Hermes Astrology
Mediumship for Beginners
Imagine sitting in a dimly lit room, surrounded by silence, when
suddenly a voice speaks—not from any person present, but from
the air itself. It addresses you by name, shares information known
only to you and a loved one who has died, and speaks with the
cadence and personality of that departed soul. For millions of
people throughout history, this is not imagination but
experience—the experience of mediumship .
Mediumship is the practice of certain people—known as
mediums—to purportedly mediate communication between spirits
of the dead and living human beings . The term derives from the
Latin medius, meaning "middle" or "intermediary," precisely
describing the medium's role as a bridge between two worlds .
For the beginner, mediumship presents a fascinating and
challenging subject. It touches on humanity's deepest questions:
Does consciousness survive death? Can we communicate with
those who have passed? Are the loved ones we have lost truly
gone, or do they remain accessible through those with special
gifts? These questions have occupied philosophers, theologians,
scientists, and ordinary people for millennia.
This introduction aims to provide a comprehensive and balanced
overview of mediumship, drawing on historical sources,
phenomenological analysis, and practical guidance. We will
explore where mediumship comes from, how it is practiced, what
the evidence suggests, and how one might begin to explore this
path. Whether you approach mediumship as a believer, a skeptic,
or simply a curious inquirer, this guide will provide the foundation
you need.
1. Defining Mediumship: The Intermediary Role
1.1 What Is a Medium?
At its most basic level, a medium is a person who claims to be
able to mediate communication between the world of the living and
the world of spirit . This mediation can take many forms:
●​ Relaying Messages: The medium hears, sees, or senses
messages from spirits and passes them on to living
recipients .
●​ Allowing Spirit Control: The medium permits a spirit to take
control of their body, speaking directly through them .
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●​ Automatic Writing or Drawing: The medium's hand is
guided by spirit to produce written messages or images .
●​ Physical Manifestations: The medium serves as a source
of power for physical phenomena such as raps, voices,
materialized objects, or spirit forms .
1.2 Mediumship vs. Psychic Ability
A crucial distinction in the field is between mediumship and
psychic ability. As one source notes, "A medium is said to have
psychic abilities but not all psychics function as mediums" . The
difference lies in the source of information:
●​ Psychic abilities (clairvoyance, telepathy, precognition)
involve perception of information from the physical world or
from other living minds, whether through extended normal
senses or through unknown channels .
●​ Mediumship specifically involves communication with
discarnate entities—spirits of the deceased, spirit guides, or
other non-physical beings .
A psychic might tell you about your past, present, or future by
reading your energy or accessing information fields. A medium
specifically aims to connect you with your deceased loved ones.
1.3 The Medium's Experience
What does it feel like to be a medium? Descriptions vary, but
common themes emerge. Some mediums report:
●​ Hearing voices as clearly as if someone were speaking
aloud (clairaudience)
●​ Seeing spirits as though they were physically present, or
seeing them in the mind's eye like a movie or photograph
(clairvoyance)
●​ Feeling physical sensations that reflect the spirit's
condition at death—pain, breathlessness, or the effects of
illness (clairsentience)
●​ "Just knowing" information without any sensory input
(claircognizance)
●​ Smelling scents associated with the spirit, such as tobacco
smoke or perfume (clairalience)
●​ Tasting foods the spirit enjoyed in life (clairgustance)
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These experiences may occur in ordinary consciousness or in
altered states ranging from light trance to deep unconsciousness
where the spirit fully controls the medium's body .
2. Historical and Cultural Context
Mediumship has ancient roots but took its modern form in the 19th
century.
2.1 Ancient Precursors
Attempts to communicate with the dead date back to early human
history . Perhaps the most famous ancient account is the Witch of
Endor in the Hebrew Bible (1 Samuel 28), who raised the spirit of
the prophet Samuel for King Saul . In ancient Greece, the Oracle
of Delphi served as a medium for the god Apollo, delivering
prophecies in an altered state. Similar practices existed throughout
the ancient world, from Egypt to China .
2.2 The Spiritualist Movement
Modern mediumship as we know it emerged with the Spiritualist
movement in the mid-19th century. The movement is said to date
from 1848, when the Fox sisters—Maggie and Kate
Fox—reported mysterious rappings in their home in Hydesville,
New York . They claimed to communicate with a spirit through a
code of raps, and soon public séances became immensely
popular.
Spiritualism spread rapidly through the United States and Europe.
Trance mediums became celebrated lecturers, delivering
passionate speeches on abolitionism, temperance, and women's
suffrage . Figures like Paschal Beverly Randolph and Emma
Hardinge Britten were among the most renowned . In France,
Allan Kardec systematized similar ideas under the term Spiritism
around 1860, claiming that conversations with spirits through
mediums formed the basis of his books .
