Stewart Alexander

Stewart Alexander is Englands most recognised physical medium

He started developing in his homecircle in 1967, and his physical mediumshíp revealed in 1982.
He has been the president of the now disbanded Noah's Ark Society for Physical Mediumship.
Has demonstrated his Trance and his Physical Mediumship in Switzerland under the auspices of the Zurich Parasychological Association and the Psi Association of Basel.
And he has been demonstrating publicly for years in England, in Scotland and abroad.
It is the greatest honour for me to have Stewart Alexander as my portrait guest.



Stewart in his home studio


I was born in 1946 in the city of Hull (and still live there) which is in the North East of England. I have three siblings – a brother and two sisters all of whom are involved in my mediumship and two of whom have sat in my home circle for many years. Throughout my childhood I had many experiences which may be described as Psychic the first of which is still very vivid in my memory.
I was 5 years old and had just arrived at school when I suddenly knew that my mother was in trouble and I spent the entire morning extremely worried. When I arrived home on the lunch time I discovered that she had suffered a serious bad accident (at the precise time that I had at school experienced my impression) and she had almost lacerated the small finger on her right hand - the scars of which she still carries all these years later.
Until I was 21 years of age I had no knowledge of Spiritualism. I am married and have two sons neither of whom are involved in Spiritualism.

How did it all start, the interest in and attraction to follow this. And how long have you done this?
My brother purchased a copy of Spiritualisms best seller – ‘On the Edge of the Etheric’ which, written in the 1930’s, was about a famous physical Medium. He read it and then passed it to me and my interest was ignited.
In the next few years my brother and I read many other books about Spiritualism and Physical Mediumship and soon we started our own home circle. This was made up of our families and our neighbors. As a Home Circle we sat together for many years and experienced nothing at all. We also sat in other circles and developed nothing in a mediumistic sense. This was the situation for several years but we continued to meet every week and sit as a circle in complete darkness every Tuesday evening. We sat in dark room conditions because we understood that Physical séance room manifestations occurred mostly in the dark. Then, one night, totally without warning I became entranced and my principal guide spoke these words ‘I come speak brothers and sisters’. That guide is still with me to this very day.

Stewarts brother Michael is in the far right on the picture
and his sister Gaynor is the second lady from the left. The first lady is Katie Halliwell who wrote the two books.

Why do YOU have this special spiritual connection?
Whatever Spiritual Connection I have has been created and established and is maintained by my overpowering wish to be of service to the Spiritual World.  But also I feel that I am just one part of a united team. Whatever I do I could not do without the Spirit people who work with and through me. What they do they could not do without my co-operation? Outside of the séance room we are two teams – the circle members are one and the other team is the Spirit World. When, however, we sit in circle those two become one united team – one united whole. We have worked together for so many years that in our séance room the two worlds do, for a short time, merge and become as one. The barrier is removed.

This sure seems to be a calling in your life. What is the most important thing for you with this work and to show people with your work?
Because I am generally in a trance condition during most of my séances I am largely unaware of what takes place. Over many years I have been asked many times how I personally benefit and gain from my mediumship. For many years I did not know how to answer such a question. A question I may say that I found incomprehensible.
Many times people have sat with me and/or the circle who were in the depths of bereavement despair – some being almost suicidal. At our séances there loved ones have sometimes returned and because of those wonderful reunions such sitters have been able to go forward with their lives. Truly the Physical Séance room can heal the soul.
It is a wonderful thing to witness.

Additionally, it is very spiritually fulfilling to know that people in the Physical Séance room can experience the ‘Great Reality’ concerning survival and communication. On many occasions over the years we have had serving mediums of long experience sit with us and afterwards they have confided to us that they had never been totally certain of survival but that now they KNEW. How wonderful.

What is your experience of the spiritworld.
The Spirit People I would (and do whenever I sit in séance) trust with my life. They are closer to me than most people of this earth. My experience of the Spirit World has been gained within our séance room in the compassion, and in the love and support of the Spirit People. I know how fortunate and blessed my circle and I truly are and we never take it for granted.

"The Spirit People I would
(and do whenever I sit in séance) trust with my life."

