Contemporary Mediumship: Anthropological Perspectives on the Long Island Medium
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Contemporary Mediumship: pertain to the issue of bereavement and Anthropological Perspectives on the Long burden; after experiencing loss, how do we Island Medium heal within a biomedical paradigm intent on curing, rather than coping? I intend to argue Rasha Darghawth that mediumship has become an increasingly exercised form of symbolic healing, Traditionally, the role of contingent on sustained skepticism mediumship in North America incites the surrounding the finality of death and the typically skeptical perspective of mediums notion that spirits gain agency through the as charlatans or “quacks” (Moore 2000). physical nature of perceived events, such as Historically, mediumship emerged as a after-death communication. wildly successful industry, cited as one of the emerging American professions in the I stress that I am not examining 1850s (Moore 2000). In spite of its status as whether mediumship is scientifically a fad of the time, its root –that of rational or “real”. Instead, I adopt an scientifically proving the existence of an interpretive approach and focus on the afterlife and the souls that inhabit it – narratives and experiences of those who endures to this day. Long Island Medium have experienced after-death (2012), a television series broadcast by The communication or sought counsel from a Learning Channel, follows Theresa Caputo medium; they believe they have felt or seen through daily life in Hicksville, New York the spirits of their loved ones. For these with her husband and two children in mourners, spirituality and mediumship are suburbia. “I like to think of myself as a as arguably “real” as the objects surrounding typical Long Island mom”, she says in the you, and must be respected. For this reason, show’s intro. “But, I have a very special I do not engage with the traditional gift… I talk to the dead” (Caputo 2012f). perspective of mediumship as charlatanry. Theresa is a medium, able to connect with people who have “departed the physical In the first section, I begin with world” (Caputo 2012d). With a waiting list questioning death’s finality as potentially of two years, Theresa’s services consist of healing in two ways. First, it implies the channelling messages of assurance from reassuring existence of an afterlife and departed loved ones and imparting them consequent enduring relationships and upon their grieving relatives. second, assumes this platform lessens anxieties regarding death. Both constitute Aside from being a wildly successful “small turns” (Waldram 1997) of a show (garnering impressive ratings for new culturally constructed symbolic world, episodes), the show raises existential which at first glance appears to be a questions concerning the finality of death, resulting “drastic change” (Waldram our tendency to foreground our physical 1997:76) catalyzed by mediumship (note bodies and the process of mourning. this concept of “small turns” will be further Furthermore, it highlights how these three addressed). elements merge to catalyze a healing process otherwise unavailable in a biomedical context1. Specifically, these questions body as a machine (existing wholly separately from the mind), locating the cause of disease within it. In 1 A biomedical context is one considered to be the process, the illness experience (the subjective contingent on Cartesian dualism or the separation of experience of suffering or any identifiable social mind and body. The biomedical paradigm views the locus of the disease) is overlooked (Kleinman 1988). 83 Historically, questioning death and a cultivating its acceptance. Bruce Greyson consequent post-mortem life has been the (2010:159) suggests the notion that “our subject of extensive anthropological unconsciousness might persist in some research with pioneers like Bronislaw discarnate form…[is] widely held in almost Malinowski (1929) and Arnold Van Gennep every culture” and that “a wide variety of (1960). Christian pedagogies emphasize the human experiences suggest to us that our existence of a blissful heaven, while consciousness may not cease when our Trobriander myths envision Tuma, an island bodies die”. Lastly, Kwilecki (2009) notes where spirits of the dead fancifully indulge that “death ends a life… not a relationship” in life and are able to shed old, wrinkled (119). For example, on Long Island skin for a young, smooth alternative until Medium, participants frequently make their decision to be reborn into the physical statements like ‘I feel them with/around world (Malinowski 1929). While mythical me’, referring to an inexplicable, ubiquitous worlds range greatly, various constants presence. Essentially, mediumship serves to persist: the afterlife is one analogous to ours simply state that, “I’m okay. I’m nearby. I (Van Gennep 1960), but is constructed of a love you” (Kwilecki 2009:101). Thus, the “me but better” fabric (Kwilecki 2009:114). departed are the same people who continue Spirits are viewed as healthy, happy, young, to fulfill the same roles, yet are occupying a mobile and continue to