by Betty Shine
‘I did that all right,’ she said cynically. ‘What else does she say?’
‘That your husband is a sick man, and that no matter how hard you try to help him you will be the one who suffers most.’ At this point Mary’s voice faded, but I still felt a strong link with her, and felt that she was extremely compassionate. I passed this feeling on to Glenda.
It was obvious from this conversation that Glenda had been physically abused by her husband, and she began to tell me about it. When she had finished I urged her to think about Mary’s message and she promised to do so. Glenda came to me for a further three sessions.
I met her again four years later, with her new husband. She told me that she thanked Mary every day for her message, as it had probably saved her life. ‘My ex-husband will never change,’ she said. ‘Abusing women is a way of life for him.’
Trying to help women who have been physically abused is not easy. There are a hundred and one reasons why they are unable to leave their tormentors. All I could do was pass on survival messages to them, give them clairvoyance and try to heal them. But even when the outward signs of the abuse are no longer visible, the mental scars remain, and it is this that leads to deteriorating health and terminal illnesses.
It was therefore encouraging to be told how strong they became after healing, and how they have felt that someone was watching over them. This enabled many of them to turn their lives around and put the past behind them. I was thrilled, for I knew just how much courage it had taken for them to take those first steps to freedom.
Although physical violence within families is far more common than people realize, mental cruelty is more widespread, and the perpetrators, in most cases, turn it into an art form.
Most people are subjected to mental cruelty at some time in their lives and while there are many who can put the experience behind them and go on to lead a happy life, there are thousands who, for one reason or another, have to live with it. And there are countless thousands of children who have to share the humiliation of one or both of their parents. This humiliation spreads like a virus, and a great number of children who grow up in these circumstances go on to use mental abuse as a tool later on in their lives.
Janie’s story is typical of the mental abuse that some women have to suffer. She and her husband were deeply in love when they married. Then she had a child. Although she had put on weight, Janie still had a nice figure, but her husband tormented her about her weight, night and day. She tried to lose the extra pounds, but was so shocked by his treatment that she failed to do so. Things went from bad to worse as she comforted herself with junk foods. Soon she was two stone overweight and the marriage was in deep trouble. Then a member of her family took her in hand and, with a lot of love and persuasion, helped her regain her petite figure. Unfortunately, her husband had found that he enjoyed the power he had over her. No matter how attractive she looked he would criticize her until she cried, then he would walk around singing and whistling, revelling in the torment his wife was suffering at his hands. When she could stand it no longer she left, taking her child with her. Her husband begged her to return, but it was too late. She felt that she had suffered enough at his hands, and refused to see him again. What a waste of a young family!
Over the years I dealt with hundreds of similar cases, some of them quite sickening. I was able to help in most cases, but the greatest gift these people received was the survival evidence which gave them an assurance that they were not alone.
I will never understand man’s inhumanity to man, or to any living creature. What I do know is that it will continue until everyone comes to understand Universal Law, and the understanding of the need for a spiritual life that co-exists with the physical.
I believe that there is a sickness in our society that needs attention. When I was growing up, people were accepted for what they were, not for how they looked. We accepted that everyone was different, in stature and nature, and we either liked them or we didn’t. As a child, it was always comforting to be greeted by someone who was fat and jolly. Skinny people were usually regarded as being a bit miserable, and what would now be normal was then regarded as boring. Everyone had unique personalities, and did not try to mimic others in any way. Now there are so many clones that they are being accepted as the norm. I find that frightening.
If the love that exists between two people is real, then size and shape should not affect that love. There are so many factors to problems with weight, but I believe that one of the main causes is a deep unhappiness brought about by constant criticism.
To be able to keep our bodies at a constant healthy weight we have to love ourselves. To achieve this, we must continually tell ourselves we think we are great and we deserve to be healthy and fit. Wanting to exercise and maintain a healthy diet will follow. Loving ourselves enables us to ignore unpleasant remarks and plan a happy future.
I do not think that I am alone when I say that I don’t see the physical body when I am speaking to someone. It is the personality that attracts every time, and it does not matter whether they are the most beautiful man or woman in the whole world, if people are boring I have to make my escape.
I am often asked by teenagers how to acquire a pleasing personality. I tell them that they must be genuinely enthusiastic about seeking knowledge, and about making every day of their lives special. They should also be aware that no matter how much they think they know, it is but a drop in the ocean, because no one will ever know it all – but seeking knowledge is so exciting, so stimulating, that the experience stays with you for the rest of your life. That can only be a good thing.
Being a good listener is also a great asset, and one that has enabled me to gain so much from my spirit friends.
