Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Matthew Manning

Matthew Manning (born 17 August 1955) is a British author and spiritual healer renowned for his claimed psychic abilities, which emerged as poltergeist phenomena during his childhood and later evolved into a career focused on healing and writing.^[1]^[2] Born in Shelford near Cambridge as the eldest of three siblings, Manning experienced poltergeist disturbances beginning in February 1967 at age 11, shortly after his family moved to Queen's House in Linton, Cambridgeshire.^[1]^[2] These incidents included rapping noises, displaced objects such as a silver tankard and vases, and violent activity like hurled furniture and a vibrating bed, which followed him to boarding school and intensified during Easter 1971.^[3]^[2] The phenomena, witnessed by family, schoolmates, and investigators including Dr. George Owen, a genetics lecturer, culminated in automatic writings and over 600 signatures appearing on walls by mid-1971, prompting scientific scrutiny.^[1]^[3] From 1974 to 1981, Manning underwent extensive laboratory testing on his purported psychokinetic and healing abilities at institutions in Toronto, Stockholm, and California, where he demonstrated effects on biological targets like blood and cancer cells in controlled experiments, though some tests, including remote viewing trials, yielded unsuccessful results.^[1]^[2] Transitioning from poltergeist manifestations, he began channeling automatic writings attributed to historical figures, which informed his debut book The Link (1974), a bestseller that sold over a million copies and detailed his experiences.^[2]^[4] Manning began practicing as a healer in the late 1970s, establishing a healing center in Bury St. Edmunds in 1983, and has continued for over 45 years, collaborating with medical professionals and treating high-profile clients such as John Cleese, Prince Philip, and Brian Clough, with claims of success in cases involving cancer remission based on 1970s trials where 27 of 30 patients showed increased dead cancer cells.^[2]^[4] He has authored eight books, including bestsellers like One Foot in the Stars (1999) and Your Mind Can Heal Your Body (2009), and featured in BBC documentaries such as A Course in Healing and Order from Chaos.^[1]^[4] In 2014, Scarlett Johansson's production company optioned rights to adapt his life story into a film.^[4]

Early Life

Family Background

Matthew Manning was born on 17 August 1955 in Shelford, near Cambridge, England, as the eldest of three siblings.^[1] His younger brother, Andrew, and sister, Rosalind, completed the family unit.^[2] The Manning family resided in a modern house in Shelford, reflecting a conventional middle-class upbringing in 1950s and early 1960s Britain.^[2] Manning's father, Derek Manning, worked as an architect of some standing and maintained interests in antique glass collecting.^[5] His mother focused on home life and family matters, contributing to a stable domestic environment.^[1] This early setting provided a structured and unremarkable childhood for Manning up to age 11, with no indications of unusual occurrences.^[6] The family's move from Shelford to Linton, Cambridgeshire, in 1967 marked a change in their living situation shortly after.^[1]

Initial Education

Matthew Manning attended local primary schools in the Cambridge area during his early childhood, completing his primary education around 1967 without notable incidents recorded in available accounts.^[1] In 1968, at the age of 13, Manning enrolled as a boarder at Oakham School in Rutland, where poltergeist activity that had begun at his family home the previous year soon disrupted his school life, including incidents of moving furniture and appearing objects witnessed by classmates.^[1]^[2] Manning faced significant academic challenges at Oakham, repeatedly failing his mathematics O-level examination three times with the lowest possible grade despite ongoing interruptions from the disturbances. In 1970, the school's headmaster, John Buchanan, sought to remove him due to the phenomena, but Manning remained after intervention by the school matron and parapsychologist George Owen.^[1]^[7] Interactions with teachers and peers at Oakham were marked by confusion and fear over Manning's "unusual" behaviors; teachers instructed him to recite a banishment spell each night in an attempt to quell the activity, while classmates, including Jon Wills, who later became the archivist at Oakham School, reported being "bloody terrified" by events such as beds levitating in the dormitory, with no effective resolution achieved during his tenure.^[2]^[1]

