Review: Real Life with Lucy - Psychic Mediums - Virgin Media Television
Ghost/Paranormal
Tuesday 8th, October 2024
Lucy Kennedy, a well known Irish presenter, takes viewers on a fascinating exploration into the world of psychic mediums and spiritual practices in her television show Real Life with Lucy. This episode offers a balanced approach, engaging with individuals from both sceptical and believer perspectives. While some of the practices and claims are intriguing, the show leaves it to the audience to form their own opinions about the validity of these experiences. The episode provides a mix of personal anecdotes, psychic readings, and scientific views to offer a well rounded examination of the topic.
The show begins with Lucy meeting Natasha Bracken, a psychic medium who claims to be "50% human and 50% spirit". Natasha’s journey into mediumship began after a personal experience where a spirit allegedly saved her son’s life. According to Natasha, her son was warned by a spirit not to get into a car, which later crashed. This event led her to pursue a lifelong career as a psychic medium.
Natasha believes a person’s aura can tell a lot about a person and their health, even when medical professionals cannot find any cause. She refers to herself as a "white witch" and uses rods for fertility healing, among other things. During her session with Lucy, Natasha displays some unusual behaviours, such as shaking, which looks almost like a fit, and odd breathing patterns. These actions occur while she works over Lucy, Lucy does state that afterwards that she did feel something in her tummy area.
One notable moment is when Natasha removes a blanket from Lucy, immediately saying, “you’ll feel cold”. This could be interpreted as a simple consequence of taking off a warm blanket, rather than something supernatural.
Next, Lucy meets Roisin Quigley and Susan Farrelly, two women who admit to becoming addicted to psychic medium sessions. Both Roisin and Susan describe how they couldn’t get enough of the information provided by the mediums, visiting them repeatedly.
Roisin recalls an emotional story about her mother, who was ill in hospital. She had been offered free tickets to a Gary Barlow concert and decided to attend. Roisin claims that everything became clear when Barlow performed his last song, “Let Me Go”, which resonated deeply with her situation. After her mother’s passing, Roisin was in attendance of a psychic medium session with someone else, when the psychic medium told her that her mother was grateful for being “let go”.
Susan, on the other hand, explains how she began visiting psychic mediums at just 15 years old. She became hooked, returning time and time again for more insights. While both Roisin and Susan speak about their reliance on these sessions, it’s clear that their experiences are deeply personal and provide comfort, even if there is no solid evidence to support the accuracy of the mediums’ claims.
Lucy’s next stop is with Bryan Power, a psychic medium, tarot card reader, and self-described witch. Bryan introduces Lucy to the idea that witches work with the number three, incorporating this belief into his practice. During his session with Lucy, Bryan also performs psychometry, which involves reading the energy of an object, in this case, a ring that Lucy brought with her.
Some of Bryan’s insights seem to surprise Lucy, and she confirms that several things he says are accurate. However, it’s important to note that viewers don’t see the full session, so it’s difficult to judge the overall accuracy of the reading. One of Bryan’s most interesting statements is, “never let the dead lead the living”. This advice, which is not commonly heard from psychic mediums, adds a more grounded and cautious perspective to his practice.
To provide a scientific viewpoint, Lucy speaks with Ian Cox, a parapsychologist. Cox explains that while he believe many psychics and mediums may be acting out of good faith, there is little evidence to suggest they are truly tapping into a supernatural world. He believes that some individuals may simply have heightened psychological abilities, allowing them to pick up on subtle cues such as body language, mood, and even what a person is wearing. This, in turn, could make it seem like the medium is offering insights into something personal or meaningful to the client.
Cox goes on to explain the difference between cold and hot readings. Cold reading involves probing questions and some level of understanding of body language, while hot reading involves researching a client beforehand, such as looking at their social media profiles to gather personal information. Cox advises that people should be cautious, recommending simple steps to avoid being misled, such as not sharing too much information with the medium during a session and being aware of how natural body responses, like nodding, might encourage the medium to continue in a certain direction.
Cox also touches on some recent research into RNA, which suggests RNA might not only carry genetic information but might carry experiential information from ancestors down the generations. While this is still speculative, it raises the possibility that some of the insights provided by mediums could be tapping into deeper, inherited knowledge rather than the supernatural.
