A Free Spirit. Betty Shine

looked upstairs, we tried to encourage Mickey to accompany us in case he strayed, but when we began to climb the stairs, the fur around his neck stood on end and he started to howl.

      I asked the children to stay downstairs with him whilst my husband and I apprehensively made our way up the oak staircase. Off the long landing we found five bedrooms, two bathrooms and a nursery, and it was in this last room that we felt the atmosphere closing in on us. There was a strong feeling of evil, and on the floor and in the cupboards we found many discarded old toys. It was obvious that someone had left in a hurry. My gut feeling told me that something awful had happened in this room – it was time for us to leave. As we made our way back downstairs, I had the distinct impression that we were being followed, so we all made a hurried exit.

      We later asked the estate agent who was handling the sale if he knew the history of the house, but he couldn’t enlighten us. We also asked him if he had been aware that the back door had been left open. He said that he hadn’t, and that he would see to it immediately. I felt he was hiding something from us in order to make a sale, but when it became obvious to him that we were not going to buy, he admitted that the place was haunted.

      We were so fascinated by this house that we made a point of passing it whenever we were in the area. It remained empty for four years before it was finally demolished. Eventually another house was built on the same site.

      I don’t know whether the owners of the new house ever felt the negativity that had taken over the site. I would be extremely surprised if they had not, as it had seemed to have pervaded every inch of soil. As a medium, I have never underestimated such energies. That is why I avoid negative people and situations, for no good can ever come out of them.

      Psychometry is the ability to divine and interpret the energies contained in an object. By holding something, the psychic can receive mental pictures of its history or about its owner. And, as incredible as it might seem, the pictures become clearer with age, which shows that the mind’s essence is capable of growth as we get older. Using psychometry, it is also possible to receive pictures from the past history of a place – even a single grain of soil can contain the energies required.

      If you want to check out whether a house is haunted or not, take a dog along with you, and if it growls or its hair stands up, then forget it. Some dogs may take a while before they react, but they will eventually, and it is at this point you will know it is time to leave.

      Cats, on the other hand, root themselves to the spot when they are confronted by a spirit form, and their eyes form a slit and change colour. No matter how long it takes, they will sit like that until the entity disappears.

      It is very important to create a bond with your pet so that you can easily interpret what it is trying to tell you. Many lives have been saved by animals behaving in such an odd manner that they have alerted their owners to a dangerous situation.

      I remember one incident in particular. I was a guest at a garden party and the hostess had a small cairn terrier which never left her side and was normally well behaved. On this occasion, however, its behaviour had become so intrusive that she asked a friend to take it into the house. But the dog would not move. Then it began tugging at her dress. It was at this point she realised that something must be wrong, so she followed the dog as it led her towards the end of the garden. To her horror, she found that her two-year-old grandson had fallen into the ornamental pond. He was barely conscious when he was pulled out, and fortunately he recovered. There is no doubt that the terrier saved his life.

      This kind of telepathic contact is typical when pets and their owners have a special rapport. The lady was able to read the signals she was receiving from her dog and acted upon them.

      It is only by attuning ourselves to the natural world that we will be able to continue to co-exist with the animal kingdom. But there is a worldwide problem that threatens not only animals but humans as well, and that is ignorance. It lies at the root of all the needless cruelty we hear so much about and which demeans us all. When cruel and cowardly acts are perpetrated, whether against humans or animals, the law that governs the Universe will ensure that the perpetrators will pay a terrible price.

      Although physical cruelty is horrendous, there are probably more cases of mental cruelty that go unpunished because they leave no physical scars. Owners with several pets might pick on one of them and use it as a scapegoat when things go wrong with their own lives. These people blame everyone but themselves for the bad things that happen to them, and a pet is a sitting target for their abominable behaviour. Even if these deeds take place behind closed doors, it is easy to recognise an animal who is being treated in this way; it looks cowed and unhappy, and is afraid to move for fear of reprisal. One can only imagine what it must be like for the one who is being victimised, especially when it sees the other pets in the household being shown affection and treated with care.

      Children can also be extremely cruel to animals and must always be supervised when a new pet is introduced to the household. If the pet shows any sign of reticence or distress when it is expected to play with the child, then something is happening that the animal doesn’t like. Parents must always remain vigilant.

      If it is the parents’ choice to have a pet, then they must be aware that children can be extremely jealous of the newcomer, especially in the first few weeks when it may receive more attention than the child. It is a similar reaction to that caused by the arrival of a new baby. You simply cannot have too many discussions before choosing a pet, and every member of the household – including young children – should have their say. As young children can be very psychic, please give them your full attention, because their ‘out of the mouths of babes’ contribution could teach us all a lot. The whole family should collect as much information as possible on the kind of pet they want and determine whether or not they will be able to fulfil their duty towards the animal before they make their choice. Hundreds of pets die every year, not because they were not loved, but because the owners were ignorant of their basic needs.

      I have seen goldfish in tiny bowls, swimming round and round in water that has no plants and therefore not enough oxygen. For these poor fish, death must be a blessed release. At fêtes, they are put into plastic bags and given out as prizes to small children who have no idea what to do with them. They nearly always perish. Just because it is cheap and is a great attraction to children, I have never been able to figure out what kind of adult treats a tiny life form in this manner.

      Through my mediumship and healing, I have learned that everything we do to others will return to affect us no matter how long it takes or which dimension we may inhabit at the time. As human beings, we should all demand respect from others and be prepared to show that same respect to every living thing. Without that respect, telepathic contact cannot take place. Neither can it take place without the presence of love, compassion and patience.

      I was contacted by a lady who owned a horse called Samson. She told me that bald spots were appearing all over his back, and that although he had received veterinary treatment over a period of five months, his condition was deteriorating. I told her I would try to help.

      Although I do not need to meditate for the process to begin, I decided to do so on this occasion, as I felt there was a deep underlying psychological cause for this condition – to effect a cure, my mind would have to become ‘as one’ with the horse. The first impression I received was that the animal was extremely unhappy.

      Gradually, I received pictures of all the staff at the stables and one person came to the fore. As I watched the scenes being played out before me, I saw this person kicking Samson’s legs, and as the pictures became clearer I could tell that it was a male member of staff and his name came through to me.

      As the misery of the horse manifested, tears rolled down my cheeks. If horses could cry, then this one would have been weeping. In that moment of extreme love and compassion, I knew that I could help this animal.

      The telepathic link was secured, and we ‘talked’. Samson conveyed to me that this man was unbelievably cruel and had taken a dislike to him. I reassured him that I would do everything in my power to have him removed. I thought Samson also needed to be moved from that particular stable.

      When I contacted the owner she was understandably