Talking to the Dead: An Analysis of the Mental a=
nd Physical
Phases of Modern Mediumship in the American-Made
Religion of Spiritualism
Todd Jay Leo=
nard
If mediumship,
or the ability to communicate with those who have passed from this earth li=
fe,
is the primary purpose of the American religion of Spiritualism, then the u=
ltimate
goal of Spiritualists is to make contact with those in the spirit world.
Nearly all relig=
ions
have a belief in a Supreme Being(s), and nearly all religions promote the b=
elief
in a hereafter. Only Spiritua=
lism,
however, actively practices and advances the belief in spirit communication
with loved ones and those in spirit through a sensitive called a
“medium.”[1] Also, another key concept in
Spiritualism is the idea that the personality of the person during life on
earth follows that person into spirit, as well as any issues or lessons that
the person experienced in life; a fun-loving, jovial person in life retains
these qualities in spirit (if a person had emotional and spiritual lessons =
to
be learned in life but was unable to finish these before his/her transition=
, so
must he/she continue to work upon these on the other side).
To those who bel=
ieve, mediumship offers them a doorway or window onto the o=
ther
side, offering hope and comfort in knowing that there is something beyond t=
his
earthly existence—a spiritual life where people go when the transitio=
n of
death occurs, allowing the spirits of these people to continue along their
souls’ journeys. Believ=
ers
find spirit communication to be just another phase of the natural progressi=
on
of life, providing a limitless source of truth to those willing to accept i=
t;
hope for those willing to ask for it; and profuse possibilities to elevate =
and
perfect their souls’ desires toward the eventual goal of enlightenmen=
t.
To nonbelievers,
categorical rejection of the possibility of spirit communication is at the
center of their argument and disbelief in mediumship. Oftentimes, the mere idea of
“speaking to the dead” is regarded as nothing more than a form =
of
either witchcraft[2]
or the fanciful delusions of a charlatan based on trickery and hocus-pocus
fakery. To these disbelievers, the earth life humans experience in the here=
and
now is all that is; once the physical body ceases to sustain life, there is=
no
more. Non-adherents to spirit
communication, but those who do follow a religious tradition such as prescr=
ibed
by Christianity or Judaism, often use scripture from the Holy Bible to bolster and corroborate their claims.
For the li=
ving
know that they shall die; but the dead know not any thing, neither have they
any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love and their hatred, =
and
their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever =
in
any thing that is done under the
sun. …Whatsoever thy ha=
nd findeth to do, do it
with thy might; there is no wor=
k, nor
device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
(Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10, Holy
Bible, King James Version)
Just as nonbelievers can quote
scripture against spirit communication, so can Spiritualists cite biblical
verses to corroborate their beliefs:
=
Now concerning spiritual gif=
ts,
brethren, I would not have you ignorant. …Now there are diversities of
gifts, but the same in Spirit. And
there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of opera=
tions,
but it is the same God which worketh in all.
Also, in I Corinthians 15:44-4=
9, the
Holy Bible clearly distinguishes
between an earthly body and a spiritual body:
=
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there=
is a
spiritual body. And so it is
written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is
spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is
spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the secon=
d man is the Lord from heaven. As is
the earthy, such are they also =
that
are earthy; and as is the heave=
nly,
such are they also that are
heavenly. And as we have born=
e the
image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (Holy Bible, King James Version)
Christians who b=
elieve
that once the body is dead, waiting until the Second Coming of Jesus to be
resurrected, Spiritualists query:
What becomes of the soul—the spirit—during this period of
time? The above delineated
scriptures from I Corinthians suggest clearly that the spirit is alive and
active. As I Corinthians
It is, in many
respects, a moot point to use the H=
oly
Bible to either persuade or dissuade anyone in believing or not believi=
ng
in mediumship and spirit communication. The Holy
Bible is a literary masterpiece, both ageless and dated at the same tim=
e,
perhaps inspired by God, but made by humans after being passed down orally =
(in
some cases) for hundreds of years before being put down onto paper. Its ambiguity is what makes it uni=
que
and distinctive. For Spiritua=
lists,
the interpretation is as clear and unambiguous as it is to fundamentalist
Christians and Jews who interpret the same passages quite differently. The scriptures have always been, a=
nd
will always be, a source of great debate between followers of different
traditions.
The National
Spiritualist Association of Churches define a “medium” as
“one whose organism is sensitive to vibrations from the spirit world =
and
through whose instrumentality, intelligences in that world are able to conv=
ey
messages and produce the phenomena of Spiritualism.” (NSAC, 35) It continues on to define the
“phenomena of Spiritualism” as that which “consists of
Prophecy, Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Gift of Tongues, Laying on of Hands,
Healing, Visions, Trance, Apports, Levitation, =
Raps,
Automatic and Independent Writings and Paintings, Voice, Materialization,
Photography, Psychometry and any other manifest=
ation
proving the continuity of life as demonstrated through the physical and
spiritual senses and faculties of man.” (NSAC, 35)
In this paper, a
sampling of the above examples of spirit-communication and phenomena will be
focused upon and divided into two parts:&n=
bsp;
The Mental and Physical Phases of Mediumship. Every Spiritualist medium has his/=
her
own personal ritual and individual manner of connection to the spirit world
when preparing to give a message or reading to another person. The rituals involved may vary, but=
the
intended results are always the same—to make contact with spirits on =
the
other side and to communicate evidential messages to those on this side of =
the
veil. It does not matter if t=
he
medium uses a “mental” or “physical” phase of mediumship to give a message, the continuity of life =
that
is thus demonstrated is the intended result, and is the primary purpose of =
mediumship within the American-made religion of
Spiritualism.
Mental Phases of Mediumship[3]
Tab=
le
1: Mental and Physical Mediumship
|
Mental |
Physical |
|
Clairvoyance: Vivid mental pictures. |
Ectoplasm: Diffuses from orifices of the
medium’s body—mucous membranes; intense trance. |
|
Clairaudience: |
Telekinesis: Objects move through mind power.=
|
|
Prophecy: Information received from spirits
usually concerning future events; can be personal or great events. |
Psychokinesis: |
|
Scrying: Clairvoyant receives visions=
from
gazing in [a] crystal ball or water. |
Spirit Raps: Spirits bump, bang, and rap furn=
iture,
walls. |
|
Healing: When positive spirit energy is sent through the
medium to heal and cure. |
Apports: |
|
Psychometry: |
Levitation: Persons, furniture, and objects =
float
or rise. |
|
Trance: Deep hypnotic condition in which=
the
medium is controlled by a spirit guide—but not possession. |
Materialization:<=
span
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'> Spirit produced; appears to be s=
olid
by sight and touch; can be spirits or objects. |
|
Automatic Writing and Drawin=
g: When a spirit operator manipulat=
es the
muscle reflexes of the medium. |
Voices: Direct or indirect voices, comes=
from
the medium, apparition, or “thin air.” |
|
|
Spirit Lights: |
|
|
Breezes and Drafts: Cold, warm or scented, from spirits. |
|
|
Musical Instruments, Singing=
: From spirits. |
|
|
Table Tipping: Spirit(s) move or rock table back and forth. |
|
|
Ouija Board: Messages come from Spirit(s). |
|
|
Odors: Flowers, medicines, perfumes, or stench. |
|
|
Spirit Photography: Spirit images appear on film. |
|
|
Telephone, Radio, Television=
, or
Tape Recorder Voices: Spirit voices. |
(From Dreller, L. (1997) Beginner’s Guide to Mediumship.
decipherin=
g messages from the other side.=
Not everyone has the needed persev=
erance
and practical know-how to become proficient in spirit communication; it tak=
es a
long time to develop with hard work and much dedication.
