Claire Broad, Psychic Mediumship and Science |427|

To echo David Bailey's sentiment, perhaps we are missing something. Something big and important. So big and important we cannot make a good judgement here.

But really?! The beings need energy?! Sorry, but seriously think about it...I can go into detail, but probably will not do so.

All beings need energy. Energy is transferred between form states all the time - whether it is you sucking a milkshake through a straw or a spider sucking a catydid au natural. If you want to get caught up in emotional connections do remember that you are being selective and preferring what has meaning for you.

Nature is inherently energetic. You might say 'violent', but that is a selective sentiment - because many forms of violence are pleasurable. Violence is a term we use when we want to convey a negative implication. A good stir fry is inherently violent, but we vote it delicious and not destructive - even thought it is actually controlled destruction. Boiling water is violent, but do we weep for the violence when we want coffee?

A being is a formulation of energy into a discrete pattern which holds for a time. To survive it interacts with what surrounds it by letting energy pass through it, albeit modified in many ways. That's how evolution works - forms evolve and so too does experience of being.
 
Yes, I believe they do. I can’t speak for NDE because I haven’t had one, but I can tell you that I have had spontaneous communications where I have been shown deities. I am not religious at all and was ignorant of many faiths growing up, but through mediumship I have bumped up against Indian gods, Mayan gods, Egyptian gods, angelic contact, even Jesus. It forced me to study ancient scriptures each time it happened because I was ignorant of these deities before being shown them. It makes me believe that these archetypes hold great power even in spirit and it does not surprise me that people report seeing them in NDEs. I believe it’s what they represent that counts. We will be shown what we can understand and feel comfortable with.
I wonder too, if there are people going to churches out there, and other places of worship, maybe by now there is even a spiritual Skeptiko!

I mean, my initial concept of the afterlife, was that we all recover memories that explain everything, but now I wonder - particularly after reading what Jurgen Ziewe wrote on the subject. If consciousness is nearly infinite in complexity (something that you and others suggest), it might be that there are counterparts of almost every human activity!

Also, is it your impression that we are deliberately not fed some of the story while we are down here, or is it that our consciousness is so dimmed that we can't understand more?

Could we even be interfering with the purpose of physical lives by exploring too much and spreading it on the internet?

David
 
But really?! The beings need energy?! Sorry, but seriously think about it...I can go into detail, but probably will not do so
I have come to think that the word energy is used in a different sense from the way physics uses it. If it isn't measurable in Jules, it isn't physics energy! However, science chose to give the word a special meaning.

One example I like. Imagine too sisters at a running track. Jane is slim and racing round the track as fast as she can go, while Janet is plump, and sitting at the side watch and eating an ice cream.

Which has more energy? Common sense says Jane, but physics would answer Janet because if you put them each in a calorimeter and burned then to ash, Janet would release more Joules of energy than Jane (please don't try that experiment at home).

This isn't a puzzle, it is just that the normal human definition of the word energy is different from the technical definition. The normal human definition is possibly close to the psychic meaning of energy, but maybe not identical either.

This confusion seems to extend to a variety of other words - e.g. vibration/frequency - should be measurable in Hertz if it means the same as science means.

(This is one of my hobby horses!)

David
 
Hi Claire. I have been exposed to 'mediation' rather than 'mediumship'. This may be a matter of terminology, but maybe not - more a case of the resident personality moving to one side and letting the incoming agent have a free reign, once the ability to control the voice mechanism has been attained. In my case the incoming agent was a sophisticated persona I spoke with over a number of years.

The idea of hierarchy is part of a tradition of thought that argues that the more 'spiritually refined' are, by virtue of their attainment, acknowledged - as opposed to our common sense of the word that ranks by attributes other than inherent merit. The hierarchy we see in our world rightly discredits the notion of hierarchy as an implicit reality - if what we experience is evidence of the idea. Social hierarchy that we experience makes the notion of hierarchy as a valid form of ranking ridiculous. Real meritocracies don't exist on Earth. But beyond?

You just described mental mediumship perfectly. The ability to stand aside from thought and allow a disincarnate intelligence to blend with the mind and inspire or speak through the medium. Interestingly with regards to physical mediumship this practice isn’t necessary. Contact takes place through the energy field of the living agents in the room (the sitters) so the medium does not need to enter an altered state of awareness as is needed in mental mediumship. I personally believe that the subconscious mind of the medium is involved in some way shape or form though either way.

