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Paranormal Volume 5, Issue 6
Famous UFO Researchers
November/December 2012
Paranormal Research
Crystals & Herbology Magic & Lore Personal Experiences Haunted Hospitality
5 Myths About Ghost Hunting
ALSO INSIDE: • The Haunted Cottage Plantation • Psychic Dependency & Enabling November/December 2012 Paranormal Underground 1 • Cryptids: The Popobawa • Religion & The Paranormal • Author Spotlight: Gary D. Henry • Tales From the Haunted Heathman
SURRENDERING THE SUNDER provides readers with a one-of-a-kind supernatural tale that you won't soon forget!
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PRICE: Only $20.00
December 2012 Ahneen Publishing Paperback Book Special!!! Buy 1 book for $20, 2 books for $30, or buy 3 books for $45 Book special applies to any combination of the following paperback titles:
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Breaking the Beyond Surrendering the Sunder Remembrance of Truth
November/December 2012
Inside This Issue
INVESTIGATOR SPOTLIGHT Scream Paranormal Research: Searching for Answers
SPECIAL REPORT 5 Myths About Ghost Hunting
CASE FILES OF THE UNKNOWN Haunted Sites The Haunted Cottage Plantation
Cryptids & Mythological Creatures Allow Me to Introduce the Popobawa
Are We Alone? Famous UFO Researchers
Haunted Hospitality The Haunted Brumder Mansion
CRYSTALS & HERBOLOGY Mystical Etchings From a Medicyn Woman's Grimoire
MAGIC & LORE When the Mystical and Paranormal Blur
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES Tales From the Haunted Heathman Hotel Religion & The Paranormal: Shaping Our Belief Systems
30 32
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT Gary D. Henry: The Books of James C. Patch
Paranormal Perspective: Guest Editorial Psychic Dependency & Enabling
Paranormal Activity: Event Spotlight Fright Night Fundraiser at First Ward School House
Fiction: Featured Author "Drug" by Rick E. Hale
46 November/December 2012
DEPARTMENTS Contributors
Ghost Hunter Comic
Publisher's Letter
Book Watch
Paranormal Underground
Contributors Chris Davis Chris Davis founded Valley Ghost Hunting in 2011 with three of his siblings. He began experiencing paranormal activity at the age of four. Chris hosts Valley Ghost Hunting Radio and co-hosts "Paranormal Hotspot" with Jenny Gurney, both on ztalkradio.com. Chris would like to share his paranormal knowledge and experience and is currently seeking to lecture at his local library about paranormal phenomena.
Terri J. Garofalo Terri is a paranormal investigator, as well as the artist and writer behind EntitiesR-Us, Ghost Hunter Comic. She's a freelance artist, illustrator, and designer in Hyde Park, New York. You can find her work on www. entities-r-us.com, or contact Terri at email@example.com.
Paul Green Known as The Psychic Biker, Paul is a talented medium and psychic that was once an ardent skeptic. From an early age he displayed his ability to connect to the other side. Those people that adults said were dead seemed very much alive to Paul. He has done hundreds of readings and carried out many investigations of haunted locations. Today, Paul runs Extreme Ghost Hunting (www.extremeghosthunting.com) with his friend and business partner Stephen Lambert.
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Jenny Gurney Jenny is an investigator with Proxim-
ity Paranormal. The mystery surrounding the paranormal field has always interested Jenny. She is on a quest to find more about why spirits are around us. She has attended several events around the U.S. and hopes to go to many more in the years to come. Jenny has investigated Waverly Hills, Bobby Mackey's, Villisca Ax Murder House, First Ward School House, Grant House Hotel, and St. Anthony Main. Jenny also has her own radio show on www.ztalkradio.com, Paranormal Hotspot, on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET.
Rick E. Hale A Chicago native, Rick has been researching all aspects of the paranormal since the age of eight. A featured writer for Paranormal Underground magazine, Rick also hosts of Paranormal Underground Radio on www.ZTalkRadio. com. He is also the founder of Foundations Psychical Research. Rick is also the author of the soon-to-be-released Geek's Guide to the Paranormal: Ghosts, Poltergeists and Demons. As an investigator, Rick considers himself to be a Modern Traditionalist, meaning he believes in melding the new and old schools of psychical research.
Cheryl Knight Cheryl is editorin-chief of Paranormal Underground magazine, director of Publications &
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Editing Services for Ghost Knight Media, and producer of Paranormal Underground Radio. She has more than 20 years of experience as a professional writer and editor and has published hundreds of articles on topics ranging from advanced technology to paranormal investigation. Cheryl's previous magazine experience includes roles as senior and managing editor for several business publications.
Jill Marie Morris Jill is a psychic/ medium, author, and documentary filmmaker. She is wellversed in the technical, investigative, and research sectors of the field. Jill uses her gifts as a medium and psychic to assist with paranormal investigations and cold cases. In July 2011, Jill published 207: A Personal Account of Love Paranormal Phenomenon and Demonic Possession, in which she details a series of horrific and real-life events and paranormal encounters that completely reshaped her life. Jill is currently writing a follow-up of 207, titled Saints Sinners and Sacred Ground.
Michelle M. Pillow Michelle is an award-winning author writing in many romance fiction genres, including futuristic and paranormal. A skeptical believer, she has a fascination with anything paranormal. Michelle has a photography degree and is the co-owner of www. TheRavenBooks.com. You can contact Michelle at www.michellepillow.com.
Ghost Hunter Comic
Michaela Rand
(aka Silvermoon Medicyn)
Michaela is a Medicyn Woman. Her life threads are woven between symbiotic psychic vampire and shamanism, working closely with awakening souls looking to balance the dark and light within themselves. Her favorite tools to use are crystals, herbs, and oils. Michaela has been a Universal Life Ordained Minister since the late 90s. She performs many services, including soul retrieval, shamanic extraction, and walking the dead to rest. You can contact Michaela at her Website Silvermoonmedicyn.com.
Rob St.Helen Rob has been a paranormal investigator for more than five years. He had his first paranormal experience at the age of 11.
Rob is a member of West Coast Ghost Hunters, based out of Portland, Oregon, where he was born and raised. He currently works the graveyard shift at The Heathman Hotel. He has come to find that the hotel is haunted.
Jill Stefko, Ph.D. Jill is the Topic Editor for Paranormal and Feature Writer for suite101.com. She has studied the paranormal since 1957, when, as a child, she bought her first parapsychology book, The Unknown Guest. In fall 1965, she conducted her first investigation. Jill gives workshops and lectures, writes for selected Internet Websites, and has been a guest on radio call-in talk shows and local TV as an expert in the paranormal.
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Jill's expertise in the paranormal includes parapsychology, cryptozoology, Fortean phenomena, anomalies, UFOs, aliens and demonic possession, and exorcism. She investigates cases of alleged psi and tests people for ESP, telepathy, and psychokinesis.
Chad Wilson A writer of articles and fiction, Chad is the publisher of Paranormal Underground magazine and a partner for Ghost Knight Media. His interest in the paranormal led to the creation of Paranormal Underground. Chad has investigated with East Tennessee Paranormal Research Society and counts Waverly Hills, the Villisca Axe Murder House, the Queen Anne Hotel, the Queen Mary, and private residences among his investigations.
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Publisher's Letter Paranormal Underground® Volume 5, Issue 6
November/December 2012
Why I Joined the Paranormal Community
Publisher Chad Wilson
Editor-in-Chief Cheryl Knight
Science Editor J.D. Harrison
Contributors Chris Davis Terri J. Garofalo Paul Green Jenny Gurney Rick E. Hale Cheryl Knight Silvermoon Medicyn Jill Marie Morris Michelle M. Pillow Rob St.Helen Jill Stefko Chad Wilson
Send comments and letters to: email@example.com Copyright © 2008-2012 — Paranormal Underground® is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. As such, Paranormal Underground and its contents are the property of its owners. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This publication and all content within this publication may not be copied, quoted, distributed, modified, or reprinted without the express written consent of Paranormal Underground magazine. Paranormal Underground magazine is a publication of Ghost Knight Media, LLC.
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don't plan on checking out in the early morning hours of December 21st. Hopefully, the time of destruction, if there is one, will find me snug in my warm covers, Christmas just around the corner, the thoughts of sugar plums dancing in my head. Even as I sit here thinking what could be, I reminisce about my life and what has led me to my fascination with the paranormal. Where did this obsession that first became a magazine and then a radio show come from? I know I wasn't born with it, though as a child I often fantasized about fairies and elves who lived within the hidden places of the world. Oddly enough it was an old tree in front my childhood home in Zion, Illinois, that first grabbed my attention. For some reason I thought the owl from Mister Rogers Neighborhood lived in an old knot just above my reach. What can I say; I was an odd kid. I was just as happy keeping to myself as I was with hanging out with others. And even before I knew there was such a thing as role-playing, think Dungeons & Dragons, I was imagining this or that wooded area as being magical, filled with elves, dwarves, and who knew what manner of foul beasts. I was reading Tolkien when I was 10, so my mind was full of such things from an early age. No, it wasn't the thoughts of
November/December 2012
Chad Wilson, Publisher
adventure or the fey that drew me to the paranormal. Oddly, it was my own father's fascination with the subject that initially piqued my interest. I remember perusing his collection of books about the paranormal. There was a Time Life book on sea serpents that contained a description of the Loch Ness Monster. Early on I was introduced to Erich von Däniken and his Chariots of the Gods. While I had some repressed paranormal experiences as a child, it was my dad's literary fascination with the paranormal that got me interested in what has become a lifelong obsession. So, here I sit. The countdown is on. Doomsday looming ever closer. And I think to myself, what is the importance of the paranormal in my life and will I still be around to pursue it the afternoon of December 21st? I sure hope so. It has been a blast thus far!
