Erin Christie
Morning Star Staff
In the midst of her grief over the loss of her parents two years ago, Liz Stanley became overwhelmed.
That was when she found herself Googling Norm Pratt,even though she had only heard him speak once, at an event in Vernon 10 years before.
According to his website, Pratt is a spiritual intuitive who teaches, speaks and writes about intuitive ability and spiritual awareness. The 57-year-old Ymir man has also garnered some favour for use of his abilities to assist police in missing persons cases — most notably, in the case of Kimberley Anne Sarjeant, a 23-year-old Nelson woman who went missing in March 2004.
These days Pratt’s focus seems to have shifted to helping others expand their sense of self and spiritual awareness. He currently gives seminars, private consultations and works with communities to assist in healing support.
For Stanley, it was the desire for peace that caused her to eventually reach out to Pratt. Specifically, she noted, it was ultimately the need for grief support.
“You get so caught up in the emotion of it all,” she explained.
“You need someone to tell you to stop — and breathe, and that everything is OK.”
She says the one-hour session she had with him over the phone helped her to move forward.
“Death is not a pretty thing, you know? But we had a really good talk and he [Norm] helped me progress through my grief. He lets you know that you don’t have to be afraid — that your loved ones are not going to a bad place. And I remember thinking, ‘Wow, I know a lot of people right now, that are grieving and could use a little support,” she said.
It was that realization, Stanley continued, that lead her to invite Pratt to speak at an upcoming fundraiser she is organizing for the North Okanagan Hospice Society. The event, called Heart and Soul, which is also the name of Pratt’s new book, is set for Saturday at the Schubert Centre. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the event starting at 7 p.m.
Stanley said she chose the hospice society as the recipient charity because she believes the not-for-profit can genuinely help people who seek their services.
“My parents were never in hospice care — they never got that far,” she said. “But I visited Hospice House and saw what they do. They really put on such a beautiful thing for people. I could see how a place like that could really help people. When I went to Hospice House I just felt like it was a good place.”
She believes Pratt, like hospice, is capable of providing great comfort to those in need of peace.
“I want people to get what I got,” she said of her experience with the West-Kootenay intuitive.
“I just thought of all these people he could help — not just those who are in need of grief counselling. He’s just a really wonderful soul. For me, a big part of this is being able to share what he has because he’s such a beautiful man, and he’s so connected, spiritually, you know? I wanted to be able to bring people together and let Norm help them with whatever they’re going through.”
Heart and Soul will take place Saturday at the Schubert Centre. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the event running from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Coffee and water will be served. Tickets are $15 and are available in Vernon at Parnells Appliances and Westwood Cabinets, and in Lake Country at The Talisman (behind Dairy Queen) and Ivati Yoga and Juice Bar (behind Starbucks) or by emailing lizstanley@shaw.ca. It is recommended that tickets are purchased in advance but some may be available at the door.