2.3 The Golden Age of Physical Mediumship
The latter half of the 19th century saw the rise of physical
mediumship—the claim that spirits could produce tangible
phenomena through the medium's energy . Famous physical
mediums included:
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●​ D. D. Home: Perhaps the most celebrated physical medium,
known for levitations, handling hot coals, and producing
musical sounds. No fraud was ever proven against him
despite extensive investigation .
●​ Stainton Moses: A clergyman and schoolmaster whose
mediumship included raps, telekinesis, levitation, lights,
perfumes, musical sounds, and materialized hands .
●​ Eusapia Palladino: An Italian medium whose phenomena
were observed by eminent scientists including Oliver Lodge
and Charles Richet. Though she was caught in fraud on
multiple occasions, many investigators remained convinced
that genuine phenomena also occurred .
Physical séances were typically conducted in dim or dark
conditions, using tools like spirit trumpets (cones that amplified
spirit voices), spirit cabinets (enclosed spaces where
materializations occurred), and levitation tables .
2.4 Fraud and Exposure
The popularity of mediumship inevitably attracted fraud. Stage
magicians and investigators exposed countless mediums using
tricks such as hidden accomplices, concealed rods and drapes,
and simple sleight of hand . The Davenport Brothers were
famously exposed as using stage magic techniques . By the early
20th century, physical mediumship had largely fallen into disrepute
.
Yet exposure of fraud did not prove all mediumship fraudulent. As
the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica noted regarding Eusapia
Palladino: "It was shown in some sittings held at Cambridge in
1895 that Eusapia produced phenomena by fraudulent means: but
though the evidence of this is conclusive it has not been shown
that her mediumship is entirely fraudulent" .
2.5 The Turn to Mental Mediumship
As physical mediumship declined, mental
mediumship—communication through telepathy, clairvoyance,
and trance speaking—became more prominent . The most famous
case was Mrs. Leonora Piper of Boston, whose mediumship was
investigated for over 20 years by the Society for Psychical
Research and William James . James, initially skeptical, became
convinced that Piper possessed genuine supernormal abilities,
though he remained uncertain about the source of her information .
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2.6 Channeling and Contemporary Mediumship
In the latter half of the 20th century, mediumship evolved into new
forms. Channeling emerged as a popular practice, where the
channeler goes into trance and allows a spiritual entity—often an
ascended master, teaching spirit, or non-terrestrial being—to
speak through them . Notable channelers include:
●​ Jane Roberts, who channeled "Seth" in the 1970s
●​ J. Z. Knight, who claims to channel "Ramtha," a
30,000-year-old warrior
●​ Esther Hicks, who channels "Abraham"
Today, mediumship continues to thrive, with prominent mediums
appearing on television, in theaters, and in private practice.
Organizations like the Arthur Findlay College in England offer
training programs for aspiring mediums . The practice remains
controversial, with ongoing debates about its validity and periodic
exposures of fraud .
3. Types and Classifications of Mediumship
Mediumship is typically classified into several categories based on
the nature of the phenomena produced.
3.1 Mental Mediumship
Mental mediumship involves communication between spirits and the
medium through the medium's mind . The medium "tunes in" to the
spirit world by listening, sensing, or seeing spirits or symbols . The
information is then conveyed to the recipient, known as the "sitter"
.
Mental mediumship encompasses several subtypes:
●​ Clairvoyance ("Clear Seeing"): The medium sees spirits or
visions, either as if physically present or in the mind's eye .
●​ Clairaudience ("Clear Hearing"): The medium hears spirits'
voices or thoughts, either externally or internally .
●​ Clairsentience ("Clear Sensing"): The medium receives
impressions or feelings from spirits .
●​ Claircognizance ("Clear Knowing"): The medium simply
knows information without any sensory input .
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3.2 Trance Mediumship
Trance mediumship is often considered a form of mental mediumship
. The medium enters an altered state of consciousness, allowing a
spirit to use their mind or body for communication . There are
varying degrees:
●​ Light trance: The medium remains aware and can influence
the message.
●​ Deep trance: The medium becomes unconscious, and the
spirit fully controls their body and voice .
In deep trance, the medium typically has no memory of the
messages conveyed and works with an assistant who records the
communications .
