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Humans have communicated with the afterlife for hundreds of years. Some philosophers and theologians suggest that Christ was a medium of his time. Throughout history, mystics and seers have claimed to be able to access the spirits and souls of people who have passed from this world.
The most well-known medium, in the purest sense of the word, was Emanuel Swedenborg, who lived in the 1700s. His work in communicating with the spirit world remains important to this day. His research and experiences are still believed to be some of the finest in history, and his books continue to sell worldwide. These books are essential reads for anyone interested in the history of mediumship.
The 19th century saw a surge in the popularity of communicating with the spirits of the deceased, which became a prevalent social activity. This was largely due to the creation of Spiritualism, a religion that emerged from the events in a Hydesville cottage in 1848, known as the rappings. Spiritualists became the ‘umbrella’ name for people following this interest as part of the newly formed Spiritualist movement.
In this series, some of the most excellent mediums of modern-day spiritualism will be briefly presented to you. The mediums included are in no particular order of abilities. Each of these mediums contributed uniquely to the spiritualist movement, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire both believers and researchers in parapsychology and psychical research. Their impact on spiritualism and the broader cultural and religious landscape of the 20th century is undeniable.
10 PIONEERS OF MEDIUMSHIP
EMANUEL SWEDENBORG
1688 - 1772
A Swedish scientist and mystic, Swedenborg was a key precursor to spiritualism. In his 50s, he began experiencing visions and claimed communication with angels and spirits, culminating in a vision of Christ in 1745, which he saw as a divine mandate to write about spiritual matters.His detailed writings on the spiritual world, especially Heaven and Hell (1758), profoundly influenced later spiritualist movements.
Passing away in 1772 in London, Swedenborg left a significant legacy. His extensive theological writings, emphasizing love, faith, and the interconnectedness of all things, laid the foundation for the New Church. His work continues to influence religious thought, as well as fields like psychology and literature, drawing interest for its depth and visionary insights. Emanuel Swedenborg remains a seminal figure in the history of spiritual exploration.
Passing away in 1772 in London, Swedenborg left a significant legacy. His extensive theological writings, emphasizing love, faith, and the interconnectedness of all things, laid the foundation for the New Church. His work continues to influence religious thought, as well as fields like psychology and literature, drawing interest for its depth and visionary insights. Emanuel Swedenborg remains a seminal figure in the history of spiritual exploration.
FRANZ MESMER
1734 - 1815
Franz was a German physician whose theories of "animal magnetism" laid the foundation for hypnosis and altered states of consciousness. Though not a spiritualist per se, Mesmer’s ideas about unseen forces influenced later spiritualist practices and beliefs about spirit communication.
He theorised the existence of a process of natural energy transference occurring between all animate and inanimate objects; this he called "animal magnetism", later referred to as mesmerism. Mesmer's theory attracted a wide following between about 1780 and 1850, and continued to have some influence until the end of the 19th century. In 1843, the Scottish doctor James Braid proposed the term "hypnotism" for a technique derived from animal magnetism; today the word "mesmerism" generally functions as a synonym of "hypnosis".
He theorised the existence of a process of natural energy transference occurring between all animate and inanimate objects; this he called "animal magnetism", later referred to as mesmerism. Mesmer's theory attracted a wide following between about 1780 and 1850, and continued to have some influence until the end of the 19th century. In 1843, the Scottish doctor James Braid proposed the term "hypnotism" for a technique derived from animal magnetism; today the word "mesmerism" generally functions as a synonym of "hypnosis".
ALLAN KARDEC
1804 - 1869
Kardec was a French educator and the founder of Spiritism. Kardec systematised mediumistic communications in works including The Spirits’ Book (1857). His rational, codified approach to the spirit world helped spread spiritualist beliefs globally, especially in Brazil.
Allan Kardec was his 'pen' name and he was born Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail. According to “My predictions concerning spiritualism” as he himself described in his manuscript written between 1855 and 1856, "in May 1855, he met a certain Mr. Fortier, a magnetizer, who took him to Madame de Plainemaison, a medium who lived in the Rue de la Grange Bateliere in Paris, just a step away from the Opera House. In the presence of other guests for the session, he entered into communication with a spirit named Zephyr, who gave him the mission of being the spokesman of the Dead. For him, it was a revelation. He was there, for the first time, witnessing the phenomenon of turntables jumping and running
Allan Kardec was his 'pen' name and he was born Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail. According to “My predictions concerning spiritualism” as he himself described in his manuscript written between 1855 and 1856, "in May 1855, he met a certain Mr. Fortier, a magnetizer, who took him to Madame de Plainemaison, a medium who lived in the Rue de la Grange Bateliere in Paris, just a step away from the Opera House. In the presence of other guests for the session, he entered into communication with a spirit named Zephyr, who gave him the mission of being the spokesman of the Dead. For him, it was a revelation. He was there, for the first time, witnessing the phenomenon of turntables jumping and running
HELENA PETROVNA BLAVATSKY
1831 - 1891
Co-founder of the Theosophical Society, Blavatsky blended Eastern mysticism, occultism, and spiritualism. Her major works, "The Secret Doctrine" and "Isis Unveiled", introduced many Westerners to esoteric ideas that influenced spiritualist thought.
Blavatsky was a controversial figure during her lifetime, championed by supporters as an enlightened sage and derided as a charlatan by critics. Her Theosophical doctrines influenced the spread of Hindu and Buddhist ideas in the West as well as the development of Western esoteric currents like Ariosophy, Anthroposophy, and the New Age Movement.
Blavatsky was a controversial figure during her lifetime, championed by supporters as an enlightened sage and derided as a charlatan by critics. Her Theosophical doctrines influenced the spread of Hindu and Buddhist ideas in the West as well as the development of Western esoteric currents like Ariosophy, Anthroposophy, and the New Age Movement.
LEONORA PIPER
1857 - 1950
Leonora Piper (née Leonora Evelina Simonds) was a famous American trance medium in the area of Spiritualism. Piper was the subject of intense interest and investigation by both American and British psychic research associations during the early 20th century, including psychologist William James and the Society for Psychical Research.
Researchers and scientists who studied Piper's mediumship have described mentalist techniques such as cold reading, muscle reading and "fishing", all techniques that she may have used to gather information about séance sitters, so she could appear to have unexplained insight. Science writer and mathematician Martin Gardner dismissed Piper as a "clever charlatan."
Researchers and scientists who studied Piper's mediumship have described mentalist techniques such as cold reading, muscle reading and "fishing", all techniques that she may have used to gather information about séance sitters, so she could appear to have unexplained insight. Science writer and mathematician Martin Gardner dismissed Piper as a "clever charlatan."
SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
1859 - 1930
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson.
In 1887, in Southsea, influenced by Major-General Alfred Wilks Drayson, a member of the Portsmouth Literary and Philosophical Society, Doyle began a series of investigations into the possibility of psychic phenomena and attended about 20 seances, experiments in telepathy, and sittings with mediums. Writing to the spiritualist journal "Light" , he declared himself to be a spiritualist, describing one particular event that had convinced him psychic phenomena were real. In 1889, he became a founding member of the Hampshire Society for Psychical Research, and in 1893, he joined the London-based Society for Psychical Research.
In 1887, in Southsea, influenced by Major-General Alfred Wilks Drayson, a member of the Portsmouth Literary and Philosophical Society, Doyle began a series of investigations into the possibility of psychic phenomena and attended about 20 seances, experiments in telepathy, and sittings with mediums. Writing to the spiritualist journal "Light" , he declared himself to be a spiritualist, describing one particular event that had convinced him psychic phenomena were real. In 1889, he became a founding member of the Hampshire Society for Psychical Research, and in 1893, he joined the London-based Society for Psychical Research.
EUSAPIA PALLADINO
1854 - 1918
An Italian medium known for physical phenomena such as table levitation and spirit manifestations. Despite being allegedly caught in fraud, her séances convinced many investigators of the possibility of real psychic phenomena.
