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Mediums

(136 Posts)
MissAdventure Sun 21-Jan-18 15:03:47

I wasn't sure what forum to put this on, I suppose it could be under religion, but anyway.
Do you believe mediums to be misguided, or to have any basis of truth in their 'readings'?
Do you think they prey on others' misery, or are onto a lucrative money spinner?
Have you seen one, and if you did, what conclusion did it leave you with? Lots of questions! smile

Nanawind Tue 23-Jan-18 15:37:38

The only time I went to see a male fortune teller at a shopping mill about 7 years ago.
I thought he had got somethings right but he had got something very wrong he told me one of my brothers lives in Canada I'm sorry you got that wrong but he insisted that he was correct. The next night I went to mums and she said she had just had a phone call from my younger brother and he had been told only that morning by his commanding officer the regiment was relocating to Canada. Explain that.

W11girl Tue 23-Jan-18 14:38:02

Misguided human beings preying on the vulnerable.

keffie Tue 23-Jan-18 14:35:57

Its like any line of work: charlatans/cowboys whatever you wish to call them in all walks of life.

If I go to a bad hairdresser. It doesn't mean all hairdressers are bad. Same with a bad builder. They aren't all.

There are some who are bad. They give all a bad name. I don't go to tham anyone more. Last one I seen was on 2002. He was bang on.

Stuff he knew and told me was too unusual intricate and personal for him to know. It was at a private 1-1. Not a group booking.

Got to be careful as there are some who are scammers. That's the same as in any profession

Amma54 Tue 23-Jan-18 14:35:25

Somewhat puzzled by the comments about how awful it is to charge people who go to these events, as though the venue can be had for no money! I went to a couple of spiritualist church meetings ((fee £3) after the deaths of my father and two sisters within 3 years or so. The first medium, if that's what she called herself, told me there was an elderly man who was saying something about Hyacinth Bouquet (houseproud unbearably snobby TV show character). Dad had for years said that my godmother was exactly like her and that my eldest sister was also becoming like her. I still don't know how the medium could have got that from a cold reading of me.

Skweek1 Tue 23-Jan-18 14:25:13

Many are frauds and out to get money, including some of the most famous names. On the other hand. others are genuine - when I was in London, I studied at the College of Psychic Studies under Liz Farrell and was amazed at some of the experiences we had. Now looking forward to finding a convenient development circle. I'm a psychometrist/tarot reader/astrologer and although can't explain all my own experiences, have seen enough to convince me!

hildajenniJ Tue 23-Jan-18 14:09:00

I was given a gift of tickets to see Psychic Sally a couple of years ago. I wasn't impressed.
I used to work nightshift with a local lady who lived just down the road from the Nursing Home. One night she came upstairs to where I was having a break. She told me that a man was standing behind me. She described my maternal grandfather exactly, even told me how old he would have been when his hair turned white. She was correct, as verified by my mother. I am opened minded.

Anniebach Tue 23-Jan-18 14:05:16

Trouble with science it sometimes gets things wrong

quizqueen Tue 23-Jan-18 13:12:45

I do think some people have a gift although I have seen a couple of mediums for private sessions and have been to a couple of shows too. They were all rubbish but, at one show I went to, I sat next to a lady who took one look at me and said that she could see a flat mountain. I had recently won a competition to go to Cape Town in South Africa and of course table Mountain is there. She said she was a spiritualist and would do a free private reading for me. My father always said that he would try and contact me if he could so I did go to her but it was very upsetting. She said she could see him with blood pouring down his head on one side and stopped the séance. As he died from a stroke which would have been a 'bleed to the brain' I interpreted it as that. My father had a particular disability tough so I would not be totally convinced until a medium mentioned that for proof.

Horatia Tue 23-Jan-18 13:11:03

I'd say they are like any group of people, some you can connect with and others you can't.

OldMeg Tue 23-Jan-18 13:04:23

Grumppa “Old Meg she was a Gipsy...” and she knew full well how to con those who were vulnerable.

However my epitaph would read “Old Meg she was a Scientist.....”

Day6 Tue 23-Jan-18 12:25:32

All religion is a man-made effort to control us and make us feel guilty. Manipulation and fakery. Prayer and faith never has and never will, alter any outcome. It's a crutch for people to fall back on. Science tells us the truth

How can we so easily dismiss a person's faith in God?

