The Late Dr. Stafford and His Dear Friend Reverend Pearl

"The Late Dr. Stafford and His Dear Friend Reverend Pearl"

The Final Chapter of The Teenage Years

In Touch With His Soul,

An Interview with Walden Welch

By Gina Cerminara

WW: "I took a streetcar to The Reverend Pearl Shannon's house that morning. It was raining heavily when I left home and was to continue to do so throughout the entire day. I was so anxious to meet this woman that nothing, not the worst storm in the world, would have stopped me from keeping this date. I was afraid I might be late and miss our appointment so I started out far too early and, therefore, arrived at her home on Portola Drive an hour before I was due. I took refuge from the storm under the limbs of an old cedar tree across the street from her three-story, gray Tudor style home. A polite five minutes before my scheduled appointment time I ran up the front stairs as hurriedly as I could so that my hair would not be badly matted by the rain. I took out my pocket comb and slicked it into place then took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

A tiny, elderly woman greeted me. She introduced herself as 'The Reverend's Mother.' She then directed me to a seat in a small waiting room in the foyer of Rev. Shannon's home. 'Please sit. It will be but a moment,' the white haired lady said sweetly. She was very slight and delicate in appearance. She looked as if she were in her early 70's, yet she still projected a girlish prettiness. Her eyes, like her voice were kind and loving. She was a very comfortable person to share a room with. 'My daughter, Mother Pearl, will see you now,' she said while opening the door to The Reverend's office. She smiled and motioned me to enter. I took a deep breath and clenched my fists together tightly so as not show my nervousness. 'Hello. Do come in and be seated in the chair in front of my desk. I am The Reverend Pearl Shannon and I am happy to meet you.'

There, across the room, standing behind a large and impressive oak desk, stood a large-framed, auburn haired lady. She appeared to be in her 30's and was far more attractive than I had expected. Her large dark eyes radiated the same kindness as her mother's, yet her gaze was far more intense for her eyes seemed to penetrate right into my very soul. 'I see stars and planets over your head,' she said to me while she motioned me to be seated in the chair in front of her. 'Hmmm,' I thought to myself, 'Maybe I'm going to be a movie star?'

The lady took her seat and then looked deep into my eyes. I was startled for a moment for I knew by the way she was studying my continence that she had read my rather childish and ridiculous thought. 'No,' she replied knowingly, 'Spirit tells me that you were born on a Thursday and that it rained, and rained and rained. The storm had blown out all of the lights throughout the city in which you were born. Even the hospital in which you were to be born had to use candles that night. The storm was so terrible that your mother's doctor was not able to arrive at the hospital to deliver you. You were brought into this world - that is, delivered -by two nuns. They both blessed themselves when they took you from your mother's body. You were born with a veil, a cowl that shrouded your face. I hear your mother crying for she thought you were dead. "Is my baby dead?" she cried. "No, no dear," one nun consoled her, "he was born with a veil. There is a Catholic superstition that says one born with a veil is able to foretell the future. He is perfectly well. You need not fear. We simply bless ourselves because he is gifted with the ability to foresee the future."' 'Yes,' the Reverend continued, 'I see stars and planets over your head. You were born psychic, as was I. Spirit tells me you will council people all of your lifetime as do I. Only, you will do so with a circle drawn on paper with strange symbols drawn inside the wheel.'"

Dr: "She was referring to a horoscope chart, wasn't she?"

WW: "Yes. Definitely. There was no question about that. However, when Mother Pearl first stated she saw stars and planets over my head, I was unaware she was referring to astrology. Her depiction of my birth, the fact that I was born with a veil, two nuns having delivered me· these were facts that I had been told by my mother. I was dumb struck when Reverend Shannon repeated the story exactly as my mother had told me. I had, up to that time, never told anyone about the circumstances of my birth. I considered the superstition of being born with a veil to be silly nonsense and nothing more. There had been no way whatsoever that Pearl could have known the circumstances surrounding my birth·the rain storm·two nuns·no doctor·the veil, and then, her remark about a circle drawn on paper with strange symbols inside the wheel. Obviously she was referring to a horoscope wheel. When that fact finally occurred to me I was absolutely dumfounded, to say the least. Reverend Shannon had obtained my respect and attention with the information thus far given. I knew without question she was honest and legitimate simply by the introduction she made, and yet my reading had not yet even begun."

Dr: "I, too, am more than impressed by her introduction. I can well imagine why you were."

WW: "What was to follow was even more impressive. My first sitting with Pearl was to be the most significant spiritual event in my life. I would never be the same person again. The information she gave to me that morning was of such importance, and presented with such accuracy, that I would never view my life or the world I had known in the same manner again."

Dr: "Please continue. I know how much you adored and revered this remarkable woman. Unfortunately, I regret to say, I was unaware of her until I met you. I would love to have known her. Please share the events that so changed your life."

