Re: Current standards of mediumship

by Admin Thu Apr 03, 2014 11:47 pm

Hi Bravo,

Nice to hear from you again. I accept entirely what you say and to some extent the fishing net system and the new hybrid system encourage this. With people so wanting a message then they will often take it. I have seen the hybrid version done well but all too often both methods end in a disastrous or unsatisfactory result.

This is said to back your opinion up, people come along to courses and decide because this appears to work that they have the ability.

I start with my open group by making it clear everyone has some psychic ability although some will attain a higher level of ability than others. However, I always make it clear that even the very best psychic may never be a medium. Connecting to Spirit is a very different skill to picking up from the universal consciousness or the energy of a living individual. We must not forget that some would be "psychics" are just re hashing their own subconscious with no psychic or mediumship connection whatsoever. In this latter group I mean totally rational people I am leaving out those with mental issues who should be discouraged from entangling themselves up in this work (in the last 18 months I have seen the end result with people who have done this elsewhere).

I think that one reason a good psychic never makes the bridge to mediumship is that they can work that way while remaining tightly in control of themselves. As a medium you have to allow the Spirit to communicate through you, thereby letting go in a way many may feel uncomfortable with or unable to.

The rush to get people to platform prevents the steady unfoldment that allows people to truly understand the gift they have and to be able to differentiate properly what is them, what is from the other person psychically and when they are in contact with Spirit.

In the end we get back to ongoing development in good closed circles whether home or run by centres.
I am not sure we have a quick answer but this does not mean you should put up with poor work. With insufficient good mediums available we run 2 Sundays a month with no medium, one as a circle and one as a circle for beginners to have a go. Should an overseas visitor come in we may well replace one of these.

Yes in the end the centres must drive standards,.

by mac Fri Apr 04, 2014 4:43 pm

Wow! I just looked back - it's six years since this thread was started by Lis! Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose...... With sadness I find my thoughts there remain appropriate six years on.

During those six years I have observed online interest in Spiritualism fall away but perhaps those I used to 'see' are now to be found elsewhere along with hordes of other new Spiritualist contributors? Perhaps someone could point me in their direction if that's the case... Wink

Many of the few forum members I do know about see psychic sensitivity and awareness of our unseen friends as mediumship. Often they think/hope they're becoming mediums because of either attribute and I've spent hours fruitlessly trying to explain the differences. I feel like a dinosaur as I go over the same basic stuff over and over again. It's so fundamental in my eyes yet I'm having to explain to members who often don't have a single clue what I'm on about. Maybe I don't explain well but I do also offer to point them in a direction where they can learn for themselves from the same sources I learned.

I'm appalled on some websites where a 'reading' is posted and members invited to take it. That's seen as a legitimate reading and is likely also seen as mediumship.

Whaddya do?

by morriganish Mon Apr 07, 2014 2:31 am

I have to say that awareness of Spirit is Mediumship, just because some people in crisis see Spirit ,it is not permanent. Mediums are sensitive or aware of the presence of Spirit beings, they have to be silent and calm. to prepare to communicate.
Psychics in no way shape or form can be Mediumistic, it has nothing to do with being tightly Controlled in emotion.. There is a saying All mediums are psychic but not all psychics are Mediums. and another Mediums are born not made. But today as you say "everyone" is a Medium I wonder in some cases has it anything.g to do with financial rewards, people paying for courses are expecting to be Medium like that of Master Reiki courses were they are paying large amounts of money. They have to become Reiki Masters

by mac Mon Apr 07, 2014 2:37 am

morriganish wrote:I have to say that awareness of Spirit is Mediumship, just because some people in crisis see Spirit ,it is not permanent. Mediums are sensitive or aware of the presence of Spirit beings, they have to be silent and calm. to prepare to communicate.
Psychics in no way shape or form can be Mediumistic, it has nothing to do with being tightly Controlled in emotion.. There is a saying All mediums are psychic but not all psychics are Mediums. and another Mediums are born not made. But today as you say "everyone" is a Medium I wonder in some cases has it anything.g to do with financial rewards, people paying for courses are expecting to be Medium like that of Master Reiki courses were they are paying large amounts of money. They have to become Reiki Masters

I hope I'm speaking generally for other Spiritualists but mediumship for us isn't the way you've described it. Maybe it's the effect of the Transatlantic divide I've become very aware of over the past few years?

by bravo321uk Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:30 am

I am sorry Morrig,, but I simply cannot agree with that... Just because there is an awareness does not make that individual a Medium,,, Mediumship is communication Not awareness and there is a big difference.. I have sat with many people that have been able to get a basic awareness,, But never got to the point where communication has taken place.. so In turn 2 way communication has not taken place.... so for me.. there wasnt Mediumship.. And I honestly believe that untill we start to recognise the difference the standard of "mediumship" will not increase...
I have read somewhere that when Gordon Higginson worked with someone in development he would not even allow someone to call themselves a Medium until they sat developing intensively for 7 years.. I wonder how many people in the now would commit to that.

on a side note

Nowadays quite often in demonstrations,, Not in the devine services but midweek services.. I demonstrate the difference between Psychic and Mediumship... and I ask after each person for a show of hands of what people thought it was.. And the results are quite interesting as before the dem most people didnt even know there was a difference,, and they certainly didnt know that alot of the info can be gained psychically...
when you start talking about who passed,, how long ago they passed.. they are quite shocked when I say i got the info Psychically and not through Mediumship.. But then of course When I show them Mediumship it is obvious for them...

