pronoia, the opposite state of mind to paranoia—where one has the sense of a grand conspiracy that exists to help, rather than harm. It is also used to describe a philosophy that the world is secretly set up to benefit people. If a mediumistic message leaves you with the feeling that you are loved, supported, and part of something bigger than

others. Hope is an embrace of the unknown and unknowable, an alternative to the certainty of both optimists and pessimists.

As any good host knows, you can’t force a party to happen. You can send out the invitations. You can buy the food. You can make a playlist. But it’s still possible that no one will show up. Or if they do show up, they might sit quietly and awkwardly in their own worlds instead of really communing with one another. You can only create the conditions

People will walk in and out of your life all the time, but their idea of you will be frozen in time.

Don’t let anyone else’s narrative override your own experience.

Fresh mugwort can be bound into a bundle and dried in order to create a smudge stick for clearing out spaces of negative energy or ghosts.

Mediumship is like divination, but your body is the tool instead of cards. That’s why so many messages are experienced in a way that resembles the physical senses. Care for your tool, and it will serve you well. Pay attention to your diet: do certain foods make you less psychically sensitive? (Excessive salt, meat, and dairy are common culprits.)

I try to perform a mediumship session with my ancestors and spirit guides once a week, ideally on Sunday evening to give thanks for the week that has just passed and prepare for the one that is to come. This practice helps me navigate life and maintain my emotional balance.

Personally, I like to think of magic as prayer in 3D.