Mediums and Mystics

Female medieval mystics were thought by their contemporaries to straddle the boundary between the living and the dead. Through their devotional practices they were able to talk to God, Jesus Christ, Mary and a whole host of saints and angels. In this book I analyse the structures and processes within which medieval mystics practiced and within which contemporary Spiritualists live more secular lives of spiritual observance. As a religion early Spiritualism was not based on an authoritative set of writings, it flourished through people seeking a different pathway to God: I show through my research how the movement continues to evolve. The three groups selected for the basis of my research in Perth, Western Australia, differ in many respects yet share an underlying belief based on the tenet that there is an afterlife and that this can be accessed through the skills of a medium. It is through this tenet that I give voice to contemporary women, medieval mystics and those in spirit.

Janet Baldwin obtained her PhD in 2008 at Curtin University. She lives and works in Perth, Western Australia, and tutors in Anthropology, History and Sociology. Janet also teaches the development of mediumship. She is currently conducting research into: spiritual healing, the spiritual practices of male mediums and trance mediumship.