Richard Stuttle

Tag: Mediumship

What is Aftercare and Integration, and Why Is It So Important?

We need to look after ourselves in every way. Our physical and mental health are known to be deeply important and closely interlinked to the thought of us living a productive and healthy life. If we eat well and get enough rest, we have the mental capacity to deal with whatever life throws at us. I would suggest it goes deeper than that, we are looking to develop our thoughts about the nature of existence and our own philosophy and wisdom.

At a certain stage in life many people choose to focus on personal development, setting goals and targets to reach. These can be measured quite easily when it comes to physical health. We can measure weight loss, muscle gain, and overall improvement in our health. Mentally, we might learn new skills—like a language or how to write and deliver a business plan. Both areas require downtime and digestion. If you lift weights, your body needs recovery time. If you learn a language, you need time to build confidence and process before using it in daily life.

When people attend a personal development or creative workshop, the benefits aren’t always as easy to identify. Maybe we can think about it in a different way.

When we attend a creative, healing, or personal development workshop, we are not only learning the mechanics of something—we are updating our entire being, our philosophy, and our understanding. This takes time to integrate and cannot be measured by a certificate at the end of a workshop. Many people aren’t fully aware of this process or how it works. When we learn something new, it often means something within us is no longer resonating. We need to hold space for the new truth to enter our being, and for the old belief or paradigm to leave. This is where it’s important to give time and space for your own aftercare and integration.

When we take in knowledge, we need time for digestion and to find where it sits within us, identifying any conflicts within our belief system, and hold space when turning new information and knowledge into our own wisdom.

How Does This Work?

We bring knowledge into our conscious mind, attending a workshop, demonstration or retreat. The practitioner shares their knowledge and wisdom. Something resonates within our mind or body. Our energetic system thinks, “Yes, that feels right and makes sense!”

Step One: We need time to think about it—allowing our conscious mind to understand. It’s their wisdom, not ours (yet), but we can find a truth within it. This is the first step of integration.

Step Two: We feel the truth within the knowledge that resonates with us. Our emotional self-engages in the process. We consciously understand the information, and our emotions confirm that it resonates and feels authentic.

Step Three: We listen to the feedback from our body. The new feelings give us physical confirmations when we verbalise our thoughts around the new information. This reinforces what we are thinking and feeling.

Step Four: We hold space and connect with our spiritual self—our spirit and belief system. We ask: How does this integrate? How does it fit with what I believe, who I believe I am, and what I stand for? We wait for an answer and allow the integration in to our being, turning knowledge into our wisdom.

By following these steps and allowing time for aftercare and integration, we can find the spark within someone else’s shared knowledge that resonates as truth and turn it into our wisdom.

How many times have we suddenly thought, “Ahh, now it makes sense!”? Or when one person tells us something and we finally listen and make a change? Why does that happen?

Firstly, we held space for aftercare and integration—it always makes sense once it has processed through our system. Secondly, we listened to that particular person because they spoke authentically from their wisdom, not just from the knowledge of others.

How do we recognise the difference? We feel it. We know it. It resonates deeply— we feel the truth within our system.

What Is the Aftercare and Integration Space?

Aftercare and Integration, a space by Richard Stuttle

Take time each day to resonate on the frequency of you and those you harmonise with. The idea of the Aftercare and Integration space was born from people attending workshops, demonstrations, and retreats—and afterwards finding themselves back in their daily lives, having to integrate their learning alone.

During many workshops and retreats, we hold space for each other. I begin each day with an energetic alignment. Many people have asked to record the alignments—but they are created in the moment, with the highest intention for the group.

Make 10-20 minutes each day for yourself in this space, I create alignment tracks specifically designed to listen to each day for aftercare and integration, under the title Active Relaxation. The tracks evolve as the space evolves with what’s happening within the energy of the space and as more people come together.

This space and newsletter are different from ‘Richard’s Monthly Update’ newsletter. Everything in the Aftercare and Integration space is offered freely—there are no advertisements for workshops or demonstrations or items for sale. This space is entirely for people to hold space for themselves.

Each month, there will also be a different healing focus. Simply hold space and offer a thought for others. We can go so much further in group energy!

What Is Active Relaxation?

Active Relaxation is a state of relaxation and personal alignment to rediscover the feeling of you. It brings awareness to your knowledge, your wisdom, and to what no longer resonates as a truth with in you. It’s a space where you feel both relaxed and actively aware of the world around you and the energies of the unseen world.

A core part of the Aftercare and Integration space is the ‘Active Relaxation’ track. A 10–20-minute guided alignment track created within the energy of the space. It’s a track to listen to daily to connect more deeply with the authenticity of you. It’s not a meditation, but a space of active relaxation—where people can come together, each in their own time, to align with themselves and connect to a frequency others can join. This happens very simply by stepping into your own alignment and authenticity.

