Social Medium

Pitfalls Of Online Mediumship and Circle Development

Just as the business community can’t do without social media interaction these days, nor can the spiritual community, but the mass upsurgence of social media in the spiritual community has developed quite a sinister undertone: from skeptics setting up mediums and unprofessional, substandard mediumship being touted as professional, to online development circles as the way forward for aspiring mediums.

Online courses are a plenty, with ‘certifications’ given out upon completion of an online course. Business is good. There are groups sprouting everywhere and it’s not long before you see the same personalities and experts, all with opinions on how, why and where. You have to wonder who is winning and who is losing, and if there any real benefit to working online in the modern world. Is spiritualism changing for the better or, in the move to the online world, is it losing face? Do we need to go back to the old school in-person circle traditions in order to develop our mediumship skills as best we possibly can? After all, in spirit, there’s no Facebook, X or Instagram. Well at least I don’t think so. Read on Macduff!

Social media and mediums

The reality is that social media with its online profiles an interaction, is a double edged sword. On one hand, it serves as a very good method of disseminating information and achieving what is known in the business world as brand recognition and authority. It has created new levels of business but has also given birth to a sinister monster.

Rather like the bible, which has a great basis for life and living, it too has been changed to suit the politics of the day, and like the bible, there is nothing but perception and opinion. It stands to reason that a balance must exist. For every yin there has to be a yang, and for every black there is a white. You see, we live in a world of opposites, each with its perfect law that creates a unique balancing act that can tip one way or another.

There are of course, good intentions and bad intentions. I believe that sums up the social media world with its lack of emotion and powerful method of information dissemination, which also can be full of disinformation and damaging influences.

Where Is The Divinity In Mediumship

Photographer: Joshua Davis | Source: Unsplash

Where has the divinity in mediumship gone or are we too late to this party?

Most people forget the divine reality behind mediumship and of course, spirit. A church is now just a show and no one wants to hear great philosophy from wonderful teachers. We have come to rely upon a more social culture to fuel our lives. The basic fundamentals of spiritual growth and development are often forgotten, hidden by agenda and a race to be at the top of the mountain in all endeavors. In a world where everything has become intertwined with a lack of patience, we now want physical phenomena to manifest in circles in the time it takes to brew a pot of tea - not in a matter of years. Does this all sound jaded? Perhaps a little, and for good cause. One only has to look behind the curtain to see what is hidden.

If you want to witness bad mediumship, which can damage the grieving by the careless choice of a single word, then just go online and see the new level of Social Media for Social Mediums. It’s no wonder our wonderful centers and churches are suffering. No one wants to go anymore. I mean, why would you when there are so many desperate individuals online trying to tout their craft and cloak it as spiritualism and mediumship? Pull up a chair, get online and in the spirit within seconds. But what about the issue of development? Well, that’s now online too.

You certainly don’t comprehensively learn the mechanics of mediumship and the importance of discernment online.

Let’s Come Full Circle

Deevelopment circle

So now we come to the mediumship development circle. At one time it was in the home or church circle – a closed development circle filled with love and the feeling of spirit. Circle members enter with excitement and anticipation of what great spirit has to share with us this week. Your teacher or circle leader creates a testing environment, guiding the students by what they feel and know, if spirit is actually connecting or if the student is blocking themselves. Where mediums not only develop their connection, but grow in spirit and in the time of spirit.

Instead, one can now simply sit on a chair or lounge in a bed and connect with others throughout the world – claiming space in an online development circle where professional mediumship is taught. It’s NESCAFE gold blend at its finest and voila, the next thing, there are groups of grieving people seeking guidance who are being pandered to by those who simply got a few things right – not knowing if it was simply psychic influence or really a divine loving connection. The grieving lose out in the long run by disinformation and bad, underdeveloped mediumship.

Benefits of Traditional Circles

Consequently, experiencing a real circle or development group in person has the added advantage of feeling real spirit within that circle – harnessed by the power of those who sit in love and harmony. The teacher is able to guide and support the developing medium by being able to feel those subtle nuances and vibrational changes through their own development experience and can certainly discern the level of comfort, fear or judgement.

