Spirit is full of surprises
One thing I’ve learned, well, I sometimes remember to remember about drawing with Spirit is to have No expectations. While we can make our requests and hope that we are connected enough to recognize that the information we request is just what we need in that moment, spirit will always give us what we need (cue the rolling Stones).
Spirit is humorous and light-hearted for the most part but there are some sober and sometimes stern messages from Spirit. But there is never any darkness or foreboding.
Every message and/or image has a purpose and it is always from love. Spirit, in my experience is full of surprises as well. One example of this can be found in a series of sketches for a person who asked for color sketches of two well known guides that she currently works with.
Dr. Robert John Kensington acted in Spirit as personal guide to the famous physical phenomena medium Keith Milton Rhinehart until his death in Seattle in 1999. Dr. Robert would work through the entranced Rhinehart most commonly doing remarkable billet readings.
Lady Susan was a Rhinehart cabinet guide. The cabinet is a small, enclosed space where traditionally a medium sits to build energy for phenomena. This is also called the Holy of Holies. Keep in mind this was a time of traditional séance.
Dr. Robert, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (yes that one) and Baron Albert von Shrenk-Notsing and Marie Curie are all scientific guides for the group that this particular client attends. These guides regularly help bring messages and progressive development in the Development Circle. These guides are well known to regular participants.
The request I received was a double portrait of Dr. Robert and Lady Susan, the two guides that this sitter regularly worked with. I earnestly set forth to ask the help of Spirit by going into meditation.
Remember most of the time I’m asked to do sketches. These are relatively quick works that are done while in a semi-altered state and not brought to a high level of finish.
I did a rough sketch of Lady Susan and then Dr. Robert beside her. I started coloring in Dr. Robert first, as the beard came in quite strong so I lightly filled that in, but I usually start with eyes, so I went there next.
As usual I was talking to Spirit, asking what color are your eyes? Then I moved to filling in the skin tones easily and asked what color is your hair?
For some reason it was slow coming through. I had a knowing it was dark. But I picked up a reddish color and started on shadow in clothing.
“Come on, what color is your hair Dr. Robert?”
“I’m von Shrenk-Notsing!” Loud as can be and it jolted me. I was so stunned I made a sharp mark with the red-brown color that could not be changed easily. It is still evident in the image.
“What?!!”

Baron Albert von Shrenk-Notsing
“I am von Shrenk-Notsing.”
Okay, now there’s a first. But Spirit speaks first so I must bring forth the Baron for this client. Knowing that there is a message and a reason for the Baron showing up for this person.
Baron Albert von Shrenk-Notsing authored The Phenomena of Materialization, recounting research into psychical phenomena in the early 20th century. Like all early (and current) phenomena researchers, his work was quite controversial.
Some of it for good reason, it seems. But largely his work was instrumental in the progress of understanding or at least acknowledging physical phenomena.
After this revelation, I was so put off my work that I had to take a break and regroup. For me, while working in this manner, if I get interrupted or disturbed it tends to break the connection. Sometimes after a bit of time I can easily go back into ‘that space’ and continue.
Other times I have to break off completely and sort of start all over. That was the case this time. Later I set aside the image to begin again largely because I already had Lady Susan already pencil sketched onto the von Shrenk-Notsing portrait.
Second attempt. I called on Dr. Robert specifically and asked for guidance on how to proceed. Dr. Robert came through right away and very different in appearance than von Shrenk-Notsing though the clothing was similar.
Dr. Robert has a pronounced chin with a cleft but is clean-shaven unlike von Shrenk-Notsing. Once I had Dr. Robert secured in image I focused on Lady Susan who also came through quite easily and quickly.

Sir Robert John Kensington and Lady Susan
Once the images were sketched out I went back into meditation and asked for messages. It became clear that the Baron wanted to be included in this grouping. He had a message and a ‘mission’ with this client.
I finished up the sketches and the messages when Lady Susan came back in and asked me to include a rose bud behind her head. This does happen sometimes and while it is easier to know about the background while in the sketch mode it is easy enough with pastel to work it in any time.
I actually wish that Spirit would give me more information for backgrounds with signs and symbols as I think the images are more interesting that way. It also gives the recipient more information, which this image of a rose did.
I left the first rough sketch of Lady Susan and decided to let the client decide how to present her sketches. I also felt that leaving the groupings as they came through provided for the client an interesting story all it’s own.
The opportunity to bring forward this kind of image and message is so profound for me. The client had no idea that the Baron von Shrenk-Notsing was trying to work with them.
The power of the guide group increased by one third and was a complete surprise to not only me but to the client as well. Embrace the Mystery!