Mourners and mediums

ABSTRACT

Drawing on participant observation in spiritualist churches, along with interviews with bereavement counsellors, the article establishes that a minority of mourners in England occasionally visit spiritualist churches or consult mediums. The messages received are typically benign and innocuous, assuring the mourner that the deceased is all right and sends love; occasionally the messages help the mourner; reports of negative consequences are rare. These messages fit a culture that sees love as eternal, but encourages mourners to get on with their lives.