Stop Doing This in Your Mediumship!

By Travis Sanders

I was recently listening to an interview with UK medium Andy Byng, whose reputation holds high esteem. While the opinion of others in regards to who is “good” and who is not, holds little of importance to me-  I have found lots of wisdom in Andy’s words and video lessons over the years.

In this particular video, Andy was discussing the things we as mediums do, that may have been good for us developing structure in the beginning phases of our mediumship unfoldment, but eventually become impediments as we evolve and refine.

I have been trying to incorporate these into my own practices and wanted to share and summarize what I gleaned with you and for you:

1. Drop the habit of wanting to look for certain types of information

   One quote I really resonated with was “Where we control, we get in the way.” Often we have preconceived notions of what a good or proper spirit contact should look like for the sitter or the audience- this limits Spirit! Spirit knows what the best information is to demonstrate that they still live. Always think about your work as a communicator/translator from the SPIRITS pov to better learn and understand how we can be the best instrument for the Spirit World that we can be. We often find ourselves thinking “I wasn’t as good as I used to be,” I know I have; but its because when mediumship is new to us, its natural, were not colored by expectations- and when we learned how others think it should be, or over structure the way we work, we become unnatural in how we approach it.

   Andy said: “Structure should be used to harness the power of the medium, not stifle the naturalness”

2. Sop demanding how you receive evidence

Maybe you are used to working clairvoyantly or clairsentiently. Maybe you ask your guides to show you x, y or z in the form of  specific symbols. In early stages creating a system is wonderful for a foundation. But imagine going to the gym everyday and only ever working your upper body…you’ll eventually end up with chicken legs! Allow Spirit to give you information through the channels THEY see fit, and in personal development do exercises to strengthen the channels you don’t excel in so you can be the most well-rounded medium you can be. Give Spirit access to your vision, or words, your mind, your  heart, your body. Let it flow through however it flows through. Let the power build, and follow its flow. And if you feel stuck- don’t be afraid to simply say to Spirit “help me.”

3. Stop asking questions of Spirit

In early development we are often taught to mentally ask questions of Spirit to get to the answers we are seeking. BUT what if they aren’t interested in the questions you are asking? As novices, when we feel stuck, asking Spirit a question can absolutely get the flow going again- but if we always rely on that standard as a way of continuously working, then we are leading process. The more of “us” involved, means less room for Spirit. Mediumship is more active than say trance, but it is still somewhat passive as we are receivers. Asking questions takes us into the left brain-analytical mind and brings us out of the power. Imagine being a Spirit communicator, and you only have a few precious moments to communicate your heart to your loved one, and you wish to express a cherished memory but the medium is pestering you with “How old were you?,” “what kind of car did you drive?” “What is your favorite food?” —It must be so frustrating for them!

4. Chuck the “checklist” approach

Many of us have learned C.E.R.T ; the acronym meaning communicator, evidence, reason (message) and ‘tie it up’ as how to appropriately and efficiently move through a contact/message. This is great in the beginning but as we grow, this again can limit Spirit. As you become more confident in your mediumship trying working in the “blend and surrender” way. Let your communicator blend as closely as possible to you and just let their mind/thoughts/feelings lead. Stop worrying about having to do things in a certain order, or get 3-5 pieces of evidence. Evidence is necessary but not the epitome of mediumship- if the presence, the personality is not transmitted, not felt by the recipient, then the contact may feel cold, sterile, and unconvincing. If spirit wants more message than evidence, so be it. If they are evidence heavy, so be it. Most importantly let the essence of the communicator shine THROUGH you- put the flow of information in their hands, and I promise you the most amazing evidence will naturally be brought fourth without left-brain interference on your part.

So try incorporating these ideas into your work, maybe they help, maybe not! Either way some food for thought! A big thanks to Andy Byng and the work you do! 

 

 

Advertisement

Clifford Bias- Trumpet Medium

By Travis Sanders

Those who know me know that one of the places dear to my heart, is this historical Spiritualist community, Camp Chesterfield. One thing I admire about camp, is how they uphold, and still remember their mediums of yesterday.

One such medium, Clifford Bias, has always fascinated me. Not much is written about Clifford Bias, although Bias himself was a prolific writer on spirituality, metaphysics, ceremonial magic, and mediumship.

