How does mediumship work?

Great question! This is one that will be better answered at some future time. My personal opinion is that mediums are able to connect to a type of energy that we simply are not yet equipped to identify. Over the years, we have already discovered types of energy that we had not known about before: infrared, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays, and microwaves come to mind. I believe that one day, soon, I hope, we will discover the type of energy that mediums work with.

For now, there is a good deal of work being done to further our knowledge of mediumship. Two places (among the many) that are doing stellar research are the Rhine Research Center at Duke University and The Windbridge Institute. Another name that comes to mind is a powerhouse in the field: Gary E. Schwartz, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry, and Surgery at the University of Arizona. Exploring the websites of Dr. Schwartz as well as Rhine Research Center and The Windbridge Institute can give you a sense of the direction of the work and the discoveries that are currently being made on the subject.

Can I decide who will come during a session?

No, that is left to the souls. We can, however, assist in having that particular loved one visit by simply asking him or her. It’s quite easy: take a deep breath and maybe another one, until you feel balanced and quiet. Think some loving thoughts about the person you wish to connect with. Perhaps a memory of a wonderful time you had together will come to mind. Then just say, “I will be at a reading on (add the date and time) with Colleen. Please be there; I want to spend that time with you. Thank you.” Do this a couple of times on the days leading up to the session. It’s truly amazing how well this method works. But again, we must caution our visitors that the souls decide who will come to a session; we can only voice our wishes to them.

Can more than one soul come forward during a session?

Absolutely! At times, I will be connecting to one soul then another will come forward or even a third during one session —they want to communicate and are using the opportunity to the maximum benefit of everyone involved. However, most often, one soul comes forward in a session.

Does it disturb the spirits to be invited to come forward in a session?

I’ve never had the experience of a soul not wishing to participate in a session. My guess is that if they don’t want to be part of it, they don’t turn up. Generally speaking, they are very happy to have the opportunity to connect once again with their loved ones. They see it as a precious opportunity to communicate one more time.

I’m a practical person. What if I am skeptical about all of this?

I welcome a reasonable level of skepticism. In my experience, I have found that the souls very much want to communicate with their loved ones and are delighted to have the opportunity. Through their messages, they are very adept at gently removing skepticism. The only time when I have found skepticism to be problematic is when the client mentally crosses both arms and seems to be inwardly coming up with explanations as to why the messages are not what they purport to be. It’s not that the souls find this to be an issue; they continue to communicate. It’s simply that I would suggest that this may not be the ideal time for you to see a medium.

A healthy skepticism is always welcome, but I ask that those who are completely closed to this type of work consider whether a reading is truly for them.

How about if the person did not speak English?

It’s not a problem! This is an interesting point, but I have communicated with people who did not speak the same language as I do, but there has never been a problem communicating. They often communicate using images, feelings, and knowledge (where I simply know something to be true), but quite often they speak. While I know that they are speaking in a different language, I still understand them easily. It’s not unusual for me to get a word or two in that language that I can then pass on to the client.

How soon after someone makes their transition are you able to communicate with them?

Well, from my colleagues, I know that it is possible to contact someone within hours of his or her passing. People have also told stories of seeing their loved ones moments after their passing.

I would say it varies from case to case. Some people have pressing business on the other side and so the phone lines aren’t open right away, so to speak. But theoretically, you could contact someone as soon as they have passed.

A rule that I am familiar with from my training is that we generally don’t attempt contact until three months after the passing. This is to give that soul a chance to become acclimated to the new situation.

Do you communicate only with those who have passed on?

No, at times, a client’s guide may wish to speak to the client. I’ve found guides participate in sessions when they have messages that will assist the client’s movement forward on a physical, emotional, mental or spiritual level.

In a group session, will everyone get a reading?

In a small group session, yes, usually everyone will receive a reading. In a large group, unfortunately, that is not possible. It is impossible to predict who will receive visits from their loved ones in group sessions. However, the messages often make sense to more people than the person they are directed to. (This is how the souls can reach more than one person at a time.)

Why don’t you do this work for free?

Though I donate many hours of my time, there are reasons why I cannot work for free. Like everyone else, I must support my family. I have also worked many years to achieve the level of mediumship I offer our clients. If I only gave the work the status of a hobby, I simply could not achieve the same high level of professionalism I offer clients. Most importantly, working for free in my spare time would mean serving only a fraction of the clients I currently assist.

Can anyone become a medium?

In my opinion, mediumship is not something everyone can do. A talent for mediumship is a bit like musical ability: it is necessary to have talent to be able to play a symphony. In the same way, it is also necessary to have mediumship ability in order to do mediumship. That said, I have encountered students whose mediumship abilities were suppressed in childhood. They emerged with training. However, it is important to note that most of these students had childhood memories of connecting with those who have passed.