Being a medium - How does it work?

[Tony 10]

I take your point and it is a fair one in a world where we keep ourselves to ourselves, but would you extend that honour to the Branch Davidians or the Om Sect?

[Guest Wyrd]

That's a seperate issue. No individual or religious group should be allowed to act outside the confines of the law. They are, however, free to believe in whatever they would believe in.

 

And we are talking specifically about mediums here.

[Tony 10]

That obviously raises the question about whether what mediums do is to exploit the vulnerable, often when they at their most exposed.

 

 

(Whether mediums do it deliberately or by delusion is another matter.. unless you accept that they really are consciously communicating to the dead.)

[Guest Wyrd]

I couldn't agree with you more.

[Saff 10]

That obviously raises the question about whether what mediums do is to exploit the vulnerable, often when they at their most exposed.

 

 

(Whether mediums do it deliberately or by delusion is another matter.. unless you accept that they really are consciously communicating to the dead.)

 

I don't know how I'd find any statistics but I'd say that from people who I've heard talk about their experiences the experience usually leaves them feeling a lot happier rather than exploited. You could also see it as a form of entertainment, Paul McKenna who states he is an illusionist is still great to watch.

[Guest Mod_Man]

I don't know how I'd find any statistics but I'd say that from people who I've heard talk about their experiences the experience usually leaves them feeling a lot happier rather than exploited. You could also see it as a form of entertainment, Paul McKenna who states he is an illusionist is still great to watch.

 

Yeah but Paul McKenna has never said he can contact a dead loved one.

 

 

What do you think the title of the thread should be?

[Guest Mod_Man]

And is any body willing to answer or attempt to answer the questions. So many mediums, so few answers.

[Saff 10]

Yeah but Paul McKenna has never said he can contact a dead loved one.

 

 

What do you think the title of the thread should be?

 

 

Oh sorry I thought you realised how provocative that title sounded. Maybe something like "Being a medium- how does it work?"

As for McKenna that was my point- we still like being amazed and entertained by him even though we know it's trickery. Some people visiting mediums may be sceptical, but appreciate imagining contact with someone who has passed on. I'm talking about the importance of the psychological impact rather than whether it's real or not.

[Guest Wyrd]

...the experience usually leaves them feeling a lot happier rather than exploited..

 

But the main issue is the probability that they are indeed being exploited. The fact that they are leaving the medium's kitchen happier than they entered it is usually down to the fact that the medium/spiritualist etc (let's not get into the pedantry of labelling their respective abilities) has possibly, using well established tricks of the trade, fooled the punter into believing that they are sensing or communicating with the spirit of their dead relative.

 

If that's the case with all mediums and the like, which it probably is, you couldn't ever label their behaviour as entertainment.

[Guest Mod_Man]

Oh sorry I thought you realised how provocative that title sounded. Maybe something like "Being a medium- how does it work?"

As for McKenna that was my point- we still like being amazed and entertained by him even though we know it's trickery. Some people visiting mediums may be sceptical, but appreciate imagining contact with someone who has passed on. I'm talking about the importance of the psychological impact rather than whether it's real or not.

 

Job done.

[Saff 10]

But the main issue is the probability that they are indeed being exploited. The fact that they are leaving the medium's kitchen happier than they entered it is usually down to the fact that the medium/spiritualist etc (let's not get into the pedantry of labelling their respective abilities) has possibly, using well established tricks of the trade, fooled the punter into believing that they are sensing or communicating with the spirit of their dead relative.

 

If that's the case with all mediums and the like, which it probably is, you couldn't ever label their behaviour as entertainment.

 

You go to the fairground and have a reading for a laugh, things like that.

I don't know how it works, of course there are charlatans out there, but there are some who truly believe that they have a gift (I wouldn't attempt to say whether they did or not) and their customers are truly reassured by what they say. I don't see why that is exploitative as they are both happy, why should anyone else be bothered by that?

[Saff 10]

Job done.

 

Oooh!