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The two major highlights of the week are Tuesday’s Aquarius new Moon/solar eclipse and the Sun’s entry into Pisces. Tuesday also marks the official start of the Chinese New Year, which this year features the Fire Horse: Prepare to be amazed at the quick pace and power of this Horse, as it moves us into a year of action, manifestation, and success! The Chinese New Year rarely happens on an eclipse, making the start of this cycle even more powerful than most. Watch for an increase in energy, determination, and improved overall health. The very next day, on Wednesday, the Sun will enter the final sign of the zodiac for the year, Pisces. Going within is a key theme of this sign, as we are asked to examine and integrate all we’ve learned over the last twelve months. It also marks the last month of Winter (Summer in the southern hemisphere). With these two major shifts happening this week, we’ll want to relax and regroup under Sunday’s Taurus Moon before we move into the cycle of change that awaits us next week.

Ghost Hunting in the Gilded Age, by Rich Newman

(Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

We live in a fantastic time to be paranormal enthusiasts. Dozens of ghost hunting programs are currently featured on television. There are websites dedicated to developing and selling ghost hunting gear, and tourism for haunted locations is so high that hotels and restaurants often post their ghost stories right on their own websites. But, believe it or not, this isn't the first time that America has been captured by the mystique of ghosts and hauntings.

After Margaretta and Catherine Fox claimed to have made contact with a spirit in Hydesville, New York in 1848, a new movement quickly swept across the country: Spiritualism. Not to be confused with Spiritism (a movement started by Allan Kardec in the 1850s that was largely concerned with reincarnation), Americans were suddenly holding séances in their homes, playing with talking boards, and having parties all concerned with speaking to the dead.

While most of the ghostly activity of this period is associated with the use of mediums—people with the psychic ability to channel spirits and even allow them to temporarily possess them—there were also techniques used by the psychically challenged to interact with spirits, too. Many of these were quite effective and can even be used today by modern ghost hunters. Let's talk about a few of these.

Setting aside the use of a medium (a practice that is actually used by some paranormal groups today), the most common means of spectral communication by Spiritualists was a technique known as "table turning." Also known as table tilting, table tipping, and table tapping, this involved a group of people sitting around a small, light (usually round) table with their finger tips resting gently on the surface. A designated speaker would then ask questions from any spirits who were present and ask that he/she turn or tilt the table. Sometimes this would be more of a vibration than dramatic movement, but any activity would pretty much be interpreted as interaction. If a spirit was particularly energetic, the speaker might then ask questions with one-word answers, and then proceed to slowly say the alphabet. The spirit could then move the table when certain letters were said to spell out a word.

Today, this practice is simply known as table tipping, and I've seen it used in the field a number of times. In my experience it seems to work best when yes or no questions are asked and the spirit is directed to interact with the table to answer. For instance, the speaker might say, "Please let us know when what I say is correct. Did you live in this house?" If there was an answering movement involved with the table, it would be taken as a "yes."

Another simple, but effective, item that Spiritualists would use is the candle. In addition to lighting the parlor for a séance, candles were often used by a small group to indicate when a ghost was present. This typically involved placing a single candle on a mantle or table, eliminating any wind moving through the room by closing doors and windows, and then the Spiritualists sitting on the other side of the room (so nobody could inadvertently blow out the candle). A speaker would then entreat any spirits to indicated their presence by blowing out the candle.

I have to admit that this sounds like the premise for a low budget horror movie, on par with the old Bloody Mary legend, but it's actually quite viable for the present day with a small, but recommended, change. Instead of simply sitting the candle away from everyone, a better way to guard against accidentally blowing it out would be to surround it with glass or plexiglass—essentially sitting it inside a small, transparent box. You would, of course, still need to have the top open to allow the flame to burn, but with high enough walls you could be assured that any extinguished candles were not the result of a wandering breeze.

A popular variation of this technique is something that modern ghost hunters call the "Irish Wind Chime." Essentially it's exactly the same premise as the candle-in-a-cage, only you are placing a small set of wind chimes that are hanging from a mini stand under a glass "hurricane"-style cover. Since they are sitting in a micro, sealed environment, any movement of the chimes would be an indicator of a spiritual presence. Care just has to be taken to insure that nothing is shaking the area where the chimes are sitting.

The most controversial method used by Gilded Age ghost hunters was, without a doubt, the infamous "talking board." After frustrated Spiritualists got tired of the slow method of speaking to the dead by reading aloud the alphabet, it only goes to reason that some enterprising soul would think to simply write the letters and numbers on a table of sorts. The actual origin of the talking board is something of a mystery, but most historians agree that it began making appearances in parlors during the late 1880s.

