 1993. A year or two before this, in response to my question of what, in a spiritual sense, I should be doing, I was told by a spirit guide, speaking through a trance medium, that ‘I should be writing.’

As far back as 1967, when 16 years of age, I attended my first demonstration of mediumship, witnessing Jessie Nason, one of the best mediums of her time, categorically prove life after ‘death.’ Although it was 1980/1 before I began to follow my spiritual pathway with more vigour. Since then, in addition to producing books, booklets and now a CD, I have pursued an interest in Spiritual Healing, and am an approved Spiritualist Healer.

I have produced ‘The Meaning of Life’ because I believe that it is time for the greater facts of life to be brought forward into conscious awareness; so that all people can live in the full light of truth, enabling them to direct their lives with awareness of their spiritual nature; for spiritual knowledge is our birthright.

The Meaning of Life CD takes people through different layers of information; with each track gently leading listeners onwards, expanding to levels of understanding that comparatively few people upon this planet presently have conscious awareness of, although I believe that this is in the process of change.

Personally, I am always looking to add to my understanding, so in the course of time the CD will be changed to reflect my level of knowledge. In addition I am always happy to receive correspondence that might suggest ways in which to improve or enhance the presentation.

I have added the CD to my catalogue at £2.99 which itself is a much lower price than typically requested for such a production – but, all those who respond to this article/letter can have a copy for just £1.99 – for I am not trying to make any vast profits from my spiritual work, and even if I did, these would simply be used to help fund my life mission, as a spiritual teacher.

By furthering one’s personal understanding, people can advance their own progression. For the more true spiritual knowledge one absorbs, the further along the spiritual pathway of growth one can potentially move.

A point to consider is that those who do not advance their understanding (if given the opportunity) not only risk standing still in their progression (although much depends upon the individual ‘lessons’ one is here to experience), they may also be unaware of spiritual laws and truths that can impact upon their lives and spirit/soul advancement. Whereas, awareness of higher truths allows one to move forward with greater certainty that they will not inadvertently impinge upon any spiritual laws that might effect upon their karmic balance.

Spiritual knowledge doesn’t necessarily make someone’s life easier, for we are all here to experience, but wouldn’t you rather move through life in the light of truth rather than in the darkness of ignorance?

My advice to all fellow seekers is to never accept that you know ‘enough’ for always there is more to learn and different angles and approaches possible to every aspect of spiritual teachings.

With best wishes, Jim.

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What is the meaning of Life?