Lucy then meets Ann Duggan, also known as Blue Feather Ann, who identifies as a soul diver. Ann shares her story of personal loss, having lost both her father and sister to cancer within nine months. This grief, combined with the stress, led to a stroke. Despite being told she would never recover, Ann made a recovery and dedicated herself to helping others heal through soul diving.
In a session with Ann, Lucy observes as three individuals, Michael Conlon, Carol O’Reilly, and Joanne Power receive readings. Michael is the sceptic, Carol is a firm believer, and Joanne is seeking closure after losing a loved one. Despite the varied expectations of the participants, the readings fail to offer anything particularly concrete. While there are moments that might be considered interesting, none of the participants seem deeply moved or convinced by the session’s end.
Lucy returns to see Natasha Bracken at her live show in Tullamore Court Hotel, where a large audience eagerly awaits messages from the other side. However, what transpires is disappointing. Natasha makes a series of generalisations and broad statements that fail to land with the audience. The closest she comes to making a connection is when she mentions two rabbits, but overall, nothing specific or striking emerges. This segment reinforces the sceptical view that mediums often rely on vague statements to keep an audience engaged.
The show concludes with Lucy visiting the Hill of Uisneach, a historically significant site where the Bealtaine Fire Festival is held. This location is believed to be the burial place of Irish gods like the Dagda and Lugh. By ending at this sacred site, Lucy ties together the episode’s exploration of spiritual practices with Ireland’s rich cultural heritage.
Real Life with Lucy offers a balanced view of the world of psychic mediums. Throughout the episode, Lucy speaks to individuals who genuinely believe in the power of psychic mediums, as well as experts who provide more grounded, scientific explanations. The show does not push the viewer toward a specific conclusion, allowing individuals to make up their own minds about the legitimacy of these practices.
While some viewers may find comfort in the stories and practices shared, the episode also highlights the importance of scepticism and critical thinking. Ian Cox’s advice on being cautious with mediums, combined with the inconclusive results of several readings, serves as a reminder that these practices may not always be what they seem. Ultimately, Real Life with Lucy leaves the question of belief open, respecting both sides of the debate. Whether you are a believer or a sceptic, the episode provides plenty of food for thought on the mysterious and sometimes controversial world of psychic mediums.
The show begins with Lucy meeting Natasha Bracken, a psychic medium who claims to be "50% human and 50% spirit". Natasha’s journey into mediumship began after a personal experience where a spirit allegedly saved her son’s life. According to Natasha, her son was warned by a spirit not to get into a car, which later crashed. This event led her to pursue a lifelong career as a psychic medium.
Natasha believes a person’s aura can tell a lot about a person and their health, even when medical professionals cannot find any cause. She refers to herself as a "white witch" and uses rods for fertility healing, among other things. During her session with Lucy, Natasha displays some unusual behaviours, such as shaking, which looks almost like a fit, and odd breathing patterns. These actions occur while she works over Lucy, Lucy does state that afterwards that she did feel something in her tummy area.
One notable moment is when Natasha removes a blanket from Lucy, immediately saying, “you’ll feel cold”. This could be interpreted as a simple consequence of taking off a warm blanket, rather than something supernatural.
Next, Lucy meets Roisin Quigley and Susan Farrelly, two women who admit to becoming addicted to psychic medium sessions. Both Roisin and Susan describe how they couldn’t get enough of the information provided by the mediums, visiting them repeatedly.
Roisin recalls an emotional story about her mother, who was ill in hospital. She had been offered free tickets to a Gary Barlow concert and decided to attend. Roisin claims that everything became clear when Barlow performed his last song, “Let Me Go”, which resonated deeply with her situation. After her mother’s passing, Roisin was in attendance of a psychic medium session with someone else, when the psychic medium told her that her mother was grateful for being “let go”.
Susan, on the other hand, explains how she began visiting psychic mediums at just 15 years old. She became hooked, returning time and time again for more insights. While both Roisin and Susan speak about their reliance on these sessions, it’s clear that their experiences are deeply personal and provide comfort, even if there is no solid evidence to support the accuracy of the mediums’ claims.
