What is a Reading like? - from the Medium's perspective

One of the most common questions I receive from people I am working with, 'What is it like for you to be a Medium?' This is a great question, and in our own ways - we are all communicating with Spirit in some form. So to answer this - I'll share what a reading is like from my perspective. Everyone may have their own experience and process, as most do, so I speak for me.

Once I start my opening prayer, in a reading, clear my mind, and "tune" in - I get a quick rush of information that comes in at first all at once. It is like many layers of information suddenly get downloaded and it takes a moment to reaclimate. Kind of like pictures and energy flashing really rapidly and it isn't focused on one thing, just quick succession. My opening prayer is kind of like opening the flood gates.

The information is then quickly organized, initially like slides in a projector. I see slide one and read the information there (which also comes with feelings, words, phrases, and additional details) and then spirit changes the slide and the reading continues. If a client asks a question - my slide show pauses for a moment - the answer drops in, I say what I got from Spirit and then the slide show starts again. Slide show is a simplistic way to put it, but it is the closest description I can think of in the moment.

I like to describe it like sitting in an empty movie theatre. I'm not in the projection booth - Spirit is. They produce the movie and play the parts that are important. Then I describe what I see, feel, hear, and know based on what I am seeing.

Sometimes I am seeing literal moments of someone's life or sometimes it is symbolic.

When a Spirit guide or a loved one in Spirit comes in, I see them with my eyes or in my mind's eye on a slide.

When Spirit wants me to feel something - either a pain or discomfort to relay to someone or an emotion - it triggers my emotional channels and I feel it as if those emotions are occuring within me. For example, a loved one in Spirit may wish to express their love to the sitter. Some Mediums may see a heart or symbol of sorts that represents love in their own unique symbol language. For me, in these cases, I am lucky enough to feel the love. I usually feel like my heart is just full and bursting - like the most amazing moment of my life has just happened. The pinnacle of it all and I am so full of joy and celebration. This is what that sensation feels like to me -when I pass along this message of love. Then once the message is delivered, the all consuming feeling is gone very quickly and new information appears.

Sometimes sitters will ask a question and before they are done, Spirit jumps in with the answer - often talking over them. I have to practice patience and wait politely to share the info - although sometimes I just let people know I already have the response ;)

When Spirit has shared what they are inclined to share, they pause and my screen gets white, which means they are ready or open for any questions.

At the end of the reading, usually pull 3 oracle cards, which I ask Spirit to convey the most important message they would like the person to recall from the whole reading. A focal point, if you will.

When I pull the cards, sometimes I see words on top of the pictures or pictures coming out of the cards explaining the meaning to me. Sometimes I hear rather than see it - which is usually a specific detail for the person.

Then we close the reading and my screen goes away. It generally takes a few minutes to 30 minutes after the reading before my "brain comes back online". Since my mind has be clear - Mediums go into trance. Briefly, trance helps us to not be distracted from the energy by little things in the environment and reduces thoughts and things that are "us" that would interfere from us being in a pure receiving state. If I am thinking about what I want for dinner, I can' t hear what Spirit is saying. So trance is necessary - but as it relaxes and subdues some of these influences so upon returning it takes a little bit for that trance influence to fully leave. You have to metabolize the trance energy. Depending on the level of trance that may take a few minutes to longer.

As a result my brain isn't as sharp. That is not the time for me to do complex math problems or things that are difficult or require muscle coordination. Sometimes, I am talking afterwards to a friend and have trouble searching my mind for words. This is temporary. Those that know me- wait it out ;) This is also a time when I am highly likely to lose things! Because my brain is still clear and not running on full "Christina" speed yet, my memory isn't 100% because I may not be storing that information because I'm still in "letting information flow through me mode". Over the years I have set up routines that make things easier. Keys go in the same place, etc. This reduces the amount of time I spend trying to find stuff!

This surprises most people, but I generally don't remember much of anything about my readings. It isn't stored in my brain. The information goes through me and drops out the other end. The only time I remember something is if it was unusual that I need to know or something Spirit wants me to know, or a teaching lesson. For example, in one of my first readings, Spirit showed me an eagle head as a symbol of someone in military service. I remembered the Eagle head, because Spirit downloaded it to my system after the reading so I would know what they meant next time. Perhaps sometime I will do another blog post about why not remembering is GREAT! - but for another day.

In short, readings are beautiful evidence of life after death and affirms my understanding of lessons, life, and the Soul. This work inspires me and keeps me firmly grounded in these truths and is an important part of my personal expression of spirituality and service.