Listen to the first ‘Active Relaxation’ track

Join the Aftercare and Integrtion space

April 16, 2025
Spiritualism: A Science, Philosophy and Religion
When delving into any subject, we are encouraged to research and ask questions. This process is essential for developing a deeper understanding of the world around us. Within Spiritualism, this methodology is actively embraced inviting people to explore various disciplines and practices from multiple perspectives and arrive at their own truths.

Spiritualism has its foundation in the Seven Principles and can be understood as a science, a philosophy, and a religion. Each perspective offers unique insights and expands our understanding of a Spiritualists way of life.

Spiritualism as a Science

Science is the pursuit of truth through research, experimentation, and discovery. It operates on a principle of a perpetual search for deepening truth, discarding outdated concepts as new evidence emerges. Spiritualism embraces this search for understanding, particularly in its exploration of phenomena such as mediumship, trance or spirit art.

Mental Mediumship

A cornerstone of Spiritualism, mental mediumship bridges the gap between our world and the spirit world or energies from the unseen world. Its primary aim is to provide evidence of life after death, affirming the immortality of the soul. The process of mediumship is where mediums attune themselves to higher vibrational frequencies. Through this attunement, they receive messages, impressions and insights from spiritual energies or departed souls.

Albert Einstein’s observation that “everything in life is a vibration” aligns with the mechanics of mediumship. Everything vibrates at different frequencies whether a solid, liquid or gas. The spirit world exists at a different vibrational frequency, accessible through attunement and heightened sensory perception.

Places like the Arthur Findlay College and the Spiritualists’ National Union (SNU) have conducted extensive studies to validate mediumship. These efforts underscore Spiritualism’s commitment to proving its core belief in life after death, this is one fundamental difference to other religious traditions, a constant search for proof and deeper understanding. Mediumship as a scientific endeavour continues to evolve, providing both evidence and profound insights into the nature of existence.

Spiritualism as a Philosophy

The philosophy of Spiritualism is encapsulated in its Seven Principles:
1. The Fatherhood of God
2. The Brotherhood of Man
3. The Communion of Spirits and the Ministry of Angels
4. The Continuous Existence of the Human Soul
5. Personal Responsibility
6. Compensation and Retribution for all Good and Evil deeds done on Earth
7. Eternal Progress Open to Every Human Soul
Each principle offers guidance, personal interpretation and a moral framework and a meaningful way of life. Taken as a whole the principles provide structure and clarity in navigating the complexities of human existence.

The principles encourage respect for others, accountability for our personal actions and an awareness of the eternal progression of the soul. They promote a belief in something greater than ourselves while putting the focus on personal responsibility and moral integrity in this life. Taken together the principles create a philosophy that offers confidence, promotes love and instils a sense of purpose for this life and the next.

Spiritualism as a Religion

Spiritualism as a religion acknowledges the existence of a higher power, this is reflected in the principle “The Fatherhood of God.” This belief offers comfort and meaning, offering the idea that we are not alone and there is a greater intelligence in the universe.

The religious aspect of Spiritualism promotes free thinking and personal exploration, encouraging people to question everything and arrive at their own conclusions. It highlights the power of prayer, the importance of love and the transformative potential of energy. As a result, practitioners become more mindful of their actions and more attuned to the ongoing evolution of their souls.

As a science, Spiritualism seeks evidence and understanding. As a philosophy it provides moral guidance and purpose. As a religion it nurtures belief, connection and communion. Together, these perspectives create a holistic approach to the mysteries of life, the afterlife and the eternal nature of the soul.

A Lifelong Journey

Each aspect of Spiritualism encourages us to expand our understanding, embrace accountability and recognise the interconnected nature of all life. Spiritualism is a call to evolve not just as individuals but as eternal souls. It challenges us to explore the depths of our emotions and the greatest feeling of all… love.

Written by Richard Stuttle
February 25, 2025
Spiritual Service – what’s happening?
Prayer and worship, lectures and inspirational speaking is not a new thing. It’s been around since the beginning of civilisation. The hierarchy and structure of society, praying to God or a deity, listening to insightful philosophers or engaging storytellers. It is all around building energy to give power and self-realisation to an individual or group consciousness.

Spiritual services come in many forms from church services for the major religions, to yoga sessions, sharing circles and book readings.

Many churches hold a Sunday service and within the religion of Spiritualism they are called a Divine Service. They generally follow a standard format.
- Opening Prayer
- Healing
- Reading
- Philosophy
- Demonstration (Of mediumship – continuation of life)
- Closing prayer
What is happening in the energy during a Divine Service?

Think in terms of energy. We all are aware of energy on a greater degree than our conscious mind allows us to realise. Understanding the flow, push and pull of energy, we know this on a fundamental level and can recognise it within one the simple truth. We all have people in our lives that fall in to two basic categories, the ones who inspire and leave us feeling uplifted, and the others who leave us drained and seeing the glass only half full. It is about energy and how they use it.