What we now think of as the "Ouija Board" was first marketed by the Kennard Novelty Company in the early 1890s. Some have supposed that the name came from the combined French (oui) and German (ja) words for "yes," but talking board historian Robert Murch has stated that the name was supplied by a medium named Helen Peters who claimed she got the moniker from a spirit she communicated with via a board. She said that it meant "good luck."

Spiritualists loved the Ouija Board, and by 1893 it was a best selling novelty of the day. Interestingly, in order to sell the device to the public, the Kennard Novelty Company had to prove to the patent office that it worked. After a quick session where the board spelled out the name of the patent officer, it was granted its patent and the new craze began.

The modern version of the talking board, or Ouija Board (as Hasbro still markets it), might be made of plastic and cardboard vs. the original wood, but it essentially is the same. The alphabet, numbers, and words "yes, no, hello, and goodbye" adorn the board, while a planchette is used to communicate with spirits.

Just as they were used in the Gilded Age, two or more people are supposed to sit around the board with their fingers lightly touching the planchette. Questions are then asked and the planchette (hopefully) moves to the appropriate answers—sometimes spelling out words, dates, etc. During the late 1800s, the talking board was a popular parlor activity, with the only negative being the possibility that somebody among them was purposely pushing the planchette.

Today the board is still popular, but it has a bit of a mixed reception. Thanks to a few popular horror movies, and rather vocal followers of organized religion, many believe that these boards are "evil" and used, exclusively, to speak to non-human entities, such as "demons," "djinn," etc. This is, of course, nonsense. There is nothing inherently evil in a Hasbro board game—or any other incarnation of the talking board. Like most objects used to interact with the dead, there is nothing inherently good or bad about it.

In fact, the linking of the talking board with the occult and evil practices is a modern belief that began in the 1970s (with some pointing directly at the book/film The Exorcist as the cause). Before then, the most famous case involving a talking board is that of Pearl Curran who came into contact with a spirit named "Patience Worth" via a board. Curran would produce novels, poetry, and other prose all supposedly sourced from Patience Worth. But this is hardly anything of a sinister nature.

Much like practitioners at the turn of the century, you, too, can use a talking board while ghost hunting, but you might want to make sure that everyone present is okay with it before doing so. There's no sense in scaring or angering anyone. Ironically, I'd actually suggest using it without any human interaction. Since plastic is such a poor conductor of electricity/energy, there's really no need for anyone to place their fingers on the planchette. Just use the lightest planchette possible and ask any spirits present to move it. If anyone wants to "share energy" with spirits via a planchette, I'd suggest constructing one of copper or aluminum for better conductivity.

The last thing I'd like to touch on concerning Spiritualism is the concept of "debunking." While there were certainly hardcore followers who were quick to believe most everything was of a paranormal nature, there were also practitioners of the day who reveled in exposing fraudulent mediums, fakery, and criticizing the new practice of "spirit photography."

Much like today, one of the favorite tools of Victorian ghost hunters was the use of a camera. Taking photos before and during séances often produced images of spirits, and would sometimes capture live activity in the parlor, such as the appearance of "ectoplasm." People like famed illusionist Harry Houdini took great delight in debunking double exposures and ectoplasm that would actually be various substances, including cheesecloth and a potato starch/gelatin that was usually swallowed and then regurgitated during the séance.

In many ways, fake spirit photography in the Gilded Age is quite similar to modern ghost hunting photos and the appearance of "orbs." Thankfully, many of us take a cue from Mr. Houdini and take the time to scrutinize photos taken from haunted places—and we debunk our own photos that contain orbs that are nothing more than bits of airborne dust, pollen, etc.

So, while we may think of Spiritualism as a movement from the late 1800s—and perhaps a bit outdated—the truth is that we have taken a lot from our ghost hunting ancestors. And though we may be safe with throwing out some of their more outlandish forms of communicating with the dead (I don't think the "spirit trumpet" will be coming back into fashion any time soon), every time we ask a ghost to make a rapping sound for us, or take part in a table tipping session, we are continuing an American tradition. One that, thankfully, won't be ending any time soon.

Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2021. All rights reserved.

