A Childhood Glimpse of the Spirit World

When I was between six and eight years old, my family visited my aunt and uncle in outer London. We went to see a house they were considering moving into. The estate agent took us inside. The house was musty, warm, and had a heavy atmosphere. As we gathered in the lounge, I strongly felt that someone had died there, in a particular chair. I said this out loud. The estate agent denied it, claiming the owner was just out shopping. But I insisted.

The adults around me, including the estate agent and my family, laughed or tried to stifle a laugh, which made me feel embarrassed and as if I was in the wrong. My family didn’t know how to react, and I was told to be quiet. That moment, I started to lose my trust in my spiritual intuition. It was only much later that I realized how profound that early experience was, and how easily a child’s spiritual sensitivity can be shut down.

Although at the time I felt quite bad, now I’ve forgiven them, because they didn’t know how to respond. And although children do have imaginations, they are very much connected to the spirit world—more so than adults, who have had this ability shut down or closed off, often due to environmental factors—like the pressures of school, growing up, and modern life, which can make people unable or unwilling to connect with these deep feelings or intuitive experiences.

All I ask is that, if you have a sensitive child or children, please let them have their pretend friend, let them say what they need to say, and gently encourage them to share their emotions and feelings. Let them know that you are a safe, non‑judgemental space. When a child is closed off in this way, their spirituality may resurface much later in life—and sometimes that can feel confusing, overwhelming, or deeply unsettling, especially if they do not yet have support or a language for it… as I didn’t. And the truth is, it really wasn’t much fun … but it was worth it and I am glad to be back!