Review of Parting the Veil: How to Communicate with the Spirit World, by Stuart and Dean James-Foy

 (New Milford, CT: Visionary Living, Inc., 2017). ISBN: 9781942157212

More people than ever before (at least in modern times) believe in the existence of ghosts. Popular polling organizations such as the Pew Research Center are reporting that as many as 50% of the population believe in ghosts and some 20% have actually seen one. Just twenty years ago, in the mid-nineties, this number was 9%.

The mid-nineties were also the time of Dionne Warwick hawking the Psychic Friends Network on late-night TV while Miss Cleo—and her fake Jamaican accent—solicited more laughs than legitimate interest in the fields of mediumship and psychic arts.

In the 2000s we had mediumship enter the mainstream consciousness through the TV shows Medium with Patricia Arquette and Ghost Whisperer with Jennifer Love Hewitt. John Edward also had his platform reading non-fiction show on TV and mediums such as James Van Praagh and Theresa Caputo (the “Long Island Medium”) were gaining a considerable following.

As a paranormal investigator and experiencer married to a gifted professional medium and father to a teenager who has seen ghosts at least since she was old enough to talk (which means probably before), I am interested in learning as much as I can about the art of mediumship. I have read several books by John Edward and was called upon to edit my wife’s recent book, Living the Intuitive Life: Cultivating Extraordinary Awareness.  My studies and experiences served me well when I was hired to write a screenplay based on the true story of the Berardis, a family of mediums from upstate New York.

My own psychic abilities are limited, but slowly developing. If the conditions are just right, I am able to see spirits, at least partially (normally just the head and a bit of one shoulder). I am also developing my clairaudience, which means to be able to hear spirits. Developing these skills not only helps me to better understand what my wife and daughter have experienced their entire lives, but also to become a better paranormal investigator.

Given these circumstances, I was eager to read Parting the Veil. It did not disappoint. The James-Foys have studied with the best mediums England has to offer, and—as demonstrated by their individual stories that open the book—they have been experiencers since childhood. They came organically into their vocation much like my wife, wanting to understand and enhance their natural abilities so they could help others.

Parting the Veil is truly a beginner’s guide, taking the reader and potential practitioner through a historical survey of mediumship from its roots in ancient times and the Spiritualism movement of the 1800s into modern times. The fundamentals of developing the art and craft are explained in accessible and encouraging language. Even if you do not want to do readings or hold séances, the early chapters will help your understanding of this often misunderstood and at times demonized field of practice. The exercises are conveniently blocked off in grey-scale boxes so they can be easily found and returned to as one continues to work with them.

Although I have used some form of each of the exercises in Parting the Veil for the better part of a decade (and the visualizations for even longer in my work as a theatre and creative writing teaching-artist), I was impressed with the tone and detail provided by the James-Foys. If you are like me, and have some prior experience, you will still find much of value here.

In the chapter “Laying the Foundation” there are excellent explanations and exercises for strengthening both your aura and chakras. Again, these are valuable practices for anyone wanting to live and full and healthy life, physically and spiritually.

As one would expect, the exercises become more challenging and complex as the book progresses. I appreciate the focus on not only opening oneself to spirit but closing the door for protection and mental rest as well. This emphasis gave me confidence when working with the exercises to open the third eye (something that has frightened me in the past) and to further develop my clairaudience (as a professional writer I am often bombarded with voices in my head; when I am not in a place to commune with spirit or the Muse, it is comforting to have the ability to turn that mechanism off). I shared the exercise on developing clairaudience with my wife and it enabled her to better receive the spoken messages from spirit during her readings with clients.

Chapters 7 and 8 offer exercises for meeting and working with your spirit guides and for meditating. Once again, these are essential tools for any spiritual practitioner. Through my training in shamanism and other spirit-world journeying techniques I have worked with similar exercises for nearly two decades and the James-Foys have infused their unique take on these exercises with a powerful energy. It is clear that their training and experience are both at a high level, steeped in tradition but also benefitting from their unique and complementary voices.

Next, the book provides descriptions of and instructions for using such tools as Ouija boards, scrying (dark) mirrors, table tipping, and séance trumpets. All of these tools have had their share of criticism through the years; the authors do an excellent job of addressing them point by point and offering thorough guidance in using these tools correctly and protecting yourself in the process. In the section on scrying mirrors they mention Rosemary Ellen Guiley (who also wrote the Foreword). Guiley is one of the world’s foremost experts on all things paranormal and spiritual. I have one of Guiley’s handmade scrying mirrors, along with her book, The Art of Black Mirror Scrying, and I recommend both to anyone interested in learning to use this powerful tool for spirit communication.

The remainder of the book looks at private and group readings and séances. This last section is particularly thorough, from the space needed to the types of people to invite, to the décor and timing of bathroom breaks.

If the Pew polls are any indicator, acceptance of mediumship and acknowledgment of life beyond the boundary of life and death will continue to grow, as will the demand for able practitioners to minister to the needs of those who wish to contact their deceased loved ones. I have seen first hand on many occasions the immense healing power of such contact.

If you are called to be a medium, I cannot imagine better initial guidance than that provided by Parting the Veil. And for those that wish to enhance their spiritual life and practice this book is also recommended.