Calendar February 2 & 3
Paranormal Underground®
Grey Ghost Paranormal Conference USS Hornet Museum Alameda, CA http://com.ghosthuntersunited.com/ event/8
Volume 5, Issue 6
April 13
Paranormal for Paws Expo The Knights of Columbus Worcester, Massachusetts https://www.facebook.com/ events/127239167426732/?fref=ts
April 26–27
VA Paraquest Holiday Inn Lynchburg, Virginia http://vaparaquest.com/Home_Page. html
April 27–May 4
Haunted West Coast Cruise Sapphire Princess Long Beach, California http://allevents.in/Sapphire/2013HAUNTED-WEST-COASTCRUISE/164024030375990
May 18
Granbury Paranormal Expo 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Granbury Resort Conference Center Granbury, Texas www.GranburyTours.com
June 21–23
Quad Cities Paracon Davenport, Iowa https://www.facebook.com/ events/502072249823020/
July 12–14
Winnepeg Paracon Marlborough Hotel Winnepeg, Canada http://www.paracon.ca/
November/December 2012
Art Director
July 27–28
Pensacola Para Con Pensacola Interstate Fair Grounds Conference Building Pensacola, Florida www.pensacolaparacon.com
August 2–4
Mid-South Paranormal Convention Ramada Plaza Louisville, Kentucky http://msp.louisvilleghs.com/midsouth/convention.html
August 24
Fox Cities Paracon Radisson Paper Valley Hotel Appleton, WI http://www.wi-fcpt.com/Paracon/ paracon.html
September 6
PARAFEST Bethlehem, PA Sands Bethlehem Event Center www.parafest2013.com
September 21–22
Paranormal Journey (A Paranormal Expo) Homewood Suites Hilton Lansdale, Pennsylvania https://www.facebook.com/ events/439758046063698/ To add YOUR event to our calendar, e-mail email@example.com. November/December 2012
Chad Wilson
Design and Layout Cheryl Knight
ADVERTISING Cheryl Knight
Call 1-714-646-4197 Interested in advertising in Paranormal Underground magazine, on our Website, or during our Radio Show/Podcast? Call 1-714-646-4197 or e-mail:
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Book Watch
True Police Stories of the Strange & Unexplained Book Compiled by Detective Sergeant Ingrid P. Dean Review by Cheryl Knight
ntuition, dreams, ghostly apparitions, angels, UFOs, and other unexplainable phenomena. These are the true stories told in the 2011 Llewellyn Publications book True Police Stories of the Strange & Unexplained. This insightful and sometimes shocking book provides readers with a viewpoint rarely shared in the paranormal field — stories from law enforcement about their own paranormal and unexplainable encounters. Retired Detective Sergeant and Forensic Artist Ingrid P. Dean compiled these first-hand experiences from officers across the U.S. Dean's career spanned more than 20 years with the Michigan State Police. She encountered the weird and unexplained herself during the course of her duties. Dean explains in her written introduction of True Police Stories of the Strange & Unexplained that the book is "a compilation of exceptional human experiences that share and explore how police officers, the public, and life and death are interconnected." She spent four years collecting the stories for True Police Stories of the Strange & Unexplained, and each story provides a front-row-
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Ingrid P. Dean center look into police encounters on the front line. Encounters that sometimes can't be explained by the boundaries of today's science. The contents of this book include the following categories: •Angels & Divine Intervention •Intuition •Dreams •Ghostly Apparitions & Haunted Effects •Karma — Twists of Fate •The Police Heart •Weird & Freaky •Signs, Symbols, & Synchronicity •UFOs & Unexplainable Phenomena
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True Police Stories of the Strange & Unexplained made me laugh, cry, and think deeply about the connectedness we all share, as well as the importance and impact from each and every event we encounter day to day, no matter how trivial those events may seem at the time. When I picked up this book from Barnes & Noble I knew instantly that I would be fascinated by its contents. I was right. I have yet to read another book like True Police Stories of the Strange & Unexplained.
November/December 2012
Paranormal Underground
Investigator Spotlight
Scream Paranormal Research
Searching for Answers
By Cheryl Knight
fter questioning his paranormal experiences over the years, Chris Nicoletti decided he wanted to learn more about the paranormal field. His search led him to form his own team, Scream Paranormal Research (SPR). "Our main focus on the team is to educate and help people when it comes to the paranormal," Chris explained. "Whether it be a family in need of answers or a curious person looking for insight, we take our jobs very seriously." The SPR team, based in Central New Jersey, has been investigating the paranormal for more than five years. The team uses the latest in investigative equipment, shares their findings with the paranormal community, and seeks to educate the public about paranormal phenomena. Chris recently spoke to Paranormal Underground about SPR, its mission and investigation strategies, and the team's recent investigations. ***** Q: Please tell us about yourself. Chris: I find myself to be an adventurous sort of person. I like to travel and learn about what makes things tick. Nothing beats a good mystery, and I love all things tech. (Oh yeah, and coffee).
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Scream Paranormal's Megan Fields, Chris Nicoletti, Stephen Losier, and Heidy Prestol are based in Central New Jersey and investigate the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania area.
I have a lovely wife, Nisha, and an awesome daughter, Aria. I tend to keep to myself about my family life as much as possible. Our team members include investigators Steven Losier, Megan Fields, and Heidy Prestol; camera crew Ricky and Gary; and editor Matt. Q: How did you become interested in the paranormal and joining a team?
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Chris: I had first started questioning experiences I had as a child, and as I grew older, I wanted to learn more about the field. I started formally researching and investigating about six years ago with a few private investigations at some known paranormal hotspots. After about a year or so, I had decided to join an established team. I soon realized that the teams I was researching to join were a bit restrict-
ing in many aspects. Some of them wanted to certify their investigators before joining. How could a team certify an individual in the field of the unknown? "I feel we are only years away from actually speaking directly with the other side. Technology and theories keep getting better and better every year." —Chris Nicoletti
Q: When did you join or start a team and why? Chris: I had decided about five years ago that I wanted to form a team that could learn and grow together. Keep the basic fundamentals of investigating, but be open minded to new ideas and theories. Hence, Scream Paranormal Research was born. Q: Talk about your personal paranormal experiences. Chris: One of the things some people know about me is that I can hear disembodied voices fairly easily. For the record, I am not schizophrenic. I believe my hearing has been damaged to hearing certain frequencies more so than others. It's a curse and a blessing. I have heard about 20-plus disembodied voices during my years of investigating. Over half of them have been caught on audio at the time of hearing them. To me, that is great validation. Q: What interests you most about the paranormal? Chris: Learning new techniques. If this field is ever going to grow, we need to venture into uncharted waters. Open our minds to new ideas. I feel we are only years away from actually speaking directly with the other side. Technology and theories keep getting better and better every year. Q: What different types of locations have you investigated? Chris: Asylums, prisons, military installations, battleships, bars, resorts,
churches, battlefields, cemeteries, hotels, and numerous residential homes all over the tri-state area (NJ, NY, and PA). Q: What equipment do you usually take with you on an investigation? Chris: Everything. Nothing is left behind. We use MEL Meters, glowsticks, 360-degree digital audio recorders, TriField meters, IR camcorders with IR extenders, motion sensors, K-IIs, EMF pumps, Ghost Box, flashlights, full-spectrum cams, digital cameras, Ovilus, iPad, bug spray, and first aid kit. I think I about covered it. Q: What methodologies do you use during investigations? Chris: We use a wide variety of methods to collect findings of a haunting. Sometimes we will use a trigger object or bait to encourage a
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spirit to communicate, such as taking a teddy bear and stuffing an EMF pump or audio recorder inside of it and leaving it in a child's room for a few hours. Another idea we use is to make sure the location is abandoned for 24 hours or so (if possible) so the energy is not disrupted before our investigation. We feel this allows for energy to collect itself. Example: If you take an EMF pump and use a Mel Meter on it, you can see a high reading. If you were to take your hand and break the field, you would see the MEL Meter readings drop. Less energy equals less activity in theory. Q: What is the most important part of a paranormal investigation? Chris: Never go by yourself during an investigation. There are two reasons for this: safety and validation.
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Investigator Spotlight
SPR utilizes everything from Mel Meters, to 360-degree digital audio recorders, to motion sensors during an investigation. At right: Heidy Prestol and Megan Fields.
Q: How valuable is teamwork during an investigation?
on the video audio. I feel it said, "Move!"
Chris: Teamwork is always essential. It is the key to any great investigation. Planning and coordinating team efforts leads to better findings, always.
Q: Talk about common misconceptions about the paranormal field that you've encountered?
Q: What case will you remember the most and why? Chris: This one particular family we helped comes to mind. Their home was high in activity, and they wanted answers. We found that the spirits there would manipulate the environment on many occasions. The spirits even made a visit to each team member's house on occasion during our investigations, turning on toys, lights. Tapping my leg at night at like 3 a.m. in the morning. Extremely interesting case. Q: What is the most compelling evidence of the paranormal that you've personally captured? Chris: It is on YouTube at the moment. I heard an extremely loud disembodied voice. It was captured on video at the same time I heard it. You can clearly hear the voice
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Chris: Paranormal unity. It does not exist. In a perfect world it would. We have a great amount of friends in the paranormal field, sure. However, there are organizations/ teams out there that only want to be in the spotlight and will use whatever method they can to get there. Beware of strangers bearing gifts. My advice? Mind your own and stay true to your core values. Never let anyone into your team's inner circle. Q: Whose work in the paranormal field do you respect the most? Chris: There are so many teams/ individuals out there that fit this bill. I think to name-names is a bit unfair. Let me just say the ones that stand out as reputable are the ones that are unique and keep their noses clean. Q: What sites do you have on your wish list to investigate?
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Chris: Bran Castle in the Carpathian mountains of Romania comes to mind, amongst a ton of others. The list is huge and grows larger every day. Q: What words of wisdom would you offer amateur ghost hunters investigating for the first time? Chris: Be safe. Do not investigate locations that are not safe. If Timmy falls down the well at a location and he is by himself, I am pretty sure that Lassie is not going to come and save him. Never investigate alone. Q: What else should our readers know about you and your team? Chris: We have our own YouTube shows that we put up from time to time. We try and document everything for all to see. If you want to step into our paranormal world, search for us on YouTube. *****
For more information about Chris and Scream Paranormal Research, visit screamparanormalresearch. blogspot.com.
Paranormal Underground Radio Thursdays @ 9-11 p.m. ET
http://ztalk radio.com/
Explore the Unexplained With Paranormal Underground
With Hosts Rick Hale & Karen Frazier November/December 2012
Paranormal Underground 13
Special Report
5 Myths About Ghost Hunting By Paul Green, Extreme Ghost Hunting
hile the following article was written with tongue firmly in cheek, I often encounter many misconceptions about paranormal investigation. I hope these insights provide an interesting and entertaining look at my list of the top five ghost hunting myths. Myth 1: It's Exciting Not really. Don't think that what you see on a TV show is how it is going to be. It won't unless you're exceptionally lucky. TV shows often include two days of filming edited down to a few minutes of activity. You will spend long times in a dark room desperately wishing you had gone for a pee and always fearful that it will be your stomach that rumbles just after someone asks for "any spirit in the room to please give us a sign." Believe me someone's will. Then, if you're lucky, there will be a noise. What that noise is will vary. But what will not vary is a chorus of "Did you hear that?" whispered in fear, as well as several screams and yelps all guaranteed to drown out any responses to others requests to "please do that again." If you're really lucky, there will be a very loud noise — a door will
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slam for example. This will result in a variety of reactions from your fellow ghost hunters. Some will appear to want to throw you in front of them as though offering a sacrifice. Some will appear to leap a foot in the air and be running in thin air. Most will head at full speed for the nearest exit; if that exit is the door that slammed expect even more confusion. And there is always one who asks to a now empty room, "Did you hear that?" Myth 2: It's Glamorous Sorry, but again, that's how it may look on TV. Unless you are lucky enough to have the funds to have a personal make-up artist, hairdresser, and someone to generally
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keep you looking great, you're not going to look glam. In reality, most ghost hunts are in old dank or dusty buildings, and within a few minutes of entering said buildings you will also smell dank and old. You always get your clothes covered in some unexplainable and rather disgusting stains, and your nose usually ends up bright red with an urge to constantly sniff. Plus girls, or maybe boys, forget killer heels unless you want to make the acquaintance of your local emergency room doctor. If you must dress up, go for shabby chic. Think Bear Grylls meets duvet day attire, and you will be close.