How do they interact in our physical life, your own life outside of your work?
For many years I owned and run my own business. I could not allow (as a business man) my spiritual work to infringe upon my business world. Therefore I made an agreement with Spirit by promising that providing they would only ever be a part of my life when I sat in séance then I would give everything I had at such times. Therefore – my business life and my mediumistic life were always kept apart. In ordinary life I was a business man. However, as soon as I entered the séance room I became a medium. That arrangement has worked very well and still exists to this very day. One cannot be a medium at all times. There has to be a balance to ones life. We may be Spiritual souls but we are also Physical souls. In my opinion, to try and lead a Spiritual life and deny the Physical aspect of ourselves can be emotionally damaging. Throughout our life upon the earth we are Spiritual beings in a Physical Frame and as such we must find that balance and allow expression to both. If we can do so then surely one can be a better instrument in a mediumistic sense. That is my firm belief and conviction.

Can you tell something about the things you have learned about and from the spirit world through this work?
Yes – the one thing that I have learnt is that the Spirit World wants desperately to prove the reality concerning the nature of life. That they are who they claim to be and that death will be the most wonderful journey we shall ever make. I have heard that from them so often in our séance room that I am rather looking forward to it when the time comes.

What happens with you physically, emotionally spritually during a seance/work?
How do you feel afterwards and how do you prepare for a seance?
It is difficult for me to answer this question in a few words. However – prior to a public séance I mentally send out a thought to Spirit. I become extremely sensitive in an emotional sense so much so that if I enter a séance room and just one sitter is skeptical of what is about to happen – I know. There could be ten sitters or one hundred sitters – it makes no difference – I know.
As the séance proceeds I become steadily emotionally and physically drained.
The more people present the worse the effect. It is hardly surprising.
If I sit in the Home Circle (Which I do every week) the Spirit World are familiar with all the energies present because it is the same sitters. However, when I work publicly Spirit are faced with unfamiliar energies. That being so it is a miracle that they are able to produce any phenomena whatsoever. This is why total loving harmony is so very important. Just one sitter out of harmony can spoil the whole séance for everyone by making the Spirit Worlds efforts to communicate on a physical level almost impossible.

From Stewarts first demonstration in Sweden in february 2007.
He will demonstrate again in Sweden in september 2007. His english organisers Alf and June on the right. Recognise the special lights in the picture.
Can you say something about how this work affects your physical body, yourself in general?
Whatever depletion I physically feel and whatever emotional effects I experience have usually gone by the morning following a public séance. During the early days of my public séances it would take me many days to fully recover but in recent years that has not been the case.

Can it be challenging in some ways?
It is only challenging because of the stress and strain I experience prior to a public séance. There are two principal reasons for that. Firstly, I am always very aware that I am placing myself in a potentially dangerous situation whenever I sit publicly. I am, in effect, placing my life in the hands of the sitters most (perhaps all) of whom will be strangers to me. Therefore I am, in effect, trusting them with my own welfare. Secondly, I ‘know’ the reality of survival and communication and I always so desperately want others to also ‘know’. I always pray that my sittings will be successful so that everyone can experience for themselves the ‘great reality’. As I always say – we only get one bite of the cherry. If the séance is successful because conditions are the best we can make them – that is marvelous. However, if conditions for whatever reason are not right then the séance can easily be a failure. I suppose that in many ways the success or failure of a séance rests to a large extent in the hands of the sitters.


The work seems physically demanding. Do you have to be fit for the work also physically?
I cannot confidently answer that important question. I believed for a long time that one had to be physically fit but three years ago I gave a series of séances in the South of England. When I arrived in the city I was full of Flu and could hardly speak. I had three séances to give over a one week period. I was aware that all the sitters had been looking forward to the séances for over a year. I climbed out of my sick bed to give them all and they were very successful. However, in a general sense I believe that physical fitness is important.

Do you need to have a talent for it physically? And are there any common healthissues for mediums?
I do not look upon my physical mediumship as a talent at all. All I do know is that I posses within me this substance/energy ectoplasm. Its presence in a physical medium is essential and, I understand that its presence is purely an accident of birth. Without that being present, one could sit for ever hoping to develop such mediumship and fail to do so. And secondly, I sat for fifteen years before it began to manifest. There is no short cut to developing Physical mediumship – one must be prepared to have considerable patience.

