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Mediumship  (Conduit)

  

The first time I met Jim Patterson I realized I was in the presence of an unassuming person who has a unique spiritual gift. While he is speaking and sharing with a person he seems to receive messages from a higher level of consciousness and imparts pertinent information to the person concerned.

In my particular situation, it seemed like an ordinary conversation but when Jim began revealing things about my life that were true, I realized that something extraordinary was going on because Jim did not know my background. Because of my own sensitivity as a listener and my alertness to what was being said, I realized I was resonating with the truth Jim was revealing. At the same time, I felt I was receiving a hope filled direction that would enable me to continue on a path that was becoming much clearer as Jim continued to share.

After allowing Jim to pray with me in a healing manner, I did not know the full repercussions of it until later. As I was leaving, Jim said: “So much is going to happen to you in the next Ten days” Jim was absolutely right. My life as a writer opened up because of Jim’s encouragement and I find, now, that my highest Divine potential is being realized thanks to Jim who has been a catalyst for me. Even in my on going telephone conversations with Jim I feel there is a divine partnership where spirit speaks through him in a way that is audible to my heart and soul.

Sister Eileen Curteis, SSA.

Teacher, Poet, Actor, Artist and Writer.

Queenswood, Victoria, BC.

Types of Mediumship explained:
Mediumship. (Platform-or Sitter)
Mediums are just normal run of the mill people that have through either receiving a spiritual gift or training developed their natural psychic ability to enable them to communicate with the unseen Spirit world. Who would ever think that a medium could be an ex member of Special Forces, a laboratory facility manager and bank facility and disaster planning manager? We are from all walks of life and the only similarity is the desire to serve a higher source so we can evolve spiritually while helping people remove their fear of the unseen, and unknown..
There are three main types of mediumship, mental, physical and healing. The reason for so many forms of mediumship is because our friends in the spirit world will use whatever means they can to get through and help us to understand the truth of everlasting life.

Mental Mediumship
Mental mediumship is by far the most common and falls into two categories, perception and control. First perception, in this the spirit communicator works through the medium’s mind and he is able to see, hear or sense, pictures, sounds or feelings. They will perceive them either subjectively or objectively. In the controlled state the medium will go into trance, this will enable the Spirit control to speak through the medium or to do automatic writing.

Physical Mediumship
Physical mediumship is now quite rare, possibly because it takes many years to develop. This is a more direct form of mediumship as everyone present will witness the same phenomena. Spirits can speak directly with their own voice or even materialize for all to see; objects can also be levitated and moved around the room with no visible means of support.

Apports
An apport is a physical object that has been dematerialized in one location, transported to another and re-materialized.

Direct Voice
For the spirit world to be able to speak to us using their own voice they have to able to vibrate the physical atmosphere. As they do not have a physical body they have to find an artificial way to do this. One way is to create an artificial voice box out of ectoplasm this enables them to talk to us as they once did when they lived upon the earth.
Because the voice box can very often be small and very quiet, the assistance of a trumpet is often used to not only amplify the sound but also to direct to the person they wish to speak to. A séance trumpet is a cone of aluminium about 2 feet long (60cms) by making the voice box in the small end it will act as a simple megaphone and amplify the sounds.

Ectoplasm
Ectoplasm is a substance taken from the mediums body and according to Arthur Findlay, mixed with an etheric substance. This enables the spirit controls to affect physical matter. Depending upon the way it was developed it is very often light sensitive. For that reason many seances are held in either total darkness or a low red light.

Ectoplasm is extruded from the medium through any opening, very often through either the mouth, ears or nostrils.

In 1990 I was present at a séance with Gordon Higginson at Stansted Hall when ectoplasm started to come from the solar plexus area as a thin cloud. It then condensed and formed into two arms complete with hands.
Ectoplasmic phenomena are now very rare. One of the reasons for this is the very long time it takes to develop. It can also be quite hazardous for the medium. On several occasions the physical medium Helen Duncan had her séances raided by the police to try to prove fraud. When they tried to grab hold of the materialized forms the ectoplasm withdrew so rapidly back into her that it caused internal hemorrhaging. She died of heart failure ten days after her last séance was disrupted in this way.

