MysticMag chats with Jenny Shanks, a compassionate and gifted spiritual medium and mentor, specializing in connecting with passed loved ones to provide comfort and healing. As an evidential medium, Jenny feels incredibly blessed to facilitate meaningful connections and deliver messages from those who have crossed over. With her strong personal connection to her own passed loved ones, Jenny discovered her gift could be used to assist others on their healing journeys, bringing solace and closure. Through her profound abilities, Jenny offers a bridge between the physical and spiritual realms, offering guidance and support to those in need.
Can you describe your journey of discovering and embracing your gift as a spiritual medium? How did your connection with your grandfather and subsequent experiences shape your path?
Growing up, I had these intuitive moments that shaped my path, but I always hesitated to voice them, fearing judgment. For instance, when I didn’t want to go somewhere as a child, I couldn’t explain why, but I sensed that something would be off. I would tell my mom, but she would insist we go anyway, only for unexpected detours or disappointing experiences to occur. These incidents made me aware that there was something different about me, but I struggled to express it. At 16, my grandfather passed away, and it was this event that truly made me realize my unique connection. We knew he was nearing the end, as he had been in the hospital for a short period of time and then moved to a nursing home. My dad always waited for me to get home from school before visiting my grandfather. However, one this particular dad when I arrived home my dad wasn’t there. I instantly knew my grandfather had passed. Earlier that day, during trigonometry class, I found myself doodling and writing messages like “you’ll be with grandma soon” and “everything will be fine.” Later, I discovered that it was noted his time of death as 3:30, around the same time I had the premonition. However, when I shared these experiences with friends and family, they viewed it as “weird”, causing me to suppress my gifts for years.
It wasn’t until my late 20s, after getting married and attending a family reading organized by my aunt, that I encountered a student medium who approached me and conveyed messages from that same grandpa. Intrigued, I scheduled a private reading with her six months later, where my grandfather came through and validated a conversation I thought I had with myself during a car ride. This experience convinced me that there was something real about my abilities, and I decided to mentor under her. Through this journey, I realized that mentoring wasn’t solely about becoming a medium but about understanding and embracing my own gifts. My grandfather’s presence has been instrumental in propelling me forward, and the loss of other cherished relatives has further solidified my path as a medium.
In your sessions as a spiritual medium, how do you establish a connection with passed loved ones? Can you explain the process of receiving and delivering messages from the spirit world to your clients?
I have a strict policy of not channeling spirits without permission. Permission can come in the form of a client who has paid for their session and the calendar invite has been sent or me channeling an audience at an event in which they have paid to be there. The form of payment is the contract between myself and spirit, and the permission needed from the client. On the day of a client session, I have a sacred ritual that I go through to prepare myself. This ritual serves as a time for me to open the channel to connect with spirit, even if I’m not directly receiving messages. I let the spirits know that anyone who is open, willing, and ready for the client’s session, specifically mentioning the client’s name, is welcome to come through with messages.
Once the client arrives, I seat them in a chair and engage in some conversation to attune to the frequency of their voice, establishing a vibrational connection between myself and spirit. I then say a prayer, visually opening the doors for spirit to enter. From there, I begin sharing what I am experiencing. I have a series of questions that I typically ask spirit, such as their gender, which side of the family they are from, their relationship to the client, how they passed, and significant dates or months related to them. This helps me gather evidence to identify who they are for the person in front of me. Once we establish their identity, I spend about a quarter of the time allowing the spirit to provide evidence through memories, experiences, or relevant details that loved ones would recognize. Afterward, I ask the spirit why they came through that day and proceed to share messages.
These messages can range from topics the spirits wanted to discuss when they were alive to guidance on current aspects of the client’s life. I always reserve time at the end for the client to ask about any spirits or specific messages they were hoping to receive, although I cannot guarantee that spirit will come through. When wrapping up the reading, I say a prayer, releasing the spirit from me and sending them back to their loved ones. My communication with spirit involves various senses, including hearing, seeing, feeling, and sometimes even tasting. During a session, you may hear me mention that I’m hearing, feeling, or seeing something as I subconsciously describe my experiences to ensure the client can receive the information.
Your focus is on providing comfort, healing, and guidance through connecting with passed loved ones. Can you share some examples of impactful messages or experiences that have brought solace and transformation to your clients?
