The Sanctuary


In 2007 a small group of interested people decided to set up a
home circle dedicated to learning and understanding more about Physical
Mediumship.
This circle was named the Bristol Spirit Lodge - as Chris, whose home
hosted the circle and who created the idea, lived in Bristol at the time.
The BSL grew and evolved over time with many sitters and mediums coming
and going. I myself developed my own abilities as a Trance and Transfiguration
medium but the hoped for physical phenomena didn't appear to be on the agenda.
Much of the early development records as experienced by myself are
recorded in this blog up to the point where I really felt I was unable to add
anything new to the record.

In May 2013, some 5 yrs down the line, the BSL has relocated to Clevedon
and gone from strength to strength. Numerous new home circles have spun off and
have set up on their own and links to many others have been created
6 months ago, a young lady, wife and Mum contacted Chris to enquire
about physical mediumship. One thing led to another and she has now been sitting
in her own circle within the BSL for development with some amazing results. The
speed and level of her development has been stunning.

A few months ago, her spirit team who have been communicating through
direct voice whilst Emily has been in deep trance, told us that they wished to
form a small closed circle to sit weekly with a handful of dedicated sitters in
support to start what they called the “serious work”.

Last week was the inaugural sitting of the closed circle and what
follows below will be my own subjective account of my personal experiences
during this and subsequent sittings.
Chris will continue to update her own account of course on the BSL
on-line diary. My own diary in no way replaced these, this is just my own
personal record for my own interest and for anyone else who wants to follow.




To read the full diary and objective accounts of the other circles that meet in the Sanctuary, visit the main site at: http://www.spirit-lodge-diary.blogspot.com/




Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Tuesday 30th Sep

Last night I was sitting as per usual in our home séance in Bristol. Although I’ve not been recording my own experiences over the past few months, each and every week I found something new happening every time I go into the trance state.

This week though I went through something much more unusual and I thought it worthwhile recording – if only for my own sanity and reference in the future perhaps.


The evening started normally enough. And come 8pm the 4 of us trooped out to the Lodge, settled in and the music was soon started.
Drifting off with the music I made myself comfy and then I remember that I ‘knew’ that it was important that I sit up properly, which I did and oddly felt much more comfortable as well.

I was drifting in and out so to speak when I heard the sitters start to whisper to each other about what they were seeing. I was listening quite clearly and then I recall ‘asking’ that I could stop hearing them (I didn’t want them to stop, I just wanted to stop listening)
Anyway, time ticked on and I was still hearing them chatting –which was quite nice and comforting in an odd sort of way, when I noticed that I wasn’t in the room anymore but was looking down on a really thin and emaciated girl. She was standing in a dark place, like a stairwell or a corridor. Concrete perhaps, anyway I asked her name and ‘heard’ …that’s odd, but I have no idea know what it was…. Anyway, she looked up (I felt like I was above her by about 10 feet) and she seemed scared and confused. I called to her, telling her not to be scared, but she didn’t seem to want to know. So I tried a different tack and started to ask her look at the warm glow of light behind her (and to one side), then the light grew stronger (or possibly just came closer) and I told her to take the hand that “he” was holding out. Which after a moment’s hesitation she did and then they weren’t there any more.

I heard the sitters chatting again but then decided that I had to go back again.
Then I realised her boyfriend was still there as well, I ‘knew’ his name but he was less interested and seemed much less willing to look around –and to be honest I couldn’t see any warm glow to direct him to. So I started asking him if he would like to feel warm again – he seemed really cold (now the odd thing now that I recall it, is that I never actually ‘saw’ him at all, not physically if you know what I mean. I tried to ‘imagine what he looked like but couldn’t create a picture that seemed to fit him, but, again oddly, that didn’t seem so important at the time).
So, anyway, that fact he was so cold seemed to be the key and I kept going on about being warm again. But he still didn’t want to leave.

I realised then they were both addicts and he was scared to leave, but also that fact that his girlfriend had gone scared him as well, but, not as much as leaving the security of their squat –which I could now see was a filthy room/corridor, damp walls and some scruffy red and grey material (old curtains or blankets perhaps).