Yes, I see what you mean. In terms of being spiritually refined, it can be argued there is a hierarchy based on the higher frequencies that guides etc appear to reside on, compared to a spirit family member for example :)

It’s wonderful to learn you have experienced communication yourself.
 
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'The Unobstructed Universe' is a book by Stewart Edward White, and American author. It was published in 1940. The book is centred on a communication by a dead person [Betty] with the author and friends. Betty says that reality is consciousness in evolution. So yes, your last sentence seems to nail the matter exactly.
I’m going to read this book if I can find it. It sounds like it echoes what my own spirit teachers are saying - thank you
 
I wonder too, if there are people going to churches out there, and other places of worship, maybe by now there is even a spiritual Skeptiko!

I mean, my initial concept of the afterlife, was that we all recover memories that explain everything, but now I wonder - particularly after reading what Jurgen Ziewe wrote on the subject. If consciousness is nearly infinite in complexity (something that you and others suggest), it might be that there are counterparts of almost every human activity!

Also, is it your impression that we are deliberately not fed some of the story while we are down here, or is it that our consciousness is so dimmed that we can't understand more?

Could we even be interfering with the purpose of physical lives by exploring too much and spreading it on the internet?

David
One of the reasons I could not possibly be religious is because I have been guided to many religious philosophies by my own spirit teachers. Plus, in readings with clients I’m often shown their own religious preferences and the preferences of their spirit loved ones. Given that spirit people of different faiths can connect through mediumship, it doesn’t appear to matter in spirit which one we favour. Therefore, which religion would I pick given it appears all paths lead to Rome? There is a book by Helen Greaves called Testimony of Light, which is the channelled communications from a deceased nun to a friend. The book indicates there are indeed people still practicing their chosen faith, in spirit.

I do believe we can take on board much deeper understanding in spirit because we are not confined by the restrictions of the brain and our limited perceptions, but many times spirit guides have spoken of sharing their own opinions and indeed admit they don’t know everything there is to know, which makes me think you are right. I think there are counterparts of every human activity.

I do believe we suffer amnesia for good reason when we enter a physical existence. I don’t believe we could benefit from our lives as much as we do, if we could remember every other previous life or future life. Perhaps the joy in life comes from the not knowing as much as the discovering? I don’t believe we are interfering with our life purpose by seeking knowledge though. Given I was lead to spiritual knowledge and didn’t actively seek it, it seems the spirit world would like us to remember at least some of the truth. I believe spiritual seeking is necessary to human survival. It seems to be an instinctual need in so many of us.
 
I’m going to read this book if I can find it. It sounds like it echoes what my own spirit teachers are saying - thank you

Claire,

I'm not sure what the copyright laws in your country are but for some, the book is freely available here:
https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/nonus?id=olbp33905

This site has a huge library of books about mediums and the afterlife. Many are available for free everywhere.

Here is their page on "spirit writings":
https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/browse?type=lcsubc&key=Spirit writings
 
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One of the reasons I could not possibly be religious is because I have been guided to many religious philosophies by my own spirit teachers. Plus, in readings with clients I’m often shown their own religious preferences and the preferences of their spirit loved ones. Given that spirit people of different faiths can connect through mediumship, it doesn’t appear to matter in spirit which one we favour. Therefore, which religion would I pick given it appears all paths lead to Rome? There is a book by Helen Greaves called Testimony of Light, which is the channelled communications from a deceased nun to a friend. The book indicates there are indeed people still practicing their chosen faith, in spirit.
That isn't exactly what I was asking (BTW although I was brought up as a Christian, I gave that up at age 20, and don't expect to rejoin). I was wondering if all or some of the various groupings of people - churches, clubs, self help groups, scientific societies extend into the afterlife, and maybe even flourish there and interact with the Earthly version.
I do believe we can take on board much deeper understanding in spirit because we are not confined by the restrictions of the brain and our limited perceptions, but many times spirit guides have spoken of sharing their own opinions and indeed admit they don’t know everything there is to know, which makes me think you are right. I think there are counterparts of every human activity.

I do believe we suffer amnesia for good reason when we enter a physical existence.
Yes, and in fact it always seems to me that some active mechanism destroys my memory of a dream as I wake up - I can almost feel the memory evaporating! My partner sometimes has a night terror, and a minute later, she vaguely remembers being badly frightened, but can't remember what it was about!