In taking the realm of spirit to the online world, we place between us technology which has no discernment, and where the teacher can’t identify how the harmony and people in the group are working or what problems exist. We give our power to technology and forget the power and harmony of internalized spirit and development of spiritual gifts received from great spirit. When it comes your time to cross, you won’t be going there and announcing your arrival by a Facebook message or sending out messages in the hope Archangel Michael or your spirit guru will see how awesome you are.

“In the silence of service comes the greatest gift of the spirit that makes the soul shine!” JB

The circle is where we develop. In our daily lives, we monitor our thoughts and take awareness and action in thought and deed. When we return to the development of the circle or small group that meets in harmony under spirit guidance, the immediate change and development of the soul is clearly measured. The teacher can guide and help the student to understand the language of the soul as it should be.

Some Are Meant To Be Mediums – Some Not

I remember talking to a colleague, let’s call her K. We could both identify how some people who think they have connection, are not within the spirit vibration and merely on the material vibration where the psychic flow seems acceptable. This, of course, causes a false sense of security and does not follow when really helping someone who may be suffering loss. It’s all about the medium and not the connection.

Human needs are complex, but at the root of things is the need to be appreciated and needed and that can become unbalanced. It’s all about numbers and speed. As K would say, some are meant to be mediums and some not. I would have to agree, for it is more damaging to let an untrained individual loose with a gun.

The teacher or leader in a circle with enough experience is able to identify real talent and ability and nurture that individual into a great ambassador for spirit.

It does not matter how technologically advanced we get – real mediumship is born by spiritual development and harnessing the power of spirit within, not from an app, camera or online development group.

If you want to use the excuse that there is no one around to start a circle or to sit, then you have not looked hard enough because there is always a way and it may take a little sacrifice. Another colleague has a home circle while other members travel vast distances just to feel the power of spirit up close and personal. That is where I believe mediumship should grow, up close and personal and learning to feel the real power of spirit in that environment.

Yes, technology plays a role in learning and perhaps serving, but as I believe, not in development. That should always be old school and developed from within.

Note: This article was originally published in the Afterlife Magazine by The Otherside Press and has since joined the PDN group.

Mental and Physical Mediumship + Star Trek-Styled Spirit Teleportations

Four types of Mental Mediums

Mental Mediumship is the most common of the two basic types of mediumship that are practiced today: there are literally hundreds of thousands of competent and genuine ‘mental’ mediums throughout the world. Although a few people do have naturally inborn early experiences of their own mental mediumship during childhood (and go on to develop such mediumship in adult life), virtually everybody (if they have the desire and patience to do so) is able to  develop one or more of the four main forms of mental mediumship to some degree if they train regularly, and sit with a development circle in a dedicated way under the guidance of a good teacher. This way, it is possible for any individual to develop the first signs of mental mediumship in a relatively short space of time; sometimes within weeks of starting their training – but after such a short period, they are not ready to work in a professional way.

A much longer period of development is really necessary and vital for the ‘fledgling medium’ to achieve an acceptable standard of mediumship. The role and ultimate aim of of the ISSMPI (International Society for Scientifc Mediumship and Parapsychological Investigation), is to ensure that all of our accredited mental mediums are working to the very highest possible standard.

The four main forms of mental mediumship are Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Clairsentience and Psychometry:

Clairvoyance:  Is the ability of the medium to ‘see’ spirit personalities. Sometimes the medium sees these spirit people as though they are real people, moving about in a normal and natural way. At other times, the medium might ‘see’ them on the ‘mirror of their mind’ within their head. What distinguishes this as mental mediumship, however, is the fact that only the medium sees these spirit people. Anybody else who is present does not. The medium can then verbally pass on to his or her ‘sitter’ or audience member exactly what they are seeing, by way of evidence.

