Don't Kiss Them Good-bye

by Allison DuBois

  Chapter 16

  Science and the

  Other Side

  Lab Rat

  I was watching Dateline in the winter of 2001 when I saw a story on Dr. Gary Schwartz and John Edward. John Edward’s psychic ability was being put to the test and Dr. Schwartz was talking about his research on the survival of human energy after death. My guides told me that I was to be a part of Dr. Schwartz’s research and that I had to contact him. My guides never steer me wrong, but I knew nothing about being a research medium. I liked the idea of science being fused with the other side, but could I be effective there?

  Dr. Schwartz is the director of the Human Energy Systems Laboratory at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He is known worldwide for his academic research on life after death. It took about a month to get in to meet with this busy man. If you’re a psychic looking for confirmation from Gary that you’re significant, forget it. Gary looks at you to study you, not to praise you. I like that about him. He’s a scientist, not a groupie. I now sarcastically refer to myself as Gary’s lab rat.

  I grew increasingly excited about the meeting. I was going to get some third-party, objective validation from science. I wasn’t looking for a pat on the back, just a test to gauge my ability. I was willing to be wrong or even to fail a test. I just had to know, for myself, whether I could measure up to my own expectations. I wanted feedback from an academic familiar with the spiritual field.

  After a month of waiting, the day finally came for me to go to Tucson and meet Dr. Schwartz. Because of his academic accomplishments, I felt awkward about calling him anything but Dr. Schwartz. After all, he didn’t invest years in obtaining his doctorate for nothing. But he would not allow such formality and insisted that I call him Gary. Besides being modest, he was warm and personable.

  As we sat down, Gary began explaining that my timing was interesting because he had lost someone close to him two days before. While Gary was talking I saw a male spirit standing next to him.

  “Great!” I thought. “What if he doesn’t want to hear from a relative right now?” Sometimes those on the other side can be impatient.

  The male spirit pulled out a wrench and started tapping Gary on the head with it. It was so funny I could hardly keep a straight face. I was also trying hard to listen to Gary’s words of wisdom. Finally, I couldn’t concentrate any longer.

  “Gary, there is a man that is with you, either your uncle or your great-uncle. He’s not an academic like you. He’s holding a wrench in his hand and he’s tapping you on the head in a teasing manner. He’s mechanical. He works with tools and is good at fixing things. He’s a down-to-earth kind of guy.”

  Gary said, “Yes, that’s fine. We’ll talk about that after I test you.”

  I took a deep breath and we continued. Gary was interested in testing me to see whether I could bring through any messages or details about the recently deceased person that he had mentioned earlier. He provided no other information—not age, gender, or circumstance.

  After a short pause I said, “I see an old woman. She’s petite with white hair and she has a small dog with her.” I felt a little unfulfilled, because a lot of old people with little dogs die. I guess I wanted to say that it was a kid with a nose ring or a man wearing a purple polka-dot dress shirt, something unusual. But there are only two genders and many human generalities. It’s the little details that define the person and add impact to a reading.

  Dr. Schwartz sat silently for a moment and then said, “Go on.”

  I was really nervous; Dr. Schwartz is Harvard educated and taught at both Harvard and Yale. He is a well-respected scholar and I wanted to exceed his expectations of me. He also works with some of the best-known mediums in the world and I wanted to leave a lasting impression on him. This would not be easy. I was flashed a picture but I didn’t want to reveal it, it seemed so insignificant.

  Apparently my facial expression betrayed me because Dr. Schwartz encouraged me. “Just say whatever you get. It’s okay to be wrong.”

  “I see a paperboy selling newspapers on a street corner, he’s in New York City. He’s holding up the newspaper and showing it to me. The person on the other side is saying, ‘I do not walk alone.’ ”

  Dr. Schwartz jotted this down.

  “Flowers are important to your friend,” I added. Dr. Schwartz didn’t respond.

  I continued, and we carried out the rest of the session while I shared many other personal details.

  When the session was over, Dr. Schwartz said, “Let me tell you what your information means.”

  I couldn’t wait to hear. I could have been wrong on the gender, age, and a hundred other things. How nerve-racking! Now was not the time to be wrong.

  He started off by telling me that the person who had just died was named Susy Smith and was in fact an old woman. She was eighty-nine, just shy of her ninetieth birthday. They had been colleagues and good friends. She was petite and had white hair, and had once been a newspaper reporter in New York City. And, indeed, she had a little dog she had loved that had died years ago.

  The statement “I do not walk alone” was also of significance to Gary. Susy had stated before she died that she hoped she’d be able to walk again on the other side. She had relied heavily on a wheelchair at the time of her death. Susy was letting Gary know that she was whole again. Also, she had always loved children but had had none of her own. I had described her as standing beside a male child. Susy was now taking care of children; she was mothering them. She was letting Gary know that she walks among children on the other side.

  The reference to flowers was right on, because Susy used to paint pictures of different types of flowers. There were many other details that let Gary know that she was alive and well on the other side. Gary then gave me feedback concerning the male spirit that stood beside him, the spirit I had commented on earlier.

