Innholdsfortegnelse for Oct-2018 i Chat It's Fate

It probably won’t come as much of a surprise to anyone that I’m a huge fan of Hallowe’en. Every year, my kids and I get dressed up and go out trick or treating. Everyone in our village goes wild, draping their houses in cobwebs and eldritch lights, with coffins in their gardens, skeletons on the walls and more pumpkin lanterns than you can shake a stick at – it’s great fun! Whether you want to learn to be more witch (p20), wonder why spiders are so scary (p32), or would love to know just what it is about garlic that vampires hate so much (p48), we’ve got Hallowe’en covered. You can find out where all the best parties are on (p58), too. Have a wonderful month – and a fabulously…

The ghost attacked my girlfriend After being woken by the ghost of the hanged woman, I was too scared to sleep in the bedroom. I slept on a pull-out bed in the living room instead. Three or four weeks later, I got up to go to work at 8am as usual. My ex-girlfriend was sitting on my sofa – which was odd, because she hadn’t stayed the night. ‘Shouldn’t you be getting ready for work?’ I asked her, surprised. She didn’t answer. How odd. I offered her a cup of tea, but there was still no reply. I took the tea out to the living room – and as I leaned down to put it at the table, I glanced at her and she smiled. Her mouth was full of…

Celebrity Past life Top model Cara Delevingne has psoriasis and worries that it repels people. She suffered from leprosy in a past life, and was shunned for it. If she can remember this, there’s a good chance her psoriasis will disappear into the past where it belongs! Meditation mandalas Do you have trouble ‘switching off’ in order to meditate? Jenny digitally paints channelled meditation mandalas specifically for you. Stare into the image and take flight into a spiritual connection with your guides. Secrets of old souls An ‘old soul’ is a person who has lived many lives and is therefore a mature soul. They seem older than their actual age, because their body might be young but their soul isn’t! Old souls often make friends out of their age group,…

Dear Barrie My sisters and I lost our beloved ‘Aunty Joan’ about 16 years ago now and we’ve never truly gotten over her passing. Although she wasn’t a blood relative, she treated us like her own. The bond we had with each other was so strong, and we adored her, as she with us. We’d love to know if she is at peace, and if she is still around. We also hope that she knows how dearly loved and missed she is, every day. We would be so grateful for any kind of message. Jess, Emma and Amanda Dear Jess, Emma and Amanda You need each other around this time as it holds an anniversary for you all, a sad time during which you lost a lady to the spirit…

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE Dear Roi, The other night I had a dream where I was totally happy - happier than I’ve ever been! Everything was just perfect in my life, so I was gutted when I woke up to find it wasn’t real. My life isn’t bad - so why this dream? James Robertson, 42, Truro Dear James You definitely feel that something is lacking about your life right now - but don’t worry. It’s human nature to want to improve things, not rest on our laurels because ‘nothing needs changing!’ Have a think about what might need your attention, and see if you can help yourself do that very thing! Culture corner The lovely old seaside town of Margate in England is home to a beautifully restored…

The man in the hat Browsing through travel websites, I spotted a fantastic hotel in Brighton at a surprisingly low price. ‘What a bargain,’ I muttered, grabbing my credit card. It was November 2013 and as a birthday treat, I’d bought tickets for me and my husband Gareth to see one of our favourite bands in Brighton. I’d decided to book a hotel, so I was pleased to get such a good price for the Royal Albion, a stunning old hotel right on the seafront. ‘It’s grand, isn’t it?’ Gareth said as we checked in. Sure, it was a little rough around the edges, but the building had an aura of faded majesty, like an old lady who’d been the belle of the ball in her hayday. We found our…

Aries 21 MARCH - 20 APRIL Your love life Your heart skips a beat this month. Things are as confusing as they are exciting and can be summarised by one word: intense. On the one hand, you’re fretting that the relationship plans you made so carefully have gone out of the window. On the other, from the 9th, you’re planning a whole new beginning. Mid-month, you find a way to verbalise your feelings, which will prove helpful. A stroke of good fortune on the 31st brings you back to basics in a good way. Life and laughs Your pals are important to you – there may be a lively discussion with one of them on the 11th. You’re both feisty individuals, but you'll make things up before long. You're itching…

