Physical Mediumship

 Physical mediumship is quite different from mental mediumship. A physical medium, while in a trance state, produces physical evidence of connections with the spirit world to observers in a dimly lit room, during a s’ance, or psychic circle, through the following phenomena: transfiguration, direct voice, apports, levitation and the movement or throwing of objects, knocking, rapping and tapping, spirit lights and materialization. 

A mental medium, or as more commonly referred to, a psychic medium, connects with the spirit world by harnessing visions, images, messages and energies from the spirits and then in turn, relaying them to the person who is receiving the reading. The mental medium is able to give factual evidence about those who have passed, such as specific names, places, detailed descriptions and how they died, without having had any prior knowledge. The individuals receiving this type of reading will confirm the connections made with the spirits and the accuracy of the personal details....<<<Read More>>>...

Physical Mediumship Case File #1

How coincidental is it to be suffering the exact same physical conditions as a deceased family member; to then be that convinced you are suffering a massive heart attack, for example, that you rush yourself off to your local hospital?

Hours later, after a series of specialist tests, you are found to have a clean bill of health. You return home, only to find the symptoms returning once more. Another visit to the hospital is likely to have you branded as a hypochondriac.

What is going on here? The Skeptic and the scientist would dismiss the occurrence as mere poppycock. Except, its not poppycock. Turning to the metaphysical there is a very profound explanation. Something which can be explained from first hand experience.

The above scenario is a true story, a recent client had been suffering from the same conditions as their 'Grandfather Figure' who'd passed to the other worlds months earlier. He'd made a connection towards the end of her consultation and had pointed out via D.T.T that the client had been suffering the same intense pains on the right hand side of the body as he had prior to his passing.

On relating this information from him, it is was confirmed as having taken place recently. Not only that the intense pains in the feet, knees and back which a deceased Maternal Grandmother had been suffering from in life, were also being felt strongly as well.

It is best explained as 'physical mediumship' or even 'clairsentience' where the conditions of the deceased individual magnetically overshadows the conditions of the medium, or individual feeling them. The conditions are crazily real, hence the reaction of going to the local A & E with a suspected heart attack. It has occurred as intensely to me numerous times; I've had a Grand Mal Epileptic fit in front of me client; I've had heart failure; severe head pains due to a brain tumour; collapsed lungs' liver failure .... the list is endless. It is the only feasible explanation for my client's experience.

Matthew James Discusses Physical Mediumship & Clairvoyance

Matthew James discusses what its like to be a Physical Medium.

Transfiguration

A form of 'shapeshifting' ... whereby a physical medium is observed being overshadowed by the face of another seperate entity. It literally means, “Seeing Spirit on the face of another person,” and that the persons features are changed into those resembling a passed over spirit.

This is a very serious connection with Spirit, and not be undertaken lightly. It has been used in recent years as something of an ‘entertainment’, where certain people are taken onto a stage by a medium, and Spirit is brought through... if undertaken in the right setting, usually in a small intimate group, this can bring real benefits and blessings to the relatives of the person who has passed over. But on large-scale in a huge hall with hundreds of people, this can often be confusing and inappropriate to many of the people taking part.

From a personal perspective, transfiguration can induce a very intense and uplifting state of mind. It requires a specific and dynamic energy level to occur. More often than not the achievement of this energy level is somewhat hit and miss. The phenomenon of transfiguration can fluctuate between a definite recognition of a 'loved one' including the medium's own eyes being replaced by the eyes of the 'spirit'; to that of indistinct shadow like details on the face which cannot clearly be discerned by witnesses.

Almost always there is the experience of a 'spiralling out of the body' as the consciousness of the medium is sensed leaving the physical body. This can result in bi-location ... whereby the awareness of the medium is both within the body and outside of the body simultaneously. The part of the awareness remaining in the body will then experience the physical symptoms and characteristics of the occupying spirit.

More often than not these physical traits will be confirmed by those who the 'loved one' was linked to on the earth plane. The part of the awareness outside of the body will more often than not be completely unaware of what is taking place with the physical body.