Can you pinpoint some of the difference between physical mediumship and mental mediumship?
Mental mediumship is a subjective form of communication with the Spirit World. Only the medium can sense, can see or hear the Spirit people and the sitter must rely and depend solely upon them to relay their impressions. However, all taking part in a Physical Séance will see, hear, witness and experience exactly the same because the phenomena are objective.
Such phenomena within the séance room are created by the Spirit people after they extract from the medium a vital form of living energy that Spiritualists call ectoplasm. This they utilize in a manner we largely do not understand in order to communicate with us on a physical level. Their voices can be heard speaking separate and independent to the medium. Inanimate objects (Such as furniture) move of their own volition. The so called dead materialize and can, on occasions, be touched, felt and seen. Within the séance room they temporarily appear as solid living breathing human beings. Unfortunately, there are considerable dangers to a mediums health and wellbeing whenever ectoplasm is withdrawn and such phenomena are created.
The medium however is perfectly safe providing no sitter acts irresponsibly and fails to observe the conditions of the séance room. For example the introduction of any form of light without permission of the Spirit World would cause the energy to rapidly return to the medium and would cause a hemorrhage. Throughout the history of Spiritualism such unforgivable actions have taken place and as an example just such an event led to the death of the celebrated Scottish Physical Helen Duncan back in the 1950’s. She was just one – others were in the past seriously injured as a result of people who believed that such phenomena had to be the product of fraud and tried to expose it.
I have personally always taken the view that given the opportunity, the Spirit World – through their contact and through the Phenomena they create – will always clearly demonstrate that they alone are responsible for all that takes place at my séances.
Providing sitters are prepared to sit with a fair and open mind then our Spirit friends will always do their utmost to prove their own existence.

Stewart Alexander in sweden 2007
Do you teach? No – I may be unpopular in expressing this view but I firmly believe that only the Spirit World with their ultimate vision can do that.
I can help people to sit in the correct way – I can encourage people – I can express my impressions but I can do no more than that.

Can you do this work in a one to one situation also? I have done so in the passed but not now. I realize that my future as a Physical medium is limited and if I am to provide the necessary energy for our Spirit friends to work with, I would like as many people as possible to experience for themselves the great reality. To sit on a one to one basis would surely be to deny that?

How is your schedule with this work, and have been? And is this a work you will always do? For many years I was unknown outside of my Home Circle and only started to work in a public sense about 15 years ago. Physically I am limited in respect of how often I can sit in public. Usually once each week in addition to our Home Circle which we hold every Tuesday evening. I cannot say what the future holds because my mediumship could cease to function at any time.

How come you have been so faithful and dedicated to this work? What keeps you going?
I can only refer you to my earlier replies. The Spirit People are a major part of my life and I am closer to them than I am to most people of this earth. We have worked together for so long now. I keep going because I simply cannot let them down and I realize that in many ways my mediumship is so rare. Can you yourself think of a more spiritually fulfilling experience than witnessing the absolute joy on sitters faces after a séance when they have been totally convinced that for a short time they have been in the presence of eternity. To see such joy when sitters have been reunited with their lost loved ones – well, how can one put a price on that?
And – I have met so many truly lovely people.

Do you remember anything from your seances? Or do you listen to the tapes afterwards? Do it surprise you to listen to yourself with the different voices coming through?
For many years I would be totally entranced during my séances but for some years now I am conscious during much of the physical phenomena. That is marvelous because I am, at last, able to witness it for myself instead of relying upon sitters to tell me what transpired. I listen to the recording afterwards only if some special communication has been received and I was in the trance state at the time. Although I love all the regular team of Spirit Communicators my favorite to listen to is the little boy Christopher. I find him fascinating with his ready wit and humor. I could listen to him all night – he is a treasure.

Can you yourself think of a more spiritually fulfilling experience than witnessing the absolute joy on sitters faces after a séance when they have been totally convinced that for a short time they have been in the presence of eternity. To see such joy when sitters have been reunited with their lost loved ones.
Well - how can one put a price on that?
Can you tell something about any of the persons you channel and bring through in your demonstrations?
Yes – I can. White Feather was the first to communicate all those years ago and who I spoke of earlier. He is always the first and last to speak at my public séances.

