Stewart Alexander

First published in the Winter 2011 ATransC NewsJournal
Also see The Stewart Alexander and Friends Conference at Cober Hill

Stewart’s website is: stewartalexandermedium.com/

In October, we traveled to the Cober Hill conference center to attend a Stewart Alexander and Friends conference and were fortunate to be invited to stay for a small private sitting. Stewart began developing in a home circle in 1967 and his physical mediumship began showing itself in 1982. He is now retired and seldom conducts public sittings.

Thirteen of us gathered downstairs at circle leader Ray Lister’s home in Hull, England. The sitting began with Ray strapping Stewart’s arms to a chair with thick cable wraps that assured he could not be released without a cutting tool. He sat in a cabinet made of a frame with cloth sides. Luminous tabs were placed on his knees and on the curtain rod, permitting us to see where his knees were at all times as well as whether or not the curtain was open. Stewart sat with the curtain open for the majority of the séance. The sitters sat close together in a circle so that the sitter on each side of Stewart could hold his hand. The room was small and most of us had our backs to the wall. There was a round table sitting in front of Stewart. It was about eighteen inches in diameter and about two feet tall. Two trumpets sat on it with additional cable wraps and a pair of drumsticks.

Ray said a prayer and a lovely piece of music was played while Stewart went into trance. It was only a few minutes before we heard the first voice come through Stewart. It was White Feather, Stewart’s North American Indian guide. He is the first and last to speak in every séance. He greeted everyone and said, “…for a while we shall endeavor to remove the barrier between our two worlds so that once again, within this place of infinite love, we may converse together. We may once again be together as one united whole.” He told us that he spoke few words because there was so much to be done, and then he was gone.

Christopher was the next to come through. He is very likable and fun. He is responsible for relaxing the atmosphere and soon had everyone laughing. He told us he was there to entertain us as everything was being made ready.

Walter Stinson was the next to come through. Walter is a Canadian by birth and was the brother of the famous Boston physical medium from the 1920s and 30s known to the world as Margery. Stewart told us before the séance that Walter is largely responsible for creating the physical phenomena and is in control of experimentation and further development within the home circle. He is also quite a ladies’ man with a good sense of humor. He uses laughter to raise the energy in the room.

Walter began by saying that he was merely a human being and that there was nothing angelic about him. He told us he discovered that after death, he lived on in a very real world. A world that in many ways was very physical. He said, “Your world to you is a world of reality but I tell you that your world is temporary. Our world is the world of ultimate reality.” He said that his world was very similar to ours, that it was a very substantial world; a world of fellowship and infinite beauty.

He spoke to Ann Harrison to say that he had been with her husband Tom who passed just the week before. He told her that it had been an honor to simply sit and talk with him.

Walter asked if there was a lady present who had not sat at his side before and I replied that I had not. He asked my name and invited me to sit beside him. Since the room was completely dark except for the glowing tabs, a red light was turned on so that I could see to change seats with Ray’s wife June, to sit beside Stewart. He explained that for them to work in a physical manner in our world, it was important to hear our voices and that it was the sound that was important. He then spoke to me directly, asking me how long I had been involved in seeking answers about survival. I told him forty years, and he replied that was quite a long time and that in just another sixty years, I would have been involved as long as he had. Everyone laughed.

Walter told me they were extracting living energy, ectoplasm, from Stewart, and then instructed me to “Reach out very gently with your left hand and take Stewart’s hand.” He said he wanted me to know the reality of what was about to take place and added, “I do it because I want you to be able to share your experience with others. There are so few in your world who understand this reality of survival, of communication, particularly of that on a physical level.” He asked me to gently place my right hand on top of my left, tightly hold Stewart’s hand and not to let go under any circumstance.

