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The Incredible Journey of Wor ld Renowned Medium

Jam es Van Pr aaghAn Exclusive Interview by Jewels Johnson

Law of At t r act ion Radio Networ k

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Getting Messages fr om Dr. Wayne Dyer , Mar ilyn Monr oe, Lucille Ball and mor e, James talks about how he got star ted as a Medium over 30 year s ago. He talks about how it was to be the Executive Pr oducer and Cr eator of "The Ghost Whisper er ," and how he helped Debbie For d

tr ansitioned. One thing is for sur e, James Van Pr aagh has never lived a dull life! Jewels: Well welcome James! I am so excited to talk to you. James Thank you. Thank you for having me. Jewels: I have literally followed you for about 25 years. James: Actually, I've been doing this for 36 years now. Jewels: And you have expanded your work to your own school, teaching people how to connect to those beyond the veil. That's something we all need to understand and it is extremely important right now. Wouldn't you agree? James: Correct. Very correct. And it's really interesting. I find that most things have changed since back in the early 90's. Everybody has known enough about mediumship or any psychic media event but these are two very different things. So part of my legacy is my on-line school. I want to deliver information that will help a lot of people across the world understand more about mediumship and how to expand their abilities.

The on-line course is something I'm very passionate about because it goes way beyond developing your medium skills. It has 55 videos that I recorded and they are very detailed. But much of the work actually allows the student to do actual inner healing in a 28 day course for total transformation. They come back to their true authentic self to know who they really are. So early on I was practicing a bit of psychotherapy especially in my mediumship so I include that in the courses which includes a healing force course along with certification courses. It's a 4 month course that includes a book I wrote on the process that I go through in depth. It's a whole variety of things that help everyone on their expansion of their mediumship journey. Jewels: I would think that this is a vital step for everyone trying to develop their skills especially since we are moving way beyond now our limited 3D world and we need to grasp and expand these modalities beyond the veil. James: Yes, the only difference between us and the spirit world is that our soul is within the body and the souls are separate from the body. All around us is are realms of energy especially outside the body and all around us. As you know in our 3 dimensional world there are gamma rays, x-rays, microwaves...yet we're not attuned to them because we are at a different frequency. Every person becomes aware of their intuitive soul, their soul self, because intuition means the soul's voice, if you will. I think people are too insecure. but if they can tune into their Intuition,their gut feeling, they can make better choices in their lives.

I would say that life is a series of choices, either love or fear. And I think if people just knew that they can tap into their intuition, they could make better decisions with a new job or even a relationship. Let's say using intuition in establishing relationships might allow them to know who is right for them for a long term commitment. You know so many of the people I teach are so into their head and they actually come programmed that way! So many people are people-pleasers because they just need approval. I find that in mid-life, many feel like life is empty in some area of their life. And the reason why is because they are simply not living their truth. So what I'm doing is is reminding them about that reprogramming in order to get back to their true self so they can tune

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into their intuition easier and faster.

Jewels: So, let me get this straight... you are saying that our own emotional issues are blocking our intuition and our own abilities with mediumship?

James: Yes... you know I see the body as flow of energy. When there's something emotional that comes up from childhood or a relationship issue or self worth issue, if we don't remove it, all that emotional charge blocks the energy from flowing and it just sits there like a pool of water in a dam. It creates a major imbalance and there's no easement so that actually causes dis-ease in the body-mind-spirit. So we want to make sure we're very open to that. If people could change their perspective and look at themselves as a soul having a human experience instead of the other way around, then they would be able to use their observation of the situation. For instance: "This happened to me as a message for my soul to grow." If we stepped back and look at it this way, it would be so much easier to move through life. Jewels: So in fact we are our own worst enemy. James: Without a doubt! We must change the mindset. Jewels: And your school helps to do that. This helps the energy to become unblocked, opening us up to the intuition that has been blocked. You know this really answers some of the reason why some of us are more intuitive than others. So interesting! James: Another major thing is forgiveness. Most people have a hard time forgiving, especially things that happened many, many years ago. It's mostly family dynamics that I find a lot of people can't seem to let go of. But if they could resolved the issue, it would become a huge learning tool that would make changing their perception so much easier. Jewels: So we are in this new phase where we're willing to learn more about ourselves by using our intuition and healing our emotions.

