Information for Members of the Media
 
 What is the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association?
 
It is a Spiritualist community established in 1894 and the largest in the Southern United States. It is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) religious organization governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees elected by Camp members. The organization is also known as SCSCMA or Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp.
 
How is that different from the community of Cassadaga?
 
The City of Cassadaga is an unincorporated area in Volusia County. The SCSCMA resides within that area and like a condominium association, the SCSCMA has stringent bylaws, policies and regulations to which its Mediums, Healers and Members must adhere. These do not apply to those outside of the Camp.
 
What is located within the Camp?
 
The SCSCMA includes 57 acres south of Cassadaga Road. Notable buildings within the Camp include the Andrew Jackson Davis Educational Building/Bookstore, Harmony Hall and Brigham Hall, Colby Memorial Temple, The Caesar Foreman Healing Gazebo, Tom Berkner Educational Building, Slater House, Summerland House, which serves as the Camp office, seven parks and historic homes dating from 1897.
 
How do I get permission to interview Mediums, Healers and Residents?  
 
The SCSCMA welcomes the media and is happy to serve them by providing the most accurate information about the Camp and Spiritualism. All inquiries should be made through the Camp office at 386-228-3171 or by e-mail to office@cassadaga.org. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 319, Cassadaga, FL 32706. The information will be vetted by the Public Relations Committee and then placed on the agenda for approval by our Board of Trustees. Our website is www.cassadaga.org.
 
How long does this process take?
 
The Board of Trustees normally meets the second and fourth Monday of each month. The time of approval can vary from two to four weeks based on the type of media, information requested and date of submission.
 
Welcome to Our Community
Experience this peaceful community where certified Mediums and Healers are available daily. Appointments are highly recommended. Medium and Healer bios are located on our website and the Welcome Center inside the Andrew Jackson Davis Educational Building/Bookstore. We invite you to learn about the history, the religion, and the people of Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp.
Historical Summary
The Prophecy: George Colby, a young Spiritualist from New York, was told during a séance that he would someday be instrumental in founding a Spiritualist community in the South, according to Cassadaga.org. That prophecy was fulfilled in 1875 when Colby was led through the wilderness of Central Florida by his spirit guide "Seneca" to an area “surrounded by uncommon hills.”
 
The Camp is formed: Colby homesteaded land here but continued to travel and work as a Medium.  He later learned that his associates in Lily Dale, NY were interested in founding a Winter Spiritualist Camp in Florida, according to Cassadaga.org. As a result, the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association was formed in 1894. In 1895, Colby deeded over 35 acres to our founders.
 
National Recognition: In 1991 the Camp was designated a Historic District and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today: Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp now consists of approximately 57 acres with 55 homes. Those who reside here have chosen to live in a community of spiritual people where they can worship and work in harmony with their beliefs. Many of the Camp’s residents are Mediums and Healers who offer their services from their homes or apartments.

We, as Spiritualists, welcome you, no matter what your religion of origin is or where you are on your spiritual path: a believer, a skeptic, or simply curious.
 
Sunday Events
Adult Lyceum (Sunday school) 9:30-10:15 a.m. in Colby Memorial Temple.  Reverends, Mediums and Healers choose a topic related to Spiritualism and share their knowledge, usually ending with a question-and-answer session.
 
Sunday Service 10:30-11:45 a.m. in Colby Memorial Temple. Service consists of a healing meditation and hands-on healing by certified Healers.
 
A guest speaker shares a lecture of spiritual interest and returns later to deliver messages to attendees as a demonstration of the continuity of life. Guest speakers include reverends, Mediums and Healers from the Camp and others from around the world.
 
Sunday Afternoon Message Service, also known as Grove Service, 12:30 -1:30 p.m. at the Andrew Jackson Davis Educational Building/Bookstore. Certified Mediums and Student Mediums give Spirit greetings to as many attendees as possible in the one-hour time limit.
 
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
WEDNESDAY NIGHT MESSAGE SERVICE
(Colby Memorial Temple)
 
Healing Meditation and Message Service: $5 donation 7-9 p.m.
This is a demonstration of the continuity of life with Spirit greetings delivered by Certified Mediums and Student Mediums to as many people as possible during the 90-minute service.
 
Workshop and Class flyers are in the Welcome Center. Workshops are frequently held Saturday & Sunday afternoons, as highlighted by the colorful flyers to inform our guests.
           
There is a whiteboard with names and phone numbers to notify the public as to those who are available for walk-in readings. Business cards of Camp reverends, Mediums and Healers are below the board.
 
Historic Walking Tours, Night Tours, and Parks
Historic Walking Tours 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Learn about our community’s unique beginnings, its unusual architecture and the spirit activity that occurs within the homes of present-day Mediums.
                       
Encounter the Spirit Night Tour (Saturdays 7:30 p.m.)
Learn about Spiritualism, Mediumship, Physical Phenomena and more on this 2-hour guided tour. Capture images of energy orbs and other Spirit manifestation. Closed-toed shoes are strongly recommended. Bring your digital camera. Tour lasts approximately 2 hours.
 
Meditative Parks are located throughout the community. The Fairy Trail and Labyrinth are favorites. Colby-Alderman Park, a 146-acre public area, depicts our history as well as other historical information on 13 large panels and markers from the early 1900s to present day. The county spent more than $2 million on the park with the assistance of an ECHO grant. It is not on property but next to us.
 
The bookstore is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

 
DEFINITIONS
 
SPIRITUALISM: The Science, Philosophy and Religion based upon the principle of continuous
life demonstrated through Mediumship. Spiritualism embraces the concept of individual
responsibility and the belief that the door to reformation is never closed.    
 
