Felicie O. Crossley: Hollywood Spiritualist

I came across Felicie O. Crossley  in researching the history of Spiritualism in Rochester. I found a short article discussing her visit to Rochester to lecture and give messages. I did some research into her life and found out some really interesting things I thought I'd share.

Felicie was a celebrity Medium of her time. She was also an award winning Journalist, and a member of the Southern California Women's Press Club. She ran a Psychic Center in Los Angeles, California, called the Institute of Metaphysical and Psychic Sciences located on Hollywood Boulevard.

She traveled extensively around the United States visiting almost every Spiritualist Camp and speaking in several Spiritualist Churches; she served as a missionary with the California State Spiritualist Association. She was also close friends with Arthur Ford, a fellow celebrity Medium and Spiritualist Minister, and would regularly work platform together in giving messages and lectures.

From her writing it is very clear that Felicie was a highly educated woman; she wrote and lectured on subjects such as Metaphysics, Philosophy, Spiritualism, World Religions, English literature, and contemporary European and American politics of the day.

Felicie O. Crossly published a work called Guide to Mediumship; Or the Master Key to Psychic Unfoldment which was printed under the name Delta Samadhi. The work is a text book instructing Psychics and Mediums in lessons on self development and Spiritualist Philosophy.

In this time period Hinduism was was popularly understood by Americans to be a kind of Eastern version of New Thought and Spiritualist Philosophy. Hindu philosophical vocabulary was often used interchangeably with New Thought and Spiritualist terminology, and philosophical concepts such as karma and dharma were introduced into the popular western spiritual vocabulary.

Felicie was extremely concerned with the state of Spiritualist Churches in her time, although she was a member of the NSA through the California State Spiritualist Association, she was highly critical of the National organization's policies and leadership.

She published several articles critiquing what she felt was a deep lack of foresight on the behalf of National leadership in training younger Spiritualists, and a poor policy of diplomacy in dealing with other Spiritualist Associations. She also, along with Arthur Ford, strongly condemned the organization's then segregationist policies which had recently been adopted, which she felt was a a move away from the progressive heritage of Spiritualism.

You can read several of the articles she wrote and edited on here: http://iapsop.com/archive/materials/forum_of_psychic_and_scientific_research/