  Gary let me know that he had an uncle who used to joke around with him when he was a child. His uncle had owned a hardware store and was very mechanical. Apparently Gary’s uncle is still teasing him from the other side. Confirmation is sweet to a medium; it allows us to share a personal moment with the people we are reading. I feel blessed to meet the colorful spirits who communicate their messages to those who still long for them.

  In April 2001 I had another test placed before me. Dr. Schwartz had asked a question of his late friend Susy. He wanted Susy to hear his question and send her answer through any of the mediums participating in his study. We were not allowed to know what the question was and we were all tested independently.

  Dr. Schwartz asked me if I knew the answer. (There’s some pressure!) I kept getting that it was something that Susy wanted to bequeath to Dr. Schwartz. I repeatedly saw a scene from The Wizard of Oz where Dorothy is holding her little dog, Toto, in a handbasket. I described this and Dr. Schwartz asked me to elaborate on what I was seeing.

  While Dr. Schwartz was talking to our secretary-recorder about the notes he was taking, I whispered, “Her dog.”

  His ears perked right up. “What did you say?”

  I said, “Her dog. Who has her dog? She wants you to have her dog, she says no one will love her dog like you will.”

  I continued, and at the end of our session I was told that the question that Dr. Schwartz had asked Susy was, “Who do you want to take your dog?” That’s what I refer to as a psychic high-five. Score!

  People ask me how I feel about Gary. We have a multifaceted relationship. He is an impressive man and an advanced scientist. I respect his foresight, his humor, and his strength. You get the picture: I really admire him.

  Being Gary’s research medium has given me great focus with my gift. I had raw ability when I met Gary, but I lacked a frame of reference that would help me push the boundaries of my ability. As a result of my lab testing and the challenges posed to me by Gary, I have become more bold in my readings. There is a big difference between being able to receive the name of a deceased relative and being able to answer a specific quest
ion posed to the other side without being privy to the question. I really had to work on being focused to accomplish something at this level of difficulty.

  One reason is that a question posed to the deceased and requiring an answer from a lab medium can be seen as a demand on the deceased. It’s not necessarily an emotionally based reading, it’s academic. A deceased scientist like Susy might be interested in participating, whereas someone else may not. Also, mediums are simply secretaries to the dead. We’re just telling you what the deceased says.

  Lab readings are different because we are not able to make an emotional connection with the spirit on the other side through their emotional connection to the sitter. When I do a reading, I feel what the spirit feels for my client. I receive memories that connect the two, and images of objects that may bind them. Having both energies physically present (the lost loved one and the sitter) allows me to facilitate a physical connection between the two parties by acting as a medium.

  When I’m working for the lab, I often don’t even have a sitter in the same state I am in. I am not told the sitter’s gender, age, or anything I can connect to. I simply receive information from the other side and pass it on to the lab to be again passed on and graded by the sitter.

  Although the result appears to be the same whether a sitter is present or not, I personally am left a bit empty when the sitter isn’t there with me. Without knowing that I succeeded in bridging a gap for the sitter, I miss out on the personal connection that occurs when I sit down with a client. However, that’s a small price to pay to contribute to science; I hope that by doing this I can help make being a medium better for those who follow me.

  Being a research medium is unique; we learn to rely on our information no matter how strange it might seem, and we must share it in order for it to be documented. We have also learned to function under difficult circumstances and on command.

  Research mediums tend to be straightforward with our information and sometimes we have to remember to be sensitive. I remind myself with every reading that being honest and sensitive to my client is paramount. Being a research medium has made me stronger and has taught me endless life lessons.

  To be able to test my gift means a lot to me. Not only do I gain confidence, I have the opportunity to refine my skills. I do this by taking note of the information I receive, how it comes through, and what it feels like. I look at my psychic and medium information with open eyes. For example, I have learned that those on the other side can bring their messages through only by accessing concepts with which I am already familiar, such as names, pictures, and places. In other words, I have to comprehend it before I can pass it on. So my own life experiences go hand in hand with using my gift.

  For example, since I am familiar with law enforcement, especially in the area of homicide, when I bring through a murder victim I can easily receive verdicts and courtroom information on the perpetrator(s). I also have a knack for getting into the mind of a perpetrator. I’ve noticed John Edward’s medical knowledge because he is very good at determining cause of death and medical diagnoses. Mediums have specialties. We have our own strong points and individual style to enhance our abilities. Variety is good.

  I was in Tucson one day on business and arranged to meet Gary for dinner at a Mexican restaurant to catch up. The soft glow of the restaurant was easy on the eyes and I was delighted to be in such good company. Joe, Gary, my friend Catherine, and I sat down in a booth for some spicy cuisine.

  After we ordered, Gary mentioned that he had a challenge for me. Let me emphasize this was not a lab test, simply an informal challenge.

  Gary told me that Susy, his friend on the other side, might be paying visits to a child. This child claimed to see and hear Susy. His question was, “Who’s the child and what can you tell me about the child’s mother?”

