A brief guide to the life and works of Stephen Wakeling

Over 30 years of being a Spiritual Medium has taught me that life is a book, which is a story full of our own unique experiences. The account within your book of life, may be a single entry, a paragraph, or, even a great manuscript.  For some, their story of life can be tragic, happy and tranquil, full of loneliness, or perhaps a tale of great wealth, even of fame and public notoriety. My narrative has been one of light, opening my mind, for I do not see ghosts, apparitions, or darkness. On the contrary, I see people who have moved out from this world into total light – there is nothing to fear once you have conquered your own insecurities. However, for me life has been colourful with a tremendous variety of experiences, some happy, some sad, yet a most fortunate and fascinating journey, with many miles still to go.

I am the eldest of three boys; my father Ernest (Ernie) spent most of his life as a Toolmaker at the local cycle factory. Throughout the war he served in the Royal Navy within the Gunner Branch. Sadly, he passed into the World of Light at the early age of 46, through cancer. My father has always been a major inspiration to me, whether as a small child, during my days in the Royal Navy, and since his passing in 1971.  I often see, or receive information from him, and this link is the main reason I am motivated to help others to comprehend the interaction between the two-worlds, encouraging other people to seek spiritual knowledge and understanding.

Balance, has always been at the forefront of my own aspirations.  I have worked tirelessly, to maintain the equilibrium, between the three distinct areas of my life. The three parts are, my personal family and private life, business and professional life, and of course the spiritual pathway I am upon. All three interact with each other. Nonetheless, for many years I have kept my spiritual work apart, from my business and working life.  Spiritual work has always been an important element running through my life, even if it has had to stand back in preference to my children’s development.  Now I am the autumn of my life, my wife Linda we have two wonderful sons, a lovely daughter-in-law, with the special gift of grandchildren.

At this point in my life, my spiritual work to becoming more prevalent. Now I have more time to impart my philosophical knowledge. My work has a Spiritual Medium is built on spiritual unfoldement, acquired and honed through a commonsense approach to a natural communicative process between the Two-Worlds. Without doubt, I have had a most interesting and fortunate life. From modest beginnings, in the working districts of Lenton, Radford and St Ann’s in Nottingham I have had the destiny to travel extensively around the world, meeting some interesting and enlightened people.

The first part of my life is my spiritual pathway. Looking back it does seem so long ago, when I was talking of spiritual matters, with my grandfather John Alfred Hutchinson in Radford, Nottingham. My grandfather served in those terrible conflicts of the Boer and 1^st World Wars, in the Royal Engineers, eventually being promoted to Regimental Sergeant Major. The main contributing factors of why I have taken the path as a Spiritual Medium were first apparent when I was a very small child.  Like many children I had strong communication with those who have moved out into the World of Light.

Spiritual communication has always been natural, no fear – indeed quite normal.  The spiritual side was then, and is still a part of my life. And so it proved, when after the death of my father in 1971 of cancer, I was able to see and speak again to him. My father was free from pain, in world that he described as ‘the best place I have been in’, he asked me not to worry about him. After I gave him my total affirmation that I would never worry about him, he moved out into light. From that moment, though I didn’t know it I had started again my spiritual work, always set upon the support of others, so they could also find ‘proof of survival’ after physical death.

Now, I was on a spiritual path. I had always been inquisitive, though it was a few years before my Aunt Rowey, arranged a meeting with a local Spiritual Medium Steve Tomlinson in Nottingham. This was a watershed that was the opening that lead me to the door of one of the finest exponents of spiritual mediumship the world has ever known, bias yes – but he really was that good. Jack was a great teacher, but tough taskmaster. The nine years spent with my spiritual teacher and mentor Jack Corbett of Leicester, brought out the spiritual and prevalent aspect of my life. The lessons I have learnt on this earthly path have supported the work of others, who in many cases are more gifted than I. Yet, the efforts of spiritual understanding and enlightenment are central within my life, which is always to be balanced, the fulcrum is commonsense.

