The complete collection of “Reflections with Glyn Edwards” combines two previous anthologies of profound and inspiring quotations by Glyn, who worked throughout the world as a spiritual teacher and medium for over 40 years, and was internationally acclaimed as one of the finest motivational speakers and demonstrators of mediumship in the UK.
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This combined collection also includes passages by Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston), who was a close friend of Glyn’s and worked on a variety of books and projects with him.
Introduction to Reflections with Glyn Edwards: Complete Collection
This book brings together the two previous Reflections with Glyn Edwards books and presents them as one title, with the intention of making the complete collection of quotations and passages more assessable and comprehensive as a single anthology, and hopefully more affordable in paperback and hardback for readers seeking to own the entire collection.
Originally, the first Reflections book was put together to coincide with what would have been Glyn’s 70th Earth year in 2019. Like many books, it came about organically, after completing a tribute book I was approached about compiling, celebrating Glyn’s life and work, which included a selection of quotations by him. It became a natural step to then think what a book with a collection of quotations for contemplative purposes might look like.
For those who may not know much about him and would like to know more, the tribute book, Glyn Edwards: A Renowned Medium Remembered, would be a good place to start. Not wanting to repeat what has already been written for that title, I will share the brief overview from the first Reflections book, along with the guidance I gave for how to use a book of this nature. But before doing so, I should also mention why the cover says ‘with additional material by Santoshan’. In the first Reflections book, it was because there were jointly authored passages used from books Glyn and I had written. In the second Reflections book, it was because there was an equal number of passages by me from various titles I had authored, which were included in order to make it a sufficient size to justify a new anthology.
Because we coauthored books and worked alongside each other on titles such as Realms of Wondrous Gifts and The Potential of Mediumship anthology of Glyn’s wisdom, I trust readers will appreciate having passages by the both of us. The References section at the back of this anthology credits who authored different passages although there is one chapter that readers may have spotted, titled ‘Glyn on Mediumship’, which is the largest chapter and solely by him. Readers may also notice that some chapters from the previous Reflections books that share similar topics have been put together under one heading.
Glyn Edwards
Most people who knew Glyn, saw him work and attended his courses will agree that he was an outstanding teacher, orator and demonstrator of mediumship, with a deep interspiritual, inclusive approach to his wisdom. He personally viewed mediumistic work as a sacred vocation, and frequently promoted numerous other realms of development. He sometimes ran courses and spiritual retreats that did not include mediumship at all, which were just as popular as the ones he ran on mediumistic unfoldment. Students and teachers on his courses and workshops could come from a variety of traditions such as Hindu, Christian, Jewish, Yogic, Buddhist, Sufi, Psychotherapist, Reiki Healer and Neo-Pagan, and could be of any age from teenage years to senior citizens.
His insight into and experience of an array of interrelated realms of spirituality was unquestionably phenomenal and deeply profound. It was through his influence that my own journey opened up to different areas of spirituality and mystical insight, of which I will always be grateful and offer this book in honour of his memory, friendship and encouragement.
On Retreat with Glyn and the Reflections Books
It was a few days after the great storm of 1990 when a delightful elderly Swami at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre in Bourne End informed Glyn and me about using passages for meditative purposes by the following method. However, I have added some preliminary steps and suspect that Glyn may have already been aware of the practice because of his early years in a Benedictine monastery and was probably being polite by not mentioning this at the time.
Glyn himself frequently enjoyed going on spiritual retreats to various countryside and town monasteries in England. With his deep-rooted universal approach to spirituality, he always took a variety of reflective reading material from various mystical and wisdom traditions with him. He found quiet breaks and times of peaceful reflection and contemplative reading profoundly beneficial and healing, and often shared heartfelt feelings and insights during such times.
Compiling and laying out Glyn’s wisdom for the Reflections anthologies, for similar use to the way he himself used spiritual reading in his own development, has been an enjoyable and enriching experience. I can only trust that readers will also find them a valuable and inspiring addition to other titles by him.
Suggestions for How to Use this Book
You may read this book as you wish, of course – if done in the right way, simply reading it straight through can be a form of meditation – but if you require some guidance, you might like to find a peaceful place on your own or with a small group of friends in your home or garden, or in the countryside or a tranquil place of worship. Take time to be still and quieten your mind. Sit in an upright position, with the spine erect. Feel the weight of your body on the chair, cushion or ground you are sitting on. Be aware of your interconnectedness with Gaia, with Mother Earth, with how the plants and trees feed you with life-giving oxygen and in return your breath feeds them. Consciously release any tension in your mind and body by taking a gentle deep breath and feeling it gently flowing into your lungs, noticing your diaphragm and abdomen rising naturally, and when you breathe out, slowly and gently exhale and release any tension with the out-breath. Set the intention of seeking to be one with the spirit world and in harmony with all that is within and around you.
Now allow your breathing to find its own natural rhythm. Select one of the passages you feel drawn to in this book, or open it randomly on a page. Read the passage slowly. If you are with friends, select one amongst you to read a passage aloud. Reflect upon what the words mean to you. Be with your reflective thoughts and feelings for a while and see what arises with a sense of open-hearted receptiveness. Take your time doing this. You may feel the need to read the passage again and to repeat some of the above steps. You may also wish to reflect upon other passages in this book during this time.
If you are doing this with friends, you will probably want to share any reflective thoughts or feelings that came to you. If on your own, you may wish to write them down in a spiritual journal and come back to what you write for further reflection another time.
All of the above can be done as an exercise in itself, as a preliminary step for another type of practice or part of a day of various contemplative exercises. Traditionally, in contemplative Christian spirituality, a short passage of scripture is often reflected upon for the purpose of awakening to mystical union with the Divine, which is popularly known as Lectio Divina, Divine reading, in the Christian tradition. But the practice is also found in other paths, of course. As previously mentioned, it was a Hindu swami who first taught me about it.
~ Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston)
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Paperback and hardback 252 pages
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