David
 
Yes, and in fact it always seems to me that some active mechanism destroys my memory of a dream as I wake up - I can almost feel the memory evaporating!
Yes! In one particular strange waking occurrence in my life, I caught my mind attempting to immediately erase the event itself. It was very much like that dream mechanism you relate here David. The event was rapidly evaporating from my mind, yet there I was conscious of it, fighting for it not to happen.

Fortunately, there were others there who witnessed it with me - and they spoke up before my mind could complete the task. It was as if - consciousness was a tape recorder - wherein the tape head sensing the event, was only a few seconds in series before another tape head which was erasing the event as well.

Our ability to create false memories has long been a cause célèbre of social skeptics. However, this ability to contemporaneously erase events from memory (while they are occurring essentially, and not as a factor of trauma after the event is over) - I wonder how much this is studied?

If it exists, there is porn of it, and there is a weapon derived from it.
 
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Claire, why would family members need to come back down and see us if we've lived thousands of lives? Why would it matter as much since we're only these incarnations for a little bit? Wouldn't our own family in that little short life be kind of insignificant compared to eternity?
 
Claire,

I'm not sure what the copyright laws in your country are but for some, the book is freely available here:
https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/nonus?id=olbp33905

This site has a huge library of books about mediums and the afterlife. Many are available for free everywhere.

Here is their page on "spirit writings":
https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/browse?type=lcsubc&key=Spirit writings
Oh my goodness! This is the most wonderful resource. Thank you so much.
 
Claire, why would family members need to come back down and see us if we've lived thousands of lives? Why would it matter as much since we're only these incarnations for a little bit? Wouldn't our own family in that little short life be kind of insignificant compared to eternity?
Great question! Thank you. I can only speak from personal experience. Everything I talk about is what I’ve personally bumped up against and I certainly don’t pretend to have all the answers. The fact is that when I was four years old I experienced my grandfather visiting me at a cemetery and impressing upon me to pass a message on to my grandmother. At that age, I had no concept of death, no emotional maturity to realise my family were grieving and, no motive at all to need such contact. I didn’t even really care at that age my grandfather had died, but the love I felt from him and the urgency of his message proved to me when I got old enough to appreciate the contact, that loved ones in spirit do return and want to give us peace of mind and let us know they still love us. I’m not really 100 percent sure why it should matter but it does. I think that’s because I don’t understand ultimate reality and time. I’m told in spirit communications that we have Earth families and soul families. It seems we reincarnate with soul family members over and over. Perhaps that has something to do with it. I also don’t think spirit loved ones come back down from heaven. I believe the spirit world exists in a parallel dimension and maybe because of this, our spirit family experience our pain in spirit and want to help, just like they would want to do here. We care about each other here after all, even for strangers. It appears that doesn’t change because we transform into a different state of being. Ultimately I believe that’s because we are all one. Reincarnation opens so many questions and answers very few because we can’t grasp the complexities of reality, time and even the purpose of it all. Thank you for putting this to me. These are my initial thoughts x
 
I believe the spirit world exists in a parallel dimension and maybe because of this, our spirit family experience our pain in spirit and want to help, just like they would want to do here.

Hi Claire

I tend to think that they may contact us when emotional need is great, possibly either way, but more for us that are living life as humans, and it will benefit us or nudge us in the right direction. I think it’s very easy to get tied down in grief, contact like this might ease it enough to get us moving?

I’m just guessing.

What is your experience, do spirits come for relatively trivial reasons? Then again, something may appear trivial to us, when it is capable of triggering much more in others when seen in proper context.
 
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That isn't exactly what I was asking (BTW although I was brought up as a Christian, I gave that up at age 20, and don't expect to rejoin). I was wondering if all or some of the various groupings of people - churches, clubs, self help groups, scientific societies extend into the afterlife, and maybe even flourish there and interact with the Earthly version.

Yes, and in fact it always seems to me that some active mechanism destroys my memory of a dream as I wake up - I can almost feel the memory evaporating! My partner sometimes has a night terror, and a minute later, she vaguely remembers being badly frightened, but can't remember what it was about!