Myth 3: You Will Meet Some Cool New Friends Now you may just do so. But don't assume that just because everyone is there for the same reason it will automatically be a great big friendly adventure. Often, as in other hunts, ghost hunters hunt in packs. They may be called groups, associations, or the like, but often it is a group of mates who once on a ghost hunt take on the form of ultrapossessive, combative, and secretive beings that make the CIA look like shrinking violets. There are those determined to be the one to get "the" photograph, "the" bit of EVP, or "the" trigger object evidence. Sometimes they can be spotted by their colorful markings of logo T-shirts, monogrammed equipment covers, and gadget belts festooned with every known ghost detection tool on the market. This, of course, doesn't make
them bad people, but they tend to be more focused on all of the above rather than making friends. Myth 4: You Will Somehow Summon a Spirit That Will Go Home With You Everyone seems to have the fear that they will get possessed, get taken over, take a demon home with them, or have their body used for nefarious
you will be nervous, and you will be expecting "something" to happen. Throw all that into a group of people of all sorts of dispositions, and there are going to be effects. Usually, those effects will be as I already described in myth number 1. But I left out that the biggest bloke will want to fight whatever is coming, and one person will sink gracefully — if you're lucky — to the floor, or more than likely go down like a sack of potatoes in a faint. I had one event where every time we turned off the lights there was a thump, as another guest passed out. After we got them sorted and safe and turned lights out again, another thump could be heard. This went on until the end, and I had a line of guests sitting propped against a wall looking like a macabre duckshooting gallery. So, yes you will feel odd, scared, and convinced that something is watching you. It is very unlikely,
It is very unlikely that you will have an "exorcist" moment.
purposes by a unscrupulous spirit. Very unlikely. In 16 years of ghost hunting/investigating and development, I have only ever seen anything close to this while in a development circle. Never on a ghost hunt. However, since most ghost hunts are at night, you will be tired, you will be in the dark (most likely),
November/December 2012
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Special Report though, that you'll have an Exorcist moment and find a wet patch in an embarrassing area. Myth 5: You Will See a Ghost If you do see a ghost, you will have joined a very small group of people who can say without doubt that they saw a real "live" ghost. So small I don't know anyone who is in that particular club. Some people are under the illusion that once they have paid a fee and book their place on a ghost hunt that this also triggers a booking in the spirit world. As though part of the booking fee is paid as an appearance fee to some energy in the spirit world. I am sorry to say, "it don't work like that," though the thought of a staff room full of ghosts pouring over a rota of hauntings moaning about having to work Saturday night again does appeal to me. If you attend a ghost hunting event, the people who are hosting the ghost hunt do not and cannot summon the "ghosts." So to save you disappointments, do not go expecting such. Do go expecting that the organizers will have some knowledge of the location and, as a rule, have done research to know which areas are most likely to produce some paranormal activity. Though that is not always possible if the location is a virgin one. Do at best expect to hear and see some activity that is hard to explain. But you will not, unless you are very lucky, get 100% proof that you have seen something paranormal. Most experienced investigators build up a catalog of happenings they cannot easily explain that lead them to the conclusion that this may represent something paranormal. However, there will be someone there who sees a ghost in every shadow, pool of light, or through a
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fast to your own standards of proof. They will all differ, but the best approach is to agree to differ as long as everyone respects everyone's rights.
camera lens. They will also excitedly announce this to the rest of the group, who will then spend many minutes peering into the gloom or at the monitor as the camera is played back. The result will be almost a 50/50 split in the group, with half now being sure that the indistinct and vague shape is a ghost and the rest privately thinking they are nuts. Which section do you think you will fall into? Please do not venture to share your opinion on the sanity of other guests if you are one of the skeptical group. It is tempting, but if you do so I can guarantee that the rest of the night will become an "us versus them session," with each trying to outdo the other in claim and counter claim. Better to hold your counsel and carry on the rest of the night holding
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So Why Go Ghost Hunting? I often ask myself this question on a ghost hunt at about 3 a.m. as the last guest departs and I am left alone in an old, dark, cold castle longing for my bed. The answer is that I enjoy it when we get a night when the energies, the ghosts, and the residents do seem to want to come and play. I look forward to the nights when, upon asking, the walls are banged on, stones are thrown at you, lights appear and disappear, and voices are heard loud and clear in parts of the location where you know there is no living person. I go ghost hunting for the nights when the table you are asking energy to "tip" is doing a dance across the floor with you struggling to keep your fingers on the surface. The nights you see people bonding together desperate to share a unique experience and compare notes with fellow ghost hunters. The nights you see people leaving an event still with the look of wonder on their faces, but also with a trace of "did that really happen" flickering over their features. Those are the nights when you understand that you have opened a whole new world to another person. The possibility of another dimension that, as yet, science cannot explain or has found. Go on a ghost hunt, because you will be that person who always remembers that moment where you saw it, felt it, experienced something you could not explain. And though you may never again go on another ghost hunt, you will never ever forget that moment. That is why you should go on a ghost hunt just once in your life. Hope I see you there!
100 Years After a Devastating Avalanche Took Their Lives, the "Spirits" of Wellington, Washington, Still Remain. Read One Investigator's Account of How She Met . . . "The Ghosts of Wellington."
Book Now Available Online at November/December 2012 Paranormal Underground www.avalancheofspirits.com
Case Files of the Unknown: Haunted Sites
The Haunted Cottage Plantation By Jill Stefko, Ph.D., Suite 101 Contributing Writer
hat's left of the haunted Cottage Plantation in Louisiana sits six miles south of Baton Rouge on River Road. Destroyed by fire in 1960, the site is said to be the home of many ghosts. In fact, witnesses still report paranormal activity on the grounds where the plantation now sits in ruins. Cottage Plantation: Haunted History Colonel Abner Duncan built the Cottage plantation house in 1824 as a wedding gift for his daughter and her husband, Frederick Daniel Conrad. It had twentytwo rooms and was considered one of the grandest homes in the Baton Rouge vicinity. Visitors included eminent people: the Marquis de Lafayette, Jefferson Davis, Zachary Taylor, and Henry Clay. The Conrad family traced its ancestry to George and Martha Washington. In the years before the Civil War, life was splendid at the Cottage. The family accumulated vast wealth and collected jewelry. In the 1850s, Angus Holt, a traveling teacher, became the private tutor for the Conrad children and
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Some visitors to the Cottage Plantation reported sounds of singing and strange music in the house and on the grounds, as well as seeing ghostly apparitions walking about the property.
Frederick's personal secretary. He became a part of the family and lived there contentedly until the Civil War came to the house. The Union Army commandeered the Cottage and confiscated everything it found of value, including horses, furniture, jewelry, and even the children's clothes. The troops occupied the plantation and held the
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family captive. They were especially brutal toward Frederick and Holt. After the troops departed, the family abandoned the house. It was used as a hospital for Union soldiers who had yellow fever. Many had died from the disease in the house and were buried on the grounds. Fear of contracting the illness made many people avoid it.
Mr. Holt's Last Years Frederick died in New Orleans a few years after they left the plantation house. Holt returned to it. He became a hermit and spent all of his time trying to restore the Cottage for what remained of the Conrad family, most of whom had been his students. He stopped shaving and wandered the grounds of the Cottage, sporting a long white beard. Many locals avoided him, but some couldn't forget the wonderful man that he had been and gave him food to nourish him while he stayed in the house. When Holt died in 1880, friends went through his trunks and found many books and clothing, accompanied by moldy half-eaten biscuits and rotten parts of meals. Holt had walked around the house at night, most likely, remembering happier times in the house. As he walked, he munched on biscuits and meat, then threw the uneaten leftovers into one of his trunks. He was buried in a local cemetery. Did he really leave the Cottage? Hauntings at the Cottage Plantation As the years passed, the Cottage was abandoned again. Neighbors said it was haunted. No one would go near the house after dark, because they believed Holt's ghost and others remained there. There were reports of doors opening and shutting by themselves and seeing specters on the grounds. In the 1920s, the Conrad family began to restore the house. Due to the rumors of ghosts and yellow fever, the house survived, moderately intact, through the years. In the 1950s, the Cottage was opened to the public, serving as a museum to the memory of the Old South. It was used at the set for several movies, including Cinerama Holiday and Band of Angels.
Ghostly activity persisted. Some visitors reported sounds of singing and strange music in the house and on the grounds. Some visitors saw Holt walking through the house, pulling his long beard and mumbling to himself. A reporter for the Elks Magazine accidentally photographed his ghost when he was writing a story about the Cottage.
It's a matter of friendly debate. Three other haunted places in Louisiana are two former plantation houses and one in New Orleans. The Myrtles Plantation, now a Bed & Breakfast Inn, near Baton Rouge is thought by some people to be the most haunted plantation house in the U.S. with a number of ghostly residents.
The ghost image of Mr. Holt was seen in the window. After having his film developed, he noticed the image of an old man looking out of the window. He was sure that no one was there at the time he took the snapshot. He showed it to the house's staff members who identified the man as Holt. The Conflagration On a February morning in 1960, the Cottage was destroyed by fire. The firemen who were on the scene reported a mysterious incident. While they were shooting water on the flames from the side garden, a man appeared in an upper window. The firefighters ordered the man to jump, but he seemed not to notice them or the fire that was all around him. Suddenly, the roof collapsed and the man vanished. After the fire was extinguished, the firemen sifted through the debris, looking for the man's remains, but found nothing. All that remains of the plantation house is its ruins. People still report hearing sounds of music and singing and encountering Holt's ghost roaming the Cottage's grounds. Cottage Plantation Joins Other Haunted Sites Some people say Louisiana is the most haunted state in the U.S.
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There are the Ghosts of the Lalaurie House in New Orleans, a scene of paranormal activity. It was the home of Dr. Louis and Mme. Delphine Lalaurie, an aristocratic Creole couple who had a ghastly secret that shocked the elite of the Crescent City hidden behind a locked door. The haunted Destrehan Manor House is the oldest plantation house and a place of legends and paranormal activity. According to legend, pirate Jean Lafitte, a frequent visitor to the house, buried treasure on the plantation's grounds. Louisiana attracts jazz enthusiasts, historians, people who enjoy Creole and Cajun food, Voodoo aficionados and, more recently, ghost hunters. You don't need a silver bullet, wooden stake, or garlic to see the state's haunted sites, but, according to legend, you might want to bring a frog with you if you're walking about at night. According to legend, the loupgarou (werewolf) that haunts bayous and other places is afraid of frogs. *****
This article was originally published at http://suite101.com/article/haunted-cottage-plantation-one-ghost-ismr-holt-a394042.
