Thinnest Veil between the Worlds- Samhain (Halloween) and a proper Séance’

Even if you do not think of contacting the “Other-Side” during much of the year, Halloween or anciently known as Samhain (pronounced Sow-Wen) is generally a time when many of us do think of the possibility. The Celts, Pagans, Wiccans, Druids and Magicians all know this is the day when the Veil between our worlds is the thinnest and it is the mostly likely day to make contact; perfect for a Séance’.

Setting up your space- You want to set the mood and prepare for such an encounter; you will need some tools of the trade. Candles, Sage and/or Mug wort, Crystals, Salt, articles for Divination, such as; a Pendulum, Tarot Cards, Tea Leaves and Cups, Scrabble Tiles, a Oui Ja Board, (which I highly DO NOT recommend), I-Ching coins, Runes, Crystal Balls or Scrying Mirrors, Divining/Dowsing Rods, a Digital Recorder, Spirit Box, Ovilus or other Ghost Hunting Technology. A pad of paper and a pen/pencil for automatic writing or jotting down messages that come through. Why I steer clear of Spirit Boards or the Oui Ja board is simple, it opens a portal or door way and can allow any type of Spirit in, generally tricksters, liars and unsavory Spirits; darker manipulative entities that can wreak havoc in our living world, they are just waiting for some sucker to open the door; another reason why I refuse to place a “Welcome” mat at my doors. Yes, I have a mat for friends to wipe their feet, but I have always felt since I was a small child that a Welcome Mat says to anyone or any “thing” Come on in… have a seat…. Set up shop in MY space. It must go back to my childhood fear of Vampires that could only come into a home if invited; the Welcome Mat is the invitation. I bet that will give you all some food for thought!

Once you have your tools ready, you should clear your space and your body. Make sure you are beginning with a clean home. Straighten up and put away clutter. Give the surfaces a good dusting and wipe down, run the vacuum. Try to make your space clean and clear as disarray in the home is known to attract darker energies and we do not want that.

Light some candles giving thanks with each candle you light and setting the intention to invite the Spirits of the night. Be mindful the colors of the candles you use. The first candle that I always light, regardless of the ritual, is Gratitude; depicted by a dark Navy Blue. White Candles are for letting in the light and inviting Good, Light-Hearted Spirit; think of your ancestors. Pale Green typically represents Abundance, Spring, Renewal and Manifestations of New Beginnings, Dark Green represents Money. Yellow for Laughter, Orange for Hope, Cooperation and Strength. If it is Love you are seeking, use a Medium Pink colored candle and always light them in pairs; a single Pink candle will only bring self-love and not a partner.

Burn Sage and Mug wort to clear your entire home. Go in a clock-wise fashion fanning the smoke into the dark corners of your home. I like to leave my windows and doors open for this to banish any darker dense energy that may have accumulated since the last cleansing.

Take a Salt Bath to cleanse and open your own aura. You can use any type of Salt; Epsom, Himalayan, Black, Sea. I do not recommend table salt as it has been processed and does not have the healing and cleansing benefits like the others do. Add some essential oils and bubbles to the bath. Relax and luxuriate in the tub. Use this time for deep breathing and meditation. I like to light some candles, turn out the lights and put on soft meditation music on. Take this time to slow down, reconnect and ground yourself.

Offerings – on your alter or dining table, set a place setting for those you are inviting in. Fresh Flowers, fruit and glass of wine and water so Spirit can refresh themselves upon their visit. This is also a ritual for the few days following Samhain/Halloween and during Día De Los Muertos; the Day of the Dead or All Saints Day when we honor those who we loved and have crossed over to the Other Side. Be sure to include all Four Elements, Air (words), Fire (candles), Water(obvious) and Earth (flowers and fruit).

Have fun! Quiet your space, dim the lights and get to work. Set the intention to connect with a loved one that has crossed over. I feel that inviting someone that you personally knew is your best bet; you do not want to invite in a random, unknown guest; just like we do not usually invite strangers into our homes either.