Though there is some evidence that she did occasionally manipulate objects in séances, on 14 April 1906, just five days before his accidental death, Pierre Curie wrote about his last séance with Palladino:
"There is here, in my opinion, a whole domain of entirely new facts and physical states in space of which we have no conception."
Though there is some evidence that she did occasionally manipulate objects in séances, on 14 April 1906, just five days before his accidental death, Pierre Curie wrote about his last séance with Palladino:
"There is here, in my opinion, a whole domain of entirely new facts and physical states in space of which we have no conception."
WILLIAM STAINTON MOSES
1839 - 1892
William Stainton Moses was an English cleric and later a spiritualist medium. He promoted spirit photography and automatic writing, and co-founded what became the College of Psychic Studies.
Moses attended his first séance with Lottie Fowler in 1872. Charles Williams and Daniel Dunglas Home were the next mediums he visited. Five months after his introduction to spiritualism, he claimed to have experienced levitation. The automatic scripts of Moses began to appear in his books Spirit Teachings and Spirit Identity. The scripts date from 1872 to 1883 and fill 24 notebooks. All but one have been preserved by the London Spiritualist Alliance.
A large framed portrait of William can be found in The Arthur Findlay College in Stansted.
Moses attended his first séance with Lottie Fowler in 1872. Charles Williams and Daniel Dunglas Home were the next mediums he visited. Five months after his introduction to spiritualism, he claimed to have experienced levitation. The automatic scripts of Moses began to appear in his books Spirit Teachings and Spirit Identity. The scripts date from 1872 to 1883 and fill 24 notebooks. All but one have been preserved by the London Spiritualist Alliance.
A large framed portrait of William can be found in The Arthur Findlay College in Stansted.
GERALDINE CUMMINS
1890 - 1969
Geraldine Dorothy Cummins was an Irish spiritualist medium, novelist and playwright. She began her career as a creative writer, but increasingly concentrated on mediumship and "channelled" writings, mostly about the lives of Jesus and Saint Paul. Her novels and plays typically documented Irish life in a naturalist manner, often exploring the pathos of everyday life.
Her automatic writing and alleged channelled material were examined and have been described by some psychical researchers to be the product of her own subconscious. Critic Harry Price wrote, "there is no question that most of the automatic writing which has been published is the product of the subconscious." Paranormal researcher Hilary Evans noted that unlike most spiritualists, Cummins did not accept the phenomena at face value and questioned the source of the material.
Her automatic writing and alleged channelled material were examined and have been described by some psychical researchers to be the product of her own subconscious. Critic Harry Price wrote, "there is no question that most of the automatic writing which has been published is the product of the subconscious." Paranormal researcher Hilary Evans noted that unlike most spiritualists, Cummins did not accept the phenomena at face value and questioned the source of the material.
CORA L.V. SCOTT
1840 - 1923
Cora Lodencia Veronica Scott was one of the best-known mediums of the Spiritualism movement of the last half of the 19th century. Most of her work was done as a trance lecturer, though she also wrote some books whose composition was attributed to spirit guides rather than her own personality.
She returned to the United States in 1875, and became pastor of a Spiritualist church in Chicago. She would hold this position for the rest of her life. In 1878 she married William Richmond, who helped her by learning shorthand so he could record her lectures for publication. In 1893 Cora delivered a presentation on Spiritualism at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago. That year she helped found the National Spiritualist Association, and was elected its first vice-president. Cora supported a pantheistic type of spiritualism and denied the evolutionary process.
She returned to the United States in 1875, and became pastor of a Spiritualist church in Chicago. She would hold this position for the rest of her life. In 1878 she married William Richmond, who helped her by learning shorthand so he could record her lectures for publication. In 1893 Cora delivered a presentation on Spiritualism at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago. That year she helped found the National Spiritualist Association, and was elected its first vice-president. Cora supported a pantheistic type of spiritualism and denied the evolutionary process.
