What Psychic Medium John Edward Needs You to Know About Life After Death…

In this podcast episode, John Edward shares profound insights into the nature of psychic mediumship, life after death, and the human experience of grief and healing. He explores what seekers typically look for when they come for readings, how spirit communication works, and the importance of managing expectations. John also discusses his personal journey into mediumship, the scientific studies validating his work, and how he navigates skepticism. The episode further delves into grief's role in understanding love, coping with loss, and the ways people can maintain ongoing connections with those who have passed. Along the way, John offers valuable advice on discerning genuine mediums, integrating astrology and numerology into healing, and working through complex emotions such as trauma and stuck grief.

What People Seek When They Come to a Medium

John explains that most clients begin their journey with the hope of finding closure by connecting with a loved one who has passed. However, he emphasizes that what people really need is connection rather than closure. Many expect to be "fixed" or healed through the reading, but in reality, mediumship often sparks a path of personal discovery and transformation rather than immediate resolution. He acknowledges that frequently, initial readings start from a place of deficit because the client desires the presence of the deceased in the physical world, which is impossible. Managing expectations is vital, as mediums cannot control who will come through or what messages are delivered. John advises that people not ready for this openness should seek other ways to process their grief.

Understanding the Need to Connect with the Departed

John articulates that people come to mediums not only because of unresolved conversations or missed messages but also due to the fundamental human desire to know whether their loved ones are okay. Physical death creates a sense of absence and vulnerability, leading to projecting one's unrest onto those who have passed. The spirit communication is aimed at reassuring the living that "they are okay" and shifts focus onto the healing needed in the lives of those who remain. This connection helps people understand the effects of loss and guides them toward healing by realigning their perspective.

Meeting Skeptics and the Journey to Belief

John describes his own transformation from a skeptic to a medium, detailing a formative reading at age 15 that challenged his rational mind. By methodically ruling out tricks like mind reading, the compelling specificity of the information convinced him of the legitimacy of mediumship. He distinguishes skepticism from cynicism, advocating for open-minded inquiry rather than outright dismissal. Anecdotes such as an insurance investigator's skeptical observation offer examples of how scientific and objective scrutiny can reveal the genuine nature of a medium's work. John encourages those skeptical to come on the journey and observe, rather than judge prematurely.

Scientific Studies and Validation of Mediumship

John shares details of a landmark scientific study conducted in 1999, documented by HBO, which involved EEG and EKG testing during mediumship sessions. The research aimed to rule out common cynical explanations like reading body language or verbal cues. The replication and extension of tests, including silent sitter experiments where clients remained silent for extended periods, supported the conclusion that mediumship transcends such mundane explanations. Despite this validation, John acknowledges that acceptance remains divided among the public and scientific communities. He stresses the importance of objective skepticism and advises clients to seek mediums who provide factual validations instead of vague philosophy.

How Psychic Mediumship Works: Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, and Clairsentience

John breaks down his mediumship abilities into three core faculties: clairvoyance (clear seeing), clairaudience (clear hearing), and clairsentience (clear feeling). He clarifies that these receptions are often more "cloudy" than clear and resemble mental downloads or impressions rather than audible or visual sensory experiences. This reception process requires intense focus and quieting of the conscious mind. He explains how in readings, he interviews the incoming energies like an investigator to build layers of validation, seeking names, relationships, important dates, and emotional tones to ensure accuracy. The style has evolved through his work with scientific protocols to minimize bias from clients' verbal responses.

Developing Mediumship: Can Anyone Do It?

John believes that everyone has intuitive capabilities that can be fine-tuned, though not everyone will be a medium. He likens his own specialty as a medium to a surgeon among doctors—highly specific and requiring focused skill development. Many who adopt the label "psychic medium" may excel better in adjacent metaphysical fields like tarot or astrology. His goal is for people to develop their awareness and intuition—to make decisions from a place of energetic clarity rather than fear—so they can better navigate their lives consciously rather than being reliant exclusively on mediums.

What to Watch Out for With False Mediums and Scams

John warns about common red flags such as mediums who demand money to remove curses or require extensive information upfront (names, dates, cause of death). Genuine mediums do not blame spirits for failed connections but take responsibility when they cannot connect. He dislikes vague, overly flowery readings that rely on low-hanging fruit like butterfly or cardinal symbolism without deeper validation. John points out the importance of looking for mediums who offer clear evidence of connection rather than platitudes or repetitive scripted messages. Authenticity and integrity are crucial for protecting seekers from exploitation.