Independent Voice
Independent voice phenomena differs from direct voice in that it is not connected to the medium by way of an ectoplasmic rod, also a trumpet is not required. Voices are simply heard as if coming from midair and can be from any point in the room.
One of the most powerful voice mediums was Etta Wreight. She came from the USA to England in 1913 to demonstrate her mediumship. Records of these seances are contained in the book 'The Voices' by Vice-Admiral Usbourne Moore (the book is freely available on the internet). http://www.snu.org.uk/fre_book.htm At some of her seances she had up to three trumpets and independent voice operating simultaneously.

Levitation
Levitation is the movement of objects without normal means of support. This can be done by either psycho-kinetic energy (telekinesis) or by the use of ectoplasm.
Probably the most amazing example of levitation was through the mediumship of D.D. Hume. On over 100 occasions during the 1860's and 1870's he was levitated up to the ceiling and often around the room above the heads of the sitters. On one occasion he was levitated out the window of a third story room and in through the window of an adjacent room.

Materialisation
This is probably the most astonishing of all physical phenomena. Although having said that, most of the leading investigators have agreed that the best evidence of survival was obtained through voice phenomena, as they could hold lengthy conversations with the spirit people.
A spirit by the name of Katie King materialized for the medium Florence Cook. Sir William Crookes was not only allowed to photograph and examine her, he was even allowed to cut a lock of her hair. This lock of hair is currently owned by the SNU (Spiritualist National Union) and is kept in their museum at Stansted Hall in England..

Percussion (Rapping)
Percussion, or as it is commonly known as raps, is how it all started in 1848. Raps or knockings can be clearly heard from any point in the room. A skeptical witness Mr. Crawford investigated Kathleen Golliger, stated that raps would vary in intensity and volume from very quiet taps right up to "sledge hammer like blows" that could be heard out in the street.

By establishing a code, for example one rap for "Yes" and two for "No" it is possible to ask questions. In a similar way I once had a conversation via a bedside lamp. It would flash once or twice in response to my questions. Progressing on from this simple code you can then try the full alphabet to get more detailed answers. You start reciting the alphabet, "A, B, C..." etc. and when you get to the letter they require they rap.

As you can imagine, this is very slow and laborious. Having communicated this way I can see why it was essential to progress onto more speedy ways of communication. But, it all had to start somewhere and this is the simplest and easiest to develop.
Slate Writing

Two miniature blackboards that were used by school children were joined together by hinges. This enabled them to be closed like a book. A minute piece of chalk could then be placed in the cavity that is formed in the middle; it would then be bound and sealed. The medium would hold the sealed slates in his hand, the lights turned out and after a few minutes back on. When the slates were unsealed and opened there would be writing on the boards in the hand of whoever was communicating. Some examples of these slates can be seen in the SNU museum at Stansted Hall.

Spirit Painting
David Duguid, a Scottish medium, had a remarkable gift for creating spirit paintings. He could hold a small card, sometimes only measuring 4" x 3" (100mm x 50mm), between his hands and in less than two minutes a small but very detailed picture would be produced.
You have to see these to truly understand how incredible they are. The SNU has several originals in their museum at Stansted Hall.

Transfiguration
A transfiguration medium has a 'mask' of ectoplasm formed over or just in front of their face. This then moulds in to the face of a spirit person that should be recognized by someone present.
As you can see from the above list, which is by no means complete, those from the world of Spirit who wish to help us will use any means possible to get through to us a very simple message: "There is no death".

Healing Mediumship
Among the great forces of Spiritualism is healing the sick either by personal contact, “the laying on of hands”, or through absent healing, in which patients are treated often at great distances, through the power of prayer.
Many people have been successfully treated. Although no healer can guarantee results, it will usually alleviate suffering, ease a passing, and possibly affect a cure. Spiritualist healing is not faith healing. If you think about it, babies or our pets cannot have faith, yet they can all benefit from Spiritualist healing.