In our subsection entitled "Speaking and Writing Mediums", you read about the fluidic cord that links the mind of the manifesting Spirit with the perispiritic mind of the medium, and then the latter with the medium's physical body. This chord carries the thoughts and impulses of the manifesting Spirit to the physical body of the medium, where they are then registered consciously or unconsciously by the medium, depending on the type of mediumship he possesses.

The teachers of the Spiritist Doctrine explain that regardless of the degree of consciousness of the medium, he/she has not only the ability, but also the responsibility to exercise control over the words and actions of the Spirit, especially in the case of the speaking medium.  This should be done both for the protection of the medium as well as the preservation of a harmonious environment in which the session is being held. 

You have read, in several instances, about the importance of a medium's moral state in attracting the presence and communications of good and elevated Spirits.  This holds true with respect to any kind of mediumistic session, for the mediums always benefit from the assistance of these benevolent friends and work partners.  However, there are times when, even though these higher Spirits are present, it is not the main objective of the session to receive their communications.  This occurs in mediumistic sessions that are held to offer counseling and comfort to suffering and sometimes angry and vengeful Spirits, whereby the mediums, though never changing their own moral state, open their minds and hearts to allow these Spirits to use them as an intermediary. 

In the above mentioned sessions, or in any session or circumstance where the medium (for whatever reason) allows a Spirit that is emotionally charged with unhealthy, negative sentiments to communicate, there is a possibility for such a Spirit to act or speak out in ways that are very offensive, sometimes even violent,  and consequently disrespectful to the medium who has offered the use of his or her physical body.  The medium must always remember that while he may temporarily loan his body to a Spirit for use in communication, he is, at all times, the owner of that body and therefore has the right (and responsibility) to cut off the communication at any time, or at least limit the verbal and physical use of his body, if the Spirit should attempt to behave in such a manner.  Proof of the medium's ability to control the communication in this way can be observed in the revolt expressed by the Spirit who complains against the restriction or the apparent "imprisonment".  

This control, exercised by the medium, is important not only to protect the medium from the inappropriate/disrespectful use of his body.  It is also necessary to maintain the harmony of the environment.  Mediums who are students of the Spiritist Doctrine learn about all the preparation that the good Spirits do, well in advance of any serious Spiritist meeting, to prepare the environment with positive energies and to distance inferior and ill-intentioned Spirits from the location.  It is the responsibility of the mediums to continue those efforts by arriving mentally and emotionally prepared (with positive, peaceful thoughts), by maintaining a unity of purposeful focus and concentration during the session, and by exercising any necessary control over any Spirits that, in communicating through them, try to behave inappropriately.  Given the emotional condition of these suffering entities who are brought by higher Spirits to get help from the Spiritist group, it is not expected of them to communicate with only loving and peaceful words; they are given the right to talk about their feelings and their situation, and to speak what is on their mind.  However, there is no need for them to communicate with vulgar, obscene, or violent words and/or gestures.  While the medium should try to restrict this action, these Spirits should be asked to exercise more control; should they refuse or attempt to carry on with no change, then the medium can and should break off the communication.

You may wonder how a medium of the unconscious type is able to willingly exercise control over a Spirit's communication.  You may recall Kardec's words when he said that "the medium is passive when he does not mingle his own ideas with those of the communicating Spirit, but he is  never an absolute nullity."  We can find a more detailed explanation in the book "Nos Dominios Da Mediunidade" (In The Domains of Mediumship), where we learn that the well-developed and morally fit medium, even while unconscious on the exterior, is still able to control the Spirit's use of his body.  This is because, in the depths of his being, such a medium possesses the positive moral qualities of his own inalienable [non-retractable] conquest that serve to impede the communicating Spirit from exerting an undignified communication.  The Spirit, aggressive and revolted as it may, be finds itself controlled in every expression by the superior mind and constricting mental energies to which it is subordinated.  This type of communication represents a situation in which the elevated moral capacity and mediumistic development of the medium is of absolute necessity to allow for a safe and controlled communication.      An unconscious psycophony, in the hands of someone less prepared can have very dangerous effects in general, but more specifically can lead to a disastrous negative control over the medium.   In Spiritist centers of seriousness and responsibility and thus, where its workers and coordinators count on the assistance of elevated Spirits, the exercise of unconscious psycophony is only permitted (by those Spirits) with mediums that can handle the nature of the particular Spirit who is to communicate.

It should also be mentioned that while the first responsibility lies with the medium (as the owner of the the body being used by the Spirit), and in addition to the roles of the meeting's incarnate counselor and guardian/mentoring Spirits, the rest of the participants in the session also have the responsibility to help that medium to successfully carry out their task through a concentrated and united effort in thought and prayer.

Peralva, Martins. "Incorporacao" Estudando A Mediunidade [Studying Mediumship]. Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil: Federação Espírita Brasileira [Brazilian Spiritist Federation].1998 (20th ed). 51-56.

Luiz, André (Spirit Author) / Xavier, Francisco Cândido (Medium). "Psicofonia Consciente" [Conscious Psycophony]. Nos Dominios Da Mediunidade [In The Domains of Mediumship].  Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil. Brazilian Spiritist Federation. 1945 50-55. 

Luiz, André (Spirit Author) / Xavier, Francisco Cândido (Medium). "Psicofonia Sonambulica" [Somnambulic Psychophony]. Nos Dominios Da Mediunidade [In The Domains of Mediumship].  Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil. Brazilian Spiritist Federation. 1945 67-70.