Psychic Night

This was a feature that I wrote for January's edition of the Maldon and Burnham Standard, covering a psychic fair which was the first of its kind to be held.


Being in a room of psychics and spiritual healers would deter most people, but it takes a lot to scare me.

It’s all too easy to snub the work of clairvoyants, healers and alternative therapists as money making schemes.

We have seen the likes of Derek Acorah and Colin Fry, who have become celebrities in their own right, publishing autobiographies and how-to books and appearing in TV shows, but how are these spiritual therapists helping us improve our own lives?

I went to Afternoon for a Change event in Maldon's Town Hall which offered a number of relaxation workshops and demonstrations to help “ease body and mind“.

For a reasonably-priced £8 entry, you could get tarot card readings, massage, reiki healing and much much more, with all the proceeds going to Farleigh Hospice.

This was the first time Maldon has seen such an event take place, and organisers Wisdom 36 hope that the evening will be a success in years to come.

Jules Gibson, 44 of Little Baddow is a psychiatric nurse who deals with children with emotional problems. She spent three stressful weeks planning the event and explained why she got involved.

“Since being a qualified psychiatric nurse I've always seen how stress and emotional impact on the body are intrinsically linked,” she said.

Jules, who practices spiritual therapies, is also part of Buddhist Esoteric Meditation Centre in Little Baddow.

“I've always been interested in mediumship, clairvoyance, tarot card reading and meditation, it's always been a big part of my life.”

“London hospitals have now started employing people to be alternative therapists so I think there has been a massive shift in medicine.”

“We can have surgery and treatment, complimentary healing and therapies to help you get better quicker and it is well researched that if your mind and body are in harmony you heal much faster.”

Whether or not you believe in mediumship or holistic health, it seems to benefit many people dealing with emotional trauma.

Ruth Aiken from Mundon, who has been a medium for over 25 years, explained her reasons for becoming a professional clairvoyant.

“I've always been psychic ever since I was a child. What actually got me into professional mediumship was when my husband at the time died suddenly 27 years ago,” she said.

“I had a lot of phenomena happening at that point, so I went to a medium myself to see what was going on, he told me that I would be working as a medium as well, I thought I don't think so, but lo and behold.”

“I wouldn't have it any other way, it's not an easy job to do but you get so much reward from it and helping people through tough times.”


Amelia Altuna, a masseuse from Angel Cottage Holistic, a small family run therapy centre in Chelmsford believes the physical nature of her job helps people with emotional and spiritual blockages.

“There is a satisfaction in helping people, it's non invasive and extremely beneficial to helping the body to get back to a natural state. It also has spiritual functions too,” she said.

Jules believes events like Maldon‘s Afternoon for a Change will help people lead healthier lives, both physically and mentally.

“I think it benefits everyone, no matter if you just want to wander around and have a chat, whether you want massage or meditation that you've always wanted to try but been a bit too scared,” she said.

“You are giving money to charity and have to option to try lots of different things. It's a big win win for everyone.”


Nerissa’s Verdict

I’ve been known to dabble with tarot cards, Buddhist meditation and psychic workshops, but I still remain slightly sceptical about a stranger having the ability to relieve my emotion and stress in a matter of minutes, but I remained open minded nonetheless.

As soon as I walked through the door, Sam Whitwell, a chakra healer from Little Waltham approached me with a pack of cards. I picked one out which read 'follow your true feelings', which seemed a little too vague to hold any meaning for me. Sam offered me a chakra healing, which I happily accepted. She sat me down on a chair and placed her hands a few inches above my head and shoulders.
Admittedly I found it difficult to switch off with the noise and bustle of the room, but after about five minutes I began to feel incredibly relaxed and like my head was floating away from my body. When the session was over, Sam told me I had a lot of activity around my head, no surprise there! And that the spirits “wanted to open me up”. She also told me that I jolted when her hands were near the heart chakra, meaning I had a lot of emotional issues to deal with. Spiritual messages aside, the therapy did make me feel so relaxed that I had trouble keeping my balance as I got up and walked around the room!

The tarot card reading, held by Ruth Aitken was very enlightening. As soon as I sat down, she told me she could see my grandfather next to me, which obviously made me smile. She picked up on a lot of current issues, including my prospects of travelling and publishing a book. This is perhaps not such a revelation, being a journalist after all, but it was quite comforting to be told that my plans for the future will work out as well as I hoped.