The Examination of Automatic Writing
Beginning in the mid-1800s, a new movement known as “Spiritualism” brought connecting with the spiritual realm to the forefront of the general public. One popular activity used by mediums at the time was automatic writing. Automatic writing is also referred to as spirit writing or psychography. In basic terms, automatic writing is the act of allowing a spirit or an entity to give a message in written form using the hand of a human.
Uses in Religion
Automatic writing is not exclusive to the spiritualist movement. Christians, Jews, Mormons and Muslims learn through their religious teachings that the Bible, the Torah, the Book of Mormon, and the Koran were written directly from the word of their Abrahamic god. From Moses and Jesus’ disciples to Joseph Smith and Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, it is said that the Abrahamic god spoke directly to them. In turn, they wrote down what was said or revealed to them. The way in which these religious holy books were written is just one form of how automatic writing is said to work.
Mental Health Benefits
Putting spiritualism and religion aside, automatic writing is also used today by mental health practitioners. Therapists use automatic writing to help their clients understand what is in their unconscious mind. Psychology Dictionary defines automatic writing as “the act of writing while one’s attention is not focused – for example, writing without conscious awareness. This occurs during a hypnotic trance. Unconscious writing may be utilized in hypnotherapy to provide the therapist with access to the unconscious material from the client.”
There is a growing number of mental health practitioners who believe that the art of writing does have a positive therapeutic benefit. This includes having their clients use different types of writing techniques, such as journaling, poetry, fictional, autobiographical, as well as automatic writing.
Warnings of Danger
Automatic writing may seem innocent to certain groups, but to some it is the exact opposite. As with spirit boards, specifically the Ouija Board, automatic writing doesn’t come without dire warnings from some sections of our society. Most of these warnings come from those with a strong religious viewpoint.
For example, an article written by Michael Bradley for the Christian website www.bible-knowledge.com, warned of demonic activity for someone who wants to take part in an automatic writing session. Bradley wrote, “Automatic writing is another tool used in the occult to make direct contact with real, live, demonic spirits. The practitioners of this dark occult art feel they are making direct contact with helpful and benevolent spirits.” He then added, “There is no such thing as a benevolent demonic spirit.” He continued writing, “As with the Ouija Board, automatic writing is extremely dangerous, and it will give full legal rights in the spiritual realm for demons to be able to come directly after you if you try to engage in it.”
How Automatic Writing Works
Disagreements on exactly how automatic writing works is not uncommon. As with anything related to the paranormal field, there are strong opinions as to what exactly happens when a person is doing an automatic writing session. Does the spirit enter your body? Well, that depends upon who you ask.
A psychic named Lilly from Hope From Beyond, a Christian-based group founded in 1999, describes on her website the interaction with a spirit this way; “They do not come inside your physical body, yet they approach your Auric Field and lightly touch your arm and allow their own hand to come in contact with your hand and then write through your hand holding the pen.” In contrast, others believe that spirits or entities send telepathic messages to a person while they are conducting an automatic writing session.
Anna Sayce, who provides intuitive development and spiritual training combines psychology and the spiritual realm together with regards to automatic writing. Sayce writes on her website that automatic writing, “Is a great, non-scary way of channeling your Higher Self or Spirit Guides through writing.”
How to Conduct an Automatic Writing Session
There are just as many ways to conduct an automatic writing session as there are opinions as to what exactly is happening during a session. If you are a religious person, there are suggestions that you start your session with a protection prayer. Others believe you only need to meditate before you begin, or do your session while in a meditative state. Some think you just need to sit down with your pen and paper, then distract yourself by watching a TV show or by watching the cars go by on the street outside your window. And finally, there are those who strongly urge you to use your non-dominant writing hand.
Whichever way you want to conduct an automatic writing session, there are two things you will need; something to write with and something to write on. The type of writing stylus is up to you; pen, pencil, crayon, colored pencil, marker…and so on. A blank sheet of paper is the preferred type of paper to use.
The Messages
As with any form of a spirit communication device, automatic writing does not seem to be immune from lack of results. Paranormal investigators and researchers, as well as psychic mediums, may suggest a person tries again if they find that their paper is blank.
There is nothing general or common as to what a spirit or an entity will supposedly write. At the end of a session, an automatic writer’s paper could look like squiggly lines and shapes, or perhaps illegible words, or it could be a complete sentence. It is also not uncommon for the sheet of paper to have some sort of drawing of a landscape or a person.
Please be sure to watch the above video documentary entitled “The Examination of Automatic Writing,” which includes automatic writing sessions from three participants, Steven from Shadow Keepers, as well as myself.