Transfiguration is a serious undertaking which can have major psychological effects on mediums not totally prepared for the experience. There must always be an agreement between the medium and visiting 'loved one' .... in one sense of the word, transfiguration is a form of 'possession'. Theoretically speaking, if the visiting spirit is a stronger energy than the medium, then it may be possible for the visiting spirit to refuse to leave the physical body after transfiguration. It has never happened to me personally ... each and every time an 'agreement and understanding' has been forged with the visitor to vacate the physical body on request ....MATTHEW JAMES

A Word on 'Transfiguration'

Transfiruation is a  form of 'shapeshifting' ... whereby a physical medium is observed being overshadowed by the face of another seperate entity. It literally means, “Seeing Spirit on the face of another person,” and that the persons features are changed into those resembling a passed over spirit.

This is a very serious connection with Spirit, and not be undertaken lightly. It has been used in recent years as something of an ‘entertainment’, where certain people are taken onto a stage by a medium, and Spirit is brought through... if undertaken in the right setting, usually in a small intimate group, this can bring real benefits and blessings to the relatives of the person who has passed over. But on large-scale in a huge hall with hundreds of people, this can often be confusing and inappropriate to many of the people taking part.

From a personal perspective, transfiguration can induce a very intense and uplifting state of mind. It requires a specific and dynamic energy level to occur. More often than not the achievement of this energy level is somewhat hit and miss. The phenomenon of transfiguration can fluctuate between a definite recognition of a 'loved one' including the medium's own eyes being replaced by the eyes of the 'spirit'; to that of indistinct shadow like details on the face which cannot clearly be discerned by witnesses.

Almost always there is the experience of a 'spiralling out of the body' as the consciousness of the medium is sensed leaving the physical body. This can result in bi-location ... whereby the awareness of the medium is both within the body and outside of the body simultaneously. The part of the awareness remaining in the body will then experience the physical symptoms and characteristics of the occupying spirit.

More often than not these physical traits will be confirmed by those who the 'loved one' was linked to on the earth plane. The part of the awareness outside of the body will more often than not be completely unaware of what is taking place with the physical body.

Transfiguration is a serious undertaking which can have major psychological effects on mediums not totally prepared for the experience. There must always be an agreement between the medium and visiting 'loved one' .... in one sense of the word, transfiguration is a form of 'possession'. Theoretically speaking, if the visiting spirit is a stronger energy than the medium, then it may be possible for the visiting spirit to refuse to leave the physical body after transfiguration. It has never happened to me personally ... each and every time an 'agreement and understanding' has been forged with the visitor to vacate the physical body on request ....

The purpose of Mediumship and Spirit Contact

True Mediumship cannot be developed alone, nor learned by attending lectures or reading ‘do-it-yourself’ books. Many potentially gifted Mediums are content with little training and settle for fortune telling. A renewed interest in sitting for further development, in the safety of the group circle, would educate and raise the standard of Mediumship beyond the New Age fringe of psychic chanellers.

Mediumship is not for the unsteady of mind or the overblown ego. Finding a sensible method of development without like-minded companions for support, can be dangerous. The Law of Attraction draws others to us. Seek Spirit guidance and a good leader. Avoid cluttering the mind with various psychic subjects, the individual who specialises, develops quicker than the one who tries to do everything at once.

Learn to ‘know thy self’ and take personal responsibility for all of your actions. An abuse of drugs or alcohol damages the protective web and addicts are excluded from this development....read more>>>...

Matthew James Medium Promo

A Word on 'Transfiguration Mediumship'

Transfiguration is in real language, the change of form. There are two forms of Transfiguration of the Medium.

Transfiguration within Spiritualism is when the Medium who has been linking with the Spirit World for many years through sincere, regular, dedicated meditation, goes into a deep altered state of awareness, becomes subservient to Spirit and allows Spirit to take control of the entranced Physical Medium's bodily functions and/or manipulation through their nervous system. The part of the Spirit World linking with the Medium will then either bring the Spirit form through the catalytic action (using the Medium as the catalyst is the only way for the ordinary person to understand) by manipulating the facial features and sometimes parts of the body or of the body itself of the Physical Medium forming it/them (face, neck, arms, hands, legs, feet, etc) into the person (or part of the person) who is allegedly dead (one who has crossed the veil) OR form a mask of a person who might be a loved one or a person known [sometimes not] to the recipient onto the face of the Physical Medium to show all there in the gathering they are not dead BUT they are still continuing their life on another vibration level....read more>>>....