Psychic Experiences

Poltergeist Phenomena

The poltergeist activity associated with Matthew Manning began in February 1967, when he was 11 years old, at his family's home in Shelford, near Cambridge, England. Initial incidents included rapping sounds on walls, the displacement of household objects such as a tankard and vase, furniture shifting without apparent cause, and items disappearing or reappearing in unexpected locations.^[8] These early disturbances were relatively mild and, by Easter 1967, culminated in a notable event involving a rubber rose floating in the air, after which the activity subsided for several years.^[8] The family moved to Queen's House in Linton, Cambridgeshire, in 1968, and Manning began attending Oakham School in Rutland as a boarder around the same time. The home remained quiet until July 1970, when the phenomena resumed more violently at age 14, centered on Manning. These later disturbances escalated to include thrown objects, spontaneous fires igniting on fabrics and surfaces, and instances of furniture levitation, occurring several times a week and sometimes up to 15 times daily.^[2]^[9] The activity followed him to Oakham School during the summer term of 1971, where it included levitating beds, flying objects, pools of water appearing inexplicably, hot spots on walls, upturned bookcases, and the sudden appearance of unknown knives in dormitories, severely disrupting his education and O-level studies.^[1] These events drew widespread media attention, with reports in national newspapers sensationalizing the "haunted boy" narrative, which ultimately led to Manning's temporary expulsion from the school amid complaints from staff and parents.^[8] Manning's family, initially skeptical but increasingly distressed, actively sought explanations and collaborated with investigators to document the occurrences, particularly during the 1970-71 outbreak. They contacted members of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR), including Dr. A.R.G. Owen, who in 1967 reviewed initial reports and in 1971 examined testimonies from the family, concluding the phenomena were genuine and centered on Manning as the focal point.^[8] Cambridge University scientists, such as mathematician and physicist Dr. John Taylor, became involved through informal consultations and later formal scrutiny; Taylor examined the case in the early 1970s, attributing potential causes to psychokinetic energy from repressed adolescent tensions, though his subsequent laboratory tests on Manning in 1972 yielded inconclusive results.^[8] Other Cambridge figures, including Prof. D.J. West, expressed skepticism, viewing Manning as imaginative but not demonstrably paranormal.^[8] By mid-1971, as Manning approached age 16, the physical manifestations began to wane following his deliberate attempts to exert conscious control over them, such as through focused mental commands to halt the disturbances.^[8] The activity fully ceased around this time, coinciding with the end of puberty, though sporadic echoes persisted briefly into 1971 before transitioning away from poltergeist-style events.^[8]

Channeling and Automatic Writing

In 1970, at the age of 15, Matthew Manning began experiencing trance states that marked a shift from the preceding poltergeist phenomena to more controlled psychic expressions, including automatic writing and drawing. These episodes often occurred involuntarily, during which Manning would enter a dissociative state and produce text or images without conscious control, attributing the output to deceased historical figures. For instance, his writings mimicked the styles and languages of personalities such as 17th-century figures Robert Webbe and Henrietta Webbe, while his drawings emulated renowned artists like Pablo Picasso and Albrecht Dürer.^[1] Over the subsequent years, Manning generated hundreds of automatic drawings and writings, many of which were said to channel spirits of kings, artists, and other notable deceased individuals, including Frederic W.H. Myers and Bertrand Russell. These productions, often completed at remarkable speeds in unfamiliar scripts or artistic techniques, were meticulously documented by his family at their home, Queen's House in Linton, Cambridgeshire, where signatures and dates from purported spirits appeared on walls and ceilings—over 600 by mid-1971. The family's records, including photographic evidence now held at Cambridge University Library, corroborated some historical details, such as the existence of a Webbe family in the area through parish records.^[1]^[7] Seeking scientific validation, Manning's family arranged sessions with parapsychologists, including examinations by researcher Vernon Harrison, who in 1994 analyzed the writings and concluded they exhibited characteristics suggestive of paranormal origin due to inconsistencies with deliberate forgery. Further investigations in the early 1970s involved controlled experiments on his abilities, though results were inconclusive and debated.^[1] The psychological toll of these experiences was significant for Manning, who reported profound exhaustion following trance episodes, lasting hours or days, alongside periods of identity confusion as he grappled with the influx of foreign personas and memories. These effects disrupted his daily life, contributing to his decision to forgo university studies and focus on understanding his abilities.^[2]

Transition to Healing

Shift from Psychic to Therapeutic Work

Following the publication of his 1974 book The Link, which detailed the peak of his poltergeist and channeling experiences, Matthew Manning, then aged 19, made a deliberate decision to channel his abilities into healing rather than continuing uncontrolled psychic phenomena. This shift represented a conscious effort to transform what had been chaotic and entertainment-oriented manifestations into purposeful therapeutic work, drawing on the foundational psychic sensitivity he had developed earlier in life.^[1] A pivotal spiritual experience during a 1977 trip to India further catalyzed this transition, leading Manning to reject the fame and spectacle of mediumship in favor of a focus on helping others through healing. By 1979, he began initial experiments with self-healing techniques and absent healing directed toward friends and family, exploring energy transfer as a means of promoting well-being. Inspired by renowned healer Harry Edwards, Manning emphasized empathy and compassion in these early efforts, viewing them as a natural extension of his innate sensitivities.^[2]^[10]^[7] In the late 1970s, Manning rejected the "circus and celebrity" of his prior psychic demonstrations, opting instead for a therapeutic orientation that prioritized ordinary individuals' needs over public acclaim. He collaborated with scientists during laboratory tests to validate healing effects on biological materials, such as enzymes and cells, which reinforced his commitment to this path. Early public healing demonstrations in the UK, often in church settings, marked the formal pivot, establishing his reputation as a healer by the early 1980s.^[11]^[7]