*a science because it investigates, analyzes, and classifies facts and manifestations of Spirit.
 
*a philosophy because it studies the laws of nature both on the scene and unseen side of
life and bases its conclusions upon present, observed facts.
 
*a religion because it strives to understand and comply with the physical, mental, and spiritual    laws of nature, which are the laws of God.    
 
SPIRITUALIST: One who believes, as the basis of his or her religion, in the continuity of life and in individual responsibility. Some, but not all, Spiritualists are Mediums and/or Healers. Spiritualists endeavor to find the truth in all things and to live their lives in accordance therewith.
 
SPIRITUAL READING: In Spiritualism, a reading occurs when a Medium receives information and delivers messages from the spirit plane.
 
CONTINUITY OF LIFE: The idea that everyone’s unique identity lives eternally.
 
HEALER: One who acts as a channel to convey God’s healing energies to others, whether for physical, emotional, mental or Spiritual Healing. This occurs through the "laying on of hands" or through absentee healing.
 
INFINITE INTELLIGENCE: A name for the creative intelligence that is present everywhere and in everything. Note that Spiritualism is essentially monotheistic, thus when writing about its beliefs Infinite Intelligence should be capitalized in the same way Holy Spirit is.
 
MEDIUM: One with proven capabilities of communicating with Spirit through various forms of phenomena and who acts as a channel for information between the Spirit and Earth Planes.
 
NATURAL LAW: A law or body of laws that derives from nature and believed to be binding upon human actions apart from or in conjunction with laws established by human authority.
 
PHENOMENA: A wide variety of Spirit communications and manifestations including clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, healing, levitation, materialization, automatic writing/drawing/painting, trance and table tipping. Spirit communication and manifestations are used to demonstrate the continuity of life.
 
 
 
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
Adopted by Spiritualists of America
 
We believe in Infinite Intelligence.
 
We believe that the phenomena of nature, both physical and spiritual, are the expression of Infinite Intelligence.
 
We affirm that a correct understanding of such expression and living in accordance therewith constitute true religion.
 
We affirm that the existence and personal identity of the individual continue after the change called death.
 
We affirm that communication with the so-called dead is a fact, scientifically proven by the phenomena of Spiritualism
 
We believe that the highest morality is contained in the Golden Rule: "Whatsoever ye that others should do unto you, do ye also unto them."
 
We affirm the moral responsibility of the individual, and that he makes his own happiness or unhappiness as he obeys or disobeys Nature’s physical and spiritual laws.
 
We affirm that the doorway to reformation is never closed against any human soul, here or hereafter.
 
We affirm that the Precepts of Prophecy and Healing contained in the Bible are Divine attributes proven through Mediumship.
 
  
Frequently Asked Questions
 
DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD?
Yes.  We often refer to God as Infinite Intelligence, which means to us an all-pervading mind and intelligence that is in and of all things animate and inanimate; a dynamic, infinite creative force and power that governs all things by immutable and unchangeable Natural Law.
 
DO YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS?
Yes. We consider him one of the greatest teachers and spiritual leaders that the world has ever known – one who knew and applied the Spiritual Natural Law to a greater extent than any human soul who has ever lived.
 
DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE?
Yes. We understand that God’s truth has been given to mankind down through the ages and that these truths have been recorded and compiled in books such as the Bible.
 
DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE DEVIL?
No. Our religion is not based on a Savior-God philosophy. Our theology does not embrace “falling from grace” or “sinning;” therefore, we do not believe in a devil. We believe we alone are responsible for the benefits or consequences of our actions.
 
DO YOU BELIEVE IN HEAVEN AND HELL?
Yes, but not in the traditional sense. They are not places or abodes but rather states of consciousness. Heaven and hell can literally be experienced right here on earth.
 
WHERE IS THE CEMETERY IN CASSADAGA?
There is no cemetery in Cassadaga.
 
IS WITCHCRAFT OR BLACK MAGIC PART OF SPIRITUALISM?
Absolutely not.
 
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PSYCHIC AND A MEDIUM?
Everyone is psychic; it is our sixth sense which utilizes thought vibrations to obtain information. A Medium has natural vibratory energies capable of merging with spiritual energy enabling information and assistance of a higher quality to come through. This information does not come from mind or mental energy but from God through Spirit.
 
WILL MEDIUMS TELL ME BAD THINGS OR PREDICT DEATH?
Any circumstance may brought through from Spirit in an appropriate manner, especially if it is in the best interest of all concerned. A professional Spiritualist Medium will strive to bring you the information received in a positive, constructive manner. Instilling fear or dazzling you is not the intent or purpose of a Certified Medium or Minister. Spiritual guidance is offered so that you may enhance or minimize each situation by use of free will.  Assisting you in helping yourself is the Medium’s goal.
 
 
WHAT IS A SEANCE?
Seance is a term referring to a group of people usually sitting around a table in a darkened room for the purpose of contacting Spirit. Seances continue to be conducted but are also referred to as “circles” or Spiritualist Mediumship development classes.
 
WHAT IS A CERTIFIED MEDIUM/HEALER?  Every Medium/Healer certified through Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp has successfully completed an intense study/training curriculum through SCSCMA or through another recognized Spiritualist organization. It generally takes four years to complete our curriculum.
 
DOES SPIRITUALISM RECOGNIZE OTHER CHURCHES AND RELIGIONS? Yes. We respect the right of religious freedom as set forth in the United States Constitution. Religion is the process through which one recognizes, understands and demonstrates their spirituality. Spirituality, living your belief or understanding, is a way of life, not a practice applied only to an hour a day set aside for worship.