Halloy, A. (2010). ‘Comments on “The Mind Possessed: The Cognition of Spirit Possession in an Afro-Brazilian Religious Tradition” by Emma Cohen.’ Religion and Society: Advances in Research, Vol. 1, pp. 164-176. The Freudian psychoanalytic perspective treats spirit possession as a form of culturally shaped hysteria, which itself refers to an ‘irrational emotional state caused by repressed oedipal desires in the unconscious’. 25 Other psychoanalytic interpretations of spirit possession emphasize ‘past traumatic and distressful experiences’ 26 in the lives of the possessed, and suggest that the behaviours and psychological sensations associated with the possession state are symbolic symptoms of the unconscious repression of such experiences, converted from the psychological to physical symptoms through a process known as ‘conversion’ or ‘somatization’. 27 Arguably, the most widely-known functionalist approach to spirit possession is IM Lewis’s social-protest theory; this suggests that spirit possession groups perform the essential social function of allowing women in male dominated societies (or any other socially peripheral group) to express their discontent in a socially-acceptable manner. When in the possessed state, Lewis argues, an individual is ‘totally blameless’ for his or her actions; the responsibility lies rather with the spirits. 7 This interpretation sees mediumship and spirit possession traditions as ‘thinly disguised protest movements directed against the dominant sex,’ or group. 8

Wilson, D.G.M. (2011). Spiritualist Mediums and Other Traditional Shamans: Towards an Apprenticeship Model of Shamanic Practice. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Edinburgh. Lambek, M. (1998). ‘The Sakalava Poiesis of History: Realizing the Past through Spirit Possession in Madagascar.’ American Ethnologist, Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 106-127. This form creates a physical phenomenon. It can include table tipping, noise-making levitation, smoke billet pictures, and the creation of ectoplasm with the help of a visiting Spirit. Frazer, J.G. (1993 [1890]). The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions. Direct voice is a way in which the physical medium allows the spirit to audibly communicate through him or her to the sitters receiving the reading in the physical realm. At the onset, the speech coming through the medium may sound garbled and hard to understand. As the energy builds, the voice of the spirit becomes much clearer. Sometimes, a cone-shaped device known as a trumpet is used to facilitate the communication. It often flies around the room and the spirit positions it next to a person the spirit wishes to speak with.Called the laying of the hands in Pentecostalism, Energy Mediumship also refers to forms of energy sending like Reiki and Shamanism. #4 Channeling Mediumship

Apports occur when a spirit wants to materialize an object to people during a s’ance or at any other time when it wants to grab someone’s attention. These apports appear out of nowhere and can be quite startling to the onlookers. The objects can be just about anything, e.g., coins, jewelry significant to the person, etc. The following detail relates to work carried out by well-known Psychic Investigator Mr B. Abdy Collins C.I.E. ….. TherapeuticsOne of the social functions of spirit possession practices is often therapeutic. They may be therapeutic for both mediums and sitters. Literature All clutter to be removed and as much metal as possible as this depletes the energies being used. It is known that soft furnishing used to disintegrate over time in rooms used for physical seances, thus showing that everything in the room affects the conditions. The Society arrived too late to investigate Daniel Home, the most famous séance medium of the nineteenth century, but did publish some of the work done with him by the scientist William Crookes, also reminiscences by frequent sitters. Material can be found here on later séance mediums (those associated with physical phenomena such as rappings, table levitations, ‘ectoplasm’ and other psychokinetic anomalies). These include Eusapia Palladino, William Eglinton, Marthe Beraud (Eva C), Kate Goligher, Willi and Rudi Schneider, Mina ‘Margery’ Crandon, George Valiantine, Helen Duncan, Florence Cook, Carlos Mirabelli and Franek Kluski.Taves, A. (1999). Fits, Trances and Visions: Experiencing Religion and Explaining Experience from Wesley to James. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Moreover, it is not even possible to state conclusively that individual mediums within a particular tradition employ the same form of altered consciousness during their trance state. Indeed, mediums often distinguish between different degrees of trance, usually ranging from ‘light’ to ‘deep’. Trance is, therefore, a term that refers to a broad spectrum of related, but not necessarily identical, states of consciousness. This comes across clearly in scholarly definitions such as that provided by historian Brian Inglis; in his book Trance: A Natural History of Altered States of Mind (1989), he identifies a wide variety of experiences and states of consciousness encompassed by the term: The interpretive framework employed by early commentators such as Frazer tended to be dismissive. Frazer referred to this ‘temporary inspiration’ as an ‘abnormal state,’ 4 indicating a pejorative attitude. According to this perspective, spirit possession practices represented little more than delusion or folly. In the words of Frazer’s contemporary EB Tylor, it is merely a surviving remnant of primitive mentality. they must be filmed with infrared cameras. It would be invaluable if the AFC invested in a video system that uses multiple cameras that could be linked not only to a recording device but also to a monitor outside the seance room. I have sat for a large number of AFC tutors and accomplished mediums. Surely with all their years of knowledge and experience of listening to the spirit world they would know if a physical medium is genuine or not? After all, each tutor at the AFC has to be assessed, accredited and be able to demonstrate their mediumistic faculty.

Tart, C. (2000). ‘Investigating Altered States on their own Terms: State-Specific Science.’ In M. Velmans (ed.) (2000). Investigating Phenomenal Consciousness: New Methodologies and Maps. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. This association of spirit possession with pathology has been a persistent theme in both anthropology and psychology. 36 While it is true that in many cultures spirit possession, more specifically ‘spontaneous’ or ‘pathogenic’ possession, is associated with illness, 37 recent neurophysiological research has demonstrated distinct differences between the underlying neurological activity of individuals experiencing spirit possession as a voluntary practice, on the one hand, and epilepsy on the other. 38 Further research in this direction promises to differentiate pathological conditions from the trance states associated with spirit possession practices, 39 and may also point towards neurophysiological differences between specific forms of mediumship, 40 for example differences between psychic readings and communication with discarnate spirits. 41 Nutrient Deficiency Harrison, Vernon. J’ACCUSE: AN EXAMINATION OF THE HODGSON REPORT OF 1885, Journal 53, 1985-86, pp. 286-310. Argues that Hodgson’s negative verdict on Helena Blavatsky’s mediumship was flawed by rampant prejudice. The author focuses on his attitude to the handwriting specimens in the Koot Hoomi scripts. CORRESPONDENCE, Journal 54, p. 281-3; 55, pp. 40-44; Journal 56 & 57, 1989-1991, pp. 61-2, 63. DISCUSSION Journal 6, 1893, pp. 110-11, 143-4. physical mediumship/beliefs/theosophy/magic/cheating This was followed by a remarkable form of phenomena. The medium, still in trance, rose from his chair and walked across the room, with all the ropes remaining secured to his body. He shook hands warmly with Mr Turner and whispered a warning to him of things likely to happen in the séance which could spoil everything. Several of the sitters were sensitives and were judged to be giving way to their spirit controls and were thus sapping the power in the room which might easily bring chaos in the séance. Mr Webber returned to his chair and within less than a minute the guide requested that the lights be put on and the knots examined.Spirit lights are flashes of light balls or orbs, commonly appearing in the colors blue, white or red. They represent the spirit energies and it has been stated that the brighter the spirit light, the higher the vibrational energy. This can indicate how evolved the spirit has become.