MEDIUMSHIP: ESSENTIAL PRACTICES

Introduction | Regular Study |  Frequent Prayer |  
Active Participation in the Spiritist Center
Careful Selection of Places Visited | Proper Care of the Physical Body |
Charity and Compassion

Regular Study of Spiritism

This study,that is needed by the medium, refers to both Spiritism's teachings on mediumship, as well as it's philosophical revelations and moral lessons. 

In order for the medium, as well as the spirits that communicate or heal through him and those who are being helped through such interactions, to benefit most from the medium's work, that medium needs to understand the mechanisms of his faculty. When he is aware of what is happening while he is under the influence of a spirit, the medium works with tranquility and confidence.  He also understands the roles of the many individual and environmental factors, both within his control and out of his control, that either facilitate or block constructive and valuable communications. In addition, this study teaches the medium not only about his own type of mediumship, but also about that of other mediums that he works with, and a mutual understanding among members of a work group always contributes to a more harmonious execution of the task. 

In addition to knowing how their mediumship functions, mediums must learn how to evaluate the outcome of their work; Spiritist resources give them the tools of analysis to understand what kind of spirits are using them as intermediaries and teaches them how to be on guard against deceptive and mystifying spirits. Also, the exercise of mediumship, while not inherently dangerous, does present potential dangers for the medium who is not on guard against the negative consequences of pride, discouragement, unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, and ultimately, the impact of the inferior spiritual influence that the former will attract. The value of Spiritism is indispensable in its lessons on how to avoid these potential dangers and deserve the cooperation and commitment of elevated spirits who seek sincere partners for carrying out God's work.

Equally important as the study of mediumistic mechanisms, if not more so, is the medium's regular study of "The Spirits' Book", "The Gospel According to Spiritism" and other philosophically enlightening and morally edifying works of Spiritism.  The philosophical and moral teachings help to keep the medium grounded by teaching him about the purpose and objectives of his existence and by explaining the conditions in which he and others find themselves living, both in the material and spiritual realms.  They also reveal to him how to overcome his difficulties and minimize his own suffering by using the tools that he has within himself.  The books help the medium to understand the moral qualities that he must develop and inspire him to work hard at doing so.  By reading from such literary sources and attending lectures at the Spiritist center, the medium, like all of us, tunes in, mentally, with the good spirits that accompany him. He opens his mind to capture, through intuition, the advice and comfort that the spirits have to offer.  Additionally, his positive mental state, during those moments, helps him to attract healthy and uplifting energies that transform and rebalance his personal energy field, affording a sense of calmness. If done regularly, this will have a positive effect on his physical body, as well.