Clairaudience:  Is the ability of the medium to ‘hear’ what the spirit personalities are saying. This gift often goes together with clairvoyance. Sometimes the medium hears these spirit voices as though they are real and coming from another real person in the room with them – or from mid-air. At other times, the medium ‘hears’ the voices within the ‘the mirror of their mind’. The medium is the only person who hears these voices, and can pass on to their ‘sitter’ or audience member exactly what the spirit person is telling them, by way of evidence for the existence of ‘life after death’. Such a ‘message’ can provide great comfort for a bereaved friend, relative or loved one.

Clairsentience:  Is the ability of the medium to ‘sense’ the presence of spirit people, and to ‘sense’ what they are saying. Again, the medium is the only person who can (through their training) sense the presence of these spirit personalities, and sense the ‘message’ from a specific spirit person that they then pass on to their ‘sitter’ who has gone to them for a ‘private’ reading, or who might receive such a message as an audience member in a Spiritualist church.

Psychometry:  Is the ability of the medium (whilst holding an object associated with the ‘sitter’) to tap into the ‘energy’ contained in that object to relay its ‘history’ with regards to its owner, and previous owners. The connection the medium receives mentally from that object can often lead into the medium receiving a further clairvoyant or clairaudient ‘message’ for the ‘sitter’.

What is Physical Mediumship?

Physical Mediumship is totally different from Mental Mediumship. Firstly, it is extremely rare at the moment, with only a handful of competent and genuine physical mediums giving public demonstrations. When physical mediumship is taking place, everybody who is present is able to witness it. It is real, and it is objective. It is indeed PHYSICAL. The actual ‘evidence’ of post mortem survival, however, which can be obtained through Physical Mediumship and its spectacular phenomena, can be truly life-changing.

The two main forms of physical mediumship and physical phenomena are:

• Ectoplasm-Based Mediumship
• Energy-Based Mediumship

Ectoplasm-Based Physical Mediumship

Physical Mediums working in this traditional way with ectoplasm are sometimes ‘born’ mediums, although in most cases, their rare mediumship comes about only by hard work, dedication, commitment and passion to be of service to Spirit and Mankind on the part of these mediums, who are prepared to sit week in and week out in a dedicated physical home circle for many years to develop their gifts (in constant liaison and co-operation with their personal Spirit Teams). It is not unusual for the development of some physical mediums to take 10 to 15 years to fully achieve an acceptable standard that delivers superb physical ‘evidence’ of survival that can be witnessed by everyone who is present.

Not everybody can be a physical medium and work with ‘ectoplasm’. Ectoplasm itself is an elusive and fascinating substance that is produced in the body of one single medium by their Spirit Team. The ectoplasm-based physical medium is very often in deep trance whilst the substance (a living, constantly moving, pulsating mass that has been likened to a cloud of ‘cotton wool’ or ‘cheesecloth’) is extruded from the medium’s body by the ‘Spirit Chemists’ and ‘Technicians’ to be used by the Spirit Team for the production of phenomena that has many different forms. The ectoplasmic substance is easy for the expert Spirit Team to manipulate; thus producing ‘Levitation’, ‘Independent Voices’ (speaking from mid-air) and indeed ‘Full-Form Materialisation’ (eventually in lit conditions).

However, Physical Mediumship can be extremely dangerous for the medium concerned (who is often in deep trance). Each time they sit in a ‘seance’ they literally endanger their own lives, with the unpleasant possibility of a ‘sitter’ doing something stupid during the seance, such as putting on a white light, or attempting to ‘grab’ a materialization during a seance. This has caused serious injury to a number of mediums in the past, when ectoplasm has shot back into the body of a medium extremely rapidly – causing (at best) burns to the medium’s body or (at worst) severe internal injury. In some cases (such as that of materialization medium Helen Duncan), this has actually led directly to the death of the medium.