Lucy’s next stop is with Bryan Power, a psychic medium, tarot card reader, and self-described witch. Bryan introduces Lucy to the idea that witches work with the number three, incorporating this belief into his practice. During his session with Lucy, Bryan also performs psychometry, which involves reading the energy of an object, in this case, a ring that Lucy brought with her.
Some of Bryan’s insights seem to surprise Lucy, and she confirms that several things he says are accurate. However, it’s important to note that viewers don’t see the full session, so it’s difficult to judge the overall accuracy of the reading. One of Bryan’s most interesting statements is, “never let the dead lead the living”. This advice, which is not commonly heard from psychic mediums, adds a more grounded and cautious perspective to his practice.
To provide a scientific viewpoint, Lucy speaks with Ian Cox, a parapsychologist. Cox explains that while he believe many psychics and mediums may be acting out of good faith, there is little evidence to suggest they are truly tapping into a supernatural world. He believes that some individuals may simply have heightened psychological abilities, allowing them to pick up on subtle cues such as body language, mood, and even what a person is wearing. This, in turn, could make it seem like the medium is offering insights into something personal or meaningful to the client.
Cox goes on to explain the difference between cold and hot readings. Cold reading involves probing questions and some level of understanding of body language, while hot reading involves researching a client beforehand, such as looking at their social media profiles to gather personal information. Cox advises that people should be cautious, recommending simple steps to avoid being misled, such as not sharing too much information with the medium during a session and being aware of how natural body responses, like nodding, might encourage the medium to continue in a certain direction.
Cox also touches on some recent research into RNA, which suggests RNA might not only carry genetic information but might carry experiential information from ancestors down the generations. While this is still speculative, it raises the possibility that some of the insights provided by mediums could be tapping into deeper, inherited knowledge rather than the supernatural.
Lucy then meets Ann Duggan, also known as Blue Feather Ann, who identifies as a soul diver. Ann shares her story of personal loss, having lost both her father and sister to cancer within nine months. This grief, combined with the stress, led to a stroke. Despite being told she would never recover, Ann made a recovery and dedicated herself to helping others heal through soul diving.
In a session with Ann, Lucy observes as three individuals, Michael Conlon, Carol O’Reilly, and Joanne Power receive readings. Michael is the sceptic, Carol is a firm believer, and Joanne is seeking closure after losing a loved one. Despite the varied expectations of the participants, the readings fail to offer anything particularly concrete. While there are moments that might be considered interesting, none of the participants seem deeply moved or convinced by the session’s end.
Lucy returns to see Natasha Bracken at her live show in Tullamore Court Hotel, where a large audience eagerly awaits messages from the other side. However, what transpires is disappointing. Natasha makes a series of generalisations and broad statements that fail to land with the audience. The closest she comes to making a connection is when she mentions two rabbits, but overall, nothing specific or striking emerges. This segment reinforces the sceptical view that mediums often rely on vague statements to keep an audience engaged.
The show concludes with Lucy visiting the Hill of Uisneach, a historically significant site where the Bealtaine Fire Festival is held. This location is believed to be the burial place of Irish gods like the Dagda and Lugh. By ending at this sacred site, Lucy ties together the episode’s exploration of spiritual practices with Ireland’s rich cultural heritage.
Real Life with Lucy offers a balanced view of the world of psychic mediums. Throughout the episode, Lucy speaks to individuals who genuinely believe in the power of psychic mediums, as well as experts who provide more grounded, scientific explanations. The show does not push the viewer toward a specific conclusion, allowing individuals to make up their own minds about the legitimacy of these practices.
While some viewers may find comfort in the stories and practices shared, the episode also highlights the importance of scepticism and critical thinking. Ian Cox’s advice on being cautious with mediums, combined with the inconclusive results of several readings, serves as a reminder that these practices may not always be what they seem. Ultimately, Real Life with Lucy leaves the question of belief open, respecting both sides of the debate. Whether you are a believer or a sceptic, the episode provides plenty of food for thought on the mysterious and sometimes controversial world of psychic mediums.