WW: "Reverend Shannon always began her sessions with a prayer:

Pearl: "My most divine heavenly Father, we are gathered here together in Your name in search of truth and understanding which only you, in your divine intelligence, can give. We ask for Your angels and the departed loved ones of this young man who sits before me, to gather round us and provide information that is helpful to this entity named Arthur Walden Welch. He has come to me seeking truth that only You and his loved ones can provide. I am requesting that I be your channel in wisdom and enlightenment; that I can provide information valuable to his needs. I also request that those departed love ones who surround us are protected within the white light of Christ Consciousness, rejecting all entities who are not surrounded by this protective light. I ask in the name of The Father and The Son and The Holy Ghost. Amen."

WW: "After her opening prayer Pearl took several deep breaths, closed her eyes, and folded her hands in her lap. Several seconds passed before she spoke."

Pearl: "Yes, Doctor Stafford has joined us in this room. Dr. Stafford is my spirit guide. He greets you. 'Welcome,' he says. 'I am here to guide you on your journey. I will gather whatever information that you may need that will be of value to you.' Dr. Stafford will collect whatever information I need from the other side. In life he was an excellent and reputable 18^th century physician who lived in London. He was born Michael Oxford Stafford on January 3^rd of 1801 around the noon hour, and died on January 11^th of 1881. He says he gives you this information for reasons known to you that you might better know him."

Dr: "She means astrology doesn't she? Doctor Stafford was aware that you were a student of astrology and he was giving you his birth data. Amazing!"

WW: "Yes. I can see no other reason why Pearl would have presented this information to me."

Dr: "I'm sorry for interrupting. I will try not to do so again. Please continue."

WW: "That's okay, Gina. Interrupt whenever you wish. After presenting Dr. Stafford to me Pearl took several more deep breathes and continued."

Pearl: "There is another spirit present in this room. He has come to visit you and he asks me to introduce him. His name is Robert (pronounced Ro-bear) and he tells me he met with you last evening. You were alone in your bedroom watching television. He tells me that he smiled at you by way of greeting. You were watching a Hollywood musical called 'The King and I', were you not?"

WW: "'Yes!' I stammered in reply. I was nearly speechless, shocked by Pearl's accuracy. 'Who is Mr. Robert? Why is he here to see me?' I asked, chills running up and down my spine."

Pearl: "Robert is your spirit guide. He is one of several, actually. He says he has been with you throughout your lifetime. When he was in body, he lived in France during the 1800's. He was an astrologer by profession and he now teaches you."

WW: "Would Robert be called my guardian angel?" I asked.

Pearl: (Smiling) "Yes. Robert likes that term 'guardian angel'. He is smiling at me and tells me it pleases him to be referred to as your guardian angel. Robert is delighted that he was able to establish contact with you last evening. He says that he appeared to you because, 'I want the boy to know that he is on the right path. He has been encountering a great deal of psychic phenomena lately and has doubted his sanity. I want him to know that what he has been experiencing is to confirm to him that all he has studied regarding psychic matters are spiritual truths. The boy's out-of-body experiences and ghostly encounters are confirmations of these truths. He is being given previews of sorts. I have made my appearance to show him that all this exists and is not figments of his imagination.' Yes. Thank you Robert. I have relayed your message. Thank you for having come. It was Robert who came to me to tell me you would be contacting me. It was he who told me your first name was Arthur. "There is another spirit in the room here with us. He, too, wishes to be recognized. He tells me that he is your grandfather and that he has just recently passed from the earth plane. 'Hello, my boy,' he says. I must speak very slowly for his English is not too good. He has a strong foreign accent. He tells me he never learned to read nor write and that his English is very poor. He is a tall lean man, blue eyed and very handsome. He presents himself in the body of a young man in his twenties but tells me that he passed away at the age of seventy-four. Spirits oftentimes do that. They take on the spirit body of the period in time in which they feel they were the most attractive. Death does not stop vanity. I am feeling his love for you. He loves you deeply. 'I never call the boy Wally,' he tells me. 'I call him "My Boy," he tells me. Is this true?"

WW: "Yes," I answered in amazement. "Grandpa always called me 'my boy'."

Pearl: "He wants to thank you for believing. He tells me that you, your mother and he are the only members of his family who believe in matters of the psychic. You share his beliefs for he, too, loved astrology, going to mediums and the likes. 'Lena forbid me to do so,' he tells me. 'Lena considered these things to be works of the devil,' he states. 'But I knew these matters of the psychic come from God Almighty. So do you, my boy.' He asks me to have you tell Lena that he is alive and happy and is oftentimes near her. 'I come to her each night while she prays,' he says. He tells me that Lena is his wife. Is this true?"

WW: "Yes, it is," I answered breathlessly. "My grandmother's name is Lena. My grandfather, who is here in this room with us, just died three months ago! He was ninety- three when he died.'

Pearl: "He is trying to tell me something else but I am having a difficult time understanding him. His English is rough, his accent thick. He tells me he is from a small Spanish island. No! I have upset him! He tells me the island is not Spanish, but Portuguese. He was born on a small island off the coast of Portugal. He smiles at me and tells me that I am correct. He was born in The Azores Islands was he not?"

