Paranormal Explorer Magazine - July Issue

www.theparanormalexplorer.co.uk

The Paranormal Explorer Written For The People By The People

July 2011 3.00 UK $4.95 US

Psychic Art and the Paranormal Connecting with Spirits at Haunted locations

The Satanism of Sin Jones When a girl has Satan Who needs diamonds

UFO’s, Transparency, and Civil Rights Is our government keeping secrets from the American Public?

The Paris Catacombs From Cemeteries to an underground catacomb

The Paranormal Explorer 1

From The Editor’s Desk

Letter From the Editor

John Forster Now important, inside this issue, there is something you will never have seen in a magazine before. What I would like you to do is see if you can actually find what I am talking about, then please e-mail us at [email protected] with what you think is the answer. There will be a prize for the first one who can find this. Welcome to the 2nd issue of The Paranormal Explorer. I hope you will agree with myself and Belle that our family of columnists has surpassed themselves this month with loads of new articles covering a wide array of topics, from Angie’s visit of a negative energy in her bedroom, to Sin’s Satanism, and Stephen’s psychic art. A fantastic effort from all of them! I am so proud, as I am sure Belle is, to have such a talented and enthusiastic group of people with us on this exiting venture. I would like to say something that has cropped up over the last month and that is the spelling in the magazine. The magazine is downloaded worldwide and we have writers from all over the world. There will be small differences in the way we as Brits spell to the way the people in the states spell. This is not a SPELLING MISTAKE, IT IS HOW THOSE INDIVIDUALS SPELL. Please, Belle is very highly qualified in journalism and, believe it or not, she can spell, lol. I hope you all had a great Solstice celebration on the 21st, we did, and I might write something about it in next month’s issue. 2 The Paranormal Explorer

Any comments on the magazine, would you please send in via e-mail with the heading Letter to the Editor, again via the e-mail. I know I’m going on a bit, but you have made this magazine grow so quickly there is a lot to try and let you all know about. We now have a Paranormal Undercover Reporter, Tara Perfetti, so if you have any personal experiences within the paranormal, individual or groups send them in via e-mail and Tara will look into them. Kristen Leona will also be giving photo readings for you in the magazine so if you would like one of these done, all we need is a photo and we will have Kristen read it and then publish it in the magazine. And last but not least, we have our Agony Aunt, Elaine Fessey. She will help you with any problems spiritual or not, just e-mail in the problem and she will answer it. I think that is enough rambling’s from me other than to say thank you to all of you and I hope you enjoy this month’s issue. John, Editor in Chief

Letters To The Editor Do you have a comment to share about an article you read in our magazine? Perhaps you have a particular topic you would like to see covered in one of our columns. Send a letter to our Editor and express your views. We have received so many wonderful comments from our June, first issue, magazine. We wanted to share some of them here; taken from our Fan Page on Facebook. Thank you everyone for your input. Downloaded the mag...love it~~ I live in LAS VEGAS NV USA - Jill Klies Excellent mag.... really interesting :-) - Jayne Millington A great read, thoroughly enjoyed it - Philip Ghostwatchersinc Jones Great work, if you ever make it to Gettysburg stop in and see us. - Josh Laird Downloaded it and seems good. Just taking my time reading it. So far as I have read its got tons of intresting things in it. Hope all issues are as good if not better then the 1st issue . KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!! - Rosemary Burroughs Vasil Wow, what an amazing magazine. I have just finished reading it for the first time, it is fabulous, a great read with something of interest for everyone. I have no doubt that I will be using it as a tool to help me develop my understanding of all things paranormal in the future and hope to contribute to the magazine myself in time. Well done to everyone involved, can’t wait for the next issue. - Susan Atherton I’ve downloaded this fabulous book. Get in there folks, it’s a great read, and full of useful tips on all angles of paranormal. Well done with this magazine John :) - Sharon Fountain I downloaded this and it’s great - a great opportunity to delve into such a comprehensive offer of all things spiritual...a great read !! :) x - Barbie Curran

Well what a brilliant read I must say so. I really enjoyed it and thought you have put so much effort into it and so much time and its turned out to be a great mag hun well done and keep up the good work guys ;) - Lesley Buffy Williams Just got my first issue of the magazine! I am really excited about this magazine! The balance of different and unique topics of the articles makes it so interesting!~ The pictures in the magazine are crisp and clear, I love that it has writers worldwide, which gives other views on different topics! Love it guys! - Gina Wedlake Well just bought and read the first issue. Excellent work by all involved. Not all to my taste but then I think we all know that I don’t really go with everything metaphysical. However overall a balanced magazine and well worth the money paid. Well done everyone! - Bryan Saunders Appreciation firstly, for thinking that I have something to contribute to the growing occult Community. All contributors know their stuff, from Alan, through to Joshua & Angie, Claire, and your good self’s, introductions, and everyone in between – I think that you have a winner here John, in every way –Many, many thanks and blessings to you, and also to Belle :0 - Magister

Connect With Us! Web Site: www.theparanormalexplorer.co.uk Subscriptions: www.theparanormalexplorer.co.uk/ subscriptions E-mail: theparanormalexplorer@ gmail.com Become our Facebook fan at www. facebook.com/paranormalexplorer


Contents

Contents Paranormal 6

Black Creek, North Carolina

8

A Night at the Museum

Myths & Legends 50 The Legend of the Mad Monk of Neath Abbey

12 The Paranormal Undercover

Spirituality

14 The Possession of Anneliese Michel

Paranormal Education 18 Can You Really Smell A Ghost

46

14 18

36 The Paris Catacombs

52 Reincarnation - It’s History and Why It Matters 54 The Rational Mystic - The Art of Debate 58 Angelic Experiences

20 Understanding The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

60 Healing Around the World

22 Demonology

61 How To Send Unconditional Love To Heal A Situation

24 Roman Ritual

Ufology

28 The Rituale Romanum

On Our Cover

62 UFO’s, Transparency, and Civil Rights

30 Safety First - The Do’s and Don’ts of Investigating 34 EVP Methods

38 Psychic Art and the Paranormal

62

Guidance 68 Therapy Thoughts 70 Photograph Readings

46 The Satanism of Sin Jones

Occult

62 UFO’s, Transparency, and Civil Rights

42 Ritual and Effect in a Sacred Place of the Old Ones

79 Agony Aunt

46 The Satanism of Sin Jones

80 The Faulkner Tarot

72 Working With Your Dreams

84 Law of Attraction in the Present Economy 4 The Paranormal Explorer


Paranormal

Paranormal

Black Creek, North Carolina An investigation by Joshua Brewer

This is a young lady named Kristi McCroskey who has told my wife and I about strange happenings that occur in and around her home. She first told us of eerie ‘faces’ that turn up in most of the photos she takes around her home. Then she told us how she would often see shadows cast on the wall of the hall just outside of her bedroom. She also confided in us that once in awhile she will ‘feel’ something walking past her bed going into the hallway; then she says that she can lightly hear footsteps going down the hall as well. After a few conversations with her, we decided to go spend some time at her place and hopefully be able to see and feel what she has told us for ourselves. A few months ago we arrived at her home one afternoon and decided to cook on the grill out back. Hoping whatever is there would show itself to us. We could feel strangeness in the area right away. We all sat on the deck and chatted for some time about this and that, when she suggested that we take some photos before it got too dark. I bet we took a hundred pictures with our digital camera. Later that night I suggested we try to catch some EVPs’ after the children had gone to bed, and it quieted down some. I regret to say that we didn’t 6 The Paranormal Explorer

shapes in them. We have what I believe is a face in the photo I took out back, it appears something is looking out the window. In another that was taken in her home, there appears to be something just inside the back door. At first I thought it was outside looking in, but a friend showed me how it had the window frame kind of blurred and that it was actually on the inside of the house at the time.

of doing another investigation when her children go to summer camp. We will return as many times as we are allowed to do so. I’ll keep everyone posted on our progress as we go along…. Until next month, Happy Hunting !

hear a thing on the recorder afterwards, and that was strange, because when we played it back, there was no sound at all, not even the sounds we heard during the session. For instance, the neighbor’s dog wouldn’t stop barking, yet it wasn’t captured on the recorder. The cars going by on the road outside weren’t heard on the recorder either and they should have been because you could hear the radio playing as they passed by. The digital recorder sounded as though it had been erased. Even the questions we asked as we walked around her bedroom were not captured. The thing was silent. We even ran it through our pc program where you could see it had recorded. There was thirty-six minutes used on the recorder, but all was silent. That was just odd to us. We never saw a shadow or anything out of the ordinary while we were there, only the feeling of something strange; like a somewhat overwhelming paranoia. When we viewed the pictures on our computer we were amazed. There was something odd in every photo I had taken. There were blurred spots and odd

The final photo is of her children standing by the front door, and you can plainly see three reflections on the storm door window that are certainly not the reflections of the kids. I have circled the things I believe I captured on camera, you may need to enlarge them to get a plainer look, but the one of the kids, you can see without any adjusting. After our visit there and the review of the photos, my wife did some history research on the area. It seems that the area has had bad luck with terrible floods back in the early 1920’s, and it is said that 3 graveyards disappeared in the span of 50 years due to the flooding. Could that be the answer to her question, disturbed grave residents trying to find their resting places? It seems kind of logical to me, if believing in spirits is logical, that is. We are by no means through with Kristi’s unusual happenings as we talk often and are in the process The Paranormal Explorer 7

Paranormal

Paranormal

A Night At The Museum Most of us with children (and many without) have seen this movie. It’s the one where the night watchman (Ben Stiller) realizes as the sun goes down the museum in which he is employed comes to life. I can relate. There is a “new” museum in Gettysburg, the International Museum of Spiritual Investigations (IMSI) that I have been lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to volunteer my time. It is what the name implies, a museum dedicated to the prospect of intelligence after the physical life ends, and the tools, techniques, and processes in which modern day investigators use in an attempt to prove this to the masses. We also delve into spiritual investigations of the past and timelines of the field throughout the past 2000 years. It is a conventional museum, by that I mean, there are artifacts that have been donated. Most of them are old, but we do accept donations of anything of any age, if they fit the “feel” of the message we are trying convey. I will say don’t expect the Smithsonian. We are an all volunteer crew and operate out of the small first floor (six rooms), and the “original” basement of a pre-civil war residence. Some of the more interesting artifacts include an original Brown Bess musket believed to be used in multiple wars, a piano from the near-by (and very active) Baladerry Inn, and a first edition book, written in the 1780’s, that has literally caused medical issues (headache, nausea, feelings of dread, etc) by everyone that has held it, even for a short period of time. The book was owned by a General in the Revolutionary War. Most current exhibits possess a spiritual energy and we have received 8 The Paranormal Explorer

positive results during investigations, but more on that later. Our “Hall of Afterlife” showcases the lives of prominent deceased members of the paranormal community and leads you to the Gettysburg portion where we showcase evidence (photographs) donated by visitors, either to the museum itself, or through the submit evidence portion of our website. There is always an exhibit dedicated to the particular season, or holiday, and the photo portion is always increasing. We are currently in the process of converting our Research and Development (Soultrackers Paranormal Analysis Team) office into the museum space. Through the investigations of the R & D group (SPAT), EVP’s, videos, and photos have been added to the complement of exhibits that are currently on display. We have very professional staff members, which all are SPAT certified investigators, and contain a wealth of knowledge not only in spiritual investigations, but most things paranormal. We offer several after hours programs including investigator certification, on-site investigations, and a rotating list of off site investigations. A night at the museum or NAM as it is referred is a several hour (2 – 4 depending on time of year) investigation which takes place in the Museum after hours of operation. Depending on the experience of the “clients” involved, it either starts with a 30 – 45 minute PowerPoint presentation giving the history of the building, its significance during the battle of Gettysburg, and its prominent owners throughout the years, or it is a hands on tutorial with the multitude of investigative equipment made available for the “client” to use in the event they don’t have any of their own, or if we have a piece of equipment they

are interested in seeing in action. One particular evening in March of this year (2011) we were investigating with a return customer. We started in the basement. The basement is an old dirt basement (common in those days), which has been plastered or concreted over (which is common today). It has a very low ceiling and generally feels rather tight. There were three of us, 2 SPAT members and the customer. We conducted a ghost box session with little results, and had transitioned into a short EVP session. We began to hear footsteps above us (again the ceiling is low, so it wasn’t very far above us). The steps were distinct, loud, and seem to “concuss” the air, as you could actually feel the footsteps. They were so convincing I actually went upstairs to assure we had locked the front door. You guessed it, no one there. While upstairs, I confirmed no human presence in any of the first floor rooms, and returned to the basement. Now we decided just to sit in the darkness, and see what would happen. Again footsteps started directly above us, from the front door, through the “Hall of Afterlife,” and back to the front door. This time though there were voices faintly discernable. It sounded to be an argument (male/female) which after what felt like