Training and Early Healing Practices

Following his shift from psychic phenomena to therapeutic pursuits in the late 1970s, Matthew Manning adopted a largely self-taught approach to healing, drawing on personal experimentation rather than formal education. He explicitly described himself as untrained in healing techniques, emphasizing empathy, kindness, and compassion as foundational elements developed intuitively from his earlier experiences with automatic writing and spiritual energies.^[7] This self-directed learning was supplemented by guidance from influential figures in the UK, including the renowned spiritual healer Harry Edwards, whose public demonstration style inspired Manning to initiate similar sessions, and Dr. George Owen, a Cambridge University genetics lecturer who provided academic oversight on paranormal-related skills that Manning adapted for therapeutic use.^[7]^[2] In the late 1980s, Manning participated in and organized healing circles and workshops to refine his practice, beginning with group demonstrations that evolved into structured events fostering collective energy. By 1983, he established the Matthew Manning Centre in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, as a hub for these activities, where he engaged in communal sessions aimed at building unity and shared intention among participants.^[1] These early gatherings allowed him to test interpersonal dynamics in healing, transitioning from his psychic background to more focused therapeutic interactions.^[12] Manning launched his private practice in the early 1980s, initially addressing minor ailments such as stress, anxiety, and chronic pain through hands-on sessions that generated perceptible warmth. Patients reported relief from these conditions, attributing it to Manning's emerging empathetic approach. Concurrently, he integrated visualization techniques—imagining healing light enveloping the body—and absent healing methods, where intentions were directed remotely, both honed through trial-and-error experiments starting in 1979 with self-application and small-scale applications on others.^[2]^[10]^[11] These foundational practices, refined at his centre and in private settings, laid the groundwork for his broader healing work without reliance on advanced protocols.^[1]

Healing Career

Methods and Techniques

Matthew Manning's healing methods center on channeling a universal energy to facilitate physical and emotional restoration, often described as acting as a conduit for "unconditional love" or cosmic consciousness.^[2] This energy is directed through focused intention, producing sensations such as intense heat during sessions, which has been noted in controlled experiments where it influenced biological samples without direct contact.^[2] His approach emphasizes non-invasive interventions, integrating visualization techniques to target specific areas of imbalance in the body.^[4] A key technique in Manning's practice is spiritual surgery, which involves energy channeling to address ailments without any physical incision or tools. This method relies heavily on the healer's intention and mental visualization to "operate" on the energetic or subtle body, aiming to remove blockages or stimulate self-healing processes.^[4] During these sessions, Manning visualizes healing light or forces surrounding affected cells, such as cancer cells, to promote their destruction or regeneration, as demonstrated in laboratory tests where exposed samples showed significant activity changes.^[2] Manning combines several practical modalities to deliver healing, including touch-based therapy where he places his hands near or on the patient to transfer energy, often resulting in reported sensations of warmth or temporary discomfort as blockages release.^[2] He also employs distant healing through imagery, allowing him to work remotely by focusing on the recipient's condition, which extends to animals and groups via shared visualization.^[11] Group sessions, such as live healing circles, harness collective energy from participants, creating a unified field of compassion that amplifies the effect for all involved, regardless of individual faith.^[11] The philosophical foundation of Manning's techniques rests on the concept of a universal life force—an impersonal, benevolent energy accessible to all—that underpins health and healing across human experience.^[4] This force is viewed as an unconditional source of good, akin to cosmic or divine love, which the healer channels without personal ego involvement.^[2] Manning positions his work as complementary to conventional medicine, stressing that it supports rather than replaces scientific treatment.^[11] Over decades, Manning has adapted his methods to incorporate mindfulness practices, moving away from the trance-like states of his earlier psychic experiences toward conscious, grounded awareness.^[4] This evolution allows for clearer intention-setting and broader accessibility, including through guided meditations and online events, while maintaining the core emphasis on energy flow and visualization.^[11]

