The term “development” as here used means an increased sensitiveness of the perceptive faculty by which the medium becomes aware of and influenced by the proximity of discarnate spirits. It means also an intensified passivity of the normal soul, thus facilitating control by the secondary mind or by external spirits. And it signifies furthermore the placing of a larger proportion of the medium’s substance and physical powers at the disposal of the controlling beings, thereby enabling these existences to produce manifestations which otherwise would be impossible. The actual _modus operandi_ of the use by a control of a medium’s body and vitality is not yet understood; but the fact of such use has been a matter of observation and experiment in all ages of which we have any record. Hence the communication with a discarnate spirit will be fuller, freer and more extended in proportion to the better adaptation of the intermediate psychical mechanism. CHAPTER VII PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPEAKING WITH THE DEAD 1.--As a general rule applying to all methods of communicating, every person who desires to be brought into touch with discarnate spirits should make a point of being tranquil, unoccupied, serious and attentive. There are two reasons for this. First, it is obvious that a mind free from outside cares and distractions is able to concentrate itself in any desired direction, and can become aware of influences that would pass unnoticed in the ordinary hurly-burly of life. Secondly, a soul at rest can be impressed by other souls very much more readily than when it is busy with activities of its own. 2.--The best method to adopt at the outset is that of Expectancy (see Chapter VI). The enquirer should sit quite alone in some room free from interruption--an indoors sitting, by reason of its fewer distractions, being preferable to a sitting in any out-of-doors locality. The thoughts need not take any religious turn, and prayer is quite unnecessary. It is desirable, in fact, to think as little as possible about anything, except in the event of the presence of some particular spirit being hoped for. When that is the case the mind may with advantage be occupied by reminiscences connected with the spirit in question--a situation being thus created which much facilitates telepathy and is analogous to the hoisting of a signal calling for response.