Not Your Everyday Ectoplasm: Spirit Mediums and Nonhuman Weirdness

The subject of spirit mediums, séances and spirit manifestations are among what are considered some of the more dubious claims out there these days pertaining to the unexplained, especially in the realms of serious psychic research. All too often we’ve been made privy to tricks and treachery used to fool the gullible and unsuspecting into believing they had witnessed manifestations of strange beings from beyond the grave, or sometimes even from other worlds. However, not all mediums throughout history–specifically the last hundred years or so–have had reputations for being hucksters. With this in mind, it’s interesting to note that there are at least a few instances where mediums and others present at séances, table-tappings and conjurings have claimed to have witnessed more tangible and utterly strange phenomena that, while incredible and wholly inexplicable, may also have been somehow legitimate. Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, the use of séances and channeling had been considered one of the more reliable methods used to contact not only the deceased, but also beings from other dimensions… or even other planets. Mediums like the Reverend Bertie Lilly Candler, referred to prolifically in the spiritualist writings of William Dudley Pelley and several others, were said to have managed to evoke strange, credible apparitions with frightening consistency. Candler, described frequently as “the greatest physical medium of the world,” was the medium behind the alleged conjuring of an entity called “Diane,” which I described in my book Magic, Mysticism and the Molecule as “a very beautiful, eight-foot tall Venusian woman first encountered by contactee Dana Howard beginning in 1939.” Sixteen years later, Howard would meet Candler at the Church of Divine Light on South Parkview Street in Los Angeles, California, where Howard claimed that “a rising glow of phosphorescence” began to manifest during the session. “It was very tall at first, but out of this phosphorescent substance a form began to manifest itself. She was definitely different from the other ‘spirit’ manifestations, a solid, fleshly being, delicate in charm and manner.” To the amazement of Howard and those present, the being began to speak to them...read more>>>....

A Word on 'Invocation or Evocation'



Sigil of magickal protection
copyright Matthew James

There are basically two ways of summoning an entity or working with energy: "Evocation" and "Invocation." Spiritual evocation is the summoning an entity such as a 'spirit guide', discarnate soul, or an elemental where the entity will appear outside of the summoner. This type energy will always be an external energy, and will never be inside the physical body. With evocation, there is never a direct tie or connection.

On the other hand, invocation is the process of actually taking the spirit internally into one's own energy field or psyche. The entity will actually enters the summoner’s body. One classic example of this is the invoking of a Daemon and the Daemon will speak through the summoner using their voice to communicate. Often when this happens, there will be a noticable change in the voice where it may become a deeper tone , or even raspy, or with a difference in some other way.

Another form of 'invocation' is where a physical medium will agree to a discarnate soul to enter into the physical medium's body ... in order for the discarnate soul to validate its survival of death to those who it shared a close human tie with. Often the physical medium's body will be overshadowed by the physical characteristics of the discarnate soul. In more extreme case, the physical medium's body has been found to significantly gain or lose weight during the process; often the weight will match that of the discarnate soul's physical body when it still existed on the earth plane (See articles on Michael Roll for more information).

During séances, quite often the medium will produce a controversial substance known as  "ectoplasm" which is effectively a luminescent material which permits the evoked spirit an opportunity to manifest itself visibly. This is another form of invocation where there is a direct connection between the discarnate spirit and the medium. (Matthew James 13th April 2011) ...

Note: invocation is not something to be undertaken lightly ... from personal experience it is easy to 'zip out' of your physical body to enable an eager discarnate soul access ... and permit it a chance to connect with incarnate family members again. However, it is impossible to control the discarnate soul once it assumes the driving seat of your physical body! It is also difficult at times to convince the discarnate soul to seperate from you when it comes its time to leave your physical body. You are likely to establish a strong connection with its family members for some time after the sitting ... !!!

Famous Mystics: Helen Duncan

Spiritualists are no strangers to scorn, skepticism and stupidity. We face these regularly and deal with them appropriately. But few know that one of our most gifted Mediums was charged with conspiracy and actually imprisoned for her special psychic gifts of proving survival after death.

This unsung heroine was one Helen Duncan, a simple Scottish housewife, who was forced to serve time in London's notorious Victorian Holloway women's prison for the appalling "crime" of holding physical phenomena seance's - many months which took a great toll on her health and contributed to her own premature earthly demise.