Energy Based Physical Mediumship

(Image - Canva)

In the 1990’s – over a 5-year period – a newer, more modern form of Physical Mediumship and Physical Phenomena was pioneered by a dedicated group of psychic researchers (including my wife Sandra and me) in the small village of Scole (on the border of UK counties Norfolk and Suffolk). We became known as the Scole Experimental Group and, whilst working in full cooperation and liaison with a wonderful team of spirit scientists, guides and helpers, conducted experimental sessions with astonishing results that included over 1,000 hours of direct communication and spectacular physical phenomena produced without ectoplasm. The phenomena that was developed through this group was Energy-Based and the results proved to be breathtaking. This phenomena did not require a single physical medium (as in the case of ectoplasm-based phenomena), although two of the group members remained in deep trance throughout the sittings for the purpose of direct communication with the Spirit Team. However, it could be said that the ‘medium’ for the phenomena at Scole was the ‘group’ itself, since every member of the group contributed to the ‘energy’ required to produce it.

Witnessing Star Trek-styled teleportation of spirit visitors

We learned very quickly from the Spirit Team of the now famous ‘Scole Experiment’ that the technology used to produce the ‘energy-based’ phenomena was totally different from the ‘ectoplasm-based’ work. For instance, when solid (or partially solid) spirit people were present in the room, their spiritual essence (or spirit body) arrived by a process of ‘teleportation’ similar to that used in the TV programme ‘Star Trek’, and the spirit visitor was able to increase or decrease the density (solidity) of their body by mentally drawing on a reservoir of ‘creative energy’ stored in a glass dome.

Three different types of energy are blended together by the Spirit Team to produce this ‘Creative Energy’:

~ Energy from the Spirit World, brought by the Spirit Team

~ Spiritual Energy from the sitters

~ Natural Earth Energy that is found in columns or spirals in certain geographical locations around the earth

Importantly, this ‘energy-based’ newer way of working has several advantages over the more traditional ‘ectoplasm-based’ phenomena:

~ There are NO physical dangers whatsoever to the health of the mediums or sitters working with energy. If somebody does something stupid whilst phenomena is taking place, such as putting on a white light, or ‘grabbing’ a spirit person – then the phenomena simply stops

~ A limitless variety of physical phenomena can be produced in this way, including ‘new’ types of physical phenomena that have never been witnessed before.

~ In most cases, the development of phenomena within a group working in this way is generally faster than that of ‘ectoplasm-based’ phenomena. Sometimes happens within just months as opposed to years.

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Editor’s Notes:

This article was originally published in the Afterlife Magazine by The Otherside Press which has since joined the PDN family.

Attribution for Star Trek image used in the header of this article:

​NBC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Founding the Noah’s Ark Society to Save Physical Mediumship

Back in 1990 (nearly 30 years ago now), I founded the Noah’s Ark Society (NAS) to help save physical mediumship – which, at that time, appeared set to become extinct. Many of the few remaining physical mediums who were demonstrating in public at that time were elderly, deteriorating in health, and undertaking less and less work as their mediumships ‘wound down’.

For instance, within the next four years, two of the best known physical mediums – Gordon Higginson and Leslie Flint both passed to Spirit. Several other well-known physical mediums, such as Maud Gunning and Geoffrey Jacobs, had already passed to Spirit a little earlier as well. Some genuine physical mediums such as Rita Goold (who was working in a different energy-based way) had been forced to discontinue their mediumship due to alarming threats (including death threats) from anonymous ‘Arch Sceptics’ who – without any proof – accused them of fraud. Some excellent physical mediums like John Squires of Romford simply gave up because of health issues.

Ilkeston Physical mediumship circle

With the public’s increasing lack of access to séances and demonstrations of physical mediumship, and the lack of any exciting reports regarding encouraging contemporary results in this unique field of mediumship, it was perhaps inevitable that public interest in the subject would fade away. Instead of witnessing available demonstrations of physical mediumship (the publicity of which, naturally, would have generated considerable interest from scientists and the public), and since practical experience was sadly lacking, anyone seeking more knowledge and information was forced to go to the history books for answers! I remember more than one person at that time remarking to me: “Physical Mediumship – isn’t that something that happened way back in time – but is no longer being practiced?”

In 1989, my wife Sandra and I moved into a rented Church of England Rectory at Postwick – just a few miles East of Norwich. For many years, we had run our own home circles for the development of physical phenomena in the Romford area and had, in fact, actually met in a physical circle at Romford where the medium John Squires went on to develop the Independent Voice phenomenon (of an excellent quality) to almost rival that of Leslie Flint. My own interest as a researcher of physical mediumship goes back to 1972.