Little Christopher has the responsibility of relaxing the atmosphere and he does this very well indeed. It has to be remembered that many people sitting with me for the first time (in the dark) can be a little anxious. So – his responsibility is to dispel their fears because fear makes it very difficult for the Spirit World to work effectively.

Walter Stinson was Canadian by birth and is the brother of the famous Boston (USA) Physical Medium from the 1920’s and 30’s known to the world as Margery. It is he who is largely responsible for creating the Physical Phenomena and he who is in control of experimentation and further development within our Home Circle. He is – so I am told – very much a ladies man. This if nothing else, illustrates the fact (as he himself consistently maintains) that they return as human beings and not with halo’s and wings.

Freda Johnson who is directly responsible for organizing the evidential communications at the séances and often allows ‘loved ones’ to control me and speak themselves. These communications can be extremely emotional.

And finally Dr.Barnett is charged with the responsibility of materializing and walking around the séance room and occasionally performing healings. In that he has indeed met with considerable success.

What is demanded of the people that attend a seance?
All we ever ask of sitters is that they listen carefully to the pre séance talk were an associate of mine will inform them of what to expect and not to expect. There has to be – for my safety – certain do’s and don’ts – what people can and cannot do. To them I am a total stranger. To me they are total strangers. I must trust them not to place my life in danger by acting irresponsibly. As I said earlier – conditions of the séance room are so vitally important. If we have an atmosphere of doubt and uncertainty then the quality of communication on all levels will suffer. We should sit together in absolute trusting harmony. Then, we will be doing everything the Spirit World expects of us and then it is up to them. I honestly believe that the phenomena and indeed the séances as a whole will always speak for themselves and no one, except the eternal skeptic, will ever leave them in any doubt whatsoever.

From sweden 2007, Stewart Alexander with the organisers arranged for the very successful physical medium-demonstration weekend with Stewart Alexander. I myself (the interviewer and webmaster, Hilde) had a great time and enjoyed the extra special and extraordinary experiences and happenings in the seance room.
How do spirit manage to «take over» and use your body as a tool for their own spirit?
Thirty five years of practice. As I understand it – when they speak through me – they have disconnected my mind (spiritual) from my brain (physical) and then they connect their mind to my brain and thereupon gain control. The brain – as you know – merely gives expression to the mind. The brain is a tool of the mind. The brain is temporary and will perish at death. The mind is the eternal aspect of ourselves and it is within the mind that memory, character, our personality and knowledge are housed.

What is your view of the souls journey in existence? Reincarnation etc. 
I have no particular view. Regarding reincarnation – I can report that on several occasions our Spirit friends have been asked about it and they have always replied that they personally no of no soul who has reincarnated.
 
What do you think is important in general in life.  What has life and the spirit world and your life experiences taught you about the meaning of life? What is a meaningful life?
To be a good person. To cause no one harm – to help ones fellow men. To be true to oneself.
I believe that we all have a spark of god within us – god being the all pure state towards which we are all returning – the god state. We are all a part of that pure state and as such we are all a part of each other.

Are there things you still want to experience, develop even when a master as you are, in your work? Is this a never-ending journey? 
Yes – surely we are all upon a never ending journey? And yes there are many things that I have not experienced in my earthly life and which I regret.
To most people I am simply ‘a physical medium’ and most people see only the spiritual aspect – few ever see that there is anything else. As I said earlier, one simply cannot live their earthly lives as 24hours a day mediums. There has to be a balance surely?

Stewart with Mrs. Kath Matthews
Who has been important teachers and inspirations for you in your work?
Several people but I shall mention just a few. Alan E.Crossley was perhaps one of the nicest and most knowledgeable Spiritualists I ever had the good fortune to know. He wrote several books about our movement – sat with many of the great Physical mediums of the past who today we can only read about and he helped me to develop. He was a privilege to know.
Mrs. Kath Matthews helped immeasurably in my development.
All the Physical Mediums of the past and all the pioneers and champions of our Movement moved and inspired me.

Can you recommend literature or other for people, mediums they should be aware of. Have you trained with some mediums?
I would recommend Arthur Findlay’s book ‘On the Edge of the Etheric’ – probably the most important book ever written about Physical Mediumship and Life after Death.
I did not train with any medium. However, I did sit in my own Home Circle to develop and still do so today.