Helen was born in Callander, a small Scottish town on the 25th of November 1897, the daughter of a master cabinet maker. Her family was far from rich. Like many of her fellow Celtic lassies she struggled to earn a living even after her marriage at the age of 20. Her husband, Henry, another cabinet maker, had been injured during WW1. She had 12 pregnancies, but only six children survived. To sustain this large family and a disabled husband she worked in the local bleach factory by day and her Spiritual work and domestic duties by night.

The small amount of cash she made from her sittings, mostly token donations from friends and neighbours existing in a similar poverty to herself, would often discreetly go to their local doctor to pay for those patients who were destitute. This was in the time before Britain's national health service concept of free medicine for all had been introduced.

But her skill lay in Mediumship of a particular kind, that rare psychic gift of being a vehicle for physical phenomena whilst in trance state. A precious gift that brought comfort to thousands but one which was eventually to cost her her earthly life.

By the 1930's and 1940's she was traveling the length of wartime Britain giving regular seance's in hundreds of Spiritualist churches and home circles. The evidence that flowed from these physical phenomena seance's was astonishing. 'Dead' loved ones appeared in physical form, spoke to and touched their earthly relatives and and in this way brought both proof of survival and much comfort to thousands of traumatised and grieving wartime families.

One such sitting was attended by a man named Vincent Woodcock, who had brought his sister in law for an evening's demonstration. Those 60 minutes changed both their lives. Vincent gave evidence in London's premier Old Bailey court room that the medium Helen Duncan slipped into trance and began producing the much scoffed 'ectoplasm'. Then his 'dead' wife materialised from this ectoplasmic matter and asked both Vincent and his sister in law to stand up. The materialised spirit then removed her wedding ring and placed it on her sister's wedding finger, adding "It is my wish that this takes place for the sake of my little girl". A year later the couple were married and returned for a further seance during which the dead woman appeared once more to give her renewed blessings to the happy couple.

But this touching human story, along with other similar unsolicited and genuine testimonials to her remarkable gifts, were ignored by the law courts for Helen Duncan was destined to 'go down' to appease an establishment terrified that she might accurately discern the date of the D-Day Normandy Landings...READ MORE...

Another Word on "Physical Mediumship"

A Physical Medium is someone who has the genetic and molecular capabilities in their body make-up that enables the spirit world to construct something physical from their energy. The spirit scientists withdraw this energy known as ectoplasm, and combine it with the energy that they themselves bring, to manufacture something that can be seen, heard, or felt in our physical reality. It must be witnessed by everyone present to be categorised as physical phenomena.

There are various ways this is achieved and the results differ greatly. If the spirit world chooses to use ectoplasm from the medium, then physical mediumship of this type will manifest in darkness as ectoplasm is light sensitive. There has been some success in ongoing experiments using with low light. There is a great surge in the experimentation of using energy in different ways enabling it to be performed in red and green light so that it can be more widely witnessed and enjoyed, with safer conditions.

Only a percentage of one in a million people will have the right chemical make-up to become a physical medium (using ectoplasm) and the likelihood of these people ever becoming aware of this fact is very slim -one reason for the rare occurrence of physical mediumship manifestation perhaps? A physical medium will have an over abundance of Charms and Quarks within their body, and these are utilised by spirit to create physical phenomena.

For physical phenomena to occur, the physical medium (and the spirit team creating the phenomena) needs added energy in the way of other people known as “Sitters”, who attend the physical circle faithfully, giving their love to the situation. Love is prime energy that physical phenomena is founded upon and created by. Certain people can act as ‘energy batteries’ from whom the physical medium (and the spirit team) can draw energy from during the manifestation.

Also gaining in popularity are groups of people sitting together to combine their collective energy for the purpose of creating something physical, without the onus of necessarily having a physical medium in their midst, which can only be good for its gaining in popularity.

Physical séances are not parlour games. It's not done for impact or to shock. Physical Mediumship is undertaken through the energy of love, producing Seretonin and dopamine. It compliments all other forms of mediumship and is added proof of the continuity of life. It can be the experience of a lifetime!