By Josh L aird 10 minutes (probably was less than 2) it ended. The remainder of the investigation was unremarkable; some sporadic possible ghost box activity but no other personal experiences. We typically wrap up a NAM with a quick review of the evidence with the customer. We had completed the investigation and were returning to the SPAT office for the review when I witnessed a “ball of light” travel down the wall (in the “Hall of Afterlife”) and exit into the basement throughout a crack located where the wall meets the floor. A check of the basement revealed nothing. The best way I can describe what I saw is, it was similar to the pointing capabilities of a laser light. It was yellow in color, and seemed to dance or travel erratically. I can’t, for sure, say if it was on the wall, or free floating near the wall, but I can say it went into the basement. After this, we enter the SPAT office and review recordings, and inspect any digital photographs that may show promise. The Executive Director of IMSI, Jonathan Williams, was the lead investigator this particular evening and was in the process of reviewing the data with the customer when his head snapped to the side and said, “I just saw something walk past the door.” I quickly exited the SPAT office and began down the “Hall of Afterlife” (since this is where all of this evenings activity had been), Jonathan exited the room and said, “No, it went this way,” starting the opposite way down the hall. Jon stopped suddenly (he later said it felt like he walked into something), and immediately the footsteps The Paranormal Explorer 9

Paranormal Museum Cont: were audible again, this time running toward the rear of the museum. Jonathan followed while I entered the basement (there is a door in the rear of the house that leads to the basement). Neither of us found anything. More than a little disappointed, I start up the stairwell (still in the dark). Three or four steps up I feel a cobweb pass across my entire head. Really not liking spiders this quickens my steps to the top and the light switch. It is here reality comes crashing down. It was not a cobweb, the ceilings are too high. We had been up and down this set of stairs several times throughout the night, and there was no spider or remnants thereof found in my hair. Now a little unnerved I franticly searched for the natural object which had just touched me. During my search I was astonished to find a crack in the wall, to the floor in the “Hall of Afterlife,” the exact crack that I, not 20 minutes before, had watched a strange ball of light disappear into. After regaining my composure Jonathan described his encounter. He says it was like he walked into something, he didn’t remember hearing running, but then again he was distracted by the” yellow laser pointer” type light that went “shooting” back the hall after he stepped into it. Nothing concrete was uncovered during this NAM, but personal experiences were the order of the night. And I would have to say my experience was intimately personal. Just like in the movie, not everything of interest happens at night. There have been a multitude of accounts of ladies (mostly blondes, but I know of at least one brunette) having their hair pulled, or fondled. Mostly while in or near the entrance of the bathroom (again in the “Hall of Afterlife”). The front desk staff has repeatedly reported hearing voices in the kitchen. I have myself moved out of a patron’s way, and apologized, only to turn around 10 The Paranormal Explorer

Advertisement and find myself talking to the “air.” There were several other investigators standing in front of me, and of course got a good laugh out of my reaction to an energy (again moving down the “Hall of Afterlife”) that either wasn’t there, or wasn’t visible. Then just the other day, while standing talking at the counter, I heard the outside door open (or so I thought). I looked that way and seeing nothing continued with the conversation, to be surprised when the other tenant of the building came to our door asking what we needed. Not understanding her line of questions we dug further, and found out her doorbell had been rung (I was standing within five feet of her doorbell, and nothing flesh and blood was there to push the button). We explained no one had been in and we didn’t know why her bell rang. It wasn’t until after she had returned up the stairs that we put the pieces together.

Inception Radio Network where we bring you exclusive brand new UFO/Paranormal radio talk shows every day of the week. These shows include the best names in ufology and the paranormal field. www.inceptionradionetwork.com

Gettysburg is an amazing town. If you are interested in the paranormal, there are many must see sights in and around this historic town. If you are in town I ask you give this place a look. It’s important to remember though, just like charter fishing, we guarantee to put you on fish, but can’t guarantee the fish will cooperate.

www.Museumofspirits.com The Paranormal Explorer 11

Paranormal

Paranormal

The Paranormal Undercover By Tara Perfetti Greetings! I am Tara Perfetti, Paranormal Undercover Reporter. The first publication of this column is my proper introduction to you about the column and me! This is a column all about YOU! Let’s explore this further, shall we? This is a column that is strictly dedicated entirely to our readers. We are from all different heritages, beliefs, religions, genders, financial statuses, countries even! Come and share your experiences with us and the impact it has had on you and your life. Here is your outlet to share your story. This column will be a place where we can read other’s stories and either know we are not alone, or maybe even expand our minds and education on things we didn’t know about! A place where you can receive support from other readers that have been there, or maybe even just offer a sense of understanding. Perhaps we can link you to investigators in your area, or provide some links to education on what you are experiencing. If you have your own story you can write to [email protected] and I will read it as soon as possible! I will listen and respond to each and every one of you! I want to hear your stories and your beliefs because of your experiences, and I want to be able to share them with our Paranormal Community throughout the world! Your stories that you share will be shared with our paranormal world in your own words, so no worries on something being taken out of context or misconstrued! In addition to reading stories from our other readers, we are also offering a section of the magazine for you to write in about what you think in reference to what you have read! You find yourself connecting with an article in this column, agreeing with the con12 The Paranormal Explorer

clusion, or just want to share with the person whom you are reading about? Write in and tell us about it! Disagree with the story, conclusion, or maybe just have random thoughts in reference to what you are reading here? Write in and tell us about that too! So I guess it is only fair, since I am asking you to write in with personal stories that often times can be a very private part of your lives, I should open up about me! Fair is fair, right?!? My name is Tara. I go by many names and usually respond to: Tara, Tara Anne, Hey You, and Mom! I am a mother of three pretty amazing children. One of them that is extremely sensitive when it comes to reading others like a book! She never ceases to amaze me when she has been able to figure out the smartest of adults to cross her path. The upsetting part is her feelings will often mirror the feelings of the adult she is reading and I am sure you can imagine this can be rather upsetting at times for her, but mostly for Mom! It has most certainly been the most powerful learning process and education in my life, being a Mom that is! My family is originally from Italy, moving to the United States in New York a couple of generations back and ultimately landing in Virginia which is where I was born, and for the most part raised. I grew up mostly in the military dominated area of Virginia, but even here it is still most certainly a Southern state! Sweet tea, everyone is sweetheart or honey, bless her hearts, and all! In addition to Virginia, I have lived in numerous states across the East Coast and throughout a good portion of the Mid-West! Throughout my childhood I was absolutely convinced that not only were there spirits around us, but

that I could see them! I believed at that point some of them were “good” and even at times Angelic, and others were most certainly “bad” and possibly demonic. I also believed 100%, that people were able to leave their bodies (their souls leaving) for temporary periods of time through deep meditation. Now, I grew up in a very strict Roman Catholic family. These are things we DO NOT discuss or talk about, or else the devil has gotten into you! I felt so confused, conflicted, and scared to share my beliefs of what I was going through at that time! I didn’t understand what was going on, why I saw these things, felt what I felt, experienced what I believed I experienced. I had no outlet but education. Throughout my teen years I immersed myself into anything and everything I could get my hands on to teach me more about this paranormal world. Books, TV shows, movies, churches, friends, you name it, and I reached for it! After awhile life caught up with me and all this education fell to the wayside. It took a back burner in my mind and honestly I thought I had forgotten about it until I bought a house in Iowa. My ex-husband and I purchased an older home years back. The house was built in the early 1800’s and was a fixer upper, most certainly. After moving in and doing work here and there, slowly more and more things started to happen that simply to this day I cannot explain. My son withdrew from being his “Momma’s Boy” self into isolation as just a tot, talking to people he swore “SHES RIGHT THERE” even though I could see no one. Pictures would be crooked as soon as you straightened them; objects would be moved with no cause for them being moved, very loud noises of footsteps and running throughout the upstairs and even up and down the creaky old stairs leading there, and numerous other unexplainable things being heard or seen! It was your very typical “haunting” type behavior...until the music. The music literally drove me mad! It started one night when my ex and I heard this music. It was very old music, something one expected to be played on a phonograph from the early 1900’s. We kind of laughed about it at first, trying to find its reasoning. We shut everything off in the home, even appliances. We looked outside around our house, and finally got so desperate we completely cut the power to the entire house, and we still heard the music! It scared the crap out of us. We couldn’t explain it, and we couldn’t figure it out at all. This wasn’t just

a onetime thing either, this was every night. I feared this was all just something I imagined. But later decided it couldn’t just be my mind if my ex and my son, and even friends we had invited over occasionally, heard this wretched, horrid music! I picked back up with my education of not only my home, but the paranormal in general. I found that the home had belonged to one family for most of its existence, and at one point, was very wealthy from farming but hit hard by the depression. There had been many deaths in the home from old age, childbirth, stillbirths, childhood illness, and even a few suicides. I moved out VERY shortly afterwards. I could tolerate all of it, except the drastic change in my son, and the music. My son started to get back to normal after the move, but what he had gone through I think still sits with him to this day. That music, that wretched, horrid music, I can die happy NEVER hearing again! I did not, however, stop my education. My education on religion, paranormal topics and people is vast. I have attended minicourses, college classes, and seminars on various religions around the world, different heritages and their belief systems, assorted types of spirits (haunting), psychology, sociology, interpersonal communication, domestic violence, therapeutic techniques, addictive behaviors, and life after death from a variety of standpoints. I still have SO very much to learn, and honestly no matter how much you learn there is ALWAYS more to learn. These are topics that I do not just know about from books, speakers, or teachers but personal experience in nearly all of those topics. I have attended Bible College (Christian), and began training further through my church and a mentor on demonology. I am a case manager for The Tidewater Paranormal Group located in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, and I am everyone’s “go-to” girl for a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, and for a laugh (apparently I have a tendency to be right goofy and make them laugh). So, hopefully you feel a little more comfortable with me and sharing a bit more of yourselves and your own personal experiences! I am opening my eyes, ears, mind, and self to each and every one of you so....WRITE TO ME!!!! [email protected] is where you can send your personal stories! Until then, enjoy this column which is all about and just for YOU! The Paranormal Explorer 13

Paranormal

Paranormal

The Possession of Anneliese Michel cisms for healing. Anneliese’s symptoms have since been compared with those of schizophrenia, and they may have responded to treatment.

Anneliese Michel Born: September 21, 1952 Birthplace: Klingenberg, Bavaria, Germany Died: July 1, 1976 In 1968, when she was 17 and still in high school, Anneliese began to suffer from convulsions. Court findings have her experiencing her first epileptic attack in 1969. It was then that a neurologist at the Psychiatric Clinic Wurzburg diagnosed her with Grand Mal epilepsy. Soon, Anneliese started experiencing devilish hallucinations while praying. She also began to hear voices, which told her that she was damned. The court determined by 1973 Anneliese was suffering from depression and considering suicide. In 1975, convinced she was possessed, her parents gave up on the doctors from the psychiatric clinic. They chose to rely solely on the exor14 The Paranormal Explorer

The first unofficial diagnosis was made by an older woman who accompanied Anneliese on a pilgrimage. She noticed that Anneliese avoided walking past a particular image of Jesus, and that she refused to drink water from a holy spring. The woman also claimed that Anneliese smelled hellishly bad. An exorcist from a nearby town examined Anneliese and concluded that she was demonically possessed. After two failed requests, the rite of exorcism was finally granted by the Bishop. Father Arnold Renz and Pastor Ernst Alt were assigned by the Bishop of Wurzburg, Josef Stangl, to carry out “The Great Exorcism” on Anneliese Michel. The foundation for this ritual was the “Rituale Romanum”, which at the time, was still a valid 17th century Cannon Law. Father Arnold Renz had been a former missionary in China, and Pastor Ernst Alt was a pastor in a nearby community. Together

By Joshua Brewer

they carried out 67 rites of exorcism over a period of 10 months, with one or two exorcism sessions held each week. Some sessions lasted up to four hours. According to The Washington Post, as she grew more convinced that she was possessed, Anneliese began to see the faces of demons on the people and things around her. Anneliese was convinced that she had been possessed by several demons, including Lucifer, Judas Iscariot, Nero, Cain, Hitler, and Fleischmann, a disgraced Frankish Priest from the 16th century. She also mentioned a few other damned souls who had manifested themselves through her. In the 2005 film which depicted Anneliese’s experience, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, only one of the characters, Father Richard Moore, was found guilty of negligent homicide surrounding the death of Emily Rose. In the real-life case of Anneliese Michel which took place in 1978, there were four defendants, not just one. They were Father Arnold Renz, Pastor Ernst Alt, and Anneliese Michel’s parents, Josef and Anna. All four were found guilty of negligent homicide and sentenced to six months in prison, suspended with three years’ probation. Director William Friedkin’s film The Exorcist was released in Germany in 1974, two years prior to the audio tapings of the exorcisms in which we hear Anneliese’s recorded voice.


