I realised with the encouragement and support of colleagues that I ought to look into my gift of mediumship with enthusiasm rather than apprehension, in other words, seek out other people who may be like me too, although I had no idea where to start!
Unknown to me my mum had booked me in to see a very well known Leeds based medium called Doris Chamberlain as the constant spiritual "night visitors" and visions I was experiencing had began to concern her. They were effecting my ability to sleep through the night, and at only seventeen years of age I often felt very scared by what I was seeing and hearing. The day of the reading with Mrs Chamberlain could not come soon enough for me as I hoped her advice would put an end to me being controlled by the gift rather than me controlling it.
As I entered the room I was greeted by a very elderly tiny lady who said "you're Julie, I've been waiting for you!", I thought this was a general introduction perhaps said to everyone, minus my name of course, however the following hour proved this to be so wrong.
Doris told me that the spirit world had massive plans for me to take over from her work and I would eventually be known for my readings all over the country and abroad. This was long before mobile phones, internet technology, etc so did not make sense at all as how could I be working with people so far away.
Doris went on to describe a Red Indian spirit who guided me and would always protect me until I felt able to work alone. I reluctantly told Doris that I had seen such a vision the whole of my life and I had given him a nickname "Red Rook", something only my parents knew of of.
The next piece of advice from Doris gave me goose pimples as she said "the feathers on an Indians head dress reflects the level of gift you have, one being special to three or four being very gifted." I always saw Red Rook with a fully feathered headdress like that of an Indian Chief, and as the feathers continued all the way down to the floor the thought of what this implied about my gift overwhelmed me. Doris saw this too and said very calmly "you have yet to find how gifted you really are, but it is a privilege to meet you as I have never met anyone like you before and never will".
I left the reading feeling shocked and somewhat saddened to think that my everyday life as a young career minded, happy go lucky girl suddenly had a whole new meaning, one that I had yet to get my thoughts around... to be continued!