Crossing Over

When you lose someone, it’s difficult to wrap your head around the fact you’ll never see them again. No matter where your beliefs align regarding the afterlife, being able to connect with a loved one, just one last time, is something we can all agree we’d probably jump at. 

American psychic medium John Edward has spent over four decades helping thousands do just that, including the famous, and this month, he’s in Darwin to connect with the other side. Tierney White caught up with him for a chat.

Thanks so much for your time, John. Is it true that you got into psychic mediumship because you were in fact trying to debunk it yourself?

That is correct! My mum’s side of the family used to have psychics come to the house all the time, and I didn’t really resonate with it, and I [laughs] used to make fun of it – I used to make fun of everybody’s readings, and then I’d pull them apart. And there was a woman that came, her name was Lydia Clar, and she blew everybody’s mind. I had a harder time doing it with her readings because she was so accurate.

Long story short, my cousin said, “you should go”, and I looked at my mother, like “can I?”, and I was 15 at the time. She said, “you can, as long as you treat her with respect”, and I said, “I’ll treat her with respect, but I’m not gonna help her, like you guys”. That was a life-changing experience.

Right, so did she tell you things that she couldn’t possibly have known? And were you like, this is real, this is happening?

Yeah, and it was like she gave me information that made me sit up and take notice, and she gave it to me in a way that was commanding. She was very much, like, she didn’t care what I thought, like I was gonna listen … You know how you have that teacher in school that doesn’t have time for the smart-ass in class? That’s how she came at me.

The stuff that she gave me was applicable, and then I thought maybe it applies to every other sophomore guy in high school. And then she got into specifics that had to do with circumstances, names, and then she gave me outcomes. And the outcomes were nothing that were even potentially logical – you couldn’t make a deduction from what she gave me because there were missing pieces that I didn’t even know about. And subsequently, those missing pieces fell into place for me, to my dismay [laughs], over a relationship, and it was a little bit jaw-dropping.

Yeah, right. And so, was it that that inspired you to get into it? 

Well, the first part of the reading that she did for me was an outright, “the reason that I came here today was to meet you and put you on your path – this is the work you’re supposed to be doing”. That was her opening line to me, which, you know, I understand is a little crazy.

Yeah, and as a 15-year-old boy, you probably rolled your eyes and thought “whatever”?

As a 15-year-old boy, I tried not to laugh out loud at her … but again, she was very commanding – she had her eyes closed, she wasn’t even looking at me, she was doing psychometry, holding my high school ring at the time, and concentrating on that.

I’m going to tell you, the way that I view that reading, is as a violation to be honest. I went from going, “this is not real” to “oh, I don’t like the way this feels, I’m not comfortable”, and I try to get that across to people when they also are looking to go for a reading. Be very, very careful, ‘cause you’re gonna hear some stuff – and, by the way, that stuff is gonna be factual – and it’s gonna maybe force you to confront lessons or aspects of your grief or circumstances that maybe you’re ignoring, but it’s a catalytic moment for change.

So, I will tell you that, for me, because I felt that violated energy, I was like “wait a minute, I don’t want anybody else to be able to do this – I wanna learn more about it … can anybody just do this?”. I went from “it’s not real” to “hold on a second, if they bring somebody else into this house, if I don’t go for a reading, is that person gonna be able to know what I’m doing or know who I’m with?”. I didn’t know. Again, I was 15.

So that sent me down a path of “let me learn about it”, and book after book, I was insatiable, I couldn’t get enough. I was devouring a lot of material in a very short amount of time, and all I kept saying was “but this isn’t psychic, this is common sense …” so then I’m confronted with “wait, that’s psychic? Because I’ve been doing that since I was a kid”. Those dreams of flying, astral projection? I had a lot of that.

What would you say to anyone who, like you were, is a little bit sceptical? 

I think I’m the same way I was then that I am now. I’ve never lost my sceptical, critical thinking, analytical, OCD brain … but I still look at things the same way … I would say to anybody … never surrender your protective way of thinking, which is to be discerning and questioning. To be sceptical means to seek for validation and insight.

Now, I would tell people, if you’re cynical, don’t come … if that’s the person’s mindset, just don’t come, please stay home. Because on the off chance that I end up having to read for that person … it’s not gonna be pretty, because I usually own that person and it’s not a pleasant experience to be part of.

Yeah, fair. And you’ve travelled the world doing this, and we’re very grateful you’re stopping by Darwin. How do you feel about visiting us?

I was there, I believe, once before … when I was there, I remember it being so hot [laughs] … I am excited about coming. COVID took five years of Australia away from me, and it’s absolutely my favourite place to go and work. There’s something about the level of appreciation that I find in Australia that’s unmatched around the globe for me, so it’s a nice feeling. I’m looking forward to it!

Crossing Over with Psychic Medium John Edward
WHEN WED 13 NOV | 7-9PM
AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
COST $75-$100 | VIP $155
INFO yourcentre.com.au