Paranormal Possession Cont. Even though her voice is quite chilling, it bares a striking resemblance to the growling, barking, and inhuman voice of Linda Blair from Friedkin’s film. This has caused some people to conclude that Anneliese was simply mimicking what she had seen in the film, if she had in fact seen the film. Upon its release in Germany, the movie created a sort of paranormal hysteria that swept the nation. European Psychiatrists reported an increase of obsessive ideas among their patients. The movie however, does not provide explanation for the years prior to 1974, in which she was experiencing numerous other afflictions that she and those close to her had attributed to demonic possession. Anneliese carried out a number of highly disturbing actions. She licked her own urine off the floor. She ate flies, spiders, and coal. She bit off the head of a dead bird. In one instance, she crawled under a table and barked like a dog for two days. She could often be heard screaming through the walls for hours. Tearing off her clothes and urinating on the floor became a regular occurrence. Anneliese endured 67 rites of exorcism over a period of 10 months. Over time, the ligaments in her knees ruptured due to the 600 genuflections that she performed obsessively during each exorcism session. A genuflection is an act of reverence consisting of falling onto one or both knees (called a “double genuflection”). On June 30, 1976, during her last rite of exorcism before her death, too weak and emaciated to perform the genuflections on her own, Anneliese’s parents stood and helped carry her through the motions Around Easter time of the year that she died, Anneliese began to refuse food and drink. Her convulsions returned with a greater ferocity. No doctors were called . During the trial, specialists claimed that if the four accused 16 The Paranormal Explorer

(Father Arnold Renz, Pastor Ernst Alt, and the parents) would have begun to force feed Anneliese a week before her death, then she would still be alive. One of Anneliese’s sisters explained to the court during the 1978 trial that Anneliese did not want to go to a mental hospital where she would be drugged and forced to eat. She forced herself to fast because she believed that it would rid her of Satan’s influence. At the time of her death she weighed only 68 pounds. Prior to her death, she spoke of dying to atone for the sins of the wayward youth and apostate priests of the modern church. According to the autopsy, on July 1, 1976 Anneliese Michel succumbed to the effects of severe dehydration and malnourishment. At the time of her death, she was also suffering from Pneumonia and a high fever. She was buried next to her illegitimate sister Martha at the outer edges of the cemetery. This area is normally reserved for illegitimate children and suicides. Weak and on the verge of death, she spoke her last known words on the day before she died. She told her exorcists “Beg for Absolution”. To her mother Anna, she said, “Mother, I’m afraid.” Anneliese and her three sisters were raised in a strict Catholic family. Her father Josef had considered training as a priest and three of her aunts were nuns. Four years before Anneliese was born, her

mother gave birth to an illegitimate daughter, Martha. As a result, her mother suffered great shame and was forced to wear a black veil on her wedding day. When Anneliese was a child, her mother encouraged her to atone for the sins of illegitimacy through fervent devotion. When Anneliese’s sister Martha died at the age of eight during an operation to remove a kidney tumor, this likely only increased Anneliese’s desire to do penance for her mother. As she grew older, Anneliese continued to suffer for the sins of others. When she was a teenager, Anneliese slept on a bare stone floor to atone for the sins of wayward priests and drug addicts, who could be observed sleeping on the hard ground at the local train station. In college at West Germany’s University of Würzburg, she hung pictures of saints on her dorm room walls, kept a holy-water font near the door, and regularly prayed the Rosary. Even close to her death she spoke of dying to atone for the sins of the wayward youth and renegade priests. Psychiatrists who testified during the trial spoke about the “Doctrinaire Induction”, which, in relation to Anneliese, explains that she accepted her behavior as a form of demonic possession, mainly because the exorcists introduced much of the idea to her and reinforced it with each exorcism (moviesonline.ca). In 1984, German bishops and theologians petitioned Rome to change the exorcism rite. They concluded that speaking directly or “imperatively” to the Devil, that is, “I command thee, unclean spirit . . . “ only

Paranormal confirms to the patient that they are without a doubt possessed. On February 25, 1978, almost two years after her death, the deceased body of Anneliese Michel was exhumed and moved to a new oak-coffin lined with tin. Her parents’ desire to move her from the cheap coffin in which she was buried was allegedly used as an excuse to exhume her body. Instead, they were acting on a message received from a Carmelite nun from the district of Allgaeu in southern Bavaria. The nun had told the parents that she had a vision that their daughter’s body was still intact. Official reports state that the body showed consistent deterioration. Photos of the exhumed body were never released, and Anneliese’s parents were prohibited from witnessing the exhumation. From a distance, they could, however, see her grave from the bedroom of their home, where her mother still lives today.


Paranormal Education


Can You Really Smell A Ghost?

Ghost Odors Come in All Varieties and Can Include:

By Beth Brown

Olfactory Paranormal Phenomena Many believers claim that a sure sign a spirit is near is their distinctive aroma. The type of scent a ghost emits can vary depending on the message they want to convey. Spirits that have a desire to communicate with friends and loved ones may chose to do so in a variety of ways. Everyone has heard stories of a misty form coming to someone in a time of grief or of ghostly voices speaking words of comfort or warning, but have you ever heard of a spiritual message sent by smell? Science has proven that scent and memory are very tightly connected. Those close to you may wish to let you know they are present without sending you into a panic with the sight of a full-body apparition or making you question your sanity looking for the source of an unseen voice. Using a scent that you are sure to notice or that can instantly trigger a past event is a gentle way for spirits to communicate without causing alarm. 18 The Paranormal Explorer

Floral Scents The most commonly reported odor associated with spirits is the smell of fresh flowers. Rose, lilac, and jasmine, three distinctly different aromas, are attributed to the ghosts of those who have recently passed. Sometimes a floral scent can be connected to a loved one with a particular fondness for a certain flower instead of someone who just crossed over. Scents of Everyday Life Some spirits display very unique scents that were closely connected with them in life. These “connection” scents include cigar or pipe smoke, a special perfume or cologne, brew-

ing coffee, and cooking foods. It is thought that these odors are used specifically by the departed to let loved ones know that they are near in times of joy or pain. Negative Scents The odors of mildew, rotten eggs or sulfur, and rotting foods are often reported where unhappy or unfriendly spirits are believed to reside. Interpreting the Message If you believe you’ve experienced this phenomena, answer these questions to help yourself better understand what message may be coming to you: •Is the odor pleasant? •Is the scent familiar to you? •Are you experiencing particularly difficult or joyful events in your life? •Who may want to contact you and why?

Your Advertisement Could Be Featured Here!

Do you really smell something? One of the mysteries surrounding olfactory paranormal phenomena is that it is often only perceived by one or two people in a room while it goes unnoticed to others. Some researchers have theorized that the odors are not present in the air at all, rather that spirits are directly manipulating the olfactory receptors in the brain to send their message. Obviously, this theory will take further advancement of science to test. Until then, trust your nose.



Understanding -The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Maybe as part of my spiritual journey I have often been ‘accosted’ by negative energies. Far from seeing this as a problem or a curse to be avoided, I have come to find the experience useful because through my encounters with all manner of ‘visitants’ it’s enabled me to recognize the difference between the energy of a dark spirit, an emotional or angry spirit, a lost soul, or just a really intense energy. I actually think that there are very many people out there, who don’t have the understanding that I do when it comes to separating these energies. On more than one occasion I’ve been called to a venue where I’m told, “all the best local mediums have tried to move it on, but they can’t,” or, “none of the local mediums will go in there because it’s so dark!” Pha! One of the best bits of advice that I was given, back in my early days of development, is ‘treat spirit people the same as you would treat anyone else, because there isn’t any difference.’ Remember, we are all just incarnated spirits. This earth is NOT our natural place. We have existed in the spirit world for thousands of years. As part of my work I find that I tend to pick up waifs and strays. Most times these seem to follow me home after being at a New Age Fayre, or on other occasions, after I have been discussing things of a dark nature with friends or at a workshop. Far from shying away from these visits, I tend to embrace them as a way of furthering my learning and helping the entity deal with its problems. I believe these encounters are part of my journey, and I feel privileged and blessed to have been used in that way. Needless to say, it’s a topic that I feel very passionately about. Over the past few years I have become aware of a trend towards ‘only working with Ascended Masters & Angels’ and whilst I can understand and appreciate 20 The Paranormal Explorer

By Angie Kruger

that this is possibly a good and safe way for people to start off, I feel that for others who see themselves as advanced, it is a very limiting perspective. I also feel that in more allegedly gifted practitioners, it comes either from a place of fear, or a place of ego. To stick doggedly to that format is, I feel, spiritually limiting. Didn’t the Messiah connect to all sorts of people with empathy and without judgment? And are those who only aspire to high and lofty paths saying he was wrong? Do they think they are more exalted than he? Very many of our spiritual avatars have gone out amongst the people irrespective of their condition, demeanor, or track record. Isn’t saving the ‘lost sheep’ what it’s all about? I would also like to just put the thought that very many of these Ascended Masters that are mentioned in the more recent New Age books etc, have never existed in the most literal sense. There is no actual historical evidence that they were ever on the earth. Many of them are clearly folk lore, mythological or religious icons - funny stuff. So who’s channeling a fictional character then? Glad it’s not me (: Spirits used to be people. They were just like us, and one day we will be just like them. We are all on a journey of education and enlightenment. Whichever path we use to arrive at our destination, we are all just travelers on a common pilgrimage. To attain enlightenment we need to experience the whole spectrum; the dark, the light, sadness and joy, loss and gain. To get an educated overview, if there are Ascended Masters, they must have seen, been subject to, and taken part in all manner of lives. They were not borne instant Saints. That may have been in their last incarnation. But they must have done time in very many varied existences. We, as mediums and lightworkers, need to gain an

understanding of all Spirit energies. After a certain level I feel we need (for our own growth and understanding) to extend ourselves to Spirit beings who have walked all paths, otherwise we are in danger of developing Spiritual myopia and misunderstanding of energy types. I have lost count of the times that I have been called to house clearances where allegedly there was a dark or malevolent energy, only to find a lot of disquieted souls in a state of distress. It seems that many Mediums & Paranormal investigators (not to mention exorcists) can’t tell the difference.


she swallowed hard and gagged as if to be sick. I watched for a moment, quite phased by what I was seeing; then suddenly it was as if she was choking me with her hair. I could feel it being forced down my throat. Hmm, now I realized it was time to react, so sitting up and using my own mental strength I broke the connection that had been building between us.

