Tomorrow is not just another day, it is the day our world turns into a new millennium leaving behind all the successes and follies of the past. We will each remember the joys and the sadness of our personal days that now exist in another country where things were different. The past is like that for us all; there are shadows and light in that far away land. In the years to come we will tell our tales, our stories of long ago, when we were young. No doubt you, like I think of how 'It might have been' the saddest words, as the poet John Greenleaf Whitter wrote. Looking back down the path we can see now where we went wrong, taking the road less travelled by, that made all the difference. Or perhaps not taking it and wondering if only?

There are many things we collectively leave behind, the wars, the rationing, the smoky chimneys, the cobbled streets, the outside loo's, the mills and factories, the dark coal mines, the Rock 'N' Roll Elvis years, the swinging 60's, the hoped for tomorrow that somehow just never came. And those we once knew and loved. Yesterday is like that forever now, frozen in time by the first few digits of the date. But the dawn of the year 2,000 marks not the end of life as we know it, but the beginning of a new era that really does seem to offer hope.

Around the corner, in the tomorrows that are yet to be, there awaits a potentially glorious future for Spiritualism. In the early years of the new millennium the truth of life beyond the physical body will become an undeniable scientific fact. Psychic World contributor Michael Roll is certainly doing all he can to ensure that this happens sooner rather than later. He is, however, up against the likes of Dr Susan Blackmore who constantly explains that there is no such thing as life after death. Strangely Dr Blackmore seems to take some kind of pleasure in decrying Spiritualist beliefs. Only a few weeks ago she was on network TV in the UK with Nick Ross poking fun at the idea of spirits and those that communicate with them. Perhaps the new millennium will see her eyes opened to the truth. However I doubt she would accept as proof anything less than full spirit materialisation in public under conditions controlled by her team. That is something to look forward to.

Another thing I would dearly like to see is a TV channel dedicated to psychic matters and Spiritualist beliefs. In the USA there are many religious cable TV channels that feature the likes of Jimmy Swaggert, the now fallen charismatic Christian. There can surely be no good reason why Spiritualism should be denied a channel. I recently spoke with a lady called Jeannie Judd of Martock in Somerset, who told me she knew of a TV production company that were considering launching just such a channel based on the truth of mediumship and spirit communication. There is a lot of interest in all matters spiritual and whoever does eventually put the project together is certain to generate a massive amount of attention. Not least from certain quarters of the religious sector who might not be too delighted to see spirit mediums communicating on TV without a sceptical presenter to interrupt.

In the recent past I was in a meeting with the directors of BBC Religious broadcasting talking about producing a series on the proof of life after death. The idea was that the BBC follow a team of mediums and scientists that I brought together to explore 'haunted' houses and psychic phenomena. Those of you who listen to 'Today' on BBC Radio 4 may have heard Mike Thompson interviewing myself and others about 'The Ghosts of Belgrave Hall'. This was high profile quality exposure for psychic matters and at the time I hoped it would lead on to many more such investigations. But that was yesterday and it only might have been. Perhaps in the new millennium the BBC will look again at the idea.

Mainstream UK commercial TV seems to insist upon a sceptical approach to mediumship. Of all the programmes I have seen few provide a positive image of Spiritualism and mediums in general. There are some that make the participants look much less than effective. TV hosts, such as Jon Ronson, are notorious for ripping the fun out of the unsuspecting. Mr Ronson once tried to persuade me to include my grandfather's ashes in a TV programme he was hosting, thank goodness I said no. My dear granddad would have been shocked to find himself a post humus TV star. Not that I have always escaped unscathed, I was once roundly abused by a team of so called 'Christian Exorcists' at Midlands TV 'Central Weekend Live' programme. These 'gentlemen' had the audacity to tell me I walked with such a bad limp because I didn't believe in God. They had no idea that I am in fact an amputee. There is a saying that one-legged men are useless in backside kicking contests, I know some pseudo 'exorcists' that might not agree.

The fringe TV stations, such as Granada Breeze, do feature programmes that are loosely based on mediumship. Psychic World columnist Gary Dakin was recently featured on this channel's 'Psychic Livetime' programme. The Liverpool based medium Derek Acorah is a regular presenter on the show and has enjoyed considerably more success than most in presenting his psychic gifts to a TV audience. In the U.S.A. chat show hosts such as Montel Williams regularly feature spirit mediums broadcasting to millions of viewers. In the UK most of the major talk shows, such as 'This Morning' seem reluctant to feature Spiritualists. I was on this programme back in 1997 when Bloomsbury published my book 'Psychic Pets'. Since then I have repeatedly tried to get various mediums on with their books and have had no success. Perhaps the light touch is essential for daytime talk TV and mediumship is not seen by the producers as 'entertainment'. Whatever the reason Dr Blackmore and her ilk are seemingly acceptable whilst her opponents, such as the aforementioned Michael Roll, are not. Will it all change in the future? I sincerely hope so.

The year 2,000 is with us now and we are all children of the age of Aquarius. Anything and everything is possible, we have only to believe in ourselves to make it happen. I believe that great things are just around the next turning for the psychic world of mediums and Spiritualism. The dark days of being excluded from the mainstream media are vanishing with every new dawn. Soon the days of being insulted and legislated against will be gone with the winds of change. After all, tomorrow is another day.

You can read more of John G. Sutton on the web site www.PsychicWorld.net.

Write to me by E-mail or at: John@jacemngt.demon.co.uk

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