Drawing on his own experiences and beliefs, Hayden shares his perspective on mediumship, spirit guides, animal communication, protection, meditation, life after death, and the deeper purpose he believes lies behind his work. Whether you're a believer, a sceptic or simply curious, this is a fascinating article that explores one of humanity's oldest mysteries.
10 things you always wanted to ask a medium
People are often curious about what it’s actually like to communicate with the spirit world. Some people want to know whether mediums really see spirits standing in front of them. Others wonder if loved ones stay connected to us after they pass, whether animals have spirits too, or if I spend my days being haunted by random ghosts popping into my kitchen while I’m trying to make a cup of tea.
Over the years, I’ve realised there’s a lot of mystery, fascination and misunderstanding around mediumship. Honestly, I get it. Before I fully stepped into this path myself, I had many of the same questions. For me, mediumship isn’t about theatrics or trying to convince anyone of anything. At its core, it’s about connection, healing, love and the reminder that we may be far less alone than we sometimes feel. So, I thought I’d answer some of the questions people ask me most often — including a few they’re usually too nervous to say out loud.
1. What happens when you’re communicating with spirits?
When the spirit world communicates with me, a whole other world opens up in my mind. I can liken it to an already created black and white painting representing the human world, onto which someone paints a new world of colour, but both worlds fully complement each other. When a person from the spirit world initially makes themselves known to me, I see and feel their presence. After that, they communicate with me through feeling, symbolic imagery, hearing words or phrases, smells, and, oddly enough, sometimes tasting things. Just as we use our external senses to experience the world, we have internal senses that can perceive the spirit world.
2. What makes communication with spirits possible and is IT something anyone can do?
My ability to communicate with spirits is a combination of genetics, personal interest and intentional cultivation. Many of my ancestors, including my great-grandmother, were mediums, and my father is a great medium in his own right. I was born with a natural ability for receiving psychic and mediumship information. After the spirit world made itself known to me, I expressed my interest in developing this natural ability to my guides and loved ones in the spirit world.
I have now spent the last 14 years developing my intuitive gifts through meditation, mindfulness practices and studying spiritual traditions.
Everyone enters this life with a unique purpose; for some, communicating with spirits is part of that. I don’t think everyone needs to communicate with people who have passed away, but it’s an option if someone has a natural ability or they have a calling.
I feel what I can do is probably a natural ability everyone has; in some people, like me, it’s stronger and more developed. Learning or developing an ability, like communicating with the spirit world, takes commitment to self-understanding, a whole lot of trust and time.
3. What does your preparation before a spirt reading look like?
At the start of my day, I meditate for anywhere from ten minutes to an hour to clear my energy and invite the spirit world closer. In this process, my own personal thoughts, feelings and emotions melt away.
I see and feel that I am surrounded by pure white light, and a great spaciousness opens up within me, like an expansive blank white canvas. It’s onto this canvas that the spirit world shows me words, sounds, imagery and feelings.
4. Do spirits ever turn up when they were not expected, or won’t go away?
Yes, however, this only happens if I need to be aware of something and if I need to get a message to someone who has not booked a session with me. If someone books a reading, their people know to show up on the day.
5. Do you ever casual conversations with people who have passed?
I definitely have casual conversations with my guides, family, friends and animals in the spirit world. But, just as strangers don’t just walk into my house uninvited, I don’t let random spirits just pop in when they feel like it either.
6. Is protecting your space from negativity important, and how do you do that?
Space clear of negativity is incredibly important — even if you don’t talk to spirits. I protect my energy and my space by setting clear boundaries with myself and with the spirit world.
Same thing as creating boundaries that leave work at work and personal stuff at home. Additionally, I regularly meditate to clear my energy and the energy of my living and working spaces. I also use a mixture of essential oils, bush flower essence sprays, and nature-based tools and products — such as crystals, beeswax candles and non-toxic cleaning products — to lift the energy of my space.
I can liken this to going to the beach. If there is rubbish, air, noise or water pollution, it won’t be a pleasant or peaceful experience. However, if the water, sand and air are clean, it will likely be a rejuvenating experience
7. When you contact animal spirits, how do they communicate back?
When we’re in the spirit world, there is a common language understood by everyone, including animals. So, animals actually communicate the same way human spirits do — through imagery, feelings, words, smells and tastes.
8. Have you ever received a message that you did not want to relay?
No. I always set the intention to only bring in information that is loving, kind and empowering to my clients.
9. Do loved ones in the spirit world help us after they pass, and how?
I believe spirits do watch over us and can help us in the physical world. This is one of the key messages I get from people in the spirit world — they are with us and want to support us to live our best lives. However, as in life, we often have to ask for help or accept an offer of help. Our spirit guides won’t intrude unless we ask or welcome them in to our lives. This help often comes through intuition, dreams or meaningful coincidences.
10. After everything you’ve experienced, what do you believe happens when we die?
In essence, I believe life continues in a new form. Expanding on this, the most common stories I hear from those in the spirit world are: firstly, at the time of their passing, they are surrounded by everyone who looks after them (even if they weren’t the best human in life) — this includes loved ones and guides.
In this process, they get the help they need and are given the space, time and energy to heal from any traumas, illnesses or mental health struggles that may have accompanied them in their life.
Secondly, I believe people who have just passed away go through a ‘life review,’ where they reflect on the choices they made, the choices they didn’t make, the people they helped and the people they hurt, and create pathways to resolve any unfinished business with those still on Earth or those already in the spirit world.
Lastly, they establish their new life in the spirit world — finding a purpose, activities, things to learn, and people to assist, to name a few things, and they spend time co-creating the next chapter of their soul’s life, which might involve reincarnating to continue their soul’s development on their journey towards enlightenment.
Hayden Crosweller is a Medium, Energy Healer, Yoga Teacher and the facilitator of Men’s Yoga Canberra, which is community focused on connection, embodiment and inclusive nude practices for men.
If you would like to find out more about Hayden, visit his website: haydencroswellermedium.com or on Instagram.
