Shannon Taggart became aware of Spiritualism as a teenager, when her cousin received a message from a medium that revealed details about her grandfather's death. In 2001, while working as a photographer, she began taking pictures where that message was received—Lily Dale, New York, home to the world's largest Spiritualist community—proceeding to other such communities as England’s Arthur Findlay College. Taggart expected to spend one summer figuring out the tricks of the Spiritualist trade. Instead, Spiritualism’s mysterious processes, earnest practitioners, and neglected photographic history became an inspiration. Her project evolved into an eighteen-year journey that has taken her around the world in search of "ectoplasm"—the elusive substance that is said to be both spiritual and material.Shannon will also discuss the 11th Annual Symposium at Lilly Dale, NY, which starts on July 23, 2025 and continues through July 26, 2025. Events include: Spoon Bending Party, with Shannon Taggart and guests, The Paranormal Object, with Jack Hunter, The Cinematic Séance: A History of Spiritualism and Film, with Murray Leeder, The Mystery of Gef the Talking Mongoose, with Christopher Josiffe, Richard Shaver: A Personal Mythology of Secret Caves and Ancient Rocks, with Doug Skinner, and much more.
Her website: www.shannontaggart.com
Our cohost will be Tim Swartz.
Recording Date (including After The Paracast):
Tuesday, Feb 18th at 2:00 PM Pacific (5:00 PM Eastern)
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Broadcast and Streaming Date:
February 23, 2025
