#1) Psychic mediums communicate with the spirit world.

The first thing you should know before going to a medium demonstration or private reading is that mediums are basically a human telephone to the spirit world—they communicate with spirits. Unfortunately, they are a telephone without a dial. They can’t just call up anyone from the spirit world with whom you want to talk. Instead, you get whoever is on the other end when the medium “links” with the spirit world.

#2) Spirits communicate with psychic mediums using four different methods.

The second thing you should know before going to a medium demonstration or private reading is that mediums can communicate with spirits in four different ways, or any combination of these four ways.

One, some mediums see spirits. Not every spirit chooses to show himself or herself to a medium who has this ability, but many of them do. If the medium can see spirits, part of the communication will be based on sight. A medium may see something in their mind’s eye (as an inner vision), or they may see spirits the way they see other people (as a physical manifestation, except the spirits are more ethereal, ghostly).

Two, some mediums can hear spirits. In this method, the spirits actually talk to the medium verbally. The medium may hear the communication in their mind (like hearing thoughts), or they may hear the spirit the way they would hear you or I talking to them. Unfortunately, some spirits are not the greatest communicators and what the medium actually hears may sound more like a faint radio station than a clear telephone signal. This is one reason why some readings are so detailed and accurate while others are sketchy. Just try talking to someone using a cheap set of walkie-talkies and you’ll experience what it’s like chatting with a weak communicator from the spirit world.

Three, some mediums receive messages telepathically, as an inner knowing or inner sensing. Messages are sent from the spirit’s mind to the medium’s mind, and vice versa. Here, the spirit might flash a picture or a word in the medium’s mind. Spirits have the ability to use the medium’s brain as a file cabinet, and they will search through that medium’s knowledge and experiences for ways to best communicate what they want to convey.

For example, if a spirit wants to give the medium the name Sandy, they might flash (in the medium’s mind) the face of a person whom the medium knows named Sandy. If they want to get the medium to say the word “coffee,” they might show the medium someone’s cat that had the name Coffee. This can be confusing and requires that the medium interpret what they are seeing in their mind. For instance, the medium might say cat rather than coffee; and to the person being read, the medium might appear wrong when the medium is actually just “misinterpreting” the message.

Four, some mediums get feelings or sensations in their body and mind, both physical and emotional. A spirit can make the medium feel sad if they are trying to convey the message of depression. Or they can make the medium’s lungs feel tight if they are trying to convey the message that someone had pneumonia or lung cancer. It is not uncommon that a medium will feel a painful sensation in the head if the spirit is trying to relay the message that there was a head trauma that caused death. This could be due to an auto accident or suicide (or any number of causes), so the spirit will also send another message—perhaps a telepathic picture of a smashed car—to complete the story for the medium.

#3) Everyone present has an effect on the clarity of the messages coming through.

The third thing you should know before going to a medium demonstration or private reading is that the person being read (the sitter), and anyone in the room (people attending the reading with the sitter or audience members in a demonstration), can affect the clarity of the messages.

In a reading, for instance, if you are skeptical, the messages might not be quite as clear as they could be if you were more open-minded. If you are fearful or angry, this low mental energy could inhibit the clarity of the messages. If you are on medication or abusing drugs or alcohol, your mental and emotional clarity could also affect the clarity of the messages.

Likewise, the entire audience can affect the clarity of the spirit communication at a medium demonstration. If the audience as a whole is very open, accepting and light-hearted, this helps the medium, as it would help any speaker on stage. If the audience as a whole is skeptical, apathetic or angry, this can negatively affect the medium, as it might affect any speaker in front of such a group. Spirit communication is about energy. If the energy in the room is low, it makes it more difficult for the medium to raise his or her energy to connect with spirit. If the energy is high, it can assist the medium to raise his or her energy.

We can all help mediums to have an extremely clear path while on stage, or in a private reading, by sending them our love and acceptance. Say a little prayer to help the medium receive perfect clarity in their communication. Don’t sit there with your arms folded and an angry look on your face. Lighten up. Relax. Have fun. One message that often comes through for people from their spirit-guides is that they need to lighten up—don’t be so serious! Many spirits have communicated to mediums that when they crossed-over to the spirit world and looked back at their life, they were regretful that they were so darn serious and didn’t have more fun while they were here.

#4) The medium only wants you to answer Yes, No or Maybe.

The fourth thing you should know before going to a medium demonstration or private reading is that during a reading—whether a three-minute reading or a one-hour reading—all you need to do is answer Yes, No or Maybe. You don’t need to do much talking during a reading. Let the medium do the talking. You are there to listen.

If what the medium says doesn’t make sense to you, just say you don’t know or don’t understand what they are talking about. Don’t try to make it fit! If the medium asks if you had a dog named Freckles, don’t say, “I had a cat named Mittens!” Don’t try to make the message fit if it doesn’t. The medium will figure out what the message means without you interpreting it yourself.

At the same time, if the medium says that Frances is here, and your mother’s name is Francine, don’t say you have no idea what they are talking about. Or if the medium says that your father is wearing a police uniform but your father wore a security uniform, remember that you don’t have to be a medium to mix that one up—anyone could make that mistake. Keep in mind that the clarity of communication may be more like an AM radio station than a telephone. Small inaccuracies are expected. Don’t hold the medium to exact measurements.

#5) Don’t feed the medium!

The fifth, and final, thing you should know before going to a medium demonstration or private reading is a piece of advice my friend John says best before every one of his demonstrations, “Don’t Feed The Medium!” If the medium tells you that your Uncle Charlie is present. Don’t blurt out, “Oh, my goodness, my Uncle Charlie was a police officer who lost his leg in the war and died two years ago in a car accident!” Let the medium tell you these things. If you offer that information yourself, then you miss out on the excitement and validation you could gain if the medium was about to tell you those details.

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For more articles by Bob Olson, visit www.ofspirit.com/bobolson.htm 

BOB OLSON is a former skeptic and private investigator who has researched evidence of life after death for approximately eight years. He now shares the spiritual insights, extraordinary experiences and gifted practitioners he has met along his journey to assist others with their own spiritual growth. Bob is the author of Win The Battle, How To Beat Depression, and co-author of Understanding Spirit, Understanding Yourself. He is also the editor of OfSpirit.com Magazine, GriefAndBelief.com, BestPsychicMediums.com & HowToBeatDepression.com.