A Book Chronicling Direct Voice Communication: Behold I Live

 

Lucy Chauncy Bridges in her autobiographical book Behold I Live (1966) described attending Direct Voice seances in the home of Mr. Leslie Flint during the 1960s.

We would sit in comfortable chairs in total darkness by a table in which my portable tape recorder was placed.  And after about ten minutes Mickey the medium's compere in Spirit would break the silence by saying: "How are you Aunty Lucy?  The doctor is here" or "Your husband and mother are here" as the case might be, followed by the immediate spirit presence of the loved one recognisable by his or her voice and a conversation would ensue between us for about 3/4 hours.

The subject for discussion was my own choice decided on previously, and I would return home after it happy and elated in the renewed knowledge that they were never far from me, and they invariably ended the talk by saying: "Do come again as soon as you can and talk to us."

The first part of the book provides details of the author's life as a child between 1896 and 1908.  Her family lived in Demerara, British Guiana, where her father was manager of a sugar estate.  At the age of ten, she and her sister were sent to a boarding school in a London suburb for a year.  Then, after three years residing in an English town, the children were sent to another boarding school.  Part Two of the book recounts events in Lucy's life beginning forty-five years later.  After the unexpected death of her husband, she moved from a Berkshire village to London and decided to investigate Spiritualism.

I went to services at a number of small societies and churches scattered about London, all run as separate units but with the form of service universally the same and with the last half hour reserved for the giving of specific messages from departed friends by a medium to individual members of the congregation.  The medium (a man or woman) would begin by saying "I have with me here on the platform" and then the invisible spirit-friend would be briefly described.  In those early days I derived much comfort also from their other activities, such as Development Circles, Psychometry, Healing Sessions, as also later from the Reading Room and Library of the Marylebone Spiritualist Association (or the M.S.A. as then called) at 33 Belgrave Square, and in some of their lectures and services held every evening of the week.  There was also a little Chapel reserved for meditation and prayer.

Lucy learned about Direct Voice medium Peter Clarke from a leaflet handed her while in a queue outside the Royal Albert Hall preceding a Spiritualist Association of Great Britain "Service of Reunion" on November 9, 1952.  She wrote to him and was given a date in January for a group seance, where she found herself among approximately 100 people.

On the platform was a table on which was placed the gramophone presided over by Mr. Taylor, the medium's assistant.  On the left of the platform was what might be described as a sentry box, painted black and with a black curtain.  This was for the medium, and into it Peter Clarke went with the curtain drawn across the front so that he was invisible for the whole of the séance and was himself in darkness.  The hall was well lit and the séance began with the playing of the gramophone.  After about ten minutes the medium was in trance when the gramophone was turned off and the séance began.

I was sitting in the middle of a row halfway down the hall and in the row in front of me was seated a lady dressed in deep mourning.  Almost immediately a girl's voice was heard close to and speaking audibly to the lady, her mother, with great rejoicing.  I cannot remember all they said but the conversation, which did not last more than ten minutes, was just full of love and endearments.  The girl assured the mother that she was very happy in her new life of spirit, that her love and thoughts were continually with her and that she (the mother) was not to worry about her.  Then the voice ceased and the invisible spirit presence vanished.


After the séance I spoke to the mother, who told me that her daughter had died a few months previously from a severe illness at the age of seventeen, and that the medium knew nothing about them before the séance.  Then followed another demonstration of departed friends.

Beginning on February 11, 1953, Lucy began attending "the first of a long series of Direct Voice Séances" with Clarke that continued once a month during the next four years.  During the first of these, there was heard 'Jamie,' "the young man who helps to run the proceedings from the other side"; then the medium's guide Dr. John Walker (in spirit) was heard and he soon called out to Lucy.  She experienced the first of many conversations with the voices of her husband and mother.  Unfortunately, the author doesn't include in the book any transcripts of commentary showing the perspectives articulated via the voices of Jamie or Dr. Walker.

At her first private Direct Voice seance on February 19, Lucy's husband Robert told her:

"You made me so happy and were the centre of my life, and when you come over we shall live together again.  A group of spirits is helping me to contact you in your present life so that I can help you.  I do come to see you every day . . ."

There was also "a fifteen minutes conversation with Mother."

