You may have had a sitting with a medium, you may have seen psychics on TV or in movies, you may be a medium yourself and you may think you know exactly WHY mediumship exists.
First and foremost, as we are all Spirit Beings embodied in physicality for a short while, communication between realms is actually very natural.
But WHY does it happen?
Is it that individuals have simply decided to monetize it? To give messages to comfort people? Simply to show off their skills & abilities? Maybe mediumship exists purely to heal & uplift people?
Well, whilst I’m sure that all of these answers are true in part, none of them are what the Spirit People themselves say in regards to the actual function of mediumship.
The real, core reason that mediumship exists is to SPIRITUALISE (to awaken and raise the consciousness of ) humanity. It’s what the Guides refer to (and have referred to for a century or more) as ‘The Great Plan.’
You see, we are watched over, guided and loved unconditionally by those who have lived earthly lives and passed on to the Next World. Those who work as Spirit Guides and teachers there are well aware that the Earth is far from its potential perfected state. They see (and feel) the suffering, know the discord, the fear, the poverty, after all, they’ve experienced it first hand.
Our world was never meant to be in the state it’s in. Politics, war, famine, disregard for all life, were never meant to be our destiny. And they don’t have to be. This earth CAN be an Eden.
So the Spirit people (and the hierarchies that exist in the Next World) have always sought to lift humanity out of it’s spiritually un-evolved state and that’s where mediumship comes in.
In order to awaken people to their true state as infinite, individuals of the Consciousness of God/Source, they must be educated in that regard. By bringing messages of hope, comfort and healing, but most of all accurate EVIDENTIAL messages from their loved ones, it is hoped that a seed of knowledge is planted.
That one day, each person may remember their divine parentage, their indestructible Soul, that there is no death as most know it & that this will create a heaven on earth.
ETHICS are a set of clearly defined guidelines as to how one behaves in a professional setting.
Whether you are giving private 1-1 sittings, demonstrating clairvoyance publicly, teaching, leading a development circle or even giving another person a contact (link from a loved one in the Next World) in a circle setting, ETHICS ARE ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL IN PROTECTING THE PERSON A MEDIUM OR PSYCHIC IS WORKING WITH.
You may have you own internal MORAL compass, but how does that translate into your preferred setting, to ensure that you treat each individual with courtesy and professionalism?
There are questionable psychics and mediums currently working in my own area of the UK who have absolutely NO IDEA of the duty of care we mediums have for the recipients of the messages we deliver.
I have personally heard HORROR stories of some people’s behaviour: take the so-called psychic who uses his readings at fayres to strike up intimate relationships with female clients & ask them out on dates, the clairvoyant who made fun of a shy lady’s appearance whilst taking a Divine Service, the young man who entered a client’s house to give her a reading announcincing ‘You want to sleep with me!’ (I’ve softened the language used). I could go on.
NONE of these people had any right to represent other ethical mediums & psychics, let alone be ambassadors for the Great Spirit & people in the Next World. Of course, they probably didn’t even think about that.
Ultimately, we do not know the level of vulnerability that a client has, so it is up to us, the responsible party, to behave ethically;
• No lewd behaviour or topics.
• No distressing reliving of a passed loved ones symptoms or trauma.
• No foul language.
• No discussions of the client’s sexuality, religious or political beliefs, financial status.
It is often not enough for us to simply say ‘don’t give anything you wouldn’t want to hear’ as people differ greatly in sensitivity & some are used to earthy language & directive advice.
Remember, TAKE YOUR EGO OUT OF YOUR MESSAGES.
Be aware of signs of vulnerability in others.
Be a messenger worthy of representing the Spirit World & God.
With a great deal of experience as a practicing Medium who has not only worked with clients privately, but also demonstrated platform mediumship publicly and taken numerous services as well as teaching mediumship (for over a decade), I am dedicated to the PROPER EDUCATION of all psychics and mediums as fundamental to all those who seek to work with the public and serve the Divine.
Let’s be honest, there is a lot of nonsense written regularly on the subject by individuals who, although very well meaning, do not have training of any kind.
