A mediumship reading – often called a "sitting" in the UK or "Jenseitskontakt" in German-speaking countries – is a session in which a medium attempts to connect with a deceased person and pass on messages, memories or a greeting from the other side. Most people arrive with mixed feelings: hope, longing, doubt and nerves. Heaven Connect walks you through this article calmly: what to expect, how to prepare and how to judge the quality of the medium.
What is a mediumship reading?
In a mediumship reading a medium connects with deceased relatives, friends or acquaintances. The goal is usually not to predict the future, but to provide evidence that consciousness continues, and to pass on personal, usually comforting messages. In the British tradition (Spiritualist Church) this is called evidential mediumship: evidence first, message second.
How to prepare
What you can do
- Manage expectations. Mediumship is not magic. The person you expect may come – or someone completely different. Arrive with an open heart.
- Share little. A good medium prefers to know as little as possible about you, so that evidence remains verifiable. Answer with "yes", "no" or "I don't know" instead of offering stories.
- Arrive calmly. Allow time before and after the session. No important appointments right before, no rushed return to everyday life.
- Note your questions. If you have specific questions, write them down in advance. In the session it can be hard to find the words in the moment.
What the medium prepares
The medium prepares through meditation, grounds themselves, enters their protection and opens the connection to the spirit world. Many mediums deliberately work without information about you beforehand – not even your surname or your concern – so that evidence carries weight.
The typical phases of a reading
- Arrival and grounding. The medium briefly explains how they work, what they do not do and how the session will unfold. You can ask questions.
- Opening the connection. The medium moves into their inner space, opens to contact and describes first impressions – often a figure, an atmosphere, a gender, an approximate age range.
- Identification. Details follow that should clearly describe this deceased person: appearance, character, profession, cause of death, striking memories. Your only task is: recognise or not recognise.
- Messages. Once the person is clearly identified, the actual messages come – usually in images, sometimes word-for-word. Often these are small, personal things: a nickname, a shared ritual, an apology, a thank you.
- Questions. Many mediums let you ask your own questions towards the end, so you can get concrete answers – where the connection allows.
- Closing. The medium releases the connection and grounds again. There is space for your questions about what you experienced.
How does the medium know who is coming through?
Mediums usually perceive through several channels in parallel:
- Clairvoyance – inner images, sometimes symbolic, sometimes very concrete.
- Clairsentience – sensations in their own body (e.g. "pressure in the chest" → heart attack).
- Clairaudience – words, names, sentences, melodies.
- Claircognizance – an inner knowing without being able to say where it comes from.
An experienced medium describes their perceptions without interpreting them. Strong evidence consists of details the medium cannot guess: a specific name, a profession, a characteristic saying, the cause of death.
How long does a reading take?
Typical sessions last between 45 and 90 minutes. The actual contact window is usually shorter, because time is planned before and after for arrival, explanation and closing conversation. For you this time is often intense – keep the rest of the day calm.
In person or online?
Both formats work. In-person sessions make the energetic space more tangible and allow the medium to respond to your body language. Online sessions (video or phone) are more flexible and often less expensive – in the experience of most mediums the quality of the spirit connection is equally good, because that connection is not bound to physical space.
How much does a reading cost?
Prices in Germany, Austria and Switzerland typically range from 80 to 220 euros per session. Well-known mediums charge more, mediums in training often less. Price is not a reliable indicator of quality – references, method of working and a feeling of being met as an equal matter more.
What to watch out for
- The medium takes your concern seriously but makes no promises.
- No doom predictions, no dependency, no "energies I can remove for an extra fee".
- Transparent pricing, a clear structure, clean boundaries (health, finances, legal matters do not belong here).
- A medium will also say "no one is coming today" if the connection is not clear – that is a sign of quality.
- You should feel at ease. If you do not, it is the wrong medium for you – not the other way round.
What if nothing comes through?
There are days when the connection does not establish, or only little concrete information comes through. That is not your fault. A reputable medium would rather end the session or offer a replacement appointment than say "something" just to fill the time.
Find a medium on Heaven Connect
Heaven Connect is a free directory for mediums in the German-speaking region. In the directory you'll find mediums offering mediumship readings, trance sittings and other forms of spiritual guidance – with languages, session type, price and contact. Heaven Connect is commission-free.
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