Anyway, I digress,,, ;-)
Being warm seemed to be the key so I told him if he came with me I could show him a place he could go to where he could sit in the sun again and get warm, proper warm where the sun would get right down to his bones.
-I have this place I go in meditation or when I do clairvoyance which is a small part of a rose garden. There’s a gravel pathway and a bench there and I can sit there in the sun and chill out. It’s where I meet people who want me to give someone a message. Usually they can then come with me or I can link with them again later etc.

Anyway, I said he could come with me there and warm up a bit. So he came (reluctantly) but I told him it was all ok ‘cos he could go back whenever he wanted to & that he was more than welcome to come back again any time that he just wanted to warm up again. So I left him there and said goodbye. Then just as I looked back I saw someone else sit down next to him and start chatting and I knew it was one of the ‘good guys’ and he was going to be fine.

I then said bye to the girl and saw that it was her Dad that had come to fetch her. She and her boyfriend perhaps had OD’d and got stuck there? Maybe they thought that’s where they deserved to be, who knows.
Anyway, not long after that I heard the music changing and had to come back so that the others could talk to the sitters (by this I mean that the usual spirit team wanted to communicate with the rest of the circle through trance).

Was it all real? I dunno at all. I suspect it may just have been a mental distraction, a bit like a dream, used to break my focus on listening to the sitters in the circle but I’ve had this experience before once in a meditation and it was very, very similar (not in circumstance but in feeling). Maybe I really did help a couple that had got themselves ‘stuck’ in some way, maybe I imagined it, perhaps it was just a daydream. Either way, it felt very real and it felt satisfying in an abstract way –worthwhile if you know what I mean, Like it’s something I’d want to do again.


So that was it, while everyone else was sitting there in the dark, I was having a nice little daydream :-) Now what is really odd is that while all this was going on I could still hear them all but it no longer seemed important to hear what they were saying. I could hear their voices and even the words, but I wasn’t ‘listening’ and had no sense of ‘time’ passing.
Most peculiar and most interesting as well. I wonder if it’ll happen again? - they’ll have to keep up the chat so I’ve got a reason to bugger off again ;-) Hahaha

A home seance with Warren Caylor

Saturday 25th September ‘08


A group of five of us had driven up from Bristol as guests to a home séance at Castle Vale in Birmingham, where Warren Caylor had agreed to sit for us and to provide a demonstration of Physical Mediumship.

All of the 15 sitters (plus of course Frank and Myra) had sat before with Warren with the exception for 2 who had never sat in a physical circle before. And I think it’s safe to say that this was an experience that neither will ever forget for the rest of their lives.
We got their a little early and despite getting lost no more than 100 yards from the front door, we were met by Warren and made to feel completely at ease as we were warmly welcomed into the venue.

Soon the room was filling up as people started to arrive and about ten minutes before things got underway, Oz came in to give everyone a brief reminder of the ‘rules’ and to make sure that the newcomers were at ease and feeling comfortable. Then we were called in as usual, checked for concealed weapons of mass destruction and shown to our seats.

It was only a small room, no more than 10’ by 8’ and it was a bit of a squeeze to get us all in. The centre of the room had the usual array of drumsticks with luminous ends, tom-tom drums, mouth organ, cardboard trumpet, whistle and a white envelope addressed to “Young Tom”. –apparently a little while ago at the last séance held down in the south-east Tom’s slide whistle had been left behind and had been posted back to for him care of Warren.
This was opened and the contents displayed to everyone and the envelope was shown and checked to make sure nothing was concealed anywhere.

Then, with the formalities over, Warren sat in the chair & was secured with chains & tie-wraps at the wrists, tied at the ankles, waist and chest with a red climbing rope. Everyone was just about to settle down when it was realised that somewhere along the line the gag for Warren’s mouth had been left behind. The doors had to be unsealed again and Frank had to make an unseemly dash for the Kitchen, grab a clean tea-towel and return.
Now I don’t know about you, but a tea-towel twisted lengthways makes a very thick and uncomfortable looking gag. Oz fitted it into Warrens mouth and tied it firmly behind his head.
Being such a small room we could all see this clearly and I have to say, it looked mighty uncomfortable to boot.



With the lights then out, the music started & in within seconds the ceiling shook as Spirit announced their presence by banging loudly on it and letting us know they were here and we all knew we were in for an exciting evening.