I cannot repeat too often that Universal Law multiplies the good and bad deeds, and sends them back to us when we are at our lowest ebb – for the ultimate impact. No one escapes. I am sure that if this Law were to be taught in schools it would eventually bring some sanity into this sad world.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
In deep meditation one day, I heard a voice say. ‘Come with me,’ and immediately found myself walking through a maze of hedges. I was unable to identify them, as they were totally unlike anything I had ever seen before. Some were broadleafed, while others were reminiscent of the yew, with the branches forming a circle-like structure. I thought at first that the lanes were of grass, but as I trod them they had the texture and fragrance of camomile. I gave myself up to the total peace and serenity of the atmosphere but, as avenue after avenue came to a dead end, and it appeared that I was going nowhere, this feeling was replaced with a certain frustration. However, because I like a challenge, I kept walking, determined to find a way out. I was also intrigued. Although I knew I had a companion, and could feel the immense power emanating from him, I could not see him.
A bright light appeared above my head, and as it moved forward, I followed it, and found myself standing in a field. Flashing lights lit up the sky, occasionally striking the field, reminding me of an electric storm I had witnessed once in Spain. And yet I knew that this was different. Then I was surrounded by mist, and began to float high above the field, becoming a part of the firework display. In turn, my body revolved, became still again, and was then propelled forward. I was exhilarated by the freedom of flight and the lack of gravity and could have stayed like that for ever, a small part of the revolving Universe.
But just as that idea flashed through my mind, I found myself standing on the top of a mountain, with seemingly endless valleys, rivers, forests and mountain ranges stretching away into the distance, and I knew that I had come home.
The man spoke to me again. ‘You must write it all down,’ he said, and I was shown a book. I looked at the cover, which was misty, as though a film had been drawn over it. Speaking again, my spirit companion said, ‘When the time comes all will be revealed, but first you have to work. You must provide the text.’
Then I was back in my healing room. I had no r
ecollection of the return journey, but I felt as though I had been away for years. When I looked at the clock it had only been fifteen minutes.
From that day, I dreamed of writing a book about my experiences, but I knew that if I wanted to capture the attention of non-psychics as well as psychics, it would have to be written in a very special way, so that everyone could understand it.
I also knew that there was no possibility of my writing a book just yet. There was just not enough time, especially as I had added workshops to my agenda. For the moment it remained just a dream.
For various reasons, I decided to have a sitting with that very famous medium Doris Collins, and she told me that I would be giving up hands-on healing, to heal through the written word.
I thought that this was the most ludicrous suggestion; I was still working over seventy hours a week, and there were many people who depended on me. And yet, in my heart, I knew that my appointment with her had been arranged by my spirit friends, so that I could receive confirmation of their message.
Instead of comforting me, this knowledge became a worry. I had established myself as a professional healer over the last nine years and I could not imagine how I could possibly give it up. It was the most important thing in my life. Also, I was now living alone after an amicable separation from my husband, and I needed to work.
The whole idea of my writing a book seemed a total mystery, and was to remain so for the next two years. In the meantime life had to go on; dreams were only taken out of the closet and looked at very occasionally. Like so many people before me, I found that I could not afford them.
However, the memory of that wonderful flight remained with me all the time. The incredible feeling of being able to conquer the world as I stood upon the mountain top, with its fabulous views, reminded me that that was how I should feel every day of my life. I have tried to remain true to this feeling ever since.
Meditation has always played an important role in my life, and, as you have read, it enabled me to develop in a natural way. I believe it is the only way to avoid stress, and to link in to the spiritual help that we so badly need in our materialistic world. Meditating is not difficult. The first steps are very similar to day-dreaming, and we can all do that with ease. The more you day-dream, the more you will find yourself going that bit further into the realms of the spirit, or essence, of the Universe. It is a wonderful feeling for, as your mind energy expands, the pressure is taken off the body, freeing it from the prison of tension and allowing it to pulsate and find its own natural vibrational level again.
In my book, Betty Shine’s Mind Workbook, you will find relaxation exercises which will lead you into meditation. There is also a powerful exercise called ‘The Magician’s Castle’ which, if you are true to the first thought that comes into your head, will give you your own clairvoyance. I firmly believe in ‘doing it yourself, so that you can become independent and control your own life instead of depending on others to do it for you. That way you will become strong, and you will also be able to avoid the ever increasing number of ‘control freaks’ who are around. This type of person is weak and has a need to control. Unfortunately, their decisions are tainted because they lack the courage to go forward. I am asked time and again if there is any easy way to identify such a person and there is. If you are living with someone who will not allow you to do anything for yourself, and who insist that they wait on you hand and foot, even though you are able to look after yourself, do not let them. They are making you dependent on them so that they have the upper hand. In other words, total control. Do not misunderstand me, many of these people do not understand why they behave as they do, and many of them are kind, but making someone dependent damages their psyche and weakens their resolve. If you have a controlling nature, use it where it is most needed – helping others who cannot help themselves. That can only have positive results.
Meditation is also invaluable because it eventually brings you face to face with yourself. You may not necessarily like what you see, but you will certainly know who and what you are, and from there you can restructure yourself. This in itself is a fascinating journey and, once you have jumped the first few hurdles, it can be a joy. Try it!
