Kelvin Cruickshank - Surrounded by Spirit

Being able to see dead people definitely makes life interesting. When I was a kid I couldnt always tell the difference between real people and dead ones. Id be walking along the footpath and see a group of people coming towards me, so Id move to the side or step off the path onto the road to let them go past me.

My friends would say, What are you doing? and when I told them, Getting out of the way so all those people can go past, theyd look at me like I was nuts.

But theres only one person there, Id be told.

Oops.

There were also a few occasions when I poked people, to check whether they were real or not. Being prodded didnt go down particularly well with the ones who were actually alive!

These days I have no trouble distinguishing between people who are in this world and those who have passed over to the afterlife. Seeing, hearing and sensing spirit is second nature to me, but I manage to turn this ability on and off to some extent. I say my karakia my prayers to keep them at bay most of the time so I can get on with a normal life, otherwise I really would go mad. I try not to tune in to spirit when I am at home its my sanctuary, and I can do without it being invaded by hordes of dead people, thanks very much.

I also try to keep spirit at bay when I am in public places like the supermarket or a restaurant. If I didnt tune out, I would see dead people around other shoppers or diners. It can get very crowded sometimes.

Thats because if were thinking of our wairua, our spirit, they are with us. They may no longer be here with us in the physical sense, but their spirit can be. You may not realise it, but people are often surrounded by spirit. If the loved ones you have lost are with you in your thoughts and your heart, you are never alone.

And its not just mediums like me who can sense and communicate with those who have crossed over. Yes, I was born with an ability to do this quite easily, but in fact everyone can do it its just a matter of believing, and learning how.

This is the message I have been trying to get across to people for many years now. I talk constantly about the fact that those weve lost can be around us, and hopefully thanks to my Soul Food shows and my books this is book seven, can you believe it? it might be starting to sink in for some people.

I love nothing more than when people come up to me and say, Hey KC, I wasnt sure about all this stuff about the afterlife, and being able to talk to people whove crossed over to be honest I thought it was all rubbish. But after coming along to your show and seeing how youve been able to pass on messages to people in the audience, I believe it.

I also get a huge kick out of hearing people say, Ive always been open to the idea that our loved ones can still be around us once theyve passed over, but I thought only people like you could communicate with them. But Ive followed the advice in your books about speaking to them, and I really do feel like my mum is here with me when I talk to her.