3.3 Physical Mediumship
Physical mediumship involves perceptible manifestations produced
through the medium's energy . These can include:
●​ Raps and noises: Unexplained sounds occurring during
séances
●​ Voices: Independent voices speaking in the room
●​ Materializations: Partial or complete spirit forms becoming
visible
●​ Apports: Objects appearing from nowhere
●​ Levitation: The medium or objects rising into the air
●​ Ectoplasm: A mysterious substance said to emanate from
the medium's body and form materializations
Physical mediumship is typically conducted in darkened conditions
and has been heavily associated with fraud, though some
investigators maintained that genuine phenomena occurred .
3.4 Direct Voice
Direct voice is a form of physical mediumship where spirits speak
independently of the medium, whose own voice is not used .
Trumpets are often employed to amplify the spirit voices. Leslie
Flint was one of the best-known exponents of this form .
3.5 Channeling
Channeling emerged in the 20th century as a modern form of
mediumship . The channeler enters trance and allows a spiritual
entity—often described as an ascended master, teaching spirit, or
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non-terrestrial being—to speak through them . Unlike traditional
mediumship, which typically focuses on communicating with
deceased loved ones, channeling often conveys philosophical
teachings and spiritual wisdom .
3.6 Demonstrations of Mediumship
In Spiritualist churches, a portion of services is often given over to
demonstrations of mediumship, where the medium delivers
messages from the spirit world to members of the congregation .
This practice is linked to the Spiritualist affirmation that "the
precepts of Prophecy and Healing are Divine attributes proven
through Mediumship" .
4. The Conceptual Framework: Guides, Controls, and
Communicators
Mediumship operates within a complex conceptual framework
involving multiple types of spirit entities.
4.1 Spirit Guides
A spirit guide is a spirit who brings other spirits to a medium's
attention or carries communications between the medium and the
spirits of the dead . Many mediums report having specific guides
who work with them regularly. These guides may be described as:
●​ Indian guides: Common in 19th and early 20th century
Spiritualism, described as "noisy" and possessing "great
power"
●​ Door-keepers: Guides who act as messengers, helping to
locate spirit friends
●​ Ancestral guides: Spirits with family connections to the
medium
4.2 Spirit Controls
A spirit control is a spirit who habitually controls the medium's
mind or body during trance states . The control serves as a
gatekeeper, determining which spirits can communicate and
managing the flow of information. Famous controls include:
●​ "Dr. Phinuit," who controlled Mrs. Piper in her early
years—a figure whose earthly existence was never verified
●​ "George Pelham," the pseudonym of a deceased American
author who controlled Mrs. Piper in later years
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4.3 Spirit Communicators
A spirit communicator is any spirit who communicates through a
medium during a session . In a typical reading, the communicator
is the deceased loved one the sitter wishes to contact.
5. Scientific Investigation and the Evidence Question
Mediumship has been subjected to scientific investigation for over
150 years, with complex and contested results.
5.1 The Society for Psychical Research
The Society for Psychical Research (SPR) was founded in
London in 1882 to investigate psychic phenomena, including
mediumship, "without prejudice or prepossession" . Eminent
scholars including philosophers, physicists, and psychologists
devoted decades to studying mediums under controlled conditions.
William James, the founder of American psychology and a
longtime SPR member, conducted extensive investigations of Mrs.
Piper . While never reaching a definitive conclusion, James wrote
that the Piper case, "if rigorously examined, would, I am sure,
abate the ridicule of many of the scoffers and lead to a new and
closer scrutiny of the phenomena" .
5.2 The Challenge of Fraud
A persistent obstacle to investigation was fraud. As one scholar
notes, researchers and mediums found themselves caught in a
"pragmatic paradox"—the only way to prove a medium genuine
was to try to expose them as fake . This dynamic created mutual
suspicion and complicated the assessment of evidence.
Many celebrated mediums were exposed as fraudulent. The Fox
sisters themselves eventually confessed (though later recanted)
that their rappings were produced by cracking their toe joints . Yet
investigators like James argued that exposure of fraud in some
cases did not invalidate all mediumship, any more than forgery
invalidates art .
5.3 The Telepathy Hypothesis
An alternative to the spiritualist interpretation emerged early:
perhaps mediums were not communicating with the dead but were
reading the minds of the living. This telepathy hypothesis
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suggested that mediums might possess unusually sensitive
telepathic abilities, picking up information from sitters' minds rather
than from discarnate spirits .
Researchers like Edmund Gurney, Frederic Myers, and Frank
Podmore proposed that "thought-transference is probably the true
explanation of certain results professedly produced by 'spiritualistic
mediumship'" . This interpretation allowed for genuine supernormal
abilities while avoiding the more controversial claim of spirit
communication.