From Richard Feynman, renowned theoretical physicist.

*I think that when we know that we actually do live in uncertainty, then we ought to admit it; it is of great value to realise that we do not know the answers to different questions."

He suggests that faith and science can co-exist and I am with him on that. Feynman says we have to recognise the limits of science.

I do not believe that science can disprove the existence of God; I think that is impossible. And if it is impossible, is not a belief in science and in a God - an ordinary God of religion - a consistent possibility?

I cannot and won't dismiss the faith of others or their belief in God. Scientists like Einstein are willing to believe there may be more out there than we'll ever comprehend.

'Uncertainty' is the scientists answer to a legitimate belief in God. It pays to have an open mind.

JanaNana Tue 23-Jan-18 12:13:02

I have seen a couple of mediums in the past who have both told me things that only having their gift could have given such detailed information to me. The first one was a member of a London school of Mediums I think it was called and used tarot cards to start of the session, told me I had a psychic ability which I should develop to help other people. The second medium was years later, and my daughter had been to see her, and suggested to me that I should go, however have to book at least several weeks in advance as she was so popular. The first thing she told me after asking me to shuffle a pack of ordinary playing cards was that my late father was there with us and she said his name correctly. She told me the name of a town that we were hoping to move to but said it won't be as soon as you are hoping. It proved to be true. She also said you have the same gift as me., When I told her that another medium had said something similar years ago she got really cross with me when she asked me if I had developed my ability and I said no. Then told me what path I should take to help people...otherwise you will have wasted a gift you are blessed with. I have,nt still done anything to "develop" this gift or skill, but am known as the mind reader among family and friends as I can say something to them, and they often are surprised that it was something they were going to tell me first. There are are lot of fakes out there who see it as easy money to take from vulnerable people, but also genuine" spiritual mediums " who can give real information of names, dates, places, situations without any pumping the client or being very vague on the information they give. A sceptic is harder to convince generally than people with a more open mind I guess.

fluttERBY123 Tue 23-Jan-18 11:51:31

The Vedic tradition says that we all have the ability to see into the past and into the future but most of us have forgotten how to do it. Those that haven't are the mediums.

Somebody fell down a ravine in the Himalayas and nobody knew where he was. They looked everywhere they thought he might be. In desperation they went to the holy man who told them exactly where he was, way off where they had been searching.

Police searching for people lost on Dartmoor call in mediums - why not, it sometimes works.

I truly believe some people have a gift, as we like to call it. I also believe that a lot of people who don't have the gift cash in on people's vulnerabilities anyway.

WilmaKnickersfit Tue 23-Jan-18 11:49:48

MissA I don't think I would have been pleased about that at all.

WilmaKnickersfit Tue 23-Jan-18 11:46:48

Amelia James Randi was first mentioned last night by esspee at 19:12. Nuff said. grin

maximka25 Tue 23-Jan-18 11:43:21

I met two mediums years ago on different occasions. Neither wanted anything from me. The first one I happened to sit next to on a flight to Paris from Moscow, and the things he told me about my family were spot on, and there is no way he could have known from any other source. He was also very easy to talk to.
The second psychic/medium scared me stiff. She came to look at my Mum's artwork, and I remember feeling very uneasy. I actually didn't want to know anything she told, but my Mum asked. Some things she said about my future did happen.

Legs55 Tue 23-Jan-18 11:34:24

DD has been to see a Medium a few times. After DH died she went to see one, she was told she would be moving house within the year, I laughed & said no it's me that'll be moving. I did move to be nearer DD within the year, DD is still in the same housegrin

DD was also told she would have another child, DGS1 was about 4 at the time, as DD is in a same sex relationship this was unlikely, however DGS2 arrived in May last year.

I don't dismiss the fact that some people have the gift but I would never go to see a Medium. Why is it that when the though "oh I must ring so & so" pops into your head your phone will ring & it's that person on the phone, coincidence ? confused

Each to there own but I think many of us get "feelings" & may alter what we do. Open mind.

ExaltedWombat Tue 23-Jan-18 11:31:06

I think they construct a system of belief, tangential to reality, which they, and their clients, WANT to believe. Like religion and 'alternative' therapies. There's a big market for it.