  I sat back in my seat and took in the question. “I see a child in the hospital; she has lost her hair.”

  I gave Gary a name, and I was off on the child’s name by one letter. I included other details and messages of love concerning the child.

  Gary told us, “The child has cancer, but I’ll have to find out if there was hair loss.” (There was.)

  Next Gary asked, “Where does Susy visit the child?”

  “On the child’s bed.”

  Gary said that was correct.

  The child I speak of is a feisty, bright light energy. She, too, has the gift and is learning to define it. This is partly why Susy has chosen her to connect with from the other side. She is not only accessible, she is enjoyable.

  Gary then asked, “What about the mother?”

  “I feel like the mother is a psychic who has been on TV,” I replied.

  Susy then showed me an image of Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac. I looked at Gary and said, “Laurie Campbell. Is it Laurie Campbell?”

  “Are you asking me, or are you telling me?” he asked.

  “I am telling you.” I had never seen Laurie Campbell before, in person or otherwise. But for some reason, whenever I heard Laurie’s name in passing at the lab, I’d see Stevie Nicks in my head. I know it was Susy who had been orchestrating this visual comparison to give me a reference to draw on.

  Gary wasn’t sure why I associated Stevie Nicks with Laurie (he isn’t familiar with Fleetwood Mac), but he said that in fact the mother was Laurie Campbell. I knew nothing personal about Laurie before the challenge except that she’s a consistent research medium. Susy accessed the only information that I had stored on Laurie.

  Fortunately, it was all that was needed to give Gary his answer. I shared the Stevie Nicks comparison with Laurie Campbell on a later date, when I spoke with her for the first time. Laurie said that she actually had a conversation with Susy before Susy died. In this conversation Laurie had talked to Susy about how she wore dresses similar in style to those Stevie Nicks wears, and how she and Stevie Nicks have other personal similarities.

  The information resonated with Laurie and showed me once again that what means nothing to one person can be important to another. Susy spent much of her time and energy on earth trying to prove the existence of life after death. Susy still works to prove her case that human energy continues to exist after death while she walks on the other side.

  “You Have Got to Be Kidding!”

  I have read for many sitters in the name of science. There was one who left the serious Professor Schwartz giggling on the phone. For those of you who don’t know Gary, this is out of character for him.

  I received a call from Gary at a specified time so that I could read for a test sitter for the lab. The test was set up like a conference call between Gary, the sitter, and me; it was recorded and later transcribed. Both Laurie Campbell and I were utilized (individually) for this test.

  The reading went as follows: I was asked what, if anything, I was receiving on the sitter. A barrage of information flooded through and I laid it out neatly for the sitter. The sitter is not allowed to speak to me until I am formally finished giving my information.

  I cannot go into great detail about the personal aspects of my sitter’s reading, for he is well known and would like his privacy. I knew that he was significant, because I was being told by his late father that his son carries the weight of the world on his shoulders.

  Well, that’s a lot of responsibility! So I proceeded to advise my sitter on what he needed to do to take care of his health. I shared messages for him from his loved ones and conducted his reading as I would a reading for any regular client. I shared causes of death and personal details about his family members who had passed away, and I was glad to connect.

  After we finished, Gary asked, “Do you know whom you just read for?”

  I said no.

  “Allison, you just read for Deepak Chopra!”

  This information was later scored by Dr. Chopra as being approximately 80 percent accurate.

  Most of you will know who he is. For those who don’t, Deepak Chopra is one of the best-known authors in the world and
a very spiritual being. This is funny because I’d just advised a man who is not only wise himself but connected to the very wise. He has published numerous best-selling self-help books. The man advises heads of state, celebrities, royalty, you name it. And here I was helping him!

  I told him that I was honored to have read for him. I felt pretty good to be able to give something back to a man who frequently gives so much of himself to others. Some people are givers, some are takers, and most are in between. When a person is mostly a giver, he can deplete himself. When he’s mostly a taker, he depletes others. One needs the energy to be returned to have balance. I hoped I had given him something worthwhile. After a few words with Deepak, spoken against the background of Gary’s laughter, the test was concluded. I will never forget that reading.

  The Pilot

  While writing this book I was given the opportunity to audition for a television pilot. The producers wanted to sample my talent through a phone reading for one of their executives, named Brian. I usually prefer to read a client in person, so I was a bit leery. The morning of my interview arrived and I prepared for my conference call reading.

  My first observation was that there was a tragedy connected to Brian’s sister. Her loved one on the other side showed me a car that was significant to her. I stated that the person who passed had died because of an inability to breathe. This was key to Brian, and he confirmed it, so I elaborated further, providing personal details for Brian’s sister. I was able to provide information for his sister that would confirm her deceased friend’s presence.

  I also told Brian that his sister was going to marry the love of her life. This didn’t make sense to Brian, because his sister was in a less than ideal relationship. A month after the reading, she attended her class reunion and began dating a former classmate. They made plans to be married in October 2002.