Paranormal Underground 19
Case Files of the Unknown: Cryptids & Mythological Creatures
Allow Me to Introduce the Popobawa By Rick E. Hale, Foundations Psychical Research
frica, as a continent, is still considered to be a land of great mystery, where many secrets are still hidden away from the watchful eye of our modern technological world. For centuries strange stories of bizarre animals have made many cast a curious eye toward the dark continent and wonder if perhaps Africa plays host to such creatures as living dinosaurs and the ancient ancestors of mankind that have failed to evolve past their more primate appearance. However, despite these ancient tales of living fossils, a more recent addition to the ever-expanding cryptozoo has made its presence known, scaring the bejeezus out of those who claim that this creature is very real. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce the Popobawa. What Is the Popobawa? Popobawa, if it exists, is one of those bizarre cryptids that goes so far beyond the imagination it is almost impossible to pin down. The creature, whose name means simply "Bat-wing" in the Swahili language, has been described in so many different ways that many believe this animal could possibly be a shape shifter that can appear
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Popobawa is a fairly recent addition to the world of cryptozoology.
in any form it desires to whoever is unfortunate enough to witness its appearance. According to http://demonhunterscompendium.blogspot. com, the Popobawa "able to take on multiple forms, but it prefers human form. The Popobawa has a supernatural degree of strength, which makes overpowering full-
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grown men easy, and it is also able to fly at considerable speeds for great distances. It may also be able to become intangible and glide through solid objects." However, the most common description given by witnesses describes a creature that is three to four feet tall with a human-like body colored in a deep blood red, a giant single eyeball set in the center of the beast's head, giant bat-like wings that sprout from the creatures back, and an enormous penis. Popobawa Lurks in Tanzania The women of the Tanzanian island of Pemba, where the creature is believed to haunt, need not fear a visitation from this little winged imp. However, the men of the island are the ones that need to worry, as Popobawa seems to target men. It is said that Popobawa announces its arrival by scratching on the roof of the house of its victims and then attacking individuals while they sleep. When considering the attacks of the Popobawa, one cannot help but be reminded of the stories that arose out of medieval Europe of succubus and incubus attacks upon humans as they slept. Others believe that what the victims are experiencing is a form of
sleep paralysis. This more scientific explanation seems plausible if it were not for the fact that many in Tanzania have reported being attacked by the evil little beast at least once in their lives. Did Black Magic Create the Popobawa? Like the Chupacabras of Latin America, Popobawa is a fairly recent addition to the world of cryptozoology. The most popular story concerning the origin of this winged weirdo centers around an insane Sheikh who in the late 1960s created the beastie from practicing black magic to take revenge upon his enemies. Unfortunately, the mad Sheikh lost control of his demonic creation, and Popobawa started its campaign of attacking the male population of Tanzania. One curious story from 1971
speaks of a young Tanzanian girl who was possessed by the demonic creature and warned all those present that if they did not spread the word of his existence his attacks would become more furious and more dangerous.
The Popobawa is said to terrorize Zanzibar and Tanzania. How Do You Kill the Popobawa? According to an article by cracked.com, "there is no silver bullet for the Popobawa in folklore.� However, according to legend, a mob once successfully hacked a Popobawa to death. Of course, the creature had
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taken the form of a mentally ill villager, so whether the villager was in fact the Popobawa or just crazy is up for debate. Is Popobawa a Ploy of the Government? Many researchers are highly skeptical concerning the existence of the Popobawa for very good reason. It is widely believed that the creature was a brilliant ploy by the government to create mass panic among the uneducated and highly superstitious populace to keep them in line. When you think about it, what better way to keep the male urge of rebellion silent by creating a story of a demonic creature that seeks to rob them of their masculinity. The Popobawa even raised eyebrows at the Syfy Channel when its popular show Destination Truth went in search on the Popobawa during one episode.
Paranormal Underground 21
Case Files of the Unknown: Are We Alone?
Famous UFO Researchers By Jill Stefko, Ph.D., Suite 101 Contributing Writer
ooking to research UFO activity? If you are searching for information, it's important to find a credible UFO researcher in order to get the right facts. Many people claim to be experts in the field of UFO study. Unfortunately, not all of them are legitimate researchers. Here's a look at some of the most prominent ufologists that have worked in the field. UFO Research Steven M. Greer is a forerunner in the field of UFO study. This former emergency room physician left medicine to conduct further research into the topic of UFO phenomena. He is the founder of the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI), as well as the founder of the Disclosure Project, a nonprofit group dedicated to obtaining full disclosure of UFOs and extraterrestrial activity. He has written several books, including Hidden Truth: Forbidden Knowledge, which has been praised by such respectable researchers as the late J. Allen Hyneck. If unfamiliar with Hyneck, he was an astronomer who worked with the U.S. government on such projects as Project Bluebook. His role involved coming up with scientific explanations to debunk UFO sightings. Over time, his views changed due to the fact he couldn't always find an alternative explanation for UFO sightings.
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UFO Information When looking for a reputable ufologist, David M. Jacobs is highly respected. A professor at Temple University, Jacobs has written informative books, including UFOs and Abductions: Challenging the Borders of Knowledge and The Threat. He is a stickler for research projects that utilize scientific methodology. Often, researchers work with both UFO sightings and claims of alien abduction. One such researcher is Raymond E. Fowler, who has written several books on the subject matter, including The Watchers and one of the more famous cases of abductions, The Allagash Abductions. Working with the scientific UFO investigative organization known as MUFON, Fowler is also responsible for editing the MUFON
Field Investigator's Manual. Alien Research Also covering both UFOs and alien abductions are the late Budd Hopkins and the late John Mack. Hopkins was the founder of the Intruders Foundation, and he authored several books, including Intruders, which was also made into a television mini-series. Mack was well respected in the scientific community, as he was a Harvard psychiatrist. Always taking a strict scientific approach, Mack's work can be found in scientific journals, as well as books that he has penned, such as Abduction. Jim Marrs is out to find the truth about many conspiracy theories; one of them is UFOs. Seen on numer-
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ous television shows, Marrs has written about UFOs and their truths, including Alien Agenda, which covers such topics as Roswell, the MJ-12 papers, and biblical UFOs. If looking for information on UFOs, it is best to stick with research from qualified investigators in the field. The researchers in this article have long been identified in ufology as credible sources. Further information can be found in the articles "Famous UFO Abduction Cases," "UFOs and Alien Technology," and "Is There a UFO and Space Alien Conspiracy?" *****
This article was originally published at http://suite101.com/article/ famous-ufo-researchers--who-is-agood-ufologist-a389329.
Paranormal Underground 23
Case Files of the Unknown: Haunted Hospitality
The Haunted Brumder Mansion By Rick E. Hale, Foundations Psychical Research
hen it comes to hotels, inns, or beds & breakfasts that report hauntings, I maintain a certain level of guarded skepticism. After all, ghosts are now good for business right? But when you think about it, it's really not that unreasonable that an inn or hotel is haunted. How many of these properties are home to accidents, murders, and even suicides. Take all of these instances and mix in unsettled dead, and you have a recipe for a plethora of paranormal activity. In fact, there appears to be quite a few hospitality locations that play host to the breathing impaired. The Brumder Mansion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, seems to be one such place.
The Brumder Mansion Bed & Breakfast is said to host all types of ghostly activity, from disembodied footsteps and voices to full-bodied apparitions. (Source: www.milwaukeeparanormal.com)
The Brumder Mansion: An Interesting History 19th Century Wisconsin saw a massive influx of hardworking German immigrants. Why you may ask? Have you ever been there? It looks like the Sound of Music threw up on the landscape. And one of those hardworking German immigrants was George Brumder. Mr. Brumder's claim to fame and fortune was made providing reading materials to the immigrants that
couldn't yet speak English.Needing a place to live that would befit his status, Brumder built his beautiful mansion on Wisconsin Avenue, which was the place where the rich and famous of Milwaukee went to live and play. The house stayed in possession of the Brumder family for approximately a decade. Then it was purchased by Samuel Picks, a reputed mobster. I think it's safe to say that the Brumder home became a center for illegal activi-
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ties during the ownership of the Picks. It was prohibition, and like the residents of modern-day Wisconsin, they loved a nice frosty tall boy. And I'm sure these weren't the only illegal activities that took place at the Mansion. The God Suite Awakens Reports of Paranormal Activity Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the Brumder Mansion served
as the offices of a local Lutheran church, as well as a billiard hall and a coffee house. But it wasn't until the home was bought by Carol Hirsch in 1997 and turned into a bed and breakfast that the stories of ghosts and hauntings began to filter out. Visitors to the Brumder Mansion, specifically those who slept in the Gold Suite, have experienced more than just a romantic get away. Many visitors have claimed to be awakened in the middle of the night by vivid, almost violent, disturbing dreams. While others have claimed to feel the icy presence of a spirit. The most recent owner of Brumder Mansion has reportedly had the most terrifying experiences in the Gold Suite. One afternoon, Carol Hirsch entered the room to do some cleaning, when to her dismay she discovered several drops of blood in the empty bathtub. After looking around for a bleeding employee or guest, of which
there were none, Hirsch cleaned the mess and concluded that ghosts were to blame. Hirsch has also reported being woken up in the middle of the night by an angry female apparition demanding that she get her mangy dog off the bed. Carol's not really certain who this angry woman is, but
The spirits have a naughty side ... apparently she has no love for man's best friend. The Mischievous Spirits of Brumder Mansion It would appear that the nonbreathing residents of Brumder Mansion have a playful, almost mischievous, side to them. Doors are heard slamming. Footsteps of a running child have been heard at all
hours of the day. But two ongoing events seem to show that the spirits have a naughty side. Shortly after taking possession of the house, Hirsch bought a programmable doorbell. After programming it, the damn thing wouldn't work until she walked away and the doorbell started playing, "Happy Birthday." Hirsch has also been sent running when she hears what sounds like breakable objects falling off the walls and crashing to the floor. Upon inspection she discovers the object on the floor unbroken. Who are these spirits that call the Brumder Mansion B&B home? They could any number of people from its long and storied history. You can always find out for yourself and book a stay in the Gold Suite. Check out the Brumder Mansion Bed & Breakfast at: 3046 West Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208 414-342-9767.
Michaela "Mica" Rand Medicyn Woman
Awakening Souls for Spiritual Growth
Stones * Oils * Herbs Metaphysical & Transpersonal Life Coaching
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Paranormal Underground 25
Crystals & Herbology
Mystical Etchings From a Medicyn Woman's Grimoire By Silvermoon Medicyn, www.silvermoonmedicyn.com
s I sit here pondering how to introduce this column, I find myself adrift in the sips of mint tea and a handful of healing crystals, opening my soul to the guidance of my spiritual energy. I remember what it was like when I first began my personal journey with these tools before me. Although crystals have been used throughout time, their use was not popular in the Americas until the early 1980s. That is when gemstones and metaphysics were just beginning to become something one could find in non-mainstream shops. Herbs have been around for centuries, however. The powers in herbs have been used by indigenous people long before modern civilization caught on. Herbs are still used today in many cultures and spiritual pathways. Sometimes we use these two tools and don't even have a clue as to the reason why we are using them. Ever cook something with your favorite herb, which takes you back to your fondest memories of childhood? Or put on your best piece of jewelry for an exciting date or power interview? When we do this, we are unconsciously working with our spirit
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guides or cosmic forces. When you become conscious and open to the intention of these tools, you create a powerful opening and connection with all the energies of the universe. In the up and coming articles here in Paranormal Underground magazine, I am going to talk in depth about how to use stones, crystals, and herbs to empower yourself to be able to work though emotional baggage and personal ascension of the soul. I can hear you saying right now … "How can a rock or a sip of tea guide me? I don't believe in blind faith." Believe me — all of this does have an air of skepticism about it. But where the faith comes from is in the lower part of your body's soul; it is your 3rd chakra called the will chakra — "Manipura." In the 3rd chakra, we hold the energy of trust. Here is where our gut instinct comes from. Chakras are believed to be the centers of energy in the body. They form a vertical line right through the center of each human, connecting us to the Earth and the cosmic consciousness. We will get into chakras in later topics, but for now think back to your childhood when you began to grow this powerful energy center.
