(2) You should be careful to keep your self consciousness active and alert when entering trance. Do not give yourself up completely or allow the mind to become a blank at first. Give yourself up in every other way but this. You must always keep in the background of your mind the thought: “I am I … I am so-and-so (your name) … I will remain in my body. … I am strength and power … I will not be influenced against my will by forces other than good. … I can always return to myself when I want to.”
These and similar suggestions you must give to yourself, and hold them in your mind as a central point of force while entering trance, even when allowing yourself to become passive in every other way. If you do this, you will avoid a great deal of difficulty and danger.

(3) If you can in any way assure yourself that you have a band of spirits or controls “on the other side” who are ready and willing to help you, this would mean much. A good medium or clairvoyant could probably tell you whether this is the case, and the nature of the intelligences who are trying to influence and act upon you.

If these are described as evil, you had best postpone your development until this condition changes. If, on the contrary, they are described as good and helpful, you may proceed, subject to the above precautions and advice.

The oncoming of trance is often signified by certain physical and psychical manifestations, which must not alarm you when they appear as they sometimes but not always do.

Hiccoughs, sudden and spasmodic pains and cramps, a feeling of “all-goneness,” nausea, flashes of light, or the sensation of faintness and that everything is turning black before you these are a few of the symptoms which you are liable to experience during your early development and, though they may not be pleasant, you had better be warned of them in advance and not be alarmed when they appear.

Sometimes, however, none of these signs are manifest only a delightful sensation of falling asleep upon a bed of roses. In these cases, the psychic has developed himself properly and systematically and his guides or controls are also wise and helpful.

These are the fortunate but unhappily rare cases but it is hoped that, by following our advice many more will be enabled to develop in this wholesome manner.

Begin by gazing for some time at a bright object, such as a reflected light, coming from a mirror, crystal-ball, etc.

This will tend to tire the eyes and nerves slightly and bring about a dazed condition which is usually the beginning of trance. While looking at the bright object, breathe deeply and regularly through the nose and from the diaphragm. You must not let this distract your attention, however, as all the bodily processes should be unconscious. If you have already practiced deep breathing, as before explained, you should by this time be so far advanced that you can do so at will without consciously thinking of it.

While looking at the bright object, do not concentrate or think of anything in particular, beyond keeping yourself conscious and remembering all the time that you are “yourself,” that you are not leaving your body and that you are not going to become totally unconscious.

During this process the room should be as quiet as possible, though some monotonous sound such as the ticking of a large clock, might assist matters. Do not listen to this consciously, however abolish all feelings of fear and all anxiety, as such mental states will effectually prevent you from entering the trance condition. “Let yourself go” and develop as far as possible.

(1) The intelligences acting upon them (the mediums) are almost invariably of a superior character and therefore must mould the organism by constant use for the expression of higher forms of thought.
(2) The relation of the medium to the manifesting intelligence is that of pupil to teacher, sometimes that of a child to a wise and loving parent, and sometimes both these relations combined with a subtle and ennobling spirituality.
(3) There is always a mutual spiritual relation, even though the medium is not humanly conscious of it ; and no one can be a medium for the perfect expression of spiritual messages or discourses who does not consent to the procedure and co-operate with the manifesting spirit.

(4) As the master musician improves the instrument he plays upon, so also a spirit controlling a human organism for the purpose of expressing wholesome thought, imparts a greater power both to the brain and spirit of the medium. It is often difficult for spirits to control a medium sufficiently to manifest in any way through him.

In trance, we may assume that there is a gradual and fluctuating control of the medium’s mind and body by the communicating spirit, and that, as one vacates or is driven out by the invading intelligence, the latter is able to control, more and more effectually, the medium. Just as “two solid bodies cannot be in the same place at the same time,” so two spirit intelligences cannot occupy and control the same body at the same moment.
When once the fact of spirit control is granted, the nature and character of this control remains to be solved. How does the spirit manipulate the brain and nervous mechanism of the medium, to bring about the desired results. What parts of the brain are used, and how? These and many similar questions remain to be answered; and it may take many years of scientific research before we are enabled to answer queries such as these with any degree of confidence.

Both trance and catalepsy occur spontaneously; both may also be induced artificially by hypnotism. Both are mistaken for death, and in many respects they are very similar. In catalepsy the body is rigid, whereas in trance this is very rarely the case this forming the chief mark of distinction (external indication) between the two states. What the internal differences are we do not know. Various attempts, however, have been made to define them. Dr. Franz Hartmann, e.g., thus distinguishes them: “There seems hardly any limit to the time during which a person may remain in a trance but catalepsy is due to some obstruction in the organic mechanism of the body on account of its exhausted nervous power. In the last case the activity of life begins again as soon as the impediment is removed or the nervous energy has recuperated its strength.
When a hypnotist places bis subject under hypnotic control, the subject remains en rapport with the operator. The influence comes from a living person. In the medium-trance it seems probable that the operator is not a living but a deceased person, and that it is a kind of telepathic influence from spirits which induces this state. In fact, it is brought about by influence from the “other side.”

10. Finally, you must teach yourself to express what you feel. Often this is most difficult. You may feel a thing, and feel inclined to say it, but something seems to hold you back until it is too late. Overcome this restrictive feeling. It is important you should do so, for this is one of the most important things to learn in the cultivation of mediumship. When you have learned to express your impressions, you have progressed far along the road.
These practices in the cultivation of sensitiveness are the most valuable you can have as a preparation for the cultivation of true mediumship. At the same time, they are safe exercises to follow. Practise them, therefore, before you attempt any definitely mediumistic exercises; and you will be rewarded by a safe and sane increase of your inner, spiritual faculties.

2, Stand before a mirror. See whether or not you are enabled to perceive any influence coming from your reflected image in the mirror. Many sensitive persons can do this, and the more sensitive you are, the more will you feel this. You will sense a magnetic fluid, coming from the reflected form in the mirror.
3. If you are in the habit of sleeping with any one regularly, endeavour to analyse the impressions you receive from the aura emanating from the body of the person with whom you may be sleeping. See whether this is positive or negative. Positive aura is slightly warm, negative aura is somewhat cold.
4. Hold your right hand above a mirror ; then the left hand. Try to feel whether one hand feels cooler than the other; or whether both are of equal temperature. The hand which is warmest is on the more positive side of the body,
5. Close your eyes, and have some one make magnetic passes over your head and shoulders. Try to tell whether those passes are being made in an upward or downward direction. Downward passes are positive or sleeping passes; upward passes are negative or waking passes.
6. Procure several metals, such as copper, iron, tin, zinc, etc. Place your hands over each in turn, and ascertain the different impressions you get from each one. Then wrap them in separate pieces of paper (making all alike in appearance) and see whether you can always tell the correct metal from feeling the paper. Then place your open hand over the paper, without touching it. Next remove your hand gradually further and further away, until you are some distance from the metal. After a time, you should be enabled to do all this from a considerable distance. It is only an extension of this power which enables “dowsers” or metal and water-finders to locate the whereabouts of metal and water under the ground, by walking over the spot, above ground, with hands outstretched, or with a divining or dowsing rod held in their hands.
7. Always have flowers in your sleeping room. They are a good influence. Analyse the difference between your impressions when the flowers are removed; and when they are in the room.