Once at Postwick, it was not long before I began to miss the home circles we had run and, although we did ask around the area, we never discovered any physical home circles who were looking for sitters at that time. Consequentially, a little later, we did once again start our own home circle at Postwick – but that is another story.

In the meantime, in March 1989, an advert for sitters in a physical circle at Ilkeston, Derbyshire appeared in the ‘Psychic News’. I replied and agreed to meet the trance medium of that circle, Stuart Hellen and his wife Valarie, for a chat. Although the circle was 130 miles away from Postwick, they had been asked by their Spirit Team to start a physical circle, running just once per month on the Saturday closest to the new moon. The traveling was therefore not too frequent, and when asked, I was happy to join the circle.

Regular communicators in the Ilkeston Group

Woodbury type on paper mount, late 1860s-1870s

​See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In April 1989, I was present at their first proper physical phenomena sitting. Several raps occurred, together with psychic breezes, and ‘whistling’ was clearly heard over the singing of the group. Later in the year, after a few more sittings, I was able to arrange for the circle members to visit Leslie Flint, whom I had known for several years. Through his Independent Voice mediumship, the group received confirmation of the work they were doing to develop physical mediumship, and much evidence concerning the circle. The well-known Victorian Novelist and Spiritualist Florence Marryat (1833-1899) also became a regular communicator in the Ilkeston Group. Her book ‘There Is No Death’ is one I can highly recommend!

Stuart Hellen’s mediumistic development continued apace and early in 1990, at the request of the Spirit Team, Stuart’s chair was moved into a cabinet and during this first ‘cabinet’ sitting, the circle was taken unawares when the initial attempt at Independent Voice took place. This phenomena continued to develop during the further sittings in 1990.

In late 1989, another advert had appeared in the ‘Psychic News’ for sitters to attend another physical circle – this time in Hove, near Brighton. Again (and I shall never know quite why!) I replied, despite the fact that this circle was actually 140 miles away from our home – in a totally different direction. This group was run by John Austin, a veteran Spiritualist and his wife Gerry. They too knew Leslie Flint well. Although it was a weekly circle, I joined this group, too.

After sitting with the circle for a number of months, John and Gerry decided that they needed a new carpet for the lounge in which their sittings took place. The manager of a local carpet warehouse called to measure up the room, and instinctively made the comment that he knew what that room was used for. ‘Séances!’ There was no way he could have known this by normal means, so John and Gerry chatted to him about their interest. The result was that the young man Colin Fry was asked to join the circle. He agreed, and history was born! It was not long before Colin’s physical mediumship took off, and he started to go into deep trance. In terms of physical phenomena, his development was quite rapid. Within months, advanced examples of physical phenomena were taking place and by mid 1990, it was apparent that he was going to be an excellent physical medium. I personally witnessed one of the first instances of his phenomena, when a coin was suddenly apported into the centre of the circle from the medium’s solar plexus. Later, when levitation of the medium became commonplace, he was once levitated, complete with chair, through a wall into the next room!

How the Noah’s Ark Society was born

Meanwhile, back at the Ilkeston Circle in May 1990, it was on the anniversary of the inaugural meeting of the ‘Link of Home Circles’ (held in 1931 and attended by its founder – Mr Noah Zerdin) that a spirit personality communicated with us in the Independent Direct Voice. This was no less than Noah Zerdin himself, who had been a mentor to Leslie Flint in his early days, and many other mediums besides. He specifically asked us to: “Start a Society which would educate the public about physical mediumship – ensuring its safe development, demonstration and practice – as well as generally promoting physical mediumship and its phenomena to the public”.

This, for us, was a very exciting development, and we quickly realised the significance of such a message, and the importance of actually implementing Noah Zerdin’s request. After the sitting, we sat round discussing the possibility of starting such a society. Since I had more experience in this specialist type of mediumship and its phenomena than the others, I agreed to take over the responsibilities and practicalities of putting the society together, and badgered the other circle members to join me on the initial committee to help with the basic work (which involved an awful lot of diplomatic persuasion!)