Notable Cases and Testimonials

One of Matthew Manning's notable early cases in the late 1970s involved demonstrations where he reportedly influenced cancer cells during scientific tests at the University of London and Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory, challenging conventional explanations of healing effects.^[7] In the 1990s, he expanded his practice to international workshops, treating cancer patients and those with chronic pain, with participants reporting remissions and symptom relief during healing circles attended by hundreds globally.^[7] For instance, a bowel cancer patient referred by medical consultants in 2013 experienced a liver tumor shrinking from 16 cm to 8 cm within six weeks of healing sessions, followed by complete disappearance confirmed by scans.^[13] High-profile cases include Manning's work with celebrities such as John Cleese, Prince Philip, Van Morrison, and Maureen Lipman, who sought his healing for various ailments, with Prince Philip inviting him to dine and discuss his methods.^[11] Manning claims to have worked with Paralympic equestrian Natasha Baker, who suffered from transverse myelitis causing paralysis starting at age 14 months; according to Manning, after healing sessions beginning in 1992, she regained sufficient mobility to compete, winning six gold medals and receiving an MBE in 2013 and OBE in 2016 for her achievements.^[13] An everyday testimonial from a stage 4 breast cancer patient detailed becoming disease-free after three years, verified by PET-CT scans, attributing sustained remission to Manning's distant healing combined with conventional treatment.^[13] Verifiable medical before-and-after notes underscore several successes; a lung cancer patient's tumor vanished entirely post-healing, as confirmed by hospital scans, prompting consultants to remark that "cancer just doesn’t do that."^[13] In another instance, a prostate cancer sufferer achieved remission, with biopsies showing only scar tissue rather than active disease.^[13] For chronic pain, an 80-year-old with stroke-like symptoms reported full resolution within 48 hours of a session, corroborated by family and medical follow-up.^[13] From the 1990s onward, Manning's international workshops and healing circles, often drawing 100-200 attendees per event in locations like Cornwall and Surrey, yielded anecdotal outcomes such as improved vision, reduced chronic pain, and cancer discharges from clinics.^[13] A 2019 workshop participant with secondary breast cancer saw spine lesions deemed benign by 2022, leading to her release from oncology care.^[13] Long-term follow-ups highlight durability; the 2013 bowel cancer case remained cancer-free for over 11 years through 2024, while a bile duct cancer patient treated in 2011 survived to age 90 as of 2021 with no recurrence.^[13] These accounts, often shared via patient letters and scans, emphasize Manning's role in complementing medical interventions.^[13] As of 2025, Manning continues his practice, offering healing circles and distant healing events.^[14]

Authorship and Publications

Key Books

Matthew Manning's literary output spans his personal experiences with psychic phenomena and his development as a healer, with a total of eight books published over three decades. His works often blend autobiography, practical guidance, and explorations of spiritual and therapeutic concepts, achieving bestseller status in the UK spiritual category for several titles. While exact sales figures are not publicly detailed, The Link and The Healing Journey were notably successful, contributing to his reputation as an influential voice in alternative healing literature.^[15] His debut book, The Link: The Extraordinary Gifts of a Teenage Psychic, published in 1974 by Colin Smythe Ltd, is an autobiography recounting Manning's early psychic experiences beginning at age 11, including poltergeist activity, automatic writing, and spirit communications that disrupted his life and led to medical evaluations. The narrative details the challenges of these uncontrolled manifestations and his initial attempts to understand them, drawing from personal journals and family accounts to illustrate the transition from fear to acceptance. Following this, In the Minds of Millions, released in 1977 by W.H. Allen, expands on the cultural impact of psychic phenomena, incorporating Manning's own story alongside broader discussions of telepathy, precognition, and collective human consciousness. It explores how such abilities might connect individuals on a global scale, using anecdotal evidence from his experiences to argue for the universality of psychic potential without requiring empirical proof. The Strangers, published in 1978 by W.H. Allen (with a Virgin Books edition), presents a fictionalized yet autobiographical tale of otherworldly encounters, where Manning channels messages from historical figures and entities, emphasizing themes of interdimensional communication. The book serves as a creative outlet for his channeling abilities, blending narrative storytelling with reflections on the authenticity of spirit communications derived from his automatic writing sessions. In 1989, Thorsons (an imprint of HarperCollins) released Matthew Manning's Guide to Self-Healing, a practical manual co-informed by his healing practices, offering step-by-step techniques for readers to harness inner energy for physical and emotional recovery. Foreword by physician Brian Roet, it includes exercises in visualization and relaxation, grounded in Manning's observations from early healing sessions, aimed at empowering individuals without reliance on external intervention.^[16] Manning's 1999 autobiography One Foot in the Stars, published by Piatkus Books, chronicles his shift from psychic disturbances to professional healing, detailing landmark cases and the personal costs of public scrutiny in the 1970s and 1980s. It provides insights into his training and the philosophical underpinnings of his therapeutic approach, highlighting how psychic sensitivity informed his empathetic healing methods. The Healing Journey: Discover Powerful New Ways to Beat Cancer and Other Serious Illnesses, issued in 2002 by Piatkus Books, functions as a comprehensive guide to self-directed healing, integrating Manning's clinical experiences with scientific references to mind-body connections. The book outlines protocols for overcoming chronic conditions through meditation, diet, and energy work, emphasizing proactive patient involvement in recovery processes. Finally, Your Mind Can Heal Your Body: How Your Experiences and Emotions Affect Your Physical Health, published in 2007 by Piatkus Books, delves into psychosomatic influences on illness, using case studies from Manning's practice to demonstrate how unresolved emotions manifest physically. It offers diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies to address these links, promoting holistic wellness as accessible to all. A shorter work, No Faith Required, appeared in 1995 from Colin Smythe Ltd, demystifying healing as a natural process independent of belief systems, with Manning sharing laboratory-tested demonstrations and patient outcomes to underscore its universality. This 80-page volume reinforces his core message that healing energy is innate rather than faith-dependent.^[17]

