A Miami Spiritualist Explores Cassadaga, Florida’s “Psychic Capital”

According to local legends, the sleepy town of Cassadaga, Florida, sits on an energy vortex where the spirit and material worlds are unusually close. Today, it's regarded by many as the “Psychic Capital of the World.”

It was founded in 1894 by Spiritualist pioneer George Colby, a native of Pike, New York, who suffered from tuberculosis. He claimed his Indian spirit guide, Seneca, instructed him that the cure lay in the wilds of Central Florida, where he was to establish a Spiritualist camp. Spiritualism—a mid-19th-century movement—teaches that the dearly departed live on as guides and teachers for the living.

Colby arrived around 1875 by train and riverboat, hacking through underbrush until he crossed the seven hills Seneca described. He found an area rich in springs and lakes—the same ones that drew Ponce de León centuries earlier in search of the fountain of youth. His tuberculosis vanished, and he lived to 85, dying in 1933.

My journey was smoother: North on I-95 to Exit 249, then SR 44 West into the Lake Helen/Cassadaga area. A left on Prevatt Rd into town, right on Kicklighter Rd, and I arrived at my lodging: The Ann Stevens House (201 E. Kicklighter Rd., Lake Helen, FL 32744; still operating as a historic B&B in 2026—check annstevenshouse.com for rates).

The inn once offered a Seance package (~$70 including tour, dinner, and séance—room separate), led by a local medium. While appealing, I skipped the walking tour for a 2 p.m. reading with Dr. James Thomas and planned the Orb Tour with Rev. Ben Cox the next evening (which would cover history plus photographing spirit orbs—said to hover like love bugs in summer).

Reading with a Medium

Dr. James Thomas lived in a trailer park in Lake Helen. I arrived early for my appointment—his home recognizable by a large jack-o'-lantern with plastic Wal-Mart ghosts.

A jovial man in his early 60s with greying hair, he greeted me like a friendly neighbor. As a certified Spiritualist medium, he'd completed a rigorous six-year church program, demonstrating abilities repeatedly (unlike uncertified practitioners limited to specific spots). Readings last 30–60 minutes and range $80–$160 today (cash often required; varies by medium—contact via cassadaga.org).

I expected a recorded session and direct contact with specific spirits (I'd pre-arranged secret details with departed loved ones, Houdini-style). Instead, no recording—I awkwardly took notes one-handed while he held the other. His pantheon of spirit guides did the talking, focusing on practical life matters or unverifiable otherworldly facts.

He called me an indigo child (intuitive post-Gen-X type) who'd work as a healer in four years, raise global consciousness, and help stop warming. Affinity for natural foods (somewhat accurate); spirit drawn east coast/north of Florida—“The Carolinas... a very psychic place. And St. Augustine” (he corrected from Santa Barbara, calling them twin vortex cities). Tampa/Clearwater also powerful.

Through Sister Elizabeth Marie (a nun), he said my maternal grandmother showered me with pink (love) and three pink roses—she'd been intuitive (though she seemed as psychic as a brick to me). Relationships needed equals. Guides included ascended master Katumi; pendulums useful, salt water cleansing, lavender oil protective.

He hugged me, sprayed lavender-vodka mix, and advised no discussion for 72 hours to let answers congeal.

No chosen spirits appeared, no verifiable details. Helpful hint: Interview readers first—ask if they contact loved ones directly (John Edward-style) or guide via their spirits only.

Still, I left oddly energized and light—maybe the lavender vodka? More encounters awaited at a table-tipping séance in Colby Temple!

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain

Victor Vogenitz—stocky former corrections officer and Vietnam veteran—made an unlikely ghost whisperer. Yet with over 30 years' experience, this certified Spiritualist practiced rare physical mediumship: manifesting spirits physically via apparitions, moving tables, or sounds.

“Many early Spiritualists were from Missouri—the Show-Me state,” he explained, leading ~8 of us into Colby Temple's narrow séance room. “If they didn’t see it, they wouldn’t believe it.” Mental mediumship (voice-relayed messages) is more common now.

First group sat around a solid, heavy round table (to “charge” with spirit energy). We in back “sent energy.” Vogenitz placed charged luminescent trumpets (cones for spirit communication) on the table, dimmed lights (red bulb only), and led sing-alongs (“Row Your Boat,” “In the Garden,” “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”) to raise vibrations.

Trumpets spun circularly. Spirits arrived; Vogenitz asked each person who they sought—reassuring but no shocks. Table groaned/shook (dark room hid details). Later, Vogenitz moved trumpets, silhouetting himself—I glimpsed his frame pushing the table.

I left believing something was there, even if theatrics were feigned. Paranormal phenomena may be subtler/unpredictable. The experience opened imagination's door—truth didn't depend on the medium's veracity.

Friday Night Healing Service

A highlight: Friday 7 p.m. at Colby Temple, lit with candles. Guided meditation into healing colors; four healers moved hands over seated groups (no touch). Whispered “Be at peace and go with God”—recipients returned to seats peacefully.

Nighttime Orb Tour

Rev. Ben Cox led Saturday night tours (~$25–$45 today; check cassadaga.org for schedules). Stories of 1894 founding, 1926 hotel fire, ghostly visions. History of buildings/architecture. Highlight: spirit orbs—floating light circles in digital photos, especially in psychic areas.

Critics call them flash flares (insects/dust/lens). Believers note rarity elsewhere. Orbs appeared abundantly in my shots (day/night, flash/no flash)—dozens, often unseen until enlarged. Vortex centered over Spirit Pond (dried pit then, but orbs continued).

Most fun activity—see more photos (original link outdated; search current orb images from Cassadaga).

Psychometry Class

Rev. Diane Davis led this in the Camp Bookstore/Info Center—like a campground arts class, down-to-earth and humorous.

Passed a rock—impressions: arrowhead, heat, desert (it was Pharaonic Sahara). Exchanged personal items in pairs—impressions flowed. “Get out of the monkey mind” (rational assumptions); intuitive mind relays beyond.

Tongue depressors with marks—impressions on others. Limited success but revealing. Accurate details on careers, losses, gains—sometimes symbolic (classroom clock for returning to school).

Three hours flew; wished it were ongoing (counts toward medium certification).

Good Vibrations

Other adventures: Sunday Lyceum, church service, Grove Service (platform readings). Rev. Ben's world religions class.

Packing, I reflected: carnival hoke, history slice, superstition, small-town gossip, outdated Great Beyond views. Yet peaceful escape with mystifying phenomena—sparking imagination's possibilities.

Cassadaga balances age-old Spiritualist traditions with emerging New Age spirituality—internal conflicts notwithstanding. It endures.

Editor’s Note: Originally published October 30, 2007. Updated in 2026 with new photography; Doug's Eames' original writing remains unchanged.