A séance is an event during which people try to get in touch with the spirit world. Typically, this is an open-minded group of people who come together to create a welcoming atmosphere and invite spirits to answer questions or deliver messages from someone who has passed away. The only rule for conducting a session is that everyone present must believe that it is possible to contact the world beyond. While communicating with spirits may seem frightening, as we tend to fear what we cannot fully understand, most people who successfully participate in a session say they experience a feeling of wonder and appreciation for that world that we cannot. see or touch.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Creating a Friendly Atmosphere
Step 1. Invite only people who believe in the spirit world
A session is much more powerful if all participants truly believe that it is possible to communicate with spirits. If even one person is skeptical or thinks it is stupid, the strength of the session is weakened. A session is based on the positive energy of all the participants, called "sitters", so you must be sure that all the guests are truly aware that they are living a supernatural experience.
- You can invite people who have lost someone they want to connect with. The session is an opportunity to communicate with deceased loved ones.
- Don't invite people who have a deep fear of ghosts, or who tend to get nervous when something out of the ordinary happens. This could be counterproductive to the success of the event.
Step 2. Ask the sitters to prepare questions
Having special questions to ask the spirits will give more structure to the session. Rather than simply asking for them to manifest, participants can try to summon the spirits of specific people and receive information that would be impossible to obtain otherwise.
- For example, someone whose grandmother has died may want to summon their spirit and ask her if she is okay.
- Remind participants that they should not expect to receive a clear and immediate answer to their questions. Spirits do not communicate in the same way humans do.
- Simple "Yes" or "No" answers usually produce more satisfying results than questions that would require a long answer.
Step 3. Identify a medium to coordinate the session
If someone in the group has had other experiences conducting a séance, or is more psychologically talented than the other participants, they may be the right person to lead the meeting. The medium is the one who opens the session with a prayer, invites the spirits to join the group and asks them questions.
- Having a medium is not essential, but it can be useful to have a person experienced in leading the group, especially if there are participants in the first experience.
- If you want to organize a séance, but you don't know anyone who wants to act as a medium, you can hire a professional to make the experience easier. If you go this route, make sure you look into the person's credentials and that the price is reasonable.
Step 4. Choose a quiet room to meet
It is important to conduct the session in a place where there are as few interruptions as possible. Choose a quiet space, where you can adjust the lighting and set a dim light. Make sure the environment is comfortable and free from distracting electronics, particularly flashy artwork, or other elements that can divert attention from the experience.
- Many people mistakenly think that a session should be conducted in a haunted place. The room or building you choose does not necessarily have to be frequented by strange presences. Spirits go everywhere if they feel welcome when called.
- However, you may want to hold the session in a place that has special spiritual significance for you and the other participants. For example, you can do it in the home of a loved one who is deceased, if you want to contact them during the meeting.
Step 5. Set up a table with candles
The typical seating arrangement is circular, so it's best to set up a round table, although this isn't mandatory. Cover the table with a tablecloth and put several candles on it. These, in place of electric lighting, help to create a "spiritual" atmosphere. Arrange straight-backed chairs for guests around the table.
- If you think it will improve the mood, you can also use incense and put some background instrumental music to create a more mystical atmosphere.
- If you want to sit in a circle but don't have a round table, arrange some comfy cushions in a circle on the floor and put a towel with candles in the center.
Step 6. Consider using tools to connect with spirits
All it takes to conduct a séance is the presence of willing sitters, but some people like to use some special equipment that can make communication with the afterlife a little easier. In fact, spirits often communicate through objects, so you might want to put some elements on the table.
- For example, you can use a Ouija board to facilitate questions and get "written" answers.
- Even a simple item like a glass of water can be used as a communication tool. You can ask the spirits to signal their presence by moving the water.
- Recording the session can also become another way of communicating. The recordings often collect sounds or images that were not heard or seen during the meeting. Consider setting up a video camera or recorder to tape everything that happens.
Part 2 of 3: Welcoming the Spirits
Step 1. Start the session around midnight
It is not mandatory, but it seems that the time around 23: 30-00: 30 has a particular meaning in the spirit world. In the physical world, there are fewer interruptions at this stage of the day and it is easier to get into the right frame of mind to be open to supernatural possibilities.
Step 2. Make everyone remain silent and turn off their electronic devices
This predisposes the soul to enter the right state to experience the session. Make sure everyone has used the bathroom, checked their phones, and done all other necessities before starting the session. When the session begins, any kind of distraction could drain energy and force you to end the meeting prematurely.
Now is the time to ask the sitters if they are ready to attend the session. Try to understand the mood of the participants. It is normal for them to be a little anxious; you may notice someone giggling nervously or looking a little worried. However, if someone seems to have a cynical approach to the event, or seems scared before it starts, you can ask them to walk away
Step 3. Sit in a circle and light the candles
Make sure everyone is seated and waiting patiently as you light the candles in the center of the table. Make sure the electric lighting is off. Light a light incense and play instrumental music if you wish. When everything is ready, observe the environment and make the necessary changes, if necessary, to create the right atmosphere.