A few minutes later and we all heard the sound of Tom calling out his greeting in his familiar childlike voice and everyone was soon at ease as Tom teased and greeted people by name one by one.
He even asked to be introduced to my wife who was seated next to me. This was the first time she had been to a physical séance, so this was quite an honour to be singled out so quickly. I’ve been to quite a few séances now and this was the first time that I’d been greeted personally by name either, so for her to be picked out was quite a surprise for everyone.

Rachel followed and soon everyone was grinning like idiots in the dark as she had as all laughing with her ribald sense of humour. Yellow Feather joined the circle then and explained that due to some recent developments they were going to suspend the materialisations in white light for the time being.
My immediate thought was that we would be using the dim red light instead but I was gobsmacked when Y.F then said “I suppose we had better make out own Spirit Light instead”
I’ve seen the odd vague misty glow or occasional flash in our own home circle but the prospect of Warren’s team creating their own light for materialisation had me really excited.

Then, leaving this prospect hanging in the air, he left and Tom came back.. He explored the toys and the floor and was clearly delighted to find the envelope and read out the address (it was still total blackout at this time) opened it and guided Frank to the appropriate track on the CD before giving as a fantastic demo of his musical ‘skills’ of his favourite songs.

One thing that I didn’t mention earlier was that a large lump clay, fashioned into a ball about 3 or 4 inches in diameter had been placed on a small plate on the floor with a glass jar upturned over it to protect it.
Tom soon found this and asked what it was for. It was explained to him that if possible, maybe he could try putting his fingers in and on it and leave marks for us to see afterwards? He seemed to think this was fine and played with it before asking to put it under Myra’s chair for safekeeping.

We were witness to yet more amazing demonstrations of their ability to manipulate ectoplasm with levitation of the trumpet and the toys and the playing of drums.
Oz’s sock was removed and landed on my lap (Fortunately as Warrens’ circle leader he was familiar with this kind of play and was well prepared with clean fresh socks ;-)

Another sitters shoe was removed and balanced carefully on the top of the ceiling fan, water was flicked playfully around –just in case anyone was getting too hot, but no-one was soaked this time!

After another visit from Rachael, Yellow Feather returned and shared some sage advice. And spoke to one of the sitters with words of much needed & great comfort as he prepared to face some personal challenges lying ahead.

He then came to one of the other sitters, who had never before been to a physical circle. Standing only feet in front of her, told her that he could see within her an ability for Physical Mediumship. That if she wished to, she should start to sit and begin her development. It would take some time, he told her but the ability was very real. Both she and her husband were given advice on sitting together and supporting this development.
Everyone in the room was very surprised as this is virtually unheard of. To be approached directly by spirit through direct voice, to be picked out and informed of an ability as a Physical Medium in the middle of séance has only happened in a very rare handful of cases.
Watch this space and perhaps in future we’ll be reading of yet more physical Mediumship in private and public circles.


Yet still the best was yet to come.

Tom returned and asked us if we’d like to see a little Spirit Light –assuming we weren’t too bored! Then behind the curtain started what I can only describe as the most incredible display I’ve ever seen.
A small point of brilliant white light flashed briefly illuminating the whole cabinet, behind the thick black drapes that were hung across in front of the chair where warren sat, still secured by ropes chains and gagged.
The light than came back, flashing on and off more and more quickly and it was moved around and around. The intensity was astounding! The light flashed and waved up and down, up and around the cabinet for several minutes before finally going off.

Yellow Feather came back briefly to talk about the demonstration, then we were treated to another display, but this time the light was the most incredible blue colour. Faster and faster it flicked on and off, moving all the time fro the top to the bottom of the cabinet.

Tom took another break and Luther came into the room. His presence completely overwhelming and filling the small space.
Anyone who has ever had the privilege of witnessing Luther will know what I am saying. His voice carries a sheer volume and power that no physical human could create, let alone appearing to emanate from a point approximately 6 inches below the ceiling!

The first time I ever sat with Warren for a PM demonstration, I questioned much of what I witnessed. I doubted what my eyes were seeing and simply couldn’t accept the reality of what appeared to be happening. However, even on that first occasion, when Luther came forward and addressed the circle, I can still recall the feeling of power that projected in to the room. No amount of description can ever really get across the feeling of ‘awe’ that he generates. As one of the sitters said to me later “Luther makes Men quake in their boots whilst Women go weak at the knees!”

