Trance Development

Starting Simple Spirituality:
Sitting for Trance

Trance is an altered state of consciousness

Introductory Notes

There are any number of different levels of trance, which will vary between individuals and with the same individual at different levels of development, and with the different sets of circumstances prevailing at the time; or even the mood of the medium at the time; or the atmosphere and energy in the location where the trance is occurring.

Even the experienced trance medium may feel at times “well surely that must be me” or “I really feel I wasn’t that deep, so it must have been my brain or my mind making things up”. This does not make that person a fraud or a fake – it just makes them human, with all the foibles and failings that humanity brings. If it was possible to be perfect every time, you wouldn’t see the interest in following football teams every week to see how they do. People watch them exactly because they do vary in their performance (and the majority of mediums are not paid anything like what professional footballers are paid … if they are paid anything at all!!).

Being honest and open and “giving as got” applies here as well. Only those mediums capable of very deep trance, where they are completely unaware of what is being said, will not feel there is something of themselves in what is being given. Working with spirit is teamwork – it is not just us or them, it is us and them. They use our voice-box and our vocabulary. They may use our normal voice or it may be slightly altered, or completely altered – but there should be no expectation from either the medium or the onlookers that voice alteration will happen. It is more important to pay attention to what is being said – not how it is being said.

When trance development is in the early stages of development with a medium, it may appear that what is being said is 1% spirit and 99% the medium. This is part of the process of attunement between the medium and their guide(s). As trance development progresses, it will tend to be a shift away from the medium towards those in spirit talking more directly. But there is no level of perfect balance between the two parties, and it will vary according to the circumstances ruling at the time, as mentioned above.

Every medium should accept that there will be occasions when – for whatever reason - they are not able to demonstrate trance capability. This is to be accepted as quite normal and not something to be ashamed of – and certainly not lead to “putting on an act” as some of those more in the public eye have been caught doing on occasions. Honesty is always the best policy when working with spirit, as is trust between the medium and their guides.

Trust is a gift which can be developed and improved with practice, but if half the team doesn’t trust the other half, the end result will not be of great quality.

Preparing the Room

The room to be used for trance should be secured and kept free from interruptions by events and other people. If necessary a notice should be put on the door to prevent disturbance and request no noises to be made nearby.

All doorbells and phones should have been switched off.

Washing machines, dishwashers, bread makers, alarms etc should be switched off.

The room should be at a reasonable temperature for sitting to start with.

If a red light is needed this should be positioned and tested before the session starts.

Experiences during a Trance Session

During the trance session, people in the room may experience one or more of the following sensations which are quite normal during such sessions :

• Variations in room temperature (up or down)

• Feeling of cobwebs on the face

• Feeling of tickles in the hair

• Physical touches by spirit people (eg on arms, legs, hair, face – but never intrusive or inappropriate)

• Sight of changes in the medium’s appearance – particularly on their face which may change shape or appearance to show a different face by means of transfiguration; or a mask forming in front of the medium’s face. A succession of different faces may be seen overshadowing the medium’s face.

• Changes in the level of red light which occur by spirit adjustment, not human intervention

• Sound of voices coming from elsewhere in the room other than from the medium

• Other sounds in the room eg clicks, bangs, taps, music, footsteps, dragging/ shuffling noises

• If instruments, trumpets or toys have been left out, these may be played with or moved around

• If drawing materials have been left out, there may be the sound of writing or drawing during the session

Behavioural Guidelines

Everyone concerned should be sure to go to the loo before the session starts.

Precisely because trance is an altered state of consciousness, there are certain important factors on how to behave when sitting either for your own development or for others’ development :

• An opening prayer and invocation of protection

• Seating which allows the medium to be comfortable for what may be a lengthy session

• Space between sitters which permits the medium to be unaffected by the movements of others

• All mobile phone must be switched off and preferably left outside the room where the sitting is happening.

• All watch alarms must be switched off and watches preferably left outside the room

• Keys and glasses cases should be left outside the room

The level of lighting in the room must remain stable and as agreed with the medium beforehand unless the guides ask for it to be changed during the session

Once trance state is in progress no one should do the following which can cause physical harm to the medium :

• Touch the medium

• Speak loudly

• Wave their arms or legs about, or move about the room

• Make loud noises

• Switch on lights in the room

• Open curtains which may have been closed before the session

• Open windows or doors unless given permission to do so by the medium or guides

• Leave the room without permission

• Display anger or frustration

• Take photographs (certainly not flash!) unless the guides or medium have agreed

• beforehand that this can happen – and only by those so authorised

• Use recording devices unless given permission beforehand by the medium/ organisers

And people should preferably not do the following which may affect the level of trance being achieved by the medium :

• Call the medium by name (use of the words “medium” or “sitter” is fine)

• Talk among themselves

• Make provocative remarks about what they are seeing

• Crinkle sweet papers or water bottles

• Try to talk to the medium – unless invited to do so by the guides who are speaking

• Be disrespectful to either the medium or their guides

After the trance session has been closed by the organisers or the medium :-

The medium may remain in an altered state for quite some time and be particularly sensitive to any loud noises, touch or light variations – so please allow sufficient time for the medium to recover before trying to communicate with them in any way.

Please DO NOT clap, stamp feet or start moving chairs around noisily at the end of a trance session. Just sit quietly and wait for the organisers to explain how to leave the room.

A closing prayer and thanks for what has been achieved during the session will normally be said before any attempt is made to allow people to leave the room.

When given permission to do so, leave the room in an orderly and peaceful manner.