The Opening Prayer is to bring the congregation together within themselves and with each other. Asking people to connect with a higher power or their higher self. To bring alignment and access the universal energy which is part of all of us. From an energetic point of view, each person is bringing themselves into their own alignment by becoming present and relaxed. Opening their energy fields, feeling relaxed and comfortable with a room filled with likeminded people. The words of the prayer have resonance and respect, the prayer can be very powerful if the speaker talks spontaneously within the energy of the moment.

The Healing part of the service is an opportunity to send healing to people, animals and mother earth as a group. The group energy has built from the prayer and directed thought comes with the alignment of the group energy. Around the UK especially Divine Services are held on Sunday evenings around the same time, the thought that all Spiritualist churches have built the energy of the congregation and are sending healing together is incredibly powerful.

The Reading is an opportunity to bring the energy into a different frequency where the congregation move into more of a learning frequency, usually the reading is from a well-known book or pioneer who will be recognisable to many. Common themes are around unity of all and the interconnected nature of the universe, it allows people to connect slightly deeper with the greater aspects and energetics of themselves.

The Philosophy is an opportunity for the person delivering the philosophy to choose a theme or follow the tone of the reading. In Spiritualist churches they may choose one of the Seven Principles. An experienced person will be able to feel and work with the group energy and speak within the moment delivering what is needed rather than anything preconceived thought or rehearsed. Predominately working with the mental and spiritual aspects of the energetics but also feeling the emotional connection to the congregation. They are able to give a group update within the energy for all present.

The Demonstration of Mediumship is an opportunity for the medium to bring healing across multiple levels and step into the energy that has been built. Delivering contacts to specific members of the congregation using the group energy and the mediumistic energy from the spirit.

The healing comes across in a few main areas, the evidential nature of the contact is bringing healing on a mental level. Proof life is eternal and comfort that loved ones are still present in energetic form. Emotional healing through the energetic body, and soul healing connecting with peoples self-healing ability.

The Closing Prayer is the part of the service where every person present can come back into themselves in preparation to leave the venue.

It is the role of the platform team to hold space within the group energy and ground everyone in preparation for the end of the demonstration. This is a very important part of the service as people will be returning to their lives and public spaces where the openness and safe environment of a church service may not be present.

Written by Richard Stuttle
January 11, 2025
What is mediumship?

The basic definition of a mediumship is, communication between a living and dead person through a person or medium who has developed the ability to attune to the frequency of a place called the spirit world and an individual soul. Spiritualists believe the spirit world is the place a soul goes after their life on earth.

Belief in psychic ability is nothing new and widely accepted and picking up information from another person or incarnate souls energy fields. Researchers have been exploring mediumship and communication with the dead or discarnate souls and continue work with mediums and large spiritualist organisations.

Mediumship gained popularity during the nineteenth century with the birth of modern Spiritualism marked as 31^st March 1848 with the Fox sisters in Hydesville, New York. Investigations into mediumship over the decades have exposed many fraudulent mediums although there have been many cases that couldn’t bet be disproved. The area of mediumship is still very much plagued with these accounts today.

Within the religion of Spiritualism mediumship is delivered as part of each Divine service, which is traditionally a Sunday church service in spiritualist churches around the United Kingdom. On weekdays demonstrations of mediumship and special services take place where other variations on mediumship and communications are delivered like Spirit Art and Flower Readings. Open circles and open platforms are also held with the opportunity for attendees to practice and develop their mediumship and other disciplines like Psychic readings and Psychometry.

What is the purpose of Mediumship?

Within the eyes of Spiritualism; the purpose of mediumship is to prove life after death. It is the proof that we are more than just the body, five senses and our consciousness in this lifetime. The statement can be misleading for many people as they think it is communication with loved ones in the spirit world. Which on a fundamental level it is, although it is so much more.

So, what is really happening when a medium is delivering Mediumship?

To understand what is happening when delivering mediumship first you have to understand the training and development it takes before starting to develop a mediumistic awareness. These views are based on my observations as a medium and my own personal development.

Firstly, before any mediumistic development can take place the practitioner must first undergo a realisation within their own personal development, becoming more deeply aware of themselves, what is happening within themselves and the energy fields surrounding them. From this point the practitioner learns to attune with different frequency ranges that surround us but are out of the range of our five senses. Over time they learn to differentiate between what’s them and what isn’t them, this evolves into the ability to move the restrictive aspects of their consciousness out of the way to allow speaking and communication within the flow of energy and in the moment. In essence this is what all inspired speaking and mediumship actually is, be it different energy streams. Of course, this is a very simplified explanation and any form of attunement to different frequencies and psychic ability takes years of practice and dedication.