This happened about three years ago. I was studying Reiki and advanced energy medicine at the time. My instructor had told me to meditate on my upper chakras, so I was meditating on the eighth. My eyes were shut, I was in a comfortable position holding my 8th chakra, and I was well-grounded - or so I thought. Suddenly, everything got very quiet and then a rushing sound filled my ears. My eyes were closed but I could actually see my skin pinging off into air like popcorn popping around without the lid on. It was if my eyes were wide open because everything was absolutely crystal clear. Then my sight started to darken. I was able to ask my husband if I was still sitting on the couch, and he said that I was. After my skin stopped flying about in mid-air, I re-materialized in a room where a large group of men were seated in a circle. It reminded me of the Roman Senate, for they were all dressed in togas and had close-cropped beards. I was standing in the middle of this circle, staring down at a large beautiful crystal (my 8th chakra). I remember one man kept asking What does the crystal say? Look at the crystal and tell us what it says! The crystal was the last thing I wanted to look at. Then I found myself back in my own living room on the couch, still holding my 8th chakra. My body was intact, and my husband was still playing chess. I told him what happened and he said You're crazy. Nothing like this has happened since. I'm not sure if I crossed through a portal, entered an alternate reality, or experienced a past life. I was not afraid of the men, nor did I feel threatened. I recall feeling more afraid of not getting back to my couch. I told a friend about this, and she gave me an earful about playing with my 8th chakra. Her guides told her that those men were evil. My instructor just shrugged. What is your take on this? I was born 10/23/57. Thanks!

Astrea:

Many people might not be familiar with the Eighth Chakra, as most systems of thought only refer to the main seven. The Eighth Chakra is often referred to as our aura: that which surrounds all the other chakras and always surrounds us. Expanded or contracted, it's always present.

Most of us have an aura that extends two to five feet from our bodies. A very healthy aura can extend nine feet or more, encompassing all others who come within that space and surrounding them with our own Light.

You might think of this as a strong energy field that reflects every thought and every feeling you have. Energy that comes from the body and the soul fills the aura and affects you and all those around you.

Meditation can retract or extend our auras; it's up to each individual to decide if we wish to share our energy or not. One of the strongest actions we can take to expand our aura and communication with others here (and in other dimensions) is to correct our posture. Standing up straight, sitting up straight, avoiding certain hyper-extended or fatigue positions - all have effects on the aura.

A confident practitioner of Reiki, Transcendental Meditation or any of the other concentrated meditation skills will tell you that his or her body language does a lot in terms of energetic communication.

I find it very revealing that you were told by your instructor to concentrate on your upper auras, and with a rebellious Spirit, you sought something totally different and had an experience all your own.

This would never have happened if you had behaved yourself and done what you were told. Strong individuals often go against direct instructions. Einstein, Copeland and Ballanchine come to mind, so you're in great company. You go, girl!

Meditation has long been the doorway to other times, places and dimensions. Depending on the goal of the person meditating, other worlds may open and close in order to teach that person the lessons that he or she is seeking to learn.

It is often the case that we see, hear or feel things during meditation that are fantastic or beautiful, scary or sad, enlightening or confusing. The nature of meditation gives us opportunities we would never gain without this practice.

Of course meditation can open up new avenues of thought and new dimensions of experience: that's a big part of what meditation is all about!

*****

Susyn:

It's important to have a basic understanding of the 8th chakra, such as where it is and what part of the soul it addresses. Once you do, the visions you describe will make more sense.

Most teachings on the chakras address the first seven chakras, which are all contained in the human body. When you are ready to transcend the human body to connect with Spirit in more profound ways, the additional four chakra centers (8 through 12) come into play.

The 8th chakra is located a few feet above the head, and is the energy center that connects us to the world outside ourselves. It is also the center that gives us the ability to astral project or move back and forth between our physical form and our pure soul forms.

The experience you describe of your skin pinging off is a powerful visual of the soul breaking free and casting off the physical body to clear a path for your spiritual being to emerge.

The 8th chakra may also contain past life karma we need to resolve in addition to patterns we may be trying to rid ourselves of. This would explain why you found yourself standing before what appeared to be a senate or group of judges who asked you to interpret the visions in the crystal.

Because the visions we experience via this chakra are all directly related to ourselves, and since this was your first experience with it, it's understandable that you would be reticent to peer into the crystal. As you continue to explore your 8th chakra, you'll find yourself more open to exploring the images you see, and will become more comfortable with whatever happens.

People who have no experience in the realm of metaphysics will be quick to tell you that you are crazy or that what you have seen is evil. If you encounter a malefic entity in this process, you'll know it, so I wouldn't take comments like that to heart.

Most likely, your instructor kept silent about this to allow you to seek and form your own opinions. This is an ideal way to approach things when in the midst of an awakening. Everyone's experiences of the 8th chakra will be unique since it's the vessel containing past life karma and old issues we're releasing.

I encourage you to continue your work in this realm. Maintain close contact with your instructor and others who have gone before you to make sure you have the guidance you need to remain safe as you grow through your spiritual practices.

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.