So you want to be a medium? Brilliant. I genuinely believe almost anyone can develop mediumship, because it isn't a gift for the chosen few. It's a natural ability that grows with understanding and practice.

But I've been teaching long enough to see where people come unstuck, and it's rarely because they can't do it. It's because nobody told them the basics before they started. So whether you end up learning with me or with someone else, these are the things I'd want you to do first.

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1. Understand What You're Stepping Into

Before you join a circle or book a course, read some mediumship books and listen to some mediumship podcasts. Not so you can turn up knowing everything, but so you understand what you're stepping into, and so the language your teacher uses isn't brand new to you.

If you're starting from scratch, Mediumship Made Simple covers the foundations, and You Are A Medium (You Just Don't Know It Yet) is for anyone still wondering whether this is something they can do. I've put together a reading path for every stage, including books by other authors I love.

For listening, my podcast Mediumship Matters is free, and there's a beginner's playlist on YouTube if you'd like somewhere to start. Listen to other mediums too. You'll soon find out whose way of working feels right for you.

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2. Sit With Yourself Every Day

This is the one I recommend more than anything else. Sit on your own for five minutes a day, with no distractions, and build up to fifteen.

This isn't meditation. You're not trying to float off somewhere or escape your life. You're simply sitting and being present with your own energy. No phone, no music, no guided anything. Just you.

It sounds almost too simple, but it's where so much of your mediumship begins. You can't recognise when spirit is with you if you don't know what you feel like on your own. If the idea of meditating has always put you off, you'll be glad to know you don't need to meditate to connect with spirit.

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3. Spirit Won't Do It for You

I see so many beginners drift away because they expected spirit to make it easy. They expect it to be easy to show up to the course, easy to be part of things, and for their energetic slate to be wiped clean so they can rock up easy peasy. That hasn't been my experience, and I don't want it to be your surprise.

You have to commit, just as you would if you were going to the gym or joining a choir. You wouldn't expect results if you didn't attend the classes, and mediumship is no different. Before you sign up for anything, be honest with yourself about whether you can turn up regularly, practise between sessions and keep going when it feels hard.

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4. Remember It's Mostly About You

The technical side of mediumship is actually the smaller part. Most of your development is self-development: understanding yourself, your energy, your patterns and the stories you tell yourself. The more you know yourself, the easier it becomes to tell what's you and what's spirit, and that's something no course can do for you.

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5. Practise With Real People

Books and podcasts give you understanding, but practice turns it into experience. Sooner or later you'll need to read for real people, get honest feedback and hear plenty of nos. Every medium does, and that's how you get better.

A good circle or practice group is invaluable for this. Look for one that's safe, kind and honest, where you'll be stretched without being torn down. You can read more about why group practice helps you grow.

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6. Expect Doubt, and Start Anyway

You'll doubt yourself. I still do. Doubt isn't a sign you can't do this. It's part of the process, and almost every working medium lives with it. If you wait until you feel ready, you'll wait forever, so start before you feel ready and let your confidence grow from the practice.

If doubt is what's holding you back, Overcoming Doubt in Mediumship was written for exactly that, and I've written about why I still doubt myself sometimes.

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7. Leave the Fear at the Door

A lot of beginners are taught to be frightened of the spirit world before they've even started: demons, attachments, and the idea that you'll be in danger without elaborate protection. I believed all of that once. These days I work with spirit in my own home every day without fear.

What you believe is what you experience, so be careful what you're taught to believe. If fear is getting in your way, The Fear Filter will help, and so will understanding why protection is really about people, not spirits.

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8. Choose Your Teachers Wisely

A good teacher helps you trust your own connection, not depend on theirs. Be wary of anyone who makes you feel small, keeps you reliant on them or teaches through fear. And don't expect one teacher to be your teacher for life. You'll need different people at different stages, which is a good thing. There's more on why mentorship and training matter.

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Ready to Learn?

Once you've done the groundwork, you'll get so much more from whatever you choose next. If you'd like to learn with me, my mediumship development page sets out the full path, from my 5 Frequency Foundations course for beginners to live circles and practice with real sitters on Spirit Social.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start developing my mediumship?

Start by reading mediumship books and listening to podcasts so you understand what you're stepping into. Add a daily practice of sitting quietly with your own energy for five to fifteen minutes, then join a course or circle you can commit to and practise with real people.

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Do I need to be born with a gift to become a medium?

No. Hannah Macintyre teaches that mediumship is a natural ability almost anyone can develop with understanding, commitment and practice. You can read more in Do You Need a Gift to Be a Medium?

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Should I join a development circle straight away?

It's best to do some groundwork first. Reading, listening and building a daily practice of sitting with yourself will help you get far more from a circle, and make sure you can commit to attending regularly.

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Do I need to meditate to develop mediumship?

No. Hannah recommends sitting quietly and being present with your own energy rather than meditating to escape. The aim is to know yourself, not to float away.

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How long does mediumship development take?

There's no fixed timeline, and development isn't linear. Hannah explores this in How Long Does Mediumship Development Take?