Thursday 27 February 2014

The Healing Light Spiritual Centre ‘Above & Beyond’ Seminar February 21st – 23rd 2014

Let’s face it, it is always nice to know that your tutor can do what they are asking of you in class, so it has become a tradition that we ask our tutors give the students a demonstration on the first evening of our annual seminar.  This year we opened it up to the public as well as students, tickets were sold and we had an enthusiastic audience of one hundred and twenty people including some of the hotel staff turning out on what was a blustery night!

Healing Light Spiritual Centre Demonstration at the Windsor Hotel Worthing 2014

This is the third year that we have held the Healing Light Spiritual Centre ‘Above & Beyond’ Seminar at the three star Windsor Hotel in Worthing in Worthing and boy are we made to feel welcome and can only thank Bill and the rest of the staff for their attention.

In an evening that was filled with plenty of tissue alert moments of tears and laughter, Marlene Woolgar drew the first half hour slot and started off the demonstration in her wonderful, considerate style, indicating the true life character and finite detail of the people that she brought through to the audience.  We have all heard mediums giving loved ones flowers from those in Spirit, not with Marlene, you get snakes and Iron Maiden T shirts.  Often details take time to soak in during a message or require third party corroboration and such was the case with one lady who excitedly came up to Marlene in the Bar later that evening.  Marlene had provided correct details and name of the ladies late sister and understood when Marlene said she could see the hands of a clock moving around to five past seven during the link.  After the demonstration she checked the picture of her sister that she keeps on her mobile phone, clearly visible is her watch and what is the time?  Five past seven!  

As the theme of Jane Davidson’s optional classes during the seminar was about using tools to enhance your psychic readings she gave the audience a chance to pick an Angel card for a short personal reading.  Wow was this popular!  The raised hands where like a corn field on a windy day.  Many delighted people received a reading in Jane’s session which concluded with a mediumistic link, which was, as Jane said; “just to prove I can do it”!  Our seminars really concentrate on bring the best out in mediumship, but this obvious enthusiasm for the psychic may influence at least part of our programme at next years event.

If you are lucky enough to go to one of Darren Brittain’s demonstrations you should wear two pairs of socks, because he will blow your first pair off with his accuracy and vibrant delivery.  We don’t know many people who work as hard and in such a dedicated way for Spirit as Darren and despite only just returning from Scotland and driving down from the Midlands that morning; he was dynamic, immediately drilling down to some very relevant information from someone in the construction industry.  (Pun intended)!  Humour is always part of Darren’s delivery and odd, amusing remembrances often come through such as the funny story regarding a white duck and the lady who got lost in a cemetery.  And yes madam, a pigeon is a bird!  All small things that are of no great consequence yet mean so much and provide proof that we do not die.

Tutors Marlene Woolgar, Darren Brittain & Jane Davidson at The Healing Light Seminar in Worthing
We are passionate about bringing out the best in our students, believing fervently that development is a road of never ending self improvement, one upon which you never stop challenging yourself to dig deeper and never stop learning.  We are all familiar with the saying; “practice makes perfect” right?  Wrong, only perfect practice makes perfect!  This is why immersing yourself in a seminar with inspirational tutors is so important.  It provides opportunity to try new things, analyse what we do and how that can be improved in an environment of equality.  This is shared by our tutors and we asked them for any highlights that they would take away from the weekend.

Marlene commented; “The focus of my classes and optional sessions was Trance mediumship and working with altered states to enhance your mental mediumship.  Often ego and jealousy can arrive at the door during classes but I was delighted by the way all the students supported each other and gave each other encouragement.  This led to real breakthroughs among the students with most exceeding all their own expectations”.

At our seminars we have to be able to coach all abilities and this can range from those who have just started their journey, to others who may already be demonstrating or are tutors themselves, but all are treated as equal.  The most important thing is to match the needs of the student as much as possible and at times students will move into a class more suited to their development at that point in time so as not to hold them back or alternatively, the tutor being required to ‘take the time it takes’ with each student to give them the confidence to be the best they can achieve on that day.  It must be remembered that each is an individual and as such must pursue their own path in their own way in their own time.  As much as we may respect or look up to others, we can never attain parity with them, for they are on their own journey.  As adult learning psychologist, Dr. Stephanie Burns notes some students are held back by the fear of doing better than their teacher, but this should not be the case and any worthy tutor is delighted to have a student they have mentored achieve excellence.  Others worry about what their peers may think of them, if they can be encouraged to cross the ‘silly bridge’ and put concerns behind them and we allow them to take risks and experiment within a safe environment, breakthroughs can be made.  This is where real learning happens and “I believe” (uncertain) becomes “I know” (Confident without ego) which is trust in Spirit. 

Jane was responsible for the lower intermediate group and said:It was a privilege to be part of the Healing Light Seminar at the Windsor Hotel last weekend. The delegates in my group were wonderful and worked hard to ensure they squeezed every last drop of learning from each other and myself. They supported one another throughout as naturally as if they had known each other for years. Many identified their 'sticking point' with their mediumship and worked hard to get past it. They are truly an inspirational group of people. >

Darren made an important point in the successful progress of development and something that gets in the way of many aspiring mediums; “Removing our own minds from the process of mediumship is a constant challenge and within the group we worked together in identifying the ‘need’ of our own mind to be in control and also how we can quieten it to allow the full emotional presence of Spirit to be evident. The supportive, nurturing, and loving energy within the group was not only great for Spirit to shine, but there were also moments of great personal growth and increased self awareness too, something which not only served to enhance our links with the Spirit World, but also to who we are and what we contribute to the world around us.”  Is this not the true purpose of what we do?

Saturday evening was the demonstration session for the students representing each of the tutor groups.  It is an opportunity to show their peers where they were at and for some, a chance to use new found confidence, techniques and to shine.  Congratulations to all of you and as noted by the tutors, some real breakthroughs.

At the closing meeting at the seminar we always ask the students to complete an anonymous feed back form to establish if the seminar, tutors, food and hotel have met student’s expectations and how we can improve the event for the following year.  Our last question is; Good, Better, Best!  What was the high point of the weekend in your opinion? 

These are just a few of the lovely comments that we received;

“High quality in every way and can’t wait till next year”.

“Would have liked another day”.

“Keep doing what you are doing”.

“To watch the individual pupils reach such high standards”.

“I would not [formerly] have had the understanding to achieve the things I did.  A very big thank you (name)”.

“A breakthrough in clearing past trauma and [being] able to work in trance.  Have enjoyed the whole weekend with a lovely group of people”.

Thanks to our tutors, who have sent the students home tired and inspired.  And thanks again to all of the wonderful Windsor Hotel staff who are worthy of a plug.  Fancy a stay in sunny Worthing?  Visit; http://www.thewindsor.co.uk/ 

The hotel is already booked for next year’s seminar and tutors are in place, for the 20th – 22nd of February 2015 the title of which will be “Spirit Level” by way of a change and yes, we did have a lot of fun with that title!  So why not join us next year? Details will be published on The Healing Light Spiritual Centre web site http://www.thehealinglight.net/ and watch out for our advertisements in the press. 


- Dave Woolgar