Expectations, Entitlement, and Boundaries in Mediumship
- Hannah Macintyre
- Feb 1
- 3 min read
Mediumship Matters Podcast — Season 1, Episode 10
One of the least discussed aspects of mediumship is expectation — who holds it, how it shows up, and how it can quietly distort spiritual work.
In this episode of Mediumship Matters, I reflect on how my work changed as it moved online, what happens when audiences grow, and why entitlement can creep into spiritual spaces. We explore the difference between need and demand, why no one is guaranteed a message in demonstrations or live readings, and how boundaries protect the integrity of mediumship for everyone involved.
This episode is especially relevant if you’ve ever felt disappointed in a reading, confused by demonstrations, or uneasy about how spiritual work is sometimes demanded rather than received.
Growth Brings Visibility — and New Challenges
As my work shifted from in-person to online, my audience grew quickly. With that growth came new dynamics — particularly around expectation.
In this episode, I share what it’s like to hold space for thousands of people at once during live demonstrations, and why it’s impossible — and unethical — to promise messages for everyone. Mediumship doesn’t work on demand, algorithms, or volume. It works on need, readiness, and compatibility.
Need and Demand Are Not the Same Thing
A central theme in this episode is the difference between need and demand.
Spirit communication responds to need — emotional, spiritual, and energetic — not to who shouts the loudest or asks most persistently. Demanding attention, spamming messages, or insisting a message is “for me” doesn’t strengthen connection. In fact, it often blocks it.
This distinction is crucial for anyone engaging with mediumship, whether as a sitter or an observer.
Why Demonstrations Don’t Guarantee Messages
Mediumship demonstrations — whether online or in person — are not personal readings.
In this episode, I explain how the spirit world chooses who steps forward, how compatibility between spirit and medium matters, and why demonstrations are about evidence and connection rather than fairness or distribution.
If you want focused communication, a one-to-one sitting is the appropriate space — and even then, no guarantees can ethically be made about who will come through.
The Medium’s Role: Receiving, Not Performing
Another important point explored is the role of the medium.
Mediumship isn’t about pleasing an audience or performing for approval. It’s about surrendering to the spirit world, receiving what can be given, and communicating it honestly — even when that means saying no.
Confidence in mediumship includes the ability to decline misplaced claims and resist pressure, while staying true to the connection being formed.
The Sitter’s Role: Openness Without Control
This episode also explores the sitter’s responsibility.
The most meaningful readings happen when sitters are open without trying to control the outcome. Testing, resistance, or rigid expectations often dampen connection, while openness and curiosity allow the energy to build.
Being open doesn’t mean abandoning discernment — it means participating honestly.
Boundaries Protect Spiritual Work
A recurring message in this episode is that boundaries are not unspiritual.
Charging fairly, setting limits, and declining unreasonable demands are part of ethical practice. Mediums are not obligated to give endlessly, nor to live ascetic lives. Spiritual work still exists within human reality, responsibility, and sustainability.
Boundaries protect everyone — the medium, the sitter, and the work itself.
About This Episode
In this episode of Mediumship Matters, I explore:
How growth changes spiritual work
The difference between need and demand
Why demonstrations don’t guarantee messages
Entitlement and expectation in spiritual spaces
The role of the medium vs the sitter
Openness, readiness, and responsibility
Why boundaries are essential in ethical mediumship
🎧 Listen to the episode here:
If You’re New to Readings or Demonstrations
If you’re exploring mediumship for the first time, you may find clarity in Psychic, Card, or Mediumship Reading?, Can Mediumship Be Learned Safely?, or the Start Here: New to Mediumship guide.
You’re also welcome to explore The Gateway, my online school for grounded spiritual development, or Spirit Social, where conversations about boundaries and ethical practice are welcomed.
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