During a demonstration the medium is working to raise the vibration of the room and congregation to allow access to other frequencies. The medium’s role is to hold space and allow a certain frequency to come into their awareness. From the perspective of Spiritualism this would be the energy (soul) from a lifetime on this world relating to a member of the congregation.

The medium brings forward information about the individual drawing both on a mediumistic level as well as a physic level from the recipient (person in the congregation). This is the confirmation that life is more than just this world, our energy lives on after this lifetime. This knowledge is considered proof of life after death. As how could a person know information about a person (deceased loved one) they have never met and describe situations they were never privy to relating to someone present in the congregation.

Speaking in the flow of energy. Speaking spontaneously in the moment with minimal subconscious or unconscious bias. The only purpose of the conscious mind in this case is to deliver words in terminology that people understand, within Spiritualism it’s the terms of mediumship and the energy of loved ones in the spirit world.

It’s all about healing

The medium’s role to facilitate across multiple areas of our being. There is an opportunity within a Divine Service to build the group energy to bring forward information verbally while controlling the flow of energy for healing and self-awareness of people in the congregation.

Mental healing – security comes with the knowledge that our loved ones are looking down on us from the next life. Comfort comes from us the knowledge that we live on past this existence. Energy can never be destroyed it just changes form.

Emotional healing – the feeling of our loved one’s energy, forgiveness and allowing the emotional grieving process to be understood and acknowledged. Stepping more into the present moment allowing peoples energy fields to recognise and release emotional trauma.

Physical healing – feeling the energy around us, bringing the unseen into the physical world. Releasing blockages within our energy fields can help to release physical aches and pains. This also brings to the physical self a greater understanding of the energy that we are.

Spiritual healing – accessing the greater aspects of self and feeling the connected. The nature of us to the universe and universal consciousness. Also, our connection to mother earth and natures laws.

Finding alignment

Far more is happening that relates not just to mediumship but to any spiritual practice or inspired or enlightened state of awareness in any field or industry. For sports people it’s called the flow state, for artists and writers it’s called inspiration, for actors its embodiment of the character. The practitioner may also become aware of the frequency of omnipresence and alignment with their greater self, they feel the energy within their body and have the ability to step into the energy and healing of now. It is from this point where everyone has access to the greater presence of themselves and their connection to everything and everyone in and beyond our physical and conscious reality.

Mediums and spiritual teachers have developed their knowledge and awareness to a point where they have worked to develop their abilities to hold space and become aware of the energetics around them. There work is to hold space for people/students in order for them to become aware of their greater self, remove conditioning to open to our natural abilities.

Written by Richard Stuttle

January 11, 2025
What is Spirit Art? Portraits of loved one from beyond the grave

The modern-day term ‘Spirit Art’ has meaning within the religion of Spiritualism, it is linked with Mediumship. A medium is someone who through the unseen senses (Clair-senses) is able to communicate with energies/worlds around the physical realm including the spirit world (the afterlife according to Spiritualism). Mediumship is usually delivered in either a public setting (Divine Service or Spiritual Service) or within a private setting (Private Sitting or Private Reading). Spirit Art is delivered by a medium and artist (Spirit Artist) who has developed the ability to drawing portraits and bring forward verbal evidence from the spirit world of people who have passed over from this life.

We can understand this more deeply by looking at different ways artists and creative people work with inspiration and energy.

Inspired Art

Many artists work with inspiration, moving their conscious mind aside to allow energy and thoughts that aren’t their own to come into their awareness and influence their paintings.

Georgia Houghton

Georgiana Houghton was born in Spain in 1841 and moved to the United Kingdom then to Australia. She grew up as a Christian in Victorian England but moved to become a Spiritualist and medium who worked with her art and creativity creating amazing abstract ‘spirit drawings’. She was largely unknown until more recent years, she worked with watercolours and started with inspired art later moving into automatic drawing. She mainly took inspiration from nature and depicted the natural world but also used her mediumship to channel art from the spirit world. Over 150 of her drawings are available to view in the British Library in London.

She is quoted in saying “What I have striven to prove is that Spiritualism does not come in place of Christianity; for where would have been the gain in casting off that great joy and happiness, only to receive something else in exchange. What I maintain is that it is bestowed as the Crown to all previous knowledge.”

Hilma af Klint

Hilma af Klint was born in Sweden in 1862 and worked manly with abstract art in her later career which became her signature style. She was admitted to the Royal College of Fine Art where she studied landscape and portrait painting. After leaving the Royal College she belonged to a group called ‘The Five’ who were a circle of women who believed in Theosophy, and all held shared belief in the importance of contacting higher masters from the spiritual realms.

After meeting Rudolf Steiner, he went to visit her in Stockholm but was unimpressed with her work. He felt that working with mediumship was akin to the occult and inappropriate for a Theosophist.

