I’d like you to picture a psychic woman in your mind’s eye. I know what you’re thinking. You’re imagining an eccentric lady with a particular fondness for rings and bangles, wrapped in a multitude of shawls. She most likely resembles Professor Trelawney, prophesizing doom and gloom after examining the dregs left in a teacup. I’d now like to introduce local spiritualist medium Helen Carr, who challenges the stereotype because she isn’t remotely strange or scary looking- but she does love a good cup of tea.
I recently visited Helen’s shop above Esquire Gents Hair Salon on Kings Street (opposite Waterstones). Due to her friendly, bubbly personality I felt instantly at ease. After making a brew, Helen gave me three different readings: psychometric reading, angel cards and tarot cards.
Psychometric reading is based on the belief that our bodies give off magnetic energy fields and that whenever we handle an object we leave behind a trace. Helen recommends bringing items that you come into frequent contact with such as jewellery or keys. Photographs and anything passed down through the family are also excellent sponges for information and emotions.
After handling my house keys, Helen made a series of accurate readings on my past, present and future; my emotions and wishes; my personality, attitudes and relationships. There’s something unbelievably reassuring about having yourself described to that extent and it makes you more conscious about your strengths and weaknesses.
Angel cards focus on positive things and give you guidance. Tarot cards contain both positive and negative cards in the pack. ‘You should never give yourself a tarot reading’, explains Helen, ‘because it’s been known to raise bad spirits, but apart from that there’s not really anything to worry about’. You shouldn’t let tarot cards scare you then. Indeed, the ominous sounding ‘death card’ isn’t actually that bad. ‘It simply means the end of something’, says Helen. So basically, even if it feels like revision is killing you, chances are you’ll live to sit the exams…
Helen also picks up on spirits of loved ones and communicates messages through her three spirit guides. ‘My spirit guides are great’, she says happily, ‘they can even translate messages from foreign spirits- I only know French and a bit of Spanish’. First, Helen will glimpse the spirit: ‘it’s a similar feeling to when you look at a light for too long’. Often the communicating spirits will briefly transfer their ailments onto her. Helen sensed the spirit of my gran and described her to an astonishing level. My gran may have passed on but she’s still as astute as ever and gave me some very wise relationship advice. My granddad also took the time and effort to communicate from the spirit world, his loving message being: ‘stop daydreaming in your lectures’. Cheers, Granddad. He’s got a point.
‘Students are often drained, they’re working hard and partying hard, it can be good to get some guidance from someone not connected to friends and family’, says Helen. I’m pretty sure that you, like me, after the reading, will find yourself smiling for no apparent reason. That’s the wonderful realisation that, y’know what, things are going to be okay.
- Private readings costing £20 are available from Helen’s shop above Esquire Gents Hairdressers on Thursday 10am- 5pm. Friday 10am- 6pm and Saturday 10am- 5pm. Call 07531 636156 to make a booking.
- Helen hosts monthly psychic nights in local pubs. The next takes place at The Pendle Witch on 11th March from 7pm. Tickets cost £5.
