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May 4 through May 10, 2026

The highlight of the week is Pluto turning retrograde on Tuesday, but because this planet is so far out in the heavens, we may not notice much change on the day. However, for the next five months, we’ll be able to observe some karmic shifts happening and some recent injustices reversing themselves. This aspect also carries the power to bring people or opportunities from the past back into the forefront. With a Sagittarius Moon overhead on Monday, it’s best to stay focused in the moment, as changes can occur on an hourly basis, without notice. If we remain flexible, the shifts shouldn’t cause much trouble. The Moon travels through Capricorn from Tuesday through Thursday, making these three days the most productive of the week. Our focus will be on physical and financial stability, inspiring a new exercise routine or revision of current budgets and investments. Friday and Saturday unfold under an Aquarius Moon, making for a fun-filled start to the weekend as we engage in social events or try our hands at something completely different! Friendship is a theme under this Moon, so reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while and catch up! Sunday’s Scorpio Moon could have us hiding under the covers as energies wane and we gravitate to easy-going and relaxing activities.

Solitary Séance: On Your Own With the Spirits, by Raymond Buckland

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

How many of us, by some quirk of Fate, missed being there at the end of the life of a loved one? How many of us have longed to be able to have that last word with a now-deceased parent or sibling? Many people have wished that they could ask advice of a now-dead close friend. Many more feel guilty that they didn’t do what, in retrospect, they feel they should have done, for a relative who has now passed. Philosophically, we can only try to shrug it off and get on with our own life. Yet there always seems to remain that "deep down" feeling of remorse.

Spiritualism is a belief in a continuance of life, for the spirit, after that transition that we term "death." More than that, it is a belief that it is possible to make contact with that spirit of the one who has made the transition. In other words, it is a belief that we can have that last word, ask for that advice, assuage that guilt.

Spiritualists have developed a tried-and-true method to make this contact. It involves employing an individual who has developed the ability to connect with the spirit world; to act as a conduit between this physical world and the next. Such an individual is termed a Medium.

A professional medium is one who acts on behalf of virtually anyone who asks. By whatever means the medium finds appropriate, he or she will make the contact and then relay questions and answers back and forth between the sitter, on the physical plane, and the spirit. There are many different methods employed by mediums, which we don’t need to examine in detail here. They vary from the medium simply relaying what he or she hears, to the spirit actually speaking through the medium using that channel’s vocal cords.

There are a number of spiritualist communities about the country; virtual "villages" of spiritualists. Every year, usually in the summer months, people from across the United States and abroad make a pilgrimage to one or more of these communities in order to consult with the professional mediums there. When the "season" comes to an end—usually with the onset of winter—then the mediums close up shop and the seekers must bide their time until the spring. (The few communities located in the south are blessed in that they can operate year round.) It always seemed to me to be a shame that those in need of this contact with the deceased were unable to do so, or do so easily, for so much of the year. I knew that this need not be the case. It need not be the case because we all of us have it within ourselves to make that connection with spirit.

When it comes to psychism—the ability to connect with others here on the earth plane—many of us exhibit that ability . . . call it e.s.p. (extra sensory perception), mind reading, or simply attunement. We know what someone else is thinking or what they are about to say. Well, if we can do this with the spirit of someone living, then why not with the spirit of someone dead? Professional mediums can connect with spirit fairly easily simply because they do it all the time. You can connect also. You may need a little practice, but you can do it.

In my new book, Solitary Séance, I examine nearly twenty different methods by which any individual can connect with spirit and communicate, to ask questions and get answers. Some of these methods may be familiar in that they are used in the psychic world as well as in spiritualism. Others are more obviously connected with spirit communication; for example, the Spirit Board (e.g. Ouija), automatic writing, and table tipping. But not many people think of the tarot cards as a means of contacting the dead. Or runes or dominoes; tea-leaf reading or dreams.