Recurring Themes

Throughout Matthew Manning's body of work, a central recurring theme is the profound mind-body connection in healing, illustrated through his personal transition from psychic phenomena to therapeutic practices. In books such as Your Mind Can Heal Your Body, Manning posits that many physical ailments originate from unresolved mental or emotional states, advocating visualization and intent as tools to restore balance.^[18] This idea draws directly from his own experiences, where early poltergeist activity and automatic writing gave way to a deliberate focus on harnessing mental energy for physical recovery, emphasizing that the body's innate wisdom can be accessed through conscious awareness.^[19] Another persistent motif is the exploration of the afterlife and spirit communication, which evolves in Manning's writings from raw channeling encounters to a more ethical framework integrated with healing. His debut book, The Link, chronicles adolescent episodes of spirit contact via automatic writing, portraying these as bridges to non-physical realms that inform human existence.^[20] Over time, this theme matures in later works like The Healing Journey, where spirit influences are reframed not as disruptive forces but as supportive energies aiding personal transformation, underscoring a respectful boundary between communication and therapeutic application.^[21] Manning consistently advocates for self-healing as an empowering process, promoting access to universal energy over reliance on external authorities, while weaving in personal anecdotes to build a broader spiritual philosophy. In The Healing Journey, he outlines practical steps for individuals to tap into this innate capacity, viewing healing as a universal, non-denominational force available to all through meditation and positive intention.^[21] His later writings, including planned autobiographical volumes, use stories from his psychic-to-healer evolution to illustrate how such energy fosters personal growth and spirituality unbound by dogma, encouraging readers to cultivate inner resilience independently.^[15] This approach highlights a theme of universal connectivity, where healing energy acts as an impartial conduit for well-being, as Manning describes it as "an unconditional universal force for good."^[22]

Controversies and Investigations

Scientific Scrutiny

In the 1970s, Matthew Manning participated in controlled laboratory experiments at City University London to investigate his claimed abilities in automatic writing and psychokinesis, building on earlier poltergeist investigations from his adolescence. Researchers including Anita Gregory, Professor A.J. Ellison, and Mary Rose Barrington employed methods such as infra-red beam apparatus for detecting object movement, random event generators, and tests involving biological targets like bean growth and mould cultures. Sessions occurred primarily between July and August 1978, with follow-ups into early 1979, and included observations of Manning producing automatic drawings linked to poetry prompts under monitored conditions.^[8]^[1] Results from these London tests were mixed, with some anomalous findings such as irregular infra-red deflections up to 650 mV, statistically significant bean radicle growth (p < 0.02), and mould growth retardation in double-blind setups (p < 0.003), but replications failed and potential artifacts like equipment biases or the "bandwagon effect" among observers were noted. At Cambridge University, physicist Graham Hodgetts observed Manning bending a teaspoon in a 1974 session with witnesses, though this was not a formal lab experiment. Overall, the investigations yielded inconclusive evidence for paranormal effects, highlighting challenges in replication and control. Detailed accounts appeared in the Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research, including Gregory's 1982 report.^[8]^[9] During the 1980s, Manning collaborated with medical and scientific researchers on healing trials, focusing on measurable physiological changes in cellular and enzymatic systems. In experiments at institutions like the Mind Science Foundation in San Antonio, Manning attempted to influence human blood cells and cancer cells (HeLa line), with parapsychologist William Braud reporting increased cell death rates in 27 of 30 trials (200-1200% above controls), though critics questioned methodological factors like physical shaking. Biochemist Glen Rein's 1986 studies involved Manning treating human enzyme preparations (blood platelet monoamine oxidase), resulting in significant alterations to enzyme activity levels compared to controls. These trials often incorporated double-blind protocols to assess healing efficacy, such as randomized assignments in mould and cell assays from the late 1970s extending into the 1980s. Findings were published in parapsychology journals, including the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research (e.g., Brand, 1979; Braud et al., 1979), emphasizing Manning's willingness to undergo rigorous testing despite persistent inconclusive outcomes.^[1]^[23]^[24]

