What Happens in a Mediumship Development Circle?

If you're thinking about joining a mediumship development circle and you're not sure what to expect, this is the post for you. I'll walk you through what actually happens in a typical session, what the different kinds of circle look like, and what makes the difference between a circle that genuinely supports your development and one that just feels like a social club with cards.

I'll also be honest about what circles can and can't do for you, because there's a common confusion about that which costs a lot of developing mediums years of progress they didn't need to lose.

The short version: what a session usually looks like

A typical development circle runs for somewhere between an hour and a half and two and a half hours, often weekly or fortnightly, online or in person, with a smallish group of developing mediums (usually six to twelve, sometimes more in larger circles) and a teacher or facilitator running the space.

A standard session tends to flow something like this:

Welcome and grounding. Five or ten minutes at the start to settle people in, take a few breaths, set an intention for the session, and bring everyone's energy into the room.

Short teaching or focus. The teacher might introduce a theme, technique, or piece of teaching for the session. Sometimes there's a specific skill being worked on; sometimes the focus is more general.

Practice exercises. The bulk of the session. This could be paired practice in breakouts, group exercises, taking turns to give messages or work with specific energies, or sitting in the power as a group. The exact format varies enormously between circles.

Sharing back. Time to discuss what came up, share experiences, ask questions. Often quite informal.

Closing. Bringing the energy back down, grounding before everyone leaves, gentle ending.

That's the broad shape. The specific format varies a huge amount between circles, and that's part of why it's worth trying a few before settling on one.

The different kinds of circle worth knowing about

Not all circles are the same. Worth understanding the differences before you join one.

Open circles. Often run by Spiritualist churches or community spaces, open to anyone who wants to come. Usually weekly, often free or low-cost. Quality varies wildly, but they can be a lovely accessible way to start.

Closed development circles. A regular group of the same people meeting consistently over time. Usually has an application or invitation process and a commitment to attend regularly. Tends to go deeper because the group builds trust and continuity.

Online circles. Same idea as in-person circles but on Zoom or similar. The mediumship works exactly the same. The main difference is convenience and reach (people can join from anywhere) versus the slightly different energy of being in a physical room together.

Awareness circles. Less common but worth knowing about. These tend to focus on awakening psychic and intuitive abilities at a foundational level rather than diving straight into spirit contact. A gentle starting point for true beginners.

Trance and physical mediumship circles. Specialist circles for very specific advanced work. Not where you'd start. Worth mentioning so you know they exist if you ever encounter the terms.

Demonstration practice circles. Specifically focused on practising platform-style demonstration rather than one-to-one mediumship. Useful for developing mediums aiming to work in front of audiences eventually.

Most readers of this post will be considering an open or closed development circle, which are by far the most common.

What actually happens in the practice section

This is the bit people most want to know about, because it's the bit that varies most and feels most mysterious before you've done it.

In a practice session, you might do any of the following:

Sitting in the power. A foundational exercise where the group sits together quietly, raising their vibration, simply being in spirit energy without trying to do anything specific. Sounds simple, often profound. Probably the single most important exercise in mediumship development, and it features in most well-run circles.

Paired exercises in breakout rooms. You go off with one other person, take turns giving each other short readings or messages, and report back. This is where a lot of the actual work happens.

Working with objects (psychometry). Holding an object belonging to someone (often a piece of jewellery) and tuning into the energy or information it carries. A useful exercise for sharpening your psychic perception.

Working with photographs. Tuning into the energy of someone shown in a photograph and offering information about them.

Linking with each other's loved ones in spirit. Taking turns to connect with someone in spirit who belongs to another participant, and offering evidence.

Trance exercises. Sitting in a deeper, more meditative state to allow guides or spirit to influence the medium more deeply. More common in some circles than others.

Spontaneous demonstration. Standing up and giving messages to others in the group, in something like a mini platform demonstration setup. Builds the muscle of working in front of people.

The specific mix varies. Some circles do a lot of paired work, others lean more into group exercises, others focus heavily on sitting in the power. Worth asking your circle teacher what their format usually involves.

What a good circle feels like

Hard to describe in advance, but you'll recognise it when you're in one.

A good circle feels safe enough to take a risk. You feel able to share something that didn't quite land, to say "I'm not sure about this," to admit you didn't get anything in an exercise. Nobody piles in to fix you or correct you or compete with you. The teacher holds the space with warmth and clarity.

A good circle has a steady pace. Things start when they're meant to start, there's structure to the session, the teacher isn't winging it. You leave knowing roughly what you've worked on and how the session was meant to serve you.

A good circle has a teacher who teaches you to find your own knowing rather than telling you what your experiences mean. They're a guide, not an oracle.

A good circle is welcoming to all levels. Beginners and more experienced mediums can sit alongside each other, and both benefit from the mix. The teacher knows how to support different people in the same room.

A good circle leaves you feeling lifted, even tired. Not depleted, not anxious, not confused. There's a quality to good spiritual work where you finish more yourself than you started.

What a bad circle feels like

Equally worth knowing about, because plenty of circles aren't great.

Cliquey energy. The teacher and a small core group have all the airtime; everyone else is on the edges. Newcomers don't get a proper welcome. You feel iced out.

A teacher who's the centre of attention. Everything revolves around what the teacher said, what the teacher experienced, what the teacher's spirit guides told them last week. You're there to develop, not to admire.

Fear-based language. Warnings about dark forces, attachments, the dangers of working without protection, all dressed up in concerning terms. Genuine mediumship doesn't operate from fear, and good circles don't run on it.

Sloppiness. Sessions running late, starting whenever, no clear structure, exercises that don't quite go anywhere. A circle should feel held, not slapdash.

Validation culture. Everyone praises everything anyone offers. Everything resonates. Everything is right. This sounds lovely but it's actually the opposite of useful, because you never find out what you're getting genuinely right and what you're not.