His many books include: Trumpet Mediumship and it’s Development, The Art of Astrological Synthesis, The AMOS Path of Light, The Ritual Book of Magic, The Way Back, Qabalah, Tarot and the Western Mystery Tradition and more.

Born in West Virginia in 1910, Clifford had psychic experiences from the age of 5. Around such times family members were experimenting with table tipping. When young Clifford placed his hand on the table, energized, it danced about. Clifford also had a play-mate that only he could see. “Pepper” as it turns out, grew up with Clifford, and he would later come to understand that he was a spirit control, along with others, as his mediumship developed, including Sylvia, his joy guide, and Dr Lasceles.

At age 14, while still in Huntington, he attended his first development circle, ran by Mrs. Effie Fulton, for a fee of 25 cents. He decided not to go back because he thought he slept through the events, but in actuality he fell into deep trance, and vocally channeled spirit without knowing.

Clifford Bias was ordained in 1937, and helped create and/or serve in numerous churches in the U.S. including Michigan, Ohio, New York and Florida. He even helped organize the Universal Spiritualist Association, and formed A.M.O.S or the Ancient Mystics Order of Seekers. This wasn’t what a young clifford would have expected for his life. He was passionate about analytical chemistry and also had a love of collecting circus programs. He even tried to be an actor on a riverboat cruise in Ohio, and yet, he couldn’t escape being a medium and spiritual teacher.

Bias also held residency, as well as the presidency of Camp Chesterfield with the Indiana Association of Spiritualists, and served as the educational director. His mediumistic talents included blindfold billets, trance, independent voice, partial materialization, and his direct-voice via the trumpet developed quite strongly after sitting with trumpet medium, John W. Bunker, which he believed helped “activate” this potential for physical voice-based phenomena within him.

As a teacher, Clifford believed strongly in laying a firm foundation of understanding Natural Law. In his development circles he work partially in light, and partially in darkened conditions, developing the mental and physical side of his students mediumship simultaneously.

In 1985 he retired to Anderson, Indiana, and passed into Spirit in 1987. A portrait of him can be gained from the part-biography, part-fiction work, The Hierophant of 100th Street, by Cullen Dorn.

Sources:
wikipedia: Clifford Bias
Trumpet Mediumship & It’s Development: Bias
Mediums & The Development of Mediumship: Chaney
Chesterfield Lives: Indiana Association of Spiritualist
The Hierophant of 100th Street: Dorn

The Mediumship of Indridi Indridason

By Travis Sanders

Born in October of 1883, Indridi was a young Icelandic man, from an uneducated farming family. Little did he ever dream that by his early 20’s he would be Iceland’s premier medium of a caliber compared to the great D.D Home.

Around the age of 21 while working as a printer for a newspaper, the wife of a family member he was living with at the time invited him to investigate a table tipping circle with her. He went, and in his presence, the table moved quite powerfully.

Within an incredibly short period of time Indridi’s physical phenomena blossomed. Starting with trance speaking and automatic writing; and eventually evolving into spirit lights, apports, levitation of objects (and levitation of Indridi) as well as direct voice and materialization.

In 1905 at 22, The Experimental Society formed to investigate the phenomena of this young man. They even provided him with a salary and home, which also served as the controlled setting for research. However, by that fall, Indridi didn’t wish to continue. He actually came to see his mediumship as a curse. Indridi claimed to be haunted by poltergeist-like phenomena, some of which scared him. Additionally, his seances left him drained, ill, and depressed for days.

There were several main controls (spirit guides) that were regulars in Indridi’s mediumship, including his grandfather’s brother, who was a prominent professor at the University of Copenhagen.  There was also another who Indridi claimed was unkind towards him, and had died of suicide, though after some time, this control became benevolent and assisted Indridi in his mediumship.

Indridi married briefly before his wife and their baby daughter died of TB/typhoid fever, to which he also succumbed to at the age of 28.  He was invaluable in establishing Spiritualism in Iceland.

Indridi Indridason has always intrigued me. Handsome, gifted, and yet his life was sad and tragic. While I have doubt this was part of fulfilling his purpose in this life, I often feel that if emphasis was placed on the philosophy of Spiritualism, instead of solely focusing on the phenomena, much of Indridi’s agony could have been avoided.