At that time, I was in a reasonable position financially and was able to fund the society in its early days out of my own pocket. I came up with the name myself – The Noah’s Ark Society (I guess with a little help from Spirit), and commissioned an art studio in Norwich to produce a suitable logo. The name was suitable for three reasons:

1)  The ‘Noah’ referred to Noah Zerdin, who had been the spirit communicator who asked us to start the Society.

2)  Biblically speaking, ‘Noah’s Ark’ was a vessel that saved many species of animals from their ultimate extinction. The Noah’s Ark Society aimed to save a particular form of mediumship – physical mediumship – from extinction too.

3)  The ‘Ark of the Covenant’ – biblically speaking – was a repository for psychic power and spiritual knowledge. That seemed particularly appropriate here too!

Over the next few weeks, I placed adverts regularly throughout the psychic press to notify the public of the new organization. We sent out information sheets to interested people, detailing the aims and objects of the new Society, and inviting them to join the NAS. There was to be a monthly newsletter starting in August 1990 with Issue 1 and although much preparatory work had been done before that date (including the rapid recruitment of members), it was generally accepted that the Society would be officially formed in that month.

The very first member – number 001 – was Stewart Alexander. He agreed to join the committee and to be the ‘Archive Officer’. However, it was to be quite some time before he actually admitted to me that he was a physical medium himself! I started the Newsletter as planned, and edited it. In those early days it was produced by me on a photocopier (initially at my workplace, starting at 5.50am!)

The first committee consisted of just the members of the Ilkeston Circle, together with Stewart Alexander. I did not want to take on the mantle of ‘President’ myself, preferring instead to remain as ‘General Secretary’, which allowed me to quietly get on with the building, expansion and running of the Society. It was agreed by all that the first ‘President’ would be the medium – Stuart Hellen. The first ‘Treasurer’ was Denise Lacey, another Ilkeston sitter. Apart from Stewart as ‘Archive Officer’, the rest of the committee was made up by: Stuart’s wife Valarie Hellen; Michelle Hackett; Mark Stanley and Jaquie Turner.

The psychic press reported and trumpeted the details of the new Society. Because of that, our adverts, and ‘word of mouth’ generally, the NAS membership grew rapidly over the first few months. Physical circles from all over the world joined as well, together with dozens of individual interested people and researchers. We quickly surpassed the significant benchmark of 100 members, and approached 200. All of a sudden, it became clear that as well as the committed physical circles and researchers already involved in our specialist subject, there was also – amongst those who had never come across physical mediumship themselves before the advent of the NAS – a new, and massive interest in physical mediumship and its phenomena from the general public, many of whom were totally lacking ANY knowledge of the reality of physical phenomena. The NAS, therefore, provided a rallying point for interested people. We set out a programme of education so that everyone could learn the basic facts and so that members who had not previously done so, could witness demonstrations of physical mediumship themselves on a regular basis.

I wrote a NAS teaching guide on the ‘Development of Physical Mediumship and its Phenomena’, based on the traditional use of ‘ectoplasm’ (at that early stage, nobody knew that excellent phenomena could be produced using only ‘energy’. The ‘Scole Experiment’ and its work came later.) This, like the Newsletter, was produced in large numbers by me on my work’s copier machine, with a copy of this teaching booklet being sent out free to all members – together with Newsletter number 2 in September, 1990.

Over the next few months, the NAS continued to grow at a rapid rate, and the contacts that we made through the Society proved to be most useful. At a general meeting in January 1991, veteran medium and researcher Alan Crossley was elected as the new ‘President’, and I became ‘Chairman’ of the Noah’s Ark Society – a position I held until Sandra and I withdrew from the NAS in September 1994 (at the specific request of our Scole Spirit Team), to concentrate on our work with the Scole Experimental Group, which was producing some really amazing and exclusive Physical Phenomena – working in a brand new ‘energy-based’

The first NAS physical mediumship demonstration

At a residential Seminar in Leicester in May (with almost 100 people present), the very first NAS demonstration of Physical Mediumship took place, using medium Colin Fry (at that time identified simply as ‘Lincoln’). It was a huge success and – Stewart Alexander (who was present) recognised the importance and full impact of such a public demonstration. He was immediately motivated to offer to undertake similar public demonstrations for the NAS in the future so – for many years, members were able to witness demonstrations of physical mediumship by these two superb mediums.

