Tarot By Michael

As far back as I can remember, I have had experiences with the spirit world. I remember a time when I was about 12 or so when I was at a friends house. Our parents were downstairs talking and my friend and I were playing upstairs in his bedroom. I had to go to the toilet. When I came out of the bathroom, I saw a tall man standing in front of me in the hallway. I can remember this as though it were yesterday. He was wearing a top hat and had a long dark coat on. He stood there for a moment and then disappeared. Yes, I was scared. I had no idea who he was or why he was there. He looked to be from the Victorian period. The man, who has been nicknamed “Top Hat Man”, seemed to follow me around after that.

Jump forward a few months. I had been shopping in town and was walking back home. I had to pass a cemetery on the way. I looked through the railings, and in the distance, I saw Top Hat Man again. He was sitting on top of a headstone. I looked at him for a minute or so and then continued walking.

I saw Top Hat Man one more time. I was at my cousins house. We were playing Monopoly on the dining room table. At the side of the room there is an open staircase leading up to the bathroom and bedrooms. I looked up and saw him standing on the landing. He smiled at me and then disappeared. Nobody else saw him.

My Grandad died in 1976. As his time to pass over drew close, all the adults went over to his house to be with him. Us kids had to stay over at my aunt and uncles. I remember sleeping on a camp bed in the living room. I was woken up with a start at around 3am. It was a strange feeling…as though I was not alone. I was shaking and sweating. I would have been around 14 or 15 at the time. Anyway, I lay back down and went to sleep again. It was a few weeks later that I mentioned this to my Mam. She told me that my Grandad had died the same time I had woken up.

I used to attend a Spiritual Church in Blyth during the early 80s. After one of the usual Sunday services, one of the mediums asked me to stay behind after everyone had left as she wanted to have a chat with me. She told me that I should develop my mediumship skills, and would I consider joining a development circle. The idea kind of freaked me out a bit. All I knew about spirit, from my own experiences, was of Top Hat Man. I had visions of “ghosts” following me around and I didn’t want that happening all the time. I left it at that. I did mention Top Hat Man to the medium though and she said it sounded like a guide who was trying to get my attention. I also told her of the time at my aunt and uncles when I woke up during the night, and would this be connected to my Grandad’s passing. She said it would have been him coming to say goodbye.

Things quietened down after that and I don’t remember much else happening for a long time.

I have lost three friends to suicide over the last 10 years. One of them was my ex partner, Anthony and another was a close friend of mine and Anthony’s, called Keith.

Since then, I have felt them around me. Keith seems to be in contact more than anyone else though. I have sensed him beside me when I’ve been walking down the street to the corner shop on more than one occasion. I hear him talking to me from time to time too. It is reassuring to know that there is life after this one, and they do come back to us from time to time. Keith still has his sense of humour and makes me laugh at times. I’m glad his depression ended when his time on this earth did. :)

I’d like to talk about a couple of things that happened to me just before Christmas.

I was making a cup of tea during the night (I’m a bad sleeper). While in the kitchen, I was thinking about the poor animals that are slaughtered for their meat and fur etc. Then my thoughts changed to Charlie, my dog who died last year. I wondered if he was ok and thought to myself I would love to be able to see him.

Almost right away, I got a vision of my Grandad standing in the distance. He was in a field. He used to work on farms so that would make sense. He was wearing his cap and had his pipe in his mouth. Running around at his feet I could see Charlie playing with another dog, Glen, who was my Dad’s dog from years ago, who disappeared from home and never came back. I called out to Charlie in my mind, and he looked at me and came closer. The image then faded away.

One morning, I was lying in bed reading a Tarot book. I could sense something or someone at the other side of the bed. I could just make out a head and shoulders, but they were like a grey silhouette, just hovering there. I deliberately didn’t turn to look for a few seconds so I could see if I could get anything. When I turned my head to look directly at it, it disappeared.

I was woken up at 9:15am by something else too. You know that time when you are half awake and half asleep? Well, I was lying in bed and I felt a hand touch my shoulder. I reached out with my other hand to feel it and I felt an arm. I looked up and saw a figure standing over me. Then I hear a voice saying “We’re home now”. I have no idea who it was though.

And so it continues…