A séance is held when a group of people attempt to receive messages from spirits. It can be held for pure entertainment value, although the more successful séances tend to have a specific purpose in mind. Perhaps a loved one has recently died, or maybe there's a family mystery that needs to be solved.

Séances have been held since the 1700's. In the mid-nineteenth century, a new religion called Spiritualism appeared, in which devotees believed that spirits could be contacted and messages from the other side could be sent and received. This new religion even reached the White House, with Mary Todd Lincoln holding Spiritualist séances during her husband's presidency. She was grieving the loss of her son and was trying to contact him. It was during this religious movement that many of the modern-day aspects of séances were developed.

There have been several famous series of séances held. One such episode occurred in the mid-1800's. Two young sisters, Kate and Margaret Fox, lived in an old farmhouse that was reputed to be haunted. After continually hearing all sorts of noise and disturbances, Kate had had enough and “confronted” the spirit by asking it to clap as she did. She received an immediate response. From that point the sisters were able to work out a method of communicating with their spirit by using a question and answer format with knocks as the answers.

The most common form of séance today is conducted by a medium, often in someone's home. The medium's role is to be the link between the spirits and the participants. Sometimes the medium goes into a trance, supposedly allowing the spirits to communicate through his/her body. Other ways that the spirits may communicate during a séance is by automatic writing, knocks or raps, or by levitating the table.

Since séances are usually held in a circle and have specific rituals involved, it is easy for those less ethical or honest to “cheat.” It would not be difficult to fake spirit activity during a séance, especially when the participants are eager to contact a specific spirit, perhaps a loved one. This has led to a general perception that all séances are faked or that all mediums are frauds.

A new type of séance that has become popular today is known as “stage mediumship séances.” This type of séance has the medium on a stage in front of an audience. The medium communicates with spirits that are attached to audience members, and relays messages and advice from their relatives who have passed on. Audience members never know who will receive a message or what relative's spirit will appear.

Are séances real? The answer to that depends on your beliefs and perceptions. Many famous séances and mediums through history have been “debunked” including the Fox sisters mentioned above. Harry Houdini, the famous escape artist, was also known for attempting to debunk the mediums of his time and would often attend séances in disguise.

We may never know for sure whether séances are real or not, but they still appeal to our curiosity and fire up our imaginations. It's the uncertainty that keeps us coming back.