Unsung Heroes – Sandra Foy
Sandra Foy, along with her husband Robin Foy and Alan and Diana Bennett, was part of the Scole Experiment core group. Although 19 years have passed since the last Scole sitting, the phenomena produced, documented, and studied by a number of scientists, are still attracting worldwide attention. Sandra Foy has been active over a 25-year-period in a critical supporting role. We were curious to know about her experiences and her thoughts about the experiment’s effect on the history of and future psychic research.
You and Robin have over 40 years of experience witnessing physical mediumship and physical phenomena. You are considered by many to be world experts in what goes on behind the scenes in the spirit world and what conditions are conducive to producing physical phenomena. Can you give us some insights that would help those who wish to develop as physical mediums?
Yes, indeed – both of us now have 44 years of intense involvement with physical mediumship and its phenomena. It is a unique field of psychic research in which we are still involved after all this time. Interest in this specialist field of physical mediumship is growing rapidly amongst the general public and scientific psychic researchers since our work through the Noah’s Ark Society (on behalf of Spirit) helped revive public interest in the subject and motivated many potential physical mediums to develop their gifts for the good of mankind. Robin and I always try and stick by the way our Scole Spirit team described us – as ‘Ambassadors for the Spirit World’, while we continue to strive in bringing to the public the truth of life after death along with the reality of other dimensions peopled with those who we describe as ‘Stellar Friends’ many of whom we have been privileged to meet in person and communicate with.
To develop physical mediumship, there are four essential requirements that new developing mediums need:
- The first of these is a total personal commitment to ‘Spirit’ and to the spirit team who attach themselves to a particular development group. This involves committing oneself (together with any other volunteer sitters) to starting and sitting regularly in a development circle for that special purpose (ideally once every week initially) and for all sitters to allow themselves to be used freely in whatever way the spirit team needs in order to help produce the results that the potential medium, and the spirit team are aiming to develop. It also includes all the rest of the circle sitters committing themselves personally to regular attendance at the circle except for illness and holidays.
- The second essential requirement is total dedication to ‘Spirit’ and to the development circle by the potential physical medium and by all circle members. Once communication has been established between the circle and their spirit team this means following the advice of the spirit team to the letter. Spirit never demands things of the sitters. They request that certain things are brought to the circle, and advise that certain things in the circle are done in a certain way. Their advice is always good, so it is extremely beneficial for the group to follow the suggestions of their loving spirit team. Sitters in such a development group should always keep a totally open mind and welcome any signs of physical phenomena that might occur in the group. Because where physical phenomena are concerned there is no such word as impossible.
- The third essential requirement is: patience. There is no such thing as ‘instant mediumship’. All forms of mediumship, especially physical mediumship, can take years to develop. There are two essential types of physical mediumship:
a) ectoplasmic-based – This is the traditional type of physical mediumship, and can take many years to develop and perfect. Some famous physical mediums, such as Independent Voice Medium Leslie Flint took over 12 years to fully develop their mediumship. The second type of physical mediumship, which was partially and successfully pioneered by us in our Scole Experimental Group is:
b) energy-based – This has several advantages over the more traditional type in that, under the right conditions, it can be developed in months rather than in years. It is not at all dangerous whereas ectoplasmic-based phenomena can be very dangerous to the health of the medium. Finally, energy-based phenomena is such that, in a circle or group working in this way, there is the potential to develop many more forms of phenomena than those developed in an ectoplasmic-based way.
- The fourth essential requirement in those seeking to develop physical mediumship is passion. There needs to be a strong and genuine desire for physical mediumship and its phenomena in all who sit for it. Physical circles also need all members to be passionate in their belief that it will really happen for them and have a passionate desire to be of help to mankind.
A final bit of advice is that during the now famous Scole Experiment our spirit team actually dictated for us a ‘Basic Guide’ to help anybody set up and run an energy-based physical circle to develop similar phenomena to that which we enjoyed at Scole. This Basic Guide should be read and followed by any group seeking to develop physical phenomena, and can be downloaded for just €10 euros from Robin’s website: Witnessing the Impossible.