Let me share with you two examples: When I first connected with my second Spirit Guide, Richard, he came to me as a suicide and brought with him all the anguish and confusion that someone who’d passed in that way often does. Sometimes his energy was intense and challenging. I would often feel his emotions, despair, and guilt. It could be both exhausting and upsetting, BUT I deemed it necessary so I could understand him better. We have now worked together for more than a decade worldwide with 1000’s of people. Richard is amazing, sharp, and very accurate with his messages. It’s debatable whether I could have attained the same level of achievement and respect with a less ‘human’ Guide. We’ve also had the added bonus of being able to put to rest the minds of many who have lost someone through suicide. More recently, after an evening of discussion on the Haunted Cornwall fm show, which focused on demons and evil Spirits, I was woken in the night by the feeling of an unfamiliar energy in my room. On opening my eyes I could clearly see a face looking back at me, right up close. The energy felt intense and oppressive. The visitant was a young female around 20 years of age. Her face was pale, thin and gaunt, thick, long red hair, and dark circles around her pale, watery, green eyes. She looked anorexic. I knew that she was ‘psyching me out,’ I could feel it. I sat up a little, saying in my mind, “Okay - so what’s your story?” Still keeping very close eye contact, she drew up her arm and gripped her jaw with bony fingers, then, very slowly and deliberately, she pulled her mouth open really wide. What I saw her do next was most unexpected and very disconcerting. With her other hand she took up her long wiry hair and started pushing it down her throat. With each push

No sooner had I done that than I had the realization. That was how she had ended her life. She had choked on her own hair. It had seemed the only way out for her from what must have been a terrible existence. Immediately I felt real empathy for her. “Oh you poor thing,” I heard myself saying. No sooner had I spoken the words than I felt her energy change and she vanished. All she needed was to be understood. It would have been SO easy to go in heavy handed with all manner of regalia to exorcise her. When all she wanted was sympathy and understanding. I never saw her again. I’m sure she’s gone into the light. The journey to enlightenment that we are all on must certainly extend to trying to understand and, where ever possible, assist our fellow man. I believe we, as Mediums and Lightworkers, should include the Spirits that we meet in that. I believe that we all start as a divine spark. The things that happen to us as we live our lives may change, damage, or warp us, but the essential light is never extinguished. Sometimes a little understanding or empathy is needed to rekindle it. The Paranormal Explorer 21



Demonology By Joshua Brewer The word Demonology was first used in 1597, and means the study of demons and/or evil spirits. This includes not just the Christian inhuman entities but also evil from all cultures. As a Demonologist, you study and put into practice the knowledge you gather about these entities. As an occultist you must know how to harness the energy of both the highest good and the highest evil, in doing so you also encounter and learn to work with some of today’s most feared otherworld personalities. Demons exist for only one reason, to break down the will and take the soul. As a demonologist, I must take into account all things concerning the victim. Christian demons have a playbook as it were. They always follow a specific format and typically within about an hour or two you can discern whether or not you are dealing with a true demonic entity. However, when dealing with evil spirits it is a completely different matter. Most people believe that entities such as those depicted in The Grudge are just a dark and twisted dream. Alas, that is not the case. There are Hungry Spirits and Onryo, now although these entities both are from another country, much like bugs that travel with exotic fruits, they have also found their way all over the world. I have personally dealt with a Hungry Spirit case, and there are more than just that. In almost every culture there is some form of evil spirit and entity. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference. A lot of cultures have different names for the same spirits, but still, each entity carries its own M.O. My job as a Demonologist is to determine exactly who the culprit is. That is not to say that every person who calls is having a demonic or evil spirit attacking them. Most of the time there is a natural reason behind it, such as 22 The Paranormal Explorer

medications (over the counter or prescription), illegal substances, or psychological problems. There are in fact a plethora of mundane reasons. That is why as a Demonologist you have to evaluate everyone. You must sift through their histories and accounts with a fine tooth comb because if you misconstrue or feed into a belief that the victim holds, and they are not in fact having any real attack, you could do more harm than good. I am often let down by these all powerful entities looking forward to a real demonic attack, and it turns out to be something completely common. When entering a situation you must go in as a complete skeptic. If the facts are there, then you can begin to really think about your next step. Known to many, Demonology is seen strictly as a Catholic or Christian practice. Back in the times of the Sumerians they had ‘sorcerers,’ in essence occultists, who handled both demonology and exorcism. Buddhist priests have their own rituals to help the negative spirits find their release. All over the world there are different terms for Demonologist and Exorcist but, in essence, they are exactly the same. They both help the victim and depending upon the situation, the spirit. Invitation Every demon has to have an invitation to come into your life. Sometimes this can be a conscious invitation such as an inexperienced person playing around with magickal texts or summoning books. Or it can be unconscious such as an inexperienced person using the ouija board or spirit board. Did you notice how in both cases the person was inexperienced? If you do not know what you’re doing, don’t do it. This is the first step to avoiding an issue with the demonic.

Infestation If you have either consciously or unconsciously let a demon into your home the next phase you will go through is called infestation. This is when they start to wear down on your will. The more you fear the things going on around you, the more you are feeding the demon. This stage is all about fear. You will see things out of the corner of your eyes such as black clouds or black figures, and head lights pulling in your driveway, a black form may come in sit down and vanish in front of you, or audible phenomena with a pattern such as three knocks on your door, muted talking, heavy breathing, and growling. You can sometimes smell rotting flesh, something similar to a burnt match, or manure. Physical phenomena such as keeping you awake can occur, unexplained fear or depression. The demons will not do any other physical harm to you at this stage because then you would catch on and not shrug it off like they want you to. However they will interrupt your daily life with phenomena around the house such as, moving holy objects (your religion does not matter if it is considered holy to you they will mess with it), lights going on and off, phones may not ring. At this stage they have you believing you’re just a little crazy and questioning what you see. They figure if you’re accepting of what they are doing then they push it a little further. Oppression When they have tested their limits and found they have none in your home, they start to invite their friends to the party. This is the stage of oppression; this is when demonic’s true colors come out. Usually at this point they have a primary target, so they will do everything they can to get that target away from family and friends. They typically go for the most vulnerable first, most of the time it is the female. The demons are no longer careful about their manifestations. You will see left footprints and handprints, written blasphemies (in your religion) that will reappear after being cleaned, levitation of heavy large objects (such as doors, people, washing machine), random outbreaks of fire, teleportation of large ob-

jects (your refrigerator will suddenly be in your attic), breathing walls and doors, feces being thrown at you through the walls. You will hear demonic phone calls (phone rings you pick it up and there is a high static screeching voice on the other end of the line), commanding voices, as well as what was mentioned earlier in the infestation. You can be physically attacked in a variety of ways such as, scratches, bruises, burns, blinding headaches, psychic slashes that burn and heal quickly (often 3 vertical and 4 horizontal), arms wrenched behind you, strangling sensations, coldness in your bones and you can’t get warm, feelings of being raped. Possession As the demonic entities have worn down your will to almost nothing they will close in and begin the final stage; possession. Unless you are experienced or the signs are completely obvious, it is hard to tell when someone is possessed. If you feel a person is, contact a demonologist, exorcist or priest right away. Here are some of the signs; their eyes are alert and wide but all you will see is darkness and hate, physical strength up to 6 fold, sudden development of psychic abilities (knowledge of the future and your secrets), multiple voices coming from one person, knowledge of languages unknown to the possessed before, imitation of a passed loved one, or abnormal body movements. The demonic entities can and will jump in and out of the possessed causing “black out” periods (missing time). This person can one moment be fine and the next be given to spurts of anger, and will not answer to their own name. Again I stress if you feel that any of these symptoms in any stage pertains to you, a friend, or a loved one, please call a demonologist, exorcist or priest. I am including the “Roman Ritual” and “The Ritual Romanum (the catholic church’s guidelines to exorcism) for those interested in learning of the process of deciding and performing an exorcism.




Roman Ritual The Roman Ritual (Latin: Rituale Romanum) is one of the official ritual works of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. It contains all of the services which may be performed by a priest or deacon which are not contained within either the Missale Romanum or the Brevarium Romanum. The book also contains some of the rites which are contained in only one of these books for convenience. History When the first ritual functions were written in books, the Sacramentary in the West, the Euchologion in the East contained all the priest’s (and bishop’s) part of whatever functions they performed, not only the holy Liturgy in the strict sense, but all other sacraments, blessings, sacramentals, and rites of every kind as well. From One Book to Many The contents of the Ritual and Pontifical were in the Sacramentaries. In the Eastern Churches this state of things still to a great extent remains. In the West a further development led to the distinction of books, not according to the persons who use them, but according to the services for which they are used. The Missal, containing the whole Mass, succeeded the Sacramentary. Some early Missals added other rites, for the convenience of the priest or bishop; but on the whole this later arrangement involved the need of other books to supply the non-Eucharistic functions of the Sacramentary. These books, when they appeared, were the predecessors of the Pontifical and Ritual. The bishop’s functions (ordination, confirmation, et cetera) filled the Pontifical, the priest’s offices (baptism, penance, matrimony, extreme unction, etc.) were contained in a great variety of little handbooks, finally replaced by the Ritual. Codification The Pontifical emerged first. The book under this name occurs already in the eighth century (Pontifical of Egbert). From the ninth there is a multitude of Pontificals. For the priest’s functions there was no uniform book till 1614. Some of these are contained 24 The Paranormal Explorer

in the Pontificals; often the chief ones were added to Missals and Books of Hours. Then special books were arranged, but there was no kind of uniformity in arrangement or name. Through the Middle Ages a vast number of handbooks for priests having the care of souls were written. Every local rite, almost every diocese, had such books; indeed many were compilations for the convenience of one priest or church. Such books were called by many names--Manuale, Liber agendarum, Agenda, Sacramentale, sometimes Rituale. Specimens of such medieval predecessors of the Ritual are the Manuale Curatorum of Roeskilde in Denmark (first printed 1513, ed. J. Freisen, Paderborn, 1898), and the Liber Agendarum of Schleswig (printed 1416, Paderborn, 1898). The Roeskilde book contains the blessing of salt and water, baptism, marriage, blessing of a house, visitation of the sick with viaticum and extreme unction, prayers for the dead, funeral service, funeral of infants, prayers for pilgrims, blessing of fire on Holy Saturday, and other blessings. The Schleswig book has besides much of the Holy Week services, and that for All Souls, Candlemas, and Ash Wednesday. In both many rites differ from the Roman forms. The 16th Century In the sixteenth century, while the other liturgical books were being revised and issued as a uniform standard, there was naturally a desire to substitute an official book that should take the place of these varied collections. But the matter did not receive the attention of the Holy See itself for some time. First, various books were issued at Rome with the idea of securing uniformity, but without official sanction. Albert Castellani in 1537 published a Sacerdotale of this kind; in 1579 at Venice another version appeared, arranged by Grancesco Samarino, Canon of the Lateran; it was re-edited in 1583 by Angelo Rocca. In 1586 Giulio Antonio Santorio, Cardinal of St. Severina, printed a handbook of rites for the use of priests, which, as Paul V says, “he had composed after long study and with much industry and labor” (Apostolicæ Sedis). This book is the foundation of our Roman Ritual. In 1614 Paul V published the first edition

of the official Ritual by the Constitution “Apostolicæ Sedis” of 17 June. In this he points out that Clement VIII had already issued a uniform text of the Pontifical and the Cærimoniale Episcoporum (The Ceremonial of Bishops), which determines the functions of many other ecclesiastics besides bishops. (That is still the case. The Cærimoniale Episcoporum forms the indispensable complement of other liturgical books for priests too.) “It remained”, the pope continues, “that the sacred and authentic rites of the Church, to be observed in the administration of sacraments and other ecclesiastical functions by those who have the care of souls, should also be included in one book and published by authority of the Apostolic See; so that they should carry out their office according to a public and fixed standard, instead of following so great a multitude of Rituals”. Post-Trent Uniformity But, unlike the other books of the Roman Rite, the Ritual has never been imposed as the only standard. Paul V did not abolish all other collections of the same kind, nor command everyone to use only his book. He says: “Wherefore we exhort in the Lord” that it should be adopted. The result of this is that the old local Rituals have never been altogether abolished. After the appearance of the Roman edition these others were gradually more and more conformed to it. They continued to be used, but had many of their prayers and ceremonies modified to agree with the Roman book. This applies especially to the rites of Baptism, Holy Communion, the form of absolution, Extreme Unction. The ceremonies also contained in the Missal (holy water, the processions of Candlemas and Palm Sunday, etc.), and the prayers also in the Breviary (the Office for the Dead) are necessarily identical with those of Paul V’s Ritual; these have the absolute authority of the Missal and Breviary. On the other hand, many countries have local customs for Marriage, the visitation of the sick, etc., numerous special blessings, processions and sacramentals not found in the Roman book, still printed in various diocesan Rituals. It is then by no means the case that every priest of the Roman Rite uses the Roman Ritual. Very many dioceses or provinces still have their own local handbooks under the name of Rituale or another (Ordo administrandi sacramenta, etc.), though all of these conform to the Roman text in the chief elements. Most contain practically all the Roman book, and have besides local additions.

