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John Edward - Cross Country -- by Geri Wilson

(COVER STORY) When it comes to psychic phenomena and matters of the after life, John Edward is no stranger. As a psychic medium, John Edward is considered by many as one of the most influential and believable psychics in the world. Unlike many other psychics, John Edward relays his dealings of the afterlife to people by telling it like he sees it. Recently, he visited the Treasure Coast area by conducting a seminar in West Palm Beach. The Local Buzz had the pleasure of attending this seminar and watching him connect members of the audience to the other side.

John Edward was born and raised on Long Island, New York. At the age of 15, through a chance meeting, renowned psychic Lydia Clar made him aware of his psychic ability, sending him on a mission to learn more about spiritualism and psychic phenomena. He then started working at psychic fairs on weekends. He was noted by those who knew him as having a special gift, doing little more than private readings for people in his home city of New York. However, in 2000, he became the host of his own television show on the Sci-Fi channel called, Crossing Over with John Edward. The show featured him talking to an audience and giving spiritual messages from relatives and loved ones who had passed away or, to be psychically correct, “crossed over.” (click on "read it" to view the entire cover story)

Click Here to Read Cross Country with John Edward.

JOHN: Hi, Geri, it’s John Edward. How are you?

GERI: Hi, John. How are you doing?

JOHN: I am good.

GERI: I am doing great. I am so honored that you took the time for The Local Buzz readers.

JOHN: Oh, no problem.

GERI: Before I get to the questions I would like to say if there is anything I ask that you’re uncomfortable discussing, please let me know.

JOHN: Ok, I am an open book.

GERI: The first thing I wanted to cover is your books and appearances. You’re a very gifted medium but you’re also a very gifted writer. I personally enjoy your down to earth style, but at the same time you keep the subject matter extremely interesting. Do you plan to write another book?

JOHN: At the moment? No. But thank you for asking. At the moment, I have nothing else that I feel like a need to say, which really doesn’t sit well with publishers because it is a business for them. And they’re like, “What’s next?” And I am like, “Nothing.” My last book that came out was the practical praying book. That took me a long time to write. And it is the least amount of pages, which is the funniest. And I feel like, you know what, when it’s time for me to say something else and not just write a book, then I’ll say it.

GERI: I understand that.

JOHN: I don’t have anything to say yet. That could change tomorrow. But right now I don’t have anything to say.

GERI: The inspiration has not hit you yet.

JOHN: Exactly.

GERI: Is there any book that you would recommend reading by other authors?

JOHN: Right now, I must tell you I am obsessed with “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis. I am finding it a phenomenal metaphor for spirituality in the afterlife. My son is 3 ½ years old and I am kind of dummying down the details of the stories but sticking with the principles and using it as a teaching tool for him and I am recommending that to parents constantly.

GERI: I wander through the book store every once in a while and look for a book that kind of jumps out at me.

JOHN: Seriously, the first book in the “Chronicles of Narnia” which is called “The Magician’s Nephew” and it talks about the creation of Narnia. It is such – seriously – I highly recommend people to read this.

GERI: Thank you. The touring – You’re starting tours here in Florida. I think the first appearance is in Jacksonville tomorrow?

JOHN: Yes.

GERI: How long will you be touring?

JOHN: I am going to be in Jacksonville, Melbourne, West Palm, and Fort Lauderdale. Jacksonville is on Thursday, the 23^rd and I am only down there for four days. I don’t consider myself -- people ask me, “How long is your tour?” and I say I don’t really have a tour. I go in and out – a couple times a month I’ll just travel. And I pick different cities to go to. I feel like I am going to do it now while I can because I am young and have the stamina to be able to take the traveling. I don’t foresee myself doing this when I’m older. I feel like while I can, I’ll travel to some other places. When I get older, if people want to see me they can come to me.

GERI: I understand that. I am going to jump down to one of my last questions about how it affects your personal life and your family? I was going to get to that last, but we’re on that right now.

JOHN: You know, my personal life is good. I have a phenomenal wife. I don’t think I would have been able to accomplish anything that I have accomplished which is the person who is known as John Edward, without the support of her. I totally feel like she was a gift that was sent in. I let her know that as often as possible and I state it as publicly as possible because without someone as understanding as she is, I would not be able to reach out to the people I reach out to across the country. She clearly gets what I do and she understands that I need to hear it. So, she’s cool with it.

GERI: How about your son? How does it affect him?