The part that I find interesting as a Spiritualist, is the negative aspects that Indridi experienced in his mediumship. He felt haunted and used. However, mostly in Spiritualism, we do not believe in “stuck” or evil spirits. Could it have been, because of ignorance, fears, insecurities and worries made physically manifest through his physical mediumship abilities (including psychokinesis) that he created his own “demons” and interpreted or experienced that energy or “thought form” as Spirit intelligence? Did Indridi haunt himself? Perhaps he had subconscious worries that his “gifts” weren’t of God, especially since his major opponents in Iceland were those of strict religious practitioners.

We may never know. However, Iceland and The Spiritualist Movement owes a huge gratitude toward the sacrifices of Indiri Indridason.

Sources:

wikipedia
https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/indridi-indridason
Encyclopedia of Ghost & Spirits by Rosemary Ellen Guiley

Why Do Psychics Have Terrible Luck in Love!?

By Travis Sanders:

I want to start by saying that not all psychics/mediums/healers have terrible luck with love. I know several readers who have had long and happy marriages. However, and Im including myself in this statement- the majority of readers I know either have an awful time finding love, keeping love, or being satisfied in the relationships they find themselves in.  So, lets examine why!

1) Red Flags

As intuitive or psychic people, we often times know more than we care to know. Sometimes when it seems like we just can’t find anyone worth going on more than one date with, it’s because we see more deeply the red flags, that others, who might not be “seeing” energetically, can see. You might look good on paper, but within a few minutes we can sniff out your dirty laundry, patterns of thinking, and vibes that speak loudly even if your mouth might be closed. This isn’t to say we are actively trying to read our potential suitor per-say- but hey! We know what we know!

2) Empathetic Mirroring 

This one can be tricky, especially for those sensitives who don’t have a firm grasp on self-identity. It seems everyone today is an “empath”- A term I don’t much care for. That being said sensitive people are highly empathic. When your are sensitive and seeing someone who isn’t good for you, those seemingly obvious red energetic flags can be easily overlooked when you internalize the other person’s feelings as your own. Are you really into that person, or are they super into you!?

3) The Healer Archetype

Psychics, mediums, sensitives- the core of what we do is based in healing. We are healers. When you carry the healer archetype, we often unconsciously seek-out broken people, because the healer in us thinks we can fix someone. We are attracted to their potential. But people aren’t projects, or cars- and we can’t fix them nor is it our job. Awareness of our motivations is crucial in cultivating something worth investing in!

4) Psychic on Psychic

So- I’m in the club of a psychic that’s dated another psychic. It’s not fun. Sometimes because we often feel like we live on a fringe, or in a counter-culture of people, we desire to find others in our camp. However when you both pick up on feelings, thoughts, emotions, projections- it’s hard to tell what is what, and what is whom, and who is whom, in the energetic ball of yarn that is your relationship. Sensitives aren’t necessarily the most grounded people. We need a complimentary “anchor” and at-least in my opinion, psychic on psychic is less than ideal.

5) Muggles

So we want an anchor, a grounding figure, someone who can balance us when we get a little to etherial. Right? Mostly, but I think they should be at least someone on a spiritual path who can support us even if they don’t do the same work or perceive the world in the same way. If your “muggle” partner lacks support or understanding of why you are the way you are, it leads to miscommunication and assumption. If you can’t talk to them about your day, or the spirits you’ve talked to, the vision you had, the dream you dreamt, you will eventually want a connection that isn’t present, and probably be inclined to look for it elsewhere. Finding a “muggle”or non-psychic who is open and supportive is ideal!

6)New Age Indoctrination

Psychic doesn’t necessarily mean New Age. Although in todays world they often go hand in hand. And with that New Age philosophy is a bunch of bogus ideas that get hammered into us as truth. Mainly this idea of soul mates and “twin flames.” The idea that you’re a half of a soul, and that you’re not complete until you find the missing piece to fulfill your full potential, is total and utter bullshit. And while we are at it- soul mates aren’t necessarily romantic! Your dog can be a soul mate! Your family members and best friends are soul mates! Hell, even that bitch at work you can’t stand could be a soul mate! Remember- everyone is “the one” until they aren’t. And then another “the one” may come along. Everyone comes into your life for a purpose. Some are just seasonal and thats okay! They are all teaching you something.