Spiritualist med=
iums
are required to undergo an extensive developmental process and apprenticesh=
ip
before being certified by a Spiritualist organization. A mediumship<=
/span>
“test” is often performed under prescribed conditions to make s=
ure
that the aspiring medium is indeed connected to spirit and can offer messag=
es
to others that are correct and informative to the receiver, often including
specifics such as names and events.
Prophecy
The gift of prop=
hecy
has been practiced since prehistoric and ancient times. It is central to many of the
world’s great religions. In
the course of human history, there have not only been true prophets, but al=
so
false prophets. Spiritualists
concur that whenever there is authenticity in any endeavor, so shall there =
be
dishonesty and deceptiveness in an attempt to mimic that which is true. In order to have fakery, there mus=
t be a
model of the genuine in which to base the insincere. (Brown, 2004) Such is the case with
Spiritualism—there are those who try to pass themselves off as genuine
mediums for self-gain and profit.
=
Prophecy has been practiced for many centuries in connection with ma=
ny
religions. There have, of cou=
rse,
been false prophets as well as true prophets. But there are also good and bad me=
n,
honest and dishonest, false and fair, in every human calling. The existence of the false is no g=
ood or
logical reason for attempting to hinder, stifle or destroy the true and
honest. Because there are imp=
osters
and pseudo-mediums is no good reason for passing laws to silence the voice =
of
honest mediums. The false and
dishonest persons engaged in any legitimate work or businesses are only a s=
mall
percentage of the whole number; and, therefore, it must appear an unwise
policy, nay more, an unjust and oppressive procedure, to legislate the whole
body out to their calling or employment because of the wrongs of a few. There are always weeds or tares am=
ong
the wheat. (NSAC, 55)
From interviews and research d=
one
for this study, it is clear that Spiritualists are very concerned about the=
ir
image and do work hard toward “weeding out the tares among the wheat&=
#8221;
within their particular organizations.&nbs=
p;
Accusations of fraud are taken very seriously and are promptly
investigated; if the medium is found to be using false tactics or trickery =
that
is passed off as genuine spirit communication or phenomena, then the medium
that is in noncompliance is asked to leave the association, organization, or
church and to desist in practicing their mediumship
under the banner of the Spiritualist organization.[4]
With these cavea=
ts in
mind, two questions present themselves: Why is prophecy such an integral pa=
rt of
this modern-day religion? And why do people seek out the assistance of prop=
hets
and mediums? The National
Spiritualist Association of Churches lists four specific reasons which serv=
e to
answer these questions:
=
First, to learn from them moral lessons. And these are sometimes impressed =
as
forcibly by those who still inhabit the lower spheres as by those who have
advanced to higher ones; even as we are, in this life, sometimes more quick=
ly
moved to moral effort by the conditions and sufferings of the sinful than we
are by the precept and example of those who live pure and upright lives.
=
Second, to receive instructions from spirits in regard to the laws,
structure, and character of the spirit world; just as we would try to learn=
of
these things in regard to any country on this earth to which we expected to
travel.
=
Third, to hold communion with our beloved ones over there for the me=
re
pleasure that such communion imparts, in exchanging assurance of continued
love, just to do in this world, by visiting and writing to the objects of o=
ur
love and affection.
=
Fourth, to seek the advice of spirits in matters
affecting our mundane welfare.
But in so doing, we do not accept their advice as always infallibly
correct, since we realize that the judgments, points-of-view, and ability to
foresee differ among the wise and experienced denizens of the spirit world =
as
they do among those of this earth; however we feel assured, from our own
experiences in holding converse with spirits, that they are often better
qualified to prophesy for us and have a keener insight into the future than=
our
earthly friends, and thus are often in a better position to give us suggest=
ions
for our consideration in connection with our plans and conduct for the futu=
re.
(NSAC, 54-55)
On the fourth point, critics m=
ay
contend that if a message indeed comes from the spirit world, should it not=
be
infallible? Spiritualism advi=
ses
that if one is not able personally to receive messages directly, and hence
seeks out a medium to assist in this task, then it is up to the seeker to
discern wisely in choosing a person who has the best qualifications to
accomplish this task. Anytime=
a
person purports to be able to speak to those in the spirit world, it must be
remembered that the medium is human, and as a human, can make mistakes. No medium is endowed with perfect
judgment in matters of his/her physical life or medium=
ship. An example offered by the National
Spiritualist Association of Churches likens it to people erring in selecting
their medical doctors, legal advisors, politicians, business associates or =
even
friends—seeking spiritual advice is no different, there are honest as
well as dishonest mediums; good as well as bad mediums; accurate as well as
inaccurate mediums.
=
…the Spiritualist claims the right to act for himself without =
let
or hindrance from those who differ from him in religious views. If he makes a mistake which causes=
him
loss or suffering, it must be remembered that even Jesus, with his
extraordinary psychic powers, made a mistake when he selected Judas Iscario=
t as
one of the Twelve. If it be s=
aid
that this seeming mistake was part of a divine plan, then it may be also sa=
id
that the Spiritualist’s seeming mistakes m=
ay
also be a part of a divine plan.
(NSAC, 55)
This type of reasoning—t=
hat
messages clearly wrong or irrelevant may be a part of divine order— m=
ay
seem a bit too convenient to skeptics who demand accuracy in order to prove
one’s mediumship skills; they maintain th=
at
this is an easy way out for mediums to explain away their erroneous or faul=
ty
predictions. Upon deeper
inspection, though, is it reasonable to expect the medium to have 100% accu=
racy
in matters of prophecy? In de=
fense
of matters of spirit, it, after all, is not an exact science and even
scientists rarely are able to have 100% results in their work; readings lar=
gely
depend upon a variety of extraneous factors, most notably the physical and
mental condition of the medium as the “reader,” and the person
receiving the reading’s openness to receive and ability to interpret =
the
message given. As stated befo=
re,
mediums are human, a fact stressed by Spiritualists, and making mistakes are
inevitable; in addition, spirit-messages sometimes are symbolic and it is u=
p to
the medium to give the message received, interpreting the best way he/she c=
an;
it is up to the receiver to further interpret the message, taking from it w=
hat
he/she needs, and leaving the rest in the reading room.
