New Worlds of Body, Mind & Spirit Since 1901
When we first become interested in the spirit world, we tend to predominantly fall into one of a few broad categories: Survivors of grief and loss: We have experienced the loss of someone we love and are searching for confirmation that their spirits survived the death of their physical body Paranormal enthusiasts: We are particularly interested in experiences that can be perceived with the five primary senses, especially if they can be recorded, documented, and verified in some capacity Natural mediums: We couldn't avoid the presence of spirits if we tried and may feel overwhelmed by the intensity of what we experience Magical explorers: We are interested in working with spirits as ...
If you watch a lot of supernatural horror or read many gothic novels, you've probably encountered your fair share of séance scenes. In modern stories about supernatural terrors or paranormal adventures, a scene with a séance often marks a crucial turning point in the narrative. The séance might result in a terrifying possession, reveal a long-held secret, or unleash an undead evil into the realm of the living. We inherited séances from the Victorians, who, despite their reputation for rigidity and prudishness, also had a voracious appetite for melodrama, mysticism, and the gothic. The Victorians founded modern spiritualism, collected reports of ...
For readers who want to conduct an experiment in Victorian-style spirit communication, I've provided guidelines for a traditional spirit circle. The guidelines are an amalgamation of what I've learned reading countless spiritualist publications, but they draw particularly heavily from Emma Hardinge Britten's wonderful instructional booklet: Rules to Be Observed When Forming Spiritual Circles, which was published in 1887. Note: Modern practitioners of spirit communication advise that anyone attempting a séance begin with a ritual or request for protection (setting the intention that only benevolent spirits will come forth) and finish by bidding the spirit-realm farewell, dismissing ...
It is staggering to think about the sheer number of ancestors who came before us. When my students or clients struggle with the concept that anyone in their family line looks out for them, I always suggest they do some math. Two parents means four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, sixteen great-great-grandparents, and so on. This gives us a sense of how big our families are on the other side. With that many ancestors, you better believe you have supporters in your corner about whom you couldn't possibly know. Exercises in later chapters of Talking to Spirits cover how to communicate with specific spirits, but this meditation is designed to help you connect with ancestors who are ...
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