The second part of my life is my business and professional working career. At the young age of 15 I left my home in Nottingham to join the Royal Navy at the boys training ship HMS Ganges, Shotley in Suffolk. In over ten years of service I travel the world, working onboard the aircraft carriers HMS Eagle, Ark Royal and Centaur. After my father had passed into light I realised it was time for change – civilian life was a major change, one that took years, and years to adapt to!

My working career has seen great highs and alternatively great lows, from director to heavy goods driver, national training manager to chief executive, interesting. Yes, very interesting, most certainly never boring. Initially, on leaving the Royal Navy I worked for the local tobacco manufacturers in Nottingham, in the transport and marketing departments. Still not settled, I moved into self-employment for nine years, with my wife Linda. From a Public House, we eventually ended up in a traditional Fruit and Floristry business, but again the winds of change sweep and new opportunities were to open.

I took a move into what was going to a large part of my life – training and development. It was in the workplace, where I realised it was not always the best course of action to let others know about my spiritual work. All of the staff knew about the two-sides of work I did not have a problem. Not until a new training manger arrived, one who believed I knew something about him. Spiritual Medium are not given personal details about people – nor do we read minds, but when a person as something to hide, imagination can evoke prejudice. But the writing was on the wall – I left. Years later I found out the reason why the training manager didn’t like what I did. He had a dark hidden secret, and he got back to his old ways, to the detriment of the company; perhaps leopards don’t change their spots.

The lesson was clear about making public my beliefs. Nonetheless, times have changed, we have equal opportunities and so I am very happy to announce to the many my beliefs. It is still is a problem, being sensitive, one is well aware of what thoughts hide behind the forced smiles, or smirks – but that’s life. It does not surprise me when people knock the work we do; there are many strange tales, and those who make exaggerated statement about their own capacity.

For the last ten years I have built a business association up from an idea to a membership of nearly 3,000 businesses. Done it alone – not at all! Many hands invisible to others, have helped, supported and opened doors. Have I enjoyed, once I did. But, not anymore the time is set to move on and into more spiritual work.

The third area is my personal life, just like other peoples. I have been married to Linda for over 42 years; we have two fantastic sons Paul and David, an absolutely lovely daughter-in-law Colette, a very special grandson Joseph John and with a granddaughter, due to arrive in May of this year – life is good, very good.  My spiritual work has been a part of my life. Yes, always a part of my life, even if I look back to those distant days, with my grandfather, during my time in the Royal Navy, to meeting my Spiritual Teacher Jack Corbett. The story within the book of my life takes me to this point in time. I feel sad for my contemporaries who have a difficulty if the wife/husband, or partner, does not follow the same belief.  Throughout my 30 years in spiritual work I have had the great fortune of 101% support from my wife Linda, my family and friends. Because of this personal support and the spiritual world standing alongside, they have given me the equilibrium, essential when passing the message that life is eternal.

The greatest thing about my life is that I have lived it to the full. I have enjoyed and wondered at the beauty of life. Often I have deliberated at the interaction between people both in the psychical World of Earth and those in the World of Light. My philosophical thought processes have allowed me to grasp the simplicity of life.  It has always amazed me at the natural interaction of the spiritual side of life.  Yet, it continues to astound me at the confusion created by many, who make a natural occurrence, become so difficult to comprehend. The fashion today appears to be built upon fear, often clouded in bygone myths and cloaked in shadows, or darkness.  The reality is so different!

Spiritually, I have had many experiences. Yet, I have tried to stand firm in my belief, that my gift is a part of a greater plan, embracing others, who work for the benefit of humanity. Today, there is a movement of people who seek spiritual knowledge, but they are often drawn away from the true pathway of enlightenment and into the pursuit of their own ambitions. Having tasted work upon theatres, and presenting my spiritual work for 30 years, it is of no personal concern, or, gains to me, to seek fame, or notoriety – fame in reality, is an illusion.

So what of the future? More and more I have been drawn into taking private readings, private groups and evenings of spiritual philosophical thoughts. There is a great need for a commonsense middle of the road approach to spiritual communication, one of knowledge, depth, compassion and truth, and this is the work I do, in support of others.