MEDIUMSHIP: SUSPENSION OF THE MEDIUMISTIC FACULTY

A Distancing of Good Spirits | Temporary Suspension in Benefit of the Medium

It is important for the medium to realize that mediumship is not a permanent faculty (meaning with a guaranteed presence) once developed.  To the contrary, it is subject to intermediate and temporary suspension. Kardec writes that it can even be lost, but more often there is only an interruption of short duration that ceases with the cause that produces it.

A Distancing of Good Spirits

In some cases, the medium may not suffer a complete loss of his mediumship, but may undergo (what may even be worse) a temporary "abandonment" of good spirits, who distance themselves from the medium out of displeasure with the medium's behavior and/or use of his faculty.  Good Spirits are those of a serious moral integrity, and they chose to accompany those who are of a similar nature, those who treat themselves and others with benevolence and compassion, seeking always to learn and grow. If the good Spirits do not find such an affinity with a medium, for example with respect to the his day to day thoughts and actions, they will not wish to work with him.  Unfortunately, for the medium, the kind of Spirits that will be attracted to him are those of an inferior nature that only encourage his negative behaviors and lead him down a path that will bring him suffering and hardship.

These moral requisitions for the accompaniment of good Spirits also apply to the medium's use of his faculty.  Good Spirits will always distance themselves from the medium who uses his mediumship for frivolous purposes, including the servicing of those who seek his help in pursuit of material interests, the continuous request for advice in relation to his own daily life, the practice of fortune-telling and other similar activities, the desire to impress by mixing some truth in his abilities with exaggeration or even fabrication, etc.  Likewise, the medium who uses his faculty for self-serving ends (often financial) and does not engage his mediumship out of a desire to help others, as well as the medium who takes pride in his communication with the Spirit realm and as such feels a sense of superiority, meanwhile forgetting that he is not the cause but only an instrument in the occurrence of the phenomena, will also be left to deal only with Spirits of an inferior degree.  The good medium humbly recognizes the noble purposes for which he was given the gift of mediumship and utilizes his abilities accordingly, while the medium who abuses his mediumship will surely suffer the consequences.

Though a medium, through his behaviors, may not attract the company of Good Spirits, a medium is always a child of God, and as such always has, as all of us do, his Spiritual protector who tries to guide  him in the right direction with good counsel, suggestions of good thoughts, and support in moments of affliction.  However, guardian Spirits never interfere with our free will, and should we chose not to listen to their advice, they step aside and let us act as we chose.  The Superior Spirits tell us ("Spirit's Book, question 495), with respect to this relationship, that a Spirit guide "will withdraw if it sees that its advice is useless and that the person continues to hold on stubbornly to negative influences.  But the Spirit does not abandon the person entirely and continues trying to make itself heard.  So, you see, it is not the Spirit guide who leaves the person, but the person who closes his or her ears to the guide.  As soon as you call it back, the Spirit guide will return to you." 
 

 

 

Kardec, Allan. "Formation of Mediums." The Mediums' Book. 2nd ed (1st edition FEB). Trans. Anna Blackwell (translated 1876). Ed. Livraria Espírita Allan Kardec. Brasilia-DF, Brazil:  Federação Espírita Brasileira [Brazilian Spiritist Federation}. 1986.  229-233 (item 220165).

Kardec, Allan. "Spiritual Intervention." The Spirits' Book.  Trans. Allan Kardec Educational Society (translated from 2nd edition in French). Philadelphia, PA. Allan Kardec Educational Society. 1996. 171.

Emmanuel (Spirit Author), Xavier, Francisco Cândido (Medium).O Consolador [The Consoler]. 14th ed. Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil: Federação Espírita Brasileira [Brazilian Spiritist Federation].1988.216.