3. SET UP A SPIRIT-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT

As even the unbelievers know, ghosts are supposed to come out at night, so plan your séance for sometime after the sun goes down. A night with a bright, full moon would be a nice touch and could set the mood, but it isn't necessary.

It's been recommended that séances be held in a location other than your house-or any inhabited house-just in case the spirit you attract has a hard time saying goodbye and sticks around. A hotel room is preferable (though probably not in the opinion of the hotel owner), but we recommend that you just hold it at your house. Just make sure you read the directions at the end of the step "Summon the Spirit," and follow them carefully.

There are 5 things you will need to hold a proper séance:

  • The Table. After you've decided on a location, it's very important to prepare the area for the séance. Séances are usually held around a round or ovular table, so find one that's large enough to accommodate all your guests and have enough chairs for each participant. Cover the table with a sheet of white cloth or paper - the color will help to attract "good" ghosts who are peaceful, helpful, and who won't overstay their welcome.

  • Candles. Place some unlit candles on the center of the table. There should be at least 3 candles; the more the better, but not so many that you might accidentally light a guest's weave on fire. The number of candles on the table should also be divisible by 3 and there should be some white candles (but you can also include some purple or violet ones for spirituality). Don't light the candles just yet.

  • Incense. There are several scents that are essential for conducting a séance, and the 3 most popular ones are cinnamon, frankincense, and sandalwood. You can buy incense with these scents, or you can find them in candles, as well (but don't include these candles on the séance table if they aren't the right colors). Here's what each smell is supposed to do:
    Cinnamon: provides warmth and energy Frankincense: expands consciousness and aids in meditation Sandalwood: grounds the participants and helps them to stay focused
    You can light the incense before your guests arrive so that the room smells all nice and séance-y by the time they show up.

  • Music. Have some meditation or new age music - anything mild and soothing - playing as your guests are arriving. The purpose of the music is to relax the participants and set the mood; it shouldn't be playing when the séance actually begins.

  • Tape/Video Recorder. People often hold what they initially think to be an unsuccessful séance, only to discover later on when they watch or listen to a taped recording of it that the ghost was actually present. If you run a tape recorder at a séance that supposedly flopped, play back the recording on high volume to see if maybe a very soft-spoken ghost was actually there. Who knows - you might have just inadvertently made the next Blair Witch Project, and all you did was foolishly mess around with the supernatural, not tramp around the woods in wet camping gear . . . what a deal!