LEADING medium and tutor Glyn Edwards, CSNU,
has passed to the spirit world aged 65.
Liverpool-born Glyn devoted his life to learning and teaching, sharing his vast knowledge and mediumship with many students and friends around the world.
Having joined a Benedictine community at the age of sixteen, he took his first steps along paths which led him to acquire knowledge of other disciplines. He became a close friend of renowned tantric master Swami Dharmananda Saraswati Maharaj, who gave him the name of Devasdada, meaning “Servant of God.”
Glyn had a wide experience of physical mediumship and trance states, and was a trance medium himself. He lived in the small country village of Maids Moreton in Buckinghamshire.
The medium was a senior course tutor at the Arthur Findlay College, Essex, for more than 30 years. On its website, the college says:
“Glyn possesses extensive understanding of various mediumistic and spiritual paths, and is particularly known for the quality of his work and his ability to demonstrate his mediumship almost effortlessly in front of large audiences.
“He is highly respected for his understanding of and insight into different areas of mediumistic unfoldment and his devotion to helping students explore and realise their individual potential.
“In 2003, he made the front page of Psychic News (which he has done many times in his mediumistic life) after being struck down by a mystery virus. Since then, he has shown how determination and the power of the spirit can overcome adversity.
“Remarkably many have testified to how his work and teachings have moved on to a deeper level. He also found this chapter in his life opening up many profound insights and experiences that expanded his amazing mediumistic and spiritual vision.”
A protégé of fellow medium Gordon Higginson, Glyn worked with him on a series of projects extending over many years and was a co-founder of the Gordon Higginson Fellowship.
At one time, Glyn worked regularly at London’s Spiritualist Association of Great Britain and was involved with PRISM (Psychical Research Involving Selected Mediums).
Interviewed on radio and TV throughout the world, Glyn was deeply drawn to the teachings and insights of Ernest Holmes, the founder of Science of Mind. The medium recorded various teaching CDs and cassettes, as well as writing highly acclaimed books.
Paying tribute, Minister David Bruton, President of the Spiritualists’ National Union, said: “Glyn, who was known to many as a fine medium and tutor, and great ambassador for Spiritualism, touched the lives of so many people through his gift of mediumship. I am sure you will all join me in sending him, his family and friends the power of our healing prayers.
“Glyn had been battling cancer for a while, which naturally took its toll on him physically. I am sure that now Glyn has taken his transition to Spirit, he will be met by many friends – Gordon Higginson and others – to welcome him home.
“God bless you, Glyn. Your work will be long remembered by the many you helped and supported in your journey through this world.”
A private funeral service for Glyn took place on Friday, June 12. This was followed by a public service of celebration of his life the same afternoon in Akeley, Bucks. His family invited friends, students and colleagues to attend.
PAYING TRIBUTE TO GLYN EDWARDS
I FIRST met Glyn Edwards in the summer of 1989, just before his fortieth birthday. We instantly hit it off and discovered vast fields of common ground between us, as Glyn, like myself, had an enquiring mind and a deep interest in both eastern and western spirituality. Glyn invited me on a course he was running at the Arthur Findlay College for which he had booked, amongst others, a respected semi-retired Buddhist teacher and a Christian yogi.
It was just what I was looking for – and also for Glyn it seemed – as we both came away at the end of the course with reams of notes and lists of wonderful books to read. Jointly, we made our way to Watkins Books in London (a favourite watering hole for Glyn and me) to fill up the boot of my car with titles on Spiritualism, New Thought, mystical poetry, Buddhist psychology and yogic wisdom. It was clear from the start that we shared the same passions and enjoyed drawing from more than one source for spiritual nourishment.
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Creative Spirituality event held at the Seekers Trust Left to right: Glyn Edwards, Chris Clark, Ian Mowl, Steve Wollaston
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Shortly after our first meeting, a small graphics partnership I had in London’s Docklands moved into computerised design work. I mentioned to Glyn that if he wanted to write and publish something, this was the time, as technology made book layout less expensive.
As an energetic and creative young man, Glyn proposed collaboration between us for a book on different areas of spirituality and mediumship. I wasn’t actually expecting him to ask me to write a book with him, but agreed to see how I could help. Because of other commitments, it took us eight years to complete.
Glyn’s input was amazing. He seemed to have no end of experience, wisdom and new perspective to add. Then synchronicity magically played a part when it was finished, as a call came through from then PN editor Tony Ortzen, scouting for a publisher, asking if we would like to write a book. Glyn quickly replied, “We have just finished one!”
It became a best seller at the Arthur Findlay College shop. Glyn and I revised and updated it in 2011 and gave it a more contemporary title, The Spirit World in Plain English. Glyn was extremely pleased with the look and reading of the revised edition, which is clearly seen in his opening Acknowledgments. After all, we had come a long way since we first started writing and had more experience of such ventures under our belts.
After writing the first book, I had an idea for a smaller manual and this time approached Glyn about writing it together. Incredibly, it then became a best seller at the Spiritualist Association of Great Britain. We also revised and expanded it recently, giving it a new title, Spirit Gems. Once again, Glyn displayed how pithy he could be in putting great insights together.
In the final section of the book we found various quotations to add on important spheres of unfoldment. Glyn had no end of enthusiasm in finding key teachings from different writers and teachers he loved, such as Silver Birch, American New Thought writer Ernest Holmes, the Dalai Lama and Tibetan lama Tarthang Tulku. In all the years I knew Glyn, these have always been amongst his favourites for reading.
Glyn then presented a completely new venture. He wanted to set up a fellowship honouring the name of his much-loved friend and mentor Gordon Higginson, which would not only look at mediumistic unfoldment, but other related areas of spirituality. The fellowship ran numerous successful events in the south of England, including two major physical mediumship courses with several high-profile names.
Glyn was obviously a big draw at many events and loved having the freedom of working without being under the scrutiny of another organisation. Glyn was also aware that I was becoming deeply involved in nature/earth-centred spirituality and happily chaired a day for free that I put on with members of GreenSpirit, including the respected scientist Chris Clark and Ian Mowll, the interfaith minister and co-ordinator of GreenSpirit.
At the same time, Glyn then asked if I would put together a small book on mediumistic and psychic powers in different traditions, as he wanted to promote a more inclusive and open-minded understanding of alternative paths. Having already written an Appendix that touched on this in a yoga book with a swami, I accepted Glyn’s request and expanded what I had started in that book.
I asked Glyn if he would also like to be interviewed for two large sections that could be included. Questions put to Glyn were invariably followed by a period of reflective silence. He would then answer fluently and without pausing until he had covered all that he felt was needed. We called it Realms of Wondrous Gifts.
Having co-authored so much with Glyn, and him having recorded various exercises and teachings for CDs and written countless articles for magazines such as PN, I realised there was enough material that could be pulled together for a collection of his key teachings on mediumship. After all, he was the one who was famous – and mediumship was what he was most famous for.
We successfully launched the anthology with the name The Potential of Mediumship at one of the fellowship’s main events three years ago and sold almost every copy we had with us after Glyn finished a truly dazzling demonstration of his mediumship one evening.
The queue to the table where Glyn sat joyously chatting and signing copies for everyone was a sight to be seen. Putting the book together for Glyn was a labour of love and I was really happy it turned out to be such a big success for him. I will sadly miss doing the creative projects we did together and those wonderful memorable times we had.
– Steve Wollaston (aka Santoshan)