Crystals and stones support your spiritual connection, as well as help the physical body. Crystals have begun to evolve right alongside us. As the vibration of the planet Earth and the cosmic movement awakens, we are finding deeper meaning in crystals.
herbs can assist you in ways beyond your imagination. When you open your mind's eye and focus it with the 3rd chakra, you create the most important part of this whole process, intuition. Intuition is what builds the power in our trust. So as I sip the mint tea, I feel the effects and the benefits of this herb. I can visualize the emotional imprint of my childhood memories and then feel the influence of the mint leaves. Mint decreases stress, elevates the mood, and soothes worries. It works with the sympathetic nervous system, decreasing fatigue and quiet-
Chakras are believed to be the centers of energy in the body. As a child we formed security by trusting what we were taught and the experiences we had. Remember when you were told, "Don't touch the stove because it is hot," and you touched it anyway. You had to learn the lesson for yourself. This is what builds your trust center. We are constantly testing the 3rd chakra energy. What I am asking you to do is to test that trust once more. Open your mind's eye to the possibilities that stones, crystals, and
ing the mind. The tea is assisting my physical body, empowering me to relax, focus, and be able to let the words flow. The stones, on the other hand, are serving a completely different process. They are supporting your spiritual connection. Now don't get me wrong. The stones/crystals do also help with the physical body. Crystals have begun to evolve right alongside us. As the vibration of the planet Earth and the
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cosmic movement awakens, we are finding deeper meaning in crystals. In the past, you could find Rose Quartz for (self-love), Amethyst (third eye opening), and Clear Crystals (clarity and openness). The meanings were deep for the time, but now you can find stones with a much deeper emotional bearing. There are stones of ascension, like Phenacite (activating psychic abilities and bringing prophetic visions), Azeztulite (conscious expanding and inter-dimensional travel), and Moldavite (acceleration of one's inner spiritual and DNA growth). Each stone resonates at a different level, just like we do as humans. Some of us are living on deeper and more conscious levels, and others are still stuck in a negative outlook and unconscious style of living. You can still find the stones of the old, but since the earth is warming and changing, so are the powers in the stones. We, as evolving humans, need a higher vibration to continue to progress. That is why Mother Earth is providing us with such tools. So my challenge to you is to come and follow me on a journey through living and building a rewarding experience to enrich your life and the lives of those around you with the use of stones, crystals, and herbs.
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Magic & Lore
When the Mystical and Paranormal Blur By Silvermoon Medicyn, www.silvermoonmedicyn.com
o ghosts throw plates and dishes, hoping to be fed their last supper? Do they create sounds and noises of such great clatter to arouse the senses of something or someone? Why do they seem to come out toward the light when we shine it? Well … Hecate knows why, and maybe we are all just part of the plan. On the dusk of November16th, it is believed that a great goddess walks the night. She is called Hecate (Hekate). Hecate represents the aspects of the Triple Goddess: fertility and plenty, the moon, and the underworld. She is the supreme ruler of the earth, sea, and cosmic worlds. In the times of the great Greek gods and goddesses, she was known as the keeper over wild places, childbirth, and the crossroads, where the veil between worlds is always thinnest. During the time of the PreOlympians, Zeus named her to be divine because she was the one that gave aid to the gods as they battled the Titans. It was said in whispers that … Zeus shared his powers with her even though she was not allowed to sit on the council; she still had absolute power over all as the advisor.
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That should not surprise any of us, for the council only had the highest and finest called the Twelve Olympians. Demeter, Poseidon, Athena, and Artemis were some of the Olympians she had tight bonds with, assisting them in many different perils of their own lives. There is a lot of lore about this queen of the night and who she is from many different cultures throughout time. She was called "The Ancient" by many and possessed a physical aspect of an old crone or hag. She has been described with a bright and shining torch, which shines so bright it lights up your wisdom, reaching far out to find lost souls and the damned ones. She also carries the tools to open any gates with one key and a knife to cut the silver cord from the life of newborns to ghosts. Now knowing all of this, it might not hurt if a paranormal investigator wanted to worship her. Since she too is on a quest for ghost. People who offer homage to her will burn white willow wood incense and chant her name. On the nights when the veil is the thinnest, villagers would leave food out in the streets to feed the souls that traveled with her; it is called "Hecate's
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Supper." Once the food was left out, you were not to look at the offering again, for one would not wish to see what would be feasting upon it. But a paranormalist just might ... the thrill of a meter jumping or the sound of a plate moving is what we live for. So … could it be that ghost, apparitions, or imprints communicate with the investigators so they can be found? You can find Hecate guarding the crossroads in all aspects of life, lingering in sacred fields of the dead or cemeteries and in areas of great catastrophe. Her biggest role, however, is in her travels on the nights of the dark moon, when no moon shines. She travels as the "Nameless One" with her dogs and lost souls that she has collected with the rest of
the hunters. These nights are known as "The Wild Haunt." It is on this night, in general, that she walks the ethers to collect souls from their own purgatory and bring them to the underworld.
find ghosts or spirits lurking in either physical or transcendental areas of space, where the veil is thinnest. The veil is known in some beliefs to represent the cosmic consciousness. Many people are beginning to believe that everything is connected on a deeper, more spiritual and physical level. So for some of us, lately deep in paranormal work, you may have noticed a large increase in your abilities to find ghosts and your own intuition, especially on dark moon nights. This is because as our consciousness grows on the entire planet, so does the power of Hecate. So maybe, just maybe, we as ghost hunters are her truest worshippers and don't even know it, assisting Hecate on these wild haunts. It is something to ponder!
As our consciousness grows on the entire planet, so does the power of Hecate. "They say when you hear the dogs barking … it is too late, for she is close at hand." If Hecate is the ruler of all things, including the cosmic world, would it not be of great importance for her to collect these pieces of the ultimate consciousness and would we as paranormal investigator not be assisting her? Paranormalists use many tools to detect paranormal activity. We
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Personal Experiences
Tales From the Haunted Heathman Hotel By Rob St.Helen, West Coast Ghost Hunters
ello, and welcome to next installment of "Tales From the Haunted Heathman Hotel." The Hotel has been very active of late. We have had some guests come up to ask us if we are haunted, which I always find interesting. When a guest comes up to me and asks about the hotel and being haunted, I always try to read their body motion. I don't want to tell them too much if they are nervous or scared, but always tell them that they are okay and that nothing in the hotel is "nasty," which I truly believe. If you provoke, however, that's all on you. I learned my own lesson about provoking the hard way. I had a guest come down recently and ask if the hotel was haunted. I told her and her husband, "We have some strange things that sometimes happen around the hotel." Her eyes got really big, and I could tell she wasn't so "hip" on the paranormal. But she kept on asking questions, and so I let her know what went on at the hotel. I mentioned that room 703 is mentioned as haunted on many Internet sites, but to me there are better rooms for activity. Without knowing what floor and room she and her husband were staying on/in, I told her that room 711 is a good room to experience paranormal activity in.
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She immediately responded with, "That's my room!" I thought to myself crapola! I mentioned that room 717 was another good room for paranormal activity. "That's my sister's room!" I figured by this time I should just stop naming room numbers, although it seemed like it was too late at this point. We chatted for a few minutes longer. I again told her that she and her husband were completely safe at the hotel and nothing would bother them. The guest seemed fine with my statement, and she took off for her
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room. I didn't hear anything the next day when they checked out, so I assume that everything was okay for the woman and her sister. Around this time of year it seems like activity always picks up. This year is no different. We have been hearing more knocks and sounds than in years past, and they seem to be getting louder. I am eager to see what the next few months bring. We have a few paranormal teams coming in, and I am sure our spirits will not disappoint. Let me be the first to say Happy Holidays to you!
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November/December 2012 Paranormal Underground 31 http://silentwolfproductionsco.webs.com/
Personal Experiences: Religion & The Paranormal
Shaping Our Belief Systems By Chris Davis, Valley Ghost Hunting
y name is Christopher Davis, and I am a paranormal investigator from Northeastern Pennsylvania. I founded my team, Valley Ghost Hunting, in May 2011 with three of my siblings. We had spent many years researching the paranormal because of experiences we all had growing up. This is a new column to Paranormal Underground magazine, and it isn't going to be your usual article. Each month we will examine religion and the paranormal, an intriguing subject that is oftentimes also controversial. I will talk to investigators in the field and even a few clergy as opportunity permits, not only about how their religion plays into their views on the paranormal but how the paranormal has changed their religious views and ideals. In this first column, I want to share with you why this field interested me and how my religious experiences and teachings have shaped my views on the paranormal. Religious Experiences Lead to Changing Philosophies I was raised Methodist, but at a young age I also started to learn about other religions, including Wicca. When I was about 12 or 13,
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friends, and learned about all different religions. My best friend was a Jehovah's Witness, and I would go with them a few times a week to their services. In my spare time I would read the Book of Mormon. While I was living in Oregon, I visited several times with people who followed the Mormon religion. It was also at this time that I converted from an atheist to an agnostic. I am now an ordained minister through Universal Life Church (ULC) ministries and continue to study all sorts of different religions.
I turned to Wicca totally. At this time I was still forced by my grandparents to go to church, because in my family church is both a reward and a punishment. When I was 16, things took a drastic turn when I became an atheist after losing my dad and realizing my prayers to keep him alive had failed. But along the way I never stopped talking to people, learning about their religion and still, at times, I wondered if there was actually a god or goddess, if not several. When I was a kid I went to several churches, usually with
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Pulling From Different Religions I have combined all of the things from the different religions that make sense to me, and what actually seems to work. I wear Catholic medals; use holy water, holy oil, blessed sea salt; and I pray the Rosary. I also use things from the Pagan/New-Age religions, such as herbs, to make my own herbal incense. And, of course, like many investigators I use sage, not only on myself and my team but also our gear. I also use many other herbs for cleansing, purification, and healing. Along with using several different Pagan blessed semi-precious and
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precious stones, in addition to quartz I use any other stone I can find. I have recently been trying to learn more about Buddhism, and even asked my brother — who is also a ULC minister — to do a Buddhist blessing on sea salt just in case someone wants that as opposed to one that has been blessed following the Christian beliefs. Where Does the Paranormal Fit Into Religion? Now, if any of you are on my Facebook page, you'll see me rant a lot about religion. Why do I do this? Because on a daily basis I get attacked by someone, usually a family member, because the paranormal doesn't fit into their religious views. To me, the paranormal is the reason I even have a religious view anymore. If it wasn't for the work I've done for many years, then having a religion would be the least of my worries. I started doing research when I was about six years old. I'm now 29. When I was a kid, the things I saw and heard didn't frighten me. They actually made me question what I was taught about the afterlife. Many of the religious books I read contradicted what I knew existed based on my own experiences. These same books seemed to be the main reason why so many people either don't believe in ghosts or think that everything is a demon. It wasn't until I got older that I realized and thought about it. The books were written by man and
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changed many times to fit the world views at that time. It was than that I understood. If your involved in the paranormal, using any book about religion is only really good if you are dealing with something evil. Why? Would you want to spend your whole life thinking that the people you care about the most are basically stuck here and possibly unhappy? Exorcisms, House Blessings, and Cleansings I an not an exorcist. I have no training in exorcism, but I would like to learn how. I am, however, trained in doing house blessings and cleansings. It's actually very easy to learn, and all it takes is the will to learn how to do it.