MissAdventure Tue 23-Jan-18 11:27:40

The florist who 'did' the flowers for my daughters funeral told me and others that she has a gift, and told us bits and bobs, whilst we were at her shop. She offered us free 'readings' but it was quite obvious she was sweet, but nutty as a fruitcake. One of my daughters friends was moved to tears and comforted by the snippets she had been told: the rest of us found that nothing she had said made us think she had any kind of gift. She even changed the colour I'd chosen for my flowers, as my daughter had apparently told her what colours she wanted.

GabriellaG Tue 23-Jan-18 11:21:29

This is nothing about mediums but is strange.
I once bought a TV cable in a Dixon's store and, when I got outside in the mall, was minded to look at the receipt, something I wouldn't normally do. It showed the name of the assistant as JESPER...spelled just like that.
Just that morning before setting out, I had been reading a book and the very last sentence I read contained the name JESPER. I went back into the store to see if the young man had any name tag on - he didn't, nor did any other staff member speak to him whilst he was serving me.
I checked in the book when I got home and yes, the name was the same although it was only mentioned that one time in the whole book. confused

Craftycat Tue 23-Jan-18 11:20:39

Briefly as I have commented at some length on this subject here before- I had occasion in late 1960s-early 1970s to visit a lot of mediums etc. as I worked for a publication where they advertised.
In the main they were rubbish but every now & then I came across someone who was amazing & I could not explain it. Really impressive.
My mother left family home in SE when was 16 & went to live in the Midlands where we know no-one. She visited a Spiritualist church one evening as she was lonely & was told a tall distinguished man with a waxed moustache in army uniform was standing behind her & he was looking after her- almost as an after thought the Medium said he had no left leg. This was such an accurate description of her father that it left her stunned & very comforted.
If it comforts & helps you- great but it is rare to find a really good person.

GabriellaG Tue 23-Jan-18 10:55:07

Anniebach

All religion is a man-made effort to control us and make us feel guilty. Manipulation and fakery. Prayer and faith never has and never will, alter any outcome. It's a crutch for people to fall back on. Science tells us the truth.

Sulis Tue 23-Jan-18 10:48:19

There are definitely some people who are charlatans and out for money. I myself joined a group of folk who put on a psychic fayre, and heard awful readings, cringeingly horrible stuff, from other readers. Fairies-at-the-bottom-of-the-garden type stuff. However, I did join a psychic development circle at the Spiritualist' Assoc of G.B. many years ago and had some amazing experiences as a result. My problem with it was that I couldn't turn whatever-it-was on and off like a light switch and sometimes it would either not happen when someone asked for a reading, or it would happen at inconvenient and inapropriate times such as at work or on a train etc. The medium who led this circle told me that this was normal. As I had no control over it I stopped attending the circle. I was only willing for it to happen when I told it to. As an adoptee I originally had no contact with my natural parents, but when I did eventually meet my birth mother and recounted my so-called psychic episodes, she told me that my grandmother had this gift. My mother herself did not, and was frightened of it. So - I believe strongly that everyone has the possibility of this gift, and it is up to each individual to develop or forget it. I have no idea how or why it works. I have no idea, really, what it is. I could theorize about it until the cows come home, but it wouldn't make any difference, would it? Derren Brown? I've seen him live and he is truly amazing and I love to watch him at work. We have been to his live shows and his memory is a marvel equal to the 7 wonders. But what genuine mediums do is something completely different.

jordana Tue 23-Jan-18 10:37:28

That's an amazing story radio. Tragic and romantic at the same time. Theres definately food for thought

radicalnan Tue 23-Jan-18 10:34:17

My friend's mother was in an air raid shelter during the Blitz. To pass the time a woman there was giving people readings, she told my friend's mum that she would marry twice, be widowed young, and travel half way around the world and have 3 daughters, one of whom would have her gift and that hers would be the last fortune she ever told.

The shelter as hit and the medium killed.

My friend's mum married a young Canadian air man, he was killed within a month of their marriage. When she remarried, they emigrated to Australia and had 3 daughters. My friend has the gift.

When I was having a passionate affair my friend read my hand and said, K has moved over in your palm and there is new man there, dark haired, very handsome, you will have 2 children with him. I was far too in love with K to believe this.

A few months later my friend and I went on a 'start your own business course' and during the coffee break she said' there he is, your new man'. He was much younger than me and very handsome.

My friend said to him, come and meet C you are going to end up with her and have some kids'...................which of course, we did.

I have no idea how it works. I know that several of my friends have similar gifts as I do myself.