Her later works used various inspired artistic methods taking inspiration from Mother Nature and using automatic drawing. Her artwork is on display in Stockholm where over 1200 paintings were left to be managed by the Hilma af Klint Foundation.

Automatism

This form of art was adopted by many artists within the Surrealist movement and involves the artist removing the conscious mind as much as possible and allowing their hand or brush to move freely over a canvas or paper in a way that is not directed by the conscious mind.

Andre Masson

Andre Masson was born in 1896 and was interested in Surrealism and Cubism but was a great advocate of Automatism. Making many drawings and working in the altered states of consciousness. This is where his art started to take on different meanings and a new direction. He produced a number of pen and ink drawings but in later years moved into his own style of art as he said painting in a particular style was too restrictive.

Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali was born in Spain in 1904, his work is world renowned, and he was a pioneer of Surrealist movement. He moved to Madrid and studied at the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Dali experimented with many styles of art including Cubism and Automatism. He said that ideas for his paintings often came to him in the semiconscious dream state, it was then his job to bring them to life through artistic talent on canvas.

Psychic Art

Psychic art started to really develop in the United Kingdom at the turn of the 20^thcentury. It was thought at the time that a psychic artist would work with a medium. The artist would link in on a psychic level (Psychic or Psychism: a mind-to-mind connection between living people) to bring forward a portrait of someone who has died, and the medium would use their mediumship (Mediumship: a mind-to-mind connection between a living person and a dead person) to bring forward evidence and information from their life on earth.

Frank Leah

Frank Leah was born in 1886, he moved to Ireland and made Dublin his home. He had a successful career as an illustrator and portrait artist. In the 1930’s he started to draw portraits of people he saw in this minds eye. Friends and customers who visited his studio started to recognise the drawings as their loved ones who had died. He began to realise he was working with his clairvoyance (French for Clear seeing). He worked on his art and started to develop his mediumship becoming well known for the accurate drawings of people who had past to the spirit world.

Coral Polge

Coral Polge was born in 1924 and had a career as a portrait artist. She explored an interest in Spiritualism and developed her attunement with the altered states of consciousness to become a successful Psychic Artist. In the 1980’s Coral Polge was working with a gentleman called Gordon Higginson and the pair would demonstrate psychic art and mediumship in Spiritualist Churches around the United Kingdom. They were known for accurate portraits and irrefutable evidence of people’s lives who had died and were related to members of the audience or congregation.

Precipitated Art

This form of art was created entirely from the spirit world or from energy/matter from the unseen world. A group of mediums would sit in a séance with a blank canvas and dimmed light. An image would materialise directly onto the canvas or paper without any physical contact from the mediums. This form or art was predominantly in the United States in the 19^th Century. The art would have no brush strokes, be incredibly detailed look similar to pastel portraits. Many examples of this type of art can be found in Lily Dale, New York State.

The Bangs sisters

Mary and Elizabeth Bangs were born in 1827 and 1832 respectively in Kansas, their mother was a medium, so they were brought up understanding the spirit world and mediumship. In the 1870’s they were in Chicago and performing seances which included physical mediumship like slate writing and moving objects. They became famous for precipitated portraits where they would sit in séance with a number of other sitters and the spirit portraits would appear on the canvas within minutes. They paintings were incredibly detailed, and no brush stokes featured in any of the work. A curious point is that there were no eye lashes on any of the people in featured in the portraits. They lived and worked for many seasons from a house in Lily Dale, New York State.

The Campbell brothers

Allen B Campbell and Charles Shrouds weren’t brothers but worked together for many years in the early 19^thcentury. They had a similar method as the Bangs sisters where the pair would sit in a darkened room with a number of other sisters and the portraits would appear on the canvas. The material which created the paintings came from the etheric world and was likened to the dust from a butterfly’s wing. The portraits were very similar in style and again no brush strokes were present in the work. One of their more famous works was a manifested a painting of Abraham Lincoln, when the painting was analysed traits were found in the portrait that related to ailments that Lincoln had which wasn’t common knowledge.

Spirit Art in today’s world

In today’s world artists have developed their mediumship and mediums have developed their portrait painting. Spirit Artists can work with their mediumship to deliver accurate information about someone who has died as well as a portrait that resembles the person.

Mediumship and art is always developing and will continue to do so, for any spirit artist it is an exciting journey of discovery and development connecting with energy from the unseen and spirit worlds.

Written by Richard Stuttle

January 11, 2025
Becoming a Medium and practicing mediumship is a calling

To become a medium can be an incredibly emotional journey. Mediumship itself is opening up to vibrational energies in this world and within other worlds. A medium is dealing with emotion, grief, and loss with people in this world. They are also a catalyst for greater awareness of life after death within our society and existence. The medium’s main role is to provide evidence of life after death, this in itself is a monumental task should not be underestimated or taken lightly.

