A séance is a gathering where participants attempt to communicate with the spirits of the dead. The practice of holding seances dates back to the 19th century, when Spiritualism, a religious movement that believed in the ability to communicate with the dead, was gaining popularity. During this time, seances were often held in private homes or in Spiritualist churches, and were led by a medium, a person who claimed to have the ability to communicate with the spirit world.
During a séance, participants would sit around a table, often with a Ouija board or other divination tool, and attempt to contact the spirits. The medium would often enter a trance-like state and claim to be communicating with the spirits through messages, automatic writing, or even physical manifestations such as levitation or the movement of objects.
Seances were a popular form of entertainment during the 19th and early 20th centuries, but as the era of Spiritualism came to an end, so did the popularity of seances. However, the practice has experienced a resurgence in recent years, with many people still interested in communicating with loved ones who have passed on.
Today, seances are often held by trained mediums who use their skills to provide closure and comfort to those who have lost loved ones. They are also used in paranormal investigations, in which participants attempt to communicate with spirits in order to gain insight or evidence of the paranormal.
While the practice of holding seances has changed over time, the goal remains the same: to communicate with the spirits of the dead. However, it's important to note that many skeptics consider seances to be nothing more than a form of entertainment and not an actual means of communicating with the dead. It is also important to be cautious when attending a séance and to approach it with a critical and open mind.