Primarily, a medium=
217;s
role in prophecy is basically to offer comfort to the bereaved in order to
lessen the pain or even guilt; to assist in prayerful devotion in helping t=
he
departed soul in its transition; to gain knowledge of that which is not eas=
ily
understood; to negate the fear of death in order to establish peace of mind=
for
those on the earth plane; to have open dialogue with the spirit world; to
reveal to those left behind that there is a cause and effect relationship
related to one’s actions which can result in more spiritual work when=
in
spirit or rewards for good deeds done while on earth as a mortal; to heal; =
and
finally to develop the gift of prophecy. (Dreller, 2)
Clairvoyance and Clairaudience
Under the umbrel=
la of
“prophecy” is clairvoyance and clairaudience. These two abilities are perhaps th=
e most
common types of mediumship. Clairvoyance (literally clear seeing) manifests visually a=
s an
impression or perception received in the “mind’s eye” or
“third-eye” chakra located between =
the
eyes, in the middle of the forehead.
=
There are several types of clairvoyance, varying according to the me=
ntal
and physical make-up of the medium.
These are: (1) x-ray clairvoyance enabling the medium to see through
opaque objects; (2) subjective, impressionable or mediumistic clairvoyance,=
by
means of which the communicating spirit registers the thought upon the mind=
of
the medium through vision, symbol, or impression, or the taking on of
conditions; and (3) objective clairvoyance, wherein the medium is able to s=
ee,
objectively, spirit entities and their surroundings as they actually exist =
in
the spirit world. This form o=
f mediumship may also be referred to as soul sight. (Ki=
ng,
15)
Clairaudience, similarly, R=
20;is
a mental form of mediumship closely allied to
clairvoyance. Clairaudience is
known as clear hearing. The impressions appear to be heard
rather than seen. The two pha=
ses
may often manifest in the same medium at the same time.” (King, 15)
In a book entitl=
ed Clairvoyance (written by C.W. Leadbeater and first published in 1899) divides
clairvoyance into a variety of categories:=
simple clairvoyance—full and partial; clairvoyance in
space—intentional and semi-intentional, as well as unintentional; and
clairvoyance in time—the past and future.
“Simple
clairvoyance—full” involves the ability of the medium to see
whatever may be present around him/her on different, but corresponding, lev=
els
(but nothing at great distances).
=
We find among sensitive people all degrees of this kind of clairvoya=
nce,
from that of the man who gets a vague impression which hardly deserves the =
name
of sight at all, up to the full possession of etheric<=
/span>
and astral vision respectively (p. 32).
“Simple
clairvoyance—partial” pertains to the medium’s ability to=
see
only partially in degree, variety, or in permanence a vision:
=
Some times, for example, a man’s clairvoyance will be permanen=
t,
but very partial, extending only perhaps to one or two classes of the pheno=
mena
observable; he will find himself endowed with some isolated fragment of hig=
her
powers of sight which ought normally to accompany that fragment, or even to
precede it (p. 57).
Leadbeater
describes “clairvoyance in space—intentional” as a
“capacity to see events or scenes removed from the seer in space and =
too
far distant for ordinary observation” (p. 67). In contrast, he defines
“semi-intentional” clairvoyance as when the medium tries to wil=
l him/herself to see something, but then has no control =
over
the sight after the visions start; being receptive to receiving, but simply
waiting for a message in the form of a vision to appear (p. 99).
An
“unintentional” clairvoyance episode in space is when the medium
picks up a vision of some event taking place in a distance, but is seen qui=
te
unexpectedly and without any conscious preparation to receive them.
=
There are people who are subject to such visions, while there are ma=
ny
others to whom such a thing will happen only once in a lifetime. The visions are of all kinds and o=
f all
degrees of completeness, and apparently may be produced by various causes.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Sometimes the reason of the vision=
is
obvious, and the subject-matter of the gravest importance, at other times no
reason at all is discoverable, and the events shown seem of the most trivial
nature. (p. 104)
Finally, =
Leadbeater
categorizes clairvoyance into “past” occurrence and
“future” events. =
These
clairvoyant visions offer a glimpse into these spaces of constant time to s=
ee
events that have happened in the past and will happen in the future.[5]
Clairaudience
“is the psychic state in which conscious interchange of thought betwe=
en
medium and spirit entities results from the ability of certain sensitives to tune in
mentally with disembodied entities. (King, 16) This form of mental mediumship
allows the medium to hear “through the etheric
body system impressed on their inner listening ear—or
objectively—as an externally heard physical vocalization.” (DeSwarte, 27)[6]
Clairsentience, =
also
known as the “sixth sense,” literally means clear sensing. It
basically entails the ability to perceive spirit communication by sensing
intuitively what the message is (from the spirit entity). Although similar to clairvoyance a=
nd
clairaudience in that the medium must do a fair amount of interpretation of=
the
information received, in clairsentience it is especially necessary that the
interpretation of the information is done correctly.
=
Clairsentience also has some of the qualities of psychometry
(reading of objects), intuition, telepathy, and in fact, of all supernatural
mental vibrations that impinge upon the realm of spiritual discernment. There are countless variations of =
the
vibrations entering the consciousness of the receiver. (King, 17)
This form of mental mediumship is related to being able to discern the
spirit-world using one’s intuition in conjunction with the five physi=
cal
senses (hearing, seeing, smelling, touching and tasting). It is the “hunch” a pe=
rson
gets but cannot explain why this intuitive knowing occurred. It is an intuitive
“knowing.” (Greer, 2)
In my research, I
observed that mediums often used a combination and variety of techniques in
their mediumship-work that involved not only
clairvoyance and clairaudience, but also clairsentience. Particularly, mediums have to lear=
n to
decipher and interpret messages.
Some messages come in the form of symbols. For instance, a
“rose” that is seen psychically by the medium could relate to a
favorite flower of the person in spirit, or of the person receiving the
message, or as a name of someone living or dead. A good medium will throw out whate=
ver
symbols come through from spirit to allow the person receiving the reading =
to
assist in their interpretation. The
symbols may mean nothing to the medium, but the sitter may know exactly what
they refer to in relation to his/her life and experience with the person co=
ming
through. This can be a secret=
code,
of sorts, between the sitter and the entity attempting to make contact.
Other times, the
medium is able to work out a set of symbolic definitions with his/her
spirit-guide which signal to him/her a particular message involving a family
member or event for the sitter. For
example, a medium that perceives a “soldier” as a message could
refer to the person in spirit and how he/she passed, or is a source of pride
for the person in spirit as a form of “proof” to the sitter, or
could relate to a current person in the military. The medium works out how the symbo=
ls
relate to him/her and the sitter, through trial and error and years of
experiential readings, to connect those symbols to actual messages that can=
be
understood easily by the sitter.
Aural messages c=
an
also occur either independently, or in conjunction with a visual message.
Clairsentience is
similar to clairvoyance and clairaudience in that the medium often will
(through practice and experience) be able to interpret feelings he/she rece=
ives
during a message. Often mediu=
ms
will work out a system with his/her spirit guide in order to know who and w=
hat
type of spirit is attempting to make contact. For example, a medium can work out=
a
system where if he/she feels tingling on the left side of the body, this co=
uld
be in reference to a male figure, the right side, a female, or vice versa.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> The same is used in trying to figu=
re out
if the entity is a relative or loved one, friend, neighbor or teacher, etc; or if it is someone completely
unrelated just trying to get through (even though there is no familial or
friendly connection between the sitter and the spirit). Often, as explained to me by pract=
icing
mediums, spirits clamor to get through in any way they can and when an open
channel is noticed, an attempt may be made. When this occurs, the medium asks =
the
spirit entity to step back and another attempt is made to make contact with
someone familiar to the person receiving the reading.