So let me ask you a question... When a person that's passed over pops into your head as a thought, is this them trying to communicate with you? I know that out of the blue, I will start thinking about my Dad and I wonder why am I thinking about this right now? James: Yes! So what that means is... and this is really funny... they say that the soul is 80% out of the body and only 20% in the body so it is more or less out of the body most of the time instead of within the body. What happens is that our loved ones loves us so much, they come and watch us all the time. Since they are not living in a linear world, they can easily visit us in many different ways. They will send you thoughts via pathways from their mind to your mind. These may be thoughts of themselves or memories or feelings of the past. I tell people that when you are driving and you think of your Mom or Dad, its not you creating it... rather, its them sending you thoughts. So when this happens, have a conversation with them to fill that mind space above you with love. You could easily have a conversation with your Dad, if you don't discount the thoughts. This is something that everybody can do. Jewels: So is that the first step to getting your intuition going so that you can connect? James: Yes, the first step is expressing your intuition. So you know, we're opening up that space around your head and

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you know that there must be God. I mean this is really surrendering your mind to the possibility that there is indeed is family member spirit coming through. That is because love never dies. Love, like life, never dies. Jewels: Since we are coming up on the holidays many people feel the loss of their loved ones. How can we feel better when we are missing their spirit? What would your suggestion be? James: The most important thing to realize is that they are there with you, especially during the holidays. I often tell people to set an extra place setting for the Thanksgiving dinner and have a conversation with those that have passed. At Christmas, I'd buy them a gift and put it under the tree or for during Hanukkah. It's really about realizing that they are not dead, they are very much alive, but you just

can't see them. I also suggest another exercise that I teach in my school, especially those who are in grief and want to contact with someone that has passed especially during the holidays. Just write them a letter and then fold it up and put it away in your desk and then write in your calendar, "Response" for a week later. Then sit down, take out a piece of paper and write a letter FROM THEM to you. You will be delighted when you reread the letter. Jewels: Now, that is a great idea! I would have never thought of that in a million years. That is so brilliant. Oh I'm going to try that! So when you started all this, was it a natural ability or something that you developed? James: Both. Being an authentic medium, you are born with that skill. BUT, I think that as everyone is born with the ability to play the piano, but not everyone is a concert Pianist. You have to have that foundation first of all. But with children it's easier for them to see colors around others or lights. I remember I was 7 years old and I was saying my bedtime prayers and asked my Mother who are all those people with light' on them? And she said "Oh those are God's angels. You see them too? I saw them too when I was a little girl. Don't be afraid of them. They are there to help you and they are loving." So I experienced that as a child and then it stopped in my teenage years which other things happening like puberty and my mind was elsewhere.... Later I wanted to be a sitcom writer and I went to California after living in New York to go to San Francisco State University. I received a broadcasting degree and to make a long story short, ended up in Los Angeles where a sold a few scripts. But then I worked for a talent agency (temporary job), and a lady asked if I wanted to go see a medium and I said... "Oh, i know what that is... it's where you talk to dead people, right?" She asked... "You don't believe in that? I told her that I have a sense of it.

Well, I went and met this gentleman front England and he said, "Oh you a re a medium," and I said "What????" So he said to me in two years time, Spirit is going to use me as a medium. I said, "That Is that crazy! But he did bring through details of my love ones who had past over. So that got me FASCINATED that there is a possibility that this stuff might be real. So I went to a book store called Bodhi Tree Bookstore that you are probably familiar with on Melrose, right? Jewels: Absolutely, everyone knows that book store in L.A. James: So I went every Saturday and I just pulled books out. I was like a sponge and I read things on meditation, near death experiences, UFO and of course all this psychic stuff including life after death experiences. I ended up learning how to meditate to visualize your future as I work with the breath. I would visualize myself as a TV producer and writing a book.