For the Physical Medium himself the manifestation will occur after a long period of patient energy raising, in which the Physical Medium must prepare himself … clearing his mind of any stray thoughts and closing down his connection with the manifest plane. He must separate his awareness completely from the manifest plane and lift his consciousness into another level of being. Once there, the spirit team will be waiting for his presence. The manifestation can only then commence with an agreement between the Physical Medium and the consciousness wishing to utilise the doorway between the two realms.

Then and only then with the manifestation happen. From personal experience, an itching sensation will began across the face. This then becomes a feeling like the face is set in concrete. Following this is the spinning and spiralling sensation I associate with an OBE … often at this point I will see images and faces, usually of the consciousness about to enter my manifestation vehicle (my body) … then I will find myself out of my body, usually standing to the left of my body as the other consciousness comes in.

On several occasions the manifestation has been successful with the chosen audience witnessing the physical transformation of my eyes, face into that of a recognised deceased loved one …

The manifestation will only last as long as there is sufficient energy available. I can re-enter my body at will with the consciousness vacating the space as I re-enter. However, there are many occasions when the manifestation doesn’t reach this stage … instead I experience transfiguration … when a shadow forms across my face and a selected audience witnesses faces superimposing themselves on my face ….

Mediumship - A personal insight

When people think of 'Mediums' they will usually visualise people wearing long flowing gowns in a séance, sat round a table holding hands with the people they are doing a reading for.

The reality is a long way from this 'stereotyped' conception of a Medium. In truth a Medium is more often than not just an ordinary person who will usually have an everyday job and family ties.

A Medium, quite simply, is just a link between the mundane world and the other world (which is often termed as the Spirit World or the World of Spirit). Mediumship is basically 'meditation' between one level of awareness and another. It has been associated in recent decades with 'giving messages' from those who have left the mundane plane and journeyed over to the World of Spirit. However, mediumship is a popularised form of mediation - where mediation is the mechanism of channelling information or energy from other dimensions. Mediation is an essential component of alchemy and magic.

Everyone on this material plane has the faculties for mediumship. The 'working' Medium is simply an individual who has the advantage of these faculties activated. There are two clear types of Mediumship:

1. Physical Mediumship;
2. Mental Mediumship.

Physical Mediumship is the more painful of the two. It involves the medium actually taking on the conditions and mannerisms of the contactee. This is not a phenomenon to be dismissed lightly by sceptical mindedness.

Having experienced this myself a numerous times, I know it is a very real experience. As many genuine Physical Mediums will confirm, when a Physical Medium links with a contactee who suffered from a heart condition, or a brain tumour, or the like ... that condition is automatically transfered to the Medium. It is VERY painful. There are two explanations for this occurrence.

Firstly, everything on the earth plane is energy. It has a magnetic polarity. Even a physical condition conforms to this principle. Therefore when the sensitive Medium connects with a contactee who had a particularly strong physical condition ... the energy and vibration of that condition is transfered to the Medium. The Medium's thought form energy field will absorb the vibratory rate of that condition ... thus the Medium 'takes on the condition' until such time the contactee no longer links to the Medium.

Secondly, as I often sense the distress of the contactee who has linked with me at recollecting their experiences of the earthplane once more, I have come to the conclusion that the Physical Medium 'volunteers' to take on board the conditions. This enable the contactee to make the connection without any unnecessary reminders of the earth plane. If a condition was particularly painful it may well discourage the 'ex-human' from making a connection with the earth plane.

Consciousness will retain the memory of every vibration it has manifest on. Therefore when a consciousness links with the material plane, it will automatically remember all physical experiences on that plane including painful illnesses.

The sceptical minded is likely to be totally dismissive of this. Fair dinkum to them ... until they experience it for themselves. To be inexplicably struck down with a serious pain in the chest or an inability to speak or experiencing the state of mind of someone with a stroke. Then for it to disappear just as suddenly as it appeared; usually when the contactee has been recognised and the physical condition confirmed by the receiver. It is a phenomeon which cannot be scientifically explained but it DOES occur. The comfort to those receiving the information from these contacts is wonderful. Often the physical condition when explained provides the additional proof that the contactee was known to the receiver.