We live in a society with many different belief systems. There has been a steep rise in Atheism over the last twenty years, not everyone believes in life after death. It was not too many years ago mediums were ridiculed and called out as frauds.

Going back to the Witchcraft Act in 1735 people were put in prison or worse.Thankfully this act was repealed in a landmark ruling in 1951, passing the Fraudulent Mediums Act. One of the roles of the medium is to prove life after death, this in itself is a monumental task to a general society that has been guided over the last 50-100 years to believe in the agenda of debunking religion in the pursuit of science and what can be experienced by the five senses. Of course, in the same time period spirituality has also developed. Since what has been recorded as the birth of modern Spiritualism in 1848 in Hydesville, mediumship and mediums have worked to prove life after death. For an individual want to train as a medium and step into this world is incredibly courageous. They are opening themselves up to ridicule by many, and pressure to prove the existence of life after death in every Divine Service or evidential reading.

The development and dedication that’s required to become a good medium should not be underestimated. It takes years of practice and personal development to raise awareness and sensitivity to work firstly with psychic abilities, developing mediumship and a connection with spirit guides, finally spirit communicators and delivering evidential mediumship.

A medium deals with death on a daily basis, not always in the negative but death all the same. If a medium chooses to take part in Divine Services or give private readings of evidential mediumship they are dealing with real people, loss, and grief. A communication from the spirit world can be incredibly healing but also opens up a great deal of emotion within the sitter, their family, and friends. This can be emotionally draining for the medium, steps must be taken for protection.

Along with the dedication required and emotional overload that may be encountered, there are some incredibly humbling experiences. The medium is also a healer, and many mediums also do spiritual or energy healing. This for me goes hand in hand with spirit communication and is one of the most rewarding aspects of mediumship. To have the opportunity to become a channel for communication from spirit is a great honour and privilege. To be able to bring comfort someone who is experiencing loss is incredible, to be able to offer healing to someone is one of the greatest gifts on earth.

Becoming a platform medium is a goal for many trainee mediums but I during their journey they often find a different pathway. Mediumship can take many forms and has many different facets. Many choose the path of healing or trance. All routes usually come with some respect and adoration from people attending services, events or seances. This is pleasant for the medium’s ego, although it’s advisable to keep this in check. Also, some people can become dependent on mediums and become attached. This is common and should be handled carefully.

The choice to become a medium is not easy and can be a very difficult path. There are many personal demons to encounter and overcome along the way. It is also one of the most rewarding journeys, to have the time and patience to find out more about who you really are is a privilege.

A mediums job is to prove life after death, promote spiritualism as a science, philosophy, and religion but it’s also to bring comfort to people. Mediums have a great love for people and generally have a natural tendency to want to help others. Many mediums find it’s a calling rather than a career choice. They want to bring healing to others and become a catalyst for change within society and the human condition. We can never fully understand what awaits us after death but though mediumship, trance and healing we get a glimpse of our true nature and the love we can share with others.

Written by Richard Stuttle

January 11, 2025
Would I benefit from a development circle?
A development circle is a safe space and has a host of benefits for both trainee and experienced medium. To find a group of likeminded people who can work together is wonderful and should not be underestimated.

For the trainee medium its incredibly important to find the right teacher or tutor. There’s a long history of people sitting in development circles. Many great mediums past and present started by sitting in circle, finding it an environment for development and fast-tracking abilities.

Benefits can include
- A safe working environment.
- Knowledgeable and experienced teacher.
- Likeminded people on a similar journey.
- Access to a new community.
For the experienced medium. They may have been active in a few different circles with a few different teachers. Once a medium has more experience, they generally have an idea of the areas they wish to develop and where their natural abilities lay. These can be developed in a circle environment.

Some benefits can include
- Trance development.
- Physical phenomena.
- Deepened mediumship, discussion, and practice.
- Fast-tracking and pushing every member of the circle.
- A safe space for experimentation.
Development circles

Hannan Swaffer published his book ‘Northcliffes Return’ in 1924. It was around this time he held a circle which included Maurice Barbanell, he brought through famous teachings from one of his spirit guides called ‘Big Jump’ who would later become known as ‘Silver Birch’.

Emma Hardinge Britten wrote about the development circle in the Two Worlds in November 1887. “How to investigate Spiritualism, or rules for the spirit circle. The Spirit Circle is the assembling together of a number of persons seeking communion with the spirits who have passed from earth to the world of souls. The chief advantage of such an assembly is the mutual impartation and reception of the combined magnetisms of the assemblage, which forms a force stronger than that of an isolated subject—enabling spirits to commune with greater power and developing the latent gifts of mediumship.”

She went on to lay out a number of rules that applied to her circle, she was famous in her own right and one of the pioneers of Spiritualism, but also for channelling the energy of the Welsh reformer, Robert Owens.

