What are Seances?

Seance is a word used to describe, as the photograph shows, a group of people gathered together whose wish is to ‘get in touch’ with the spirit world. They were called ‘circles’ because those attending would often sit around a circle.

As can also be seen in the image, it was felt that by linking hands, the psychic power could be boosted. These groups would usually be supervised by at least one medium who acted as the ‘link’ between ‘worlds’. However, any person attending might have become a channel for communication.

The nineteenth century witnessed quite a number of these seances whose purpose was also to try and persuade the spirit world to produce physical phenomena such as knocks, raps or have objects appear in the air. These could include such effects as maybe a spirit hand, or if they were very fortunate, a complete manifestation.

Circles meet in many private houses today (I used to run one myself some years ago) as they do in Spiritualist Churches. However, the linking of hands is now regarded aby many as unecessary.
While a limited number still try and produce physical phenomena, the vast majority are to do with non-physical spirit communication and training.