There is also the phenomenon of Physical Mediumship between the medium and someone still on the material plane. Often I will pick up on the conditions of those who have come to me for a consultation. The process here is more than likely to do with the vibratory rate of the physical condition being felt by the Physical Medium. However, there is one such example which I must share here ... it is profound and a perfect example of Physical Mediumship:

Many years ago I was approached by a lady who wanted something different for a Birthday present for her husband. I agreed to compile an Astrology Chart for her husband. My Astrology Charts were slightly different to the norm. I used to call them Astro-Psychological Charts as they dealt with the blue print of individuals. Anyway, I began compiling the chart for this gentleman. Not long into the process I began to develop a very painful left shoulder. I was unable to bend my left arm after a short time. This became a major concern to me. Also, and more embarrassingly, I soon discovered I'd been temporarily blighted with impotence! Very much out of character for me as Kristine will tell you.

Anyway, to cut a long story short. I finished the chart for this gentleman and Kristine delivered the chart to his wife for her to parcel it up for his birthday. In the course of conversation, Kristine mentioned to the lady about my painful left shoulder. The lady was totally amazed as her husband was due for further surgery on his left shoulder ... he'd been suffering from a long term injury of the left shoulder ... and he was having real problems bending his left arm!

Kristine then mentioned the impotence and the Lady merely smiled and told her that her husband suffered from impotence too! Needless to say once Kristine informed me of this .. the impotence disappeared and has never been back since!

The second type of Mediumship is Mental Mediumship which can be split into the three further categories of Clairvoyance, Clairaudience and Clairsentience. Clairvoyance is basically 'clear seeing'; Clairaudience is 'clear hearing' and Clairsentience is ''clear sensing'.

Mental Mediumship is effectively using psychic faculties to enable the communication between the two worlds.

More on Physical Mediumship

To some degree, everyone can develop the ability to link with Spirit and, to the influences coming from those in Spirit. But, not everyone can become a physical medium. Mental mediumship clairvoyant and clairaudient which can, to some degree, be developed within most people, but phsyical mediumship need the physical organism of the medium, either you have those elements or you don’t. Therefore this mediumship is difficult to develop, and the medium and the sitters in this work have been chosen by spirit and the medium for this kind of development.

In physical mediumship, the 'Spirit operators' use an abundance of etheric energy, ectoplasm, and matter in order to produce the various manifestations. Through the directed use of mind, they release this energy-matter from the physical medium's body and use it. Most often, but not always, the medium must be in a state of rather deep trance. This helps place the medium's mind on the sideline, this allowing the intelligence of the spirit to operate and work with the medium …

The implications, here, are really quite staggering: Mind is capable of affecting matter. Perhaps this is the most pertinent implication lying at the foundation of physical mediumship.

The circle there hold this demonstrations can often be affected by illness and physical exhaustion if not developed properly, this tend to weaken the etheric vehicle the medium, therefore extra care is taken to develop anybody who have this power in them, and the development can take years not months to develop strongest discipline are needed, a totally devotion.

A person who has an abundance of this vital energy-matter has the potential of becoming a physical medium

In materialisation, the Spirit people use ectoplasm to create an image or moulding of him or her. The degree and strength of the materialized form varies quite a bit. A full-form, head-to-toe materialization of a spirit is, perhaps, the most amazing phenomenon witnessed in mediumship and the hardest to achieve. When achieved to the fullest there can be seen a cord of ectoplasm linking the spirit form with the medium. This ectoplasm cord can be likened to the umbilical cord. Spirit may dematerialise by withdrawing the ectoplasm back into the medium's body via this cord.

This can take a little time and it is quite dangerous to touch at any time but can only with permission from spirit be touched under the demonstration

Ectoplasm can be used to move objects. Ectoplasm can be manipulated into hardened rods and spirit can direct these rods to move large object like tables and chairs and levitate a person. This is known as levitation ectoplasm. Objects known to be levitated have ranged in weight from a few ounces to hundreds of pounds.

This ectoplasm is some time faintly luminous and can density so as it can be used to clone (a word I use to explain that spirit makes a duplicate of them self). It is very hard to explain what ectoplasm really is, but some say it looks like a cheesecloth, some say it’s like a thick cloud, this is of course very difficult to explain for those who never had seen it, or sat under a materialisation. Spirit tell us, that the spirit (chemist) “let us call them” supply a substance, and also obtains a certain amongst from the medium and sitters combine this, spirit mix these ingredients together, and this enable the spirit to materialize. When spirit comes to the materialisation they use all they can from the surroundings

There are many scientists and other wonderful people who give their time to study these phenomena, but are given no time of day to express their understanding and their witness account. Mr Michael Roll is one such scientist.

