Table-turning

File:L'Illustration 1853-05-14.djvu

Faraday apparatus for ideomotor effect on table turning

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Table lifting trick

Joseph Dunninger table trick

Table-turning is a type of paranormal phenomenon that became popular in the 19th century as part of the wider Spiritualism movement. It involves participants sitting around a table, placing their hands on it, and waiting for it to rotate, move, or tilt, supposedly under the influence of spiritual or supernatural forces. This practice is also known as table-tipping, table-tapping, and table-tilting.

History

The origins of table-turning can be traced back to the early 1850s in Europe, quickly spreading to the United States where it became a common activity in séances. It was initially considered a serious method for communicating with the dead, with participants interpreting the movements as coded messages from spirits. The phenomenon gained widespread attention and was a subject of both fascination and skepticism.

Method

The typical method of table-turning involves participants sitting around a table, lightly placing their hands on the surface. They then call upon spirits to guide or move the table. The table might move in various ways, including tilting, spinning, or knocking. Participants often use these movements to spell out messages, with each movement representing a letter or number.

Scientific Explanation

Skeptics and scientists have offered several explanations for table-turning, attributing the movements to natural causes rather than supernatural. One prominent theory is the ideomotor effect, a psychological phenomenon where individuals make motions unconsciously. This effect suggests that the participants, through slight, involuntary muscle movements, may be causing the table to move without realizing it.

Cultural Impact

Table-turning became a cultural phenomenon in the 19th century, reflecting the era's fascination with death and the afterlife, as well as the boundary between science and the supernatural. It was featured in literature, inspired scientific inquiry, and was the subject of public debates between skeptics and believers. Despite its decline in popularity as a serious practice, table-turning remains a part of the history of paranormal investigation and the Spiritualism movement.

Criticism and Skepticism

Critics of table-turning, including scientists and skeptics, have often challenged its validity as a means of communicating with the spirit world. Investigations conducted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries aimed to debunk table-turning as a trick or the result of unconscious human actions rather than paranormal activity. This skepticism contributed to the decline of table-turning's popularity as a serious practice, though it remains a topic of interest in discussions of historical paranormal phenomena.

See Also

• Spiritualism
• Séance
• Ideomotor effect
• Paranormal