Hello Viewers,

I have a couple of questions and looking for some feedback.

#1 - When you do your seance, do you have those sitting around the table holding hands and are you also holding individuals hands?

#2 - If your holding their hands, how then would you suggest or do you do, a freeing of one or both of your hands (in darkness of course), and they are not aware of the fact, so you can work some of the enhancements for the seance that you brought with you?

Thank you for your suggestions in advance.

Ed

I hated it... Depends on audience size, and no HUMMING!

I have everyone hold hands and caution them about 'breaking the circle'. This makes it difficult for trouble-makers to cause trouble.

I use Lee Earle's minor and major circle methods of linking all the spectators. It is described (with photos) in his Manifestations book. It worked well for him in hundreds of performances. If you're looking to do Seances, his book and tapes is a must have.

As you can see, Zodiac has been to one my seances, where he was apparently uncomfortable holding hands and humming. To me, that consitutes a success.

A seance should make your audience uncomfortable -- you are summoning the forces from beyond, for heaven's sake, not doing a four-ace assembly. At least part of your audience will have an expectation for handholding, and I believe you should feed that expectation. (As for having the audience breathe rhythmically and yes, hum, it is a concentration technique I and others have used to get the audience focused on the event's proceedings. This is, after all, a ritual. For more about the psychology of seances, please read Eugene Burger's seminal book, Spirit Theater.)


I'm also of the opinion that if you are not holding hands with them, you look suspicious (unless your movements are otherwise accounted for, such as in the venerable chained-up medium routine).

As for how to make things happen while being so confined, read Lee Earle's Manifestations, where he outlines his use of Medium's Grip (this is also in a Carlyle work, I believe). If you prefer bondage, you can use a convincing set of restraints designed to secretly let you out (there are some nice, heavy-duty Siberian Chain Escapes on the market), or just consult Burling Hull's classic book on rope ties.

Best of luck to you.

I like using the ouija board. Two spectators sit facing each other seated in straightback chairs. The board goes from one's lap to the other. The light is either dimm or I use candles, depends on whats available and right for the mood. If I have guests that might pose a problem, I have everyone form a circle around them and hold hands. If not we just surround the 2 without holding hands.

Magickman

I'm not into the idea of the bondage thing for a seance (but I can do the 100' rope escape), maybe that will be required later down the road.

I do like the humming idea with the deep breathing and holding hands, the reasoning I can agree with, as I took part in a Wicca Full Moon Celebration, to just get a feel, ideas and knowledge of their way of doing things. They did the humming, holding hands in a circle, deep breathing, eyes closed (boy could a practicing bizzarest have a moment of fun if he was prepared for it) etc. Yes we were fully clothed.

Even though I knew there was nothing to be expected to happen, I could see in a seance were it could create a environment to heighten ones expectations before anything happens.

I also like the Wicca's way of cleansing the area before anything got started, this was what I would say among us here, a mood setter. One of the witches went around the area of the circle with a 'Witches' broom, chanting and sweeping the circle clean. Another Witch followed walking and chanting with burning incense sticks and waved them along the area of the circle. Then the High Priestess followed, chanting and walked around with water and sprinkled it in the air around the circle.

I like the idea of an Ouija Board for use in a seance. I guess the reason is so many people have a phobia about it and just mentioning it gets them spooked.

Now can an Ouija board seance have the same impact as lets say the typical sitting at the table holding hands seance, as far as using it in developing a reputation for doing or running seances? Or would one be better off building a reputation with the sitting at a table seance.

I do plan on picking up Jim Magus book on the Ouija board for seances. Any other book recommendations for Ouija board work?

Also I'm still interested in feedback on the original question I posted here about holding hands.

Thanks again,
Ed

Necromancer,

Hello,
I'm also from the Chicagoland area, any chance of me seeing you work?

Ed

In my seance, done by candlelight, I do not have people hold hands. The reason being that my spirit guide interacts directly with the spectators at the table. (This is harder than doing just a demonstration of phenomena.)

If you want to use the medium's grip, which must be done in complete darkness, I have info on contacting Carlyle (Ed Fowler) for video or manuscript, I forget which he has for sale.

Ed,
Jim Magus's book "Tales From the Talking Board" is a must have. Full of the history and stories that chill people! I have had a few people walk out on the show when the board comes out (and I just grin ). Doesn't happened often. I must say that the history of the board is as bizarre as the magick you can create with it!
Read up on it!
Magickman

O.K. I agree handholdings cool, but Im going to pass out if I have to humm again1

ps... Necromancer, very cool seance. I really enjoyed it.

When you say interacts with the spectators at the table, this sounds interesting, but I'm baffled by what it would consist of (for the reason you do not have people holding hands).

Could you explain a bit?
Ed
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Hey I'm only 2 hours north of you guys! I'd love to catch your act Necromancer! Drop me an email and let me know when you are performing!

James and Ed, thanks for your interest in my seances (and thank you, Scott, for your kind words).

I wish I had an ongoing seance performance that I could invite you to, but at this time it's strictly a seasonal Halloween event at Excalibur nightclub in Chicago.

Sorry that you missed it this year, but it's never too early to make plans for Halloween 2003. (Until then, you're welcome to read about the last one at my performance site, http://www.necromancerevents.com).

"ELS" in Chicago asked in what way my spectators participate in my seance. First of all, I invite two women to assist me, seated on my left and right.

The seance is conducted by candlelight.

Since I am using Dr. Q slates, I can safely let the spectator hold them. My Aunt Elsie, who died when she was 4 years old, is our spirit guide. Using an Old Maid deck, Aunt Elsie guides the hand of each of the two women cut to the same cards that I have earlier selected. (You do as I do)

There are 5 names written on a pad of paper. One of the women adds the name of a deceased. Aunt Elsie guides the hand of the other women to draw a line through the name of the deceased. (Living and Dead Test)

I still have the hand of Aunt Elsie's favorite doll. The rest of the doll has been lost through time. While one of the women holds the doll's hand, it moves in her hand. (Mary Tomich jumped about a foot when this happened at a Weerd Weekend where I was performing.)

The finale does not directly involve the women. The candle that has been burning throughout the seance goes out, appearing to be snuffed by an invisible force. When the room lights are back on, there is a rose apport in front of one woman.

Thanks to all for their input.

Ed

I use the Carlisle method. Buy the video "Carlisle Touch". great work!

You'll also find descriptions of his Medium's Grip in the collected Seance magazine, and in Lee Earle's Manifestations.

If memory serves, the reason for holding hands was multifold, one, to help the attendees focus, two, to let them feel that there was no trickery afoot, (foolish mortals.....) and three, in my opinion, to give them that false sense of security, that there were others in the same boat as they were.
I would probably go with the hand holding, and attempt to re-vreate that feel from the victorian age parlor set up, but that is my take on it!

Kay