From the 18th Century until the 20th Century The further history of the Rituale Romanum is this: Benedict XIV in 1752 revised it, together with the Pontifical and Cærimoniale Episcoporum. His new editions of these three books were published by the Brief “Quam ardenti” (25 March, 1752), which quotes Paul V’s Constitution at length and is printed, as far as it concerns this book, in the beginning of the Ritual. He added to Paul V’s text two forms for giving the papal blessing (V, 6; VIII, 31). Meanwhile a great number of additional blessings were added in an appendix. This appendix is now nearly as long as the original book. Under the title Benedictionale Romanum it is often issued separately. Leo XIII approved an editio typica published by Pustet at Ratisbon in 1884. This is now out of date. The Ritual contains several chants (for processions, burials, Office of the Dead, etc.). These should be conformable to the Motu Proprio of Pius X of 22 Nov., 1903, and the Decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites of 8 Jan., 1904. All the Catholic liturgical publishers now issue editions of this kind, approved by the Congregation. From 1964 until Today With the advent of the Second Vatican Council there was a push to revise all of the official books of the Catholic Church, including the Pontifical, the Ceremonial of Bishop, The Roman Ritual, the Missal and the Breviary. The initial changes were made to the Missal, and the changes followed on from there, with each rite of the church being strenuously revised. The Roman Ritual itself was split up into Two volumes, published in 1976 with the most recent edition dating from 1990, now called “The Rites.” The first volume contains the majority of the old Roman Ritual, it covers all of the sacraments with the exception of Ordination, and it covers funerary rites. The second volume covers more Episcopal ceremonies including the consecration of altars, the order of ordaining Deacons, Priests and Bishops and consecrating the oils for use in the church. The second section of the old Roman Ritual, the Benedictionale, was also extensively revised. It is now published as “The Book of Blessings,” or in Latin “De Benedictionibus.” This was published initially in 1987 with the most recent edition dating from 1990 also. It contains many blessings; however they are far less florid, or traditional in comparison to those in the Ritual. The blessings in the new book follow more the structure of the Mass, with general The Paranormal Explorer 25

Paranormal Education Roman Ritual Cont. intercessions, readings, and other features which in the older blessings were not included. The Rite of Exorcism also underwent a series of revisions with it finally being promulgated in 1999, as De exorcismis et supplicationibus quibusdam (Concerning Exorcisms and Certain Supplications). With the increasing popularity of the older form of the Mass and the Sacraments, and following the Motu Proprio of Benedict XVI Fr. Philip T. Weller’s Translation of the ritual of 1964, in three volumes, has once more begun to be printed and made available to the public for use. Contents The Rituale Romanum is divided into ten “titles” (tituli); all, except the first, subdivided into chapters. In each (except I and X) the first chapter gives the general rules for the sacrament or function, the others give the exact ceremonies and prayers for various cases of administration. Interesting that in Chapter 13 you find the guidelines for Exorcism. The following are the contents of the English Translation of the Roman Ritual made by Fr. Philip T. Weller in 1964. • Decree • Apostolic Constitution of Pope Paul V on the Roman Ritual 1. The Holy Sacraments 1. Holy Sacraments - Introduction 2. Holy Sacraments - General Rules 2. The Sacrament of Baptism 1. Holy Baptism - Introduction 2. Holy Baptism - General Rules 3. Rite for baptism of children 4. Baptism of adults - Introduction 5. Baptism of adults - General Rules 6. Norms for new rite for baptism of adults 7. Rite for baptism of adults 8. Rite for supplying of ceremonies omitted in baptism 9. Rite for baptism administered by a bishop 10. Blessing of baptismal water 3. The Sacrament of Confirmation 1. Confirmation - Introduction 2. Confirmation - General Rules 3. Rite for confirmation apart from danger of 26 The Paranormal Explorer

Paranormal Education death 4. Rite for confirmation in danger of death 4. Holy Eucharist 1. Holy Eucharist - Introduction 2. Holy Eucharist - General Rules 3. Rite for holy communion outside of Mass 4. Communion during Easter time 5. Communion for the sick, general rules 6. Rite for communion for the sick 7. Rules for celebrating Mass more than once the same day 8. Mass celebrated by a blind priest 9. Forty Hours’ Adoration 5. Penance 1. Penance - Introduction 2. Penance - General Rules 3. Common form for absolution 4. Rite for absolving from excommunication 5. General absolution and papal blessing for religious 6. Rite for absolving from suspension or inter dict apart from sacramental confession 6. Anointing of the Sick 1. Anointing of the Sick - Introduction 2. Anointing of the Sick - General Rules 3. Rite for anointing of the sick 4. Visit and care of the sick 5. Spiritual assistance to the dying 6. Apostolic blessing at the hour of death 7. Rite for commending a departing soul 8. Prayers at the moment of death 7. Matrimony 1. Instruction on the Day of Marriage and Exhortation before Marriage 2. Rite for celebrating marriage 8. Holy Orders: Priesthood 1. Holy Orders - Priesthood - Introduction 2. Rite for ordination of priests 9. The Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany of the Saints 10. Liturgy for the Faithful Departed 1. Liturgy for the Faithful Departed Introduction 2. Liturgy for the Faithful Departed General Rules 3. Rite for burial of adults 4. Exequies when the body is not present 5. Rite for burial of children 6. Vespers for the dead and prayers at a wake

11. Blessings and other sacramentals, introduction and general rules 1. Blessings and Other Sacramentals Introduction 2. Blessings and Other Sacramentals General Rules 3. Blessings for special days and feasts 4. Blessings of persons 5. Blessings of animals 6. Blessings of places not designated for sacred purposes 7. Blessings of places designated for sacred purposes 8. Blessings of things designated for sacred purposes 9. Blessings of things designated for ordinary use 12. Processions 1. Processions - General rules 2. Rites for Processions 13. Exorcism 1. Exorcism - Introduction 2. Exorcism - General Rules 3. Rite for Exorcism 4. Exorcism of Satan and the Fallen Angels 14. Litanies 15. Blessings formerly reserved to religious orders

Popular culture The Rituale Romanum is probably most famous for its rite of Exorcism made famous by the 1973 horror film The Exorcist. While the text is becoming increasingly rare, every Catholic Diocese in the world has a Priest who is technically responsible for carrying out exorcisms as instructed by the Bishop. The Rituale Romanum used to be the only text the Church would allow for a valid Exorcism, and although newer texts are permitted, it is still the most commonly used among exorcists, although today a vernacular translation is commonly used.

• Appendices 1. Reception of Converts and Profession of Faith 2. Profession of Faith 3. Short Form For Profession Of Faith 4. Short Form For Conditional Baptism Of Adult Converts 5. The Itinerarium 6. Blessing at Meals 7. Home Enthronement of the Sacred Heart 8. Oath against Modernism Other Rituals The Milanese Rite has its own law (Rituale Ambrosianum, published by Giacomo Agnelli at the Archiepiscopal Press, Milan). In the Byzantine Rite the contents of the ritual are contained in the Euchologion. The Armenians have a ritual (Mashdotz) similar to the Roman Ritual. Other Churches have not yet arranged the various parts of this book in one collection. But nearly all the Eastern Catholics now have Rituals formed on the Roman model. The Paranormal Explorer 27



The Rituale Romanum This is a priest’s service manual containing the only formal exorcism rite sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church. It was first written in 1614 under Pope Paul V, and was left untouched until 1952 when two minor revisions were included in the language of the ritual. When first published in the 17th Century the Rituale cautioned priests against performing exorcism upon persons in whom no true possession existed. And, with the increased advancement of medical science which more proficiently defined illnesses, true possession, both demonic and spiritual, became more difficult to determine. Some of the previously thought demonic interferences are now being diagnosed as hysteria, multiple personality, schizophrenia, paranoia, sexual malfunction, and other neuroses brought on by childhood terrors and obsessions. Such diagnoses are making true demonic more difficult to determine. The 1952 revisions changed the wording that “symptoms of possession ‘are signs of the presence of a demon’ to ‘might be.’ States other than possession, originally described as ‘those who suffer from melancholia or any other illness’ became ‘those who suffer from illness, particularly mental illness.’” These changes reflect the thinking of many modern, devout Christians who no longer believe in demonic possession. If such change of thinking is currently reflected, then one cannot help but ask how many hundreds or thousands of mentally ill persons have undergone the ritual of exorcism unnecessarily? Still, others do believe in demonic possession and enumerate signs that may show its presence. If the person, they say, exhibits paranormal capacities, shows superhuman strength, and above all, manifest knowledge of previously unknown languages, then he or she may be a candidate for demonic exorcism. The church may deem the person possessed when the above signs are accompanied by extreme 28 The Paranormal Explorer

revulsions for sacred texts and objects. Then the exorcist, with the permission of a bishop, performs the ancient ritual. Exorcism is not a sacrament of the Church, but a rite. The Rituale, though a guideline, does not give the exorcist a definite procedure by which to perform the ritual. He can vary according to his own discretion. After being as certain as humanly possible the victim is truly possessed he proceeds with the ritual. The exorcist rarely works by himself. He is usually assisted by at least three other people. The first is generally a younger priest who is being trained or is trained in the performance of exorcism. His main duty is to maintain the continuance of the exorcism, and can take over if the exorcist dies. The second person is usually a medical physician. He helps the exorcist with the victim. The exorcist is to continue to question the victim during which he attempts to discover the name and nature of the demon or spirit within. Under no circumstance is the exorcist to give the victim any medications. If this is required, this is the duty of the physician. The third person is usually physically strong and a member of the victim’s family. If the victim is a female, then this third person should be a woman to avoid scandal. Before performing the exorcism the priest should make a good confession and be absolved of all sins which the demon may try to use against him during the ritual. Then donning in a surplice and a purple stole (required dress for exorcist priests) begins the rite. During the exorcism certain prescribed prayers to be said such as the Litanies of the Saints, the Pater Noster (the Lord’s Prayer), and the 54th Psalm. These recitations are said before the victim. The priest may recite them in his mother tongue, but it is said to have been experienced that the recitations said in Latin seem to be more effective.

Each recitation is accompanied by more prayers including the Ave Marie (Hail Mary), the Gloria Patri (Glory be to the Father), the Anima Christi (Body of Christ), and the Salve Ragina (Save us, merciful Mary). Throughout these recitations the sign of the cross is made, scriptures are read, and hands may be laid on the victim. The exorcist calls upon the demon or spirit to make itself known, and to succumb to Jesus Christ and depart the victim and leave the person in peace. When the spirit does so, the priest prays for Christ to help and protect the person. If the spirit does not depart the victim then the ritual is repeated again until the demon leaves. The Rituale also offers instructions to priests for the exorcism of homes and other places believed to be infested by demons and spirits.