Step 4. Summon the spirits and invite them to join you
There is no set way to start a séance, but many people choose to say a welcome prayer to set the style of the event. You (or the medium, if it is a different person) should thank all participants for being present and announce that the session is about to begin. Ask everyone to give each other their hands and close their eyes, then say the prayer and ask the spirits to join you.
- Some people pray for protection from evil or angry spirits and ask that only spirits with good intentions join the circle.
- At this time you can summon specific spirits by calling them by name. For example, you can say, "Nonna Margherita, we gather here tonight in the hope of receiving a sign of your presence. Feel welcome in our circle and join us when you are ready."
Step 5. Ask questions and be patient
Both the medium and the sitters can take turns asking questions. In any case, they must be asked one at a time, waiting even a few minutes to get an answer. Make sure everyone stays calm, as the presence of a spirit can be hard to notice.
- Remember that asking questions that have "Yes" or "No" answers are best for getting satisfying answers. Questions like "Are you with us?" and "Do you have a message for us?" are better than "What is it like to live in the spirit world?"
- Make sure no one breaks the circle while you are asking the questions. If someone gets up and leaves, or gets distracted in some way, spiritual energy will be lost.
Step 6. Try to decipher the spirits' answers
In very rare cases, a spirit can communicate by addressing someone in the group who has to translate the message. The medium, or another psychologically open person, may begin by leading the group with the words given by the spirit. Most of the time, however, the answers are harder to distinguish and the meanings harder to interpret.
- Pay attention to what is physically happening in the room. If a glass of water spills, a candle starts flickering wildly even though there is no draft, or a door closes inexplicably, these can all be signs of the presence of a spirit.
- Listen for sounds that are out of the ordinary and have no plausible cause.
- It can be helpful to ask the spirit to answer a question with a yes or no, by sending a signal. For example, you can ask, "If you are my grandmother's spirit, or have a message from her, get the water out of the glass."
Part 3 of 3: Ending the Spirit Session
Step 1. Continue the session until you continue to receive responses
A session can last from 15 minutes to an hour or more. Keep the circle until it seems to you that the spirits are gone and you no longer get answers to questions. The termination of a session usually occurs naturally, when the spiritual energy in the room eventually dissipates.
The séance can be an emotionally intense experience that provokes a number of different reactions. If someone in the group starts crying disconsolately, screams, or otherwise expresses extreme negativity or fear, find someone to push that person away by taking them to a room that has less spiritual charge, or proceed by turning on the lights to end the meeting
Step 2. Thank the spirits for attending the session when you are about to end it
It is always a good idea to create a closing ritual, as with any other type of spiritual or ceremonial meeting. End the session by thanking the spirits for joining the circle. At this point it would be appropriate to recite a closing prayer. Thank the participants and finally blow out the candles to formally end the session.
Step 3. Turn on the lights and analyze what happened
Give people a few moments to regain peace of mind and step out of the spiritual realm to return to the present physical moment again. Discuss the events that occurred during the session to understand what each one learned from the experience.
- Analyze the signs and responses you have received from the spirits. Could it have been a draft of air when the door closed? Or are you all absolutely certain that the spirit was there?
- If you have recorded the session, review and listen to the session. Turn up the volume and listen to the voices and sounds that no one has heard during the event.
Advice
- Before stopping the séance, all participants should say "We're done, we'll leave you alone" three times before loosening their hands.
- It is said that some ghosts are forced into the world of the living or that they remain suspended between the two worlds. Clarify the nature of the spirit immediately upon first contact and see if you can help him.
- Make sure they are "good" ghosts and absolutely avoid demonic presences.
- You may need to contact the ghost more than once in the future to get clear answers to your questions.
- When contact has been established, check in on yourself and other sitters so that you can establish credibility and continued trust.
- A good way to get answers like "Yes" or "No" is to have three lighted candles. It clearly states that they equate one for "Yes", one for "No" and the third for "I can't / I don't want to answer" (even better if they are different colors). So instead of asking the spirit to splash or move something, just ask him to blow out the candle that matches the answer.
Warnings
- Participants may get confused and intentionally move things on the table.
- Make sure you are speaking with a person's spirit and not a demon. If you are looking for the spirit of a specific person, ask them to confirm their identity. If you are using a Ouija board, be wary of words or names like "Soso / Zuzu", "Asag" or "Marax" (all three are demon names).
- If the spirit talks about someone / something like a portal, stop talking. Portals are ways used by spirits to enter the realm of the living. Know that very strange things will happen if you don't stop this kind of conversation immediately.