WW: "You are correct," I answered with tears in my eyes. Grandpa was in our presence. Of that there was no doubt. "My maternal grandfather was born on the Island of Pico in the Azores. He came to America when he was seventeen years old."

Pearl: "He asks that you tell Lena that he loves her and visits her, but because she does not believe, she cannot see him. He asks you to tell her that she is foolish for not believing in spirit visitations."

WW: "Yes, I will tell her," I answered.

Pearl: "Is your grandfather's name Samuel or Daniel?"

WW: "His name is Manuel, Manuel Cardoza," I replied.

Pearl: "Yes, thank you. As I said, his English is poor, and I have difficulty interpreting all that he says. He tells me that you worry far too much about your mother. He says, 'Do not worry so much about Julia, my boy. Julia will not die soon. You must not worry so much.' Julia is the name of your mother? Is this information correct?"

WW: "Yes it is. Julia is my mom. She was born ill and I worry about her very much." Pearl: "Well, your grandfather says she will live many years yet, so not for you to worry. 'It is not until her after her heart bleeds three times that she will pass on.'" WW: "I watched as she sketched a line across her heart with her forefinger for emphasis." Pearl: "'It is not until after the third bleeding of her heart that she will pass to the other side. Do you understand' my boy?'" WW: "Yes, I do," I replied without further commenting upon her message. Pearl Shannon had never been told about my mother's two prior heart surgeries. The message that she was receiving was that there was to be one more heart surgery before my mother would die. This information saddened me greatly. However it confirmed the gypsy's prediction, 'Heart broken, Heart mended, thrice to be.'" Dr: "Ah! You are referring to the ending of the gypsy's riddle: 'Heart broken, heart mended, thrice to be!' Yes, I see! 'After her heart bleeds three times she will pass on.' Astounding! Your grandfather's words are confirming the prediction of the gypsy that was presented to your mother during her childhood at the county fair:

"You shall never know wealth,

Nor have good health,

At twenty-four,

A tall man at your door

He will always love thee,

Through eternity

Tears for three,

Then shall come to be,

A blessed Magi to comfort thee

Twenty-seven has come,

It is time to run

The tall man to be, Has a taste for whiskey

Seven years more,

Through a very black door

Two men more,

Red and gray,

Block happiness in your pathway

The worst you shall see will come five plus three

Unable to flee,

A bed and a blanket,

A shroud to thee

White feathers, white feathers everywhere

Tears and sorrow for you, beware!

For the time has come for your greatest despair

Should you survive?

Then you shall once again see,

The tall man that has loved you for eternity

Heart broken,

Heart mended,

Thrice to be"

WW: "Yes, Grandpa, whether his spirit was aware of it or not, was confirming the ending of the gypsy's riddle. Mother would die after a third heart surgery." Dr: "What happened next? Please go on with the recollections of Pearl Shannon's Reading." WW: "After my grandfather's messages, Pearl went on to other matters which were pertinent to my life at that time." Pearl: "Your grandfather is now leaving us. He is returning to the other side now. 'Goodbye, My Boy. I love you. I will be with you often,' he says." WW: "I love you too, grandpa." I replied somewhat awkwardly. "Thank you." Pearl continued:

