What Are Mediums?

A medium is a middle point that acts as a transition between two objects. That definition applies to mediums in New Age or Spiritualism because they act as mediators between the past or the afterlife and this present world. They have a variety of abilities such as relaying messages between loved ones and receiving messages from touching objects.

Medium Terminology

The main goal of all mediums is to provide comfort to people in mourning from the death of a loved one by providing closure. Since a medium is in touch with the alternate universe where the souls of the departed live, they have the ability to find the person and transfer messages between the living and the departed. This is not to be confused with fortune telling and results are not always guaranteed.

Spiritualist Mediums: These are mediums who affiliate themselves with Spiritualism. Their skills are closely monitored by the Spiritualists National Union (SNU); this governing body has very high standards.

Séance: A gathering of people trying to communicate with the departed. The goal is to somehow get in touch with the spirit(s).

Physical Mediums: This occurs at a séance when all sitting members can hear raps and taps and/or see objects move, such as a table being bumped or a pencil rolling on the floor. The spirit is physically moving things in order to say its message for the medium and everyone else to see.

Mental Mediums: This occurs when only the medium can sense the spirit. Sensing the spirit can be in any of the three forms below:

-Clairvoyance: When the spirit is seen by the medium.
-Clairaudience: The spirit is heard by the medium.
-Clairsentience: The medium senses the actual spirit and its thoughts.

Trance Mediumship: When the medium allows the spirit to take over his/her body. The spirit then speaks and acts through the medium.

Psychometry: The ability to touch an object and receive information about a person or place that once came in contact with the object.

Famous Mediums: John Edward and Sylvia Browne

John Edward is widely known throughout the world thanks to his television show Crossing Over with John Edward. His main goal is to help console people in times of loss. A list of his seminars and their locations can be found on his official website Johnedward.net. He has written many books to help people become more in-tuned to their spirituality. A few include After Life, Final Beginnings, and Practical Praying.

Sylvia Browne’s family history has over 300 years of mediums and spiritualist activity. She regularly goes on television shows such as Montel and Larry King Live. She started her own church called the Society of Novus Spiritus in the mid-80s. It advocates Gnosticism, the ancient religion that teaches each individual to rely on their personal experiences to find life’s ultimate truth. She has also published several books which include Adventures of a Psychic, Life on the Other Side, and Insights: Case Studies from the Psychic World.