RIDDLE’S REMEDIES Dear Kirsten, My boyfriend is super-shy. Could a spell help him open up to me? Sophie, 25, London Dear Sophie You can’t make him say or do anything he doesn’t want to, but you can encourage him to relax and open his heart. Take an ice cube mould and almost fill with water. Add in one drop of almond and one drop of vanilla extract, then fill to the top. Almond and vanilla are associated with love and compassion. Serve him his favourite tipple, then drop in two cubes, to represent you as a couple. As the ice melts, so should his nervousness! Goddess report Hestia is the Greek goddess of hearth and home. Her name means ‘the essence,’ and fire is her element, so it’s no surprise…

You asked in your August issue whether any of your readers have seen a UFO – well, I have! It was in October 2010. I was walking with my partner through the gates of Green Hill Cemetery in Bramley, Leeds, when all of a sudden, a bright green light appeared above us and flashed past in seconds. There was an airplane coming over and it narrowly missed the green object by what looked like inches. My partner and I were stunned to witness this! Deborah Taylor, Yorkshire…

When author Heidi Hollis went on Coast to Coast AM late night radio to talk about her personal experience of shadow people in 2001, the radio’s phones were jammed with listeners ringing in to share their own encounters. It seemed this was a phenomenon that loads of people had experienced but nobody was talking about! Hollis’ book The Secret War: A True Story About A Real Alien War And Shadow People brought the whole concept of shadow people into the mainstream and became a bestseller. According to Hollis, shadow people are not friends to humans. Some listeners to the radio show talking about being attacked and strangled by these entities. Hollis believes the entities to be negative, alien beings that can be revoked by calling on the help of Jesus.…

NO CHANCE TO BLOSSOM Dear Jenny I’m convinced that I had a past life in Japan – I’ve even written a screenplay in which a character has a past life in old Japan! I feel like I was female, and that cherry blossom had some significance. What can you tell me about it? Pippa, 47, Amesbury, Wiltshire Dutiful wife It is 1750. Your name is Aguri, which speaks volumes as it means ‘the child of those who have too many children.’ This is why your parents were completely thrilled to find you a husband - times are hard for those with many daughters. The problem is that your husband is not a kind man and you are scared of him. You are intelligent, although uneducated, and yearn to see more…

We could all do with a sneaky peek at the future. Whether you’re thinking of changing your job, starting a new relationship, or just feeling out of sorts, it helps to have a little inside info that you’re on the right track. More than that, it can be really empowering. Which is why, for centuries, people have practiced divination - using everything from crystal balls to chicken guts as a way of foretelling the future. Don’t worry, we’re steering clear of recommending bloody entrails as a fortune-telling aid! Ceromancy is a powerful and popular divination method that uses something we all have at home - candles. Liz Dean, author, psychic and divination expert, shows us how to make it work. Take this class to GETTING STARTED Ceromancy…

Tia always cheered me up when I felt low Lying on my bed, my eyes full of tears, I felt a pressure next to me as my Labrador, Tia, jumped up beside me. She sighed and snuggled down against my side. I reached out a hand and stroked her black fur. Instantly, I felt my mood lift slightly. ‘Thanks, Tia,’ I murmured softly. My husband Mark and I hadn’t planned on getting a dog, but a local farmer’s Labrador had unexpectedly produced a litter of puppies, and we’d agreed to take one on. Tia was adorable – a bundle of black fur with brown, soulful eyes – but the puppies had been born under a bush, as is the way of rural dogs, and at first, I couldn’t even cuddle…