Added to this is=
when
spirits attempt contact but the sitter is unaware, has forgotten, or is in =
such
an emotional or mental state that he/she cannot clearly discern who or what=
the
entity is.[8] It is important in these instances=
for
the sitter to take what he/she needs and to leave the rest; the reason (or
spirit) behind the message may present itself later and clarity may ensue
around the message once contemplation is made upon the information given or
after consulting with other family members about confusing symbols or names
contained within the message.
Psychometry[9]
The phase of
=
Upon contact with a physical object a medium may be able, on feeling=
the
vibrations emanating from it, to learn its origin, its natural surroundings,
and receive a glimpse into the characteristics of those who have touched
it. Some people accept psychometry as only psychic, not necessarily
spiritual. Others classify th=
e term
as a blending of mental and physical faculties. Leading contemporary scientists co=
nsider
it to be a purely mental type of mediumship. (K=
ing,
25)
This technique is based on the=
idea
of a “universal consciousness” which records all events of the
past, present and future. A p=
erson
gifted with psychometry can tap into this
consciousness and history of an object, therefore giving information about =
the
people who were in contact with it.
It is believed that the vibrations of the object impress themselves =
on
the medium’s brain, thus allowing the sensitive to give a reading bas=
ed
on these impressions. This no=
tion
is somewhat related to karma in that many New Age followers believe that li=
ke
people, objects (i.e. jewelry,
houses, pieces of clothing) have their own karma which details the historie=
s of
all of those who have owned them in the past.
=
…Because the impressions coming from the object observed and t=
he
thoughts from the medium’s own mind are closely blended, great care m=
ust
be taken on the part of the medium to learn to recognize the distinction
between the two ways of receiving information. With practice and care, the medium=
may
learn to separate what is coming from spirit sources from what is coming fr=
om
himself. (King, 25-26)
Psychomet=
ry, then, is perhaps the hardest=
to
decipher for the medium because he/she must be able to know intuitively whi=
ch
information is a form of the subconscious, and which is authentic spirit
communication. “Perfect=
good
faith, however, is not incompatible with this source of error, the psychic =
may
faithfully describe the vision which arises before him, and yet it may be
nothing but a dream-structure evolved by his subconscious, and clearly
revealing, to those who know how to look for them, his own repressed wishes=
and
anxieties.”[10]
(Fortune, 188-189)
Trance
Although
“trance” mediumship is often placed=
in
the subject area of the mental phase of mediumship,
it does sometimes take on the appearance of being a form of the physical phase of mediumship in that the medium often does change in
appearance somewhat and the medium’s natural voice is replaced with t=
hat
of the spirit entity. Initial=
ly,
though, the medium must release completely from his/her physical
surroundings—a withdrawal of consciousness from the objective world (=
this
is so the ego can be released from any limitations that is placed upon it in
the physical world, allowing it to enter into another higher plane of
consciousness). (Fortune, 70)
=
Although there are considerable differences in degree, trance is spo=
ken
of as going under control. It resembles a sleep state in that there are various stages of unconsciousness=
. ...As in sleep, trance has its
preparatory stages of lulling to sleep, deep trance assuming the condition
induced by an anesthetic, and the return to consciousness similar to emergi=
ng
from a sleep state. The mental
organization of the medium is manipulated by the spirit control in order th=
at
the desired thought may reach the mind of the medium, but never does the gu=
ide
actually enter the physical body of the medium.
=
…The receptivity and sensitivity of the medium, as well as the
extent to which he or she may be used as an instrument of communication,
expands under trance. The
instrument is more capable of transmitting a message or thought going far
beyond the ordinary perceptive powers.&nbs=
p;
Indeed, trance does not harm one’s individuality. Rather, the opposite is true. Through trance, the medium gains a
greater awareness and a deeper knowledge and understanding of the mighty
universe than could have been possible otherwise. (King, 21-22)
There are those =
that
have a natural gift for trance and those who must train themselves to do it=
at
will. For people who have a n=
atural
gift, it is believed by people who subscribe to the concept of
“reincarnation” that the person trained in the occult or spirit=
ual
matters extensively in a previous life, hence this past-life memory accompa=
nies
them into this life making them more susceptible to trance mediumship. People who must train themselves t=
o go
into trance have to work diligently over a long period of time in order to
become proficient at it.
Basically, there=
are
three primary types of trance which mediums go under: Trance
of Projection, Trance of Vision=
,
and Mediumistic Trance. Each of these requires the medium =
to
experience a disassociation of the self, separating the different levels of
consciousness.
=
Trance of Projection [is called such] because the Self is withdrawn from the physical bo=
dy
and functions independently….
The second type of trance...—Trance
of Vision—[is called such] because in this case the soul does not
withdraw from the body, but, inhibiting the physical senses, appears to ope=
n up
the senses of super consciousness which can perceive the subtler planes of
existence. …In the thir=
d type
of trance, which is called the Medi=
umistic
Trance, disassociation takes place between Personality and the
Individuality; that is to say, the whole of the Self which has been built u=
p by
the experiences of the current incarnation is left to =
ensoul
[sic] the body, while the Higher
Self, as a whole, withdraws. (Fortune, 66-67)
The control that the spirit gu=
ide
exercises over the medium is done mentally and not physically. Unlike that which is portrayed in =
movies
and on television, the actual organism of the medium is never taken over by=
an
outside force (i.e. possessed);=
instead
the spirit enters the medium’s energy field (aura) that surrounds
everyone’s physical body and merely blends with it, taking control of=
the
thought processes of the medium. (King, 21)
Inspirational Speaking and Writing
This form of men=
tal mediumship is somewhat related to trance, but in this=
phase
of mediumship the medium is never completely
unconscious or unaware, and is able to control his/her body at will. The medium is very much aware of
everything that is being said and all that is taking place around him/her.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Simply, by controlling the
medium’s flow of thoughts, the spirit can “inspire” the
medium through speech or written prose without any effort on the mediumR=
17;s
part. In order to do this, al=
l the
sensitive has to do is to ask earnestly and sincerely to be an instrument of
the spirit guide, and the inspiration begins to gush forth.
This is perhaps =
one of
the most common forms of spirit communication between a novice medium and
spirit entity initially; the aspiring medium is inspired through writing
regarding spiritual truths and wisdom that is not a part of the person̵=
7;s
learned knowledge base. Also,=
it is
believed to encourage the flow of energy without the interference of the me=
dium’s
personal thoughts about life and work, helping the medium to become more ad=
ept
at spirit communication. This is best accomplished when in a quiet or
meditative state.
=
The instrument may be used by more than one spirit being on a single
occasion. The thought intenti=
on of
the personality in spirit is projected into the subconscious mind of the me=
dium
who then frames it into words by voice or writing. There is a blending of the mentali=
ties
of the sender and receiver. (=
King,
23)
Related to inspirational speak=
ing
and writing is “automatic drawing.” This is done by mediums (even with=
no
artistic ability at all) who can draw portraits of spirit guides and people
they have not yet met. It has=
been
described as being as if someone else was doing the drawing, but with the
person’s body.[11]
Spiritual Healing
Spiritual healin=
g is
an important aspect of Spiritualism.