Walter then asked me to slowly move my right hand up Stewart’s arm until I felt the strap binding him to the chair. When I confirmed that I felt the strap, he said that they were going to try to take Stewart’s arm through the strap, and all of a sudden, Stewart raised his arm with my hand still in his hand. At the same time, there was a noise that sounded as if the strap broke. I was asked to feel the arm of the chair. The strap was still on the chair and not broken! Walter requested that the red light be turned on so that all could see, as I pulled on the strap to show everyone that it was still on the chair.

Walter said that, in ignorance, many would believe that such a demonstration was simply a miracle but that it was nothing of the sort. It was a demonstration of what could be achieved when people gather together in love. Tom began to ask if Walter moved Stewart’s arm but Walter interrupted by saying “You want to know if it was the strap or the arm that was dematerialized.” Tom agreed and Walter told us that on some occasions it was the strap, and on others, the arm. To Tom, he added, “You want to know what determines what we choose to do.” Again, Tom agreed and was told by Walter that his question would be answered: “in a moment.”

Walter asked me to again place my right hand on my left and tell everyone that I had not let go of Stewart’s hand. I assured everyone that I had Stewart’s hand in mine the whole time. Walter asked me to once again gently move my hand up Stewart’s arm. I did and discovered that the strap was back on his arm! Walter said, “Stop, press on the strap. Do you want it?” I eagerly said, “Yes!” and was startled as Stewart’s arm again lifted away from the chair, but this time, with the strap still on his arm. Again, the strap made a snapping sound and I was told to take the strap, and when I did, Stewart’s arm fell back to the armrest with my left hand still on it and my right hand holding the cable wrap!

Stewart’s hand was on the chair unsecured, but we heard a tapping, rattling sound on the table and Ray told us that it was from one of the cable wraps that we had seen laying there. Then we heard the sound of the strap being tightened on Stewart’s arm and I was asked to verify that he was once again secured to the chair. He was!

Walter then said to me, “Know that there is a gentleman here for you. Later, Freda would like to speak to you again.” The light was turned on so that I could return to my seat and the demonstration was repeated for another guest.

Walter asked us to sing, and in a short time, one of the trumpets began flying about the room and eventually began touching sitters. Tom was to my left and was touched on his chest and then the trumpet touched his left shoulder and gently moved over his head to his other shoulder, continuing to touch him as it did. It moved to my left shoulder and ever so gently across my cheek, the top of my head, my right cheek and shoulder in a slow motion that felt like a caress. It moved on to touch others and there were many sounds of delighted sitters as it performed impossible maneuvers in the darkness. As evidence of how much the circle has developed, Stewart had been “awakened” during this and had been commenting on the trumpet’s movement.

A strange “woof, woof” sound came from the trumpet. Ann Harrison was sitting to my right and said that it was Sunrise, Minnie’s gatekeeper and protector. (Ann’s husband, Tom Harrison is the author of Life After Death – Living Proof which is about his mother Minnie Harrison who was a famous physical medium.) The trumpet stopped in front of Ann and moved in a circle, first one way and then the other. This was Sunrise’s signal to the Harrison’s home circle that he was present. Ann asked out loud if it was Sunrise and the trumpet moved up and down like someone nodding their head “Yes”!

ATransC member, Dr. Annette Childs sat with us in the circle. She said something about being speechless about the movement of the trumpet, to which the trumpet also nodded “Yes,” and then to everyone’s delight, actually moved as if it were laughing. The trumpet tapped on the table and danced on the floor. Another trumpet joined in, and while one tapped on the table, the other moved about on the floor.

We heard a new sound and Ray explained that a voice box was forming between Stewart and Carol. We were told that Dr. Barnett usually uses a voice box, which is formed from ectoplasm and used to produce his audible voice. (Dr. Franklin Barnett is a 19th-century Scottish physician who worked with American trumpet medium George Valentine) Barnett’s voice finally became audible and he told us that he was speaking through a device that they have created. He told us that it takes a great deal of energy to accomplish this and that often, when he is finally able to vibrate our atmosphere with his thoughts, there is little energy left for the communication. He said that he is responsible for this method of communication and that slowly it was progressing, and that in the future, they hoped to have other souls use the voice box to communicate. Before he left, he told us that it was his intention to materialize into solid form to be with us later in the séance.