It's neither male nor female Shoving my jumper into my bag, I glanced at the time. ‘Crikey, I’m going to be late collecting my friends,’ I gasped aloud. I dashed outside and bundled my bag into my car. I was off to the Fairy Fayre at Glastonbury for the first time, driving a few friends down from Gloucester with me. I was so excited – we were in for the best day ever! Twenty minutes later, I was on the dual carriageway. All around me, my friends were talking and giggling. Just as I approached the first exit, I heard a loud voice over the din. ‘Go home. Turn around and go home,’ the voice told me. ‘No way,’ I thought dismissively. ‘I’ve been looking forward to this event for…

Baz was a popular, lively and bubbly lad with lots of mates The woman on the other end of the phone sounded utterly distraught. ‘Please help me,’ she begged. ‘I think our son was murdered. I saw your profile in True Crime magazine, and you’re the only person that can help us.’ I could hear the pain in her voice. How could I say no? So a flight was booked to Newcastle. The night before I was due to fly to Newcastle, I had the strangest dream. Over and over, I dreamed about the illuminated right arm of a young man. Then, on the plane, I saw it again – a vision of a right arm above the clouds. Strange sight David McKenna, the father of the dead 22-year old…

This month October’s New Moon takes place in Libra, the sign associated with the planet Venus, just as Venus is going through one of her relatively rare retrograde cycles. (Venus retrogrades about once every 18 months, unlike Mercury which retrogrades up to four times a year). With the New Moon in the partnership sign of Libra, and Venus highlighted, it’s a great time to ask the cards about your love life, whether you’re single or attached. However, if your love life is of absolutely no interest to you, then you can equally ask, ‘What do I need to know to improve my finances?’ as Venus is also concerned with abundance. Think of your question, then choose card 1, 2 or 3. 1 : New Moon in Pisces If you’re asking…

Clinking my glass of Prosecco against my husband Paul’s, I beamed at him. We’d just finished a tiring week at work and were enjoying a well-deserved break at The George, a 16th century former coaching inn in Wallingford, near Oxford. The meal in the inn’s restaurant was delicious, and were laughing as we made our way to our room, probably influenced by a glass too many of Prosecco. As soon as we walked in, I shivered. ‘It’s really chilly in here,’ I remarked. I closed the window – but for some reason, we suddenly both felt irritable. It was so cold in the room ‘Did you have to close it?’ Paul snapped. ‘And why not ask me first, instead of just doing what you like?’ I glared at him, threw…

LOVE IS IN THE AIR Feeling like you’ve been stuck on pause recently? October begins with Pluto in Capricorn releasing itself from retrograde motion, finally setting us all free to move forward. The bad news is, though, that when one thing starts going in the right direction – what happens next? Yep – something else starts going backwards! Thankfully, in this case, it’s Venus, the gentle love planet - but the fact that it’s happening in Scorpio could still make it a pretty intense experience. Interestingly, the New Moon is in Libra and the Full Moon in Taurus – both Venus-ruled. This is certainly a big month for the love planet, and with all this passionate intensity around, sparks could certainly fly. Good or bad sparks, though..? DATES FOR YOUR…

People have vanished away The trees rustled as an eerie wind whistled through them. Shivering, I spun round, feeling as if someone or something was behind me. But it was only my husband Cornel. ‘Don’t worry,’ he grinned. ‘You’ll get used to it.’ I was visiting my Romanian husband Cornel’s homeland – Transylvania. Situated in the north west of Romania, Transylvania literally means ‘beyond the forest’ – but of course, to most Brits, it can only mean one thing: Count Dracula! According to historical accounts, war lord Vlad Tepes – also known as Vlad the Impaler for his horrible habit of impaling his enemies on vast wooden spikes – was born in 1431 in Transylvania. Monstrous man He’s widely considered to be the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s novel of 1897,…