This practice, though, was not developed by Spiritualists but instead
has been a part of collective human history for millennia. Notable healers throughout history
include Buddha (who believed that illness was actually rooted in peopleR=
17;s
minds); Zoroaster (who taught his followers that
prayer had powerful curative effects); Elijah and Elis=
ha
(Hebrew prophets who were renowned healers during their time); Jesus, perha=
ps
the greatest healer who ever lived, healed many during his lifetime; and
Mohammed who had a healing touch and healed many who suffered from a variet=
y of
health problems (Harris, 137).
This is also kno=
wn as
the “laying of hands” where the hands of the medium are placed =
upon
the physical body; curative energy from the spirit world passes through the
medium’s body and out of the hands to heal the illness or disease
affecting the person’s body.
The medium acts as a vehicle for the healing and the spirit world do=
es
the actual healing. The energ=
y that
passes through the medium is a vibratory force. “This force enters the etheric body of the patient and stimulates the vitali=
ty,
soothes, and builds up the tissues of the sufferer, thus placing the body i=
n a
state of harmony. These spiritual forces operate through a spiritual
healer.” (King, 19)
The purpose of a
healing is not to produce a “miracle” because Spiritualism does=
not
subscribe to the belief in miracles—everything is based on Natural La=
w,
which is God’s Law. Ins=
tead,
a spiritual healing endeavors to bring about a harmonious balance between an
overabundance of vital energy and an insufficient amount (King, 19).
=
Healing is brought about by working through the medium to vitalize t=
he
diseased portion of the patient’s body with curative fluids and energ=
y;
through illumination by spirit of the brain of the healer so that he may kn=
ow
the nature of the disease and its cure; and by absent treatments whereby the
patient may be healed without being in the presence of the healer. …The healing force emanates =
from
higher spiritual planes and contacts the etheric body
of the individual being treated.
The etheric body, in turn, dwells within=
the
physical body. The physical a=
nd
mental bodies are both acted upon.
This is accomplished through the laws of attraction and vibration.
A necessary part of the healing
depends upon the person being healed.
A sincere desire on the part of the person being healed to have a
spiritual healing is a component in the overall healing process. If the person passively receives t=
he
healing without a sincere desire to become healed, then the affect of the
healing is lessened. In order=
to
attract the vibrations needed to affect a healing, the receiver, as well as=
the
giver, needs to cooperate in the process in order to achieve a successful
outcome.
Physical Phases of Mediumship[12]
Physical mediumship that produces physical phenomena (like
materializations, transfigurations, apports, ra=
pping,
etc.) is much rarer than mental=
mediumship that produces clairvoyant, clairaudient, a=
nd
clairsentience phenomena. Thi=
s is,
in part, due to the fact that physical mediumship
requires much more precise conditions for phenomena to occur. As mentioned earlier, in mental
Materializations
Materializations=
occur
when spirits appear to those present, as actual physical beings to the sight
and touch. This can include o=
bjects
as well as entities, and should not be confused with other types of apparit=
ions
such as ghosts or phantasms.
Spirits that form in materializations during a séance or heal=
ing
circle do so by using the energy of the medium and those in attendance to
appear as physical phenomena.
Materializations will sometimes occur when a group of people gather =
as
one accord for séance work over a long period of time, building up
energy each time which makes the conditions more suitable for this type of
physical phenomena to occur.
=
Full-form materialization is rare.&=
nbsp;
Nevertheless, it is a most impressive form of m=
ediumship,
especially convincing to the senses and emotions of the sitters. To produce these phenomena, the
vibrations of the spirit entity wishing to manifest are slowed down by the =
use
of ectoplasm[13]
drawn from the medium and sitters until the form becomes visible to our
physical eyes. The ectoplasm =
is
molded by the spirit entity through the power of thought until it is solid
enough to resemble the former physical body. To accomplish this, the manifesting
spirit has to recall how the physical body looked. Memory may not always be perfect in
every respect.
=
To demonstrate the phenomenon of materialization the séance r=
oom
must have just enough light for the forms to become visible. A cabinet is set up, usually with =
black
curtains, in which the medium sits entranced while the spirit form is taking
shape. The spirit personality=
then
emerges from the cabinet into full view of the sitters. Singing by the entire group helps =
to
establish good vibrations for building up the forms.
=
In order to materialize, spirits must lower the vibrations of the sp=
irit
bodies to conform to the rate of vibration of the sitters. Using the spirit body of the mediu=
m as a
framework upon which to build (while the physical body remains in the cabin=
et)
the spirit entity molds a replica of himself [sic] which is seen by the sitters.=
The spirit body is connected to the
medium’s physical body by the pericord.[14] Spirit helpers assist in all aspec=
ts of
this phenomenon. Materialized=
forms
should not be touched without permission of the spirit controls, since it c=
an
do great harm to the medium if the ectoplasm should spring back too suddenly
into the physical body of the medium.[15]
(King, 37-38)
Transfiguration
Somewhat related=
to
materialization is the phenomena of transfiguration. This type of phenomena occurs when=
the
face of the medium transforms and transfigures into the face of a spirit
entity. The actual face seems=
to
change appearance, transfiguring into that of spirit entities, sometimes in
quick succession. This type of
manifestation occurs when ectoplasm covers the body of the medium,
transfiguring it to resemble the form of a manifesting spirit entity.
Another form of
transfiguration is called “etherealization.” “This phase is not often
witnessed. The spirit forms w=
hich
appear in the séance room lack the density that is apparent in full
materialization. They are mor=
e etheric in nature.&n=
bsp;
However, because of the lack of density, the forms usually disappear
very quickly. The appearance =
is
ephemeral; it makes a fleeting impression.” (King, 35-36)
These types of m=
aterializations—transfiguration
and etherealization—offer a demonstration=
to
those present during such manifestations of the innate connection between t=
he
spirit and earth planes. Alth=
ough
hard to comprehend to those who have not yet experienced such phenomena, th=
ey
are quite extraordinary to those who have, offering them visual proof of sp=
irit
communication between those in the here and now with those who have passed =
over
to the other side.
Direct Voice
During a s&eacut=
e;ance
or healing circle, a spirit can speak through “direct voice”
(sometimes called “independent voice”) which is seemingly separ=
ate
from that of the medium’s voice (meaning the actual voice of the medi=
um);
this is unlike what occurs in “trance mediumship=
”
where the medium’s voice is used, but changes in tone and style. What does occur, however, is the
medium’s voice box is used to draw from it the necessary ectoplasm to
form the voice heard by those in attendance. Spiritualists maintain that this i=
s why
the voice sometimes resembles that of the control medium. Usually, though, the voice is said=
to be
quite distinct of that of the medium; depending upon the entity coming thro=
ugh,
the voice can be masculine, feminine, childlike, and even with a foreign
accent.