Crystals– Many crystals emit and enhance energies to open, awaken and heighten your psychic ability and contact the Other-Side. Be sure to have protective crystals with you, such as Smoky Quartz, Black Tourmaline, Black Onyx or Jet; White Selenite is not only protective, but increases receptivity to Spirit as well. Celestite, Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Apophyllite, Lapis Lazuli, Angelite; just to name a few will open your Third Eye, Crown and Throat Chakras as if you are opening a portal into your own physical body. I highly recommend using crystals regardless of the other tools you may choose.
Pendulum– Using a Pendulum will answer specific yes or no questions you may have for the Other-Side. This is also why a pad of paper and pen come in handy. You can also write out a grid to use the Pendulum over and map out specific answers beyond “yes or no” that you are looking for; however, I caution this as this crosses a fine line of the Spirit Board, which I will not use, and could allow in darker, tricky entities. Use of the Pendulum for a yes or no question utilizes the energy from your own gut instincts. You can practice asking questions that you know are true and ones that you know are false as a way to test the Pendulum. You can buy a Pendulum at any metaphysical shop or craft one on your own; Google instructions.
Tarot/Oracle Cards– Use these to answer questions you may have and give you guidance to pressing questions. Give yourself a reading on this night as you could be flooded with insight that on other nights may have been blocked.
Tea Leaves and Cups– Steep yourself a cup of loose tea, drink the tea and when finished look deeply at the remaining tea leaves and how they sit in the cup. Do you see images of people, animals, letters? Write down your findings and ask Spirit what these symbols mean. Sit quietly with yourself as you stare into the leaves; answers may come to you.
Scrying Mirror, Scrying Stones, Crystal Ball– Similar to the Tea Leaves, place a candle nearby, turn out the lights or dim them to block out any distractions. Stare quietly into your tool of choice and wait for images to appear. What do you see? Who do you see? Who has a message for you? Ask questions, such as, Who will I marry? Look deeply or scry into your crystal or mirror and see if an image shows up; remember the image so that you can recognize this partner when you cross paths.
Scrabble Tiles– I read that some people will throw these tiles on to a table and see if any words form; messages from Spirit and the Other-Side. I have never tried this, but I think a trip to $5 Below is in order so I can pick up an inexpensive Scrabble board
I-Ching coins, Runes- thrown similarly to the tiles above, these tools will show the changes that are coming into your life; these require deep knowing of how to use and interpret so if you are just starting out with divination try something easier.
Dowsing Rods– One of the oldest tools used for locating ghosts and buildup of spirit energy; these L shaped pieces of metal can be made from coat hangers and could lead you to the source of spirit when they cross each other. You can use them in your home, outside or in another building. They will lead to you to the place to begin an investigation with the tools listed below.
Digital Recorder, Spirit Box, Ovilus or other Ghost Hunting Technology– Even if you do not have these items, you must surely have a mobile phone. The voice recorders on these newer devices are so sensitive that I have picked up many an ethereal voice, also known as an EVP-Electronic Voice Phenomena, and on the video recorder have also picked up anomalies and EVPs. Ask questions and then give a 30 second pause for Spirit to answer. The best time of night to try this will be after Midnight and before Dawn, when the veil is the thinnest on any given night. If you happen to be in a historically haunted place, such as Gettysburg, you can ghost hunt any time of the day and be assured that you will pick up some strong evidence of Spirit presence. You just need patience and absolute quiet as EVPs are subtle and very low in volume; you most likely will not hear them with your ears until you play back your footage. The Ovilus is a favorite of mine that I use in conjunction with everything else. It is a voice synthesizer that picks up EMF (Electro-Magnetic Field -waves) and converts that energy into words; reported to be words that Spirit is manifesting. I typically only run my Ovilus during Halloween week, sometimes while I am sleeping, and I have been amazed by what comes out (the system records the words and the time). You can ask questions during use of this device to see if you receive any intelligent answers that only you would recognize.
Pad of paper and a pen/pencil for automatic writing or jotting down messages that come through. – This is obvious; write down what happens!

Thinking of a Séance’? taken from the website –

https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-conduct-a-seance-2593035

NECESSARY SUPPLIES FOR A SÉANCE

If you’re planning to hold a séance in your own home, you just need a few likeminded people and a few key supplies.

When choosing participants, select people who believe in the possibility of communicating with the dead. Skeptics can harm the séance’s chances of success. And because the experience can be intense, it is usually best to keep young children out of the circle.

Otherwise, all you need in terms of supplies is a round or oval table, candle and food. Both the candles and food are believed to attract spirits who are looking for warms and sustenance.

HOW TO HOLD A SÉANCE

To hold a séance, and increase the chances of contacting a spirit, follow these steps:

Assemble the participants. Gather the people who will participate. Some say the number of participants must be divisible by three. But this does not seem to be an absolute rule. No fewer than three people should attempt a séance, as it can be emotionally and physically exhausting on small numbers.
Choose a medium. You might want to choose a medium among the participants. This could be a person who has had experience with séances or someone who tends to have psychic abilities.
Use a round or oval table. This helps create the symbolic circle believed necessary for the ritual.
Set the table. In the center of the table, place some kind of simple and naturally aromatic food, such as bread or soup. This is believed to help attract the spirits who still seek physical nourishment.
Light candles. Also in the center of the table, place no fewer than three candles (or a number divisible by three) lit candles; the more candles, the better. Spirits still seek warmth and light.
Create some atmosphere. Dim the lights and eliminate any distractions, such as music and television.
Join hands. Seated around the table, the participants must all join hands in a circle.
Summon the spirit. The participants must speak these words together: “Our beloved [name of spirit], we bring you gifts from life into death. Commune with us, (name of spirit), and move among us.”
Wait for a response. If none comes, repeat the chant until the spirit responds. Use your recording devices as you may not hear Spirit until after you review the recordings later!
If and when the spirit responds — either by rapping or some other means, or through the medium – ask your questions.
Begin simply. Ask yes and no questions at first — one rap for no, two raps for yes, for example.
Communicate directly. If a spirit chooses to speak through the medium, you may ask any kind of question.
Maintain control. If the séance seems to be getting out of hand, end the séance by breaking the circle of hands, extinguishing the candles and turning on the lights.
End the séance. When you’re done with your questioning, thank the spirit for joining you and tell them to go in peace. Break the circle of hands and extinguish the candles.

Hosting a séance can be an emotional, yet satisfying experience. When hosting your own meeting, proceed with caution and patience to get the best results.

The most important thing to remember tonight is to have fun, be light hearted, do no harm and put up your protection. I wish you all a happy Ghost Hunting on this All Hallows Eve!

Be sure to check out my First and Second “Thinning of the Veil” installments from 2015 & 2016 here: