I’ve always worked with the principle that if I learn something I don’t feel comfortable with, I will file it under the ‘NOT SURE’ part of my mind. Sometimes, I’ll believe something if I have enough evidence to support it, being more likely than not.
The mediumship path means much learning on the way. Often, what we learn is contrary to our previous thinking. The ability to speak with ‘dead people’ remains alien and preposterous to the majority of people. Yet, somehow, working as mediums, we start by accepting much of what we learn without facts supporting it.
I was a challenging student to teach. I disputed so much of what was being taught and questioned everything. If something appeared nonsense to me, I dismissed it, and it likely wouldn’t even get filed in my mind under the Not Sure folder!
My tutors were essentially experts in the study of mediumship. They most certainly knew more than me. But I still believed that everything they suggested must, at some level, be supported by evidence. As an initial sceptic, I wanted the facts, not the hearsay. If you want me to believe unicorns exist, show me the evidence!
On frequent occasions, I was what you might call gullible. In my mind, I gave certain notions and ideas the benefit of the doubt, believing that I would change my mind when I learned something to the contrary. That principle comes under the heading, ‘unlearning‘.
Much of what a mediumship tutor teaches students is based on their personal experience and, therefore, heavily includes their opinions. This is more common than one might realise. Ask any teacher of mediumship whether they believe Evil exists as a force or is a by-product of man’s creation, and every one of them will offer a different opinion based on their knowledge. Yet there are few, if any, facts to support either argument as being valid.
Sometimes, we accept the information shared because we like and trust the teacher, or the information sits right at that time in their development and unfoldment. It is always worth reminding ourselves that we are all on a learning curve and where we are will change. What we know now and believe will also change as we progress on the learning curve. The best approach to our learning is never to set anything in concrete. Fewer things than we might initially believe are absolute, rock-solid facts.
Adapting phrases such as “My current belief is ….“, or “As I understand it at this time …” is a good practice. This allows you the freedom to change your mind when confronted with more information or facts you were unaware of initially. We need to learn to be flexible and leave space for changes to be accepted as and when required. Don’t become too proud to admit when you were wrong. The words, “I’ve changed my mind“, are not weak. They show strength and an open mind.
AUTOMATIC v INSPIRED WRITING
As a new student, I learned that automatic writing involved physical mediumship. It happened when words appeared on paper or an article, such as a slate, without the hands of the medium being involved. That remains true to this day and that type of automatic writing is rare. I learned that inspired writing was completely different and involved the mind of the writer to be involved to some level. My tutors suggested that there was a distinct difference, giving weight to automatic writing as more important, being purer and less arguable.
Some years later, I started to have doubts as to whether the differences were so strict. I interviewed an Indian lady, Kavya Jaiswal, whose work with this form of communication from the spirit world was incredible. She classed her work as automatic. During the interview, I can be heard arguing that she had mistitled her work and that it was not automatic writing, instead being inspired writing.
I had been writing ‘inspired’ stuff for years already and yet, something in my conversation with Kavya made me start to think about it more. So I increased my own practise of writing with the desire to understand whether there was much of a difference between the two forms of writing, and whether the source of the words was different.
What I discovered was that inspired writing varies from a simple inspiration of the mind, to a deeper connection with the speaker communicating from the spirit world. This is the process of mental mediumship and how most mediums receive their messages. The difference being, I was writing the words on paper instead of voicing them.
Many of the messages I have transcribed simply could not have been of my own inspiration. I’m not as clever as that. As my relationship strengthened with the spirit connect, I knew beyond any doubt that the transcribing I was doing was from another source – the spirit world.
Yes, automatic writing, is a physical mediumship action, independant of a medium, and yes it is wonderful, though rare. But I now believe that some inspired writing from a deep connection with the spirit communicator can be equal, and often better, than automatic writing in it’s purest form. The trick is in understanding how strong the relationship is between the transcriber and the communicator. Only the writer knows that.
SITTING IN THE POWER - ESSENTIAL FOR MEDIUMSHIP
There is no doubt that sitting in the power of self and spirit in a meditative state is good practice. There is also no doubt that doing so can only help the sitter improve their understanding of their higher self and that of the spirit. But it’s not an essential practice. I used to believe it was, because that was what I was being taught. The tutors weren’t wrong either. I needed to. The practice helped my unfoldment, something that cannot be trained easily.
