This episode features evidential medium and spiritual teacher Suzanne Giesemann in conversation with Mayim Bialik and Jonathan Cohen, exploring how consciousness persists after death, how anyone can train their nervous system to receive verifiable spirit communication, and practical methods for distinguishing intuition from mental storytelling.
The core framework: consciousness as fields of information
Consciousness does not “go anywhere” at death; people become fields of information that remain right here, accessible like television signals that persist when a screen breaks.
We are all part of one web of consciousness; mediumship tunes the nervous system to narrow the field of data to specific loved ones or guidance.
The “TV analogy”: we’re focused on the “human body channel”; when the body dies, awareness shifts to a different program — meditation, psychedelics, or death can change the channel.
Guides and higher consciousness operate as a constant inner GPS, offering practical nudges (timing, decisions) and orchestrating synchronicities that defy statistical probability.
Suzanne’s journey from naval officer to evidential medium
Former Navy commander (20 years, aide to Chairman of Joint Chiefs) with no spiritual background; stepdaughter Susan’s death in 2009 cracked open her awareness.
First connection came through a medium who gave specific evidence (Susan’s nickname “Suzie Q,” her guitar, her dog) that Suzanne could not explain away.
Trained with mentors Janet Nohavec and Mavis Pittilla; developed “The Awakened Way” teaching based on Wolf’s Message — a young man who left precise pre-death drawings/poems predicting his lightning strike.
Deliberately limits spontaneous spirit contact to avoid burnout; relies on constant guidance from her own guides for life navigation.
How mediumship works: nervous system training and the “clairs”
Mediumship uses non-physical senses (clairsentience, clairvoyance, clairaudience) to access data the way physical senses access the material world.
Information arrives as raw impressions — sensations, thoughts, feelings (STF) — that arise in awareness before the brain constructs stories.
Training involves: setting clear intention to narrow the data field, noticing the first impression, returning to “base” (pure awareness), and validating with the spirit communicator.
The brain’s meaning-making creates static; the nervous system can be trained like an instrument to respond in specific, repeatable ways (spatial body mapping for relationships, names, dates).
Physical symptoms (heart palpitations, breathlessness, smells) are real physiological experiences the medium feels from the communicator, not imagination.
Breakthrough techniques for verifiable evidence: names, dates, locations
Names and dates are abstract data with no inherent sensory hooks; Suzanne developed a spatial body-mapping system: alphabet segments (A-E, F-J, K-O, P-T, U-Z) mapped to body locations, combined with syllable count (taps).
Tested successfully in recent readings: first-letter location + syllable count yielded Fred (1 syllable, F-J zone), Michael (2 syllables, front), Anna (2 syllables), Audrey, etc.
Dates mapped to a clock face: 12 months on 12-hour clock (September = 9 o’clock), military time for 13-24, extended to 31 for day of month.
In a reading for a woman with a missing loved one, the system produced “September 23” — validated as the missing person’s anniversary — without Suzanne knowing the context.
Names/dates alone don’t prove spirit contact; they demonstrate access to a field of information. The gold standard remains feeling the communicator’s distinct personality/essence.
Evidential stories that defy coincidence
Kirk Douglas reading: Won via book pre-order drawing. Communicator showed bell (Aunt Douglas), trumpet imitation (Man with a Horn), military salute (Navy lieutenant j.g.). Sitter revealed she was Douglas’s PA for 16 years. Douglas later woke Suzanne at night: “There are no damn ghosts.”
Sedona conference setup: Guides woke Suzanne at 3 AM to insert specific slides about a woman’s breakthrough connecting with her daughter (White House photo validation). That woman walked in late, was directed to front row by her daughter in spirit, and held up the matching photo when her slide appeared — witnessed by 600 people.
Mediterranean cruise synchronicity: Woman on cruise met two ladies who were Suzanne’s husband’s 1994 neighbors; their daughter (killed a year before Susan) was Susan’s best friend. They attended Suzanne’s workshop, sat in front row, received connections.
Wolf’s Message: Teenager drew exact tree location, two red roses at base, and poem predicting his lightning death the next day. Parents planted roses at that tree afterward. Statistical probability of synchronicities is “phenomenally small.”
Distinguishing intuition from stories and mental overlays
Intuition arises as a novel, calm, open knowing — often with a physical sensation (chills, head pull) — not from active thinking or scrunching the face.
The “flows process” for releasing stuck issues: Facts (agreed reality) → Layers (your story) → Open to other overlays → Widen to soul perspective (see all viewpoints) → See what arises from the field (not your head).
Practice: notice first impression, return to base, act on it if harmless, observe flow. Fear and ego create static; curiosity and neutrality clear the line.
Mayim’s recent experience: friend described partner “changing”; Mayim instantly saw a rotating cage with a ball that didn’t drop — knew “he didn’t change, he couldn’t get there.” Validated by friend. Image arose unbidden, carried instant meaning.
Death, suffering, and the afterlife perspective
“Nobody suffers”: at moment of death, soul dissociates from body; body may scream/react autonomously but consciousness is already free, observing peacefully.
Near-death experiencers consistently report no pain, beauty, peace. Mediums see the “soul launch” gesture (hand sweeping up) meaning “I didn’t suffer, tell my loved ones.”
Spirits don’t get “stuck” in purgatory; some linger for specific reasons (unfinished business, protecting loved ones). Poltergeist activity often signals a message: Mavis Pittilla cases — drugs in cabinet, negligent lifeguards.
Spirits in a house aren’t necessarily trapped; they may enjoy the space. Greet with curiosity, ask “who are you?”, set boundaries — they can become helpful housemates.
Practical applications for daily life and collective uncertainty
Spiritual practice = returning to base regularly so fear doesn’t hijack the nervous system. Result: even-keeled freedom amid chaos (cancer diagnosis, political turmoil, climate crises).
Chaos precedes balance; widen the lens to see opportunity in upheaval. “Not only human” — we’re aliens in this world but not of it; accessing other channels expands choice-making.
Loosen certainty/grip on identity, politics, religion to allow new possibilities. Suffering is optional; pain is inevitable but doesn’t have to last.
Daily micro-practices: in airport lines, choose flow over reactivity; smile at others to co-regulate. Train the nervous system to notice what wants to arise next.
Upcoming course: Tuning Your Instrument for Evidential Mediumship
7-week course starting December 3rd on the Shift Network.
Teaches: how spirit shows up, becoming a coherent field, eliminating static/fear, personal connections with loved ones, optional professional mediumship training.
Preceded by a free online event with Shift Network: guided exercise to notice first impressions arising from the field (like Mayim’s rotating cage image).