To find the right circle is important

The energy must be right and regular meetings must take place with the cooperation of individuals and their spirit teams. Sitting in circle can be of huge benefit to even the most experienced medium. There is an opportunity for fast-tracking, it is possible to go further within a group energy than just alone.

I have heard stories of amazing happenings in circle from many good standing mediums reporting any number of physical phenomena and direct voice communication from the spirit world.

Written by Richard Stuttle
January 11, 2025
Proving life after death with mediumship

Every medium is unique in the way they work and their attunement with the spirit world. One of the main reasons people visit a medium is to know their loved ones are in the spirit world. To know their life energy continues after mortal death.

Proof of survival is the overarching responsibility of all mediums. Spiritualism is the only religion that constantly works to prove its own beliefs. One of the main reasons apart from bringing a message of love, healing and comfort to a recipient is to offer proof of life after mortal death. This is not always easy.

Proof of survival needs to be factual verifiable evidence

This should include names of people here and in the spirit world, their relationships to the recipient and each other. Ages, physical and character descriptions. Health issues and how the spirit communicator passed. Shared memories and any information about recent events where the spirit communicator was present. If possible, addresses can also be given.

Albert Best was a prominent Irish medium, he saw spirit people from a young age ‘Albert became aware of his psychic gifts at the age of nine. Several times he “saw” an elderly man’s spirit form around the house.’ Before developing his trance and mediumistic abilities he worked for the post office. He was renowned for giving addresses during his platform demonstrations and spirit communications. This is another prime example how the spirit world will use the skills and knowledge of the medium to help give evidence.

Evidence of survival is also down to the relationship between recipient and communicator. If a strong personal connection was present in our world, the communicator can use personal points or situations only known between the two. This can be something similar to a private code. A shared memory, situation or anecdote can be summed up in one word or phrase. Sometimes evidence will only make sense to the recipient, even the medium won’t understand what they are saying or its significance. Especially if the demonstration is in a public setting and the connection is of a personal nature, the recipient might not want the whole congregation to understand all of the evidence given.

If we look at Spirit Art as it is now referred to, a portrait of a loved one in spirit is irrefutable evidence of survival. Frank Leah was a fantastic portrait artist in his own right. He produced some incredible spirit portraits, which when compared to a photograph of a spirit communicators the comparisons are an almost exact match. In the book Faces of the Living Dead by Paul Miller there are many cases studies of drawings and experiences had by Mr Leah. The book starts, ‘“If only I could see his face.” That is the heart-cry of the mourner from the moment the body is laid away until time wears down the sharp edge of grief – or until Spiritualism answers the cry and there appears in reality the voice, the touch, the message, or the face of the living dead.’ (Faces of the Living) What more proof could someone have than an exact portrait of a loved one in the spirit world.

To offer further evidence of survival the medium should ask the spirit communicator for information relating to the recipient since the communicator passed. This will support proof of life after death and that our loved ones in the spirit world are still around us after they have left their mortal bodies. There are many cases after the passing of the spirit communicator when the recipient has been looking through photos or visiting certain places for example and the spirit communicator has been present. This also offers great comfort to recipients.

If a medium is giving a demonstration of mediumship on a platform or in a church setting time is of the essence. It’s important the medium identifies the recipient as soon as possible and uses precise language to convey the information as quickly as possible. Some mediums are able to identify the recipient and go directly to them, if this is possible then it should be done. If not, the information about the spirit communicator should be delivered as succinctly as possible.

What does not constitute evidence of survival and is not acceptable? Giving information about a recipient’s spirit guides, even if the recipient has awareness of their spirit guides or helpers. This misses the point entirely; proof of survival is identifying people in the spirit world who lived on the earth plain with a strong family/friend connection to a recipient. Anything other than this does not constitute evidence of survival.

The prescribing of medication or anything that the recipient might take to feel better or otherwise is not acceptable as part of a communication or as evidence. Also, telling people to stop taking any prescribed medication. This is irresponsible on the part of any medium. The point of evidential mediumship is to prove life after death, mediums are not fortune tellers and should never try to predict the future, pending illnesses, deaths, or accidents. Other things like lottery numbers (Which would be nice) or babies that have not yet been born are also not acceptable.

Every medium is an individual and they have their own ways of working, they use their gifts and develop skills to work in specific ways. Whichever method they adopt the evidence they pass on from a spirit communicator to recipient needs to be of the highest standard.

Written by Richard Stuttle

January 11, 2025
What is the aura?

As living beings, we all have an aura. An energy field that extends outside of our physical body. There are a few important factors to consider when discussing the auric field. Someone who is new to mediumship will already have worked with their aura and the aura of others in a different capacity and will understand it through different terminology.

When discussing the aura with someone new to mediumship I will often try to relate the information to something within their lives that they can relate to. A good starting point is drawing their attention to times they have entered a room as felt a certain way. The energy of a room or place is a good way for people to start to become aware of energy.