The paranormal is the reason I even have a religious view anymore. Now we all know that a house blessing doesn't always work, and sometimes it can actually make an angry or evil spirit upset or angry. This is not a reason to stop doing it. Unlike what some people would have you believe, you do not have to be a certain religion to do cleansings or blessings. It is unfortunate that these misconceptions are out there. I have seen many people who say they are the only ones who can do a cleansing
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or blessing properly because of their religion. And I have heard people from all different religions say this. If properly trained, your religion does not dictate whether you will be successful when doing house cleansings and blessings. What Do You Think About Religion and the Paranormal? There is another way that I want this article to be different. I would like to make the readers a bigger part of this column, and I ask you all to message me directly at the e-mail addresses listed below. E-mail and tell me a little about how the your religion has effected your work in the paranormal and how the paranormal has effected your religion. E-mail me and ask any question you'd like to about this topic. Suggest people for me to interview. I promise I will not attack you for your views. They aren't mine to attack. I am trying to eliminate misconceptions about paranormal investigators. For instance, just because we believe in the paranormal, we're not Satanists. Or just because we are religious, we don't believe in ghosts. If you would like to get a hold of me personally about this column to ask questions, share your experiences, or be interviewed for an article, please e-mail me at email@example.com, or facebook.com/chris.vgh, or through the forums on www.ParanormalUnderground.net. I look forward to your e-mails!
Wednesdays 5-7 p.m. Eastern www.ZTalkRadio.com November/December 2012
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Author Spotlight
Gary D. Henry
The Books of James C. Patch By Michelle M. Pillow, www.MichellePillow.com
ary D. Henry is the vice president of the Loudoun County Writers Association in Northern Virginia. When asked about his writing, he said, "I have always had stories swimming around in my head but never had the desire to put them to paper until recently. I have had no formal training in the literary field, other than being a technical writer in a previous career. A friend suggested that I write his life story, which was a worthy pursuit, so I wrote the introduction, and he liked it, so I decided to continue. Now, two and a half years later, I am writing my 15th novel." His newest paranormal thrillers this year, The Books of James C. Patch: Utopia (May 2012), Witchwoods (June 2012), A Father First (June 2012), The Leaving Fields (July 2012), and In the Manor of Heather Black (September 2012), are available online and in bookstores. ***** Q: In your book The Books of James C. Patch: The Barrier you delve into the world of spiritual life after death. What inspired you to write about this? Gary: Actually, the genesis of this story came to me in the same way that many others get their ideas — in
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wrote down, in bullet points, all three books. Luckily, hours later, I had the entire dream on paper. I was amazed that I'd lived the entire story, in the dream. I glanced at the clock, and I had only slept for an hour. Q: In The Barrier your heroes are authors. What inspired you to create such characters?
The genesis of The Books of James C. Patch three-book series came to Gary Henry in a dream.
a dream. I remember this distinctly, because it was the only dream I had that I could remember in detail and well after I had awoken, every aspect of the story. I remembered the entire threebook trilogy in detail. I woke up when the story was complete, and for that, I was quite thankful. It was such a fantastic story that I immediately
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Gary: That's easy. I'm an author, and I know that creating a story that interests people is a difficult endeavor and that, at times, environments need to change so that inspiration can take hold. Sometimes that means traveling to secluded spots where one can eliminate outside concerns and restore focus to get the story written. Authors have wild imaginations and an investigative bent, as well as a dedication to tell the masses their stories. I thought that a character in my book who is an author could best tell my story. When things occur that the author in the book can't explain, the investigative part of him kicks in and gets to the bottom of the concern. This story is about an author, James C. Patch, living in 1905, who discovers that he has the gift of splitting his spirit, much like many reports of people's near-death experiences when they see their spirits floating above them. His split spirit can travel to the spiritual world, and
through his spirit, James Patch can see what happens to people after they die. Patch wrote three books to tell the world not to worry about dying because a new and glorious world awaits them. However, he also noted that, even in the spiritual world, evil exists in the form of a Barrier between the waiting spirits and the Utopia on the other side. The Barrier (also known as fate) has control over all living and spiritual things. Every time a spirit attempts to penetrate the Barrier, the Barrier takes its memories. The spirits need their memories in order to find their loved ones and to cluster with them on the other side. The Barrier saw that James C. Patch was about to tell the living world about the next step and knew that the people would want to live their lives to the fullest and thus create enough memories to pass through with ease. The Barrier killed Patch's family in an attempt to stop him from writing and informing the living world. He split his spirit to assist spirits with passing through the Barrier, but his young
children couldn't pass through. Because of their young ages, they had accumulated too few memories to allow them passage through the Barrier. Thus, the Barrier would capture the children and force them to do its evil bidding. James, deeply depressed after having witnessed the horrific demise of his beloved wife and chil-
The Barrier forces them to do its evil bidding ... dren at the hands of the Barrier's evil minions, gave up hope, burned his books, and killed himself. However, before doing so, he split his spirit and placed it, dormant, within a painting until 100 years later, when a modern-day author and split-spirit, Jacob Masterson, moved into James' Vermont cottage where he discovered the dormant spirit, learned Patch's story, and decided to assist him by continuing Patch's lost, lifelong works and efforts to destroy the Barrier.
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Q: When world building, did you base your story off of known myths throughout history? Gary: It's the old story of life and death. Outside of religion, many have questioned whether a spiritual world exists, a place where they would spend an eternity and exist happily among loved ones, free of the troubles of the living world. I'd like to think that such a place exists. However, I have yet to see evidence of such a world. I build my spiritual world based upon what I've imagined it to be. I'm also fascinated by reports that the moments before you die, a recreation of your life passes through your mind at lightspeed. Thankfully, I haven't experienced this phenomenon, but it still makes me wonder about what happens, if anything, after death. Q: What myths or legends inspired you? Gary: I created my spiritual world as an alternative to the Heaven and Hell worlds told in the Bible. Although I'm not the religious type,
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Author Spotlight Q: Do you have any paranormal pet projects? Gary: No, I don't. I'm a multi-genre writer. The paranormal will always be my prime focus, but I like to write about all things and in all genres. Many authors have told me to stick to one area so that my fans will know, essentially, what they're buying, but I choose not to be locked into one area of story building because a whole array of stories exist within my mind, and I want to tell them all. Q: What are your favorite paranormal shows, movies, and books?
"Paranormal stories, in particular, fascinate because it's the last bastion of the human experience that hasn't been explored to the point where it's considered fact."
I still hold that stories within in it are fascinating and are ripe for telling in ways that make people think of alternatives. Some will hold that the Bible is truth, and I will not doubt their dedication to their beliefs, but some think that the Bible is a fictional account based on real people. Thousands of stories have been written based on the biblical passages from it, and I'm sure there are just as many stories written to debunk its passages. The spiritual world that I created has a little of both. Q: Why do you think readers, and society in general, are fascinated by the paranormal? Gary: Readers want to be taken away to a place where they would never go but always wanted to. Fantasy worlds abound within the pages of a book. The stories extend
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their lives beyond what they see dayto-day and take them on journeys beyond their imaginations. Paranormal stories, in particular, fascinate because it's the last bastion of the human experience that hasn't been explored to the point where it's considered fact. Everyone wants to believe that a spiritual world exists because, frankly, they don't want their existence to end. Thoughts of another step, or chance to be again, can dictate how they live their lives, and they long for answers to questions that people constantly ask. People want to experience all of their senses. That's why we have them. They want to be thrilled, scared, sad, or happy, depending on what they are reading or viewing. It's all about being human and testing the limits of their ability to feel the experience and, by their own imagination, place themselves into the story.
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Gary: I love watching shows that drive me to my own limits of fear of the unknown. Some television shows that come to mind are Ghost Hunters, Fact or Fiction, Paranormal State, Most Haunted, and many more. I also like the Paranormal Activity movies. Such a simple idea, and I wish I had thought of it first. Q: Do you believe in the supernatural? Or are you a skeptic? Gary: I'm a skeptic until I see something that I can't explain first hand. Still, the shows and movies make me want to believe in the supernatural, but I must hold to my original thought. I have tried to rationalize the existence of the paranormal in my mind, and I really would like to believe it. However, the realistic side of me knows, beyond any future experiences, that it is still a sad and troublesome doubt. Q: Have you ever had a paranormal experience? Gary: I thought I did at one time. A few of my friends and I wanted to do something out of the ordinary. We were high school kids who wanted to experience what it felt like to be in a
cemetery at midnight. It was me and two couples, and we picked the largest and oldest cemetery we could find. As we found out, there are no lights in cemeteries at night. We each had our own flashlight, and we were creeped out right away. I flashed my light on a tree a short distance away and a face emerged from behind a tree and then disappeared behind the tree. I remembered that the eyes glowed bright as I shown my flashlight on it. I turned around, and all of my friends had taken off, leaving me alone with what was behind that tree. I took a few steps back and heard the cracking of small branches being stepped on and leaves rustling behind me. The flashlight created shadows when shown on the more ornate tombstones, causing my mind to believe that something was out there watching me, stalking me. In the distance, I could hear my friends extolling me to return to the car, and the fear of the unknown made me comply with great haste. During the daylight hours, I revisited the site and saw, within the tree, a nest of owls that had scared the hell out of me a mere 10 hours earlier.
did happen, I wonder how my mind would react. Would I become freaked out and run as fast as I could, or would I try to correspond with it? It would certainly create a few more stories in my mind, though much more vivid. Q: What does the future hold for James Patch and Jacob Masterson in the James C. Patch trilogy? Gary: Presently, I have no plans to write additional books with these characters past the third book in the series, The Books of James C. Patch: Utopia. Should the public desire more books on the subject, I'll of course comply. Q: Have you ever been to a psychic? Gary: No, I've never had the desire to go to a medium, but I imagine that it would be fun to have a creepy séance party designed to scare and entertain my guests. Q: What have you done to market your paranormal trilogy?
Gary: I've given a few interviews and have placed them on all the social media sites. My primary focus is getting this trilogy in the hands of people who can deliver these stories on a movie screen. It is a very involved story with multiple mysteries and illusions that I believe will do well with the movie-going public. I contracted Legerity Entertainment of Roswell, New Mexico, to create a five-minute movie trailer of the first installment of the James C. Patch trilogy. They completed and delivered it to many of the online video sites and are trying to get screenwriters to adapt the story to have a deliverable to distribute among filmmakers. This is in its infancy stage at present, but I'm sure that once it gets around, filmmakers will see the viability and potential of such a project. My Website presents the trailer. I write all my stories with movies in mind.
To learn more about Gary D. Henry's books or see the book trailer, visit his Website at garydhenry.com.
Q: What kind of paranormal creatures do you wish you could meet? Gary: I guess I would like to believe that ghosts or a spiritual world exists. Meeting the spirit of a man or a woman would be an experience of a lifetime. Definitive proof of the afterlife would certainly answer many questions. Yes, I'd like to meet someone or something in that state.
"My primary focus is getting this trilogy in the hands of people who can deliver these stories on a movie screen. It is a very involved story with multiple mysteries and illusions that I believe will do well with the movie-going public."