Freda Johnson was next to visit the circle. She normally introduces loved ones who wish to communicate with sitters and communicates messages from them if they are having difficulty in getting their messages across via Stewart who is in deep trance. Speaking through Stewart, she asked me to sit beside her. The red light was switched on and I once again traded places with June. Once I was seated, Freda announced, “I have a gentleman here who so wants to speak to you. In a moment, I am going to step aside so he can come and speak for himself.”

Freda said that it was extremely difficult for them to do this and that the man would need to hear my voice. She asked to take my hand and I could hear someone struggling to speak through Stewart. The hand I was holding was shaking as I heard “Is that you?” I responded that it was me and the voice said “Dad” I said that I had wanted to communicate with him for a long time, that he was the engineer and I just knew he would figure it out. My interest in communication started with my father’s transition. I began recording for EVP because he was an engineer and I thought EVP would be right up his alley, but I have never received an EVP from him. Of course, I did not think to ask about this when he was coming through Stewart. It was overwhelming and a wonder that I will never forget. I told him how much I loved him. He told me how much he loved me. It was very emotional for us both. As evidence of who he was, he told me twice that he could walk just fine now. My dad had congestive heart failure which made his feet so big that he could not walk. He also said, “Mother is with me.” He always called her “Mother” and not “Mom.” This message was very healing for my sister when I told her about the séance. She had been concerned that our mother might be stuck because she had terrible dementia when she crossed.

Other loved ones came through for people. For instance, Stewart’s sister Gaynor came through while Annette Childs was sitting beside him. Since Annette had been instrumental in helping Stewart cope with Gaynor’s transition, it was a very special reunion.

Freda told Ann Harrison that even though he had only crossed over the week before, Tom was already making himself at home. Freda told Ann that one day she would tell her about the wonderful welcome Tom received. Ann and Tom were members of Stewart’s circle.

Walter returned and asked that everyone return to their seats and away from the table. The table had a translucent top with a red light underneath it, so that we could see what was happening on its surface without harm to Stewart. Walter then invited Brian K. to sit at the table across from him. Soon a blob of ectoplasm could be seen on the illuminated table top. It slowly formed into a large hand which Walter said was his. It knocked on the table and Brian said that it was a big hand. Next, Walter asked Brian to place his right hand on the table with his palm downwards. We could see that the hand moved toward Brian’s hand and he announced that it was holding his hand and that it felt like a human hand.

Many of us were called to the table after that. I sat on Stewart’s right and Annette sat on his left. We were all asked to put our hands on the table and stretch out our fingers so that they touched the adjacent hand. Walter told us that they were removing Stewart from his bindings so that we could tell others that Stewart’s hands were controlled. Once again, we heard the sound of Steward being removed from his ties.

Annette and I were told to hold Stewart’s fingers on the table and Walter asked Ray, who he affectionately calls Raymondo, to switch on the light so that all could see everyone’s hands, especially Stewart’s. The dark shape of a large hand suddenly came from the direction of Stewart and knocked sharply on the table! We were then asked to remove our hands from the table and hold hands. The table began to move, even levitating on its own. It touched my knee, and judging by the comments of the others sitting around the table, it was touching them as well.

