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A séance is an attempt to communicate with spirits, often in a dark or semi-dark room. Learn about the origin, varieties, and methods of séances, as well as the skepticism and fraud that surround them.
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What is a seance & how does it work?
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- Overview
- Creating the Right Atmosphere
- Choosing a Tool to Contact the Dead
- Welcoming the Spirits
- Ending the Séance
A séance allows you to contact the spirit world to ask questions or seek guidance. For best results, you’ll need a group of spiritual believers who are open to contacting a spirit. Set up your séance in a quiet room, then sit with your participants in a circle. When you’re ready, begin the séance and ask your questions. After the spirit stops answering or you’re finished, close the séance by thanking the spirits.
Move to a quiet room and invite other spiritual people to participate. Prepare easy questions for the spirit and set a table with candles and ritual supplies.
Choose a tool for contacting the dead—like a spirit board, pendulum, spirit rapping, or ask a psychic medium to be a conduit.
Sit in a circle and join hands with all candles lit. Recite an opening incantation, ask the spirit questions, and decipher its answers.
Choose a quiet room to use.
It's important to conduct the séance in a place where there will be as few interruptions as possible. Choose a quiet space with lighting you can adjust to a dim setting. Make sure the room is comfortable and not filled with distracting electronics, loud artwork or other items that might take away from the experience.
Many people mistakenly think that a séance must be conducted in a haunted place. The room or building you choose does not have to be haunted. Spirits will come to any place if they feel welcome when you call them.
You may, however, wish to hold the séance in a place that holds spiritual meaning for you and the others who will be present. For example, you could hold it in the home of a loved one who has passed on if you seek to connect with that person through the séance.
Invite people who believe in the spirit world.
A séance is much more powerful if everyone there really believes that it's possible to communicate with spirits. Skeptics weaken the energy of the séance, making it hard for spirits to come through. Choose people who believe in the supernatural and desire to contact spirits.
for easy communication with spirits.
A spirit board usually has the alphabet and the words “yes,” “no,” and “maybe” printed on it. This allows the spirit to give more detailed responses so you can ask more than just yes-or-no questions. Additionally, anyone can use a spirit board. Include a spirit board in your séance if you want clearer answers.
For instance, a Ouija board is a popular type of spirit board.
Follow the instructions that came with your spirit board. Typically, everyone at the séance places their hands on a pointer, called a planchette, that moves across the board to indicate the spirit’s answers.
by writing the alphabet and basic answers like “yes” and “no” on a piece of paper.
Use a pendulum if you’re asking simple yes-or-no questions.
Be seated in a circle and light the candles.
Have everyone sit down and patiently wait while you light the candles in the center of the table. Make sure electric lighting has been turned off or dimmed. Light incense and turn on instrumental music if you wish. Once everything is ready, assess the environment and make adjustments if necessary to create just the right atmosphere.
Check in with the other sitters to make sure everyone is relaxed. If necessary,
for 5-10 minutes so that everyone is focused on the spirit world.
Make sure everyone is ready to take part in the séance.
Talk to the sitters and get a feel for their moods. It's normal for people to be a little anxious, and some may giggle nervous or look worried. However, if someone is cynical or frightened, you might ask them to sit out.
Continue the séance as long as you're still receiving answers.
A séance can last anywhere from 15 minutes to longer than an hour. Ask everyone to stay in the circle until the spirits seem to be gone, you’re no longer receiving answers, or you’ve run out of questions. Decide to end the séance when it feels right.
A séance can be an emotionally intense experience that elicits a range of different reactions. If someone is crying or upset, it’s best to end the séance or to allow them to leave.
Thank the spirits for coming when you're ready to stop.
It's always a good idea to give a séance closure, as you would any other type of spiritual service or ritual. End the séance by thanking the spirits for joining your circle. You may want to say a prayer of closure. Thank the sitters for their participation as well, then blow out the candles to formally end the session.
You might say, “Thank you Grandma Greta for joining our circle tonight. We appreciate your guidance and love,” or “We thank you spirits for coming to our circle and sharing your guidance with us.”
A séance is a meeting where a medium tries to contact spirits of the dead. Learn about the different methods, phenomena, and controversies of séances, as well as the history of spiritualism and ouija boards.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
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Sep 26, 2018 · A séance is an event that can either be fantastic, or a real mess. Which one it is will depend on how much preparation goes into it. With a little bit of planning and thought ahead of time, you can pave the way for your séance to go smoothly.