Actually, dreams may be your very first contact. Many times after the death of a loved one you seem to dream of them almost every night. You invariably think that this is just the fact that they are missed, and that certainly has a lot to do with it. But if you pay attention to your dreams, if you record them—write down every little detail that you remember as soon as you wake up—then you will almost certainly find that these are not just "nighttime movies" of remembered incidents. They contain information that you didn’t previously know. As an example, in your dream you might see your recently-deceased cousin Jack sitting, grinning broadly, in a new, dark blue, Corvette sports car. He might look up and there is a flash of lightning. You could very well dismiss this dream as a fond thought of someone who was dear to you. But if you take the trouble to check with Jack’s parents, or perhaps a sibling, you might well find that Jack had always longed to own a Corvette. More than that, he had wanted one that was dark blue and he had claimed that if he ever got one he would name it "Lightning!" This dream, then, is something more than a vague remembrance of a loved one. It is the actual spirit of Jack making contact. And the information he is giving—car, color, name—is to prove that contact. These are things that you didn’t know yet which turn out to be true, thus verifying that they come from him. And this is what spiritualism is all about . . . proving that contact has been made with the departed spirit. Once that proof has been given, once there is that confirmation of the connection, then you can go on to ask questions of spirit and know that the answers you receive are valid. In the case of dreams, having proven that the dreams originate from Jack you can go to bed at night with certain questions formed in your head, things that you want to ask him. In your sleep, dreams will come. And in those dreams, Jack will answer your questions.

People sometimes ask why, if a departed spirit is able to come back and speak, then why don’t they tell us of important world events that are to come to pass? The answer is that that is not what spiritualism is all about. Spiritualism is about making a connection between two individuals and proving that connection; validating that there is indeed life after death. It is the small things, the little personal details, that are the most important.

A more definable example of spirit contact may be found in the use of the pendulum. Many people have used pendulums; in fact, they have been employed for hundreds of years, for finding water or buried minerals, for locating lost objects, and for sexing chicken eggs among other things, as I detail in Solitary Séance. A pendulum is simply a weight suspended on the end of a chain or cord. Hold the end of the chain between thumb and forefinger and allow the weight to hang down. With your elbow resting on a table, the weight should be held just off the table’s surface. Some say that your elbow should not rest on the table but I’ve found that it makes no difference. In fact, if you try to hold your elbow off the table for any length of time, it becomes tiring and that can affect the results you achieve.

Try not to influence the swing of the pendulum. By the way that it swings you will interpret answers to questions as "Yes" or "No," so you first need to establish which is which. I’d recommend placing a small piece of paper or card under the pendulum, with a cross drawn on it: + Say to the pendulum (you may speak out loud or simply think the words/question): "Show me a YES." There may be a short pause before it starts to swing. It could swing toward you and away from you, across you, or around in a circle either clockwise or counter-clockwise. Ask it to stop and then ask it to indicate a "NO." If for YES it swung toward you and away from you, then for NO it will probably swing across you. Or these could be vice versa. Alternatively it might swing around clockwise for YES and counter-clockwise for NO. It doesn’t matter which way it swings, just remember which is which and stick with those direction for YES and NO every time you use the pendulum.

Although it will be possible to get messages from spirit spelled out to you—the method I detail in Solitary Séance—initially draw up a list of questions you have for spirit that can be answered either YES or NO. You will proceed a lot faster this way. Your "contact" for this is the spirit of someone you wish to communicate with. Let’s say, for example, that it is your deceased mother. It will help to have a photograph of her on the table where you will be working. In fact you might place the photo on the table and then hold the pendulum over it. If you don’t have a photograph then you could use a letter or even a signature. Just make a (mental) note of what you will regard as the center point over which the pendulum will swing.

I would recommend spending some time before you start to work by meditating on the person you wish to contact. Call upon them to meet with you and to connect through the pendulum. Then clear your mind, greet your mother (or whomever) out loud, and ask your first question. So that you don’t have to interrupt the swings of the pendulum by writing down the answers you get, I’d recommend having a tape recorder going and calling out the responses. After a lot of questions it’s not always easy to remember whether you got a YES or a NO.