5.4 Contemporary Research
Scientific interest in mediumship continues in the 21st century,
though it remains marginal within mainstream academia. Recent
studies have attempted to test mediums under controlled
conditions, with mixed results . An experiment undertaken by the
British Psychological Society led to the conclusion that test
subjects demonstrated no mediumistic ability .
Yet as historian Andreas Sommer argues, the standard dismissal
of mediumship research as mere "wishful thinking" may be
"asymmetrical and psychologically simplistic" . The question of
what mediums actually do—and whether they contact the dead,
access the living, or tap into some other source—remains open.
6. Psychological Perspectives
Psychology offers several frameworks for understanding
mediumship without invoking spirits.
6.1 Dissociation and Altered States
Trance mediumship bears clear similarities to dissociative
states—conditions in which normal integration of consciousness,
memory, and identity breaks down . In dissociation, individuals
may experience alternate personalities or "controls" that feel
separate from their usual self. From this perspective, spirit controls
may be understood as dissociated aspects of the medium's own
psyche.
6.2 Ideomotor Response
As with pendulum dowsing, the ideomotor
response—unconscious muscle movement—may explain some
physical phenomena. Table-tipping, writing, and other movements
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attributed to spirits may be produced by the participants' own
unconscious muscles.
6.3 Cognitive Factors
Confirmation bias and cold reading explain many successful
readings. Cold reading is a technique where the medium makes
high-probability statements ("I'm sensing a male figure... a father
figure... who passed with chest issues") and refines them based on
the sitter's reactions. Sitters, eager for contact, remember the hits
and forget the misses.
6.4 Bereavement and Coping
From a clinical perspective, belief in mediumship may serve
important psychological functions for the bereaved. As Sommer
notes, "a belief in the mind's persistence after death can function
as an important coping device for some... patients" . William
James observed this in his dying friend Frederic Myers, whose
"firm conviction of continued life" gave him "indifference to such
temporal trifles" as physical suffering .
7. For the Beginner: Developing Mediumship
For those drawn to explore mediumship, numerous resources and
practices are available.
7.1 Foundational Principles
Before attempting any specific practices, several principles are
essential:
●​ Ethical Conduct: Mediumship must be approached with
humility, respect, and reverence for the spirit world . The
information received affects real people with real grief.
●​ Protection: Practitioners should learn to protect themselves
from negative energies and maintain healthy balance
between spiritual and physical life .
●​ Discernment: Not every inner voice is a spirit. Learning to
distinguish genuine communication from imagination is
essential .
●​ Patience: Mediumship develops over years, not weeks.
Consistent practice matters more than dramatic results.
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7.2 Meditation and "Sitting in the Power"
Meditation is the foundation of mediumship development . Many
traditions recommend a practice called "sitting in the power"
—entering a quiet, receptive state and simply being present to
whatever arises. This practice:
●​ Quiets the mind's chatter
●​ Develops sensitivity to subtle impressions
●​ Builds a connection with the spirit world
●​ Strengthens the energy body
Regular daily practice, even for short periods, is more valuable
than occasional long sessions.
7.3 Working with Spirit Guides
Developing a relationship with one's spirit guides is considered
essential for mediumship . Techniques for connecting with guides
include:
●​ Meditation with the intention of meeting your guide
●​ Paying attention to dreams and inner impressions
●​ Journaling about your experiences
●​ Asking for signs and remaining open to responses
Konstanza Morning Star emphasizes that "getting to know and
work with your guides" is a foundational step .
7.4 Developing the Spiritual Senses
Just as physical senses can be trained, the spiritual senses
(clairs) can be developed through practice . Exercises include:
●​ Clairvoyance practice: Practicing "seeing" with eyes
closed, describing imagined scenes in detail
●​ Clairaudience practice: Listening to subtle sounds in
meditation, distinguishing internal from external
●​ Clairsentience practice: Holding objects and noticing what
impressions arise
●​ Claircognizance practice: Trusting and verbalizing "just
knowing" impulses
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7.5 Development Circles
Many aspiring mediums join development circles or home
circles—small groups that meet regularly to practice mediumship
in a supportive environment . In a circle:
●​ Members take turns as medium and sitter
●​ Feedback is given on accuracy
●​ Experiences are shared and discussed
●​ Support and encouragement are provided
The Arthur Findlay College in England is renowned for its intensive
courses, but local Spiritualist churches often host development
circles as well .
