Many people ask what mediumship is after feeling something difficult to explain: a sharp intuition, a chill in a heavy atmosphere, the sensation of "hearing" a thought that does not seem to be your own. In Spiritism, this is neither a coincidence nor a disease. It is the manifestation of a faculty that, according to Allan Kardec, exists in all of us, to a greater or lesser degree.
This guide explains mediumship through the lens of the Spiritist Doctrine: what it actually is, the main types of mediums, the most common signs, and how to educate this sensitivity with balance, without fear and without vanity.
What is mediumship according to Spiritism
Mediumship is the faculty of feeling, to some degree, the influence of Spirits. Those who possess it in a marked way are called a medium, which means "middle", "intermediary". The medium is the bridge between the world of Spirits and the material world.
The definition comes from Allan Kardec, the codifier of Spiritism, in the work The Book of Mediums, published in 1861. It is the second book of the codification, dedicated precisely to the practical part of the doctrine. In it, Kardec organizes a theme that until then lived in the realm of amazement and superstition.
One point usually surprises those who begin to study: for Kardec, everyone is, to a greater or lesser degree, a medium. The faculty exists in embryo in every person. What changes is the intensity. In some, it is discreet, perceived only as intuition. In others, it manifests in a clear and frequent way. To understand the doctrinal basis behind this, it is worth first reading what Spiritism is.
"A medium is every person who feels, to any degree, the influence of Spirits." (Allan Kardec, The Book of Mediums)
The main types of mediumship
Mediumship does not have a single form. Kardec and the spiritist practice classify various types, according to the way the Spirit communicates through the medium. The most well known are:
- Psychophony: the medium lends the device of speech, and the Spirit communicates by speaking. It is the "speaking" mediumship, common in spiritist meetings.
- Psychography: the Spirit transmits messages in writing, through the hand of the medium. It can be mechanical, intuitive, or semi-mechanical. It was the mark of great Brazilian mediums.
- Clairvoyance: the medium sees the Spirits or spiritual images, with physical eyes or with the vision of the soul.
- Auditory mediumship: the medium hears the Spirits, like a voice or a sonic thought.
- Healing mediumship: linked to the spiritual pass, the transmission of energies and fluids to alleviate and rebalance the recipient.
- Intuition and inspiration: the most subtle and most common form. Ideas, impressions, and good thoughts that arrive without a clear origin.
There are also the physical effects (rare material manifestations, such as noises and displacement of objects) and artistic expressions, such as painting and music of mediumship. Wikipedia gathers an entry on mediumship that describes these terms, and the complete doctrinal basis is organized in the edition of The Book of the Mediums on KardecPedia.
What are the signs of mediumship
There is no laboratory test for mediumship. What exists are signs that, when combined and recurrent, indicate a more open sensitivity. The most reported are:
- Sensitivity to environments, feeling the "climate" of places and people
- Strong intuitions that are frequently confirmed
- Vivid dreams, repetitive ones or those that seem to bring messages
- Physical sensations without an apparent cause, such as chills, weight on the head or shoulders
- Seeing or hearing what others do not perceive, often since childhood
- Fatigue after being in the middle of crowds or conflicts
Feeling some of these signs does not make anyone a "special" medium. They are clues, not diplomas. Kardec reminds us that mediumship usually announces itself through spontaneous manifestations, and that the next step is not to be scared, but to seek study and serious guidance.
Is mediumship a disease? What Spiritism answers
This is one of the most sensitive doubts, and the Spiritist answer is clear: mediumship itself is not a disease. It is a natural faculty, like artistic sensitivity. What can make a person ill is living this opening without information, without emotional balance, and without discipline.
For this reason, Spiritism separates two things. On one side, there are symptoms that require medical and psychological care, which should never be ignored. On the other, there is the mediumistic experience, which requires spiritual care, with study and guided practice. Both fronts can walk together. Treating everything as a "spiritual thing" is as risky as denying the spiritual dimension of those who suffer.
Well understood mediumship is neither a burden nor a punishment. It is a tool for self-knowledge and service to others.
How to educate mediumship with balance
In Spiritism, one speaks of mediumistic education, and not "development." The difference is not a detail: the faculty already exists in the person, it is not created from scratch. The work is to educate, that is, to discipline, clarify, and give purpose to something that is already manifesting.
This process usually follows some steps within a serious Spiritist center:
- Study of the doctrine first, usually through the basic course and the Systematized Study of the Spiritist Doctrine (ESDE).
- Inner reform, the work on one's own character, which is the basis of all healthy mediumship.
- Assisted practice, in mediumistic meetings, always with the guidance of experienced people.
- Purpose in charity, because for Spiritism, mediumship only makes sense in service of good.
The greatest Brazilian example of this mediumship in service is that of Chico Xavier, who psychographed hundreds of works and dedicated everything to charity, without ever charging for it. Those who want to understand the doctrine in practice can start with the books of Chico Xavier.
Tip: be suspicious of those who promise to "open your mediumship" quickly in exchange for money. In Spiritism, mediumistic education is free, gradual, and anchored in study and charity.
Frequently asked questions
What is mediumship in Spiritism?
It is the faculty of feeling the influence of Spirits, described by Allan Kardec in The Mediums Book (1861). A medium is the person who serves as an intermediary between the spiritual and material world. For the doctrine, everyone has this faculty to some degree, even if for most it appears only as intuition.
What are the main types of mediumship?
The best known are psychophony (the Spirit speaks through the medium), psychography (written messages), clairvoyance (seeing Spirits), clairaudience (hearing Spirits), and healing mediumship, linked to the spiritual pass. There is also intuition, physical effects, and expressions such as mediumistic painting and music.
How to know if I am a medium?
There is no single test. Observe recurring signs: sensitivity to environments, intuitions that are confirmed, vivid dreams, physical sensations without cause, and perceptions that others do not have. Isolated signs are not enough. The safe path is to seek a spiritist center and study, without haste and without fear.
Is mediumship a disease?
No. Mediumship is a natural faculty, not a disease. What can cause suffering is living it without study, balance, and guidance. Physical and emotional symptoms should always also be evaluated by health professionals, in parallel with spiritual care.
Where to find books and Spiritism study items
At Joia Mística Laroyê, you find support for study and practice with respect to the Spiritist Doctrine:
- Basic spiritist books, such as The Mediums' Book and The Spirits' Book, to start from the source
- Works by Chico Xavier and other mediums, to deepen mediumistic reading
- White candles for moments of prayer and harmonization
- Soft incense to prepare the study and meditation environment
- Images and frames of spiritual inspiration for your reading corner
Visit our store in Extrema-MG or receive it at home, with delivery to all of Brazil. For reading recommendations on where to start, talk to us via WhatsApp.
References
- Wikipedia: entry on mediumship
- KardecPedia: edition of The Mediums' Book, or Guide of the Mediums and Evokers