Skeptical Critiques

Skeptics have long questioned the authenticity of Matthew Manning's reported psychic phenomena, particularly his poltergeist activity and automatic writing, attributing them to fraud or subconscious trickery. Skeptic James Randi exposed a purported Picasso drawing produced by Manning as a forgery, after contacting Sotheby's auction house, which denied claims of authentication and identified it as an obvious forgery produced by a single hand. Similarly, handwriting expert Joe Nickell analyzed over 600 wall signatures attributed to historical figures during Manning's poltergeist episodes, concluding they were slowly drawn imitations rather than genuine automatic writing, often resembling Manning's own hand with deliberate variations to disguise origins. Nickell described the overall poltergeist events as consistent with "poltergeist-faking syndrome," where adolescents engage in mischievous hoaxes for attention, rather than paranormal psychokinesis.^[3] Psychological explanations have also been proposed by critics, framing Manning's experiences as manifestations of dissociative states or attention-seeking behavior. Nickell suggested that the automatic writings and drawings could stem from a fantasy-prone personality or dissociation, where individuals unconsciously produce content without paranormal involvement. Psychologist Anita Gregory, who oversaw laboratory tests on Manning in 1978 under the Society for Psychical Research, expressed skepticism about the results, which were deemed inconclusive despite some positive outcomes in tasks like influencing pendulums or plant growth; she emphasized the challenges of controlling for human factors in such claims.^[3]^[8] Regarding Manning's later healing career, media exposés in the 1970s and 1980s portrayed his claims as potentially reliant on placebo effects or misdiagnoses rather than supernatural intervention. A 1972 BBC test of Manning's automatic writing abilities failed to produce verifiable information about hidden targets, undermining his psychic credentials. Subsequent evaluations, including a 1980 study by researcher John Taylor, similarly yielded unsuccessful results in remote viewing and writing tasks, leading skeptics to question the empirical basis for his healing successes. Critics have noted a lack of evidence supporting paranormal mechanisms in Manning's healings, suggesting psychological suggestion or natural remission as more plausible explanations.^[3] Manning responded to these critiques by prioritizing personal faith and experiential evidence over scientific validation, stating that healing relies on belief rather than laboratory proof, and he avoided pursuing legal action against detractors. He shifted focus entirely to therapeutic work after inconclusive tests, viewing skepticism as a natural challenge to phenomena beyond material measurement.^[3]

Later Life and Legacy

Personal Developments

In the early 2000s, Manning experienced profound personal loss when his wife, Gig Manning, succumbed to cancer on February 2, 2004, at the age of 47, after a battle that began with a diagnosis in 1998.^[25] The couple had been partners for ten years and married for six, residing in Hartest near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, where they shared a home until her passing.^[25] Manning has two children, a son and a daughter, whom he has referenced in discussions about whether healing abilities are hereditary.^[26] Following Gig's death, Manning relocated to a secluded cottage on Exmoor in southwest England, where he lived with his then-wife, Sarah, by the mid-2010s.^[2] In recent years, he has rekindled a relationship with Yvonne, a longtime acquaintance met over 30 years ago, with whom he reconnected in 2022 after more than four decades apart; they now share activities such as forest walks.^[27]^[28] Manning has maintained self-healing practices throughout his later years, drawing on principles outlined in his writings that emphasize mind-body connections for well-being, though no specific aging-related health challenges have been publicly detailed.^[18] By the 2020s, he shifted toward virtual formats, offering weekly distant healing sessions, monthly online Global Healing Events streamed via his website, and guided meditations accessible worldwide, enhancing accessibility amid global restrictions.^[29]^[30] Beyond his professional pursuits, Manning's routine includes non-professional interests such as gardening, cooking, appreciating fine wine, listening to music and art, and following motor racing, alongside enjoyment of nature through walks in locales like Old Sulehay Forest.^[4] He has also expressed a personal affinity for writing about his psychic experiences, such as in The Strangers (1978), a non-fiction account of poltergeist phenomena at his home.^[31] Past travels, such as a beach visit in India with Sarah, reflect an interest in exploration that informs his reflective lifestyle.^[32]

