Question and Answers regarding Psychics, Psychic Mediums and Psychic Channels as well as Tarot Card Readings.
The term "medium" when applied to a person most commonly refers to someone who is believed to have the ability to communicate with the spirits of the dead or with non-physical entities. Here are the main contexts in which people are called a "medium"
The specific powers or abilities that mediums claim to have vary depending on the tradition, the individual medium, and the era, but here are the most commonly reported ones
Psychic Medium have the powers/abilities to:
Only psychic channels can go into trance or altered states:
Some psychic mediums but all psychic channels can utilize Psychometry which is holding an object belonging to a deceased person and receiving impressions or messages through it
Some psychic mediums but all psychic channels can remote viewing or have bilocation experiences which means they “travel” in spirit/soul form to locations connected with the deceased.
All psychic mediums and psychic channels have healing abilities. Acting as a channel for “spirit doctors” or healing guides to perform spiritual healing.
All psychic mediums and channels can utilize automatic writing. Allowing a spirit to control the hand to right or draw messages.
A psychic channel (also called a channeler or trance channel) is a person who acts as a conduit or "channel" for non-physical entities, consciousness’s, or energies to communicate through them. There are a few main types of psychic channeling:
Trance Channeling (Full Trance)
The channeler enters a deep trance state and reportedly allows another entity (e.g., a spirit guide, angel, ascended master, extraterrestrial, deceased person, or collective consciousness) to temporarily take over their body and speak through their voice.
Classic examples: Jane Roberts channeling "Seth" (author of the Seth books), JZ Knight channeling "Ramtha," or Helen Schucman channeling the voice that dictated A Course in Miracles.
The channeler usually has little or no memory of what was said while in trance.
Conscious Channeling (Light Trance or Awake Channeling)
The person remains fully or mostly aware but receives words, images, or impressions telepathically and verbally relays them.
A well-known channel is Esther Hicks who channels "Abraham".
The voice and mannerisms may change slightly, but the person can stop and start at will.
Automatic Writing or Inspirational Channeling
Information comes through writing (hand moves "on its own") or typing rather than spoken word.
Example: The Brazilian medium Chico Xavier produced hundreds of books said to be channeled from spirits.
Common entities that are channeled:
A psychic medium is a person who claims to have the ability to communicate with the spirits of deceased people and sometimes other non-physical entities and relay messages between those spirits and living. There are distinctions:
Mediumship vs channeling?
Below is a chart that sets out the difference between mediumship and channeling. These two practices are not well understood but they are very different in mechanics, purpose and experience.
|
Mediumship |
Channeling |
|
|
Definition |
Communication with deceased humans (or sometimes animals) through a medium. |
Allowing a non-physical entity (spirit guide, ascended master, angel, extraterrestrial, higher self, etc.) to use the practitioner's body/voice to speak or write. |
|
Who is speaking? |
The dead person (spirit of a deceased human). |
A non-human or trans-human entity (never a regular deceased person in the classic sense). |
|
Consciousness of practitioner |
Medium is usually fully or partially conscious and aware. They act as an interpreter or relay. |
Channel is often in a trance state (light to deep). In full trance channeling, they may have little or no memory of what was said. |
|
Typical purpose |
Evidential messages from loved ones who passed, proof of survival after death, closure, healing grief. |
Philosophical/spiritual teachings, predictions, cosmic information, energy transmissions, new age concepts. |
|
Evidence focus |
High emphasis on specific, verifiable details about the deceased that the medium couldn’t know (names, dates, personal memories). |
Little to no emphasis on verifiable personal evidence; focus is on the content/teaching itself. |
|
Conscious control |
Medium usually retains control and can stop at any time. |
Deep-trance channelers surrender control (sometimes dramatically—the entity walks, talks, and behaves completely differently). |
If someone says, “Your grandmother is here and wants you to know she’s proud of you and mentions the blue scarf you left on her chair,” that’s mediumship.
If someone goes into trance and a completely different voice starts giving cosmic teachings about the 13th dimension and the coming shift in 2032, that’s channeling.
Tarot is a spiritual and philosophical practice dating back to the 15th century. It is used as a tool for self-reflection, insight, and personal development. Robin utilizes Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards which consists of 50 cards each with its own symbolism and deep meaning.
Tarot readings can help reveal hidden aspects of oneself that the client may not be consciously aware of. Interpreting the cards often involves delving into themes surrounding emotions, relationships, life path, spirituality and more.
A Tarot Card reading can help gain clarity, perspective and wisdom to navigate life's challenges and opportunities. While the cards themselves are simply tools to aid intuition and insight, the true wisdom comes from within. A skilled Tarot reader acts merely as a mirror, helping to uncover inner truths.
Tarot readings remind us that we all have the power to shape our own destiny, but we must first understand ourselves and our motivations on a deeper level. The symbols and messages in the cards, when properly interpreted, can help show us the way forward by connecting us to our highest selves.
A tarot reading works as a combination of symbolism, psychology, intuition, storytelling, and spirituality or divination.
The Deck
A standard tarot deck has 78 cards:
The Reading
The person receiving the reading focuses on a question or situation (can be specific or open-ended like “What do I need to know right now?”).
The cards are sometimes shuffled by the reader or the intention is set by the receiver with both holding the question in mind.
Cards are then laid out in a spread. A pattern with assigned positions.
Common spreads:
Each position in the spread has a meaning (e.g., “obstacle,” “hopes and fears,” “outcome”).
The reader interprets the cards that appear in each position.
The Interpretation
Each card is packed with symbols (colors, numbers, astrology, kabbalah, mythology, animals, and objects). The reader see the possible meanings in one image.
Position + card interaction: A card that means “victory” in the “outcome” position feels very different than the same card in the “fears” position.
Reversed cards (optional): Many readers use upside-down cards for blocked/delayed/internalized energy or the opposite meaning.
Intuition & pattern recognition: The reading utilizes the ability as a psychic or psychic medium and can see a story emerge through the cards energy. This story is a glimpse into the receivers past, present and future. The Reader then delivers the intuitive guidance to the receiver.