Q: How would you react if you came face to face with a ghost? Gary: To stand before one is unimaginable to me, but if it ever
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Paranormal Perspective: Guest Editorial
Psychic Dependency & Enabling By Jill Marie Morris, www.jillmariemorris.com
ow many times does one run across an ad, television commercial, storefront signage, or even a Facebook wall post where someone is soliciting their psychic wares? With little protest, the psychic reading industry has exploded with unprecedented fervor — more so over the past 15 years. Spiraling economic conditions that have adversely impacted households worldwide, (not to mention, as some do believe, the Zombie Apocalypse), young and old are scampering for insight in order to cope with their problems. One such coping mechanism is seeking the advice of psychics. To avoid derailment by delving into the monetary aspects of the "industry," two specific elements need more consideration than most would think. The first element is dependency, with the second consisting of enabling. Whether on a quest for answers, fumbling blindly through a crisis, or simply in need of a shoulder to cry on, clients of psychics most always are grasping for something. This aspect alone can create cyclical behavior, ultimately leading to dependency on the part of the client and an enabling relationship on behalf of
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the individual giving the advice (e.g., the counselor). One of the most strikingly similar characteristics of clients both male and female tends to be low selfesteem. Barring frauds or malicious intent, any advice, direction, and encouragement tends to come from a good place and is well-meaning. In turn, the client is momentarily satisfied, and sustained — for an undetermined period of time. The Cycle of Dependency Soon enough, another appointment is scheduled, followed by yet
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another, and thus the cycle of dependency begins. It is at this point that the responsibility of a good spiritual counselor should take the reigns and steer the client toward a path of selfempowerment. All aspects of healing need be considered, and any desire for continued financial profit from "frequent fliers" should immediately be erased from thought. After all, the objective is to facilitate a means of self reliance, to foster better decision-making, enhance critical thinking skills, and to empower the client. A general rule of thumb should
be implemented. The decision sits solely in the lap of the counselor, but caution should be taken when a client is constantly seeking direction on more than a quarter-annual basis. Should the individual have a frequent propensity toward relying on the counselor, and if the counselor obliges, they are only enabling the client. Advocating checklists and implementing long- and short-term goals in order to move forward is something that will help the client take charge of his or her life. Even in the most profound cases of loss and grief, these tools will help to rebuild structure during a time when it is literally a chore to merely get through each day. Reexamining the predetermined goals, as well as reassessing established tasks, is also recommended at a later time. From a layperson's perspective, recognizing patterns and signs of mental illness should also be part of the counselor's repertoire. Early detection of these behaviors can help determine if consultations should continue. Again, objectivity must be interjected in order to truly help the
appointment; it seeps deep into the psyche of the individual and is mirrored in their relationships. Give Clients a Disclaimer The frequency of this scenario is frightening, as are the potential ramifications should it continue. Spiritual counselors are not psychologists, psychiatrists, or medical doctors. There is a fine line that is too often blurred when giving advice, relative to this situation. At no
At no time should a counselor enable a client for the sake of financial gain. client with the healing process and, additionally, to provide spiritual light toward a path of self-empowerment. The fact remains that counselors have a minimal window into the lives of their clients, no matter how "gifted" they may be. A client's dependency for direction filters back to their family and friends and impacts just about every aspect of their life. Once the cycle of enabling unfolds, it does not stop at the close of the
time ever should a non-medically trained professional be rendering any type of health advice. A direct, non-offensive, yet firm disclaimer should be given upon initial consultation. The choice to continue enabling a client goes against spiritual ethic. Creative, non-threatening approaches work best when advising the individual to be proactive in their spiritual "care plan." Praise for independent decision-making is a must,
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and at no time should a counselor continue enabling a client for sake of financial gain. Too often ethic is lost when it comes to matters involving money. The basic principles of a spiritual counselor should encompass honesty, compassion, and a concerted effort to help provide direction in order to balance the emotional and spiritual needs of the client. At no time, regardless of how tempting it may be, should a counselor take advantage of the client on any level. Promoting independent decision-making and helping to develop critical thinking skills helps to build self esteem. Even in the darkest of hours, when an individual feels hopeless and helpless, there are ways to begin gently nudging them along without falling into a pattern of dependency and enabling. Psychics should encourage questions but advocate for a more self-empowered client. Creating a setting that educates the client and provides them with tools to become more independent will help build a positive, respectful, and professional relationship.
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Paranormal Activity: Event Spotlight
Fright Night Fundraiser at First Ward School House By Jenny Gurney, Proximity Paranormal
ustin Libigs, his family, Jennifer Lin, and I held a paranormal fundraiser this past September for the First Ward School House. This was my first event that I helped plan and execute, and it was an exciting and rewarding experience. I wanted to help raise funds to restore the building back to its glory. Justin Libigs and his family own the old school house, called The First Ward School House (originally called the Irving School) in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. The event was held September 13-15, and it included a VIP mixer, two days of lectures, meet and greets/vendors, and two nights of investigations. Presenters and attendees included Christopher and Philip Booth, Keith Age, Ben Hansen, Russ Stiver, Justin Chase Mullins, Julie Krystina, Scotty Rorek, Joe and Kale from the Skeptical Edge, Deb Lantz, Tim and Amy from Fox Cities Paranormal, Jeff and Nancy Rezman, Darrell Campbell, James Annitto, Kelly Thurber from Para-Angels, and Rosalyn Bown from Ghost Hunters Academy in attendance. We also had the boys from Calhoun County Paranormal Investigations join us that weekend, and they
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There are many local tales of the school house being haunted. People report hearing voices and sounds, and a shadow person has been seen in the basement.
gave a lecture on their team and the Farrar School. Thursday night we had a mixer at the local hotel, which was also reportedly haunted. We wanted to start the event with a fun night where people and the guests could interact and just have a great time with each other. Nathan Ford, a local comedian, and Heather Bram, a belly
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dancer, provided entertainment. After Nathan and Heather performed, we had tours of a haunted room at the hotel. Many people really enjoyed the tour; we even had some people experience activity while on the tour. Friday and Saturday were filled with informative lectures given by all the presenters who attended
the event. There was also a vendor room where attendees could talk to the guests. Z Talk Radio was also at the event and aired live. Justin Libigs kicked off the Friday sessions by taking everyone interested on a tour of the school house. Justin presented the history and the paranormal activity reported at the school. The tour was enjoyed by all. During these two days, we also held a silent auction and raffle of
We also had something very special happen during the weekend event as well. The Booth Brothers and Keith Age filmed for their new reality show, Spooked. They filmed some parts of the investigation Saturday night. Also on both Friday and Saturday night, we held investigations with the Fright Night Fundraiser guests. We had a small group on each floor. Keeping the groups small was intentional so that everyone could try to
Many attendees caught EVPs during the two nights of investigations. items that were donated or signed by people in the paranormal field, as well as local businesses. Friday night we had a special paranormal roundtable with the guests. This gave the attendees a chance to ask the presenters question. Many of the people who attended this session were pleased to get so many different perspectives about the questions they asked.
capture good evidence. Saturday night Christopher Saint Booth was at the school house filming with the groups during the investigation. Keith Age was also on hand during the investigations with all his tools to lead groups. He brought a piece of equipment that was built just for him. Many attendees caught EVPs during the two nights of investiga-
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tions. The EVPs that were caught are going to be uploaded to our Facebook page, Fright Night Fundraiser Event, once received. Overall, everyone thought the event was worth the price of admission, because they gained a lot of knowledge thanks to the lectures and the guests in attendance. The feedback from the attendees has been overwhelming supportive. Kellie from PIRS, a group that had a table at the event, said, "We felt like we were being welcomed into a family." Tim Maile, a speaker at the event, said, "It was great meeting some new faces, and the school house is beautiful. Justin and his family should be proud of what they have accomplished." VickiLee Ruppert, who attended and had a table, also said, "I've made some fantastic lifelong friends because of this event!" Many people also requested that we do another event in the future at the school house. Justin, his family, and I thank everyone who attended, donated items, volunteered at the event, and supported this event.
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Paranormal Activity: Event Spotlight
More Photos From the Fright Night Fundraiser!
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Fiction: Featured Author
DRUG By Rick E. Hale
Unit two to unit one. Over," the man in the black outfit and body armor said quietly into the radio mic strapped to his neck. He and three other men stood bathed in the darkness of night as they stood on the side of a dilapidated old house. "Go ahead unit two." "Do we have the search warrant yet? Over." "Unit two hold your position, still waiting." The man motioned to the men standing behind him to wait. Tension filled the air, crackling like static electricity. For almost two months they held this house under intense scrutiny as they watched an endless stream of people come and go at all hours of the day and night. The police were sure that this home was being utilized as a "crackhouse," and to have this kind of activity going on in their city was completely unacceptable. However, tonight they would take this house and whoever was operating it and remove this blight from their community — provided they receive the go-ahead from a judge. "Unit one to unit two, we have the go ahead. Breach." And with that one word an officer slammed in the door yelling, "Search warrant!"