After a bunch of temporary jobs, I ended up at Paramount Studios and one afternoon my co-worker went into her cubicle and behind her I saw this dead lady. So this spirit lady looked right at me and she said that's my granddaughter... "Tell her that I am alright and happy." And then she started talking about Idaho with a yellow house with white shutters mentioned needlepoint. "Please tell her all about that"..and I thought, wow... this is WACKY! So I asked my co-worker and she said that is my Grandmama and she told that they made a pack that when she dies that she would come back

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and let me know that she was OK. She continued to tell that every summer she visited her Grandmama in at her house in Idaho and my co-worker mentioned the colors of her house said that the last thing they did together was make a needlepoint for a footstool cover together.So I freaked out and I ran out of Paramount Studios and never went back again! And I ran back to my apartment and I was freaking out because I saw a dead person! That was in the early 90s and stuff like that was never talked about. I really had no idea what to do about seeing dead people. So I went back to see that medium who said I was a medium. His name was Brian Hearst. So I told him of what happened and he said, "CALM down James, Calm down. Remember I told you of that the spirit world predicted that your talents would be revealed AND that was two years ago today. Jewels: Wow. Goosebumps! James: My life changed. Brian taught me about metaphysics for many years. Every Tuesday night for 7 years I would sit in the quiet to open myself up to how to use and develop my mediumistic powers. This helped me to expand and be able to discern between spirit voices and my own, which is the hardest part of mediumship. Is it coming from within self or outside of self.? Then after 7 years, I started doing readings for people. I got very busy by just word of mount and no advertising.

Then a producer from "Unsolved Mysteries" came and had me on their TV show. Then I was on a show called "From the Other Side," on NBC which was a morning TV show. This was the first big paranormal show out there with Will Miller as host on NBC every morning at 9 AM. Although it was a national show, it was a bit before it's time but I was number one guest. After that things got a little bit crazy. That brought me to Larry King which mentioned my very my first book "Talking To Heaven."

I remember my Publisher at first said... "NO one wants to talk to the Dead," and of course, he was dead wrong! His thoughts were that that humans are born and then die, but they don't yet know about death. But I knew people wanted to know more information and my book sold over 600,000 copies which really catapulted me onto the world stage as

well! Jewels: And not only that, but I was very surprised to learn that you created the TV Show, The Ghost Whisperer, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. I loved that show, but I didn't realize that you created it! James: Yes, I did! Jewels: Were those real experiences of yours that was portrayed on the series? James: Some of those were real experiences or based on actual experiences. We brought in a specialist Mary Ann Winkowski who was basically a G'hostbuster' (cleared houses of earthbound spirits). Now personally I don't believe Spirits showing up so readily like they did in the show. But, there might be some emotional blockages that instigate a visit, like for instance, there might be a young man passed who was 24 years of age and he grew up in a very religious household. And he was taught that he had to do things a certain way or he would go to hell. So after he passed, he was afraid to go into the light. That's understandable. Or let's say as a man on his way to work was hit by a train and he pops out of the body and thinks... Oh! I don't think my wife will know where to

look for the insurance papers! He may have tried to get her. And just like the movie goes in "Ghost" with Patrick Swayze, he stayed around just to make sure his girlfriend was safe. So those sort of things do happen, and that was the basis for "Ghost Whisperers."

At the end of every show you may have noticed my thumb-print. I did do about two or three movies for the TV and one starred Ted Danson who portrayed me (it was a biography) called "Living with the Dead." Danson was picked because we look so much alike, right? So then CBS asked if I could come up with a series and that's was what "Ghost

