As Halloween approaches we often hear that "The Veil between the worlds is thin" leading to an increase of paranormal activity and spirit contact. Why is it that this ethereal barrier weakens around October 31st?





In literary the definition of a veil is something that prevents you from knowing what is happening. In context, "we want to lift the veil of secrecy that surrounds government decisions."





In the world of the occult and the paranormal, the term has similar connotations. The Veil is said to be something the prevents us from seeing what is on the other side. It separates the physical world we live in from the plane of existence that ghosts and demons inhabit - the spirit world.





Of course no one has ever seen, touched or measured this invisible barrier. It's really nothing more than a metaphor for the spiritual bridge that must be crossed in order for mortals and spirits to collide.





In Celtic mythology The Veil was depicted as walls of mist that acted as a dividing point between the known and the unknown. How ever you envisage the barrier, in essence it represents an inability to see beyond, perhaps due to the limitations of our five senses.





While most agree that The Veil represents a shield that makes it more difficult for spirits to cross into our realm and stops us from getting a glimpse of their realm. Others attach deeper meaning to The Veil, especially when it comes to mediumship. They believe that if you are gifted with psychic abilities or are able to communicate with spirits, then your abilities are simply allowing you to peek behind The Veil, or call spirits through this energetic barrier.





Taking this a step further, some believe that The Veil acts as a consciousness filter. This is based upon the belief that all life is part of a shared field of psychic energy, a collective consciousness. It's said that when some of this energy passes through The Veil and takes on a human form giving us our life force, that it forgets what is on the other side of the barrier. We are sheltered from the truth of who we really are and that we are all connected.