From first hand experience; the occurrence of physical mediumship is truly difficult to develop and control. There is a point when a connection is made with a contactee; an agreement is made for myself as the medium to permit the contactee to ‘come through’ … gradually a well familiar state descends over me. Its first indications is a feeling like a spider’s web appearing over my face. I have to overcome the urge to itch my face as a membrane is formed over my face. I then sense a shift in body vibration. My heart beat slows down …. I will then become aware of a presence behind my shoulder … then a slight tap is often felt on my shoulder.

I feel a spiralling sensation … then am only aware of regaining consciousness after the event!

My most memorable experience of physical mediumship was when a close friend’s husband chose his moment to come through me … my return to awareness was when my close friend gasped in shock and told me afterwards that her late husband had appeared from the head down to the shoulders. My eyes opened but they were apparently his eyes not mine.

However … I must report I have not been aware of the production of ectoplasm. My form of physical mediumship did not manifest any such substance unless of course the membrane like sheen on my face is the ectoplasm.

"Physical Mediumship"

People have been able to communicate with the spirit world for thousands of years, in fact ever since man walked the earth. We have references to mediumistic acts throughout the bible and other spiritual writings. Moses, Mary, Peter and many more people all had experiences which have been labelled as visions, angels appearing unto them or speaking in tongues. These can be classed as physical phenomena, with materialisation being just one form of physical phenomena that we as humans can experience when communicating with the spirit world.

Physical Mediumship really took off in the mid 1800's up to the 1960's, although it is still practiced today. People have been using various methods to communicate with the spirit world and the Ouija board was very popular, but it must be stressed that this should not be used by people who do not know what they are doing, the outcome could be unpleasant for those present. Spiritual contactees are trying all the time to communicate with souls on this material plane of existence, and will take every opportunity to do so through whatever means is available, and this includes Ouija boards.

Physical mediumship should only be practised in properly controlled environments with the correct supervision and safeguards in place to ensure the safety of the medium. It usually takes much time and patience to practice. The conditions have to be right for spirit to appear in whatever form. The energy used by contactees is much greater in this form of communication than with mental mediumship. In most cases a medium goes into deep trance (there are different levels of trance) for the contactee to work through them. The contactee will use the medium’s body, and it must be stressed here that the medium is not possessed by the spirit and should be in control at all times, the medium's spirit just steps to one side while the contactee uses part of their body to communicate. This can be through voice with the spirit using the vocal chords of the medium to "talk" to whoever is present, or to produce ectoplasm from various parts of the mediums body.

Materialisation can also occur where the spirit can be seen, and sometimes touched, by those present. This type of communication is very rare and should not be confused with ghosts or apparitions, as the spirit will use the energy built up in the room by those present to "appear".

The conditions MUST be right for physical Mediumship to happen, this means having in place safeguards in the form of other mediums to ensure that the session is controlled correctly and safely (I’m talking from personal experience here). Usually a group of people will gather at the same place, at the same time over a period of time, to build up the energies in the room and create the right atmosphere for whatever physical phenomena to happen. This can sometimes mean using a red light, which often creates a better atmosphere for spirit communication.

Here are some types of physical Mediumship:

Transfiguration. Here the face of a contactee can be seen on formed over the medium’s face. The correct use of lighting is necessary as shadows can appear making people think they have seen someone that really isn't there. The faces can be very clear at times, with the mediums face completely disappearing.

Trance. This form of mediumship permits the contactee to control the medium’s body for communication. This could mean using not only the voice box but also moving various parts of the body. There are various stages of trance from slight over shadowing to full deep trance where the medium seems to be asleep. Whilst in trance the medium will be aware of spirit around them, and will communicate all that is told to them without interaction of their own thoughts. Deep trance is obviously better for this as the medium is not aware of what is being said by the spirit to those present.

The medium should be in no danger if the session is correctly overseen and controlled.

Apports. An Apport is a physical object bought through by spirit usually to the group of people sitting for communication. The objects can be almost anything from flowers, books, jewellery and even money usually coins (usually small denomination values, remember financial wealth is not important to spirit. People do not usually sit for the purpose of bringing apports through, they just happen during a séance or closed circle if the spirit wishes to do so for what ever reason.