Q: Why do Psychics & Mediums need training?
A: Without it many may take an ‘anything goes’ attitude, which not only means a lack of ethics when working with often very vulnerable clients, while more still perpetuate myths dressed up as facts, because they know no better.
Here are some myths I regularly hear about Spirit Guides:
• ‘Your Spirit Guides are always with you.’
☆ Incorrect. Your Spirit Guides have lives too, which include their own development, free time and growth. They are not bound to you 24/7.
•’Everyone has a Spirit Guide.’
☆Wrong. Only Mediums (& Spiritual Healers) need a Spirit Guide (other wise known as a ‘Control’) because they are communicating with people in the World of the Spirit & require assistance in doing this. Your loved ones in Spirit check up on you and keep an eye on you, but if you are not a medium, you don’t need a guide. Simple.
• ‘My Guide is a Native American.’
☆ When it comes to Guides, LIKE ATTRACTS LIKE; You may draw to you a helper that you expect to get or one from a culture that you are interested in, however your guide may also choose to appear in a way that they realise you will accept easily.
• ‘I can always call my Guide whenever I like.’
☆ Erm, no you can’t. You cannot ‘dial up’ Spirit. If you are working on your mediumship development or training, demonstrating mediumship, giving a reading or perhaps meditating, then they will draw close to work with you. Make no mistake however, this is a co-operative relationship; your guide is NOT your BFF!
•’I work with……’ (fill in the blanks). I’ve heard people say they work with everyone from Archangels to archetypes, mythological beings to characters from novels.
☆ It’s worth emphasizing this – You will NOT have a spirit guide assigned to work with you to develop mediumship if they have never lived an earthly life. Santa Claus, Donald Duck, Hera, Zeus, the Jolly Green Giant are all creations of FICTION and whilst angels may well use their powers for good & healing THEY ARE NOT YOUR SPIRIT GUIDES! I’m sorry if that upsets you, but I have met plenty of individuals who would have done well to seriously consider their own mental well being and stop deluding themselves. The World of the Spirit is a highly organised, hierarchical realm of REALITY and NOT a land of fictional and mythological characters.
I believe the issue of discernment is a very serious part of mediumistic and psychic development. If we take an ‘anything goes’ approach to our work and the messages we give, eventually all sorts of fallacies creep in and we are left with what may amount to nothing more than nonsense. Mediumship development is not spiritual escapism, unfortunately some may feel it is a helpful vacation away from the hardships of normality and use it to escape into a self created world of subconscious fiction. It is well worth checking in with yourself and self auditing your practices throughout your development (which is infinite).
Ask yourself: does this sound right? What proof do I have that this character or personality is real? Can they provide evidence that I may research and use to validate their identity? Did they actually live an earthly life? Did the mediums of old have fictional characters/ancient gods/goddesses/mythological persons as their guides?
Keep your feet on the ground!
Here’s something ALL mediums in the UK should know (especially when working with members of the public &/or teaching others.)
In 1951 The Fraudulent Mediums Act was passed as law.
It repealled The Witchcraft Act of 1735 and the Vagrancy Act of 1824, eventually in 2008 becoming Schedule 4 of the Consumer Protection From Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
When developing Mediumship, particularly with an eye to serving or teaching, its essential to develop spiritual discernment.
Over the course of my teaching and own mediumship development I’ve been fortunate to meet a lot of truly wonderful, deeply compassionate and intelligent people.
Unfortunately, I’ve also met some individuals who should in no way be working with the public, let alone calling themselves mediums. Why is there such a chasm of difference between the two?
Well, other than the fact that human beings come in all shapes, sizes and colours, each person comes with their own set of beliefs, along with individual personality traits.
Before unleashing one’s self onto an unsuspecting (and often very vulnerable) public, it would be good practice for mediums everywhere to KNOW themselves better first. Often times we try to run before we can walk; our mediumship awakens, we get over excited and jump feet first into the development of our Soul (psychic) senses and then rush off to begin giving readings, demonstrations and starting up our own development circles. But should we be so quick to go public before fine tuning our own discernment and self awareness?