Advertise With Us! Get your Business or Service Noticed World-Wide. Our Ad Rates Are Very Affordable Full Page - £100/$200 per issue Discount available for long term contract

Half Page - £75/00/$150 per issue Quarter Page - £50/00/$100 per issue Promote Your Radio Show In Our Show Directory For Just $10 per issue www.theparanormalexplorer.co.uk The Paranormal Explorer 29


Safety First

The Do’s and Don’ts of Investigating

Scott Haire is the Director and Co-founder of the Central Connecticut Paranormal Society (USA). As new investigators we all have the same ideas and hopes that we will see and hear the voices of a past age as they try to communicate and give a message to us who are still part of the living. Some of us accomplish this by trying to mimic what we see on all the popular paranormal TV shows asking “Give us a sign,” or maybe trying to use an object to, in effect, trigger some response so we can attempt to catch it on our myriad of recorders and video recording devices. For some of us we have come upon this field as a hobby due the popularity of the paranormal and thought that it would be fun to be scared out of our wits as we wander around an old burial ground during the evening hours wondering if that entity will come up and grab our jacket or touch our hair. What happens though when you go back home and you start 30 The Paranormal Explorer

hearing knocks and swear you didn’t leave that over on the table, or you see your dog do his best Kujo imitation and start unmercifully barking at the wall with the hair on its back standing straight up. Has it happened to you? If it has, you’re not alone. Here, we will talk about why it happens, and some of the techniques and policies you can set in investigations to make sure that what you encounter stays away from your home when you return to it. WHY DO THEY FOLLOW US? As I have gained experience as a paranormal researcher I have started to realize I have many questions on why things may happen during and after investigations. One of those questions that came up was, “Why do these spirits follow us home sometimes?” Is it because we are the first to show interests to them in 300 years? Is it because they find us fun to be around or find us attractive? Do they want to interfere with our life because they feel they were interfered with, or does it have something to do with your energy levels being like a beacon for them to follow? Well the answer is……all of the above… maybe. Where it’s hard to give a solid yes or no to these questions because we don’t have concrete proof of anything yet in this field, we fellow researchers, like myself, can look on these questions and theorize “Why” to these questions. I can see how, if you haven’t been able to interact with anyone in a few centuries, you may want to stay with that person who wanted to talk to you, I have a case we are still working on in one of our old city burial grounds where my sister, a sensitive medium, made contact with what was interpreted as the spirit of a man from 1759 who we dubbed “Joseph”. My sister believes that without understanding he was doing harm, Joseph partially possessed her to further attempt to communicate with us. As you could imagine we all were very startled by this but were able to talk the spirit into releasing her from the possession. To this day my sister has had an attachment with this spirit as on occasion he shows up outside our house, in her dreams, and also states she can hear his voice from time to time. Although unnerving at times, she doesn’t feel though that he is trying to harm

her, but is just simply lonely and saw that we were interested in him. In my opinion, earthbound spirits can still do everything, and feel all that they did when they were walking and talking as a member of the living. Even though I do think that the physical senses disappear, human emotion and feeling I believe stays and becomes more focused giving them the ability to push objects, touch and scratch even….. but that’s another article. So a good way to judge the threat of an attachment with an earthbound is to simply ask yourself what you would do in the same situation the spirit is in. If your answer says to you the chance is high for a problem to arise, you may want to take steps to prevent an incident from happening. Even though I really haven’t watched the famous paranormal reality shows in years, I did take one thing from one of them to heart “When in doubt, get the hell out!” WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROTECT OURSELVES? So we realize that there is always an innate risk in going out on these investigations, so what can we do to protect ourselves from an attachment from a spirit? Well it all starts with the right frame of mind and attitude going into a location. Preparing yourself long before the day comes is vital in making sure that you and your team comes out safe and sound at daybreak. Part of my practice before an investigation is simple; first making sure I get a good night’s sleep leading into the day of the event is crucial. Fatigue is a major factor that can affect mood and your mind set for an investigation, so even if you just can take a nap beforehand it is vital to be alert and have all your senses at their best. Also, eating right and making sure you are hydrated can aid in making sure you don’t become vulnerable to attachment or attack. I know we all need our coffee and cannot live without the caffeine on these nights, but remember that caffeine is a drug that in excess can stimulate our senses to the point that we start matrixing, and it can make false personal experience a real probability. Meditation can also be very beneficial in preparation. Remember, when on an investigation, interaction is not on a physical level as we the living


know it, but a spiritual one, so being prepared mentally and spiritually is a major component in keeping yourself safe. Now some of you may be saying as your reading this “But I’m not religious so I don’t pray, what can I do?” Meditation is not all about faith or belief in a religion, but is about strengthening and focusing on your inner self and preparing it for the potential trials that lie ahead of you. I myself do have Christian beliefs so prayer is an option that I use when preparing, but my staff includes a Wiccan, a Druid, and an atheist, so you can see as long as you believe in your practice it can aid you with the same effect. When in the middle of an investigation there are also steps you can take to be sure you are safe. I have worked and talked to many investigators about their methods and I do believe they all have beneficial ideas in situations we can potentially face. One of the first individuals I had the honor of working with does not believe it is wise to provoke responses or do E.V.P. (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) sessions because it could cause unwanted attachment; where I don’t completely agree with this theory I do practice it at times going into new locations where I have been told there is high interaction with the living. I guess I see it as a way to test the waters, so to speak, and see what is lurking around and listening in on normal conversation. This method we dubbed “passive EVP” has been effective in detecting possible threats and hotspots that could aid us upon a future return to the location. You can also protect yourself and your team by being cautious in the way you ask questions during an evp session. One major thing I tell all of my team members is, when they are new and training; never ask open ended questions that can be interpreted in many different ways. For example, don’t ask “Can you give us a sign of your presence?” Always say what action you would like them to do, “Can you give us a sign you’re here by knocking on the wall twice?” Also, try to avoid questions like, “Do you know that you are dead?” I don’t know about you, but by someone I don’t know telling me I am dead, it may make me do something rash to them, and maybe stay with them just to prove I’m not. One area which is a grey area in the field is provok The Paranormal Explorer 31

Paranormal Education Safety First, Continued: ing, mainly because many people have a different outlook on it. Some, like my colleague I spoke of earlier, think that all attempts by an individual to illicit a response from a spirit is provoking and should be avoided at all cost to avoid repercussion. On the other hand some feel that any type of provoking is ok and they will use any and all methods of provoking necessary to reach their goal in getting the desired evidence. What I believe is that all actions we use are a forms of provoking. When we were little ones and wanted to get a rise out of our siblings we would pull their hair or hit them, provoking the desired reaction we wanted to get. It’s the same idea in this case, too, and I believe it is up to the individual and team to decide what level is appropriate for them. Just remember that with provoking there is always a risk that the response you get could be unwanted. The higher the level of provoking, the higher the risk. The one piece of advice I would give anybody in this field is if you don’t understand the risks, DON’T DO IT! USE OF ITEMS… HOLYWATER, SAGE, ETC.

lion who I believe watches over us when on an investigation. I also carry a bottle of Holy Water and a large crucifix that was used in my grandfather’s rite of catholic burial. The reason I carry these objects makes it obvious that to me these items have importance and belonged to people I cared for and who cared for me, and I believe that with them and God with me the light around me can never be penetrated. It is the same for every known belief system. If it is an item you believe has the power to protect you, it will do so. Also, always remember to have the respect for others beliefs when dealing with multiple faiths in one group; if they wish to do a practice of their faith to protect them as you have just done wait and let them finish it before moving on. PROTECTION FOR SENSITIVES

For some of us out there, including me, our perOne thing you see a lot is a researcher carrying ception of spirits and the world around us is items of protection just in case they find themheightened and honed to a larger degree. We see selves in a position where they are threatened. and hear things others cannot and feel when other Many carry holy water, crucifixes, religious relics, energies are among us. For sensitive’s it can be bibles or other scripture; in other faiths, you may even more daunting to have their energy levels see sage, different plants, or other significant raised in an investigation, remember what I said items of importance that are believed to protect in before, these interactions are on a spiritual level matters of the spirit. Whatever faith or beliefs you and an entity may notice that you in particular may have one statement rings true with all items may see, hear, or feel them in a much greater way you carry with you; if you don’t believe and have than the others in your group. In a sense you are faith in their validity and importance, they will like a beacon on the ocean and every vessel and not work. You can have a truck full of holy water aircraft is able to hear it, and once they find it, they and spray it on a location like a firefighter subdumay not want to leave for fear that they may be ing a fire, but if you don’t believe that the water lost again. The advice I can give for people who has been blessed and has the power to protect, it believe they may have sensitive abilities is to find can’t help. The same goes with any object you may someone legitimate who can help you not only carry. Your inner belief and your faith give these hone these abilities, but also learn how to turn objects the power they provide to protect you. I them off when needed. I can say from personal carry three things with me on all cases we go to; experience having these abilities and going on an one is a chain that goes around my neck with my investigation can be an intense experience for the grandmother’s cross she was given at her confirmind, body, and soul. Without the proper guidmation. The other is a blessed St Michael medalance and preparedness your abilities can possibly 32 The Paranormal Explorer

become a hazard to you and your team if you can’t control them.


AFTER THE INVESTIGATION When you end your time at the location remember that all those lines of communication you have created with these spirits must be cut off to make sure that you do not leave openings for a spirit to attach to you. A simple way to do this is to say a prayer just outside the location to smother those lines and pathways you have made so that the trail to you is lost. There really is no set prayer you need to say. Usually at the conclusion of my investigations I say one wishing all those entities within this place be at peace and through His name let no entity within follow us to our places of dwelling. The one thing you should never do is use your name to command this. I feel it could be interpreted as a mocking toward an entity enticing it to follow you. As always, remember to have respect for others in your team and let them do a practice or prayer of their own before the circle is broken. I wish I could say that this is a be all end all solution, but you may find for a few days you hear knocking, a door close, or you have nightmares as it just could be residual energy dissipating from that night you spent at a location. Always remember though that there are always risks involved in what we do and there is always the chance that you may be followed home, no matter the precaution taken. It doesn’t matter if you are just a person in this field because it’s the “it” thing to do; or you have become a serious researcher looking for answers to what is beyond this life. When we are out there we need to know that there is always a risk that we may not come out the same way we came in at the end of the paranormal journeys we take. But as long as we keep ourselves and each other safe by using common sense and not take unwanted risks, the journey we take can be a very beneficial one for the mind, body, and soul. Remember, we all will take it either in this life or the next.

We are your Community Radio Station

www.penwithradio.co.uk The Paranormal Explorer 33


EVP Methods By Todd Bates There are a few ways to capture your E.V.P. and these are just a few that I have tried with success. There are many experiments that are ongoing as we speak and I will keep you posted on any new breakthroughs. Question & Answer Method - This is one of the most popular methods used by investigators and it is a great way to interact with the ghost or spirit you are trying to contact. Normally this is done in what are called “sessions”. Sessions consist of recording in 3 to 5 minute segments and then listening (I suggest bringing a set of headphones to the site with you for better listening) to what you have recorded to see if their questions have been answered in some way. Sometimes the spirit will give you a brief response to your question just as others may choose not to speak at all. I perform my sessions by designating an investigator to do the majority of the speaking and then others may ask a question as directed by that main investigator. It is a good idea to have all members of your group talk at some point during the recording so that their voices are on the tape for possible comparison later. You can really interact with the spirits using this method and you may be able to find some great information once you learn how to listen. The main key to remember when using this method is RESPECT. Do not demand anything 34 The Paranormal Explorer

from the spirits as this will really damper your results (I learned this early on). Remain as courteous as possible while performing these sessions to get the most out of them. Please do not over use the word “dead”. A lot of these ghosts or spirits do not know that they are no longer living and this can really upset or shock them. Speak to them as you would speak to your friend or a stranger you meet for the first time. I have found this to yield the best results. Always thank them for their time when you are done. I will go over some of the best questions to ask in another lesson but the above description should get you started on understanding this method. Stationary Method - This method has been around for quite some time now and has proven itself to be very effective in some investigations. This method is ideal for picking up residual activity in a known

haunting. The process is quite simple to perform and allows you to do other tasks while the recorder is doing its job. I would recommend using a cassette recorder for this method due to the external microphone being able to pick up a larger area of sound. Most of your cassette recorders already come with an AC adapter to save you on your batteries as well,

but please be sure to ask the client if you may use their electricity before you do this, it is just common courtesy. To begin you can simply place your recorder in the central area of the room and press record. Make sure to start out each recording session by stating the date, time, temperature (inside and/or outside if they are known) and location. Here is a tip I learned through experience if you are doing this while there are a lot of other people in the area. You can place baby powder around the area of your recorder to let you know if anyone other then yourself has tampered with your evidence. I know this may sound extreme, but trust me, this has been done in the past and it is best to know that what you record is as authentic as possible. You can leave your recorder running for whatever amount of time you desire. Do keep in mind though that the longer the recording session, the more you have to upload and process through your computer. I would recommend stopping every 10 minutes and then restarting the tape to cut down on your segment processing time. Walking Method - Some investigators choose to use this method. I have found it to be more difficult to obtain credible evidence using this particular one however. The walking method is performed by leaving your recording device set to record while you are in motion, be it in a cemetery or other location. I find that this method generates a lot of false positives due to the fact that so much extra noise gets recorded while you move. You really have to pay attention and try to verbally note everything that is going on around you onto the recorder. Examples of what to listen for would be a dog barking, someone talking, twig snapping (loud enough that you heard it), note when you are walking up stairs, opening doors and so on. This will reduce possible errors when processing the recording. Try not to make sudden movements either, as these will cause the microphone to either rub against your clothing or just make a static type sound on the recorder. If you follow some basic guidelines and use common sense, then you should have no trouble with this method of recording. Sometimes this is the best choice, depending on circumstances.


Tested. Accurate. Ethical. Period.

Offering you answers to life’s deepest questions...