JOHN: It doesn’t affect him in the least. Honestly, sometimes I wish it would affect him more. (Chuckle) It’s like Daddy’s going away. “Alright Dad.”

GERI: So, he doesn’t come with you?

JOHN: I don’t always take him, no. You know what it is – it’s a very strange thing when I travel – People are like, “Oh it must be nice to see different cities.” And you know what I see? I see a hotel room, I see a banquet room, I see a hotel room, I see a plane. I see a hotel room, I see a banquet room, I see a hotel room, I see a plane. Even if I am going to Hawaii, I switch to a mode that’s work related. It’s like I’m not in Hawaii. A lot of people can’t understand that. Like, you could put me in Hawaii for an event but, I, John the person, can’t be in Hawaii. So, it’s a strange thing because my energy starts getting programmed for what I have to be doing.

GERI: That’s interesting. I remember reading once about when you were on vacation and you couldn’t get away.

JOHN: My honeymoon. (Chuckle) That was my honeymoon. Lying in a hut over the Ocean in Bora Bora.

GERI: Yeah, I do remember that. I guess that’s something you must try to do. Can you turn it off at times?

JOHN: Yeah, I can now. Now at this stage there are times when I am doing it and times when I am not doing it. And 95% of the time when I am not doing it, I’m not doing it. I feel like it is respected. And then there are those 5% that say, “You know what, I know you’re not doing it but that’s my daughter.” Like hey you are going to talk to us. And I’m like alright I guess that’s what I am doing now. That’s kind of like what happens.

GERI: I personally don’t believe everything I hear when it comes to psychic ability but I always have with you. You seem like the real deal. Why do you think that so many people connect with you more than other psychics?

JOHN: I think it is because I am the kind of person that says it is what it is. You know, one of my publishers said to me, “Your next book has to be about the after life.” I’m like, well it can’t be. They’re like, “Why not?” I said because I don’t live there. I don’t know what it’s like. I am not going to put out my philosophy in a book that people can go read as gospel. I am not looking to give someone a belief system. You know, it is what it is. I am a big advocate when it comes to mediumship. I can’t stand when I see mediums do work – “there is a lovely energy standing behind you sending you a lot of love and when they smile their eyes dance and they’re so happy that you’re here and blah, blah, blah” – it’s like, don’t be Captain Obvious. Don’t be giving people information that is what they’re looking to hear as fact evidential spiritual validation. So, I think people resonate to the fact that I am a New Yorker. I tell it like it is. It is what it is. If I can’t read you, I can’t read you. Or, if you come to hear from one specific person and you’re not paying attention to what I am saying, I am going to get in your face because, you know, don’t waste my time. My wife actually refers to me as the Judge Judy of psychics. And she doesn’t like to come to my events for that reason. She gets very uncomfortable when – because she feels like all these people are coming to learn something and they’re grieving and whatever. And I’m like, yeah, I’m not a therapist, Sandra. I don’t report to be a therapist, I am a medium. They’re coming to me for what I do. I am not a DJ – I do not take requests. This is what is coming through, this is what I am being told, this is what I am getting. I honestly don’t care what people want to hear. I care about what they’re supposed to hear. If I did not have that approach, I would not be able to help as many people as I do. I have to constantly break down barriers for people to get them to understand the information.

GERI: Did you always feel that way?

JOHN: No. For the first two years, I would probably be – like, you would be walking into my office and I would be on the floor with my arms wrapped around your leg and you would be dragging me out with me going, they were here. I swear to you, they were here. Once I got to the part of where I trusted what I do and I didn’t really care what other people thought and once I realized that, you know, chapter 8 of my first book was called, “Appreciating the Messages” and I put that in there because I felt that people were not appreciating the message. And it was pissing me off. And I’m like, Oh my God, you guys are not getting it. All of these people are coming to me for readings and there coming to me with like, this is what I need to have happen. And I’m like, but you’re missing the point of what is happening.

GERI: It’s funny, I relate to that in a different sense.

JOHN: How?

GERI: Because, I can be misunderstood by my aggressiveness. My interests have always been not for myself but for others. Maybe the way things may be handled hurts other’s feelings even and in doing so I may…

JOHN: Step on their toes?

GERI: Yeah, exactly. And I have had to come to accept the fact that they don’t understand I don’t mean it that way. And it has actually helped, I think, with their understanding of me by not being so worried about it.

