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October’s arrival heralds the season of spooks and spirits and a seance or two. It’s a time to question the unknown. And search for messages from the dearly departed.
It appears the pandemic has strengthened many people’s resolve for closure, especially for those who didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to loved ones who passed away, alone and isolated, during or because the pandemic.
This desire is only getting stronger: The New York Post notes that “business is booming” in the psychic world. CNN has reported that many who have lost loved ones to the pandemic say they were given a second chance to say goodbye, via unexplained sightings and unusual incidents, like whiffs of a departed one’s favourite fragrance and even vivid dreams.
People are looking for that one last goodbye, and virtually in every culture there are those who can help facilitate this, although in very unconventional ways. Business for the thousands in the psychic industry is truly growing.
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“People continue to want spiritual connection after the death of a loved one, even long after their loved one has passed,” says Dr. Monica Vermani, clinical psychologist and author of A Deeper Wellness: Conquering Stress, Mood, Anxiety and Traumas. “It’s no one’s business to judge, belittle or question anyone who consults a psychic — unless, of course, they are being misled into dangerous or questionable behaviours, exploited and manipulated by a ruthless con artist.”
That said, “not understanding and knowing concretely what happens after death makes many people anxious, and this fear and uncertainty increase levels of distress … a message from a departed loved one via a psychic medium — whether it is specific or something general that could apply to anyone — can be of great comfort to someone who is anxious, grieving, or in pain.”
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One person who has seen a surge in psychic interest is well-known Canadian mentalist Jaymes White (jaymeswhite.com) famous for his unconventional seances that take place in purportedly haunted buildings. Now in his seventh year, White — who holds a degree in criminology from Carleton University and works with law enforcement officials to help in memory training and psyche analysis — says he is neither a psychic or medium, but says his seances allow the energy of others to speak for themselves.
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“A seance is when a bunch of people come together and attempt to make contact with the dead,” said White during a recent interview at Toronto’s Howland Inn, built in the 1830s, and said to be full of ghosts. “At its core, it’s a meeting of like-minded individuals who are curious, perhaps even skeptical of the unknown, and whether spirits, ghosts and the dearly departed actually exist.”
The pandemic has seen a peak into that type of curiosity, added White, who will be conducting seances throughout October and into November. “Are people curious? Yes, even the skeptics. At the seances I conduct, things happen that truly have no explanation. People assume it’s me, but it’s not. I’m just there as a facilitator. It’s coming from the guests. And I find something happens at every seance.”
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People today are looking for some type of “reassurance — and closure,” says internationally-renowned Canadian medium, pet psychic and clairvoyant Angel Morgan. “My job is to help people, offer them validation. I would be considered more a holistic communicator, there to guide people as they struggle to find answers they’ve been seeking.”
Morgan is not alone in this — The New York Times calls psychic mediums the new “wellness coaches,” as qualified under the “self-care” industry. Has there been a surge in requests from people who want to connect with loved ones they lost during the pandemic?
Morgan says she’s received a few people who have asked about loved ones who have passed during the pandemic, but “I am finding there is more interest in knowing whether we are going to be experiencing lockdowns again,” says Morgan of raisingenergy.com. “Most people that come to me are afraid if this happens again (and) they will not be employed, or be able to sustain their small businesses.”
That said, “the pandemic gave us all a chance to reflect and be introspective. As a psychic what I see is that (COVID) is something that is a part of our lives now, and that we won’t be experiencing the same scale we have had in the past.”
As for the messages from the dearly departed, Morgan says “many spirits will give me a sense of how it felt, (and) for the most part they are happy, in a good place, with very loving messages to pass on.”
All told, “people continue to want spiritual connection after the death of a loved one, even long after their loved one has passed,” says Vermani, keeping in mind that “psychics are not therapists, even when they can make you feel better. (They) often provide an immediate sense of relief, which may last for a while, but when it comes to our mental health, there is no substitute for therapy for people who are struggling with anxiety, depression, complex (prolonged) grief, trauma, and other mental health disorders.”
Seek professional help if you you’re struggling with prolonged grief, say experts in the mental health field. That’s what they’re trained to do.
Morgan says she works with a network of specialists in traditional roles, such as therapists, and counsellors: “We help people who are looking for answers. I’m just one layer of the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual way of communication.
White says he’s there to help facilitate the curious, be they believers or de-bunkers.
“It’s all about keeping an open mind,” he says.
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