But not all mediums take time to sit in silence for themselves and their growth and unfoldment. I’m sure many of my tutors never practised what they preached! But they might not need to. Their relationship with their spirit connections might be so strong that they don’t need to. Perhaps they were born with an enhanced gift.
In the past, I would have suggested that sitting in the power was essential for becoming a better medium. To a greater extent, I still believe that, especially with newer students seeking to explore their own potential. But I also know a few mediums that are already excellent mediums. Their connection with the spirit world is greater than some other mediums. Of course, they would find some benefit from sitting in the power, and no doubt, some of those elite mediums do, but it’s probably not essential.
I once asked my tutor when they last sit in the power. I got the answer that it was none of my business, and to focus on myself rather than others. That got me thinking that if they had sat, for example, the previous night, wouldn’t they be more open to share that with a student, rather than just call be cheeky for asking? But nowadays, I realise how correct that tutor was, even if they aren’t sitting in the power as often as they suggest to their students. Mediumship is a personal journey, and no two mediums are alike. Is it essential to sit in the power to become a better medium? I think so, though it’s not essential.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING BORN GIFTED
Mozart is often quoted as an example of someone born gifted with the piano. That is so. But he wasn’t the only pianist ever! Other great composers didn’t learn the piano until later in life. Some of the most excellent mediums were born gifted and relayed communications from the spirit world at a young age. But that doesn’t mean others can’t develop their talents later in life.
There is more than a hint of oneupmanship amongst mediums that claim to have been born gifted for this work. They often state their pedigree in such a way that everyone else feels somewhat inferior. That, I’m afraid, is nothing more than their ego at work. The greatest medium ever could be you, waiting to be discovered.
I have no doubts that someone born gifted, and given the room in their early years to explore their gift, is going to become an excellent medium. But I also have no doubts that a fifty year old student looking to explore his or her own potential to become a medium, could also become the greatest medium of their era. The art of mediumship is a personal development and has nothing to do with being born gifted or not.
For many years I had this nagging doubt in my mind that, because my tutor always bragged about being gifted from a young age, and I was in my 40s, I might never become a medium. I doubted myself and couldn’t even declare I was a medium. I changed my thinking when I learned how to understand my subtle relationship with my spirit and the spirit world. Perhaps we’re all born gifted, but some of us choose to not unwrap the gift until later in our life!
When I was drafting the notes for this article, I drew up a list of at least a dozen things I have changed my mind over in my time as a medium. It was during the preparation of this article I realised I couldn’t write about them all. It would have taken a book to do so!
To finish this article I’ll list a few of those headliner facts that I’ve changed my mind over.
THINGS I ORIGINALLY BELIEVED AND HAVE SINCE CHANGED MY MIND
Angels and fairies don’t exist.
I’ve since changed my mind!
Qualifications are essential in mediumship.
I don’t think so!
Spirit people always give enough details.
If only that were true!
Spirit people are all-knowing & all-seeing.
No they’re not!
All spirit people are super-intelligent
No, they’re often ordinary people continuing to live in another realm!
A medium is needed to connect with a loved one in the spirit world
Not so. Anyone can connect with them!
Mediums are always truthful
No, they’re human like everyone else!
Making money from mediumship is wrong
Not so. I’ve invested a fortune into my unfoldment. Why shouldn’t I charge a reasonable fee for my time and knowledge?
All spiritualists are spiritual
So far from the truth!
Turning gift on and off is a good habit
It doesn’t work like that.
Closing chakras is a good practice.
That’s utter nonsense and not possible anyway.
Ouija Boards are bad.
Not true. They’re a valid way to communicate when used correctly.
Reading Tarot uses earthbound energy.
Not always true. The spirit world can use them for communications as well.
Being psychic doesn’t make you a medium.
Nor does being a priest, vicar, or clergyman!
Trance mediumship is elite
It’s not. But it is a craft that shouldn’t be public unless the medium is experienced.
Meditation is about emptying the mind.
No it’s not. That is impossible. It’s about degrees of focus
When we pass over, our Akashic records are revisited.
There is no evidence to support this. It’s mainly folklore.
Most male mediums are gay
I’m not. There’s evidence to suggest it helps, but it’s not essential. (thank goodness!)