Influence on Spiritual Healing

Matthew Manning significantly contributed to the popularization of energy healing in the United Kingdom and internationally through high-profile television appearances and educational workshops during the 1970s and beyond. His 1974 appearance on David Frost's chat show, where an entire episode was dedicated to discussing his psychic and healing experiences, marked a pivotal moment in bringing spiritual healing to mainstream audiences in the UK.^[2] This exposure was followed by co-hosting ITV's Beyond Belief with Frost, during which he performed a live healing demonstration that restored a woman's sense of smell after 20 years, further amplifying public interest.^[33] Complementing these media efforts, Manning conducted workshops and healing sessions that extended his teachings on energy healing to international participants, particularly through later online global events that connected practitioners worldwide.^[30] Manning's influence extended to inspiring a generation of subsequent healers and promoting the integration of spiritual healing into complementary medicine practices. By channeling his experiences into accessible teachings, he encouraged others to explore energy-based therapies as adjuncts to conventional treatments, emphasizing self-healing and holistic well-being.^[11] His early collaborations with scientists, including experiments on influencing biological processes like blood cell breakdown and plant growth, provided empirical insights that helped bridge spiritual healing with scientific inquiry, fostering its acceptance in complementary health contexts.^[23] Publications such as The Link, which sold over one million copies, served as key resources for aspiring healers, disseminating practical methods and philosophical underpinnings of energy work.^[4] As of 2025, Manning continues to sustain his legacy via an active website and online communities that propagate his healing methods to a global audience. Through a subscription-based Healing Community, he offers weekly distant healing sessions, guided meditations, and live events, maintaining a platform for ongoing education and practice in energy healing.^[4]

