How Do I Know It's Spirit and Not Just Me?
- Philip Dykes
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
If you are a developing medium, you know the voice. It’s the whisper of doubt that comes just as you’re about to share a piece of evidence from Spirit.
Is this real?
What if I’m wrong?
Am I just making this up?
This struggle isn't just common; it’s a defining part of the modern medium’s journey. In development circles and forums online, the most pressing question has evolved. It’s no longer just about techniques; it's about resilience.
The question that defines the heart of today’s mediumship training is this:
How do I develop my mediumship while navigating crippling self-doubt and remaining committed to ethical, evidential practice?
The answer lies in a new standard of training, one that blends spiritual discipline with psychological awareness. It requires mediums to be not just technically proficient, but emotionally mature and ethically grounded. This integrated approach is championed by leading professionals like Philip Dykes and Kerry McLeod, who bring a rare combination of decades of mediumship experience, accredited coaching qualifications, psychotherapy understandings and business leadership to their work.
But their philosophy isn't just for their students. The principles they model can help you right now. Here are actionable steps, grounded in best practices, to build your skills, find your confidence, and stay true to Spirit.
1. Quiet Your Mind to Differentiate Spirit from Ego
One of the first steps in learning to separate 'you' from 'Spirit' is to quiet your own mental chatter. Your mind is the instrument through which Spirit communicates, and as Philip and Kerry state, “You are the instrument. Your mind is the tuning fork.”
Actionable Exercise: The Five-Minute Sit
This isn't about complex meditation. Before you intend to practice or connect with Spirit, set aside just five minutes.
Sit comfortably in a chair, feet flat on the floor.
Close your eyes and focus only on the rhythm of your own breathing. Don't try to change it. Just observe it.
When a thought arises (and it will), simply thank it and gently guide your focus back to your breath.
The goal isn’t to empty your mind; the goal is to practice returning to a calm center. This simple act builds the mental discipline to distinguish your own thoughts from the subtle impressions of Spirit.
2. Overcome Self Doubt in Your Mediumship Practice
To know if thoughts are from Spirit, you must first learn to identify the loud voice of your own inner critic. You can’t receive a message of love from Spirit if your own doubt is screaming that you're unworthy of receiving it. We are known by the spirit world by our light, our light is affected by our thoughts, our thoughts are shaped by our beliefs.
Actionable Exercise: The Two-Column Journal
This coaching exercise helps separate your own fear from spiritual truth. Draw a line down the center of a page.
On the left side, write the heading: "What My Doubt Says." Spend five minutes free writing every fear and insecurity you have about your mediumship.
I'm not good enough
I'll get it wrong
Will people judge me.
On the right side, write the heading: "What My Spirit Knows."
Now, connect with the highest, most loving energy you can imagine. Ask it to respond to each of the fears on the left. Write down the compassionate, patient, and encouraging truths of wjo you are.
"Your worth is not based on your performance, Every attempt is a success in learning, Spirit are here to help you"
Doing this regularly retrains your brain to listen to a more empowering voice.
3. Use Evidential Mediumship to Validate Your Connection
The clearest way to know information is from Spirit and not just you is when the evidence is specific, factual, and outside your own interpretation. The power of evidential mediumship lies in providing facts the sitter can validate, proving the continuity of life.
Actionable Exercise: Psychometry
This classic psychic exercise helps you step by step into the understanding of what evidence you have and hones the skill of pure specific accuracy.
Have a friend place a random, unfamiliar object in a box or bag.
Without looking, hold the object or place your hand over the container.
Describe what you perceive using only sensory data. Instead of saying, "It's a keychain," say, "I sense cold metal. I feel a sharp, serrated edge. I'm getting the color blue and a sense of something being 'worn' or 'used' often."
This teaches you to break down information into its purest components of understanding, leading you to the conclusion, the exact same skill needed to deliver clean evidence from Spirit without jumping to conclusions, leading you to specific understanding of your evidence and profound accurate end statements, even though your narrating your feelings, over time its done internally within milliseconds in the mind, leading to " I know this is" statements, no jumping to conclusions needed.
4. Set Ethical Boundaries for Clearer Spirit Communication
Setting a clear intention helps create a sacred space where it's easier to recognise Spirit's voice from your own. Ethical practice is the foundation of trust, and it begins with ensuring you have consent.
Actionable Exercise: The Permission Portal
Treat every single connection as a sacred contract. Before you read for a fellow student or sitter, create an intentional moment of permission. Say these words aloud or to yourself:
"I ask Spirit to draw close and I ask [Sitter's Name] for your permission to connect with them on your behalf. My intention is to be a clear and ethical channel for healing and evidence. Spirit, I ask that you provide only what is for this person's highest good today."
This simple act sets a powerful boundary. It tells your ego to step aside, informs Spirit of your intention, and shows deep respect for the person you are reading for.
Final Words: Growth Is a Spiritual Responsibility
Battling self-doubt is not a sign that you aren't meant to be a medium. It is a sign that you are on the path of growth, a path that demands you become a clearer, stronger, and more compassionate version of yourself.
In the evolving landscape of 2025, mediumship is calling for practitioners who are not only gifted but also grounded. The work of Philip Dykes and Kerry McLeod is at the forefront of this movement, proving that by integrating psychological awareness with spiritual practice, we can elevate the standards of mediumship across the world.
So, if you are asking that fundamental question, "How do I know it's Spirit and not just me?", know that the path is clear. It begins with small, consistent steps that build a foundation of trust within yourself, so that the spirit world can trust you with its messages.
Ready to Build a Stronger Foundation?
The exercises in this article are starting points. If you are ready to move from self-doubt to confidence with structured, expert guidance, you can explore the comprehensive training and mentoring offered by Philip Dykes and Kerry McLeod. Their work is dedicated to helping students master the art of ethical, evidential mediumship.To learn more about their workshops and courses, a good starting point is to visit their website.
✨ Reflect & Share
What is one small, actionable step from this article that you will commit to practicing this week?
Share your intention in the comments below!
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