Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between Psychic and Medium

Key Difference – Psychic vs Medium
 

Although most people in the modern world confuse and use the terms psychic and medium interchangeably, there is a difference between the two words. First let us define the two words. A psychic refers to a person who has special powers that cannot be explained by science. A medium refers to a person claiming to communicate between the dead and the living. This highlights that while a psychic can see the past, present, and future, a medium does not. On the contrary, a medium acts as a go between. This is the key difference between a psychic and a medium. In the past, people were able to find psychic and mediums in circuses, carnivals, etc. However in the present, one can easily find both through the publication of books, television advertisements. Through this article, let us examine this difference further.

What Does Psychic Mean?

A psychic refers to a person who has special powers that cannot be explained by science. These powers are considered as supernatural powers. Psychics can have many supernatural powers for instance they can tell your future by looking at cards, or a crystal ball, move objects, etc. A key feature of a psychic is their ability to see the past, present and also the future. This is why they are known as clairvoyants. However, it is necessary to state that the predictions that are made by the psychic may not always be true, this can be a result of the decisions that you make in life on a daily basis.

Psychics usually have extra sensory abilities. This denotes that they can sense things which include sight, smell, touch, sound, taste which a normal person does not. Most believe that a psychic has a sixth sense that allows him to perceive information that a normal individual does not. Now let us move on to understanding the nature of a medium.

What Does Medium Mean?

A medium refers to a person claiming to communicate between the dead and the living. This is where the key difference between a psychic and a medium can be identified. Unlike a psychic whose specialty is in being clairvoyant, the specialty of a medium is communicating with the dead. Some even believe that mediums have the power to roam in the spiritual worlds.

In order to communicate with the other world, mediums use a technique referred to as channeling. This allows them to communicate with the deceased. There are different types of channeling. For example, trance channeling refers to the technique where the medium allows the spirit to take control of the body in order to convey his message. This is considered as a very dangerous technique that needs supervision. There are other techniques that can be used as well; for instance, spirit writing or else light mediumship. In spirit writing, the medium allows the energy of the spirit to take control of the body. Light mediumship, however, is different from all the above-mentioned techniques as the medium receives the information while he/she is in a fully conscious state. This highlights that a clear difference exists between the two although it is necessary to point out that some psychic can work as mediums as well.

What is the difference between Psychic and Medium?

Definitions of Psychic and Medium:

Psychic: A psychic refers to a person who has special powers that cannot be explained by science.

Medium: A medium refers to a person claiming to communicate between the dead and the living.

Characteristics of Psychic and Medium:

Specialty:

Psychic: Psychics are clairvoyants.

Medium: Mediums can communicate with the deceased.

Future:

Psychic: Psychics can predict the future through the usage of various instruments such as the crystal ball, Ouija boards, tarot cards, etc.

Medium: Mediums cannot make such predictions.

 

Image Courtesy:

1. Nadia’s Psychic Readings 01 By Bohemian Baltimore (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

2. “Seance Doll” by Cesare Lombroso – Ricerche sui fenomeni ipnotici e spiritici, Unione Tipografico-Editrice, Torinese, Turin, 1909.. [Public Domain] via Commons