As this was happening, we noticed that someone new was trying to speak through Stewart. It is the practice of the regular circle members to speak encouraging words and to provide the added energy of their voices. Over our encouraging words, we heard a hesitant “Con…” and “Constan… and then we heard “Konstantin.” He repeated his name and then was gone. Walter came back and said that this contact (Konstantin) was unexpected and that, “The gentleman says he has fulfilled his promise. There are great advancements that will be made in the near future.” Walter asked if we understood that and we said that we did. Walter continued to say, “He will continue to do his finest. That is all that he can do.” To say that we were blown away by this would be an understatement! [Editor: See the Konstantin Synchronicity sidebar]

Konstantin Synchronicity As you know, Dr. Konstantin Raudive spoke to us during a David Thompson Circle of the Silver Cord séance in Sarasota, Florida. He told us to record for EVP on October 27 at 10 pm and gave us a code phrase. We thought it interesting that one of the words in the phrase was the name of a beloved cat, now on the other side! I am not sure which of us asked a question at that séance, and the séance recording was so distorted it could not be made out, but the answer that Konstantin gave was, “You and Childs do it.” ATransC member Keith Clark was sitting between us, and everyone assumed that Raudive meant to say “Clark” and not Childs. However, we thought this very interesting as we were already scheduled to attend a conference in October and friend, Dr. Annette Childs was to be a speaker at the conference. We even told Annette about this strange comment when we returned from Florida. But since she was traveling the evening before us and we would be on the plane on the 27th, it would be impossible for us to record together. In October we spent all of the 27th on a plane going from San Francisco to London Heathrow, and then to Manchester. At the Manchester airport, we carried our luggage to the train station to continue on to York for the night. The first stop for the train was Manchester Piccadilly. As people boarded the train, Tom leaned toward me and whispered, “Is that Annette?” There, sitting down directly across from us was Annette and her husband Brian. They had flown in and spent the night at a hotel in downtown Manchester. There are trains every thirty minutes going to York and there were six cars on the train with at least ten rows of seats in each car. It is simply unimaginable that Annette and her husband would end up sitting down directly across from us. Put this together with Konstantin’s original message and then his coming through in the séance with Annette and me seated on either side of Stewart and well … what can one say about such a synchronicity?

After we returned to our seats, we were told that Dr. Barnett would try to come through and that we should sing to build the energy. One of the women near Stewart announced that she felt hands touch her head and Carol on the other side of Stewart also said that she was being touched on her head. Dr. Barnett spoke, saying that he and another person had partially materialized in the room. For a short time, there were two materialized people at once in the room! Then Sascha, who sat close to the cabinet, announced that he felt hands touching his head. We heard Dr. Barnett tell him to continue his work.

Stewart has just released his autobiographical book: An Extraordinary Journey: The Memoirs of a Physical Medium The book is an exceptionally well-written account of what it is like to be a physical medium and what it means to act as a channel between this world and the next. The book is available at Amzon.com.

Next, we touched Tom’s head, and then taking Tom’s left hand with his two hands said, “God bless you, I am so pleased to make your acquaintance. Continue with your work. You are known in my world.” Dr. Barnett moved next to Ann Harrison and then to Annette Childs before returning to the cabinet. Dr. Branett talked for a while about the spirit team’s work with Stewart and told us about things that they want to accomplish in the New Year, after which he spoke a blessing for us and was gone. Walter returned to say a few words before ending the séance; “We that know the truth about survival … we have a shared duty and that is to convey to all mankind this wondrous truth and this is something that we can do together, my world and your world. We can reach out together so that we may help the bereaved so that we may quell the anguish of separation. We can work together as a united whole. Understand that whenever you do what White Feather calls ‘The work of the spirit,’ you will not find us absent. Whenever you send out a call, we shall be there with you. You may not see us, sense us or hear us but be assured that we will be there to help, to inspire, to guide you in whatever way that we can. We are aware of you all as individuals. We are aware of your work so know this: that we are always with you. Together we can accomplish so very much.”

Walter closed by telling us it was a privilege to be able to communicate with us from his world to ours. He told us that he hoped we took, “Inspiration to continue on. You are not alone. Good night to you all.”

This was a very touching and special experience. We can only say that we felt immensely blessed to have had this experience. We did feel that the two worlds had been joined for those two hours, and yes, we did return home inspired!

We sincerely thank Stewart and his circle for their many, many years of dedication and we also thank the Spirit Team that has given of their time to make this experience possible.