JOHN: You know what’s really funny? I am sitting here and listening to you and I remember being – I think it was the last time I was in Jacksonville believe it or not – there was a couple. There were a lot of people in the room. There was a couple – one of the first people I started reading, a woman dragged her husband. His mother came through and he was the epitome of obnoxious. You know, he’d be like, “Well, yeah, but that’s on the other side of the family.” And like, “Well, yeah, you’re kind of right.” So, I heard that for like 15 minutes and you know what pissed me off was this was his mother coming through, and my mother is dead, and all I could think about was, Oh my God, this man’s mother is coming through to talk to him and he’s being such a prick. (Chuckle) and that’s all I could think about. And I was like, you know what, if you answer me like that one more time, I am going to come down there and slap your ass out of the chair. My wife walked out of the room and everyone else got up and cheered. Do you know why? Because they got the same feeling that I got. They were just as annoyed at him as I was. You know what, everyone else in that room wanted the reading to be for them, but you’re getting it. So, don’t be dissing your mother. You know, and after that he changed.

GERI: Really?

JOHN: Yes he did. Why did I have to break down his issue with what I do because of that?

GERI: Yeah, he didn’t want to believe it probably.

JOHN: Not my issue. Don’t come. And I have a thing in my office for people who come to me for private sessions. It’s positive guidelines for a positive reading and the first thing is do not waste my time. You better not come in with a ‘you better wow me I’m going to test him’ kind of attitude. That lasts five minutes for me. I had someone come in that was on the waiting list for five years and they came in with an attitude. Like they sat in front of me with an attitude. (Chuckle) And I had my explanation and everything when we started and then the attitude didn’t go away. And I looked at her and said well we’re done. And she said, “Excuse me?” I went, yeah we’re done. And she goes, “Well, what do you mean? I waited five years for this appointment.” And I said then you know what sister, you better act like you waited five years for this appointment and stop wasting my time. You asked why people resonate with me, I think that’s the reason. Because I’m not trying to prove anything. I’m just trying to share what I do. If it works for you, great – if not, great. I just did a show called “DaySide” on Fox News channel. So, I sat in the chair at the last five minutes of the segment and this is a live TV show, the Rumsfeld guy came on so we got pre-empted and they said we’re going to have to tape this for tomorrow. I said ok, no problem. It’s in front of a studio audience, we’ll tape it for tomorrow, it’ll air the next day. And the girl says to me during the break, “Oh, I wish I had you on for the whole hour.” And I’m like, oh that’s so sweet. And she goes, “’cause I would grill you for the entire time.” And I like looked at her and I laughed and I smiled and I went, go ahead. And she looked at me and I said, 21 years and you don’t think I’ve been asked every possible question? So, I went, go ahead. So, the show came on and we’re taping it and it’s live to tape so there’s no re-do’s or edits. I know that. So, I knew that what I gave her would have to be it. She said, “What would you say if I didn’t believe you, or a thought you were a fraud, or …” blah, blah, blah, she went down a long line and I went, alright. She’s like, “What?” and I went, alright. And she’s like, “Well, wouldn’t you try to convert me or convince me?” and I went, no. She’s like, “Well, why not?” And I said because that would mean I cared what you actually think. And the entire audience was like, “Ooohhh” (Chuckle)

GERI: And it’s already aired. Sorry, I missed it.

JOHN: Yeah, it’s already aired. And I was like well that’s the reality of who I am. So, I’ve been confronted. I’ve been called the ‘douche bag of the universe’ on South Park, I’ve had Miss Cleo kick my ass on Celebrity Death Match 2000, I’ve been spoofed on Saturday Night Live and MadTV, I’ve been the butt of countless jokes, and you know what? It’s ok. I’m still here. So, you can’t take yourself that seriously. There are things that I don’t like. I don’t like the personal attacks. Variety did a review of “Cross Country” the new show on WE. And instead of reviewing the show the guy took the opportunity to use his pen and paper to assassinate my character. You see, that’s tacky journalism. To me, a journalist is somebody who is supposed to be objective and not subjective. Otherwise they should be writing a blog on a paper.

GERI: Exactly. And there are many out there for that reason.

JOHN: Oh, trust me, I know.

GERI: Lets go back to…hmm, you answered that question so well. When you do turn it on does any of your surroundings affect you like hospitals or cemeteries or churches?