After this, Tom cam back again for a 3rd demonstration of his control of Spirit light. This time everyone’s jaw was well and truly dropped!
The flying lights became more and more complex in their patterns until they stopped and the trumpet was lifted from the floor and levitated into the cabinet.
Suddenly we realised that the light was being created inside the 2’ long cardboard tube an a point approx 2” in diameter.
Now, even if somehow Warren had escaped from his chains, cable ties ropes and gag and had somehow been able to create this colour changing light. Even if he’d been able to do this whilst also jumping in and out of the cabinet (complete with the ability to create the sounds of the ectoplasm, voice box etc, plus being able to see in the dark, balance shoes on the top of the light fittings, talk in multiple voices, project this voice from the floor and from the ceiling etc)
How on earth could he make a point of brilliant blue white light appear in the centre of a cardboard tube at a point where it could be no more than 2 inches in diameter! A light so intense that it could be seen clearly right through the thick cardboard of the trumpet.

Then, just in case we weren’t already completely flabbergasted, the trumpet was pushed out of the cabinet, through the curtains and the light projected on to the ceiling and then proceeded to dance around the room in time to the music.

But even now they weren’t finished!
After another brief break, the show started again with the trumpet before it was ejected out onto the floor of the room. Then the lights came back again within the cabinet and the light, rather than being a single point, opened up into a wide oval shape about 6 or 8 inches across.
We could all see this held for a second or two. Tom repeated this a few times before asking if we could see anything. This happened a few times and then he asked again if we could see his face. This time he pushed forward out of the cabinet, his small upturned face between the curtains, illuminated by the diffuse blue light as if from within.
Three or four times more he did this until everyone had clearly seen this amazing demonstration.

Yellow Feather came back again to describe the ‘mechanics’ of how they were creating this light. Saying that the ‘static’ energy created by us in the room (boosted at two points by having all the sitters sub their hands together for a few moments) was being used with the ectoplasm to ‘crack’ the ectoplasm, the release of this energy then created the light.
We later learned that this was only the second time they had tried this experiment and already they had moved forward and progressed vastly in their control and the length of time they could hold the light on.

However, this we were told, used an enormous amount of Warren’s energy reserves and he was just about used up and the séance was now ready to draw to a close.
Yet despite this, we were treated to a final display and once again were able top see little Tom’s face lit up by spirit light looking out through the curtains of the cabinet.

All too soon though it was all over and the light was brought back up.
Initially Warren seemed to be in some discomfort and Oz and Frank quickly jumped to his aid to remove the tea towel, still firmly tied round his head, his arms still in the cable ties and chains, his ropes tied tightly across his chest.

However, once he was released and led from the room, it was apparent to everyone that his jeans and tee shirt had been at some point removed and replaced completely inside out!

Then we saw the ball of clay which had been carefully placed underneath Myra’s chair.
There in the clay were a number of finger marks, of small fingernail marks and one long narrow indent where Tom had pushed his finger right into the clay.
This is going to be saved and a plaster cast made of Tom’s Sprit finger.

Soon we were all crowded into the small kitchen ravenously decimating the sandwiches and buffet that Myra and Frank had generously provided, going over and over everything we’d seen and experienced.
One individual in particular was trying to get her head round the fact the Yellow Feather had given her some more than interesting news about her own development and potential as a Physical medium. But even then, the positive support and advice she received was amazing and speaks volumes for the people that had gathered there that night and the true love for spirit and humanity they and Warren have.

I’ve not included everything that happened that night as the whole séance lasted for nearly 3 hours (it felt like less than one) and we were joined by several other spirits who spoke to us through Direct Voice. Trumpets were levitated, stuck to the ceiling, drums were played. Conversations took place, evidence of survival was shared and comfort given.

This was, we discovered to be Warren’s last demo here in the UK for sometime as the next day was planned to be the first of a long trip to America and possibly even further afield. I wish Warren all the very best of luck and send him off with my thoughts and prayers as he sets off to share his gift with new circles and new friends across the globe.

I look forward to catching up with him and hearing the stories next year when he finally makes it back home again.
Good luck mate and thank you. What a send off!