Photo:Sally Morgan Enterprises
"Threats of legal consequences and violence will not deter us.." says The Guardian, referring to Britain's best known psycic Sally Morgan.
The paper's "skeptical activist" writer Mark Tilbrook has joined forces with The Good Thinking Society to promote Psychic Awareness Month in a bid to encourage people to "think about wether psychics really can speak to the dead"
With a national tour in full swing packing theatres up and down the country, I manage to ask Sally a few questions about life on the road, skepticism and yes, The Guardian.
Q How would you describe your live shows?
A I like to think that my shows take people on a journey. It is an emotional experience full of love, laughter, tears and hopefully enjoyment!
I often say that my show is not about a belief system and I stand by this. For me it is about sharing the possibility of an afterlife. I ask people to come along with an open mind and allow people to make their own minds up/
I absolutely love life on the road as it has really enabled me to explore my ability in a new way. My live shows are completely unpredictable and with so many spirits waiting in the wings so to speak, you just never know what is going to happen! I get a real buzz from being on stage, the atmosphere can be electric and the way the messages move around the audience is fascinating.
The biggest piece advice I give to the audience is to relax and come forward if they think a message is for them. So many times people contract me after the show telling me they were too shy to come forward. But you have to, they are your messages so don't miss a 'wonder moment' as I call them.
Q The world is split into the skeptics and those who believe in your magical gift
A It's not a magical gift, I don't possess any power; it's an ability. But yes, there will always be a split between skeptics and believers in my life, it goes with the territory and will be there until the day I die. I fully understand that with my work comes huge responsibility and like with anything in life, if you put your head above the parapet, you are attracting attention to what you do. I have to take the good with the bad and my aim has always been to focus on the positives. I never go out of my way to make someone believe in what I do, we are all different, all have our own beliefs both in life and religion and I respect that.
Q Is your ability awarded to you by nature/God? can it be learned?
A I think this ability I have is within everyone, but like any ability, it's strength can vary from person to person. I do not believe that what you call this 'talent' can be learnt - it is just something within you. I was born with this ability and throughout my life it developed very organically. When I became aware of it, it became stronger the same way as someone who learns the piano gets better the more they practice. But fundamentally the ability was there - I didn't learn it from a manual. On a personal level I do believe in a God but that is very personal to me and I wouldn't inflict these beliefs on anyone.
Q With this ability comes insight into people's lives and great responsibility..
A Every single day when I wake up I am the first to question my work and what I do. I am fully aware of the responsibilities that go with my work and that is one of the reasons I will not give up what I do as I feel it is my purpose. My work is very personal, giving a reading in a one-to-one is obviously very different to a show. But I like to look at it that during that evening we are all there to support each other and we all become united. Although I do deal with people's lives as strange as it may sound, my conscious is not aware that I am doing that. For me it is the spirits I am connecting to that are in control.
Q Why was it important for you to pursue papers which accused you of deceiving the audience?
A If some people don't believe in what I do, that is fine by me, if people don't believe that an after life exists, that is also fine, but don't call me a cheat or a fraud - this is something I will never tolerate because I am not.
Q What is your response to The Guardian's challenge?
A It has been a very difficult time for me over the past few weeks and I had to make some drastic decision and changes to my life. But I for me I just want to continue with my work and focus on my fans. Their support has been incredible and they give me the encouragement to carry on each day.
Q What does the future hold for you?
A My tour is my main focus at the moment. It is such a huge part of my life and something I honestly never want to stop. Next year I am also hoping to take my tour back to Australia, I have an amazing fan base there who always make me feel so welcome. I am also currently writing a new book which I hope to release in Spring 2015.