Psychic & Mediumship: Inherent or Learned?
At the National Spiritual Science Center in Washington, DC, meditation was the cornerstone of spiritual development and enlightenment. It wasn’t just about quieting the mind — it was a discipline that helped students refine and strengthen their spiritual gifts and inner power.
Whether in healing, mediumship, clairvoyance, or other forms of psychicism, meditation provided the focus and clarity to unfold those gifts. Some students became more attuned as mediums. Others deepened as psychics, and still others grew as healers, But all shared the same foundation: a steady practice of meditation, discipline, and accountability.
Too often, people become uneasy when they hear the word mediumship. But fear usually comes from misunderstanding. And mediumship, at its core, is simply about communication with Spirit. For some, that may come as messages from loved ones who have crossed over; for others, it may come as guidance from the higher realms. In every form, it is a gift of spiritual connection.
These gifts can manifest whether we are trained or not. Training helps us use them wisely, giving structure and responsibility to what is already our inherent birthright.
Spiritual gifts vary. Meditation at the National Spiritual Science Center wasn’t presented as an instant awakening, but as a significant part of spiritual development. It was one part of a larger process that only deepened what students already carried within.
Those who meditated with clear purpose often found their sensitivity heightened — but meditation alone does not create spiritual gifts.
In the 1970s, The Psychic Observer & Chimes—published under the direction of Rev. Henry J. and Rev. Diane S. Nagorka, announced the establishment of the American Academy of Parapsychology through the National Spiritual Science Center. This collaboration of research and ministry reflected the Center’s long-standing commitment to understanding spiritual gifts as both natural and divine phenomena.
A Spiritual Science Reflection from Rev. Starlene Joyner Burns — President & Founder, National Spiritual Science Center Historical Society
Stay connected — follow our blog for more reflections and insights.