. . . Mother told me that she and father lived in a large country house, and she spoke of her present life and of the loveliness of the scenery and of her freedom from physical pain.  She said that Father could not talk to me because he thought it wrong to lower his vibration in order to come to earth—but that he sent his love.

Here are some excerpts from the author's description of the June 18, 1953 seance.

At this seance, after Dr. Walker, Robert and Mother had spoken to me, there came Sir Henry Segrave, the speedboat racer and authority on the internal combustion engine, who was killed about twenty years ago.  He said that he was Henry Segrave and that his wife, who lived in the top flat of my block, would be able to help me if I would get in touch with her.  This I did, and she was very kind and lent me books on various subjects including communication.

After Sir Henry Segrave had gone, Tom Elyston, the late Squire of East Hendred (a Berkshire village), who was killed in the 1939-45 war, came, for he must have known that I was going to East Hendred the next day to stay with my sister ('Margie'), who is acquainted with his wife. 


Then came a voice of greeting and I said, "Who are you, please?"

Said the voice, "I am Charles Prebble, and I lived in your village of Appleford just over a hundred years ago.  I was a York surgeon once."

"Which was your house at Appleford?"

"It exists no longer, but there is a tablet to my memory in the church.  Just fancy erecting a tablet as if I were dead!  But I would not be back on the earth for anything—it is a pretty low place at present.  Here we have no wars, no economic troubles and no disease.  I knew your husband was at Appleford and that he would pass over from there."

At the Direct Voice seances conducted by Leslie Flint, a recurring guide for Lucy was Dr. Timothy Wilson.  The following passage is Dr. Wilson's January 20, 1961 reply to the question " . . . where is the other side, is it a planet like ours?  Where is it in relation to the earth?"

Dr. Wilson: "Well, firstly, of course, it is quite impossible to give it an exact geographical position or description obviously, but as you term space, our world is thousands of miles removed in relation to yours.  It is not, of course, as limited as yours, and we are in the etheric atmosphere.  There is no way in which we can measure either time or space, for we are outside of it, in the sense that you understand it.  But we must remember, in referring to this other world, that really in effect there are hundreds and hundreds (not just one) of other worlds—the same as there are hundreds of stars—which are worlds inhabited.  Your world, in comparison to many of the satellites, is infinitely small.  You see, in your world you are obviously limited, in as much as you can only visualise its size from your earthly point of view, as you know it, or think it to be, and your world is surrounded by untold worlds in the etheric world itself.  That's why we refer loosely to 'the Spheres.'"

Lucy asked about reincarnation.  Dr. Wilson's response is quoted —

"Yes, in some instances but not necessarily in every case, for a person may have reincarnated a number of times and there is no further need for them to return to earth.  They have assimilated, if you like, all the necessary knowledge and experience, and have then become inhabitants of the new worlds, outside of yours."

"Then I suppose we can be sure of going to the same etheric world as our relations, our loved ones?"

"That rather depends on the individuals concerned.  We must remember that, though it is most likely, for instance, that peoples of one generation will meet because they will be on the same strata of development, being and mentality, husband and wife, for instance, mother and son, and so on, and because the time element is so limited and so little removed, they will continue together in their special achievements and attempts and in growth accordingly."

The transcript for the sitting on April 22, 1964 includes opening remarks by Mickey.

Mickey: "How are you?"

Myself: "Oh, I'm alright, thank you, Mickey."

"I always look forward to your coming."

"Why is that?"

"Well I think it's always interesting, it's different from the ordinary sort of séance when everyone talks to their Uncle Fred or Aunt Jane! I mean, it's a bit boring, ain't it? Important only to those concerned. I much prefer your conversation."

"Thank you, I am so glad."

"You are intelligent."

"That's going into the book, that little talk."

"I suppose, though, one has to think of people's needs. They mostly seek personal proof of survival, which is all very good, one has to get it, but so many [people] just stay there, don't they? They never sort of progress at all."

"Possibly not."

"You're different to the average, anyway. What was it you said?"

"I said I was going to put this little conversation into the book, it's most interesting."

"Are you recording it, then?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, smashing!"

"Yes, isn't it smashing?"

"You're a case, you are, Aunty Lucy; I bet you've been a proper tartar in your time."

"No, I don't think I have."

"I bet when you was a young woman, you didn't have half a good time."

