The two daughters realising a talent for this communication, hired a hall to demonstrate their abilities. The sisters also travelled to further demonstrate their unique talents and before long similar groups sprang up across the country. This was probably the beginning of the Spiritualist movement which has become so popular today.
During the 1850`s a new ambassador arose in the form of Emma Hardinge Britten. Born in England, but moved to America to work. Emma became famous as a trance medium, (see medium skills). She toured America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand spreading the word. But mediums of this era were subjected to ridicule and persecution from both the Church and other sceptics.
The first medium to operate in Britain was a Mrs. Hayden, who took residence in London and held séances. But it was a group of Cambridge scholars who, in 1882 founded the Society for Psychical Research, pushed the subject further into recognition. Their aim was to `investigate debatable phenomena without prejudice`, even if that claim itself was debatable.
The early demonstrations of mediumship were all very physical, rapping's, table-tilting, materialisation's etc. but over the years these declined in popularity to be replaced by the type of mediumship we witness today. Nowadays modern mediums work by using the mind as receiver and relaying information to those who need it. The evidence given of the after-life can be even more convincing in this manner.
How do modern mediums work?
How does a medium work? If we accept that dying is not the end of our existence, just the end of the body that carried our consciousness and that our soul survives and exists somewhere else, then it might be possible to make contact with that consciousness and all the emotions and memories that made that person what they were.
But where are they? Not as far away as some would think! The world of spirit exists all around us, but just out of reach. It might be better to think of it as a dimension rather than a place. Most believe that this world exists on a different vibration to our own. It might also help to think of it as different frequency, much like a radio has different frequencies. The medium has learned to attune to this different and higher frequency or vibration. Likewise, those in the spirit world can tune into us, it is this joint effort that enables communication.
When a medium sits with a client, the medium is in a highly receptive state. Our spirit family and friends can see and hear us, they may even have accompanied you to the meeting! But it is the mediums ability to slow down and alter their perception, raising their awareness to a subtle energy that allows them to perceive the messages from spirit.
This contact is conducted through thought, these thoughts are then transmitted by the communicating spirit person to the medium. Although mediums mainly give the messages they are given, it is possible for the medium to ask questions and receive an answer. After all this is a live communication! It is also important to realise spirit people have a choice of communicating with us, a medium cannot in any way force the spirit person to make themselves known.
This initial contact is often referred to as `making a link`. The medium has made a request, by thought, for a communicator to come forward. Just how successful the communication is depends on the experience of the medium, although other factors come into the picture. Once a link is established, the spirit person will often want to prove their identity. The spirit communicator will transmit thoughts about themselves to the medium, the medium will be able to interpret these thoughts and describe the person back to the client.
To be able to interpret any information a medium has to learn how to attune to the spirit world. While some mediums have grown up with the ability others have to train their minds to accept information in this way. This is often done by means of meditation, a process of calming the body and allowing the mind to become receptive. This can, to some extent be taught to anybody, but not all who try will become mediums.
Our scientists who have studied the human brain, insist we see more with our brain than we do with our eyes, the eyes being just a window. This might help explain how mediums can 'see' our spirit friends, the data has simply arrived in an alternative way, the brain processes the data and 'sees' the information.
0 comments