Once the Scole Experiment became well known, yourself and Robin were suddenly catapulted into the limelight worldwide. How did you deal with your growing fame after a relatively quiet existence in the UK?
Any ‘fame’ we might have experienced has come very slowly as more and more people worldwide have gradually become aware of The Scole Experiment. Neither of us have sought fame or publicity. However, apart from the DVD, ‘The Afterlife Investigations’ by Tim Coleman in which we both took part, I have myself retreated into the background (as I am a very private person) occasionally speaking reluctantly to interested people about Scole and physical mediumship, but not taking part in any radio or Skype interviews. Robin has stepped forward to handle those, as he is more of a speaker than I am and is able to get points over in an easier way than I can. He also runs a website for interested people Physical Mediumship 4U with over 3,170 members.
What do you think makes the pair of you a good team? What skills and knowledge do you, personally, bring to the team?
We have been married for over 38 years now, and remain very good friends as well as having the same passionate interest in physical mediumship and its phenomena. Robin is more of a ‘front man’ than I am (with my more retiring nature). Over the years, it has become apparent that we have shared other lives in the past. We have the mutual desire to help mankind in any way we can through our work in psychic research, and as a team, we continue to try and educate the general public in the truth of post-mortem survival which we, with our vast experience, do not believe in – but know to be an absolute fact. There is a massive difference between belief and knowledge!
I am more psychic myself than Robin, but have continuing doubts as to my abilities to produce ‘evidence’ in that direction. However, we do share the privilege of vast practical experience and knowledge which we have gained personally over the years in the field of physical mediumship and its phenomena. He is the investigator, and reporter of the facts, whilst I support his efforts. That works for us.
What has been your greatest challenge in your work and personal life?
Perhaps the growth and change from casual interest in our chosen psychic work to the vast knowledge we now hold between us. We started out with open minds and it was sometimes difficult to really take on board the amazing facts and phenomena unfolding in front of us until we came to the realization that this was our destiny!
Another challenge in the earlier days was trying to deal with the close-minded skeptics we encountered. Many of these were scientists who condemned all physical phenomena as fraud without either witnessing it themselves or making any effort to investigate it. Fortunately, after scientists were involved in investigating Scole, there are many scientists who are now making a great effort themselves to research the subject thoroughly. As for ourselves, if any closed skeptics (and there are still many left) deny the existence of controlled phenomena and shout ‘fraud’, we simply ignore them and carry on in the knowledge that we have ‘been there, done it, and gotten the T shirt!’ We know the truth ourselves. Honesty and reality speak for themselves!
What has helped you the most in your work?
Firstly, Robin and I both walked directly into physical developing circles at different times and in different places without experiencing any form of development circle other than physical ones. We both had very limited knowledge about mental mediumship, but both had the opportunity to witness amazing deep trance mediumship and independent voice mediumship within a short period after starting in our different circles. It is fair to say we were quickly ‘hooked’ and sought to become more and more involved in the field of physical mediumship.
There is no doubt that we were both led by spirit to meet the right people, and to be in the right place at the right time to observe superb physical mediums and/or to develop such mediumship in the circles we started and ran. The farmhouse in Scole was found for us by Spirit. It was on the main UK ley line in a village that had been a Roman settlement. To a certain extent, we have both developed some psychic skills simply from sitting in so many circles over such a long period of time.
You and Robin are involved in so many organizations including the ISM Home Circle Link, the Noah’s Ark Society, the Scole Experimental Group, and the New Spiritual science Foundation. How do you manage these activities? Which organization do you spend the most time on currently?
I should point out that the organizations you mention are a part of our past history. Robin and I lived close to the late medium, Eileen Roberts, the then President of the Institute of Spiritualist mediums (ISM) when we were first married and Robin was Chairman of the Romford branch of the ISM. During the 1980’s we discussed an idea of ours with Eileen – about the possibility of re-starting the ‘Link of Home Circles’ run by Noah Zerdin in the 1930’s. Eileen was keen on the idea so, between us, we went ahead and formed the ISM Link of Home Circles very successfully linking together home circles all over the world. Robin and I did all the administration of the organization for four years to get it off the ground but we no longer have any connection to the ISM, or to the ‘Link’.
