It was the late great John Lennon who said: "I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe what Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong."

What the former Beatle was imagining (see what I did there?) was spirituality, which is the greatest discovery of my life over the past two decades. My studies have led to my belief that we are all spiritual beings having a physical experience.

As a wise man once said, spirituality has something to do with your sense of peace and purpose, and doesn't have to be related to religion. Spirituality is the whole essence of your happiness, and where your heart and desires lie (although admittedly life's trials and tribulations get in the way).

Why are you philosophising, I hear you ask? Well, it's my annual baring of the soul - quite literally - in this column.

My philosophy often takes me to the weekly spiritualist service, now held every Sunday afternoon, in the Lade Street premises of Age Concern, where spiritual mediums and speakers impart their insight and wisdom.

My study in the subject began when I attended a meeting where a lady called Roberta from Edinburgh came to me saying: "I've got the man with the one leg here."  I knew it was my former father-in-law, and she proceeded to give me evidence that only he and I would know. 

Since then I have had dozens of amazing messages from many mediums, one of whom was able to tell me about specific conversations I had had with my mother when I was a boy. 

I cannot persuade you about the truth of the afterlife in this column. You need your own evidence.

Inspirational speaker Pat Kelly, a former Glasgow taxi driver, was the medium at the recent Largs Spiritualist Church, and a favourite of mine, as he has the patter of a Billy Connolly.

Now a gardener, Pat dispensed some horticultural tips such as dealing with weeds. "The harder you pull the weeds, the more they hang on," he said. "Try talking to them." Personally, I don't have long enough to live to be down on my knees pulling out weeds.

In his opening address, he reminded the audience that we know things about ourselves that other people don't. He believes that "spirits tell you we're here through signs, colours and scents". 

As he said this, the lights suddenly came on in the room. "It's my charisma," he joked, although I am reliably informed the lighting is on a timer!

"Let life be your religion," he said, "My ain weans are millennials, who are intelligent but have no common sense. They're always offended. Don't be offended by the world."

Pat proceeded to give spiritual messages to seven different people, who all accepted the evidence he was giving them.

"Mediums have to be careful how they speak to people," he cautioned as he informed a lady that she had woken up crying from a dream. 

"It seemed so real, didn't it? Passing over is like that - like waking up from a dream."

Going straight to another lady, he told her that someone took their own life because things had got on top of them, and gave the names of Rose, Ellen and Boyce as evidence, which she acknowledged.

Concluding the message, he added: "Someone close to you is coming home." She replied: "Yes, I heard about it this week."

An American, attending their first spiritualist meeting, was given specific information which they verified, and Pat raised another laugh as he commented: "Two things you can't buy - love and the wag of a dog's tail."

What I've learned in my studies is that death is not the end of a journey, it's the beginning of a new journey in what we call 'heaven.'

As Hamlet said: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Thought for the Week: It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves. (William Shakespeare)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

What a cheek the millionaire bosses of the nation's supermarkets had at last week's Parliamentary inquiry, to insist that they are trying their hardest to keep prices down in their stores.

The cost of living crisis has been used as a smoke-and-mirror trick by the supermarkets to maximise profits through sheer profiteering.

How, by any measure, can a tin of Morrison's brand soup in Largs double in price in a year? It's a disgrace - and I could rest my case right there.

However, you will all know the incredible price hikes that have taken place, whether it be vegetables, bread or eggs or almost any other food you care to name. I'm thinking that the hens must have been out on strike for a double digit wage rise, to have eggs priced 50 per cent more than a year ago.

I'm not even sure that next year's opening of Marks & Spencer on the former Pearsons car showroom site in the town centre will help much.

Prices have risen so high that even coronavirus stopped travelling.