Stewart Alexander later took over as ‘President’ of the Noah’s Ark Society. The last ‘President’, the late George Cranley, engineered the closing of the NAS in 2004. The ‘Vice-President’ at that time was the late Colin Fry – a superb Physical Medium.

It is quite clear today that there is now a massive interest in Physical Mediumship and its phenomena all over the world. Newer (and often younger) physical mediums are developing and coming on to the scene in so many different countries. I have no doubt personally that the work of the Noah’s Ark Society and the later work of the Scole Experimental Group have contributed tremendously to that interest, and motivated a large number of those emerging physical mediums to develop their own mediumship and phenomena.

In conclusion, therefore, I think I can justly claim that the ‘Noah’s Ark Society’, which set out to ‘save’ Physical Mediumship and its phenomena achieved, in part, exactly what it set out to do. The subject (and practice) of Physical Mediumship today is thriving and continuing to expand constantly. Therefore it is far more commonplace (and available to the public) than it used to be. Interest in this specialised subject indeed continues to grow at a rapid rate.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in The Afterlife Magazine by The Otherside Press which has since joined the PDN family.

A Renewed Thirst for Mediumship Standards and Development

In all walks of life, there are frauds and fakes. Wherever there is a buck to be made, these individuals will go to great lengths to extort money from innocent people. From mechanics and carpenters to bankers and lawyers. There are personalities within every niche that have no experience or training and knowledge. But they will try to dupe you with their wisdom. The world of psychics and mediums is no exception. The sad thing is, many suffering people looking for a lifeline will fall for their charms. Some would call this willful stupidity and claim it is their own fault for falling for a scam. However, suffering can make you act in ways that you would not normally succumb to. This, of course, can be detrimental to one’s life.

Spirituality or mediumship, and psychic skills are unregulated niches. They are without established standards, and it is unlikely to ever have real regulation. Therefore, it becomes an easy target for dishonest individuals exploiting people's suffering and grief. But in a unique niche that has no legislative control or definitive standards. It is fair game to the unscrupulous who target the suffering and those who grieve.

Just as one can clean up a house and easily mess it up again through free will. One thing is for certain: we won’t stop frauds and fakes from operating in the paranormal arena. It’s rather like banning guns under the constitution; it won’t stop criminals from getting them.

Horrific examples of unscrupulous psychics and mediumship

You only have to browse the internet to learn about unfortunate individuals who have been duped into psychic scams. These individuals lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in the process. A glaring example of psychic fraud is Priscilla Kelly Delmaro. As reported by the New York Times and other media outlets in 2016. She was charged with defrauding a business executive out of $713,975, and allegedly promised to reunite him with a woman he loved even after he learned she had died. Delmaro pleaded guilty to grand larceny and served jail time. Her unfortunate victim was preyed upon because of his grief and desperation. As a result, he continued to feed and be bled by her.

Curse Removal

In another case; a woman in Scotland was taken in by a psychic and lost thousands of pounds when the individual claimed she was under a dangerous curse. She claimed the only way to remove it would be a particular spell that would cost an exorbitant amount of money. Or what about the family who lost money with the promise of having wealth beyond their wildest dreams? Stories like this are far too commonplace, even more so with the rise of the internet’s over-serviced ‘psychic industry.’

Whilst we will never stamp out unscrupulous psychic frauds from exercising their free will to cash in on vulnerable, unaware people. We can help to minimize the chances of being duped and ripped off. Should we decide to seek spiritual support and guidance. This can be achieved through a combination of basic education and learning how to differentiate between genuine, ethical practitioners. Being able to discern inadequately developed practitioners and fraudsters. Improving education and protection. We are then working to raise standards and ethics in mediumship and psychic practices. Thus ensuring that mediumship standards and psychic standards and ethics are raised sufficiently to provide more education and protection.