During such phen=
omena
a “trumpet” is sometimes used.=
This is a long, narrow conical object made out of tin that is used a=
s a
tool by the spirit entity to communicate the message. It is open at both ends, construct=
ed in
sections with tiny seams that allow the trumpet to be reduced in size for e=
asy
storage. It is used as a sort=
of
megaphone by the spirit-world to make the voice coming through stronger, lo=
uder
and clearer. The sound is cre=
ated
from a makeshift voice box that is formed at the end of the trumpet with
ectoplasm. As with direct voi=
ce,
ectoplasm is a necessary part of this type of manifestation which aids in
lifting the trumpet up off the table so the spirit entity can use it to send
the message to those present.[16]
=
The spirits usually indicate their presence in the room by moving the
trumpet about and touching the sitters with it, its movements being seen in=
the
dark by coating it with luminous paint.&nb=
sp;
Sometimes luminous faces are faintly seen in the dark and floating
spirit lights.[17] If the conditions are good and the=
re are
several sitters, all sorts of conversations with spirit friends may be
heard. Different spirits not =
only
speak with different voices and accents, and in every language, but remarka=
ble
good singing and whistling are often heard.
=
Apparently the modus operandi of the spirits when
communicating with the direct voice is to materialize sufficiently to be ab=
le
to speak. They evidently crea=
te a
larynx or its equivalent, from ectoplasm withdrawn from the medium or sitte=
rs,
just as they do at materialization séances when they show themselves
fully formed and talk to the sitters.
(Holms, 45-46)
Curiously, many dubiously insp=
ired
tests were performed in the early decades of the Spiritualist movement to
ascertain the validity of the medium performing such manifestations. One such test involved a sitter who
would sit next to the medium and place his/her hand tightly over the
medium’s mouth; another test procedure included sealing the medium=
217;s
mouth shut with plaster so that if the lips moved in any way, or if the mou=
th
was opened even slightly, the plaster would quickly breakaway. Sometimes the
medium would be required to take a big gulp of water from a glass and asked=
to
hold the water in his/her mouth throughout the trumpet and direct voice
manifestation (the glass was physically removed from the séance room=
or
placed out of reach of the medium); afterward, he/she would spit the mouthf=
ul
of water into an empty glass to prove that it was not him/her speaking, but=
in
fact authentic direct voice (Holms, 46).
Apports
Apports
are basically objects that are presented as gifts to sitters in a circle fr=
om
one location to another, and even from the spirit realm. These can consist of almost
anything: jewelry, flowers, c=
oins
(money), flowers, relics, precious and non-precious stones, etc.
The following
testimonial regarding apports is taken from an
interview with The Reverend John Lilec:
=
TJL: Have you had any
experience with apports?
=
RJL: Yes, when I walke=
d up
the stairs from the séance room, where I was sitting as a student, coming=
up
the stairs and all the lights were on at Rev. Tingley&=
#8217;s[18]
house, and right behind me and in front of me, I could hear these popping
noises and they were apports following right in=
to the
light. And they were
just…pop, pop, pop…and everyone was just following and picking
these things up.
=
TJL: What type of obje=
cts
were they?
=
RJL: They looked liked diamonds, rubies, garnets, precious and
semi-precious.
=
TJL: Now, did these things stay in the
physical, and people could take those as souvenirs with them?
=
RJL: Yes, they can use=
them
as souvenirs and also they would tell them that they are meant for the ener=
gies
drawn and as healing stones for themselves; if anything, a souvenir of that
event. I have heard many stor=
ies
now of different apport mediums and a lot of
charlatanism, but I have seen the apport delive=
red
two different ways now; right in through, passing through the medium’=
s solar
plexus, before it must reach that individual or location. And so it’s difficult to try=
to
explain to people how this works, but we understand the
science—that’s the beauty of it.
=
But I have seen another instance when I was in séance with Re=
v. Tingley, and we got a red light right over him and he=
was
in trance, at an angle where I could see him but the sitters
couldn’t. We had about =
17 or
20 people in there. All of a
sudden, I saw a man’s hand throw these objects out into the audience,=
out
into the sitting room. But Re=
v. Tingley, both of his hands, and being a scientist and
trained to study every little detail, I realized his arms were right on the
table. So I went to a private
séance and asked the spirit doctor,[19]
Dr. Taylor, without being doubtful or pessimistic, and trying to be respect=
ful
at the same time—Dr. Taylor knew that I was edging to the words and he
just said, “Well, that was Dee Dee
Ho.” And it was, a litt=
le man
that projected right out of Rev. Tingley, actua=
lly
throwing these objects. I had=
never
seen this before. I always th=
ought
they were delivered through a trumpet.
Many Spiritualists relate similar
experiences regarding apports and the appearanc=
e of
objects seemingly out of thin air into the laps of sitters or onto the tabl=
e of
the healing circle or séance.
Skeptics and debunkers of Spiritualism and physical phenomenon maint=
ain
that instead of the spirit world, these objects come from a very earthbound
source—the medium himself/herself—through elaborate hoaxes and =
fakery.
Throughout the h=
istory
of Spiritualism, there have been countless instances of fakery and trickery
associated with mediumship and physical
phenomena—some rather sophisticated, others rather unrefined.
Conclusion
If the heart of
Spiritualism is the medium, then the soul is the “séance”
where both mental and physical mediumship are
demonstrated for the sitters. Pure
mental mediumship using clairvoyance, clairaudi=
ence
and clairsentience is by far the most common and practiced types of mediumship amongst Spiritualist mediums. However, a goodly number of these =
same
mediums do employ physical mediumship into their
spiritual work (sometimes through concerted effort and other times quite
unexpectedly).
In this paper, a
survey of Spiritualism and mediumship was rende=
red,
focusing on the various types of spirit communication and the various metho=
ds used
to do it. Specifically, menta=
l and
physical mediumship were introduced, offering a
variety of illustrations and detailed explanations of the various types of
phenomena.
Many aspects of =
mediumship are misunderstood. Mediums are at once reviled and
rejoiced, depending upon the mood of society. The work of mediums is a very hazy=
area
that naturally opens itself up to ridicule. Those who have experienced phenome=
na
(whether it is mental or physical) have no qualms about accepting the idea =
that
spirits exist and certain people are adept at communicating with them. Those who have not experienced any
supernatural occurrences find it hard to believe in the possibility of spir=
it
communication. These two camp=
s of
thought probably will never come to any mutual conclusions, except, perhaps=
, to
agree to disagree.
Although mediumship has been around for eons, Spiritualism is =
rather
new when considering the entire scope of human history. The idea of a religion that is bas=
ed
upon “talking to the dead” makes outsiders suspicious of the
motives and purpose of the adherents.
Even if one does not accept the idea of spirit communication, one mu=
st
accept the fact that there are honest and sincere mediums that wholehearted=
ly
believe in spirit communication and feel what they are doing is in service =
to God
and humanity.
Works Cited
Bletzer,
J.G. (1998) The=
Encyclopedic Psychic Dictionary.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>
Brown, Rev. S. (2004) Person=
al
interview.
Buc=
hanan,
J.R. “Spirituality—Recent Occurrences,” Buchanan’s Journal of Man (New
De =
Swarte, L. (1999) Principles
of Spiritualism.
Dreller<=
span
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'>, L. (1997) Beginner’s Guide to Mediumship.