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
It is inevitable that, at some time, we must all vacate the chrysalis that is our physical body, and allow the essence of our minds the freedom it so desires. I believe it is in this area that mediums are irreplaceable. They bridge the gap between one dimension and another with survival evidence, giving comfort not only to the bereaved but also to the departed, enabling those on both sides to live their lives to the full.
It also takes away the fear of death for those in the last years of their lives. I had not realized until I became a medium, just how frightened old people are at the thought of dying. Because they are old, society does not expect them to show fear, and so they suppress it – and this makes them ill. When they are encouraged to speak about their fears, the floodgates open. I have seen quite tough individuals break down and weep, when they talk about the inevitability of death.
For these people, survival evidence provides the solace and courage they need when it is time for them to make the transition from one dimension to another, as the following story shows.
Maisie was a fairly active lady in her mideighties. Her daughter Deborah asked me if I could help her mother. Although Maisie was physically active, she had become increasingly depressed and withdrawn over the past year, and no matter how hard her family tried to help, she refused to divulge the reason for her unhappiness. I suggested that Deborah ask her mother to accompany her the next time she herself came to me for healing. This way Maisie would not be suspicious.
Deborah duly arrived for her appointment, and introduced me to her mother. Maisie looked very fit, and was still a very attractive woman, but her eyes were dull and she looked sad. We chatted for a while, and then I asked her to sit in one of the armchairs whilst I healed her daughter.
About ten minutes into the healing, I glanced across at Maisie, and as I did so, I heard a voice say, ‘For God’s sake tell her to cheer up.’ I hesitated to repeat this, so I waited for more evidence. It came. ‘This is her husband, Eric,’ the entity said. ‘I’m very annoyed, because I can’t get near her to comfort her. She has shut me out.’ I passed on the messages to Maisie whilst I carried on with the healing.
At first she just sat and stared at me, and then she said, ‘How do you know about Eric? Did Deborah tell you?’ So I explained that I was a medium. ‘I don’t hold with such people,’ she said. ‘It’s too spooky.’ She stood up. ‘I’m going. There’s no way I’m going to stay here.’
Deborah tried to persuade her mother to stay. ‘Come on, Mum,’ she said. ‘At least stay until I’ve had my healing.’
I decided to intervene. ‘Deborah, I think you should take your mother home.’ Turning to Maisie, I said, ‘I’m sorry you’ve been shocked, but I thought you knew I was a medium as well as a healer. Go home and think about what has happened. If you want to return another time, I will be pleased to see you.’
When they had left, I walked back into the healing room and saw a spiral of energy in the centre of the room. A voice said, ‘She will be back.’ I do not know who was speaking to me – it certainly was not Eric – but the message made me feel better.
A month later, Deborah asked for an appointment for herself and her mother. I must admit I was rather surprised, and wondered what would happen this time around.
When I opened the door to them, I could not believe I was looking at the same woman. Maisie looked ten years younger and, as she smiled, her eyes lit up.
‘I’m sorry I was so rude to you last time I was here,’ she said.
Smiling, I told her not to apologize. I had understood her feelings. ‘It must have been quite a shock for you,’ I said as I showed her into the healing room.
‘Well, it was rather.’ She paused, and then she said, ‘I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have saved
me from a fate worse than death.’
‘What do you mean?’ I asked.
‘Misery,’ she replied. ‘You see, I thought life ended here, but since you gave me Eric’s message, I’ve come to realize that we do survive death.’
‘What makes you so sure?’ I asked. ‘After all, you weren’t given much evidence.’
‘Oh yes I was,’ she replied vehemently. ‘You may not have realized it at the time, but I could see my husband’s face building up over yours as you spoke, and you also took on his mannerisms. It was Eric all right. That is why I was so frightened. And the more I thought about it, the more incredible it seemed.’ She smiled, ‘Perhaps I could come along now and then for a sitting.’ I told her that she would be more than welcome.
Deborah told me later that the message from her father had turned all their lives around, and the atmosphere at home was now so much happier.
Maisie came to see me regularly for the next four years, and in that time received some incredible survival evidence, not only from Eric, but from friends and relatives as well.
She was ninety-two years old when she died. Her daughter told me that she never stopped speaking about her first visit to me, and how the experience had enabled her to enjoy the rest of her life.
Another person who visited me for healing was Tom. He was in his seventy-fifth year and suffered from chronic arthritis. He would often remark that he’d rather be dead than suffer any more pain. I gave him healing for six weeks, and during that period the pain receded and he was able to lead a more active life. It was then that he spoke about his fear of death.
‘Where do we go?’ he asked.
I explained that when the physical body dies, the mind leaves, and spins into another dimension.
‘If that is true,’ he said, ‘then there must be billions of people flying around out there. I’m afraid I can’t accept that.’