What a Mediumship Session Looks Like

In one-on-one sessions, John describes a process that starts by attuning to the client's energy, possibly through holding a personal object (psychometry) to unlock a connection. He explains how numerology can provide a framework for understanding the client's current life lessons and vibrational patterns. Throughout the reading, John remains focused on energetic impressions, often doodling while "interviewing" the spirits that come through—determining age, relationship to the client, names, and emotional nuances. He highlights that the process is fragmented and symbolic rather than conversational, requiring both the medium and client to be open to sometimes unexpected information.

The Role of Astrology and Numerology in Healing

John integrates numerology and astrology to deepen understanding of a client's spiritual journey. He particularly values the numeric personal year and life path number as guiding tools to frame the lessons a person faces within certain periods. For example, identifying a transformational personal year can help contextualize ongoing challenges. He encourages clients to use astrology not for vague predictions but as a diagnostic tool to learn the lessons life is presenting. John is deliberate in directing clients to specialists when deeper healing or guidance is needed beyond mediumship.

Personal Story: How John Edward Became a Medium

John recounts growing up in a family where psychics were commonplace on his Italian grandmother's side, but with skepticism from his father, a NYPD officer. His path shifted after an initial reading that left no plausible explanation. His curiosity turned to study of occult literature and active development of his abilities. The death of his uncle and later his mother catalyzed a focus on afterlife communication and grief healing. Early readings involved strong emotional presences that sometimes dominated sessions, teaching John about the complex desires clients have to connect with their departed loved ones. His journey became one of personal integration as much as public service.

Grief: Growth, Love, and Healing

John discusses grief as the other side of love, likening it to holding a heart pillow with love on one side and grief on the other. He emphasizes the need to openly acknowledge and express grief rather than suppress it. Healthy grieving includes saying what needs to be said while people are alive and allowing oneself to feel the pain that loss brings. Grief forever changes the individual, creating a new version of self that must be embraced. John warns that lasting joy will differ from previous joy and advises acceptance of that as a path to liberation rather than endless pursuit of former happiness.

Navigating Complex and Traumatic Emotions in Readings

John acknowledges that grief and love are often complicated and messy, especially in cases involving abuse, trauma, or fraught relationships. He stresses that spirit communication often comes piecemeal and symbolic, sometimes delivering healing messages to ease guilt, anger, or disappointment. Recognizing his limits, John recommends integration with mental health professionals for clients needing trauma resolution beyond the scope of mediumship. His role is to support awareness but not replace therapy, often guiding clients toward other experts like astrologers or counselors.

Staying Connected to Loved Ones in Daily Life

Individuals can maintain ongoing bonds with those who have passed by sharing stories, honoring traditions, cooking favorite foods, and openly speaking their names. John encourages incorporating the deceased into daily life narratives and personal history to keep their presence active and meaningful. He likens this to becoming a living social media feed for departed loved ones who are still "watching." Physical objects have symbolism but are less important than love and memory. John also recommends rituals like photographing or filming family homes prior to selling to preserve connection.

Addressing Dependence on Mediumship and Moving Forward

John stresses the necessity of treating mediumship as a supportive tool rather than a crutch. He has set boundaries with clients to prevent over-reliance and advises taking time between readings for life to unfold and growth to happen. Mediumship should empower internal awareness rather than create dependency on external validations. Encouraging clients to engage fully with their personal lives, relationships, and inner work fosters healthier healing processes.

John Edward's Work With Law Enforcement and "Chasing Evil"

John shares an unexpected chapter of his career assisting an FBI agent on cold cases related to missing persons. Though skeptical police initially doubted his abilities, the collaboration yielded valuable information that helped progress investigations. This work ultimately culminated in his book "Chasing Evil," which explores mediumship's role beyond personal healing toward aiding justice. John reflects on the complexity of this work and how it enhanced his own growth, even while his true passion remains helping everyday people with grief and connection.

Resources for Deeper Learning and Development

For those interested in exploring mediumship and related disciplines, John highlights his book "The Infinite Quest" and the online platform Evolve Plus TV. This resource offers workshops, live streams, and access to experts in past life regression, numerology, astrology, and more. John created the platform to provide a comprehensive space for individuals to evolve their awareness, foster spiritual growth, and connect with reliable practitioners committed to integrity and healing.