A psychic does not the medium make

One of the greatest tragedies is when a psychic considers themselves a medium but does not understand the difference between a psychic reading and evidential messages from spirit. Nor do they understand how this can actually cause damage to an individual seeking comfort from losing a loved one. The psychic may believe that information received is coming from a discarnate, and whilst many could argue the point. It is the lack of supporting evidence of the original statement or link that will give it away.

The unscrupulous person posing as a psychic can also cause tremendous damage to the grieving. They are the worst of all because they can tap into a general statement and create a seed of fear in the vulnerable sitter who may be none the wiser. A person with some degree of real psychism within them can hit on some helpful things, but one who knowingly deceives their ‘clients’ and does it just to extract money, is worse than the lowest forms of spirit.

Not all mediums are mediums

Image: Canva

Some individuals consider themselves mediums without adequate knowledge and experience, with only a workshop or two under their belt and perhaps a few hits here and there. Then they go out into the world with a drive to heal people who are suffering from grief, which is a fallacy, in actual fact.

Grief is a necessary part of life that we all experience at some point in our lives, but the only person who can heal you through grief is yourself. In fact, grief is something that must be integrated and accepted. A medium is a conduit for spirit and can help you on your journey for a short time by providing real evidence of loved ones around you. Being able to give a reading is only a small part of the mediumship process, and becoming a medium is not like choosing a bike or new car. It is a lifestyle choice with many challenges along the path.

Professional practices

One of the best ways to protect the public and ensure the integrity of those who take up the path of mediumship, is to develop professional practices and standards that extend far beyond the basic ability to give an accurate reading. It is the whole package, being able to go beyond the limits. Walk the walk instead of just talking the talk. Of vital importance in mediumship is how a message is delivered; a delicate balance between helping and hindering. Moreover, the experience of learning the language of the soul and decoding what spirit is trying to say is a fundamental skill that can’t be learned just from a book, course or video.

There was a time when a development group and circle enabled fledgling mediums to patiently grow from mere seeds under the guidance of experienced, caring mentors, but that seems to have been lost and replaced with an ‘add water and mix’ attitude. Whether it is a drive to gain more money to make a living or some other ambition, such as the trappings of fame, there are now more untrained and undisciplined individuals labeling themselves as mediums who pose a danger to those who grieve. Some of them may not even realize that because they are unaware of traditional development groups and circles.

It is, therefore, important that mediumship standards are raised and we return our focus to development to ensure that we mirror real ambassadors of the spirit and not ambassadors of ourselves. The greatest gift we can give to those who grieve is the knowledge that our loved ones live on in spirit and that death is a mere transition.

ISSMPI - The International Society for Scientific Mediumship and Parapsychological Investigation

The ASSMPI (American Society for Scientific Mediumship and Parapsychological Investigation), now known as the ISSMPI, is a nonprofit organization that developed standards for mediumship practices many years ago. The ISSMPI developed these standards much earlier than other organizations in the US. Many individuals adopted these standards globally, which helped to ensure integrity and care within the practice of mediumship and grief. The organization continues to use and develop these standards today. However, an academic balance between mystical experiences, scientific measurements, and the intersection of lived experience remains absent. This is one new direction the organization will be taking from 2026 onward—bringing more evidence to the mystical experiences and lived experience.

Further Recommended Reading

Are Mediums and Channels Ready For Professionalization? by Craig Weiler

Helen Duncan: The Medium Who Shook a Nation by Jock Brocas

Are All ‘Professional’ Mediums the Real Deal? by Mary-Anne Kennedy

Qualities of the Best Psychic Practitioners - Observations of a Parapsychologist/Psychic Entertainer by Loyd Auerbach

Note: A Renewed Thirst for Mediumship Standards and Development by Jock Brocas was originally published the The Afterlife Magazine which has since merged with the PDN group.