Walden's Grandfather

Pearl: "Dr. Stafford now has a message for you. He is concerned about your relationship with your father Arthur. Is your father's name Arthur?" WW: "Yes it is," I answered. "His full name is Arthur Ernest Welch." Pearl: "And he is still in the body? That is to say, he is still alive and among the living?" WW: "Yes, he is." Pearl: "Dr. Stafford tells me that he is very concerned about the relationship between the two of you. He tells me that you are not at all close and he is showing me why this is so. This estrangement between the two of you goes backwards in time throughout many previous lifetimes. He is showing me several previous lifetime connections between you and Arthur Ernest Welch." WW: "Uncertain as to what she meant regarding previous lifetimes I asked, 'Do you mean reincarnation? Are you referring to previous lifetimes that my father and I shared together?'" Pearl: "Yes. Previous lifetimes shared together. Please let me continue. I do not want to loose concentration. The symbols and pictures are being shown rapidly to me. They come as a collage. There are many pictures, many feelings I must sort. Yes, I see. I see. (Reverend Shannon took several deep breaths and then paused several seconds before continuing.) Dr. Stafford tells me, 'You must let your father have your mother in this current lifetime if you two are ever going to overcome your karmic rivalry.'" WW: "Karmic rivalry?" Pearl: "Yes! You two are rivaling for the love of Julia and you must let Arthur have her if you and he are ever to overcome your karmic rivalry. Dr. Stafford has read your Akashic Records in The Great Library and he tells me that this rivalry between you and the soul of your present father goes back many centuries and many lifetimes. In each of these lifetimes you both loved the soul ö the entity ö now named Julia. However, it was always you who won her. He has never forgiven you for this and that is the reason for the discord between you and the soul of the man who is currently known as Arthur Ernest Welch, your father. You must let him have Julia in this lifetime. If you will willingly give her to him this animosity between you and he will end." WW: "I don't understand what you mean exactly," I replied with sincere confusion. Pearl: "But how can it be told any plainer? (She snapped). First you and he were rivals in the land of Hebron. It is in the 16^th century, you a wealthy landowner by the name of Ithed Awol-El, he Damask Isthall and she, Julia, then too a female and named Annath Rubal. Dr. Stafford tells me that Julia also carries the name of Ann in her present lifetime. Is this true?" WW: "'Yes. It is. Her middle name is Ann. Julia Ann Cardoza.'" I was amazed to find that the clairvoyant knew even the middle name of my mother." Pearl: "Taken from Annath in the 16^th century to be sure. As Annath, she was a woman of great physical beauty. Her soul was one of kindness and consideration of all others. Her father was a wealthy goat dealer with three daughters. Annath was the youngest and best prized. Damask Isthall was a mere goat herder on Annath's father's farm. He came from a poor family of no consequence and could therefore not compete for the affections of Annath. He longed for and desired her since boyhood but due to his poor station in life he kept secret his longings. It was you, then Ithed, son to a wealthy family, who won Annath's hand in marriage. Damask Isthall envied and loathed you for your good fortune in acquiring Annath as your wife. Damask was to never marry. He carried Annath within his heart until his death at the age of sixty-four. Dr. Stafford tells me that you passed at the age of sixty-nine, Annath at seventy-two. There were no children between you, for Annath was unable to bear. "Following that life experience, the three of you reincarnated in the land of Italy. You were born Angelo Antonio Lucca of Venice, Italy on February 16^th 1701. Damask Isthall was to reincarnate as Antonio Carlo DelaRosa in Rome, Italy on July 14^th 1690. The two of you were to dedicate yourselves to The Catholic Church in that lifetime, he as Father Michael and you as Father Antonio. The soul of the entity Annath was not a part of either of your life experiences during this incarnation. However, the soul of Father Michael carried on his resentment towards you. Being the elder, and of higher esteem, he pleasured in belittling you and making you grovel to his commands. He was not mentally conscious as to why he detested you so greatly. In truth he shamefully regretted his mean and lascivious actions towards you. He prayed for help and forgiveness, yet something deep within himself compelled him to be your torturer. Father Michael delighted in waking you from your sleep late at night. "Scrub the floors now!" he would command of you. "You shall not sleep until all floors are scrubbed clean!" You never refused him his demands for you were terribly frightened of him. You secretly called him 'The Monk from Hell.' His treatment of you was atrocious. Father Michael pleasured in hiding broom straws and coins about the cobblestone floors of the monastery. Should you fail to collect all these items he would punish you for your neglect. You would be locked in your cell for days at a time. You would be fed nothing more than one potato per day. He tortured you beyond your physical endurance. You died at the age of thirty-four. Malnutrition caused your death, brought on by the abuses you suffered from Father Michael." WW: "At this point of Reverend Pearl's reading, goose bumps prickled my arms!" Dr: "And I can well see why! Look at my arms! (Gina shows Walden her right arm which is covered with goose bumps.) I'm stunned to say the least! Here in this past lifetime in Italy was the origin of 'toothpicks and pennies.' Your father repeated this abusive game of hiding coins and toothpicks or broom straws in this, your current, lifetime too. This repeated act of cruelty is astonishing, that is to say, how the act was carried on from one lifetime into another." WW: "Although I had held the belief since childhood that I had lived before, I had never really been curious as to my prior lifetimes. I had not yet given much thought to the importance of past life conduct and how it would affect current lifetime experiences, or what is known as The Law Of Karma. The Reverend's (or Doctor Stafford's) comments on the past life involvements between my father and myself were so uncannily accurate in explanation of our present life situations that I could not dismiss the fact that Reverend Pearl and Dr. Stafford were indeed presenting truths ö that my father and I had encountered each other in lifetimes before the present." Pearl: "Father Michael was also a miller. That is to say he milled wheat for which to make bread. A large hollowed stone with pestle was used. Spirit is showing to me an image of him toiling around that stone ö grinding, grinding, grinding. Father Michael loathed that duty above all others. After many years of performing this repetitious task he damaged his spinal column. He has brought that damaged spine into this, his current life. Dr. Stafford tells me that Father Michael, currently Arthur, is in this lifetime a carpenter. As he bends over objects to saw or hammer them, his soul remembers that past lifetime in Italy when he had to mill wheat into flour. The similarity of physical action between grinding and sawing causes his spine, out of resentment, to become misaligned. I am being shown an image of you massaging his back. You resent touching him for, as Father Michael, he forced you to massage his weakened back then as well. You did so resent giving The Father massages that you actually accused him of sexual improprieties against you. Your accusation was a lie, yet you declared such to authorities in The Hierarchy. Fearful that Father Michael would learn that you were his accuser you made your accusations in Confession knowing that the Priest who took your confession could not release your name. Father Michael was questioned, suspected and watched. No evidence could be found that your allegations were true, however, any fellow clergyman never trusted Father Michael again. Although he was suspicious that you were his accuser he could never get you to admit to being so. In this, your present lifetime, you carry the burden of being that of which you falsely accused another of being. You must wear the shoes of your accusation. Whatsoever you judge you must become. You must wear the shoes of your prejudice to learn love, compassion and understanding. Do you understand?" WW: "Yes," I answered in embarrassment. "I am living the lifestyle I falsely accused the father of living. My lies and prejudice have brought this upon myself. I fully understand what you are telling me." Pearl: "It is good that you have come to this understanding." WW: "To confirm the information you have given I would like to tell you that my father is a carpenter by profession. You are correct about this. His back goes out quite regularly and so he has weekly visits with his chiropractor. For some reason his spine curves into a 'S' shape due to muscle spasm. His chiropractor has taught me how to massage him to help release the spasm. I had to give him weekly back rubs during the years I lived with him." Dr: "Truly amazing! I wish I had known this amazingly gifted woman. Her information is incredibly accurate!" WW: (Laugh) "And Doctor Stafford's, too. Don't forget Dr. Stafford." Dr: (Laugh) "Indeed. With all due respect to Dr. Stafford!" Pearl: "Father Michael's abuses were to cause your early death. Although he did not take your life with his own hand, he did so through his mental and physical abuses. For penance he would force you to stand naked for long hours in the rain. There were times you were allowed no sleep for days at a time. Your death, however, came about through starvation. He allowed you but one potato per day for penance for the last several months of your life. You passed from this world due to starvation and malnutrition at the age of thirty-two in the year of 1733. The two of you are graved in the Monastery of Saint Theresa, near Lucca in Northern Italy." WW: "But why would my father continue to abuse me in this lifetime considering all he had done to me in Italy? Wasn't that enough? Wasn't his punishment of me in Italy enough to appease him? Why does he still continue to hold resentment towards me?" Pearl: "We are not yet finished! Dr. Stafford asks me to ask you to be patient. He is reviewing only a few lifetimes in which conflicts have been built between the souls of you and your father. There were many other lifetimes to be sure. However, you are only being told of those past lifetimes most significant in giving reason for the discord between you and your father in this lifetime. There was also an incarnation in China, a life experience more recent than that in Italy. It was in this Chinese experience that your current conflict with the soul of Arthur Welch is still battling. As in the days of Hebron when you had won the soul of Julia in marriage so did you in your incarnation in