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The anti-drug task force invaded the home and began a room-toroom search with surgical precision for any drug dealer that may be hiding in any nook and cranny. There was always the risk that someone was in a hidey hole waiting for the precise moment to jump out with guns blazing. An operation such as this doesn't exist without the dealers doing all they could to protect it. Each officer shouted the word "Clear" as they rampaged through the seemingly empty home. Nothing, nobody around to account for the fact that a drug-dealing operation existed within the walls. The only thing found was a pile of a brown powder-like substance packed in individual cellophane bricks. Heroine, no doubt. "I don't get it," the commanding officer commented as he holstered his side arm. "What's that, Sarge?" an officer asked as he surveyed the large
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amounts of smack sitting on the table. "Something isn't right. These guys just don't pack up and leave without their junk. Someone has to ..." Before the sergeant could finish his sentence, one of his men yelled from the basement, "Sarge, you better get down here and see this." The commanding officer looked at his man as a wide grin crossed his face. Finally something or somebody. As the sergeant and two of his men made their way down the stairs, all three men noticed a dramatic drop in temperature. It was easily seventy degrees that night, and a drop this drastic was unexplainable. "What do you got?" the sergeant asked as he found two of his men standing outside a closed door. "Look at this. It's weird," the young officer replied. The sergeant inspected the door and found himself sharing his officer's sentiment. Standing before
them was a door with a heavy padlock on the outside as if someone was trying to keep something inside those doors. But stranger yet was the large wooden crucifix hung prominently on the center of the door. The commanding officer was about to give the order to pop the locks and rush in when the silence of the basement was interrupted by a loud inhuman moan that came from the other side of the door. "Weapons ready; we are going in," the commanding officer ordered as the handheld battering ram struck the door, splintering the door and the symbol of god's ultimate sacrifice. As the officers rushed into the room, weapons raised, the sergeant lowered his sidearm in pure shock at the sight that met his eyes. The only words that escaped from his lips were, "Dear God." ***** "You have got to be freakin' kidding me!" Charlie Purviss shouted as he rolled over in his bed. The darkness of his room, which had invited him to take a much-needed rest, enveloped him. The only light, which shown like a spotlight, was his cell phone sounding an inconvenient ring. "I have no idea who is calling," he said aloud as he viewed the unfamiliar number. He was used to seeing unfamiliar numbers on his phone, however. He often received a phone call from a client who had a wild story to tell or a plea for help. The job of a paranormal investigator was never done. "Hello," Charlie said as he flipped open his phone, wiping the sleep from his eyes. "Charlie, it's your cousin Scott." Immediately, Charlie was wide awake. He hadn't heard from his cousin for months, and considering he was Charlie's only living family member it must be something
incredibly important. Charlie and Scott grew up together and were tighter than brothers, especially after his and Scott's parents were killed by a drunk driver. Charlie and Scott were 17 and 16, respectively. Scott's work as a narcotics officer
The only words that escaped from his lips were, "Dear God." kept him underground sometimes for months on end, and for him to be calling on an unsecured line must mean he really needed family. "Scott, what is it? Is everything OK?" Charlie asked. "Um, yeah," Scott responded. His voice was rich with nervous apprehension. "Charlie, I kind of need a favor, and you were the only one I knew who was knowledgeable about ... weird stuff." It always gave Charlie a chuckle when he referred to paranormal
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investigation as "weird stuff." Sometimes Scott forgot that Charlie was also a well-respected psychiatrist. "Scott, what's going on? You sound like something is terribly wrong?" "Can you come down to the precinct? My superiors need to bring an expert in on something really ... weird." "Scott, I just got back from England, and I need to rest. Can you give me a little more to go on?" Charlie responded. "Look, here's the deal. We brought this guy in, and since then weird, no frightening, things have been happening. This is not a joke. I need you." With that, Charlie Purviss knew his cousin was not joking. "OK. Give me an hour and I'll be there." As Scott hung up, Charlie began to wonder what equipment he should bring to the station. ***** When Charlie arrived at the main station of the Chicago police department, he discovered his cousin dressed in plain shabby clothes — clothes that would befit an undercover narcotics agent — and two older gentlemen dressed in clean and pressed Chicago police officer uniforms. The three men were standing on the front stairs nervously smoking cigarettes. "Hey Scott," Charlie said as he lifted his equipment bag onto his shoulder. Scott dropped his smoke and walked up to his cousin, leading him to the two other men. "Charlie, this is Superintendant Francisco Suarez and Captain Thaddeus Meyer." Charlie had seen both men on the local news almost nightly for the past month. From what he understood, the police were cracking down on drugs and gangs. And they were
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Fiction: Featured Author doing one Hell of a job. Charlie shook both their hands and came straight to the point. "OK, what's up?" "Doctor Purviss." Suarez was the first to speak up. "We are told by your cousin that you have experience with unexplained phenomenon." "Please call me Charlie. And, yes I do. Scott tells me you have something strange you need help with." Charlie watched as the two highest-ranking men in Chicago law enforcement shared a somewhat uneasy look, a look that told Charlie they were about to enter the realm of the truly unexplained. "Doctor, I mean Charlie," Captain Meyer said as he opened the door and continued, "there is something you need to see." As the four men entered the building, a cold chill ran up Charlie's entire body. ***** Charlie was ushered into a wellappointed conference room and was asked to sit. Superintendent Suarez than launched into why Charlie Purviss was asked to come down to the police station in the middle of the night. "Four nights ago we took down a crackhouse in a relatively decent neighborhood on the Northside. After we raided the property, we found no one in the house except for one man," Suarez' voice cracked with those last few words. "We found the subject strapped to a bed in the basement. There were all kinds of strange writings and symbols on the walls, including a number of giant crucifixes. "I sorry, but I don't understand how I can help," Charlie interrupted. "Maybe we should show him the tape," Meyer suggested to his boss. ***** Scott rolled a television with a
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DVD player into the room. Meyer pulled a DVD from his briefcase and popped it in, giving Charlie a stern warning. "What you see here can never be shared with others, and you must never relate this tale in one of your books. Understand?" Charlie shook his head yes and then the screen came to life. Charlie watched as a lanky man with disheveled hair and dirty clothes sat at a table in what appeared to be an interrogation room. After a few seconds of watching the rather disturbedlooking man, another man walked into the room wearing a shirt and tie and a gold badge hanging from his belt. "That's detective Zane Lazzarotti," Meyer said. Charlie's attention was brought back to the television when the detective began to speak. "So," the detective spoke, "would you care to tell me why you were found strapped to a bed in the basement of a known crackhouse?" The detective paused for a moment, hoping to get a reply from the man. Lazzarotti continued his questions. "We have no idea who you are, where you are from, and why you were in that house. This, I
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do know. Being found in a house during a narcotics raid definitely will not go well for you." Charlie than noticed something. The lights began to flicker, and the temperature in the room must have made a precipitous dive because he could clearly see the breath of the detective as he exhaled. Charlie watched as the disheveled man lifted his head to meet the gaze of the detective and said in a strange hollow voice, "He has no name, but we are many." Lazzarotti began backing away from the table as an inhuman look came over the seated man's face. The look seemed to show absolute hatred and disdain for the detective. And then the DVD stopped. ***** Silence reigned in the conference room as Meyer shut the TV off. Charlie was the first to speak, "Dear God." In all his years as a paranormal researcher and psychiatrist, Charlie had only heard of such phenomenon. He had never witnessed something so sinister, and he began to wonder
if this was a true case of spirit possession by a diabolical entity. "Two minutes after that recorded meeting, Lazzarotti turned in his badge and, after 20 years in law enforcement, quit," Meyer said. "Is he OK?" Charlie asked, obviously concerned for the detective. A pained look came over the two ranking officers' faces, and Suarez said, "No. Shortly after arriving home, Lazzarotti put a gun into his mouth and ended his life." "He was a good man," Meyer added. "The best." "So Doctor Purviss, in your professional opinion, should we call a priest?" Suarez asked. Still stunned by what he had seen and the sad tale of the suicide of the detective, Charlie sat back in his chair pondering the severity of the situation. If this was a true case of spirit possession, and it appeared that it was, then clergy needed to be notified. However, if this man required an exorcism, and assuming the church would even touch this, it could be months before the church gave the archaic ritual a thumbs up. But if this was strung out junky who required medical treatment, an exorcism could do more harm than good. "Charlie," his cousin's voice broke through his thoughts. Charlie looked at the three law enforcement officials and simply said, "Let me talk to him." "Doctor Purviss," Meyer said. "With all due respect, as a paranormal investigator and a medical doctor, if you go into that room we cannot guarantee your safety. Frankly this guy scares the shit out of everyone." "Captain, I understand your reluctance in this matter," Charlie countered. "But if this is a true case of possession by a diabolical spirit or if the man is just mentally ill, I can't really make a determination unless I speak with him face to face."
Captain Meyer was about to offer a rebuttal to the debate when Suarez said, "He's right. Let Doctor Purviss go into the room and give us his diagnosis." The captain continued, "Doctor Purviss, you have two hours. And whether or not you come to the conclusion that this guy is either seriously nuts or a demon in human flesh, you will be pulled out in two hours and the state will take over. Do we have an agreement?"
as he sat in the chair opposite the alleged demoniac, "I'm a doctor. I have been asked to come here and do what I can to help you." The strange man lifted his head and shot Charlie a look full of hate and malice, responding through clenched grime-encrusted teeth. "We don't need a doctor." "OK," Charlie said, as his fear began to melt away. "This we that you speak of. Who are 'we'?" Charlie took note that the air was
Was this a true case of spirit possession by a diabolical entity? "Yes," Charlie replied, realizing that he could be on the verge of the case of a lifetime. As the four men left the room, Charlie began to feel the fear that polluted the air. ***** When Charlie entered the interrogation room he couldn't help but feel a strange sensation in the air, as if the very environment in the room was somehow charged with static electricity. "You're not a cop." Charlie was shocked to hear the voice of a teenage girl fill the room. The voice must have come from the odd man seated at the table, but it seemed to come from nowhere and from everywhere at the same time. Either this guy was really possessed by evil spirits or he was one Hell of a ventriloquist. "No, I'm not a cop," Charlie responded, trying to exude a level of calmness. He knew what he could possibly be dealing with, and showing any kind of fear or apprehension could not only put his life in danger but also put his soul at risk in the process. Fear was like blood in the water to this shark. "Actually," Charlie continued
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still charged with the bizarre static electricity. "Are you some kind of demon?" Charlie raised every ounce of courage that he could to ask this simple question. As the disturbed man stared at Charlie, he began to notice an extreme drop in temperature, which told him that whatever this spirit was, it was not some Hell spawn minion. "No such thing, you overeducated fuck," the man said with a grin and a sinister laugh. With that Charlie began to wonder how he had ever gotten himself into such a potentially dangerous situation. Charlie knew that if this man wanted to he could reach across the desk and choke him until he stopped breathing. "The police informed me that you were discovered strapped to a bed in the basement of a crackhouse. How did you get there, and how did you come to be tied down?" "Before the cowards fled, they were able to tie me down." This time the man said this in a feminine voice that seemed to fill the entire room. Charlie sat back in his seat and considered what the man just said. Clearly, this man was something so much more than just some junkie strung out after not having his fix. Not to mention the different voices
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Fiction: Featured Author
that seemed to emanate from the room. Whoever this man may be, he appeared to be truly possessed by something not of this world. "So if you are not a demon then are you some kind of interdimensional being that has taken possession of this addict's body?" At Charlie's question the man lifted his head, and the room suddenly filled with a cacophonous laughter that seemed to be the voices of many in one sound. The junkie looked across the table and replied in his own voice, "Are you really that stupid doctor? Interdimensional being? Gimme a fucking break." Charlie was struck dumb by the response; if this man was not possessed by something inhuman, then what? As soon as he began contemplating this question, the answer hit Doctor Charlie Purviss square between the eyes. At this same moment Charlie realized that when there were truly no experts when it came to the supernatural. Charlie looked across the table at the disturbing man probing him for an answer. "Did you figure it all out for yourself, Herr Doktor." The heavily German accent of an old man filled
Paranormal Underground
the air. Charlie shook his head and finally asked after a long silence, "How many souls are trapped in you?" "Fifteen souls who bought this shit that is peddled on the streets. Fifteen souls who met their fate. Those who sold us this drug must be made to pay the ultimate price." "But why this man? Why have you chosen to enslave him?" At Charlie's question the loud laughter filled the room once again, and when the voices were quiet the man replied, this time in the voice of a small boy. "Enslaved? Not enslaved. We released him from his hellish addiction and decided that he was the perfect vehicle for our vengeance." Charlie could not believe what he was hearing. This junkie appeared to be the walking receptacle of souls who had died from using the drug." "You don't have to stay in this world." Charlie advised. "You can move on." "Move on," a woman's voice answered. "We cannot find rest until these pushers are caught or dead." Before Charlie could say another word, a knock came to the door. Charlie opened the door to see his
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cousin standing there. Charlie realized his time was up. The two men spoke for a few brief moments, and after Scott left Charlie returned to the table with a slight grin. "You will be happy to know that as we speak the police are rounding up the dealers." "Prove it," said a multitude of voices. Charlie turned away from the man and opened the door again. On the other side was Scott with a shackled and badly bruised man. The possessed man looked at the dealer and simply said, "We can go." Within seconds of the short response, the sound of over a dozen voices filled the air. As the voices became louder, a bright almost blinding light shot from the man's body and filled the room. The man then collapsed to the floor. ***** Charlie stood staring at the man on the floor with nothing less than shock. What he had seen that day he would never forget. Eventually, Charlie reached down and grabbed the man's wrist checking for a pulse. As a tear welled up in his eyes he whispered, "He's dead." As Charlie left the room, he began to sob. He cried for the souls of those who had just crossed and felt thankful that their own personal Hell was over. Charlie looked up to see Suarez and Meyer walking toward him. "Doctor Purviss, are you OK?" Captain Meyer asked. "Yes ... yes, I'll be fine," Charlie said, almost in a whisper. "Doctor Purviss, I hope you understand that what happened here must never be spoken to anyone outside these walls." "Yes." Charlie shook his head. "I understand. I just hope THEY do." Charlie looked over the two men and walked out of the precinct.
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Published on Nov 30, 2012
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