David
For give me for not being clear enough. I know it wasn’t exactly what you were asking but it was something I wanted to share. I believe I did answer you, yes it does seem there are dimensions in spirit that reflect life here, as in Helen Greaves account of the nun still practicing her work in spirit
 
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Hi Claire

I tend to think that they may contact us when emotional need is great, possibly either way, but more for us that are living life as humans, and it will benefit us or nudge us in the right direction. I think it’s very easy to get tied down in grief, contact like this might ease it enough to get us moving?

I’m just guessing.

What is your experience, do spirits come for relatively trivial reasons? Then again, something may appear trivial to us, when it is capable of triggering much more in others when seen in proper context.
My experience is they don’t come for trivial reasons, for example giving lottery numbers etc. They come to help us move through grief so we can get the most from life and to help us gain greater understanding so we can grow and learn. Of course, if something trivial is preventing someone from living well, it may be addressed as you suggest. Mostly though, I find contact is focused on matters that will help at the mental and spiritual level, not the material.

Interestingly I find when people come to see me without a real need, the sittings are weak or don’t work. It’s when people have true emotional need that the contact is strong. This echoes your idea about spirit reaching out only when there’s a need. Of course sometimes it’s the spirit person who has the need and not the earthly family members. That can happen too.
 
Interestingly I find when people come to see me without a real need, the sittings are weak or don’t work. It’s when people have true emotional need that the contact is strong.
I guess that means that going to see a medium as an experiment to test the existence of the afterlife might not be successful.

David
 
I guess that means that going to see a medium as an experiment to test the existence of the afterlife might not be successful.

David
It’s a very valuable point. The trouble with mediumship is there are several reasons as to why connections often fails. One is as we already discussed, there needs to be a strong emotional connection it appears. There are others too. Another reason is that the medium may not have been able to enter into an altered state of awareness successfully on the day, despite earnest attempt. Another reason may be that the spirit personality and a medium just don’t gel. Another reason can be that the sitter actually blocks the sitting. People can sometimes feel they are ready for a reading but when it comes down to it, they inadvertently block the medium because they are guarded or inwardly fearful. I find that mediumship works rather like a Wi-Fi connection. Sometimes the connection is on one bar, other times it is on three. All I can do is be honest about how effective I think the connection is and call it when it just isn’t working.
 
It’s a very valuable point. The trouble with mediumship is there are several reasons as to why connections often fails. One is as we already discussed, there needs to be a strong emotional connection it appears. There are others too. Another reason is that the medium may not have been able to enter into an altered state of awareness successfully on the day, despite earnest attempt. Another reason may be that the spirit personality and a medium just don’t gel. Another reason can be that the sitter actually blocks the sitting. People can sometimes feel they are ready for a reading but when it comes down to it, they inadvertently block the medium because they are guarded or inwardly fearful. I find that mediumship works rather like a Wi-Fi connection. Sometimes the connection is on one bar, other times it is on three. All I can do is be honest about how effective I think the connection is and call it when it just isn’t working.

I used to go to some of the Spiritualist churches in my area (in the US) and at one church there was a woman who had been attending services for many years and in all that time a spirit never came through for her. That was very unusual. Most people who attended services regularly would get several readings per year during the mediumship demonstrations given each week during the Sunday service.

I had taken classes in mediumship and had some amazing experiences but that church went through some problems and I never found a class I felt comfortable in again. Once I was attending a class in another church which was open to congregation members so the students could practice giving them readings. While I was sitting there I thought, "I don't like to get readings (because I don't like personal information to be discussed in public) so I shut down and that makes it hard for spirits to come through me when I give readings." Just then the teacher for the class asked me what message I had received - because she could tell a spirit was communicating to me. The guides of the class were trying to give me some advice and I had thought it was my own thinking.

One of the things I learned as a student was that you can often get proof of survival without a very strong connection. Mediumship is kind of like playing a musical instrument. Most people can pick out a tune on a piano but only a few can perform professionally. So a beginning student can often get an identification of a spirit (their appearance, what they did in life, how they died, their interactions with the sitter) with a few mental images, and provide evidence of survival even if they can't give a detailed message. I didn't take classes for much more than a year (not long enough to get very good) but during that time one of the greatest pleasures was to give a non-student visiting the class a reading and seeing how the evidence of survival affected them.

So my answer to David's question would be that if you have unfinished business you need to settle with a spirit, the medium needs a good connection to receive a detailed message, But evidence of survival can come through even if the connection is not that great. A few mental images can provide a unique identification of a spirit, but that is a long way from bringing through a detailed message.
 
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