Exploring Physical Mediumship: Psychic Photos, Spirit Voices, & Materializations

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Starting with the basics here, we cannot experience these manifestations of spirit forms without a medium to channel their energy. The medium is that link between the spirit plane and the room of sitters. They connect with the plane and the high frequencies of the energy signatures to provide that bridge and open up lines of communication. Spirits then take advantage of this channel to communicate with the medium and sitters. Physical mediumship requires a different set of abilities than more general mediumship. Therefore, only a select group of mediums are physical mediums, and no psychics can claim to be. It is clear that further research into the phenomenology and neurophysiology of trance states is required. In the context of spirit mediumship, the term ‘trance’ might best be understood as referring to the state of consciousness in which the medium’s personality is purportedly ‘dispossessed by an intruding intelligence’. 88 Conclusion: Cross-Cultural Features Ong, A. (1988). ‘The Production of Possession: Spirits and the Multinational Corporation in Malaysia.’ American Ethnologist, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 28-42. Littlewood, R. (1995). ‘The Return of Multiple Consciousnesses.’ In A.P. Cohen & N. Rapport (eds.) (1995). Questions of Consciousness. London: Routledge. Bourguignon, E. Bellisari, A. & McCabe, S. (1983). ‘Women, Possession Trance Cults, and the Extended Nutrient-Deficiency Hypothesis.’ American Anthropologist, Vol. 85, No. 2, pp. 413-416.

Halloy, A. (2010). ‘Comments on “The Mind Possessed: The Cognition of Spirit Possession in an Afro-Brazilian Religious Tradition” by Emma Cohen.’ Religion and Society: Advances in Research, Vol. 1, pp. 164-176. Psychic abilities: Whether born with a heightened sixth sense, or have trained in a psychic development course, mediums rely onstrongpsychic abilities. This extra-sensory perception enables the medium to perceive and interpret information beyond what is available through the five physical senses. They work steadily to develop and strengthen their 'clair' senses: clairvoyance, clairsentience, claircognisance, clairaudience. Their psychic ability supports their mediumship. For this reason, we advise aspiring mediums to begin by developing their psychic awareness, which you will do in our beginner courses. Boddy, J. (1988). ‘Spirits and Selves in Northern Sudan: The Cultural Therapeutics of Possession and Trance.’ American Ethnologist, Vol.15, No. 1, pp. 4-27. All physical mediums should be assessed under test conditions before being allowed to work at AFC and a register of approved Physical mediums is kept just as for all college tutors.

What is materialisation?

Since altered states of consciousness (ASCs) are central to most mediumship traditions, 67 it seems reasonable to present a short examination of the concept of consciousness in general so that we can better understand what we mean by altering it. After all, if defining what we mean when we refer to consciousness is difficult, it must be even more so to define an alteration of it. The psychologist Charles Tart provides us with a useful starting point, describing ASCs as states ‘such that the experiencer feels her consciousness is qualitatively (and often radically) different from the way it functions in the baseline state’. 68 By the term ‘baseline state’, Tart is referring to our ‘normal’ everyday waking consciousness, which in Euro-American culture is perceived as the dominant, most practical, form of consciousness. Of course it would be unreasonable to suggest that Western culture is entirely monophasic (as contrasted with polyphasic cultures), 69 but it is nevertheless clear that our culture places a special significance on one specific form of consciousness – normal everyday waking consciousness – while other forms of consciousness are perceived as either inferior or useless. 70 While there is a learned technology to mediumship, the process can be highly individualised and can vary depending on the specific techniques and methods that each medium discovers to support their art. For example, if you have ever witnessed the mediumship of Hollywood Medium Tyler Henry, you'll notice he sketches with a pen on paper to 'open up' or activate his mediumship gifts. You will find your own way as you progress on your path of mediumship development. To bring about a spiritual awakening within the recipient of the message. Once the fact of spirit life is assured, the implications should be clear as to the way we need to live our lives here – not in the context of three score years and ten, but in the setting of eternity. Spiritualism offers a rational philosophy to complete its unique offering. 3

a) they must be filmed with infrared cameras. It would be invaluable if the AFC invested in a video system that uses multiple cameras that could be linked not only to a recording device but also to a monitor outside the seance room. In principle there should be no seances held in total darkness. Subdued lighting including coloured lights or Natural light is preferable at all times.”

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night vision viewers are made available to watch events live during the seance and so have independent witnesses acting on behalf of those present. With these conditions in use there would be no need to secure a medium to the chair with cable ties. At the end of our incredible mediumship demonstrations, we are often asked: 'How does a medium work?' Well, The College of Psychic Studies is a good place to ask! Our expert tutors train our students to be the very bestpsychics, mediums and intuitivesthey can be. And part of that training is, of course, learning the steps of how mediumship works. But before we explore that, let's first get clear on an all-important question... What is a medium? Winkelman, M. (1986). ‘Trance States: A Theoretical Model and Cross-Cultural Analysis.’ Ethnos, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 174-203. Clairsentience is a French word which means ‘clear sensing’ and is an enhanced form of intuition. The majority of what most mediums perceive comes in this form and it requires some interpretation by them, which is where it can sometimes break down. However, it is the string on which the other two types can be threaded. Most mediums are primarily, or exclusively, clairsentients. Osborne, G. & Bacon, A.M. (2015). ‘The Working Life of a Medium: A Qualitative Examination of Mediumship as a Support Service for the Bereaved.’ Mental Health, Religion & Culture.