JOHN: Churches, yes, spiritually the energy is connected to it. Hospitals, sometimes yes, because people pass there or I can sense when someone is going to pass. Cemeteries, not so much. Funeral homes – I hate going to funeral homes. I dislike going to funerals so much because people want to talk to me.

GERI: Oh, yeah. So you sense passings?

JOHN: Uh, huh.

GERI: Ok, that’s why I would think about hospitals possibly. Cemetaries…

JOHN: Not so much.

GERI: Yeah, people ask me, “Do you go visit your dad at the cemetery.” And I say, no. I don’t feel that he is present there.

JOHN: Right, me either. Matter of fact, it depresses me if I go there. I don’t find it peaceful and relaxing. And coming from an Italian catholic family (chuckle). You know, they packed picnic lunches when somebody passed and end up spending the week there.

GERI: Either way, I don’t feel anything. I don’t consider myself very spirit… well, I am spiritual…

JOHN: I am very spiritual. I’m not very religious. I just made a pilgrimage to the Shrine of our Lady of Guadeloupe. It was my third time there and I am very, very connected to that site. That to me is more important. There is nothing like incorporating that into my life. That’s more important than going to church on Sunday.

GERI: Ok, I was going to get to religion. I myself am catholic and feel somewhat the same way you do.

JOHN: Well, I see myself as painting a portrait of energy. I say this all the time. I feel like I don’t define what I do as being religious. I define it as being energy. How people frame that portrait of energy is their religious belief. The reason why I had a hard time putting that rosary book out is because I didn’t want people to think they had to be Catholic to connect with the other side. So, that is why I am very clear on there that it is a tool. It is a tool to create a prayer dialogue.

GERI: Right. Maybe a little more along the lines of meditation?

JOHN: Absolutely. Somebody asked me when I was in Fresno, California, “What is the best religion?” And I went, what? And they said, “What’s the best religion? You have all these connections. What’s the best religion? What’s the right religion?” And I looked at them and I didn’t know how to answer them. And all of a sudden my guides kicked in and they answered it and I went, oh my God, it’s brilliant. And I said, well let me ask you a question, what’s the best language? And they went, “What?” And I went, what’s the best language? And they said, “Well there is no best language.” And I said well why not. And he said, “Every land has their way of communicating and who’s to say one’s better than the other.” And I said, okay, well religion is just a language to communicate with God. So, what’s the best religion? And he was like, oh. You know and I looked at him and was like oh is right and I just got that as you asked it. Don’t think I had that answer for you. It just came plowing on through as you asked the question. And I’ll always remember that.

GERI: That answered one my areas, believe me. Because I was going to ask you about organized religion and that was great. Next – Alzheimer’s or people in a coma.

JOHN: Two separate things. With Alzheimer’s – everything that happens in their life is engraved on their soul like a hard drive. When they cross over, what affects the body physically doesn’t affect the soul, so all those memories are in tact. So, as they hold on, communicate and acknowledge them because they get all those memories back. People in comas are clearly the same way. It’s all imprinted on their soul.

GERI: So, it’s something that they remember after they pass on?

JOHN: It’s something that they already know after they pass on and they remember it.

GERI: Ok. Do their spirits stay with their body the entire time they’re either in a coma or…

JOHN: I think in an Alzheimer’s patient yes more so than a coma patient. A coma patient, I think they can be in an out a lot easier.

GERI: Ok, that answered those. Do you believe in hauntings either benevolent or evil?

JOHN: I believe in energy. And I believe that energy can be accumulated in specific areas. It doesn’t have to just be the energy from a person who has passed. When I bought my first house I knew that the builder who built the house lived in the house. I’m like, I feel somebody walking around here. So, to make a long story short I called him up – he moved to South Carolina – and I called him up and said, Ed, let me ask you a question. Did anyone die in this house? He said, “what?” I said, did anyone die in this house? He said, “no, nobody died in that house.” Oh, I said, so, you pretty much hung out down stairs in the down stairs bedroom as your like living room and you only used those three rooms and you used the living room, the bathroom, and the kitchen as like your place and only that part of the house? He got all quiet and he goes, “How did you know that?” So, I had a joke. They were looking to sell their house for like two or three years. They had so many brokers coming in and out that they didn’t – they basically only used three rooms. So, it built up such a level of energy in those spaces that I still felt it. I still felt their energy in the house. But they were alive and they weren’t even living there but it was their past, their energy had accumulated there. So, in that sense is that a haunting? No. It’s just accumulated energy. Could there be energies that are disembodied that are flying around peoples houses. Yes, their could be. But I am hard pressed to talk about hauntings and that kink of stuff because there are so many people that stereotypically climb onto that it’s like, eh. It’s not been my experienced that there is so much of that going on.

