If you’re new to the metaphysical world, you may have a fear of mediumship or not understand the difference between that and other forms of clairvoyant work. I wanted to take away those fears and help you feel more comfortable with this realm of work so you can see the value it has for you and our society. In America, when we say mediumship, we are usually referring to communication with deceased loved ones. However in the U.K (where mediumship is very popular) it includes not just communicating with the dead but also covers channeling and clairvoyance.
In the U.K they also practice evidential mediumship more than anything. There are many highly trained mediums that come from the U.K. For most, this type of mediumship requires years of practice with an experienced medium in a mediumship circle. The group energy of a mediumship circle makes it easier for beginners to connect because those who are experienced already have a clear connection to the spirit world. Evidential mediumship which is practiced in the spiritualist tradition is focused on bringing through names, facts about what the person looked like, did for work or how they passed. Psychometry is often used for this as a tool. Psychometry is the ability to discover facts about an event or a person by touching objects (such as jewelry or keys) that belonged to them.
Interestingly, in the U.S. it seems mediumship has become more about bringing through healing messages so that the spirit of the person can move on to it’s next phase. Often the focus is on unresolved issues the spirits want to clear up with someone in the physical realm. Mediums often use pictures of the deceased loved ones in this case.
There is nothing to be afraid of when it comes to deceased loved ones. If someone claims they can always connect to any deceased loved one, you may need to be wary. In spiritualist books, its very clear that not all spirits will show up and not all spirits know how to communicate. There are general observations by mediums that spirits of the mothers side tend to show up on the left while spirits coming through the father’s line tend to show up on the right. The level that the energy is felt is actually near the shoulders but not usually up in the sky where higher frequency spirit guides and angels are usually felt. Friends and non-relatives may be in front of the medium but it can vary.
Many people will not at first recognize the person that shows up because perhaps they were expecting someone else or wanting to connect to someone else. It can be someone that passed many years ago and that you haven’t thought of in a very long time. In addition, it can be someone you didn’t know ever and will later find out about by asking questions to family members. It’s best to really keep your expectations at bay in a session and see what shows up. Many mediums have said that people will contact them after an event surprised that a relative they hadn’t known about had come through.
So why would you want a mediumship session? Well if you have any doubts about the other side or life after death, one session with a trained medium can clear that up. Moreover, you can work on resolving issues with family members and healing grief or anger. If you’re really missing someone, it can be a helpful experience as well. There are many ways it can help, the spirits will often be there to help you and have important information for you. It’s sometimes thought that just because someone has passed that they are now a pure soul, however they may be just as stubborn headed or confused as they were in their waking life. Sometimes they are trying to come through and the message is, to put it bluntly, not that intelligent or groundbreaking so to speak. That controlling aunt may still want to voice her opinions on your spouse or job even if it’s not advice you want so keep a sense of humor with the process too.
Just as there are billions of people on the earth, there are many in the spirit world. Sometimes people get stuck and don’t realize they have crossed. They will seek out a like vibration or an open energy field to try to connect to the physical world in someway. If you are someone that experiences these types of things, you can always ask your higher self to be the mediator and only allow them to come to you when you set the intention to offer some assistance and of course you do this one at a time. If they are pesky, ask them to go away just like a person. Again, they cannot hurt you. Fear is something that may create stories in your mind that can play tricks on you so know that your higher self protects you and you are safe. More people are studying and understanding mediumship in this age and most people are starting to understand that there is an unseen realm.
For those who want to develop mediumship I recommend a book called ‘Mediumship Mastery: The Ultimate Guide. The Mechanics of Receiving Spirit Communication’ by Stephen A. Hermann. Of course you can also consider joining a regular spiritualist mediumship circle. Can everyone do it? Yes. The more you practice, the easier it gets. Some people will naturally be very open to it, especially if it was something openly discussed and nurtured while they were growing up. Our in house medium, Afimaye is a third generation healer and has a strong connection to the spirit world. He always has everyone who sits in a session with him or in one of his classes can attest to his gift. You can call the front desk to book a session with him on Monday-Wednesday.
As I said, mediumship can sometimes refer to channeling or clairvoyance which is a different form of communication. In Hermann’s book he helps you understand that your higher self and guides will be your translators for connecting to deceased loved ones. The relationships you develop with your higher self and guides is very important. You can attend Kristin’s class on Meeting Your Spirit Guides to develop this or look in our library for books on this subject. The higher self is the gatekeeper for you and the spirit world. They are the ones that allow you to connect to high vibrational multidimensional beings that are not of this realm. Those frequencies which are less attached to a gender and may be a group of souls, are what artists are said to channel from. The high vibration concepts that come through song lyrics or paintings are often observed as ‘not of this world.’ We offer an 'Spirit Guide' intention candle to help you connect with them.
Finally, some people (especially in the UK) will group the clairs into the umbrella term of mediumship. For them, this includes clairvoyance (seeing images from a person’s energetic field), clairaudience (hearing messages for a person), clairsentience (feeling what a person is feeling), claircognizance (knowing things about a person) and clairgustance (tasting things). So you should always clarify if someone says mediumship, exactly what they are referring to.
For those of you developing your gifts or grieving the deceased, I hope this article has provided you with a deeper understanding of the spirit world which should not be feared. I will leave you with this, your guides are ready to help you, all you need to do is ask and listen for guidance on a consistent basis with a pure heart.