At first Sabrina and I did not understand what was happening. It was subtle, but the atmosphere kept changing and we were having unexpected dreams.
This began to happen shortly after we had started, with our friend Malcolm Stern, the Alternatives Programme at St. James’s Church, Piccadilly, where we hosted a wonderful variety of spiritual teachers from all over the world and from many different traditions. 
Both Sabrina and I are natural empaths and psychics – she gets pictures and I get feelings and sensations – and it took us a while before we finally understood what was happening.
The spirits and angels associated with the speaker were coming to St James’s in advance of the presentation – and Sabrina and I were sensing them. One of the earliest occasions we noticed it was when Sun Bear, the most well known Native American teacher of the time, came to talk. A few days before his actual arrival, the totems and spirits of his tribe and lineage turned up. Unlike Sun Bear, who had to transport his physical body in airplanes and cars, the spirits could just zip across into the space as soon as the thoughts, energy and momentum carried them.
Sensing the presence of these invisible visitors was always interesting and gave us a different perspective on the evening’s presentation. We were often following two parallel tracks. One track was the observable presentation of the speaker. The other was the atmosphere, energies and mood created by the associated spirits.
The Aura of Lineage
I will not name names, but most famous speakers and authors really are just ordinary, normal, average people. We would welcome them into the rectory and give them a cup of tea or space to relax before the talks. Then they would go into the main church and their aura would change as it became filled with the energy of their spirits.
There was one eastern teacher who represented a particular tradition, the leadership of which had been handed down from father to son, generation to generation. As Sabrina said, he had inherited the family business. Backstage he was shy, interested in cars and not very good at conversation. In front of the audience, he began his talk by first saying some prayers. Immediately the atmosphere changed into something profoundly spiritual and moving. This was not due to his personal energy, but due to the spirits of his lineage over-lighting and then channelling through him and the space.
Over the years, we experienced this many times – ordinary people transforming into charismatic spiritual teachers as their aura was amplified and filled with the radiation of their spirits and angels. Sometimes, of course, the teacher is also a person of great integrity and wisdom. The Dalai Lama is a good example of an old and very deep soul, but if you want to understand the power of his large gatherings and ceremonies, it is not right to see this spiritual power residing in him as a person. It resides in his office as head of his Tibetan Buddhist order.
Initiation and Ordination
The women and men who become the heads of traditions and lineages, almost without exception, go through initiation rites in which they are ordained into their new role. The clairvoyant, CW Leadbeater, described in great detail what happens to Christian priests when they are ordained. The ordaining bishop may not know it, wrote Leadbeater, but when the ordination is sanctified a tiny spirit (cherubim) is anchored into the new priest’s energy body. This means that the priest now has a permanent connection to the spirits and angels of the Christian lineage – and to its vast reservoir of healing and christed energy.
Exactly the same happens, for example, when a Reiki initiation takes place. A permanent connection is made between the healer and the great reservoir of Reiki healing energy. By visualising or drawing the appropriate symbol, a connection is activated by the relevant Reiki spirits and the healing energy can now flow. This kind of connection is also made when monarchs are blessed and crowned.
Problems, Paradox and Blessing
This can lead to a couple of problems and it is good to be aware of them. The first is that people often think that the spiritual atmosphere belongs to the individual spiritual teacher or healer instead of to the spirits and angels. They may therefore idealise or even idolise that person. This is understandable, but it is not real and it is not healthy for anyone’s development.
The second challenge can be even more distressing. Once people have been ordained or initiated they may still act as channels and transmitters even if they themselves have corrupt attitudes and behaviour. This can lead, for example, to the awful paradox of corrupt priests being able to bring through a blessing despite their abusive behaviour. I have met many spiritual leaders from all traditions who are alcoholics or sexually abusive, but nevertheless carry the power and blessing of their lineage.
You might think that their ordination should be revoked – and it often is – but many of these priestly mavericks evade detection or have too much power. And just as it takes a human being to perform the act of initiation or ordination, so it also takes a human being to break the connection.
All of this shows the power of lineages and ordination. It also demonstrates the innocence of the spirit beings, who continue to do their work of healing, inspiration and blessing despite the failings of their human channels.
All my love, William
