In most cases, the first reading with a psychic medium is used for overcoming skepticism and determining that the medium is genuine and legitimate. The second reading, and any future reading, is for obtaining more meaningful messages from your lost loved-ones and spirit-guides.

When I had my first reading with Vicki, I was suspicious of getting duped by another phony psychic. I had seen plenty of psychics in the past who gave me a whole lot of nothing. In most cases, I was told vague messages about love and good fortune in my future, as well as a few complimentary messages that built my ego and made me feel pleased about the reading and the psychic. Some people might be walking on clouds when they leave these quacks; but later, after they have had time to think about the messages with a little more clarity and distance, most of these people realize they got a pile of generalities with a few future details that can’t be proven for an unknown period of time. Hogwash!

Vicki’s first job during that reading was to provide me with evidence that she was genuine—not just a mother-of-four who had read a book on developing her psychic abilities and figured it was a good way to make some extra grocery money. It took Vicki at least an hour of unmitigated evidence to convince me that my father and grandmother were truly there in the room with us (even though I couldn’t see them the way she did). In this hour, she gave me several names of my relatives and friends (dead and living), past memories (many of which I had forgotten), and detailed information about my life and the lives of people in my life.

This detailed information didn’t build up my ego. Vicki didn’t say anything about how wealthy or famous I was going to be. She was simply a stranger describing my life like she had known me since I was a little boy. Of course, it wasn’t her that knew this information; it was my grandmother and father who were relaying these family memories, including a few family secrets, through Vicki to me.

My experience is not unlike the first readings of most people. Since most readings only last an hour, it is common that the majority of that time is spent on providing evidence and overcoming skepticism. Depending on your degree of skepticism and the clarity of the messages that come through, you may require more than a one-hour reading to overcome your suspicions.

Even the best mediums in the world have off days. After all, mediums are human, too. So there are several factors that will determine how many readings, or how many hours, it will take before you are convinced the medium is really communicating with your Uncle Barney from the other side. One of those factors is your own attitude (skepticism, openness, acceptance, fears) toward that medium and the messages coming through.

In most cases, however, your second reading will be easier for both you and the medium. It’s funny because I hear a lot of people tell me that the second medium they went to was a lot better than the first. What is funny about this is that some people tell me that medium “A” was better than medium “B” and an equal number tell me that medium “B” was better than medium “A.”

My theory is that the first medium helped the person overcome their skepticism to a certain degree, but not fully. As a result, the person was much more open and accepting when he or she went to the second medium. It was their change in attitude, not the competency of the medium, that made their second reading so much better.

Your experience with mediumship is a process. My first reading lasted three hours. That was a heap of information to have dumped on me in one sitting. I think most people would do better to have three one-hour sittings than one three-hour sitting. This would give you time to process the information and insights between readings without risking a mental meltdown. After a lifetime of wondering about the finality of death, it makes more sense to grow into the reality of an afterlife gradually.

If you are new to mediumship, plan on going to a medium more than once (it can be months or years apart if that is necessary). Expect the first reading to help you overcome your resistance to spirit communication. Don’t expect much in the way of meaningful messages if you have a lot of skepticism to plow through. Then, in the second reading, you can expect less evidence-building messages and more in the way of emotional healing—messages of forgiveness, insight into your loved-one’s condition in the spirit world, and messages of love and connectedness with people who have passed-on.

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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.