Michelle Whitedove

Allison Hayes The Rock Girl

Belenda Bentley

America’s #1 Psychic

Psychic of Hollywood the Year 2011 Sex Psychic

Christa McDermont

Missing Peace Team

www.bestamericanpsychics.com The Paranormal Explorer 35

Feature

Feature

The Paris Catacombs Researched by Belle Salisbury When Angie Kruger sent us this photograph for her article, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” for this month’s magazine, I was so taken with such a compelling energy from this picture, I knew it needed to be on our front cover of this month’s magazine. Having never heard of the Paris Catacombs I did some research to learn more about the story behind the picture. How It All Began The need for rocks to meet the ever increasing demand for building supplies during 1st to the 12th century began the formation of underground rock exploitation within the heart of Paris. The growing demand for the limestone found beneath the earth’s surface led to trenches being dug deeper and deeper, farther and farther spreading through the Paris suburbs and beyond in an effort to extract more stone. These underground tombs created during the extraction of the stones beneath the surface continued to expand through the 16th and 17th centuries to accommodate the development of towns and cities and their growing population that were sprouting above ground. However, with the invention of concrete in 1810, underground quarries soon stopped production and were later left abandoned. The 19th century brought a new use for these abandoned underground quarries; mushroom farming. Many of the abandoned quarries became transformed into underground culture fields, spawning mushrooms on horse manure which soon produced around 2000 tons of mushrooms per year. The mining of underground rock quarries spanned over hundreds of acres beneath the city of Paris. The development of these extensively excavated mines gave little heed to the increasing number of buildings that led to the growth of Paris. With such an 36 The Paranormal Explorer

impressive growth it is no wonder that in 1774 land, houses, and even entire streets sank into the ground from the pressure atop of poorly stabilized caverns beneath the ground’s surface. Even more so than the catastrophe of the ground caving in beneath them, the Parisians gave belief to the terror of superstitions, blaming spirits living in the bowels of the Earth for this disaster. This led to the formation of a committee that would map out these underground voids, and repair and consolidate them. The most dangerous voids identified were filled, blocked, or collapsed with explosives. The underground cavities that remain are supported by natural consolidations of limestone that sustain the whole quarry ceilings. The pillars of enormous size and sufficient numbers continue to provide support to the subterranean cavities and the buildings that have been erected above them. In 1855 the first ‘Paris city underground quarries atlas’ was made. Still in use today, this allows the general public to know before buying a house if it is built on ‘undermined’ land. From Cemeteries to an Underground Catacomb Upon their deaths, Parisians were buried in 200 various cemeteries around the city, and by 1789 the cemeteries were no longer enough to handle the growing population of the dead within the city of Paris. These cemeteries housed victims of the black plague, epidemics, starvations, casualties of all the wars since the middle ages; all piled up on several levels in the mass graves of the churches. Soon trenches are dug; dead bodies are left behind the precinct walls of the churches leading to a foul smell filling the city, and mounting complaints and incidents of infections. Bodies continued to pile up within the walls of the church turned crypt, known as the Innocents Cemetery, until the walls in the

Photograph courtesy of ©Angie Kruger Taken at the Paris Catacombs cellar of a restaurant owner right next to the cemetery gave way in May of 1780. What poured into the building’s cellar brought absolute horror; old bones mixed with decomposing cadavers entangling putrefied mortal remains, the weight of which the walls could no longer contain. The building is completely contaminated, its walls oozing. It is said that just days after a mason placed his hand on the wall, he caught gangrene. The same problem happened to the surrounding houses and streets. This cemetery, like all the others, is a massive grave located closely to apartment buildings, literally side-by-side of one another. In 1780 it was decided to close the Innocents Cemetery only to accumulate more bodies in the surrounding cemeteries. The leaders of this era are left completely helpless to solve the problem of the mounting cadavers. It was finally agreed that the bones would be transferred to the old underground quarries. This is how the history of the Parisian cemeteries and that of the Paris quarries will meet to become the Paris Catacombs. Each evening a funeral procession made up of convoys of black-draped chariots accompanied by priests and dirges passed through the Paris streets to transfer the mortal remains gathered over the centuries. From cemetery to cemetery these precessions continued from 1785 until 1814. The bones were poured into wells, shoveled and displaced on wooden carts then heaped up and classified by genre to end up piled up and put in order. Great care was given in the arrangement of the remains, giving the

anonymous residents a dark and gloomy decorum, with philosophical citations related to the manner of death and remembrance. Tablets were placed to indicate the cemetery of origin and the date they were laid to rest. Alongside the anonymous bones of years gone by, many high ranking figures have been laid to rest in this remarkable historical tomb, to include the great architects of the catacombs. More than 6 million Paris residents were transferred to what has become the largest necropolis in the world. Today, this sanctuary has become a tourist attraction with guided tours being offered daily. Each visitor is guided down stairs and ladders, and then led into room after room of finely erected mounds of bones and architectural pillars of stone reminiscent of the humble beginnings of the underground quarries that lie beneath of city of Paris. Next month Angie Kruger will be sharing her experience when she visited this incredible house of souls. The Paranormal Explorer 37

Feature

Feature

SPIRIT ART AND THE PARANORMAL By Stephen Cox , Medium and Spirit Artist and Gwyn Ardyth

I sat with my drawing board and a torch in a darkened room of an old Somerset pub. My wife Gwyn and our friend Jamie were monitoring the room for temperature fluctuations and unaccounted for sounds. I felt this terrific urge to begin drawing with my charcoal on the paper before me, and as my hand moved across the board in the torch light, the face of a woman emerged. I felt the woman belonged to the pub – she had worked there for many years and was ‘chief cook and bottle washer’. As I drew, the names ‘Mary’, ‘Elizabeth’, and the date 1880 were impressed on my mind. A short while later, Gwyn, Jamie and I sat around a table in the next room, with the pub landlord and his assistant. A Ouija board sat in the centre of the table and after protecting ourselves with white light, we began to ask questions of the spirits present with us. When the planchette spelled out ‘Captain’ the landlord’s assistant immediately recognised that this was an old boy who frequented the pub many years ago. The energy in the room became softer, and the planchette moved to spell the name ‘Mary’ and confirmed that her second name was Elizabeth. She also said through moving the planchette that she used to be the pub’s landlady. Could this be the same ‘Mary Elizabeth’ I had connected with and drawn earlier that night? 38 The Paranormal Explorer

Psychic or Spirit Art is a subject which can cover many styles and approaches. As a medium, I work with my spirit guide who helps me draw spirits. This can be a powerful way to link with our loved ones who have passed over, or to connect with our own spirit guides. It can also be a very compelling way to connect with spirits at allegedly haunted locations. Paranormal investigators use a whole array of tools and instruments to measure, record or contact the spirits or energies which seem to remain connected with certain places. Channelling a drawing is a compelling way to show others what I am seeing as a spiritual medium. Psychic art used in this situation can be a fascinating way to bring the history of a place to life. I’ve drawn at a few apparently haunted locations and the results are always interesting. A few years ago, I took part in a paranormal investigation at the medieval St Briavels Castle in Gloucestershire. A small group of us were sitting in a darkened room upstairs when we all felt an oppressive energy encroaching on us. Just prior to this we had witnessed a strange light on the wall near the ceiling for which we could find no natural source. Using a torch and a portable drawing board, I quickly sketched the gloomy face of a man wearing a cowl hood. As I drew, I felt this man’s name was ‘Forester’. I placed the drawing against the wall where several of us sensed a presence. As we focused on the drawing some members of the group observed sparks of light near it and experienced changes in temperature. At the end of the investigation we discussed our experiences with the rest of the team and it was only then we learned that part of the castle’s history included a time when local men, called ‘foresters’, were hired to carry out hangings in the room where I had drawn this man.


Feature Spirit Art Continued: Psychic art can add a fascinating dimension to an investigation, bringing some visual evidence of the spirits or energies still connected to a place. It’s especially meaningful when someone present is able to recognize the spirit I’ve drawn. Gwyn and I were invited to take part in an overnight investigation at a 17th Century inn in Surrey. A small group of us sat in the pitch black, eerie cellar where we sensed the dark energy of a group of men moving closer to us. Some of the group had stayed upstairs in the hub and reported to us by walkie talkie that the infrared cameras were picking up some light anomalies. As I turned on my small torch to begin drawing, I felt I could easily draw one of the more aggressive entities, but instead I found myself drawing a young girl, which surprised all of us. Later that same night, I felt I had to sit at the top of the inn stairs and draw. As I worked on the drawing it developed into an image of an older Victorian gentleman. I felt he was the head of the household and was very strict. He was connected with the girl somehow. A team member took a series of photos of me while I sat drawing on the top step. The photos showed a strange mist which seemed to move across the staircase near my feet! When we finished our investigation, I had a chance to talk with the inn’s landlord. He told me that he often saw a little girl appear near his rooms. This was the girl who had come through my drawing in the cellar! He had also seen a Victorian gentleman at the top of the stairs on more than one occasion. When I showed him my drawings he was genuinely moved as he recognized them both as the spectral figures he had seen himself. This was fantastic confirmation of his personal experiences there.

40 The Paranormal Explorer

Feature Although a paranormal investigation is a very different thing from a private reading for a client, the work still involves connecting with Spirit. My job is to help make a link between this world and the spirit world. If I can enhance that link by drawing a likeness of the spirit communicator then that is all the more rewarding. Sometimes though, a spirit drawing only raises more questions which may just add more to the mystery of an apparently haunted location.

About Stephen Cox Stephen was born and raised in Bristol, England. He explains how he discovered and then developed his gift of clairvoyant artistry: “During my childhood I began to see and hear things which could not be explained away. In my search to understand what I was experiencing, I was told I was a psychic artist. I did not know what this was, so I read The Living Image by the great psychic artist Coral Polge, who has now passed over to the world of spirit. Coral was one of the first and best known psychic artists to develop this unique form of mediumship. “When I first began to learn, I drew simple energy lines. These lines developed into faces of people and guides. All the while, my gift of clairvoyance grew and developed. I gave informal readings and drawings to my friends and colleagues as spirit gave me more and more information to relay to them. “Now I give readings to people all over the world,

The Paranormal Explorer Written For The People By The People A Magazine For the Paranormal Mind

Subscribe Today An author writing about paranormal activity experienced at the Arnos Vale Manor Hotel in Bristol, invited me to draw at the location. I sat in an area of the hotel lobby where I felt a strong energy, and straight away drew a young woman from the 1800’s. I felt that ‘Anna’ had come from far away to this place and worked extremely hard in service. She wore a plain black dress, but the odd thing was I felt I had to draw a loose rope around her neck. This seemed to be symbolic of her servitude to the people connected with Arnos Vale at the time. Later I learned I drew this spirit in what used to be the chapel for a convent. Although I hadn’t received any information from Spirit about her religious calling, it was intriguing that the spirit of ‘Anna’ had impressed on me a feeling of being tied to her work. I did not feel she had been hanged by the rope (it was very clearly loose and not constricting) but it was unusual for me to draw something symbolically in this way and so is still somewhat of a mystery!