7.6 Practical Exercises
Konstanza Morning Star's book Medium outlines a nine-step
process for developing mediumship, including :
●​ Creating sacred space
●​ The role of prayer
●​ Meditation and attunement
●​ Connecting with spirit guides
●​ Distinguishing spirit communication from imagination
●​ Developing a personal filing system of symbols and evidence
●​ Presenting evidence effectively
●​ Dealing with sitters who cannot accept information
7.7 The Challenge of Doubt
Almost every beginner experiences doubt: "Is this real, or am I
making it up?" This question is addressed directly in mediumship
training . Techniques for managing doubt include:
●​ Record-keeping: Write down your impressions before
feedback, then check accuracy
●​ Practice with strangers: Work with people who know
nothing about you
●​ Accept uncertainty: Learn to work with the "maybe" space
between imagination and spirit
8. Ethical Considerations
Mediumship carries significant ethical responsibilities.
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8.1 Respect for the Bereaved
Many sitters come to mediums in grief, desperate for contact with
lost loved ones. This vulnerability creates an enormous ethical
responsibility. Mediums must:
●​ Be honest about the limitations of their abilities
●​ Never guarantee results
●​ Avoid making promises they cannot keep
●​ Deliver even difficult information with compassion
●​ Respect the sitter's emotional state
8.2 Avoiding Dependency
Ethical mediums empower sitters rather than creating dependency.
A reading should help the sitter move forward, not make them
reliant on repeated consultations.
8.3 Financial Integrity
While mediums may charge for their services, ethical practitioners
are transparent about fees and avoid exploiting clients financially.
The line between reasonable compensation and exploitation must
be carefully respected.
8.4 Boundaries and Self-Care
Mediumship can be emotionally and energetically demanding.
Practitioners must maintain healthy boundaries, practice self-care,
and know when to step back. A medium who is depleted cannot
serve others effectively.
9. A Balanced Perspective: Between Belief and Skepticism
As with all the topics we have explored in this series, mediumship
invites us to hold multiple perspectives in tension.
The Spiritualist View: Mediums genuinely communicate with
discarnate spirits. The evidence, though not conclusive, points
strongly toward survival of consciousness after death. Mediumship
offers comfort, healing, and evidence that love transcends death.
The Skeptical View: Mediumship is explained by psychological
factors (dissociation, suggestion, cold reading) and occasional
fraud. No controlled test has ever demonstrated genuine
mediumistic ability. The comfort it provides does not require the
reality of spirits.
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A Pragmatic Middle Way: Perhaps mediumship taps into
something real, whether that is spirits, the collective unconscious,
or some other dimension of consciousness. Perhaps its value lies
less in proving survival than in providing comfort, connection, and
meaning to the bereaved. As William James suggested, belief in
an afterlife may have "cash value" in helping people cope with life's
hardships, regardless of its ultimate truth .
10. Mediumship and the Spectrum of Consciousness
As we conclude this exploration, it is worth considering where
mediumship fits within the broader spectrum of spiritual topics we
have traversed.
From Kabbalah and chakras, we learned of subtle energy
anatomy—the very structures through which mediums may
perceive spirit. From astral projection and lucid dreaming, we
explored states of consciousness similar to the trance states
mediums enter. From spirit guides and guardian angels, we
encountered beings that mediums routinely communicate with.
From the Akashic Records, we learned of the cosmic information
field that may be one source of mediumistic knowledge. From third
eye awakening, we explored the faculty of inner perception that
mediumship refines. From auras, we encountered energy fields
that mediums may see. From pendulum divination, we
discovered a tool for connecting with inner wisdom that parallels
mediumistic practice.
Mediumship represents perhaps the most direct and personal form
of connection with the spirit world—the practice of opening oneself
to serve as a bridge between dimensions, bringing through
messages of love, healing, and continuity.
Conclusion: The Bridge Builder
Mediumship, at its heart, is about relationship—relationship
between the living and the dead, between the medium and the
spirit world, between the seen and the unseen. For those who
practice it, it is not merely a technique but a calling, a way of being
in the world that honors the continuity of consciousness and the
persistence of love.
For the beginner, the path is clear but demanding: cultivate
stillness, develop sensitivity, practice discernment, and above all,
approach the work with humility and reverence. Whether one
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ultimately concludes that mediums contact the dead, access the
living, or tap into some deeper dimension of consciousness, the
practice offers a profound opportunity for growth, service, and
connection.
As medium and teacher Konstanza Morning Star writes, the goal is
not merely to develop abilities but to "build a strong spiritual
foundation so that your abilities will flourish" . Mediumship is not a
parlor trick or a party game; it is a sacred trust, a responsibility to
those who come seeking comfort and connection, and a window
into the deepest mysteries of existence.
May those who walk this path do so with wisdom, compassion, and
integrity—and may they find, in their own way, the truth of what lies
beyond the veil.
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About the Author
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