Robin personally founded the Noah’s Ark Society in 1990, and I was happy to help with the administration and running of that organization. The Society’s primary aim was to revive physical mediumship to be included in the mainstream of psychic activities and to motivate potential mediums to develop their gifts. Once it was well established and had achieved its primary aim in 1994 we left the Society to continue in capable hands while we turned our attention (at the request of our Scole Spirit Team) to the Scole Experiment. At that time Scole had started to produce some amazing energy-based pioneering phenomena produced in a new and different way. The Noah’s Ark Society was eventually wound up by its then President and Vice-President in 2004 after 14 years’ excellent work with physical mediumship.
The New Spiritual Science Foundation was formed by the Scole Experimental Group to report on the work of the Scole Group and its unique phenomena. Our Spirit Team asked us to undertake that work to help educate the public about the merits of energy-based phenomena, as opposed to ectoplasmic-based phenomena. The foundation was closed when Robin and I moved to Spain in 2006, after running several seminars and overseas demonstrations of phenomena while ‘headlining’ the work of the Scole Group.
Neither of us is currently actively involved elsewhere, other than the American Society for Standards in Mediumship and Psychical Investigation (ASSMPI) where Robin is on the Operating Board of the Society.
You and Robin have worked on several books including In Pursuit of Physical Mediumship and Witnessing the Impossible. Are the two of you planning any future books or documentary film work?
The two books are the work of Robin alone. I have had little input, other than making the odd suggestion about what to include and what to leave out. There are no more books currently in the pipeline, but during the course of the Scole Experiment, Robin was told by Emily Bradshaw that there would be a total of three books before either of the other two books were written! So the door has not been shut on the possibility of that third book!
It has just been officially announced that a big-screen movie is forthcoming. The Scole Experiment Movie project based on the book, The Scole Experiment, is in progress. Authors, Grant Solomon and Jane Solomon, are currently writing the movie story with Hollywood producer/director, Rory Rooney.
What are a few of your current life goals?
I guess that at our age the first thing is to want to stay healthy long enough to help many other people to understand the great truth of post-mortem survival. It would be nice also to see our dream of an International Centre for Physical Mediumship and its phenomena come to fruition in Spain in the actual place that has been indicated for many years by Spirit as the intended property.
Is there a particularly important message you would like to send to our afterlife community?
To those of you who are involved in development circles for physical mediumship and to those who are considering setting up such a development circle, be constant! Never give up before you are successful! Always ensure that your circle members constantly have these four essential requirements in mind:
a) Commitment b) Dedication c) Patience d) Passion in your work.
Honor and respect your Spirit Team! Ask of them, and they will deliver!!
The amount of phenomena experienced by the Scole Group was stunning. Is there any form of physical mediumship that you have learned of that you would love to see first hand?
It is true that over the last 44 years, both during Scole and in other groups and circles, we have seen and experienced most forms (and several previously unknown forms) of physical phenomena. Before Scole ended unexpectedly our Spirit Team was working towards eventually producing phenomena in full light. I would love to see teleported spirit people and hear independent voice in full light to confound and ‘Checkmate’ closed skeptics!
Are the communications from Spirit as unique and diverse as the communicators themselves or are there one or two messages that come through repeatedly?
There are most certainly many unique and diverse communications from Spirit. But a few of these do repeat important messages. For instance, it is clear that this world is in a mess at the moment, mainly of man’s making. Our Spirit Team tells us that they are very much aware of this and are answering our unconscious call for help by attempting to bring their knowledgeable influence to bear on us for the sake of world peace and the good of mankind.
Our Spirit Team also stresses that their interaction and communication with us, the living, is very much a natural and normal process that is totally benign and benevolent.
Our Thanks
On behalf of the community, The iDigitalMedium team would like to thank Sandra Foy, as well as her husband Robin, for the decades of passion and persistence she has applied for the benefit of man and spirit. Thank you, Sandra and Robin!
Do you have a question for Sandra? Would you like to say thank you?
Comment below, ask questions, or thank Sandra and her husband in the comment section at the bottom of this page!
And Remember ~ Share Responsibly!