I think not.
I can not over emphasize that as someone who works with people who are often in varying states of mental and emotional anguish, all psychics and mediums have a duty of care for every sitter they work with. We MUST only ever act in that individual’s very best interests at the front and centre of everything we do and not with our own ego at the fore.
Whilst we can never (and have no need to) banish the ego forever, slow, sensible, grounded development should allow the soul self to come forwards and balance out the ego nature. That doesn’t mean that we become lost in the clouds or all airy-fairy (as my Gran would call it!), but that we have our common sense heads screwed on at all times.
There is no need to abandon your intelligence when working for and serving spirit, actually I would argue it’s essential that you don’t.
Many of the issues we see with the lowering of standards in modern mediumship (compared to the mediums of days gone by) is that many New Age, unfounded, unverifiable beliefs have crept into spirituality, making it more difficult to distinguish spiritual beliefs and ideas from spiritual, universal TRUTHS.
Take for example Doris who runs a circle every week at her local community centre. She believes in fairies and elves* and every week gives messages from these Little Folk to the members of her circle. Or John, who runs a group for psychic development from his home and tells a member of his circle (who has just lost his beloved cat from old age) that animals don’t have souls and don’t survive and go to the World of the Spirit.
Firstly, we may look at Doris and say, ‘well, she’s just a little old lady who believes in these things, she’s not doing anyone any harm.’ That may be true. But her beliefs are, just that. Beliefs are subjective, personal, they can and often do, change over time. Spiritual Universal Truths will remain objective facts whether or not you know of them or believe in them.
Whilst I have no issue with discussing the plethora of other, non human beings who may exist in other realms, realities and dimensions, fairies and elves are not discarnate human beings bringing verifiable evidence from the Next World to connect with loved one’s on this side of life. Whilst they may be of comfort to the people attending her circle, Doris is not teaching mediumship. Her beliefs have clouded the truth.
John is also letting his own personal beliefs cloud his teaching by not knowing and understanding some very fundamental Universal Spiritual Truths. All animals have souls and all pass to the World of the Spirit. Without meaning to, Doris and John’s lack of training and discernment has led them to perpetuate false hoods, ultimately leading others to erroneous conclusions of their own.
Your discernment also applies to messages from those people resident in the Next World. If a spirit person tells you that they are Captain Bluebeard or the Queen of Sheba I’d suggest asking or verifiable FACTS. There are those people who in life, were jokers and enjoyed a good laugh, their characters do not change by transitioning to spirit!
The biblical quote ‘By their fruits ye shall know them’ (Matthew 7:16-20) serves well here. Each communicator must give sufficient evidence as to their identity and life.
Remember, if you do not know the difference between your own acquired beliefs (be they based in personal experience or not) and objective reality, you really have no business teaching others. When we teach others we do so by example, using our own training, knowledge and experience and when we work with others they rely on us to know our subject.
Without sufficient training (and good sense!), psychics and mediums, however well meaning, are in a position to perpetuate untruths.
Whilst I don’t believe that anyone would set out to deliberately cause harm to another, we all need to be aware of best practice and keep the very highest standards in our work.
Top Tips for BETTER Discernment:
• Know your own beliefs and question them often.
• Think about the difference between beliefs and Truths (with a capital ‘T’).
• Be open to having your beliefs challenged and changed.
• Are your beliefs around spirituality/mediumship/psychism acquired through direct personal experience, another person imposing them onto you, imagination/wishes/a need to be different or feel special or knowledge?
• Can you recognise the difference between the detritus of your own subconscious mind (that which naturally bubbles up at the beginning of sitting quietly) and actual, verifiable spirit contact?
• Use your COMMON SENSE at all times. Mediumship and psychism asks that you are a vehicle for the people resident in the Next World enabling them to make contact with their loved ones on this side of life. If you are not giving verifiable contacts from human beings (or animals!) who have lived earthly lives, then maybe it’s time for a rethink.
(*I’m certain all variety of different beings exist on many different planes of reality).
Inula Austin Soul Growth 