Fortune, D. & Knight, G. (1999) Spiritualism a=
nd
Occultism. Loughborough, Great
Fortune, D. (2001) What is
Occultism?
Gre=
er, Rev.
S. R. (1994) Stop, Look, Listen, and
Sense: Spirit Calls.
Harris, E.
(1995) Spiritualism:
Hol=
ms, A.
C. (n.d.) The Fundamental =
Facts
of Spiritualism. Lily Dal=
e,
NY:
Holy Bible. King James Version (KJV). (19=
70)
Historic <=
/span>
King, M.L. (n.d.) Mediumship and Its Phases.
Leadbeater,
C.W. (1903) Clairvoyance.
Leo=
nard,
T.J. (2005) Talking to the Other
Side: A History of Modern
Spiritualism and
Mediumship—A Study of the Religion, Science,
Philosophy and Mediums that
Encompass =
this
American-Made Religion.
Leo=
nard,
T.J. (2004) “Testimonial by the Author Regarding his Experiences at
Séances
Other Side: A History of Modern Spiritualism a=
nd Mediumship—A Study of the
Religion, Scienc=
e,
Philosophy and Mediums that Encompass this American-Made
Religion. Lilec National Spiritualist Association of Churches. (1999). Foundation Facts Concerning Spiritualism as a Religion.=
[Brochure=
].
Lily Dale, NY: NSAC Spiritualist Manual. (1998). Lily Dale, NY: National Spiritualist Association =
of Owens, E. (2001) How to
Communicate with Spirits.
Appendix A:
Definitions of Clairvoyance
NOT=
E: Clairvoyance literally means Clear Seeing, but in Spiritualism it has a technical m=
eaning
and refers to psychic sight.
Clairvoyance may be either Subjective or Objective. It is often difficult, if not alto=
gether
impossible, for even the clairvoyant to distinguish between the two.
[Taken from: NSAC Spirituali=
st
Manual.
(1998) Lily Dale, NY: National Spiritualist Association =
of
Churches, pp. 44-45.]
Appendix B:
Testimonial by the Author Regarding his Experiences at
Séances and Healing Circles
During the three=
years
I actively gathered research data for this study, I attended a number of
séances, healing circles, clairvoyant circles and message services at
Spiritualist churches both as an observer and as a participant. On more than several occasions, I =
did
witness various examples of mental and physical phenomena.
On one occasion =
in
particular (early on in my research), while participating in a healing circ=
le,
the medium told me clairvoyantly that she had my “mother’s
mother” (maternal grandmother) and a young girl named “Evelyn” who were coming through for me. She asked if I could accept them a=
nd
although I knew of my maternal grandmother, she had passed decades before I=
was
born; also, I had never heard of an “Evelyn”
in my family who had passed over to the other side. The medium reiterated to me that t=
he
spirit entity was coming through for me, and asked again if I could accept
them. Being a novice sitter, =
I said
that they must be mistaken as I had no idea who the “Evelyn”
could be. The medium thanked =
them
and sent them back to the spirit-realm and brought another spirit through f=
or
someone else. I have since le=
arned,
through trial and error, that it is best to accept whatever comes through f=
rom
the spirit-world; later, after thinking about the message, one can interpre=
t,
digest and even reject the message if it does not pertain readily to
one’s life, family or experience.
Later that eveni=
ng, I
asked my mother if the name “Evelyn”
meant anything to her. She
immediately proceeded to tell me a story about her half-sister who died as a
young girl before she (my mother) was born. According to my mother (who had he=
ard
the story from her mother as a young woman), her half-sister had been jumpi=
ng
rope continuously one day and later complained of having a side-ache. My grandmother passed it off as be=
ing
overexertion from playing jump rope all day. It worsened as the night went on a=
nd
soon became apparent that it was more serious than a normal pulled muscle.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> The country doctor was summoned an=
d an
emergency appendectomy was performed on the kitchen table; the appendix had
burst, however, and Evelyn later died from the
toxicity of the burst appendix.
Although not exactly sure, to the best recollection of my mother, th=
is
probably occurred circa 1910. My
mother recalls her mother speaking fondly of Evelyn
periodically while she was growing up, but had not thought of her half-sist=
er
(that she never knew personally) in many years.
This was more th=
an
mere coincidence I concluded.
First, the name “Evelyn” is =
not
that common of a name and for the medium to call her by the actual name was
nothing short of amazing to me; second, the fact that “Evelyn” would have been my aunt, the medium
nonetheless specifically said that my maternal grandmother had a “you=
ng
girl” with her; third, since I had no conscious (or subconscious)
knowledge of the existence of Aunt Evelyn precludes the possibility of my offering by ac=
cident
hints or information that would have guided or encouraged the medium to say
what she did during this reading.
In a subsequent
séance, with another Spiritualist medium completely unrelated and
unknown to the original one who brought my grandmother and Evelyn
through the first time, my grandmother and Evelyn
came through again for me. Of
course, I apologized profusely for sending them back the time before.
An instance of
physical phenomena I experienced while sitting in a séance occurred =
in a
one-room schoolhouse that had been converted into a family dwelling. The owners had felt the presence of
apparitions ever since they moved in and wanted to have a séance to =
see
if any contact could be made. They
were not afraid, nor did they want to drive the spirits away, they were just
curious as to who they were.
The room chosen =
for
the séance was sealed by covering the doors and windows with heavy
blankets. The room was cleans=
ed and
prepared for the séance by the medium. Those in attendance cited the
Lord’s Prayer in unison to raise the vibration of the room. Once the séance started, it=
was
not long until spirit messages were coming through. The first message was from a cousi=
n of
one of the sitters; the medium noticed a lot of red and asked the person why
there would be so much red. T=
he
person said that the cousin had been brutally murdered and there had been a=
lot
of blood. Immediately, the me=
dium
asked if he could send the entity back as there was too much trauma involve=
d to
deal with that particular spirit at that time; the medium did not feel
comfortable allowing this energy into the circle.
Soon thereafter,=
I and
another sitter (who was facing the same direction) saw clearly a form (not =
a materialization but an ethereal=
ization)
of a spirit dart across the room.
At that moment, many of us felt a distinct coolness around us that
caused the hair on our necks to rise up.&n=
bsp;
Above the head of one of the participants, there was an orb of light
floating effortlessly about two-feet over her head. She was sitting with her eyes shut,
almost meditating, when this occurred.&nbs=
p;
This was what Spiritualists refer to as a “spirit
light.” It remained the=
re for
the duration of the séance. During this séance, the medium
intuited the name “Luke,” which he perceived to be a little boy=
who
was present.
A total of three
séances were done in this same venue and at a subsequent séan=
ce
in this same house, the medium and the sitters physically felt the presence=
of
a spirit. When a question was
asked, one woman (not the medium) experienced clairsentience-like sensations
where the right side of her body would feel a burst of cool air. A code was established where a
“yes” answer would receive this sensation. The owner wanted to know a name, s=
o each
letter of the alphabet was recited by the medium; when a letter correspondi=
ng
to the name was said, the sitter would feel the cool air sensation. Slowly the letters J-A-C-O… =
were
realized. At this point, ever=
yone
assumed the name must be “Jacob.”
