What Actually Happens During a Mediumship Reading
with Jenny Shanks
If you’ve ever been curious about mediumship but held back because you weren’t sure what it really involves, you’re not alone. Most people who reach out to me have questions before they ever book a reading. They want to understand what actually happens, not in a mysterious, hard-to-grasp way, but in a real, grounded way that makes sense.
So, let’s talk about it.
First, What Is a Mediumship Reading?
A mediumship reading is a conversation, one that happens across two worlds. As a medium, I serve as a bridge between you and your loved ones in Spirit. My job is to receive the messages, impressions, and energy spirit shares with me and relay them to you as clearly as possible. The goal is always the same: to bring you peace, comfort, and evidence that the people you love are still with you.
This isn’t about performance or putting on a show. It isn’t about telling you what you want to hear. It’s about making a real connection and delivering what comes through with honesty and care.
How Do Mediums Actually Receive Messages?
This is the question I get most often, and it’s a fair one. The answer is that mediums work through what are called the “clairs”. Clairs are different channels through which Spirit communicates.
I work with a blend of all three primary channels:
Clairvoyance is clear seeing. I may receive visual impressions such as images, symbols, scenes, or even a flash of what someone looked like, that carry meaning for you.
Clairaudience is clear hearing. Words, names, phrases, or sounds may come through that I pass along to you directly.
Clairsentience is clear feeling. This one is powerful. I can feel the energy, personalities, and even the emotions of the person in Spirit. I may sense how they passed, what they loved, or the way they made you feel when they were here.
Spirit communicates in the language it knows I’ll understand. Over time, I’ve learned to recognize and trust those signs and impressions, even when they come in unexpected ways.
What to Expect When Your Reading Begins
Before we connect, I take a moment to set the intention and open the space. I do this all in my head as I set the intention and expectations with spirit. This isn’t elaborate or intimidating, it’s simply a way of becoming still and receptive so the connection can come through clearly.
From there, Spirit steps forward. I don’t get to choose who comes through, and I think that’s actually one of the most beautiful parts of this work. The people who show up are the ones who need to be heard, and who need you to hear them.
I’ll begin sharing what I’m receiving: names, letters, numbers, descriptions, memories, and personality traits. Some of it will land immediately. Some of it may take a moment to place. That’s completely normal. Spirit doesn’t always communicate in perfectly organized sentences, it’s more like piecing together a meaningful picture together.
Once we’ve established you understand who they are, I ask them why they are here and what messages they have to share with you.
Your job during a reading is simply to be open. You don’t need to feed me information or prompt me. A simple “yes,” “no,” or “I’m not sure” is all I need from you. The reading is more powerful when you let it unfold naturally verse putting an expectation on it or on spirit.
What Kinds of Messages Come Through?
This varies from reading to reading, but some themes come through consistently.
Love is almost always present. The people in Spirit want you to know they are okay, and more importantly, that they are still with you. They may reference specific moments, inside jokes, or details that only you would recognize, not to show off, but to prove they are genuinely there.
Sometimes there are things left unsaid. Apologies. Gratitude. Pride. Words that didn’t make it out before someone passed. These moments can be profound and deeply healing.
Other times the messages are lighter, a personality shining through, a bit of humor, a reminder of something they loved. Spirit carries forward who they were. Death doesn’t change that.
What Mediumship Is Not
Because there is so much misrepresentation out there, I want to be clear. Mediumship is not about telling you dramatic predictions or creating fear. It is not about claiming to have all the answers about the afterlife. And it is not something to approach with suspicion or anxiety.
What it is, at its core, is connection. A reminder that love doesn’t end. That the people who shaped you are still, in some real way, present.
I integrate science, Spirit, and energy in my practice because I believe these things are not at odds, they are part of the same larger truth. The evidence that comes through in a reading isn’t meant to require a leap of faith. It’s meant to speak for itself.
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You Don't Have to Wonder Anymore
If this resonated, trust that. Curiosity about connection is never an accident. Whether you're ready for a private reading or want to experience mediumship in a group setting first, there's a place for you here. Browse readings and upcoming events at jennyshanks.com and find what feels right for you.