Get out and about Grimmfest, Manchester’s horror, sci-fi, fantasy and cult film festival, takes place from 4-7 October. The 10th anniversary of the festival promises to be special, with guests including cult horror movie icon Barbara Crampton. Go to grimmfest.com Red Dwarf fans can get their fix of Rimmer, Lister and the gang at Dimension Jump, the official Red Dwarf Fan Convention, in Nottingham from 5-7 October. Step up to red alert! Visit dimensionjump.info  for more details. Running from 25-31 October, the Edinburgh Horror festival is a multi-art event encorporating magic, theatre, cinema, spoken word, games, improv and a lot more beside. Check it out at edhorrorfest.co.uk WATCH IT CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA We told you Sabrina The Teenage Witch was making a comeback…

The ‘nasty man’ haunted my childhood Standing in the living room of a semi-detached house in Horsham, West Sussex, I watched the other members of the paranormal investigation group bustling about, excitedly setting up their equipment. I was a member of the team, and the family who lived here had called us in to do a clearance after being scared out of their wits by mysterious dark shadows, terrifying growls at night, and a horrible feeling that they were being watched all the time. There were ten of us crammed into the living room, which looked completely ordinary – photographs of the kids on the walls, comfy cushions on the settee – but I was starting to get a strange, churning feeling in my guts. Something wasn’t right here. In…

VA-MOOSE! A hideous monster has been spotted in Canada….Well, maybe. Audrée Tanguay Fréchette, who lives in Gaspésie, Québec, a remote and isolated part of the country, filmed what she thought was a moose grazing at the side of the road on her phone – but when she looked back at the footage, she spotted a strange, humanoid creature creeping though the forest towards the moose. Creepily, looking at the footage, the only facial features it seems to have are its eyes! The video promptly went viral on the internet after Ms Fréchette asked for help identifying the weird beast. Viewers speculated that this could be the legendary Rake monster – which is like Bigfoot, only a lot less friendly! It’s said to be tall, with hollow black eyes and long,…

Melon heads If you already sprinkle pumpkin or sunflower seeds onto your morning porridge, then why not add a few watermelon seeds, too? Packed with protein, B-vitamins, magnesium and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, you’ll see the benefits in clearer skin and stronger hair. Simply roast the seeds yourself for a few minutes on a baking tray – or just eat them along with your watermelon slice. Delicious! Treatment of the month: Bee sting therapy Gwyneth Paltrow is said to be an advocate of apitherapy, as it’s also known. On her wellbeing website Goop, she wrote that she was ‘given “bee venom therapy” for an old injury and it disappeared.’ Bee venom therapy is used for treating arthritis and MS. However, it’s something to approach with caution, as many people are…

Canny crystal Dear Katie, Should I leave my job at a chiropractor’s to become a self-employed healer or stay where I am? Sara, 45, Norwich Dear Sara Amethyst will help give you a clearer sense of intuition and thinking so you can pave the way for you to make a decision on the right way to turn for you. Rutilated quartz paves the way for higher spiritual guidance to help you receive the messages you need. Flourite facilitates impartiality and increases intuition. Working together, these crystals will help you decide what to do. HAVE YOUR COLOURS INTERPRETED Dear Katie My three favourite colours are purple, turquoise, and baby blue. How can I use my own experiences to help others through my work for a charity? Gemma, 32, Wymondham, Norfolk Dear…

After such a fabulous summer, it’s a bit of a shock that the darker evenings are starting to draw in! However, there’s always a positive, and it’s lovely to close the curtains and snuggle down with a book and a mug of hot chocolate. It’s also an opportunity to do a little angel work. What is happening in your life right now that you need help with? What has worked really well for you - and what needs improving. Write it down as if you were writing a letter to a friend and set aside an hour for a chat with your guardian angel; they will always be on hand if you ask them. Now, read that letter back, as if you had received it from a friend. This helps…

Angela’s details of his passing were so accurate. When we flew her up from Birmingham, all she was being shown was my Barry’s right arm, and a church where he said he lived, and flowers with the name Baz on them. Unbeknownst to her, Baz died when he was injected with an overload of heroin in his right arm – we didn’t even know the circumstances of that until later. My late husband picked her up and she relayed this to him – he just smiled. When she pulled up in the drive, all was revealed – our home is attached to a church and all my Baz flowers were still in the grounds with his name on. She gave me the final details of his last breath and who…