The next week, t=
he
owner of the house did some research to find out if there had ever been a
“Jacob” that lived in the house and was attached to it or had g=
one
to school there a century before and met an untimely death there, etc. Immediately prior to the current o=
wners
living there, it was used as a dormitory for farmhands working on the adjac=
ent
farm. The last known occupant=
was
an old man by the name of Clyde Jaco. He had lived there until he was mo=
ved
into a nursing home, where he stayed until he died, more than twenty years =
before.
At a séan=
ce
that included only three people, in the reading room (a room especially
reserved for the medium to give readings to clients) a rather odd thing
occurred. During the sé=
;ance,
which was lit by a variety of candles, it appeared that the face of the med=
ium
completely disappeared. At fi=
rst, I
thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, so I looked away, and then looked
back, it really did look as if the medium’s face had vanished. Later when I told the medium what =
I saw,
she explained that it was possibly a form of transfiguration when a spirit =
was
perhaps trying to come through.
Although I cannot say I saw the face of another spirit, I can say th=
at I
saw her face appear to have vanished.
When I first beg=
an
doing the primary research for this study, I was admittedly a skeptic. As a researcher, though, I tried
diligently to remain objective, setting aside my own personal beliefs and
opinions when trying to ascertain the possibility or existence of
spirit-communication. But hav=
ing
experienced a variety of spirit-related phenomenon during the course of my
research, I cannot simply dismiss these occurrences out of hand. I suppose the old saying “se=
eing
is believing” has substance in this instan=
ce.
[This testimonial was put down=
on
paper by Todd Jay Leonard,
[1] “Some religions believe in spirits, but =
only
in a saintly fashion. Fundamentalist Christians believe that to attempt
communication with spirits is to solicit contact with the devil. Spiritualists, on the other hand, =
center
their religion around communication with the spi=
rit
world.” (Owens, xiv)
[2] To the uninformed, this may seem to be the case. In fact, however, Spiritualism and mediumship is in no way relate= d to “black magic” or the “conjuring of evil forces or dark spirits.” Spiritualists believe strongly in God and only work with entities that are benevolent in nature, from the light of the Creator, that wish to offer love and healing = to those on the earth plane.
[3] For a list of the different types of mental and
physical mediumship, see Table 1.
[4] In the course of the research for this study, =
this
researcher was privy to a situation which occurred where a medium was found=
to
be falsifying phenomena; promptly, the medium was investigated and the
medium’s credentials were rescinded by the parent organization. Critics of Spiritualism oftentimes
assume that such instances are rare where a medium is, in effect, excommuni=
cated. Over the course of three years of =
onsite
research and personal observations, I found that the Spiritualist organizat=
ions
used in my study were very concerned with any hint of impropriety and
immediately investigated it to conclusion.=
As it was explained to me, it is necessary for the movement as a who=
le
to keep the mediumship standards beyond reproac=
h, and
the quality of the mediums engaged in this work high; not doing so would be
detrimental to the organization, and ultimately, to the religion.
[5] See Appendix A for a list of definitions for c=
lairvoyance.
[6] In the primary data gathered for this study, t= he majority of respondents who are licensed mediums through Spiritualist associations and organizations claimed to be clairvoyant; second was clairaudient.
[7] For a testimonial of a séance experienc=
e by
this author, see Appendix B.
[8] For an example of this, see Appendix B.
[9] Psychometry was di= scovered by Joseph Rodes Buchanan (1814-1899). “He believed that humans lea= ve psychic energy on objects they touch as a kind of residue, and that the sensitive psychic could read the collected energies on an object as an imag= ined narrative history of its use. This was used by psychics to produce descriptions of ancient civilizations throu= gh touching recovered artifacts. It was also used by psychic ‘healers’ to diagnose the illnesses of people who had sent them a lock of their hair and a dollar in an envelope.” (The Organ of Spirituality, 2002)
[10] In all of the primary research done for this s=
tudy
(including interviews and surveys of dozens of mediums) I did not come acro=
ss
any medium who actively does psychometry on a
regular, consistent basis in his/her mediumship=
work.
[11] During a message service at a Spiritualist cam=
p I
attended while researching this topic, I witnessed this form of mental/phys=
ical
mediumship.&nb=
sp;
The medium sat at the front of the church with a drawing pad of blank
paper and a variety of colored pencils; during the service she feverishly d=
rew
portraits while occasionally gazing out toward the audience, but not really
focusing on any one person. A=
t the
end of the service she gave a message from the spirit world, along with a
drawing of the person’s spirit guide, to a number of people in
attendance. Of course, it is
impossible to know if the portraits are accurate, but interestingly each one
had smaller sized images around the peripheral edges of the paper. After the service, a number of peo=
ple
commented that those smaller portraits indeed resembled family members who =
were
in the spirit world.
[12] For a list of the different types of mental an=
d physical
mediumship, see Table 1.
[13] Ectoplasm “is a Greek word meaning ‘exteriorized substance.’ This cloudy substance streams out of mediums when they are demonstrating phenomena, usually from the mouth or no= se, and frequently from the solar plexus, but can emanate from any orifice. Generally, it forms around the spi= rit to give the entity a visible shape when a spirit is manifesting during a séance to afford the participants the opportunity to see a spirit.&#= 8221; (Owens, 182)
[14] The word “pericord<=
/span>”
comes from the root peri
which means “about, beyond or around.” The cord refers to the “ethe=
real
string attached to the astral body in an astral projection, stretching as f=
ar
as the projector desires to go; ethereal energy, breath, and
‘spirit’ runs back and forth through this thread while bodies a=
re
detached; can be perceived clairvoyantly…” (Bletzer,
135, 462)
[15] This is a common belief among Spiritualists, b= ut there has never been any documented case where a medium was killed (or even severely injured) from someone touching him/her when a materialization was in the process of occurring. In the latter part of the 1800R= 17;s onward, sitters would often pounce upon the spirit entity when it was thoug= ht to be fraudulent. Often was t= he case that instead of a materialized entity, it was in fact a human masquera= ding as a spirit. Genuine materializations tend to look ethereal, according to mediums, and sitters t= oday can certainly tell the difference.
[16] This researcher attended a number of sé=
ances
and healing circles where trumpets were displayed for the use of the spirit
entities, but on no occasion did a direct or independent voice come through
these objects.
[17] “Spirt light= s” are “dancing globules or sparks of light filling the air in a séance room or psychic development circle, [indicating] that etheric world entities are in the room, ready to brin= g help to psychic manifestations.” (Bletzer, 582)
[18] Rev. Tingley, who =
is now
in spirit, was the mentor and teacher of Rev. Lilec
when he was a student studying mediumship in de=
velopment
and unfoldment classes.
[19] Spiritualists believe that each person has fiv= e main spirit guides: Doctor-Teacher, Master, Chemist, Indian Guide, and Joy guide. Each guide has a distinct role in = the medium’s work and assists him/her with messages, readings, and spirit= ual matters. See Appendix P for a detailed explanation of “spirit guides.”
The Year 2006 Proceedings of t=
he
ASSR-SW