7) Survival

A lot of psychically-sensitive people are so sensitive because they came from broken homes, abusive families or experienced tragedy at a young age. Their heightened intuition is a survival tool that kept them fed, avoided predatory people, and guided them from detrimental situations. However, in those “broken situations” we can develop beliefs systems around self worth that dictate to us the love we think we deserve- and often time those belief systems are flawed. But we can’t give what we didn’t have. We can’t know what we never were taught. And we cant emulate healthy relationships if they weren’t shown to and experienced by us.

8) Mooooooooods

Psychics, mediums, sensitives, healers: we can be some overly sensitive people. We’re emotionally driven, and moods can change like the tides. We’ve learned to trust what we feel, and know that it’s right, even if it’s only right for us. Often sensitives don’t need to, or care to know the why- just what is. And while confidence in our intuition is great, it’s not an excuse for tolerating unhealthy emotional, mental and intuitive patterns in our lives. Sometimes this can cause truly patient and compassionate people in our life to get fed-up with the erratic behaviors that some sensitive people exhibit.

So Are We Just Screwed?!?

Not at all. I think there are several things to keep in mind. 

*Divine timing and your timing aren’t always aligned. Divine timing always wins.
*Do the work! If you have baggage, becoming aware of it is the first step, then seeking to resolve it is next. Counseling and therapy are wonderful tools to help.
*Work on codependent patterns.
*Be kind to yourself
*Take inventory of yourself, including your motivations.
*Are you being needy? When we desire something so much but are attached to it from the place of need, we can experience paradoxical results.
*Take steps to build self worth.
*Know Thyself
*Get grounded! Live in this world, even if you’re aware of other ones!
*Learn to be okay being by yourself! Love your own company.
*Don’t settle for less than what you need in someone.
* But also don’t be so black-and-white that anyone could fail to meet your standards. *Sometimes what/who we want and what/who we need are not the same thing!

http://www.psychictravissanders.com

Honoring Harriet E. Wilson

By Travis Sanders

Someone who is not recognized as they should be, both in American history and Spiritualist history is Harriet E. Wilson. Born Harriet Adams in 1825, “Hattie” was orphaned young and kept in indentured servitude until the age of 18, despite being considered a free woman of color.

Photo credit: AAREG

In 1859, Wilson became the first African American in North America to publish a novel with her book: Our Nig- Sketches from the Life of a Free Black, a fictionalized account of her own life.

Education was highly valued by Wilson, and she became a teacher, by 1863 Hattie came into Spiritualism while in Boston and developed as a trance medium, lecturer, and healer. Harriet shared the stage with such prominent figures as Andrew Jackson Davis and Victoria Woodhull. She lectured on children’s education, work reform, and the spirit world and became a powerhouse in the children’s lyceum movement- one of few black women to teach white children of that time period.

Many of Spiritualism’s more conservative members saw her as too progressive, as she often directed the children while under trance control- so she started her own school, and dropped the title of lyceum with The First Spiritualist Progressive School.

Hattie continued to speak at Spiritualist conventions as “The Colored Medium” and worked as a teacher, Spiritualist Nurse, healer, and trance medium as she moved into semi-retirement after being elbowed out of the Spiritualist education circuit by her more conservative white peers.

Many of her peers and admirers referred to her as Dr. Harriet Wilson out of respect.
She died in 1900, and is buried in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Picture credit: The Harriet Wilson Project

Sources:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_E._Wilson

Huffington Post
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/post_b_806805

The Harriet Wilson Project
http://www.harrietwilsonproject.net/

Penguin Random House 
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/288985/our-nig-by-harriet-e-wilson/9780143105763/

African American Registry
https://aaregistry.org/story/author-harriet-wilson-born/

Amy & Isaac Post: The Godparents of Modern Spiritualism

by Travis Sanders

When we think of those who championed the Spiritualist movement, we often immediately think of the Fox sisters, Emma Hardinge Britten, or Andrew Jackson Davis. But if Andrew Jackson Davis is the father of Modern Spiritualism, then surely it’s adoring godparents are Amy & Isaac Post.