"I had a very dull time."

"Why?"

"Sorry, I can't go into that now. I must speak to the doctor—the time goes so quickly."

Dr. Wilson: "You seem to be having quite a chit-chat with our friend Michael. He is most amazing, a very interesting character, and if I were to lead him on, he would discuss things most intelligently, quite above the average. He has performed a remarkable task and has done it very well."

The following month, Lucy informed 'Dr. Wilson' that she wanted to learn about Mickey for the developing book: "What is his function?  What was he on the earth?"

. . . though he assumes the outer appearance and guise of a child, he has the knowledge and mental equipment of a very adult person who has experienced a good deal and is a very old soul.  There is no doubt that he has had a very good many incarnations and has chosen to come back to be of service and to do a work to help, uplift and instruct, and to comfort those whose needs are many and whose sorrow is often great."

"Then why does he come in the guise of a child if he is not a child?"

"It is deliberate."

"Why?"

"The main reason is, I think, that the vast majority of people who are seeking evidence of comfort would be put at ease by a child and his tremendous naturalness.  He comes as a young control of the medium and acts as comprere, generally helps in every way he can to put people at their ease, to answer their questions when they have problems and queries—to put them in touch with the persons they most desire to contact.  He acts in the capacity of an introducer from the point of view of introducing souls from this side to the sitter.  So you see that his function is a very important and indeed vital one.  I think you will find that all mediums do have someone of a similar nature.  Of course, it may be an adult from the point of view of the individual—in fact it invariably is an adult.  But these 'child' controls as they are often termed are not necessarily children.  They may have been children when they passed over but they are far from being children when they return.  They are mentally adult and advanced, but as they enter the earthly vibrations they assume the old self, which indeed most of us do.  In other words, that is how you would recognise a person."

At the end of the transcript of this seance, 'Dr. Wilson' is quoted:

"I do think it is so important to stress in your book how life being continuous, must be constant change, evolution, the acceptance of new thoughts and ideas.  The whole history of the evolution of man is this constant change.  

The third and final part of the book offers Direct Voice seance transcripts focusing on healing.  The first collection of transcripts chronicle the perspective of 'Shafir of the White Brotherhood' and the second are the vocal expression of  'Dr Timothy Wilson.'  The following passage is an excerpt of the March 21, 1957 transcript of Lucy's conversation with Shafir concerning her work facilitating spiritual healing.  

"You are part of the Universal Mind, of the nature of God, which is Universal Mind.  Therefore, it is necessary to provide you with your conscious mind, though you are at the same time part of the Universal.  The subconscious is the link between the ordinary and everyday you and the God you."

The following transcript is the May 18, 1962 “Talk with Dr. Timothy Wilson.”  This passage is described by the author as being “About Disease and the Doctor.”

"God does not desire that His children should suffer and have disease and sickness, but man in his struggle through aeons of time has brought upon himself the particular condition of life in which he finds himself from one generation to another.  There are, for instance, illnesses of to-day in your world which didn’t exist 100 years or so ago, and there are illnesses which existed 100 years ago which didn’t exist 1000 years before that, and so on.  I believe that man has to go through this cycle of events and conditions which he has created in foolishness and ignorance through his allegiance to the evil in himself.  I do not use the word evil in the orthodox sense, since we on this side do not believe in the existence of a devil or in evil as such.

"What I am trying to convey is that there are those who are spiritually inclined and those who have not progressed or reached a standard of development.  There are certain people on a very low strata of being, on a very low vibration who, as it were, give out such thoughts and conditions which, for want of a better word, cause evil.

"So if we accept this fact that all illness is something that has developed over generations of time, through the minds and lives of individuals who have gone before, we see some sort of pattern and it’s like a tapestry, every stitch of which is a life.  Some lives have been full of colours and goodness and they shine forth on the tapestry with beauty and light and make it come to life, and there are the lives of people who were dark and drab and colourless, showing only stitches but no form in the tapestry.  It does seem to me that we must realise that every individual though plays a part, and that the darkness and drabness must exist from the point of view that you cannot appreciate, visualize or understand until you have had the experience of all that life can offer.  But you hear people say “If God exists why does He allow this innocent person to suffer and an evil one to go scot free?”  This is only because you see things on a material plane for people in your world are so inclined to judge everything from a material standard."