Every month, I draw a card for all of the four astrological elements. Think of it as this month’s advice for you from the heavens. FIRE (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius). A time to give rather than take (New Moon in Virgo). This month, ask less what others can do for you and more about what you can do for others. EARTH (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn). Balance spirituality and practicality (Full Moon in Pisces). So, yes, meditate, do yoga, chant - but also fulfil your responsibilities this month! AIR (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius). Hold your vision (Fixed Moon). Stay focused on your goals this month – daydream about them being fulfilled and you’ll speed up the process. WATER (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces). Your hard work is paying off (New Moon in Capricorn). The Universe’s message…

The UK is teeming with haunted hotels, so you’re spoilt for choice if you’re actively seeking a night spent hiding under your duvet! Still, these three are worth checking out… The Skirrid Inn, Monmouthshire The oldest pub in Wales, if not the UK, this is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of a former landlady – as well as the lost souls of at least 180 prisoners who were hanged in this very pub. Visitors to the pub often claim they can feel the noose tightening round their necks… The Langham, London This swanky hotel boasts a whole plethora of ghosts, including a German prince who committed suicide by jumping out of the window on the fourth floor, a phantom butler, and a gentleman in Victorian dress in room…

The Libran nature Flirty and charming, you adore company and being part of a partnership - not just romantically, but in every sphere of your life. You’re also very good at seeing both sides of an argument, but this may cause infuriation – more to yourself than to anyone else! You’re too diplomatic to upset others. Procrastination can be a big issue for you. You can’t bear unfairness, but you also like serenity and the good things in life - squalor is not your thing! Watch out for overindulgence. Although you’ve got a quick mind, you’re also a little bit too trusting at times. Don’t be taken for a fool. Your love life Romantic and soft-hearted, you wear rose-tinted glasses when it comes to your partner, which means it hurts…

Famously used to ward off vampires, for over 5,000 years, garlic has been used as food, medicine, an aphrodisiac, money, and in magic spells. The Ancient Egyptians used it as currency, and unfaithful Egyptian husbands would chew on it to hide the smell of their mistresses from their wives. However, Tibetan widows were forbidden from consuming it in case it ‘inflamed their passions’ a bit too much! Roman soldiers would scoff it before battle to give themselves strength and courage – as did the Vikings. In Mediaeval Europe, peasants would hang it outside their homes for protection against the Evil Eye. Its popularity waned during the First and Second World Wars - only to redouble by the end of the 20th century. Now, it’s widely used in cooking and healthcare,…

Stroll past my cottage down a pretty country lane, and from the outside, you’d think everything was completely normal. Open the front door, though, and you’d trip up over a broomstick, find crystals and herbs for making spells. You see, my home is where my family coven practices our rituals. I’m the High Priestess. The other coven members are my daughter Sherilee Blything, 42, a self-employed cleaner; daughter-in-law Steph Blything, 42, a full-time mum; and Steph’s children Freeleigh, 19, and Raven, 11. I share my home with my husband Steve. He’s the only one of the family who isn’t a witch! Childhood passion Being a witch comes naturally to me. When I was four, my grandmother, who was also a witch, let me watch her mix herbal potions for people…

SWEET SAM Dear Jackie My pony Sam is getting very elderly at 27 years old, and I’m worried about him. Can you ask him if he still feels he has a good quality of life? Laura Jones, Cheshire. Dear Laura Sam is loving, funny, and cheeky. He says he has taught you so much, and is proud of that. He shows me he could ‘pop a fence’ no problem in the past – indeed, he was fine until last year - but gently lets me know that he is struggling with his body now. He knows you’re worried about him and don’t want him to suffer. I asked him if he feels he has a good quality of life. He says his behaviour has changed; he has lost his spark…