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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.

I have no kids and I'm not pregnant. Last night I had a very vivid dream that I was in labor. In the dream, I was clearing out a friend's house and got awful cramps, which later I discovered were labor pains. In the dream, I didn't know I was pregnant until I was told. I wanted to push but I had to get to the hospital by sitting in front of the ambulance; they wouldn't pull over. When I got to the hospital, there were no beds and I was anxious because I needed to push. A nurse pointed me into the emergency room, which was covered in blood with a bullet hole in one of the beds. My boyfriend looked for a better place and couldn't find one, but found a room off of that area that was filthy. The nurse reappeared and told me to be patient and rang the labor ward to let them know. It was an American hospital; I am from Ireland. I woke before I gave birth. It was a scary dream and it felt so real my stomach was sore when I woke up. What do you think it means?
Erin

Susyn:

It's not unusual to awaken with physical symptoms after having a very intense dream. Though this dream centered around the idea that you were pregnant and you awoke with soreness in your abdomen, I do not feel it was prophetic in nature.

The subconscious will try to communicate various concerns through our dreams, but it does so symbolically, so the events in our dreams should almost never be taken literally. By looking at each segment of this dream and its meaning from a metaphysical angle, you may be able to connect this experience to something else you are currently going through.

Let's begin with the fact that you were clearing out a friend's house when you went into labor. This transition often represents an ending in one area of your life and the beginning of a new phase you are about to enter. As you cleared out space in one area, a new life began to show itself. Are you in the midst of any transitions? This could include changing jobs, moving from one place to another, or reaching a turning point in your relationship. If you can relate this message to a transitional event currently taking place, the rest of the dream should begin to make sense.

It may be that you are unaware of the changes that are about to take place based on the fact that in the dream, you did not realize you were pregnant until you went into labor. In this case, the dream is revealing that change of some type is on the way. This dream is also a reminder that you can't hurry these changes, for you are not able to push (things forward) or find a proper place in which to make things happen.

In looking for a place to give birth, you came upon a bloody room. When we encounter blood in a dream, whether it's our own or belongs to others, it also suggests that new life is on the way. This theme is repeated when you discover you are in an American hospital, which suggests that the changes coming your way are foreign and unfamiliar you.

It's easy to see why this dream and the transition it portends might cause you worry or concern, for often when we are moving into a period of change, we feel rather powerless over what is going on around us. No matter how we try, we have to surrender to a higher plan and divine timing.

Though the baby in the dream never arrived, this dream is asking you to be prepared to experience a life-changing event. Babies are always blessings in dreams, so this event should prove positive. More is sure to be revealed, so take this dream as a hint of wonderful things to come.

*****

Oceania:

In your dream, the fact that you wanted and needed to push suggests that you need to push something old out of the way in order to make room for something new that is pushing its way into your world! This new baby has been gestating and taking shape for a while now, though you may not have noticed it. That you didn't know you were pregnant in the dream until you were told suggests self-neglect or denial about what's going on within you.

In the dream, you were helping a friend rather than attending to your own needs. You were in pain before your body got your attention. Close your eyes and perform your own ultrasound. Notice any feelings in your body and give them a voice. You might begin with I feel... and see what words come up.

That the hospital was foreign to you, one of the beds was covered with blood and a bullet hole, and neither the nurse nor your boyfriend could find a clean bed for the delivery all mean that you are skeptical about your support system - perhaps rightly so. Don't wait for someone else to do this for you. Be a fierce mama and take care of business. Name the baby by identifying your immediate goal! Don't let your agenda go by the wayside in order to serve someone else's needs or desires.

You were clearing a house in your dream. Similarly, you must make way for your child, whether she turns out to be a project, a change, intense feelings or an emerging aspect of yourself. You may have to let go of some actual stuff to clear space and eliminate distractions so that you can properly attend to this new life. You may have to let go of activities in an overcrowded schedule. You may need to step back from certain people - perhaps the friend in your dream or the boyfriend whose offering of a filthy room was not good enough. Perhaps you just need to assert yourself more with them.

The speeding ambulance heading for the emergency room suggests a sense of urgency with all of this. Part of you wants change right away while another part knows that rushing won't help because the ER won't be ready. Wisdom lies somewhere inbetween: We must patiently honor divine timing, yet be ready to take action when the time is right!

That the nurse finally rang the labor ward to let them know you'd arrived means things are falling into place. Make your final preparations! You are in labor now, so you're close to manifesting your creation. The process may be painful, but you can't stop now. Take some deep breaths and relax; it's time for the final push.

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.