We could go on to discuss people, how people can make you feel a certain way.Uplifted or drained for example, some people are very much in control of their energy and how it affects others. If used in the right way these people are generally a pleasure to be around and can leave you feeling uplifted and inspired. Others can drain your energy and leave you feeling down or drained. It’s also worth noting that this sometimes happens subconsciously, and the individual is not aware of their auric field.

The basics of the aura and auric field. Surrounding the physical body are many energy fields. There are many interpretations but in a basic sense working out from the physical self.

We can go a little further in a practical sense. Feeling the energy of others on a one-to-one basis and understanding how that makes you feel. Once you have a feeling, relating that feeling back to yourself as a colour. This is a nice development technique to start understanding energy and emotion as colour or the other way around, colour as energy and emotion. We can then shift our focus to others and pick up the same feeling and emotion, relating that to colour. That colour should appear somewhere is the other persons aura. This is a very simplified approach to understanding the aura and colour but also a very involved technique which can open up development and awareness.

Another way to understanding the aura is looking at the persons likes and interests. I love gardening, green for example could appear in their aura. I have a passion for healing, yellow could appear in their aura. It’s worth remembering that the aura is a fluid as your feelings, it is constantly changing and moving. This way of looking at the aura is a gentle way to open up the awareness of someone looking into auras for the first time.

I would also mention about cameras which can capture auras. If a photo was taken of the person, they could start to understand their own aura, what colours are present and how they relate to themselves. An auragraph is another way to open awareness and access information.

When taking to people who are new to energy or just looking into the aura and auric field, I feel a better approach is through feeling and experience. We can explain the mechanics and different energy fields outside the body, but I have always found the best way to learn and understand is through practical experience.

Written by Richard Stuttle

January 11, 2025
Exploring Physical Mediumship

Physical mediumship can be best described as; the spirit world manipulating our world through a medium creating tangible physical evidence and proof of life after mortal death. Physical mediumship was more prevalent in the mid 19th and early 20th century. The first real documented evidence was that of the Fox sisters in Hydesville in 1848. They communicated with Mr Splitfoot as the girls called him, later confirmed as Charles B Rosna in what came to be known as the ‘Hydesville Rappings’.

This was marked as the birth of modern Spiritualism. The Fox sisters Catherine (Kate) and Margaretta (Maggie) made contact with a spirit communicator by ‘rapping’ on a table, Mr Rosna replied with similar sounds. The sisters developed a simple code and realised if they asked questions, they would get a reply.

Automatic Writing

Another incredible form of physical mediumship which is more widely seen today is automatic writing. I feel it is completely underrated as a spirit communication technique. For a medium to allow part of their body to be overtaken by the spirit world and be aware of their hands writing words they never thought of in a completely different pen style is incredible. From a training and development point of view its perfect for the medium to become aware of what’s happening to part of their body. From an evidential point of view, it’s an excellent practice as not only does the medium have writings and information from spirit but also a sample of the spirit communicators handwriting.

This should not be confused with inspired writing, which, for the writers among, us is more commonplace. Have you ever been lost in the flow of words, writing or typing frantically but deliberately? When reading the work back think ‘did I write this?’

The spirit world and mediums developed automatic writing was part of their communication techniques, it was quicker and more direct than rapping’s. More information could be given with less energy from both medium and spirit communicator.

Physical Materialisation

Another form of physical mediumship is physical materialisation. Arguably the most impressive and in modern day the rarest form of mediumship. The medium will usually, but not always, go deep into a trance state and allow their body to be taken over by the spirit world. This would usually happen in a box or cupboard, under controlled conditions using a dim or red light. Ectoplasm would form from the medium and excrete form their aural orifices or from their solar plexus, it would be made up from dead skin and waste products from the mediums body and could extend to form a physical manifestation of spirit communicators.

One of the finest physical mediums was Alec Harris, he worked with his spirit guide ‘White Wing’ for many years. In 1940 he had received repeated messages from White Wing saying ‘One day. Faithful, White Wing will walk, talk and mingle with you.’ He had to trust. Helen Duncan, who was a high-profile and extremely gifted medium at the time, was in town for a séance and demonstration. On trying to get a place at the demonstration (as he thought it would be the only way for White Wing to materialise), Mr Harris was told that he would be able to do materialisations in his own circle if he changed the evening it took place. He immediately moved it to Tuesday evenings. On the first Tuesday, a ball of light formed in the cabinet. A head and headdress formed, a full materialisation followed, it was White Wing and the beginning of Alec Harris’s physical mediumship.

Teaching and Philosophy

We are witness to many seemingly impossible things in life, it’s important to keep an open mind. Whether we have experienced the unexplainable or touched our own inspiration, surprising ourselves with what we can achieve. Opening to the impossible is one of the best ways to push ourselves to believe that anything possible.

Written by Richard Stuttle

January 10, 2025