Mediumship has a history. What can we learn from the people gone before? Many people do not have much knowledge of the traditions in this field, or read any literature on past experiences done in the last centuries.
I believe very strongly that we can learn such a great deal from history. Indeed, we would be rather foolish if we ignored history. Spiritualism has a rich history indeed. What I have learnt (apart from much else of course) is that Physical Mediums of the past were all persuaded to work with the world of Psychical Research – to have their gifts placed under a microscope and to be tested. And – the result – in every single case was that nothing whatsoever was achieved. Many such mediums suffered great inhuman indignities at their hands and yet felt obliged to cooperate. Many were unjustly accused of fraud. A medium who initially met with success found themselves victims as Researchers suggested tighter and tighter controls. Nothing was gained a great deal was lost.

Sweden 2007

Today – if I am asked to submit myself to scientific Research (and I have been) I would always suggest that the people who would encourage this have absolutely no knowledge of these things. I have absolutely no intension of proceeding in that direction. Mediumship cannot be coldly examined. We are dealing here with sensitive human beings and not unfeeling machines.

What is a good medium for you?
A good medium to me is one who is doing the work of Spirit. It is someone whose intension and motives are pure and who is a true servant of Spirit. Were egotism is present, Spirit is absent. Mediums (true mediums) are in a privileged position. It is often forgotten by many that they are merely one half of a team and that is probably the reason why good mediumship today is rare.

You have done this journey for such a long time and have a rare perspective. Anything you would share on this can be of great value.
When I came to the Swedish Seminar back in February of this year I was genuinely delighted when very quickly I realized that there was a purity of purpose very much in evidence. All the students were there for each other. The organisors were genuinely proud of the development that had, over a number of years, taken place within their students.

It was marvelous to behold and it was a joy to be there. I could not help think that once upon a time – in England – Spiritualism must have been like that. Sadly, the movement (in my opinion) has now been in decline there for many years.
Anyone who is unable to recognize that as the unvarnished truth need only look back into our history and then compare it to what we are today. The facts speak for themselves.

Katie Halliwells book part two on Stewarts circle-work
Can be ordered at amazon where you can also read reviews on it. Katie Halliwell's booklets (Part's 1 & 2) can be obtained also directly through his Manager: Ray Lister - 85,Alexandra Road - Newland Avenue - Hull - East Yorkshire - HU5 2NX.

If anyone wishes to purchase the complete work (Book and C.D's-recordings from real sessions) then they would have to order them through Stewarts manager - Ray Lister.
about 24£ all together (+shipping)

To me Spiritualism is sacred. I would suggest to anyone setting forth upon the development of mediumship that first and last they must always pay heed to the Shining Ones. Intension, motive, purpose are so vitally important.
One can never dictate were development is concerned and insist that this form or that form of mediumship is preferred. It is not our choice to make. The Spirit World with its infinite vision will make that decision.
Working as an individual little if anything can be achieved but working together anything can be accomplished. No single person can take preference over the Spirit World for they and they alone will always call the tune.

When do your book come and out and how can we buy it?
I have been working on something now for three years and I am hoping to complete it by the spring of 2008. It will then be a matter of trying to find a publisher, but I would like dearly like to leave something behind me for posterity.
The book I fear will win me few friends within the movement but it will tell the unvarnished truth about the current plight of Spiritualism and of its sad state today. I see no virtue in refusing to face reality but I see a great deal of virtue in recognizing and paying heed to it.
Only in that way can we address and perhaps reverse our sad decline.
I shall not exclusively concentrate upon the negative – there will be a great deal which is positive and which will be presented in a most constructive sense.


Stewart will continue to use whatever time he has left upon the Earth, to work with the Spirit people, so that they may continue to demonstrate the reality concerning the eternal nature of life in all its aspects and forms

Thank you Stewart Alexander
for so generously taking time to share of all your knowledge and wisdom



Stewart Alexanders biography of his amazing life with Spirit is out and available !!
"An Extraordinary Journey: The Memoirs of a Physical Medium"
You can find it a.o here:
At Amazon.co.uk At norwegian online bookstore:
Bokkilden






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