China. However, in the Chinese incarnation you stole your brother's wife. The two of them were married to each other in that life experience. You and MeiJu (Julia) were infidels. Behind the back of your brother ChinCu (Arthur) you became lovers. In that life experience Julia was MeiJu, and Arthur was ChinCu, both from the province of Canton. You were then MeeWok, born to a prominent family of wealthy silk weavers and you and your elder brother ChinCu shared in your family's wealth. MeiJu had won your heart early in life. She had been your playmate as you were both born in the same year, 1824. Her father was also of great wealth. He was a dealer of imports and exports, which included your family's silks. ChinCu was your elder brother by four years. The two families arranged a marriage between he and MeiJu and of this you were very resentful. You wanted MeiJu for your bride. She desired you for her husband. However, the elder brother was first to be recognized by family custom and so it was ChinCu who was given her hand in marriage. Soon after their wedding you and MeiJu became lovers. She was a very selfish soul in that incarnation. Being of considerable beauty she projected a character of great vanity. There was no humility to her character. Her excessive wealth added to her vanity. She was arrogant, selfish and inconsiderate of others. She tormented her husband with details of your affair. When word of your romance spread, both you and she were disowned by your families. You moved to Beijing to begin a new life. ChinCu wrote countless letters begging that MeiJu return to him. She ignored his every plea. ChinCu, humiliated and heartbroken, took his own life by stabbing a dagger through his heart eight months after MeiJu left him. "They have come back together in this present lifetime to work out their karma." (The reverend closed her eyes and ran her forefinger up and down across her heart.) "Your mother's heart will bleed three times," she said solemnly. "Following that she will pass on. Your father will have eight months to decide whether he shall live or die. Let us hope he will choose to live. You see, he took his life in the Chinese incarnation eight months after your mother, and then MeiJu left him. Now, in this, his current life experience, after your mother passes on, he must decide whether he chooses to go on or to once again take his own life. He has never learned, throughout all his incarnations, to love more than one person. It has always been the soul of Julia that he has been obsessed with. That is his sin. Within thirteen years to come, doctors will tell him that he has Parkinson's disease. Do not let the doctors give him medicine for this ailment for he does not have that malady. Dr. Stafford is showing me a picture of your father's brain. He was an alcoholic and the years he spent drinking have damaged the brain cells in his lower lobe. This will cause tremors similar to those caused by Parkinson's disease. "Now, before we conclude, have you any questions?" WW: "Yes. What can I do to end the conflict between my father and me?" Pearl: "Several time per day I wish for you to visualize his face in your mind. Speak these words when having done so: 'May the divine love in you meet the divine love in me to form a better understanding.' You need say no more. This prayer will pass beyond all worldly misunderstandings and relate directly to one's soul. It is very healing." WW: "May the divine love in you meet the divine love in me to form a better understanding?" Pearl: "Exactly!" WW: "May I ask one more question?" Pearl: "You may." WW: "I have met a person who is very, very important in my life. May I ask about him?" Pearl: (Smiling. Eyes closed.) "You mean the man who deals in antiques, do you not?" WW: "Yes," I stammered in amazement. " He is an antique dealer. His name is Stephen·" Pearl: "Curry·curry like the spice?" she asked laughing. WW: "Wow! Yes!" I answered in awe. "You are unbelievably amazing Reverend Shannon!" Pearl: "Give the credit to Doctor Stafford, for it is he who has given me this information. This person named Stephen will play a greatly important role in your life. He is kind and loving towards you and will always be your protector. He is a kind man and although very handsome and extremely creatively gifted, he remains humble and somewhat shy. This Stephen is a deeply spiritual man yet rarely speaks of matters pertaining to the spiritual. He is secretive and selective of those he trusts, and it is you who knows him better than anyone else. This will be a lasting relationship, for the two of you have had many, many reincarnations together in centuries past, some good and loving, some more troublesome. The karma you two are working out in this current life experience is a combination of both loving and difficult lifetimes past ö things you must resolve and finish. "For instance, in the 16^th Century Land of Hebron you were both dealers of antiquities and jewels. In business you rivaled, you taking great financial advantage of this person whom today you call Stephen. In this current lifetime you must pay back all that you cheated him of. The law of karma is precise and every penny cheated shall be paid! Therefore, you two will work in business together until your debt is paid. "Your most recent incarnation together took place in late turn-of-the-century England. Stephen, then Samuel, was your younger brother and he cared for you during the later years of your life. You were a woman, in that lifetime, who never lived outside of your family's estate in Surrey, England. You