PLATFORM MEDIUMSHIP

Speakers and demonstrators play a vital role in Spiritualist Church Services. They represent the connection between the spirit world and this world. They are often the reason the general public seek out a Spiritualist Church or Centre in the first place, in the hope of making contact with what they perceive as a lost loved one. If they receive a communication from that loved one, then the connection is not only with that spirit person but with the religion of Spiritualism. Therefore what is said in the address by the platform medium can be as important and engaging as the communication itself. Remembering that the aim of the Spiritualist is to ’prove ’life beyond physical death, then the training and accreditation of the medium are an important part of the SNU’s function. A well trained and attuned medium will be able to offer a recipient accurate and informative information about the spirit he is connected to, in a way the recipient will understand and take as proof of the veracity of the communication.

It is important to understand that the spiritual medium is not a fortune teller. The connection is with a spirit entity, not a form of mind reading or telepathic link to a person. This form of communication is called a ’psychic link’ and is sometimes used by the Medium to make a connection to the recipient, making it easier to deliver the communication. This is why you will often hear a medium require a recipient to speak to them while evidence is being given. The voice provides the audible link between spirit and the recipient, confirming that the link is correct for the medium.

Each of us is capable of mediumship. It is a matter of Free Will, dedication and application. Like everything in life ‘Practice Makes Perfect’. In mediumship how the evidence is communicated largely depends on the ability and skill of the person giving the evidence, who will be translating this via his own unique capabilities and way of dealing with the world. We have all developed a personal way we use certain senses to explore our environment. These senses are of course, sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, and the individual will have his or her own preference for collecting information. An example a ’visual’ person might use words like “picture this”, where a person with a sound bias might say ’Sounds to me like”. It is the same with mediumship and how the mediums connect with spirit. Clairvoyantly with pictures. Clairaudiently with sound. Clairsentiently sensing. Also a combination of all three. This is how the medium communicates with spirit and the method is unique to each medium. As we are unique physical beings connecting to spirit personalities.

Of course platform mediumship is not the only way communication can be given. The medium may choose to offer a ’Private Sitting’. The connection is the same but would tend to be of greater duration. The medium is able to focus more on giving only one communication.

TRANCE MEDIUMSHIP

Sometimes the medium uses a form of mediumship called ’trance mediumship’. This is a process where the medium chooses to allow a spirit energy or entity to overshadow him or her self. The result is that the personality of the spirit person blends with the physical form of the medium and allows the voice of the spirit being to be heard in the physical world. There are a number of restrictions on this kind of mediumship and the SNU website has all the details. The trust between the medium and the spirit link is very strong. Where mutual confidence in the partnership is paramount. Never forgetting that this kind of partnership is a matter of Free Will between the two parties. No control by the spirit person is possible without the full consent and co-operation of the trance medium.

As he becomes more familiar with mediumship, then the student will discover there are many forms of spirit communication. Spirit writing, spirit art and spirit healing.

SPIRITUAL HEALING MEDIUMSHIP

This form of mediumship is offered free of charge in most SNU Churches and Centres. It differs from platform or mental mediumship (which is an active connection requiring the medium to be aware of what is being channelled). The spiritual healing medium takes a passive role making the initial connection between patient and spirit healer, then directing his awareness to the single task of attuning to the healing energies flowing through him. The healer directs his entire effort to making his connection the most effective for channelling healing energies and in no part allowing his ego to get in the way of the flow of spirit healing to the patient.

The SNU healer is probably one of the best-trained healing mediums in the world, thanks to the development of a rigorous training programme involving not only hand-on healing experience in the form of 100 healing training sessions but also regular assessments to make sure the techniques of the healer meet the highest standards. This is reinforced by an academic curriculum which makes sure the trainee healer understands healing, anatomy, physiology and the religion of Spiritualism. Even after this prolonged training the SNU Spiritual Healer is expected to continually develop and refine his skills. Many decide to continue their academic studies through the SNU healing courses available. They become Certificate-holders, Diploma-holders and even a Fellow of the SNU in Healing.

Like philosophy in our Churches and Centres, healing provides the reason to return to spiritualism on a regular basis. Once the inital connection has been made. Though no claim to miracle cures or any kind of cure is ever made by any SNU healer, the proof of its veracity is in fact the patients return again and again, finding comfort and relief from the experience.

Extracts taken from ’An introduction to Spiritualism’ SNU publication 2014