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Whisperer" was based upon. I created it, but I didn't get credit for it because I didn't realize that you have to write the pilot to get the credit. But I was Executive Producer and my thumb-print was that Jennifer Love Hewitt always brought the souls into the light with love and healing. This was very important to me that we leave each show with this because we have to be responsible for what we put out into the ethers and into people's minds. I didn't want to leave something dark or fearful for viewers. Even though it human to be fearful, I didn't want to contribute to that. I wanted people to leave in a loving state. Jewels: Remember the movie, The Sixth Sense? It left you in a lot of fear. James: I think they wanted to make it scary. Although it was a great movie and I think they were trying to say that love never dies. Anyway I did give that movie a standing ovation in the theater and I loved it. Jewels: So let me ask you then about the scene with Patrick Swayze going off into the light... Is that the real thing? James: Yes. Usually the light is there or the tunnel with spirits are there as per the individual's level of consciousness and it usually happens right away in that spirit world is ready for you. They are there waiting and anticipating your arrival and waiting at your bedside or where ever you are. Normally you see someone that you know and happily go toward them because you feel their love. Before you know it, you are out of the body and there is no pain in death, it pain-less. You noticed that... "Wow! Where am I?" You are out of the body. Every night when we are asleep, we leave the body in a dream state. The soul leaves the body every night usually via the Crown Chakra. Many times when you feel a jolt, this means that you are not leaving through the correct access, so you come back in.

Every night we go we go spirit world and see your love ones or have dreams of your love ones. Or we see our guides as they may show us what might happen in the future. So we learn lessons over there. We go to schools over there, we meet other souls over there. We work a lot in our sleep. Or we may just choose to visit family. We are very active in the night. And when we awake to our consciousness. Jewels: I love it. Another question please. When a loved one passes and they are fearful of dying because of the unknown, at the moment they pass, are they feeling good, comfortable and then happy? James: Yes, So this goes back to my book, "The Adventures of the Soul," and it's all about death experiences. The reason that I wrote this is because I worked with a beautiful lady named Debbie Ford. She was well known for her work with "The Shadow." We became very close friends for many years and we often got each other publishing deals. We even did events together.

One day, she said to me, "Would you help me because I have a rare cancer. Would you help me to pass over when the times comes." I said "Of course I ill." The next two years and we were not in constant contact because I was traveling and she was doing chemo. But towards the end, I was very aware of what was going on. Debbie was actually in hospice when her sister Arielle Ford called me and said that Debbie wanted to speak to me. So I got on the phone and Debbie wanted to know... "Is it going to be ok, James?" I said "Of course, Debbie." "Will you help me through it, James?" "Yes Debbie, I will guide you. Don't be afraid, I will guide you." She said, "O.K., I love you, I love you." Three days later, after I returned from Palm Strings, Arielle called again and said, "She won't go and the Hospice Nurse said that she never had a patient hang on for so long! Well, Deb was stubborn when she wanted to be. Arielle said, "My sister refuses to leave, would you please help her." So I said, "Sure" and I went into my meditative state in my office.

I went down to a level that I saw Debbie and was talking to her mind to mind. I asked her, "Why won't you go... it's ok

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to go." She said, "No James, it's just weird. I feel like I've been given set of keys for a car, but I don't know how to drive it. I got an 18 year old son and I don't want to leave him." I told her that he is in college and he's going to be fine. I said, "Debbie, your fine. It's all going to be fine." I then told her that there are three people there and they were waiting for her One is a father figure and there were two friends from Miami there too. This was later validated by her sister Arielle. "You're Fine." I told her to relax and feel like a feather that was floating in the air, better yet, I told her to imagine that she is on the yellow brick road like the Wizard of Oz. "Just relax and enjoy the ride." And she said "Okay." Then I went into my living room and I began watching television. All of a sudden it became freezing cold. My Husband, Brian, came in and said, "Did you leave a door open?" and I said "No, Debbie just passed." Then the phone rings and it's Arielle and she confirmed that Debbie had just died. And I said, "Yes, I know." James: At 5 am, Debbie came to me and she was really strong and firm about me writing a book about her death experience because people have to know about this. And that is why I wrote the book, "Adventures of the Soul." Debbie said she felt so light and she kept mentioning and wondered why she worry so much about leaving! She also wondered why she worried about what people thought of her or the way she looked? "Why did I waste that time worrying?"So I wrote that in the book and it's really interesting to me because she was a very aware colleague of mine and yet ,she had that fear of the end. Now she will pop into my workshops and even when I am on a plane going to a workshop she will come and announce that she will be doing the workshop with me. She still loves doing workshops with me. Jewels: Amazing story! James Truth is, the other side is our home, and this side is just our school. Jewels: You know, I interviewed Debbie Ford once and your right, she is very strong and I even notice a bit of stubbornness. I thought she was wonderful in every way. Thanks for telling that story. It warms my heart.

