| A séance is held when a group of people | | | | communicate through his/her body. Other ways that |
| attempt to receive messages from spirits. It can be | | | | the spirits may communicate during a séance is |
| held for pure entertainment value, although the more | | | | by automatic writing, knocks or raps, or by levitating |
| successful séances tend to have a specific | | | | the table. |
| purpose in mind. Perhaps a loved one has recently | | | | Since séances are usually held in a circle and |
| died, or maybe there's a family mystery that needs to | | | | have specific rituals involved, it is easy for those less |
| be solved. | | | | ethical or honest to "cheat." It would not be difficult to |
| Séances have been held since the 1700's. In | | | | fake spirit activity during a séance, especially |
| the mid-nineteenth century, a new religion called | | | | when the participants are eager to contact a specific |
| Spiritualism appeared, in which devotees believed that | | | | spirit, perhaps a loved one. This has led to a general |
| spirits could be contacted and messages from the | | | | perception that all séances are faked or that all |
| other side could be sent and received. This new | | | | mediums are frauds. |
| religion even reached the White House, with Mary | | | | A new type of séance that has become |
| Todd Lincoln holding Spiritualist séances during | | | | popular today is known as "stage mediumship |
| her husband's presidency. She was grieving the loss of | | | | séances." This type of séance has the |
| her son and was trying to contact him. It was during | | | | medium on a stage in front of an audience. The |
| this religious movement that many of the modern-day | | | | medium communicates with spirits that are attached to |
| aspects of séances were developed. | | | | audience members, and relays messages and advice |
| There have been several famous series of | | | | from their relatives who have passed on. Audience |
| séances held. One such episode occurred in | | | | members never know who will receive a message or |
| the mid-1800's. Two young sisters, Kate and Margaret | | | | what relative's spirit will appear. |
| Fox, lived in an old farmhouse that was reputed to be | | | | Are séances real? The answer to that |
| haunted. After continually hearing all sorts of noise and | | | | depends on your beliefs and perceptions. Many |
| disturbances, Kate had had enough and "confronted" | | | | famous séances and mediums through history |
| the spirit by asking it to clap as she did. She received | | | | have been "debunked" including the Fox sisters |
| an immediate response. From that point the sisters | | | | mentioned above. Harry Houdini, the famous escape |
| were able to work out a method of communicating | | | | artist, was also known for attempting to debunk the |
| with their spirit by using a question and answer format | | | | mediums of his time and would often attend |
| with knocks as the answers. | | | | séances in disguise. |
| The most common form of séance today is | | | | We may never know for sure whether |
| conducted by a medium, often in someone's home. | | | | séances are real or not, but they still appeal to |
| The medium's role is to be the link between the spirits | | | | our curiosity and fire up our imaginations. It's the |
| and the participants. Sometimes the medium goes into | | | | uncertainty that keeps us coming back. |
| a trance, supposedly allowing the spirits to | | | | |