occupy their former different realm and matter. Perhaps your familial roles (Kwilecki 2009). mother, father, brother or sister has lost their Consequently, in the show, Theresa overt physicality in death, but they continue constantly refers to loved ones as “on the a happy existence in the hereafter and other side”, subtly implying distance while remain as such, despite lacking physicality. insinuating adjacency (Caputo 2012b). This persistent existence is reflected in the Additionally, she provides validation that, notion of symbolic healing as a mechanism “Your loved ones are alive and well” on said for teaching people how to manage trauma “other side”, where physical ailments which and dysfunction (Waldram 1997). may have hindered mobility and quality of Specifically, mediumship affirms to the life no longer exist (Caputo 2012e). Quite living that: ‘You will be able to cope obviously, the practice of mediumship itself because I am with you’; essentially, the is predicated on the notion that the deceased deceased act as a coping resource. Or do, in fact, ‘exist’ substantially enough to perhaps, ‘You do not need to cope, because I relay messages. Once this key existential am still with you’ there is no need to grieve question is addressed and validated in the because they are still present, though in a process of mediumship, we see contingent different form. concepts predicated on this crucial notion of a verified afterlife and its souls, such as the Additionally, the validation of an enduring nature of relationships and the afterlife and enduring relations through buffering of death’s harmful effects. Both mediumship are crucial in the construction constitute building blocks of a greater of a symbolic healing system. James B. symbolic world; one which will be unpacked Waldram (1997:73) states that the symbol is further throughout this essay. “any thing which may function as a vehicle for a conception”. The author gives the Linda Connor (1990) suggests that example of being “reborn” through a “social relations are transformed, not traditional North American Indigenous severed, through death” (399), stating that a ceremony known as the sweat lodge shift towards acceptance of grief seems to be (symbolic of Mother Earth’s or a woman’s 84 womb), whereby men enter a receptacle and layered (Connor 1990) and more are shrouded with symbolic elements made importantly, validated. to imitate the coming-again of life. Waldram provides a summary of the sweat lodge Therefore, not only does the practice through the words of Aboriginal elder of mediumship serve as the potential to heal, Campbell Papequash. Inside the sweat lodge but it also validates the assumptions on (which is often constructed of willow frame which post-mortem existence is predicated. and canvas tarps) participants endure slowly By doing so, mediumship exercises what intensifying heat whereby the lodge is Kleinman (cited in Waldram 1997:76) calls plunged into darkness and filled with “small turns of change”. To illustrate these, pungent steam and heat (from sprinkling Kleinman (cited in Waldram 1997:76) water on heated rocks). This procedure is provides the example of psychotherapy, accompanied by singing, drumming and questioning whether “specific techniques of praying until, sometimes, a few minutes’ psychotherapy invoke specific effects or are relief of air is allowed before re- such effects the product of… shared commencing. At its core, the sweat lodge components of these techniques?”. embodies a plurality of symbolic Additionally, Kirmayer (cited in Waldram associations with Indigenous worldviews. 1997:76) suggests that “even dramatic For example, the rocks which generate changes may… be found to be composed of steam represent “many of our natures as these small turns”. Specifically, while human beings” (Waldram 1997:86), some of modern psychotherapy is largely reliant on which are endurance, strength and sacrifice. talk therapy or cognitive behavioural The water is symbolic of “medicine and therapy, the potentially beneficial results totality” (Waldram 1997:86), while the may not be fully exclusive to the therapy darkness within the lodge is akin to “the itself. For example, the individual may have void and emptiness in our mind, body and reaped such rewards partially due to the spirit”. Opening the doors between rounds to accompanying self-mastery that often allow light and air serves as both a precludes seeking therapy (especially at a functional and symbolic measure against time when mental illness is still stigmatized) such darkness by allowing physical relief in or from the psychologist being boldly addition to the “Great Spirit’s light” confident in their improvement. Thus, the (Wadram 1997:92), which is said to psychologist indirectly becomes symbolic of illuminate human ignorance. Essentially, the self-mastery and success. This symbolic link sweat lodge acts as a site of interaction may exist unaware to the patient, who may within which a multitude of symbols subscribe to the belief that the representing the life cycle, rebirth, the psychologist’s skills alone ‘cured’ them universe and wisdom intersect, after which (Waldram 1997).