Both born in New York around the turn of turn of the 19th century, Amy and Isaac Post were some of the first to witness the phenomena of the Fox Sisters’ and saw the immense importance of the work that was at hand. Amy and Isaac were Quakers (Hicksite Quakers, a splinter group of Quaker established through Amy’s cousin Elias Hicks) and were highly progressive for their time. When Isaac wasn’t working his local drug store, he and his wife, were both involved several movements of reform- primarily abolitionist and anti-slavery causes, as well as women’s rights. The Post’s Rochester home was a station on the underground railroad and hosted as many as 15-20 runaway slaves, as the freedom seekers headed north.

When the Posts witnessed the phenomena through the Fox sisters, they encouraged the work. In addition to bringing reform to religious ideology which was starting to work it’s way through our young country- as the phenomena progress from rudimentary raps, into phenomena such as trance, spirit writing and direct voice- much of the discourse that allegedly came through from the Spirit world, also championed their causes and confirmed their belief systems about changes needed for mans progress. Isaac himself would eventually develop as a writing medium and pen Voices from the Spirit World in 1852. The Posts also received messages from children the couple had lost, through the mediumship of the Fox’s, which cemented their conviction even further.

It was the Posts’ that arranged the Fox Sisters first out-of-house public demonstration of mediumship, renting the largest hall in Rochester for the event. Four hundred people showed up to witness the demonstration, as Amy stood nearby offering her support and love as the girls demonstrated.  However even more than advertising and events, it was the Post’s sphere of social influence and inner circles that really contributed to the spread of Spiritualism. The Posts were well respected people, and were friends with many prominent abolitionists and women’s rights advocates of the time; including Frederick Douglass, and Susan B Anthony, and exposed them both to the phenomena of Spiritualism.  While it interested Douglass less, it still allowed for the ideology and teachings to spread through the many circles of these movements.

The Posts had genuine friendship and affection for all three sisters, as the sisters did for them, which can be seen in letters exchanged between them. When their own parents weren’t quite sure what to do with the young girls, the Posts truly did take the place of spiritual godparent, and thank God they did, or else 1/10th of the then population of the country may not have become the Spiritualist that they did.

Isaac died in 1872 and Amy in 1889. They are both buried at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester.

 

Sources: 
Wikipedia
Exploring Other Worlds: Chapin
Ghostly Communication: Kucich
The Spirit Book: Buckland

 

Cartomancy Recommendations

by Travis Sanders

Most people know me as a psychic and a spiritual medium, however one of my passions I don’t often speak on is divination, specifically cartomancy, or card reading.

Even though when I work with clients I don’t use tools, I used to be a card-o-holic. I had more decks than you could shake a stick at. And to be honest with you, most of them didn’t do much for me, save being beautiful and appreciating the artwork.

However I have come to find several decks that I often use for reading for myself, adore and wish to share with you.

The Oracle Playing Cards by Dead on Paper

While I do not consider myself an adept in the least with reading traditional playing cards….I try. Plain old playing card decks seem lifeless and personality-less to me. They don’t speak to me, yet I was determined to find playing cards with personality. Thats when I came across the Dead on Paper Oracle playing cards.

Being a Spiritualist I adore the fact that Victorian Style Spiritualist imagery is used in the deck. The inverse black and white color scheme gives the deck an edge and the back of the cards look like a Spirit Board. The attention to detail with this deck is superb and highly recommended, simply to be appreciated or used for divination.

Old Style Conjure Reading Cards

Mama Starr is a teacher of mine in the practices of folk magic. Often times playing card reading (along with bone reading) is traditional divination in that practice. It took me awhile to connect with these cards, but once I did they gave voice to the ancestors loud and clear.

These aren’t the type of deck that I find work for me in the sense of using spreads and layouts. They look like playing cards, with a parchment style background adorned with roosters, and on each card is a small blurb or statement of wisdom or spiritual instruction. Two actually, so if a card comes up reversed, there inverse meaning is made clear

I keep these cards on my ancestral altar, and pull one each morning while giving daily offerings to my ancestors and refreshing their altar.