References

[1]
Matthew Manning | Psi Encyclopedia - Society for Psychical Research
Mar 20, 2018 · Matthew Manning was born on 17 August 1955, the eldest of three siblings. The family lived in Shelford, near Cambridge. In 1967, the family ...
[2]
An interview with Matthew Manning: Poltergeist boy | British GQ
May 8, 2014 · Matthew Manning has been Britain's most haunted. Harassed by spirits since the age of eleven and apparently gifted with the power to heal cancer.Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
[3]
Poltergeist Scribbler: The Bizarre Case of Matthew Manning
In producing both automatic writings and drawings, Matthew Manning follows in the footsteps of others with multiple automatism skills, notably Rosemary Brown.Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
[4]
Matthew Manning
Home page of Matthew Manning. I've worked as a healer for 40 years having originally spent years working with scientists in laboratories.Anecdotes From My Past · Book An Appointment · Live Healing Circles · ContactMissing: biography | Show results with:biography
[5]
The Link - Matthew Manning | PDF | Parapsychology - Scribd
Rating 5.0 (9) Matthew Manning's own story of his extraordinary psychic gifts with an introduction by Peter Bander.
[6]
Manning, Matthew (1955-) | Encyclopedia.com
Manning was born August 17, 1955; and at the age of 11, he was the center of a poltergeist disturbance at the family home in Shelford, Cambridge, England ...
[7]
Anecdotes From My Past - Matthew Manning
This year it will be 50 years since The Link was first published and I've been reminiscing about those early years. I was young, quite naive and just 19-years- ...Missing: background | Show results with:background
[8]
[PDF] Problems in Investigating Psychokinesis in Special Subjects
... Research and confirm their accuracy. The City University investigation of Matthew Manning contained in Chapter 5 was convened by me and the infra-red.
[9]
Full text of "Scary Stories & Creepypastas" - Internet Archive
Manning was 11 in 1967 when poltergeist activity erupted at his home at Shelford, in Cambridge, England. He began having out-of-body experiences, even ...
[10]
Matthew Manning (UK Healer) | Keekoo Publications
Sep 5, 2023 · I had become very interested in healing, a few years before, in 1979, and had already experimented with self-healing and sending 'absent ...
[11]
Interview: Matthew Manning in conversation with Claire Gillman
Nov 15, 2018 · Matthew Manning was a healer, psychic and channeller who was on the TV a lot – most notably on the David Frost show.Missing: father Derek
[12]
and twelve people raised their hands. For once, I didn't know who to ...
Sep 22, 2025 · From the late 1970s I held healing demonstrations all over the world, often with audiences of thousands. I would work on stage with people who ...
[13]
TESTIMONIALS - Matthew Manning
I saw Matthew over thirty years ago for healing of back pain and right sided lower stomach tumour. After sessions of healing with Matthew, much to the ...Missing: practice | Show results with:practice
[14]
My Books - Matthew Manning
Over the years I have written eight books, two of which - 'The Link' and 'The Healing Journey' - were bestsellers. Unfortunately they are now all out of print ...Missing: publications | Show results with:publications
[15]
Matthew Manning's Guide to Self-healing - Softcover - AbeBooks
In stockThis book uses case studies to demonstrate the experience of a healer and is written in a simple style. It encourages readers to take responsibility for their ...
[16]
No Faith Required by Manning Matthew - Colin Smythe
No Faith Required ... Length: 80 pp. ... This is a book about Healing. Not 'Faith Healing', as Matthew refuses to call it that. As he writes, 'The idea that healing ...
[17]
Your Mind Can Heal Your Body by Matthew Manning - Goodreads
Rating 3.6 (20) Feb 22, 2007 · You will discover how to get in touch with the wisdom of your own body; how certain physical conditions can be traced to mental states; what ...Missing: recurring themes connection afterlife religion
[18]
Your Mind Can Heal Your Body by Matthew Manning | Hachette UK
You will discover: How to get in touch with the wisdom of your own body; How certain physical conditions can be traced to mental states; What healing can do – ...Missing: recurring themes afterlife skepticism religion
[19]
The link: Matthew Manning's own story of his extraordinary psychic ...
The link is Mathew Manning's own story. From the mysterious beginnigs when he was only eleven, to the frightening days at boarding school.Missing: recurring themes afterlife self- skepticism religion<|control11|><|separator|>
[20]
[PDF] PIATKUS NON-FICTION BACKLIST TRANSLATION RIGHTS
THE HEALING JOURNEY by Matthew Manning. Matthew Manning is one of the world's most gifted healers. In The Healing Journey, he provides a guide to achieving ...
[21]
Matthew Manning and Spiritual Healing - Metaphysical Articles
Nov 9, 2014 · Healing techniques used by Matthew were said to have "evolved ... I regard healing energy as an unconditional universal force for good.
[22]
Matthew Manning - Psychic and Healer - Mysterious People
In Germany to promote his 1974 book The Link, detailing his poltergeist experiences, Matthew underwent a range of tests with varying degrees of success, but at ...
[23]
A REVIEW OF THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THE ...
Aug 22, 2017 · Braud, Davis & Wood (1979) attempted to control the breakdown of stressed human blood cells (erythrocytes) using the healer Matthew Manning.
[24]
[PDF] CIA-RDP96-00787R000300050001-5.pdf
**. Brand, W., "Experiments with Matthew Manning, J. Soc. Psychical Res.,. Vol. 50, No. 782, pp. 199-223 (December 1979).
[25]
Healer pays tribute to his brave wife | East Anglian Daily Times
Mar 11, 2004 · World famous healer to the stars Matthew Manning has spoken for the first time about the death of his wife from cancer.
[26]
IS THE GIFT OF HEALING HEREDITARY? I've been asked so many ...
Jun 16, 2020 · IS THE GIFT OF HEALING HEREDITARY? I've been asked so many times if my son or daughter have 'inherited' my healing abilities.Missing: marriage | Show results with:marriage
[27]
THE WAIT IS WORTHWHILE WHEN YOU FINALLY MEET YOUR ...
Oct 24, 2024 · The relationship can act as a mirror, reflecting parts of yourself that need healing. 5. A Sense of Purpose and Spiritual Growth Many believe ...
[28]
Matthew Manning - A WALK IN THE FOREST THIS AFTERNOON...
Apr 24, 2025 · Old Sulehay Forest was glorious this afternoon as Yvonne and I spent time soaking up a spring afternoon. I have live healing circles on Saturday ...
[29]
DISTANT HEALING - Matthew Manning
Join my weekly distant healing sessions, take part in my monthly online Global Healing Events and enjoy a limited selection of my guided self help meditations ...Missing: visualization techniques
[30]
GLOBAL HEALING EVENTS - Matthew Manning
I hold an online one-hour Global Healing Event on a Sunday, which is streamed from the Healing Community pages. They remain online for 24 hours.Missing: healer 2020s
[31]
Manning Matthew - Colin Smythe
In this book he describes the amazing and frightening poltergeist phenomena that took place at his home in the early 1970s, and the remarkable portrait of the ...Missing: shift | Show results with:shift
[32]
Matthew Manning - I'm dedicating this to my wife, Sarah, who once ...
Jan 14, 2017 · I'm dedicating this to my wife, Sarah, who once did this with starfish as we walked along a beach in India. It's a beautiful message for all ...
[33]
Media Work - Matthew Manning
An extraordinary healing on live television, when I co-hosted ITV's Beyond Belief with Sir David Frost. This lady's sense of smell was restored after 20 years.