never married, nor did you have need to work for your father produced great wealth. He was a firearms manufacturer. Dr. Stafford tells me that you dislike firearms or guns or weapons of any nature. Is this true?" WW: "Yes, it is. I have an aversion to guns or weapons of any form." Pearl: "This is because your soul still feels guilt regarding your family's fortunes made from the manufacturing of these weapons. Both you and Samuel inherited this wealth with the passing of your parents. You were never comfortable as to how this money came to you. You became, however, a great student of metaphysics. You learned to cast horoscopes and became very gifted in that area although you never became public with your gift. You lived to be 82 years of age in that lifetime and suffered the final twenty-two years of your life with arthritis. I see you sitting in a wheel chair staring out of your bedroom window. Your world was a small one for all you could see were the extensive gardens surrounding your estate. You loath fog for so often fog shrouded your view and created dampness in your suffering bones. Dr. Stafford tells me you have carried this aversion to fog with you in this your current life time." WW: "Yes, that is true. " Pearl: "For your final thirteen years of life you were cared for by a nurse by the name of Mary House. Samuel hired this woman as your caretaker. She was a very caring and kindly woman whom you both came to love. You know her in your current life experiences as Julia, your mother. Dr. Stafford tells me that you cared for your mother for the first thirteen years of your lives together in this current life experience. Is this true?" WW: "Yes, it is, Reverend Shannon. My mother has been ill since childhood. She has also spent many years bedridden. I cared for her while she was bedridden, up until the time she remarried my father when I was nearing thirteen years of age." Pearl: "Exactly! You paid pack the time she cared for you during your incarnations in Surrey, England ö thirteen years. The law of karma is always specific and exacting and fair. May I ask, out of curiosity, why your sisters didn't help you care for your mother?" WW: " Sisters?" I replied in surprise. "I don't have any sisters. I was an only child." Pearl: "But Doctor Stafford tells me you have two sisters, both older than yourself." WW: "Oh, oh yes, I forgot to tell you that I have a half sister named Marilyn, but she is from a different father than my own." Pearl: "I see." WW: "Yes. I also had a sister named Priscilla who died the year before I was born. We shared the same father. Maybe this is what you and Doctor Stafford are seeing?" Pearl: "No, Dear. Doctor Stafford insists that you have two living sisters." WW: "No Ma'am, I am sorry to contradict either of you but I do not. Priscilla died when she was only a few months old. Marilyn is alive but my mother's parents raised her. I was the only child to live with my mother and therefore I was the one to care for her." Pearl: "Very well. But, Doctor Stafford insists there is another sister and that she, too, is living." WW: "No, I'm certain that is not true. There is not another living sister other than Marilyn. It was just Marilyn, Priscilla and I, and as I said, Priscilla died." Pearl: "Hmmm, I see. Very well. I am sorry, Doctor Stafford, but you too can be in error at times. Now, let's go on to this matter about your friend Stephen. In your present incarnation, you, Julia and Stephen will all bond closely due to the time you three shared in the Surrey, England experience." WW: "May I ask what my name was then?" Pearl: "But of course! I am given the name of Amanda. Dr. Stafford tells me that during your childhood, in this your present life experience, you had a large toy Panda Bear that you named Amanda. Is this true?" WW: "Yes, it is," I answered in amazement. Pearl: "You named your Panda Bear the same name you bore in your prior life experience ö Amanda. Dr. Stafford tells me that your last name was Fitzgerald and that you lived to be eighty-two years of age. You were born in 1840 and passed from the earth plane in 1919." (Pause) "What?" (Reverend Shannon paused for several seconds. She tilted her head sideways as if listening to a voice nearby, and then continued her conversation.) "I apologize. Dr. Stafford has corrected me. He says my mathematics are disgraceful! You died in 1922 at the age of 82. My apologies to you, Dr. Stafford, for not listening more attentively. "It is time to end or session. Both the Doctor and myself are tiring. We thank your spirit guides and departed loved ones for sharing information with us. Above all others we thank Our Father God for allowing us to have greater understanding." (The Reverend paused once again. She turned her head slightly to her left and stared into space as if someone were standing beside her.) "Yes? What is it? We are concluding our session. Perhaps you could come back another time? Oh, very well. Very well then, but I can give you only a moment. Excuse me, Wally. A spirit who insists that I relate her message to you has interrupted us. She is a lovely young, blue-eyed girl with golden hair. She tells me that she passed on at a very young age. She says it was at the time that the two of you were grammar schoolmates and best friends. She tells me that her name is Joan or Joanne. Do you recognize her?" WW: I felt a shiver run up my arms as tears formed in my eyes. "Oh yes I do!" I answered. "I definitely know who she is! Her name is Joan or Joanie ö Joanie Howell. We were very best friends when we were children."