The Universal Tarot

It’s been a journey for me to try to find a tarot deck I really connect with. Im a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to tarot. I don’t like many of the contemporary or “themed” decks which often deviate from the traditional symbols, imagery and archetypes put forth by Waite. I think Waite got it right. The traditional color, symbolism, imagery, and archetypes of the tarot are so on point, and can unlock to much information, however I am not a fan of the traditional Rider-Waite deck for one simple reason; the bold outlines and intensity of the colors, mostly the primary colors, specifically the excessive use of yellow, are too intense for my taste and almost assaulting to the eyes as you see in the image below.

The Universal tarot, and Universal Waite deck holds the integrity of the traditional imagery and colors without but it a more subdued toned, and are slightly more detailed and overall “prettier” without deviating from the core symbolism.

The Enchanted Tarot by Zerner-Faber

While this deck portrays its own interpretation of the imagery, I do love this deck. It’s small (I hate when cards are too big) colorful, and from an artistic standpoint I love the tapestry-vibe of the artwork. There are slight deviations from the traditional suits, for example the cups in this deck are hearts, and the court cards lack pages, and knights, but instead contain princes and princesses, however, I find these cards communicative in a variety of ways.

Master of Magic Oracle Cards

This card deck isn’t very big, in both size and number of cards. But I adore them. They Are simple, each card containing a “master,” symbol and a word. I found these cards at an expo and hadn’t seen them before and haven’t seen them anywhere since. What I love most about these cards is that the ‘masters” they chose are not new agey or what you would expect. There are scientists, alchemists, greek philosophers, ceremonial magicians, and as a Spiritualist I was pleased to see depictions of William Stanton Moses, D.D Home, Edgar Cayce, Anton Mesmer, and Allan Kardec.

Akashic Tarot by Sharon Klingler & Sandra Taylor

The Akashic Tarot is truly one of my favorite decks. A Contemporary take on the tarot; this deck is like a perfect balance between traditional tarot and the more modern oracle card deck. Consisting of both Major and Minor Arcana, this deck deviates from traditional imagery, which usually I don’t enjoy, but with this deck it works powerfully. You can feel how much intention and detail went into this deck, and those familiar with traditional tarot will see the parallels in the archetypes and use of symbolism. Instead of cups, wands, swords, and pentacles, we have 4 suits of Keys, Scrolls, Hearts, and Forces. The artwork on this deck is stuuuuuunnnnniiiiinggggg! These cards speak! They get to the heart of the issue in a user friendly way, and truly have an energy about them you have to experience to understand.

Energy Oracle Cards By Sandra A Taylor

This is my hands down favorite deck. Period. I dont often find oracle cards that I like. Most of them are hokey, themed, or give too much for your own interpretation, or contain stock images and generic words, giving them little life or personality- But this deck gets it right. Even though its not a tarot deck, like its sister the Akashic Tarot, users will find many cards that a reminiscent of traditional tarot. For Example the Lady Holding a Coin is clearly very similar to the Queen of Pentacles, and so on. This deck has beautiful and detailed artwork without being too busy. Each card contains a word or two that gives you enough to know the essence of the card, without limiting your own intuition to interpret and divine. This deck simply makes sense, and anyone learning to read cards should really start with this deck if they are intimidated by traditional tarot.

The last deck I wish to touch on is…

The Ancestors and Angels Oracle by Kyle Gray

I’ll be frank, angel stuff isn’t really my bag. Angel cards don’t do much for me as a whole. However I adore this deck. Working in a metaphysical shop I see all the decks that come and go, and this one actually caught my eye when Kyle Gray started teasing imagery on Instagram before it was officially released. Firstly, Lily Moses’ artwork is stunningly beautiful. Some of the most beautiful hand-paintings I’ve seen in any deck of cards.

Secondly, I was hungry to get my hands on this deck (which Kyle very kindly gifted to me) because those who know me know ancestral work, ancestry and ancestral veneration are very important to me on a spiritual path.

Even though, I guess technically you could call this an angel deck, I love that it focuses more on ancestors than imagery of angels or archangels, and the angels that are portrayed in this deck are called “guardians,” which I prefer.