A simple pendulum can be made by taking off a pendant necklace and letting that hang down. If connecting with your mother, then hanging her wedding ring on a ribbon will make an ideal pendulum and give a definite connection. Almost anything will do at a pinch. I once fashioned an emergency pendulum by clipping together a line of paper-clips and suspending a staple-remover!

There are a lot of uses of the pendulum that can tie-in with spirit communication. I look at them in Solitary Séance. The thing to keep in mind is that even though you may not be a professional medium, there are many ways in which you—working alone, or with a friend—can contact those in the spirit world. You will not easily forget those friends and loved ones who have passed on and they do not forget you. They can be as eager to make contact with you as you are with them. You don’t have to make an appointment with a professional; you don’t have to pay a fee; you can work in the comfort of your own home. You are the medium. In Solitary Séance I detail a number of methods of working, but you don’t have to stop there. Whatever is your favorite method of working on the earth plane—as a psychic—can be adapted to work with the spirit realm. It’s mainly a matter of focus. Meditating and then concentrating on the deceased loved one you wish to connect with is half the battle. Throughout my book I show you how to use tools to make the connection: pendulums, crystals, cards, runes, boards. But professional mediums have learned to dispense with physical tools and so can you. They are useful for focusing. They are useful to give you the "feel" of making that connection. They are useful as a crutch. But all crutches eventually get laid aside. So it is with these metaphysical tools. You will eventually lay them aside and work by yourself, be it through clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, or whatever. What do these words/names mean? Ah! There it will help to turn to Solitary Séance.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2011. All rights reserved.

I had a very vivid dream a few years back that was mind blowing. I was with my best friend and some other friends in my front yard and it was a clear night. We would look into the dark sky and could see all of the planets perfectly aligned. Saturn stood out the most, and then all of a sudden Saturn's rings started to spin faster and faster. Then they spun off into the left side of the sky where it was empty. The rings opened up and a beautiful light came out of the rings, then out stepped a man in a long gown-like outfit. He had long beautiful hair, kind of like Jesus. He opened his arms and a light beamed down onto me and my friend. I started to panic but she was calm. We lifted into the air and I started to cry because I thought I was dying. I didn't get to finish the dream because someone woke me up - they thought something was wrong. The colors and everything were so real and bright and beautiful that I couldn't do anything but smile for days afterwards. What could this dream possible mean?

Kathy

Astrea:

That was a very exciting dream. You saw all of the planets in alignment! Usually, seeing the planets in your dreams means that you are totally in harmony with yourself or you are exploring your inner self in order to find that harmony.

Our planets are all ruled by spiritual beings. In your dream, there was a person who looked like Jesus representing all the beings who rule the different planets. In being taken up by this being, you weren't dying - you were just going to explore those planets in your dream.

The meaning of these combined symbols seems to be that you are in a constant and profound search for your own kind of harmony and inner peace. This is a great goal! I wouldn't be surprised if seeing the planets in alignment and opening with beautiful colors was a reflection of your own astrological chart. If you haven't had a chart done yet, do so immediately. You'll see many of the things this dream was telling you in your natal chart.

If you already have a natal chart, pay particular attention to what Saturn is doing right now. The rings were so striking in your dream that there must be some special meaning for you in this symbol.

The Universe can be thought of as a big restaurant. Everything is food here; if it's not food for humans, it's food for something else. Where do you fall in that food chain? What do you need to consider in your current career or your relationships?

Things are going to change in a big, positive way for you in the next nine months (as indicated by the nine planets!) and you need to be ready to accept the good things that you deserve. The fact that you were frightened in your dream suggests that you may not think yourself worthy of all of the abundance that is about to rain down on you, so you have some inner work to do.

That figure you saw is a clue to your dreams coming true. The Universe must be on your side to reveal such things to you. Your friend wasn't frightened in your dream because these things won't affect her life as drastically as they will yours. She is in line for some good things to come too, perhaps because you'll share your joy with her.