I have a client who has been seeing me for years. I have a policy of only allowing clients to visit once a year to prevent dependency and promote self-healing. Recently, this client came to me seeking guidance and comfort after the passing of his sister. His father had also attended a group reading I conducted years prior before his own passing. In his most recent session, some things came up regarding his sister’s passing. Following his session, he sent me an email expressing his gratitude for our time together. He mentioned that he had been experiencing intense emotions and anger regarding his sister’s death, but after our time together, he felt a sense of relief. His email touched my heart, knowing that I was able to help him transition from anger to comfort without him directly asking for it. Another story I have is from years ago when I met a woman who had gone through years of therapy following the loss of her mother. As an only child, she had a close bond with her mom and struggled with her relationship with her father. She was angry about her mother’s passing and felt left to deal with her father alone. Despite therapy, she still carried a lot of emotions. At the time, I was practicing as a medium under the guidance of my mentor and had reached out on Facebook offering free readings to connect with loved ones. She expressed interest, and during the reading, her mother and mother-in-law came through with messages. At the end, she hugged me and shared that the 30-minute session had done more for her than years of therapy. It was a powerful moment that made me realize the impact of sharing messages from loved ones. While I value and encourage therapy for my clients, that experience reaffirmed my desire to provide peace and comfort through mediumship. If you’re interested, you can visit my website at jennyshanks.com/client-loves to read more testimonials that have been posted there.
Your Spiritual Mediumship Mastermind Program and Root & Rise program offer opportunities for individuals to explore their spiritual awakening and develop their intuition. Could you provide more details on these programs and how they support participants in their personal growth and connection to their higher selves?
Root & Rise is a program that is constantly evolving, currently it is an 11-week virtual program designed to help participants understand their 7 main chakras and their connection to intuition. In a world where logic dominates, this program aims to bridge the gap between logical thinking and intuitive understanding. Each week, we delve into a specific chakra, starting from the root and moving up to the crown. We explore how our intuition utilizes each chakra to communicate with us, how to recognize when a chakra is out of balance creating a practice to realign it. Trusting our intuition is a major challenge for many people, as validation often comes after the intuitive decision has been made. Root & Rise is offered at least once a year, with the upcoming session starting at the end of July.
My Spiritual Mediumship Mastermind Program is a 6-month mentorship program which I guide you through your connection with spirit deepening that relationship and creating your own connection in delivering messages from passed loved ones. In order to apply for that Mastermind, you must take the Intro to Mediumship course that is available anytime for anyone and can be completed at your own pace. It consists of three virtual courses guided by me as we dive into understanding the practice of Psychic Mediumship. In this program, you learn to understand your intuition and how it serves as a channel for spirit communication.
The Spiritual Mediumship Mastermind Program takes place once a year and spans six months. It caters to individuals who are curious and wish to deepen their connection to spirit, whether they are new to mediumship or experienced mediums seeking to refine their skills. Throughout the six months, participants engage in module work independently and come together regularly as a group to practice what they have learned and channel spirit in a safe space. They also have unlimited access to me and receive one-on-one calls throughout the month. I designed this program based on the experiences I wish I had during my own mediumship journey. It aims to provide a supportive and non-judgmental space where individuals can fully embrace and explore their abilities to connect with spirit.
Saturdays with Spirit is a community event aimed at fostering connection and exploration of spiritual and holistic healing services. How has this event impacted the local community, and what are your hopes for its future growth and impact?
Saturdays with Spirit was created with two missions. Firstly, it aimed to provide an opportunity for the community to explore different healing modalities without the need to pay for a full session fee. Secondly, it sought to give small businesses in the holistic healing field a chance to showcase and promote their offerings. Drawing from my background in marketing, with almost 20 years of experience in healthcare marketing, I understood the importance of building a business.
Saturdays with Spirit began in late summer of 2019, and it has since grown into a popular monthly event held in Crestwood, KY, just outside Louisville, on a biodynamic farm that nurtures both the land and holistic healing practices. The event has become a magical gathering where the community eagerly lines up waiting outside for the doors to open so they can sign up for their chosen healer. Alongside the healers, there are holistic and mystical vendors offering various products such as crystals, essential oils, jewelry, candles, and more. It has truly become a space for people to freely be themselves and explore.
The local community has wholeheartedly embraced Saturdays with Spirit, and each month brings new attendees. Recently, I have noticed people mentioning the event in conversations, recognizing my connection to it. This recognition and positive feedback light my soul up, as it indicates that the light and positive energy of the event is spreading throughout the community. My hope is for the event to continue growing and impacting more people, creating a welcoming space where individuals can fully embrace who they are and what they have to offer.
Perhaps in the future, Saturdays with Spirit may expand to other communities, which would be an exciting prospect. Currently, however, it has found its rightful place, and I love the connections it has fostered. Surprisingly, the event has also attracted visitors from out of town, with people traveling from Michigan, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, and other places to visit friends or family attending the Saturdays with Spirit event. This heartwarming response demonstrates the positive impact the event has had and the sense of belonging it creates.
If you would like to find out more about Jenny Shanks, please visit https://jennyshanks.com/