Something about this deck that I truly appreciate and adore is that never have I before seen such cultural, age and ethnic diversity portrayed in a deck. There are depictions of young and old, Arabic, Icelandic, Native American, Egyptian, African, Celtic, and all people of all races and countries and spiritual paths in between; and not in a white-washed way! There are true people of color in this deck! 

The only thing about this deck that I personally don’t connect with very strongly are several cards that look like a circle or drumhead with certain symbols on them like the bee, wolf, or seasons.

While I find them beautiful, to me they feel slightly out of place. Perhaps if there were more of them, but they were so different and few compared to the stunning portraits that fill most of the deck, that to me they felt slightly out of place, or like a mini deck within a pre-existing deck. BUT THATS OKAY!

As cartomancers you’re aloud to not use every card. You can remove ones that don’t speak to you or even mix different decks together! The only limitation you have are the ones you place on yourself!

So these are my card recommendations! What are some decks that you recommend!? 

Paschal Beverly Randolph

By Travis Sanders

One of the most fascinating figures I have come across in the world of Spiritualism and the occult is that of Paschal Beverly Randolph.

Born October 8, 1825, Paschal was a descendant of William Randolph, an early American colonist and politician. Paschal was a free man of mixed raced, his mother, Flora, was said to be descendant of a queen in Madagascar. Flora, died young, leaving Paschal’s half-sister, Harriet to raise him for part of his youth.

In his late teens, Randolph set to sea as a sailor, exploring Europe, Africa and the far east, where he was exposed to, and studied esoteric, medicinal and magical practices of numerous cultures. He even studied under and befriended Elphias Levi, a famous french occultist and ceremonial magician. By his mid twenties, he returned from sea to pursue a career as a writer and lecturer.

Randolph firmly supported abolishing slavery, and even spent time teaching literacy to freed slaves. In the course of lecturing, teaching, writing, and traveling, he was exposed to Spiritualism and adopted the faith, eventually developing as a trance-medium, who demonstrated in halls for many. His numerous books include- Clairvoyance, How to Produce It, and Seership! The Magnetic Mirror.

Like many Spiritualist, Paschal Randolph was a progressive thinker, supporting abolitionism, free love, and even birth control as early as the late 1850’s.  He was also known for introducing teachings on sex and the spirituality of sex and sex magick to the western world. He established the First Rosicrucian Order in the United States (Brotherhood of Eulis & Ordo Templi Orientis), a sect of an esoteric brotherhood derived from a 17th century order named for Christian Rosenkreutz, whose aim was to illuminate christian mysteries through an occult lens of understanding. He achieved titles of Supreme Hierarch, and Grand Templar.

While Paschal Beverly Randolph traveled all over the world, he primarily placed roots in New York, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Ohio, where he founded a publishing company. Randolph died by suicide at age 49, in Toledo, Ohio. His feast day is July 29th.

Sources: 
Conjuring Harriet ‘Mama Moses’ Tubman by Witchdoctor Utu
zeroequalstwo.net
Wikipedia.com
Oto.usa.org
Theosophy.wiki

 

 

The Mediumship of Ethel Post Parish

It’s a shame more people don’t know her name, one of the greatest American physical mediums of the last century, Ether Post (Parish)

I have felt inspired to write a blog about EPP for some time, the difficulty is in information about her life being scarce, with the exception of a few detailed accounts of some materialization seance. However, I will give you what I know.

Known for her direct voice and materialization mediumship, EPP contributed greatly to the world of Spiritualism. In the early 20’s she opened a church and learning center in Miami, FL, and was a regular at Camp Chesterfield, evening owning what is now know as the “President’s house” with her husband, then president Myron Post in 1924.

Trumpet  levitated

Ethel’s Cousin, and powerhouse force at Camp Chesterfield was Rev Mabel Riffle. While Mabel passed before my time, I have had the pleasure of speaking to Riffle posthumously via direct voice in two separate seances. To say “when Mabel speaks, you listen” is an understatement.

In 1932, EPP established Silver Bell Spiritualist Camp in Euphrata, PA. The camp was named for Post’s primary control, a native girl named Silver Bell. 