Be sure to rest so you're ready for what's coming and won't feel overwhelmed with what will be happening. Also, be sure to look for your Ascendant, your Moon and where Saturn falls in your chart in order to get new clues every day. I believe you'll have a great time with what's coming, and will soon be filled with happiness.

*****

Susyn:

Dreams can be interpreted in many ways. To determine this dream's messages, the most important thing is to concentrate on how the dream made you feel, not only during the dream but after you awoke.

At the start of the dream, you were in a familiar place with familiar friends around you, simply admiring the night sky. Once the rings of Saturn began to spin off center, you realized that something unnatural was about to take place.

Next you saw the vision of a man similar to Jesus, surrounded by light and welcoming you with open arms. This is consistent with well-known images of Jesus as well as the light people claim to see when crossing over to the other side. Bearing all of that in mind, it is no wonder you started to cry and thought you were dying.

The intensity of the dream, the profound colors and unusual circumstances would naturally create an image that would remain with you. These elements speak to the fact that this dream has some important messages for you.

If anyone who was with you in the dream experienced a similar dream at the same time, it would suggest that this was an out of body experience or group message dream. Some people might assume that you were actually astral projecting and because someone woke you up midway through, your transformation was short-circuited. Obviously, the dream was having a big effect on you or the people around you would not have awakened you to make sure you were okay.

Most likely this dream was designed to awaken your spiritual side. Because Saturn is a planet of design and structure and is noted for its ability to center and align you with the laws of the Universe, it represents your spiritual foundation. The rings of Saturn that spun out of control and off to the side may have served as a warning to alert you to the fact that you might be off center and out of touch with your spiritual self.

The vision of the man who appeared in a Christ-like form is a wonderful reminder that our higher selves or higher powers are always looking out for us and will protect us no matter how far out of balance we may get. In this dream, he is inviting you back into his world, for he wants you to return to a higher plane of spiritual awareness.

I would interpret this dream as a wake-up call to reconnect with the Universe and build on your spiritual life. You might begin by meditating on this dream, for that will encourage your intuitive side to awaken and play a bigger role in your life.

Astrea:

Many times in life we hear, "You will always have what you NEED, but not necessarily what you WANT." Your spirit must have needed to experience the feeling of leaving your human body, and the suggestion in the next chapter of Sylvia Brown's book was all it took to get you there.

Even though you hadn't read it yet, your SOUL recognized the title of that chapter as something it had been seeking, and your soul, knowing that you had that reference to read after your experience, got with it and out you went!

While I don't usually recommend her books, Sylvia Brown has a wide reaching and powerful effect on lots of people. A Gemini like you would be able to relate easily to her writing and put it to good use. Synchronicity - you gotta love it!

I like your description of "getting caught." That's exactly what it feels like, isn't it? One minute you're free and hovering above the room, and the next minute, ZAP! back down into your corporeal form you go!

As a little kid, I loved that "feeling of return." With practice, most of the time we can control that event, but sometimes, when our physical ears hear a distracting noise or something else occurs to knock us back into reality, back we go. With practice you will be able to control your return better.

I find it interesting that you were visiting your mother-in-law and not someone in your own genetic family. Evidently, you and your husband got married for reasons that are even deeper than love. His family's interest in "psychic stuff" will nurture your children in such matters and help them to grow into their own abilities.

You'll never have to be concerned that when your daughter visits them, she'll be discouraged from exploring her own psychic life and power. My parents encouraged me to develop my psychic senses in a time when it wasn't nice to even discuss such things in public. Heck, it's STILL not considered a great topic at the dinner table in some families!

Your kids will get to talk about it ALL and ask questions and read and study. This is going to give them such an edge in life! Talk with your husband about how you want to present this to your kiddos, so that you are united in your approach and ready to tell them their experiences are all natural and okay.

A word or two of warning: Geminis often have difficulty staying grounded in REAL LIFE. Don't get so strung out on your ASTRAL life that you neglect what you're doing here on Earth.

You are at the beginning of a long journey to learn where your power really lies. Try to be patient with this process and take your time.