Joanie Howell

Pearl: "She is gleeful that you recognize her. 'He was to be my husband had I lived,' she tells me. 'Tell him I still love him and always will. Tell him that I come to him in his dreams and memories. Tell him that I am aware that every time he sees a Golden Palomino he thinks of me.' Does this message make sense to you?" WW: "All the sense in the world," I answered, wiping the tears from my eyes. Pearl: "She thanks you for sending letters and Christmas cards to her mother." WW: "Yes, I send her mother a Christmas card and a letter every year." Pearl: "Joanie is aware of that and she thanks you once again for the kindness. She asks me to give you her love once more and has now departed." Dr: "Joanie! Joanie Howell! Oh, my. Your little childhood friend who died made contact with you through Reverend Shannon? How lovely!"

Joanie Howell

WW: "Yes, yes she did. That was a moment I will never forget and will forever cherish. Everything I experienced that day I will forever cherish and remember. That was one of the most enlightening and inspirational days of my life. After our session, The Reverend and I visited for a moment." Pearl: "You're a lovely boy," she said to me along with a smile. "I have much I would like to teach you and there is much that you could teach me. I hold psychic and spiritual development classes every Saturday from 1:00 until 4:00 p.m. I would love for you to attend. They are small classes consisting of only eight to ten selected people. I would like for you to become one of them" WW: "I would love to be in your class. Yes, I can easily make that time available," I answered excitedly. Pearl: "Wonderful! Then it is settled. Meanwhile here are some books I want you to take with you to study. These are a few of my favorite books and they will prepare you for that which is to come. I especially love 'The Life And The Teachings Of The Masters Of The Far East' by Spaulding; and 'The Aquarian Gospel Of Jesus The Christ' by Levy. Dr. Stafford has told me to give you this one book in particular to read for he feels it will be most important one of all for you," she said as she handed it to me. "It's about the life of a great American psychic named Edgar Cayce. Dr. Stafford feels it would be of special interest to you and asks that you read it first." WW: "I certainly will. I promise. Thank you so much for all these books. Thank you too, Dr. Stafford," I said. "Is he still here in the room with us?" I asked Reverend Shannon feeling somewhat foolish. Pearl: "Yes" (she laughed.) "Dr. Stafford is still here. He is always with me. He never fails me. And lastly, before you leave, I want you to take this." (She slipped a small piece of white folded paper into my shirt pocket.) "It is a note with my birth date, time and place written on it. I want you to do my horoscope for me. I want to be your first paying client." WW: "Oh, no," I exclaimed. "I could never charge you for doing your chart. I will do it for you as a gift. It would be my honor." Pearl: "No, I will not allow that. You are worthy of your pay. One day soon you will come to understand this. Everyone must earn his or her living. Even Christ worked as a carpenter. You were given the gift of prophecy as well as the knowledge of astrology, and these are the tools of your livelihood." (Suddenly the Reverend's eyelids closed and she took in several short deep breaths. I knew she was again entering into her trance reading state.) "In a few weeks from now I see a woman coming to you for a Reading. She is a woman living in the city of San Francisco and has recently divorced. I see her dressed in a dark blue suit. She is a real estate broker and is quite wealthy. She is very pleased with the information you have given her and she tries to give you $15 which I see you refusing because you had discovered that she had recently undergone a surgery for cancer and you feel sorry for her. Spirit tells me the surgery was successful and that she will fully recover from this disease. You too, I see giving her this good news. However, you feel guilty about taking her money and therefore you refuse it. In two weeks I see this woman returning to you. You will notice that she is wearing a new mink hat. Let that be a lesson to you! She has paid more for that hat than you would be paid for readings for years and years. A woman will spend more on having her hair and nails done in one month than you would earn in one year or more. Young man, you are worthy of your pay! This woman brings with her a close girlfriend from the city of Los Angeles whom she has recommended to see you for your services. After her reading the woman from Los Angeles offers you $15 which you then take." WW: "But why would I take it?" I asked. Pearl: "Because the day before her appointment you have been fired from your job! Spirit tells me that you must lose your job to begin your career. Let this be an omen and a lesson to you. You are to be paid for your work!" WW: "When her eyes once again opened and I knew that her trance had been broken, I set the bag of books I was holding upon the floor and wrapped my arms around the dear lady's neck and kissed her on the cheek. 'Thank you so very much for all the valuable information you have given me,' I whispered. 'Your reading today means more to me than I could ever say. All the while you were speaking to me I felt that God was in the room with us. You have touched my soul in a way no one else has ever done. The information you have given me has helped me greatly. In truth, it has changed my life forever. I am more grateful to you than I could ever say.'" Pearl: "You are such a sweet boy. I am so happy that I have been of help to you my newfound friend. I am pleased that I have in some way touched your soul with my gift. However, I know that you have always been in touch with your soul. You do not realize this yet, but you will one day. God put you in touch with your soul the day you were born. It is part of the spiritual gift you were given at birth. This is why you know and see things others are unaware of." Reverend Pearl then patted me softly upon my cheek. "We shall become very, very close friends in the times to come," she said as she kissed me on my forehead. Her mother opened the door for me to exit and I turned and looked back at the two of them and waved good-bye trying not to drop my bundle of books. "Don't forget. Psychic development classes begin next Saturday at 1:00 p.m. sharp!" she called to me. WW: "I will be there. I promise. I can't wait to begin!" "It was raining softly as I made my way to the corner bus stop. Once there, the sound of thunder created a cloudburst followed by a torrent of rain. I sheltered myself underneath a tree to protect myself, and my books, from the rain. In my mind I recalled the events of this day. This blessed dear lady had magically brought continuity and logic to what I had thought to be my scattered, meaningless and disorganized life. It was not long until my bus arrived. There were several passengers on board and so I took a back window seat where I could be alone to think. 'Can you imagine?' I said to myself. 'Robert!' I had actually seen my spirit guide, Robert, that evening when I was alone in my apartment watching TV! I knew that experience was not a figment of my imagination. However there is no way I could have proven it to anyone without the help of The Reverend Pearl Shannon. Thanks to her psychic gift I now had verification that what I had seen was indeed true. Robert had actually presented himself to Reverend Shannon as proof that he had made contact with me. It was also a fact that my parents had divorced for thirteen-years and then remarried. There is no way she could have known that! And what about Amanda? Nobody in the world except Mom, Guy, Bucky, Joanie and I ever knew that I had a stuffed Panda Bear whom I had named Amanda The Panda. 'He is from a little island off the coast of Portugal,"' she had said referring to the place my grandfather was born. Yes, indeed, Grandpa was from the Azores Islands. Who in the world could ever guess that fact? As Reverend Pearl interpreted my grandfather's messages, she correctly spoke my mother's name, 'Julia' and my grandmother's name, 'Lena.' She addressed me by my grandfather's nickname for me that was 'My Boy.' There was no way in the world Reverend Shannon could have ever researched or acquired this information. True, she wasn't exactly right concerning the instance in which she told me I had two living sisters. However, it was true that two sisters were born before I was. She simply was not aware that one of them had died. This was a simple mistake and I could not count this against her amazing rate of accuracies. All things considered, as incredible as it may appear, the lady was batting a near hundred! 'There is a God and a purpose and a continuity to life,' I said to myself. 'For the first time ever, I know, I really know, that nothing in the world is by accident and that all things are planned and predictable thanks to a Higher Force. Thank you God,' I said in silent prayer as my bus splashed through the rain soaked streets of San Francisco. 'Thank you for having led me to meet The Reverend Pearl Shannon and her dear friend Doctor Stafford.' "As the cold rain splashed upon my windowpane I opened one of the several books Mother Pearl had given me to read. I selected the one recommended by Dr. Stafford ö the book he had asked me to read first, 'The Sleeping Prophet', the life of Edgar Cayce, by Jess Stearn. In no time at all I became deeply engrossed in the book · so engrossed in fact that I missed my bus stop by three or four blocks and had to run home in the rain. Stephen would be waiting for me there and I wanted desperately to share with him all the wondrous things that had happened to me on this, the most special of days."

The End

The Teenage Years

Chapter 20, Saturn's Return

Part one of The Adult Years

"In Touch With His Soul"

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