Silver Bell

In one notable seance in 1943, EPP materialized three family members for an attending sitter named Emily Fritch. As the materialized communicators exited the spirit cabinet, Post could be sitting in the chair, still entranced, with Silver Bell standing beside her, and a mound of white that looked like a small snow bank of 1- to 2 ft high. This was not snow of course but ectoplasm. Silver Bell reached into the mass and manipulated it to show sitters how the ectoplasm could be used to form the features and ‘clothing’ of the materialized visitors.

EPP was not opposed to contributing through being studied as well. In one materialization seance, a Native American male manifested. An attending researcher asked this figure if he could be weighed. The total weight of this fully solid spirit totaled 37 lbs. Inside the cabinet, the entranced EPP was weighed and showed a 37 lb weight loss from the time the seance started until that moment.

Chapel at Camp Silver Bell

Like all physical mediums, Post was not excluded from claims of fraud. Often seen online or in books are pictures of an alleged materialization of Silver Bell.

Mabel Riffle standing, EPP entranced 1953

While it seems obvious to me that this is a cardboard cutout superimposed photo, many people will argue this as evidence that EPP was attempting to fraud people. And while some people (probably those needing glasses) will argue this as genuine, it clearly to me is not. That being said I don’t necessarily believe this was meant to be anything other than a recreation of happenings during a seance.

Such similar photos are that of Helen Duncan, and the materialization that looks like a puppet…because it was. Not that she was trying to pass those photos off as genuine, but was trying to recreate (for a jury in her instance) the happenings of a seance, during her infamous trial. It was meant to be an illustration, and I believe this to be the case with EPP and this photo as well.

I wish more was known about Ethel Post Parish, she contributed greatly to the cause, and her name deserves to be remembered.

 

Sources:

Seance 101: Kuzmeskus
Chesterfield Lives:

Online Resources:

Wikipedia
gotsc.org
shishigami.com

The Mediumship of Estelle Roberts

by Travis Sanders

Many people hail the late Gordon Higginson as one of the greatest mediums to have ever graced Spiritualism. Higginson, however, held another to such high esteem. He viewed Estelle Roberts as what he referred to as the “perfect medium,” artful and highly skilled in mental mediumship, trance mediumship, and physical mediumship, Roberts has been described by others as “the most versatile British medium of the time.”

Roberts was born in London in 1889, claiming psychic experiences at an early age. It wasn’t until marrying Arthur Roberts in 1920, that a neighbor invited her to a spiritualist circle. Within the circle, Roberts was told that she was a medium, and that if she didn’t believe it, to go home and sit for Spirit at a small table, which she did for 6 days with no indication or proof or her alleged mediumistic skills. This was until day 7, when exasperated, Roberts stood up and walked away, and the table responded by following her to the other side of the room. It was then she heard a voice saying…

“I come to serve the world. You serve with me, and I serve with you.”

Red Cloud

The voice was that her control, or Spirit guide, Red Cloud, who much like Silver Birch, the Spirit guide of Maurice Barbanell, (a friend, colleague, and supporter of Roberts), Red Cloud, would become well-known in his own right.

Roberts was masterful on the platform, and demonstrated all over the UK for thousands of people at a time, including an audience of 6,000 at the Royal Albert Hall. In her book Great Moments of Modern Mediumship Vol. 1, author Maxine Meilleur, describes Roberts “unflappable tenacity” with a brief transcript of one of Roberts’ demonstrations.

“He has brought a Jim with him.
I cant place a Jim.
He’s your mother’s brother.
Yes, thats right.
He’s met Aunt Jinny.
I dont remember her.
She’s an in-law connected with your mother. Her name is Mary Anne Jane.
Oh, Yes!
They have brought Mary with them.
Mary? I cant recall her.
Well, I must help you then. She is your father’s sister.
Oh, Yes! “

Perhaps Roberts most important work in her career was ushering in the recognition of Spiritualism as a credible religion, and the overturning of the outdated witchcraft act (replaced with the Fraudulent Medium Act) when she demonstrated powerful and convincing clairvoyance in the British House of Commons in the 1950’s.

Estelle, went home to the Spirit World in 1970.

Sources:
The Spirit Book: Buckland
Great Moments of Modern Mediumship: Meilleur
50 Years a Medium: Roberts

Online Sources:
voicebox.com/robertsestelle.htm
insightsfromspirit.com