I would love to talk about your school. Seems to me that it takes us out of the 3rd dimension and into another dimension where we can perfect our skills. Sounds like this school can move us forward in our understanding about why we are living as a human. So, tell us why we come her in the first place. What's the reason behind being human? James: Well that's a great question. So, number one reason is that we are souls having a human experience. And the Soul needs to experience in order to grow and expand. There are many different spaces and places that the soul can do that. There are millions and millions of galaxies planets and so forth. I asked the spirit world "Where is the earth in the evolutionary ladder." And they said, "Well James, think of the Earth as a grain of sand on the beach. That's how immense it is."

So the human world, they say, is a school that is a very important school because it is a place for souls of all levels come back to. Baby souls who never experienced human conditions before are like humans learning to crawl. And then there are the light beams that are those graduates souls, let's say, that come back to help and heal in which to raise consciousness up as well as to bring love to the planet and each other. And then there are the middle level school souls that are still learning too. We learn to have had a relationship with ourselves. It's basically about self discovery of who you really are as you evolve. Jewels: This is great information, especially since many of us stay in our victim mode instead of of understanding that we eventually we will move beyond that through self discovery. James: That's right! You know, a lot of people who are in this work, are sensitives or empaths. I have a really great course called the 'Tools for a Highly Sensitive Person.' It's gives you ways to recognize the energy around you and who's energy it is. So you know that 'thoughts are things' and what someone thinks of you, you become the target. It's like arrow that goes right to you and it stays with you until you get rid of it. So I have ways of letting go and releasing foreign energy from your space. I have some great techniques that really work with this. People tell me that I get younger looking and I believe that, because I'm in my own energy and release that energy which is not mine. It's really about self care.

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Jewels: Have you had experiences where you can see them I'm people that have passed like Wayne Dyer? James: Yes, I actually knew Wayne real well when he was alive. After about 3 months after Wayne passed, I went to Hawaii and visited another friend of mine, Doreen Virtue. Doreen asked if I would do a reading for her and sure enough Wayne Dyer came through. It was a great reading with a great message as well as messages for his family and even his publisher. He is still inspiring many people. Wayne may have passed but he is still very much with us inspiring people to write their own messages. Jewels: Wow. You really live a blessed life. To actually see Wayne Dyer and Debbie Ford! Oh my goodness! James: I have brought through many other celebrities, like the Marx Brothers, Ben Franklin, Roosevelt, Lincoln and Kennedy, even Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr. But this is very interesting because the personality they have on earth is different from their life in Spirit.

Lucille Ball said this to me right after she passed over. I didn't know her personally but I watch her show and knew her humor. I was in my rose garden and I said, Lucy? Lucy? "Yes," she said. "I'm not like people made me to be. They made me that way. I just came with this humor but they made me this thing that was not really me." I thought this was really interesting.

When Marilyn Monroe came through, I was doing a reading for Strasburg's daughter who was writing a book. She was roommates with Marilyn in the early days and at the end of the reading, Marilyn came through and said, "This is Norma" and she gave evidence to Susan (Strasberg's daughter) that it was really her. Marilyn said that she wished people would pay homage to

themselves instead of her. Princess Dianna came to me after she passed. When she was alive, I gave her a private reading. Diana said that she had a choice on whether to stay on earth or go to the other side. She said she chose to go because she could be a bigger help to her children from the other side.. Jewels: Amazing! before we go I was hoping you could give us a holiday message for our readers? James: Yes, always remember that your loved ones are with you always, especially during the

holidays. Light a candle for them. Remember you're always connected especially during the holidays. Set a place for them at the table and lite a candle. Then quite your mind and let them come through to your mind. Bring them into your thoughts and experience the love they have for you as you have for them. During the holidays, please realize that you're not alone and they will be all around you. Light a candle and you don't have to miss them, because they're there here. Jewels: Happy holidays to you and yours, James. Thanks for your words of love.

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