I wish I had a pound for every time I have been asked this question in the last few years.

People will say.Does it mean you are a spiritual person? or Is it a cult? The answer is no it does not mean you are a spiritual person (although it should) and no Mum, I have not joined a cult.

Spiritualism is a science, a religion and a philosophy. It is a science because we seek to examine instances of communication from the departed to ensure they are genuine. It is a religion because we believe in a God force that is behind all existence and it is a philosophy because we learn through mediumship from the teachings of those in Spirit.

Spiritualism has been around in its modern form for over 150 years now. The re-birth if you like, came from the Fox sisters, Kate and Margareta in Hydesville, New York in 1848. The sisters contacted a spirit whom they named Mr Splitfoot, through a serious of raps and bangs which the spirit imitated to prove that he could see them. It subsequently became known that this was the Spirit of a pedlar, a Charles B Rosna, who had been murdered at the house before the Fox family occupied it. The Fox family were very ordinary people, basically educated and not particularly religious.

As a result of this communication others made successful attempts to contact the spirit world and people began sitting in circle. Some years later, after the confirmation of his existence and discovery of the remains of the murdered pedlar Charles B Rosna, Spiritualism arrived in Britain courtesy of a Mrs Hayden. Of course it was not readily accepted but backing from such a prominent figure as the Socialist Robert Owen, founder of the Co-Operative movement, helped enormously.

The first Spiritualist church was born in England in Yorkshire, and to this date that part of England is still considered to be the centre of Spiritualism with a vast number of churches in Yorkshire and surrounding area.

After passing to Spirit himself, Robert Owen gave through the mediumship of Emma Hardinge Britten, what are now known as the 7 Principles of Spiritualism:

1. The Fatherhood of God
2. The Brotherhood of Man
3. The Communion of Spirit and the Ministry of Angels
4. Continuous Existence of the Human Soul
5. Personal Responsibility
6. Compensation and Retribution Hereafter for All Good and Evil Deeds Done on Earth
7. Eternal Progress Open to Every Human Soul

Spiritualism is not led by anyone that has gone before or is coming in the future. You do not need to study a bible or other religious texts. There are no religious garbs to adorn yourself with nor any ceremonies to take place. There is no forbidden food, nor sadly days of rest.

So, lets recap, a Spiritualist is one who believes we continue to exist after the physical has died and that there is no one to forgive us our sins, we must be responsible for our own wrong doings. To me as a Spiritualist, I try to treat people as I would be treated myself, although I am honest enough to say, just sometimes it can be really, really hard