GERI: So, you feel more energies. Well, you here people say well the light flickers…

JOHN: Yeah, well when the light flickers it could just be your friends or family letting you know that they’re there. It doesn’t mean they’re haunting you.

GERI: Ok, well I could use hauntings in a sense and lets go to that. So, family and friends are just letting you know that they are there.

JOHN: You know, Jennifer Love Hewitt had a line on Ghost Whisperer where Aisha Tyler the character did a spot in an antique shop. That’s something like, oh is this place haunted? And she goes, no places aren’t haunted, people are. And I thought, what a brilliant line. To answer your question I do like the shows out there like Medium and Ghost Whisperer even though they’re scripted and they’re made up and stuff like that because I like the fact that they’re out there because I think you see the subject matter of the sub-culture.

GERI: Right, I do watch those. I’m not a slave to TV and that’s why I didn’t know you were on DaySide but…

JOHN: You know that I’m back on the TV with WE.

GERI: Yeah, I was at the Orlando taping.

JOHN: Oh, cool.

GERI: My sister and I went to the Orlando taping and I enjoyed it immensely. It’s a shame they can’t put more of it on there because there were so many interesting readings and I wasn’t surprised that you chose the one that you did.

JOHN: Actually, there will be more of the Orlando readings on some of the upcoming shows. It’s funny too, because if it were up to me I’d want them all on but we only have eight episodes where the network will have a say about what is going on.

GERI: Well let me move on to – you had mentioned in Orlando that you personally do not believe that we reincarnate that quickly. I think that was like a quote and I just stuck with me. What do you believe about reincarnation and why?

JOHN: I do believe in the process of reincarnation. I just do not think that people can choose to come back that quickly. I think that if we have learned something in that lifetime we want to kind of debrief a little bit on the other side. Not to say that people can’t come back that quickly because I know there’s lots of cases where people do. So, I’m not saying it’s not possible. I just don’t think it’s the norm.

GERI: Ok. Do you think we can remember our past lives by hypnosis or other means?

JOHN: Absolutely. I am a big fan of Dr. Brian White and a woman in Manhattan called Sharla Maddingly.

GERI: I have read Brian White’s book. I haven’t read the other. Do you believe in other intelligent life forms in the universe?

JOHN: I actually do.

GERI: Do you believe if we do reincarnate that we always reincarnate to something on the same planet or elsewhere?

JOHN: I have never given that thought to be honest with you. I don’t really have an opinion on that.

GERI: Ok. Since we don’t have a lot more time I will get to our closing questions. What is the one piece of advice you have for The Local Buzz readers?

JOHN: The one piece of advice I would have is if you approach anything that is psychic related to approach it with an open and objective mindset; with a very healthy sense of skepticism and a foundation of faith.

GERI: As I said before we are honored and privileged you agreed to speak to us. Why did you select us for this interview?

JOHN: You know, I got to be honest with you. I had never heard of The Local Buzz. I look at everything that comes across my desk and when I got it I went, yes. It’s just I went, alright. So, it’s like, I go by feeling. I go by what I feel like – I feel like there are certain radio shows that I’ll agree to do and people will look at me and go, you going to do that show, and I’m like, yep. And they’ll be like, well why? And I’ll go, because I’m supposed to.

GERI: Ok, I understand that. Do you have any requests for The Local Buzz? Anything that you would like us to cover?

JOHN: Nope. Not a bit. Just that you – I feel like I am pretty clear that I feel my roll is to be a teacher and that as a teacher it is really important to me that there are things that are left as all teachers that you have had in school. You remember, when I start a lesson one of the hardest things to do, what I end every show with is to appreciate and validate the people who are still here and still in our lives because, you know, what doesn’t happen in a lifetime, does happen in a moment and you need to make sure there is nothing left unsaid.

GERI: Thank you for taking the time for The Local Buzz Readers and I’ll see you in West Palm Beach on Saturday.

JOHN: (Laughs) Thank you, I’ll talk to you later.

GERI: Ok, thank you. Bye, Bye.

JOHN: Bye, Bye.

Click Here to Read Cross Country with John Edward.

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