Gossipy. Time spent slagging off other teachers, other mediums, other approaches. This is depressingly common in spiritual circles and it always tells you something about the energy of the space.

If a circle has several of these features, please don't talk yourself into staying. There are better options out there.

The thing it's important to understand about circles

Now for the bit that changes how you should approach circles, and that most developing mediums don't have explained to them.

Circles are practice spaces. They're not feedback-led development environments.

Most circles, even very good ones, don't give detailed feedback on your individual work. The format doesn't really allow for it. You take turns, you do exercises, you share what came up, but the teacher rarely has the time to sit with you for ten minutes saying "here's specifically what I noticed about your work, here's what I'd suggest you focus on next." That isn't a failing of circles; it's just not what they're designed to do.

This matters because it explains a pattern I see all the time. Developing mediums sit in circles for years, doing the work regularly, and feel like they're not progressing. Most of the time, that's not because they're not progressing. It's because they're not getting the kind of input that produces visible progress. They're practising consistently but in an environment that doesn't tell them what they're learning, so they can't tell either.

If you want feedback on your specific development, you need a different format alongside the circle. A course, a workshop, a clinic, or one-on-one mentorship. These are structured around feedback in a way circles aren't.

The right model for most developing mediums is both: a regular circle as your ongoing practice base, plus periodic feedback-led sessions (workshops, clinics, mentorship) to actually check what you're learning. Just circles, however good, often leaves you guessing.

I run small-group Mediumship Clinics designed specifically for this gap, to give developing mediums the feedback their circle doesn't, in three levels matched to where you currently are. Foundations for beginners, Clarity for intermediate, Mastery for those already demonstrating. If you've been sitting in a circle a while and feel stuck, that's usually the missing piece. [Link to Mediumship Clinics]

How to choose a circle that suits you

A few practical questions worth asking before you commit:

Who teaches it, and where can I see their work? A good teacher has a visible body of work you can evaluate. If you can't see them working anywhere, that's worth pausing on.

What's the format? A clear answer ("we sit in the power, then do paired work, then come back together to share") is a good sign. Fuzziness about the format is less reassuring.

How big is the group? Smaller is generally better for development. Above about twelve, it becomes more of a community space than a working one.

Is there feedback? Ask straight out. The honest answer should be "lightly during the session, but not detailed individual feedback." If the answer is "yes, lots of feedback," ask what that actually looks like in practice.

Beginner-friendly or for established mediums? Make sure the level matches you. Mixed-level circles can work, but if everyone else is much further along, you might struggle. Same the other way round.

What's the commitment? Weekly? Fortnightly? Drop-in? Closed group with regular attendance expected?

Cost? Fair pricing tends to mean curated, structured, and committed. Free can work for community but rarely has the accountability of a paid space.

A last honest word

Circles can be wonderful. They can also be a lovely-feeling way to feel like you're developing while not actually moving forward as fast as you could be. Both are common.

The honest formula is this: a good circle as your regular base, plus actual feedback-led practice alongside it (workshops, clinics, mentorship), plus your own practice with real sitters between sessions. That's how developing mediums become working ones.

If you're in a circle that doesn't suit you, please feel free to leave. If you've never been in one and you're nervous, please feel free to try one. Either way, trust your own sense of whether the space is doing the job it's supposed to. Your development is yours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a mediumship development circle? A regular practice group where developing mediums come together to work with energy and spirit under the guidance of a teacher or facilitator. Usually weekly or fortnightly, in groups of six to twelve, online or in person. The focus is shared practice rather than detailed individual feedback.

How long does a development circle session usually last? Most run between an hour and a half and two and a half hours. Long enough to settle in, do meaningful practice work, share back, and ground before leaving.

Do I need experience to join a development circle? For most circles, no. Open circles welcome beginners. Some closed or advanced circles do expect prior experience, so it's worth checking with the teacher. The fact that you're interested is usually enough to start.

Will I get personal feedback in a development circle? Usually not in detail. Circles are about shared practice rather than individual coaching. You'll get light input from the teacher during sessions, but if you want structured feedback on your development, look for a course, workshop, or one-on-one mentorship alongside the circle.

What's the difference between an open circle and a closed circle? An open circle is drop-in: anyone can come, usually weekly, often free or low-cost. A closed circle is the same group meeting consistently over time, often with an application process and a commitment to attend regularly. Closed circles tend to go deeper because trust builds, but open circles are easier to access.

Do online development circles work as well as in-person ones? Yes. The mediumship works the same online as in person. Online has the advantage of being more accessible (no travel, anyone can join from anywhere), and the group dynamic can still be meaningful. Some people prefer the energy of being in a physical room; others find online suits them better. Neither is inherently better.

What if I don't feel comfortable in a development circle? Trust that feeling. Not every circle suits every person, and not every teacher is right for every student. It's completely fine to try a circle for a few sessions and decide it isn't for you, then look elsewhere. Finding the right space sometimes takes a few attempts.

How often should I attend a development circle? Consistency matters more than frequency. A weekly circle attended regularly will develop you faster than a fortnightly one you sometimes miss. Most working mediums attended a regular circle over years, not months. Plan for the long term.

Do I need to do other practice outside the circle? Yes, ideally. Circles are part of development, not the whole of it. Most working mediums combine a regular circle with their own practice readings, periodic workshops or clinics for feedback, and ongoing reading or study. The circle is one piece of a wider development life.

If you're already in a circle and feel like you're not progressing as fast as you'd hoped, that's usually a feedback gap rather than an ability one. The Mediumship Clinics I run are designed specifically to fill that gap, in small groups with personalised feedback and a clear sense of what to practise next. They run regularly across three levels: Foundations, Clarity, and Mastery.