Mediumship — the ability to mediate communication with the dead — is a central tenet of Spiritualism. Many forms of the practice exist, including physical, mental, and trance mediumship. During a typical spirit channeling session (also known as a séance), a medium acts as an intermediary between the living and the dead, allowing spirits to interact with the other attendees using their voice and/or body. They may require the help of an invisible entity called a control or guide to make contact and facilitate temporary possession, but this is not always the case.
Gender and Mediumship
Mediumship offered women of the 19th and 20th centuries an opportunity for financial independence. Women’s equality was a major element of Spiritualism; many Spiritualists were also women’s rights advocates. At the same time, stereotyping of female mediums has displayed sexist attitudes, and theories about the psychic abilities of women draw from gendered beliefs. For example, women were theorized as having greater psychic abilities due to the “innate” characteristics associated with femininity.
The Eileen J. Garrett Parapsychology Foundation Collection features items pertaining to a number of prolific mediums from the early to mid-20th century. Materials include photographs, audio recordings, séance transcripts, personal scrapbooks, and more.
For information on a few of these mediums, click on the icons below.
