In the beginning, we are taught the "mechanics" of mediumship. This framework for receiving information about a departed loved one is important to validate who we are speaking with, and that their soul is eternal.
It often becomes a checklist: Who are you? What did you do for work? What was your personality like? How did you pass? What is your relationship to the sitter? The list goes on, and on.
Being a closet type “A” personality, having an organized structure for getting information that quickly helps to identify who the deceased loved one is, was initially extremely helpful. However, over time, I found myself limiting the spirit world by trying to “control” the order in which the information was received and how the deceased was able to communicate.
I began to wonder, "What if the spirit world is trying to give me so much more, and yet, my mind is not open to receive this information because it doesn't follow my set routine?"
A huge breakthrough happened with my mediumship when I began to practice surrendering to spirit. My new mantra became, "Relax, Allow, and Trust." And a crazy thing happened. The more I let go of fear, the more information I received, and in turn, the deeper I was able to blend with the soul of the loved one on the other-side.
This shift was so profound that it reminds me of a scene from the movie Forest Gump. Forest, as a young man, was walking with his best friend Jenny down a long dirt road when a pack of boys in a pick-up truck began to throw rocks and taunt him. As the boys got closer Jenny yelled, “Run, Forest. Run!” And in that moment Forest began to run for his life.
Although he was wearing metal braces on his legs that gave him support and necessary structure, his body began to move fluidly, in perfect harmony. His body began to do what it always knew how to do, and instead of mechanically thinking about “how to” run, Forest began to do it naturally. As he hit his perfect, authentic stride, the braces fell away, and he began to run faster and faster, while his spirit began to soar.
At some point we take the mechanics, the foundation of our mediumship, and we begin to work in harmony with Spirit, letting go and trusting what is meant to come through will come through in divine order and perfect harmony.
Instead of limiting the kind of information we are open to receiving and the order in which it is given, we open our mind and soul to receive in whatever form the spirit world would like to communicate. We surrender to a more natural dialogue between the soul of the departed and our own, trusting and giving, in perfect harmony, finding our natural rhythm.
I have made the act of “surrendering” a part of my daily mediumship practice, and on a larger scale, my life. And while it’s something I continue to work on, dedicating each private session to the spirit world and doing my best to detach from the outcome has helped significantly. I’m not always going to get everything “right,” but by simply doing my best to be of service, what I give will always be perfect, because it’s my best effort and always from a place of love.
I have also found that when there is significant need from a client to hear from a deceased loved one, the spirit world will find a way to work with the medium, perhaps beyond what the medium is consciously capable of at that time.
Many years ago, I donated my first free session to a mother who had lost her son. I was scared I would not be “good” enough but I learned a huge lesson that day. For the first time in my life as a medium, I felt the grace of God, and the miracle of mediumship.
For a brief moment, I was perfectly in the flow and working in harmony with spirit, honoring the soul of James, a young man who was tragically taken from this world too soon. It was incredibly humbling to feel the power of his spirit and to serve to my greatest capacity to help another. I will never forget James and his family.
It is sessions like this that have taught me that when we give ourselves in service, the spirit world will always be there for us; they will never let us down. It is not up to us to “control” the outcome but rather to do our best in the hopes that we may be a channel for love, comfort, and healing.
Some sessions will go better than others, perhaps because they are meant to and perhaps because some days we are simply more attuned to working with the spirit world. No matter what the outcome, similar to life, learning to surrender to the process and simply be of service, is the greatest gift of all.
Lori Sheridan is a professional psychic medium and the owner of Hope Ethereal, a spiritual center dedicated to inspiring hope, healing, and a deeper connection with spirit located in Norwell, Massachusetts. If you are interested in exploring and further developing your mediumship Lori is offering a nine-month Spirit Whisperer Mediumship Mentorship program online starting in March. This intensive program is designed for beginner and intermediate students. Learn more about this class and others at www.HopeEthereal.com