The Feedback I have gotten through Churches from this has been wonderful..
even to the point where alot of them have started booking me for workshops.

I used to just keep my mouth Shut... But if we all do that,, where will it get us? What will become of spirit communication of the future?

I may just be a little Voice in south wales... But I intend on Shouting as loud as I can..lol

by bravo321uk Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:41 am

Thank you for your reply Jim. Smile

and I completely agree..
On a side note it is a little off topic (sorry) But i dont think it would be worthy of a seperate thread.. but I just wanted to touch on a comment you made as I have made certain observations myself...

You said
"I think that one reason a good psychic never makes the bridge to mediumship is that they can work that way while remaining tightly in control of themselves. As a medium you have to allow the Spirit to communicate through you, thereby letting go in a way many may feel uncomfortable with or unable to."

I have noticed that stronger personalities find giving away this control easier.. and by strong I dont mean Loud of course,, more the silent strength.. It just seems there is something there where they feel more at ease at letting go of control and letting there spirit friends do there thing..
This of course is just an observation and I just wondered if anyone else has noticed this. ?

by mac Mon Apr 07, 2014 5:47 pm

bravo321uk wrote:I am sorry Morrig,, but I simply cannot agree with that... Just because there is an awareness does not make that individual a Medium,,, Mediumship is communication Not awareness and there is a big difference.. I have sat with many people that have been able to get a basic awareness,, But never got to the point where communication has taken place.. so In turn 2 way communication has not taken place.... so for me.. there wasnt Mediumship.. And I honestly believe that untill we start to recognise the difference the standard of "mediumship" will not increase...
I have read somewhere that when Gordon Higginson worked with someone in development he would not even allow someone to call themselves a Medium until they sat developing intensively for 7 years.. I wonder how many people in the now would commit to that.

on a side note

Nowadays quite often in demonstrations,, Not in the devine services but midweek services.. I demonstrate the difference between Psychic and Mediumship... and I ask after each person for a show of hands of what people thought it was.. And the results are quite interesting as before the dem most people didnt even know there was a difference,, and they certainly didnt know that alot of the info can be gained psychically...
when you start talking about who passed,, how long ago they passed.. they are quite shocked when I say i got the info Psychically and not through Mediumship.. But then of course When I show them Mediumship it is obvious for them...

The Feedback I have gotten through Churches from this has been wonderful..
even to the point where alot of them have started booking me for workshops.

I used to just keep my mouth Shut... But if we all do that,, where will it get us? What will become of spirit communication of the future?

I may just be a little Voice in south wales... But I intend on Shouting as loud as I can..lol

I'm a Spiritualist and always try to represent Spiritualism's principles online.

What I've become aware of over the past few years, though, is that awareness of discarnates is most definitely seen as mediumship by a significant number of people. I've lost count of the number of times I've explained my approach. I've lost count of the number of explanations I've written on the differences between the psychic and mediumistic approaches.

What none of us can do, however, is tell others they're wrong because it all comes down to definition and the use of even commonly used words and terms may change. I've been battling fruitlessly online about these issues for over a decade. I'm trying to change my approach.

Do words matter as long as practitioners make it perfectly clear what approach they are using? Only this morning I've been writing about this very point on another website.

by bravo321uk Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:36 pm

Hi Mac
Thanks for your reply, And I understand what you are Saying.. I havent said Anyone is Wrong.. I have said I simply cannot agree and Given reason as to why I cannot.
I have seen alot of what you have written, Taken alot of points from it to learn from.
So please do Not think your contribution has been Fruitless.
Maybe my view or approach within written word may come across strongly, maybe thats something I need to learn or change...
But my view remains the same.. and I simply cannot change that

by mac Mon Apr 07, 2014 8:39 pm

I agree with you - you didn't say anyone was wrong but what you wrote is tantamount to that. But please don't misunderstand me - I have often made mistakes by telling people that they were wrong only eventually to accept that I was the one in the wrong by assuming the Spiritualist approach as the more important one...

I'm grateful you've told me my words weren't fruitless when you say you've read what I've written. Elsewhere, though, I've not been able to show that Spiritualism has an approach to life, death and the so-called afterlife that might appeal to the reason of others. I've learned to accept that but it's been a struggle.

I didn't consider your approach came over any more strongly than my own. Indeed I'm pleased to see someone who'll put things in a similar way to me. In a Spiritualist scenario I'd be saying very similar things!

The last few years, though, have seen me changing my approach because Spiritualism doesn't have anything to offer online communities away from the UK and maybe not even those that are in it! With an increasing awareness and interest in OBEs, NDEs and channelling the field of mediumship seems to have little to offer although Spiritualism's philosophy could readily fill the ignorance about matters spiritual. That's my adopted role - the bloke who offers it!

by morriganish Wed Apr 09, 2014 12:24 pm

If you have the expertise of how a Medium contacts will you please enlighten me. I am a Medium and have. been. since I was born Attunrment or awareness is a prerequisite of being Mediumistic

. The definition of. Attuned is make receptive. or aware.

Mediums are sensitive to higher frequencies, and are able through telepathy to communicate with Spirit. One wonders how Mediums are supposed to work if awareness. has nothing to do. with Mediumship.
It is the precursor for the service. Mediums do not live in a seperate compartment from our sensitivity to Spirit,it is part of our being. I,personally turn my attention. or awareness away from Spirit. We need to have discipline and dedication as to what we say and do,but I do not see much of that watching the majority of Mediums now. The semantics. of how a mediums work. is insignificant as to the bad standards of Mediumship.

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