Say the word "seance" and for many, visions of charlatans thumping tabletops in a dark room come to mind. Others get just plain nervous thinking that horrible spirits will show up and scare them. A true seance is very different than that. True, it's held in a dark room and spirits do come in. When I was first putting together what I was planning to offer in this retreat, I'll admit I thought twice about adding a seance. ONLY because for some people the word has a negative or hokey connotation. I bet many of you have heard stories of "seances" told to you by a friend of a friend of a friend. And yes, in this business there ARE many people who aren't exactly on the up-and-up.

I've decided to go ahead and offer a seance in this retreat. The reason is MY positive experience with them. I've started working with a group taught by Victor Vogenitz which has been nothing but incredibly positive. It's not hokey, it's not fake, it's not scarey - we feel UPLIFTED when we leave. There are some wonderful healing experiences going on! THIS is what I want the participants in my retreats to experience. So come with an open mind. By the way, we also have FUN! Spirits have a sense of humor. Generally to raise energy we sing songs. Hymns, silly songs like "She's Coming Around the Mountain", "Jingle Bells", whatever we feel like. Yes, things happen. The table moves: tips, jumps, skips and gives out what seems like hugs.

The word seance is French, meaning "to sit". Seances date back to the third century. Mediums would be a catalyst in attracting spirits so they could communicate with those still living. Today, television shows and the media have made mediums a little better known in a positive light such as "Medium" on NBC, and well-known mediums such as John Edwards and James Van Praagh.

People pay a great deal of money to have a session with a medium of their stature and fame. The difference in a seance and a session with a medium is that in a seance YOU can have direct communication with the person who has crossed over. In a session with a medium, the medium contacts the crossed over person for you. A seance is literally more hands-on!

Participants sit around either a round or oval table and place their hands on the table. At the beginning of the session we will say a prayer and/or affirmation that we will seek communication only from positive spirits. The teacher I work with, Victor Vogentitz, says that we invite those we loved or cared for and they would never want to harm us. Usually even if they weren't the nicest person in life, their concern usually is for forgiveness.

In fact, here is what he recently wrote:

Hello, my name is Victor P. Vogenitz. I have been studying Physical Phenomena Mediumship here in Cassadaga and have sat in or directed Seances since I was 16 years old. I am an SCSCMA (Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association) Certified Medium, Healer, and Teacher here in Cassadaga.

Most people want to know what happens in a seance? I can tell you that most seances are not the stereotype that you see on TV or in the movies. Yes, they do take place in a dark or dimly lit room. The reason for that is to help build and retain the Spiritual energies. Some people worry - are the Spirits going to try to get them or hurt them? In the 39 years that I have been doing seances I have never seen any negative energies harm anyone. We always set up a protective field around us with prayer and the Pure White Light of God's Love and Protection. That prevents any negative or lower astral energies from even entering the room. Next please remember who we are trying to reach, your loved ones. Would someone who loved you so dearly in life, suddenly want to harm you just because they departed this plane of existence. The spiritual essence of a persons does retain the personality traits that they had while they were here with us on earth. If Grams was cranky and short while she was alive, she may still be a little sharp when she comes thru. If Dad had a great sense of humor and loved a good practical joke, he still does. Now you get the idea.

I know that you want to know what kind and type of Physical Phenomena might take place in a seance. The most common type of Phenomena is known a Table Tipping. You communicate through the movement of a table. The table may lean or move towards you for a yes answer and away for a no. It may slide very close to you. We call that a "Hug." It is hard to explain but the table has a language of it's own. You may see little sparkles of spirit lights or even a mist or fog of sorts. You may hear raps or taps in the table. Some times they may tap once for yes and twice for no. What I would ask you to do is it to invite the loved ones you wish to reach to come to the seance. Spend the time between now and the seance thinking about them. Remember all the love, warmth, and good times you shared. Talk to them as if they were there with you, because they are. Believe me when I say that they are just as eager to communicate with you as you are with them. In closing let me leave you with this thought. The people we attempt to reach are your loved loves. They neither wish to frighten you or upset you. They will step away the moment they feel that their presence is more than you can handle. The one thing that I have learned in my 39 years of participating in seances is that they are positive and healing in nature. Nothing is more healing than to know that our loved ones survive. To know that forgiveness for old hurts or injuries is asked for and given by both sides is a wonder to behold.

--Victor Vogenitz

Back to Main Retreat Page

Free Hit Counter