Beyond Halloween: NYC's Psychic Mediums Connect with Spirits Year-Round
Three New York-based psychics share their experiences communicating with the deceased and honing their abilities.
While Halloween may prompt many to seek out the supernatural, New York City's spirit mediums are engaged with the other side throughout the year. These practitioners, who operate in a city known for its open-minded atmosphere, describe their abilities as gifts used for positive communication and closure.
Juan Francisco, a New York-based medium, discovered his abilities in 2019 at the Morris-Jumel Mansion, Manhattan's oldest house. He reported communicating with Eliza Jumel, the mansion's former resident and wife of Aaron Burr, using a REM-POD, a device that detects electromagnetic fields. Francisco described the experience as a positive interaction, contrary to popular beliefs about Jumel's spirit. Following this encounter, Francisco began practicing at "mediumship practice circles" and received guidance from a psychic mentor at the New Yorker Hotel. He stated that he initially experienced the traumas of deceased individuals but learned to embrace his gift to connect clients with departed loved ones, providing evidential details that confirm his readings.
Francisco cautions against seeking paranormal content for social media, warning that provoking spirits can lead to negative reactions. He emphasized that genuine connection with the deceased is meant for healing and resolution.
Nancy Stark, a tarot reader with nearly three decades of experience in New York City, found solace in tarot cards as a child due to language barriers. Her career flourished after a chance encounter led her to read tarot cards at SoHo's Raoul's French Bistro, where she worked for 30 years. Stark described clients as finding her readings more helpful than therapy. After leaving Raoul's in 2013, she traveled to India, where a spiritual guru helped her understand her abilities and bless her cards to ensure positive intentions. Stark views her practice as a source of clarity and compassion.
Jenson Smith, an Astoria-based medium, began her spiritual journey after a neighbor, a practicing psychic, advised her to study at the Holistic Studies Institute in Midtown. There, she learned about the history of mediumship, aura reading, and channeling spirits. Smith found validation in her training, particularly in "message circles" where practitioners would connect spirits with individuals. She identifies clairvoyance as her primary gift, manifesting as physical sensations and visions. Smith shared an experience on the MTA where she sensed a spirit attached to her, later identified as a woman who struggled with addiction. Smith utilized techniques learned at the institute to help the spirit cross over. She also recounted receiving supernatural messages even during childbirth at NYU Langone. Despite societal perceptions, Smith has learned to embrace her gift, finding it a source of wonder rather than fear.
