If you’ve ever had a reading, or even thought about booking one, you’ve probably wondered what actually happens on the other side of it. Not the part you see. The part before the session starts.
Because while it might look like a medium simply “tunes in” and begins, there’s a whole process that happens quietly, without an audience. No dramatic setup. No big ritual. Just a shift in awareness that most people wouldn’t notice unless they were doing it themselves.
That shift has a name:
Sitting in the power.
What does “sitting in the power” actually mean?
It’s not about calling anything in. It’s not about forcing a connection. It’s about becoming still enough to meet what’s already there.
When mediums sit in the power, they’re not reaching outward, they’re settling inward. Think of it less like dialing a number, and more like adjusting a radio. The station already exists. The work is in finding the right frequency.
Why this step matters (more than people realize)
A reading isn’t just about passing along messages. It’s about clarity. If a medium is distracted, emotionally overwhelmed, or trying too hard to “get it right,” the information can come through tangled. Not wrong, but harder to interpret. Sitting in the power clears that static.
It creates a space where:
- Subtle impressions don’t get drowned out
- Emotions can be felt without becoming overwhelming
- The medium stays grounded instead of pulled in every direction
It’s less about doing something impressive… and more about getting out of the way.
What it feels like from the inside
It’s not flashy. There’s no sudden switch where everything turns on. It usually starts with a softening. The body relaxes. The mind slows down, not completely quiet, just less crowded.
Then something shifts. Awareness expands a bit. Time feels different. The room is still the same, but the experience of it changes.
Mediums often describe it as:
- Feeling both deeply present and slightly pulled back at the same time
- A gentle pressure or warmth around the chest or head
- A sense of being connected to something larger, without losing themselves in it
Nothing overwhelming. Just… open.
What they’re actually doing during this time
This is the part people expect to be complicated, but it’s surprisingly simple.
They’re noticing. That’s it.
Noticing:
- Subtle emotional changes
- Flickers of images
- Words or phrases that land lightly in the mind
- Physical sensations that don’t quite feel like their own
They’re not chasing the information. They’re allowing it. The moment a medium starts trying to control it too much, things tighten. So instead, they stay in a kind of receptive awareness alert, but not forcing.
The balance most people don’t see
There’s a quiet skill in staying open without drifting. If a medium becomes too passive, the connection weakens. If they become too active, they start interpreting too quickly.
So there’s a middle ground:
- Open, but anchored
- Aware, but not analytical
- Engaged, but not controlling
That balance is built over time. It’s not something that just “clicks” overnight.
Why mediums don’t just “turn it on”
One of the biggest misconceptions is that mediumship is like flipping a switch. It’s not.
Every reading is a new interaction. A new dynamic. Even experienced mediums take time to settle in, because each connection has its own rhythm. Sitting in the power is how they meet that rhythm instead of rushing past it.
Can you feel this too?
This isn’t reserved for professional mediums. The state they’re entering, this quiet, aware, grounded presence, is something anyone can access. You’ve probably touched it without realizing:
- Right before you fall asleep, when your mind softens
- During a moment of deep focus where everything else fades out
- Sitting in silence, when you suddenly feel more aware of everything around you
That space? That’s the doorway. Mediums just learn how to stay there longer… and trust what comes through it.
What this means for your reading experience
If you’re ever sitting across from a medium (or on a call with one), and there’s a pause before things begin, that’s not hesitation. That’s preparation.
That’s them settling in. Clearing their own thoughts. Letting the connection build in a way that’s steady instead of rushed. And when they do start speaking, it’s not because they’ve “figured something out.” It’s because something has arrived clearly enough to share.
The part that often goes unspoken
Mediumship isn’t about performing. It’s about listening, on a level that’s easy to overlook in everyday life. Sitting in the power is where that listening begins.
Not with effort. Not with force. But with a willingness to be still enough that something quieter can come forward. And once you understand that, the whole experience starts to feel a little less mysterious… and a lot more human.