A brush with death
Psychic medium Cindy Kruger helps local celebrities and viewers unite with their dead loved ones on Spirit.
Spirit Season 1 Wednesdays (from 7 March) FOX Life (*126) 19:55
“My senses heighten when I connect with a spirit: I feel vibrations, I feel them moving and I can see them around me,” explains Cindy Kruger. The Johannesburg-born medium is sharing her gift to connect with the dead on her show Spirit (2018- current), but it nearly didn’t happened, reveals Cindy. “I tried to run away from my ability for years. I only accepted it in my 20s when I saw visions of my late gran.” Cindy got her diploma in travel and tourism and went on to work at Disney World in the US, but she was never fulfilled until she embraced her gift. “At first, I was nervous and afraid to connect with the dead. It’s a scary thing to think about, but I realised that my gift isn’t so bad after all,” says the 38-year- old. “Spirits usually connect with us to send messages of clarity or closure. It’s never to harm or scare us.”
When did you realise that you had this connection ability? I believe that I was born with it but I’d always shied away from it. When I was eight, I realised that I saw things that other people around me weren’t able to see. But the gift really manifested clearer as an adult – and I was doing it without realising or understanding. My friends would say, “Don’t you remember that you said this to me a while ago?” and I wouldn’t remember what I had told them. That’s generally how the gift works: when you are channelling, you don’t recall the things that you’ve said or who you read. In this regard, it was tough to have blind faith and understand that this gift is part of my journey – I had to do it!
Is there a specific language that the spirit communicates with you?
They speak in English because that is my foundation. However, if there is a need for me to speak in another language, it does happen, but I can’t always guarantee proper pronunciation. I am learning different languages with the different clients that I meet.
What about dead animals, how do you connect with their energies?
Like people, animals have souls and connections with them are similar. I feel their presence and talk to them too. Not all animals come through; some simply acknowledge their passing into the afterlife. Being an animal lover, I am sensitive towards them.
How do you separate your work as a medium from your “normal” life?
It’s very easy. With time, I’ve learnt to entertain spirits only during readings and not when I’m with friends or going about myw day [Cindy’s business is called Healing With Angels and she has regular spots on internet radio station Power FM 98.7, Mondays at 20:00]. I have integrated my ability as part of my life and who I am. I also have encounters with spirits who tell me that it’s time to rest. With my gift, it’s important to have downtime as there’s a lot of energy that goes into practising it. After readings, I usually shut down and I have a tea break followed by a home- cooked meal and I also play with my cats. During my free days, I catch-up on reality TV by binge-watching The Real Housewives franchise shows.
Celebrity psychic mediums have been popular on TV for years. Do you have any favourites?
Of course! I’ve always envisioned myself following in the steps of John Edward from Crossing Over (1999-2004). I enjoy watching Theresa
Caputo on Long Island Medium (2011- current), as well as Tyler Henry on his reality show Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry (2016- current).