For the low price of £3.00/$4.95 per month, you can download the latest copy of The Paranormal Explorer, released every month. as well as giving workshops and demonstrations to audiences large and small. It is extremely rewarding to be able to draw for someone the image of their guide or loved one, and offer some form of visual proof that life continues after we pass over.” Stephen’s work has been featured in several books, including: Spiritual Guides in the West Country by Jane E. White, The Red Man Cometh by Geraldine Pengelly, Ghosts of Arnos Manor Hotel, Bristol by Ken Taylor, and Ghosts by Jon Izzard. For more information about Stephen Cox and Psychic Art visit www.stephencoxart.com

Subscribe Now And Save! Save 15% - six month subscription Save 25% - one year subscription

www.theparanormalexplorer.co.uk/subscriptions


Occult

Ritual and Effect in a Sacred Place of the Old Ones By Magister Greetings, last time we met, I proposed the question, “What makes a Witch?” I hope that some of the article allowed a glimpse into ways, and places, in which the ancient’s world still has reason for Witchcraft today, and the places are still as powerful as when first constructed. I mentioned the light effect at Newgrange in Ireland, sadly, not available for viewing, but only now, by the illustrious and learned in today’s world – or by those who have won the Irish Lottery who are allocated places annually to witness the light effect of the Midwinter Sun penetrating the darkened burial chamber for a few precious moments, stirring new life and fertility to the people, and the land. A lesser known but similar light effect occurs at Bryn Celli Ddu burial chamber, dubbed by some as the ‘Welsh Newgrange.’ Unlike Newgrange however, the Sun’s beams penetrate the burial chamber at several points of the Year Wheels turning, and also has the capability to capture the light of Venus as it passes through its cycle across the heavens. We, as Witches, were determined to experience this illumination after Ritual within the burial chamber some years ago, and here is the story of what passed that day of Equinox, now called ‘Mabon,’ by many of the Craft. 42 The Paranormal Explorer

Occult Using times calculated by the authors of “Uriels Machine,” Christopher Knight, and Robert Lomas, we estimated that, if the weather held fair for the day, a time of arrival of around Noon would be needed to see the first beginning’s of the ancient illumination planned for the burial chamber by those folk from around 3,500BC – some five and a half thousand years ago when a roof and mound was added to an already older stone Circle, one of the remains of which forms the ‘pillar’ stone inside the chamber. Having traveled for some 3 hours from the Midlands of the UK, we arrived and began the short trek to the chamber which is surrounded by a Henge, hoping that we would be smiled upon by the Gods and not have to share the day with any others who may also have had the same idea to mark the Sabbat. Setting up the quarter points and Altar at the foot of the Pillar stone in the small chamber which could hold I estimate around 12 people, maybe 13 at a squeeze, and having ensured that the place was cleansed and smudged liberally (I will refer to why later), the quarters were called and the Ritual began with those gathered feeling that something unusual, and unseen, was about to happen very soon. For the time of year, a Garland of Rowan berries, Apples, and Corn had been constructed, which was draped around the pillar stone’s top, and with Libations poured, and Wine and bread passed around, meditation of the place and the reason for our being there was begun. We noticed by this time, around 1.15 PM, that a sliver of light had begun to penetrate the darkness of the chamber and fell upon the foot of the Pillar stone in a Golden bar. It was felt that time had come to close the Ritual, thank the elements for their protection, and to experience what was coming. I had been told by an old friend and mentor, a leader of a Celtic tradition in Britain, sadly now passed over, to ensure we got as much Incense and smudge stick smoke as we could bear, into the chamber – if we were blessed to see the event unfold in good weather. This we duly performed, to the point of everyone coughing and spluttering, as the bar of Golden light began to rise up the Pillar stone steadily, making its way to several graduated markings hewn into the stone thousands of years ago. Upwards it crept, as the growing shaft of light widened above and be-

hind us from the ‘light box’ set into the rear wall.

A few moments later, the light shaft suddenly moved to the side of the Pillar stone creating a surge of illumination that lit up the walls of the chamber, and with a beam as powerful as any Stage spotlight, the light fragments, caught by quartz in the stones of the chamber roof and walls, began to sparkle, glitter, move, and change until, with a crescendo of light, the almost Biblical spectacle of total illumination of the chamber took place.


Occult Ritual Continued: Jaws dropped, those blessed to see this sat back to the walls in utter amazement and astonishment. We could not have hoped for better, but better was to come. Then I realised my old Mentors instructions as to why the chamber must be smoke filled; to see the light waves moving like as on the sea, perhaps even being the reason that stone carvings of waves are set into ancient rocks in Wales, and the Boyne valley of Ireland, and Newgrange, and the Knowth chambers. Just as we thought the experience must end, we were gifted a wondrous sight in the smoke of the chamber – an image, whirling, growing, that appeared to be either that of a Bull, horned, or the Horned one himself honouring our simple, but honest efforts to mark the Year Wheels turning.

Occult Then, in a flash, it was over, gone, feeling like we had been snatched away from a time space that we had never entered before, yet had been returned to the present time with a bump. Silently, and with great reverence and humility, we each packed away our stuff into our bags, and slowly made our way down the long passageway to the new light facing us; that of a beautiful early Autumn afternoon, now on a Watch showing a time of 2pm, an experience that had seemed but moments, yet a lifetime; instant but timeless, had lasted around 40 minutes of ‘our time.’ As we entered the Henge around the burial chamber, and slowly walked deosil to leave the ring work, talk seemed wrong, yet the amazement showed upon all faces, old and young, and only when the sanctity of the sacred Space was left, did the chattering begin as to what each of us had experienced within Bryn Celli Ddu ancient stones on the Equinox. When I recall this spectacular and moving event to people nowadays they scoff occasionally, happier to convince themselves that magick doesn’t really exist, and that the Witches these days are no more than delusions of those who relish an ‘alternative’ lifestyle. A dream say many – an illusion of meditation created by concentration, and too much Incense and Sage smoke, a mass hallucination created by the ‘group mind’ of the Coven. You have read the experience, as it unfolded, and you can now share the feelings somewhat for our Camera was active during the experience – and I present the Pictures from that day for you to make your own minds up. In future articles, I will reveal some more of the Old Ones places and spaces that enhance ones Magick, but we must first look at the Tools of the Witch, which will be my next writing...

At this point, all talk ended, wonder alone took us Blessings to all, over. I have never felt such a spine tingling event of Spiritual union, of being as one with all present there; Magister. all who had passed, and all who were yet to come. The others had feelings of varied emotions from great joy, to tears, to a feeling of a soft, warm woolen Cloak having wrapped itself around us, protecting us, cradling us, telling us that all was well. We were only experiencing that which the Old Ones experienced – and left for future generations who could follow the signs and the Pathway. 44 The Paranormal Explorer

HV Talk Radio Network Exploring All Possibilities Owner-Host Todd Bates *Spiritually Raw *Ask Our Intuitives *Monday Meltdown *SportsLife Radio *Universal Awakening *Wednesday Pulse *Journeys with Rebecca *Live with Belle Salisbury *HVRN Friday Night Show *KBIM Pat & Brian Show

Host your show with HV Talk Radio! E-mail: [email protected]

www.hvtalkradio.com The Paranormal Explorer 45

Occult

Occult

The Satanism Of Sin Jones There’s a very good reason for that title, and it is my hope that you gain an understanding of that reason by the conclusion of this short article. I was tempted to entitle it ‘Satan is a Soccer Mom’ and its one of the few instances I wish my son played soccer. I am 37 years old, a single mom, and live in Virginia with my 15 year old son. First, one must ask themselves who or what is Satan? The most common viewpoint is the embodiment of evil within the Abrahamic [1] religions cosmology. This is true; to an extent, in that if you involve yourself in studying the scriptures themselves, within the holy texts of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, you will recognize the rich metaphors which paint allegories in the mind to teach lessons; lessons about life, internal morality, societal ethics, and so much more. Literalisms aside, the texts have value to any reader regardless of personal philosophy, religion or creed. Satan is a focal character of specific chapters and versus...or is it? Upon further research, you will find very few references to Satan or Lucifer, and it really depends on the version of the bible you are using. The King James Version is pretty common, and also riddled with transliteration errors and reconstructions. You could literally spend your whole life chasing down the devil in history, from the Abrahamic religions back. You will find this character (or designation...depending) is rooted in pre-Abrahamic cultures, and their mythologies. Anthropology is a personal passion for me, so I can dedicate several future articles in highlighting some of the finer points of Satan’s roots. I will not go into too much detail here, as my aim is to present what constitutes my personal Satanism. Instead, I will reference (2) papers I have written which directly address the origins of both Satan and Lucifer in antiquity at the conclusion of this article for further reading. Satanism implies a practice or adherence to a doctrine or belief. My Satanism is unique to me, and 46 The Paranormal Explorer

you will find this to be the case with many Satanists. There is no cookie-cutter mold for Satanists, but you may encounter individuals or groups that adhere to a specific philosophy deemed ‘Satanic’. The commonality that we share is agreement (at least to some degree) about the attributes of Satan and Lucifer drawn from literary works, as well as Biblical contexts. I refer to my Satanism as Modern Philosophical Satanism which could be quickly described as Agnostic, Atheistic, Non-Dualistic, and Materialistic of the Left-hand Path and opposite of religion. As a Satanist I am an Auto-deist, a God of my own sphere of existence. I strive for understanding the full potential of the human condition; as it aids me in fully understanding my own condition (or conditioning in some cases). My focus is self-education and skeptical inquiry. I take a more scientific slant to things and reject most metaphysical ideas. I study them without embracing them for myself because I believe no sphere of knowledge should be off-limits. I pirate, adapt and shape at will, and use these reconstructed ideas to benefit me directly. I will offer the reader that physics explains how things work, Metaphysics explores ‘why’ they work, and exploration is a path to evolution vs. stagnation. I reject a belief in the ‘Super-natural’ and ‘Para-normal’ as I find these terms to

be oxy-morons. If I experience unexplainable events, I am part of the ‘natural world’ therefore these events are natural; just yet to be explained. The prefixes ‘Super’ and ‘Para’ suggest that some unexplained events exceed nature; and I find that notion absurd. I realize this article is for a ‘paranormal’ themed publication, and I will elaborate on that further in the FAQ’s portion of this article. I reject absolutes. I continue to explore all possibilities, ideologies, and theologies in hopes to gain a full understanding of the natural world that I am a part of. I refuse to stagnate. My thoughts and ideas are ever-changing, and everevolving. I stay flexible. While others attempt to pin me down by their own ideologies, I will not accept spoon-fed realities. I seek my own truth. I bow to no man, and no religion. I am the master of my own world. If I chose to go down on bended-knee for any cause, it will be under my own direction. I work through the attributes of Satan, thus this archetypal structure is me in favor of a deity to serve. I do however utilize thought-forms in magical practice, and I see no literal difference between what I refer to as Egregores [2] and what others refer to as (G)ods. I consider the idea of God or gods abstract, and in existence as manifested by the believers (memeplex [3].

My Satanism concentrates on individualism, freethought, intelligence, and human-potential. While some are content to credit other sources for their outstanding abilities, I am not. I credit no divine power for my potential for greatness, I am that divine power. I am opposer and adversary to anyone or anything that attempts to break my natural spirit. Satan is not a ‘super-natural’ entity that wreaks havoc on the world, Satan is me! I provoke and inspire; I challenge and oppose. I embrace my carnal nature, which is powerful and seductive. I tempt thee, to eat of the tree of knowledge. If I get under your skin and become a part of you because my words resonate in your mind, then you too may be the embodiment of Satan. As the god of my own world, I am the creator and the architect. I seize any opportunity to shape my reality, break the false consensus of truth, and formulate my own. As an artist, the potential is limitless and I create in various mediums to include the span of my own mind. As an occultist, my Satanic philosophies drive forward my practices of chaos magic, idolatry, Daemonolatry, Ex-voto, Transcendental Arts, and Memento Moritum which are utilized in achieving my life goals and realizing my full potential made to manifest.

Footnotes: [1] Abrahamic Monotheistic religions identified with Abraham. [2] Egregore Collective-group mind, psychic entity made up of influencing thoughts. A symbiotic relationship between the form and belief. Synonymous with meme. [3] Memeplex A complex of ideas spread from mind-to-mind, to shape ideas and behaviors within a culture or environment.

For further reading visit my Scribd page: http://www.scribd.com/~SIN~ Papers: Satan as a pagan symbol, Lucifer Proper, Atheism by Day, Theism by Night


Occult

SIN FAQ’s: Is Satanism your religion? No, it is a personal philosophy. This philosophy does not hinder my nature to be religious towards specific ideas and practices in my life. Religion could be defined as zealous belief, devotion, and dedication. I am certainly all of these things in relation to specific ideas and praxis.

are modalities for seeking them. I do not limit my study to Satanic material, or authors. I do however gain perspective by conversing with other Satanists no matter their personal tradition (Theist, Spiritual, Orthodox, Atheistic, Devil Worship, etc.). Are you a Traditional Satanist?

Do you worship Satan? YES, I am Satan, I auto-deify and self worship, so by proxy I worship Satan. Are you a reversed Christian? NO, I am an Atheist, or Hard-Agnostic. I often draw symbolism from biblical context in which I see as an occult work which is full of pre-Abrahamic symbolism and hidden gnosis. In order to be a ‘Christian’ I would need to believe in and follow the teachings of Christ - I do neither. I use theology, but do not believe in or follow it. Theology is a tool, like any tool. I study all world religions and philosophies. I have no desire to change the face of Satan. I do not aspire towards being ‘accepted’, and/or to be embraced by a community. I merely participate, and most-often am held to a community in which I reside (Country, State, City, Neighborhood, Social Class, Economics, etc.). How can a pagan be an Atheist? I use ‘pagan’ in the context of the Romans, and thumb my nose at it. There are various practices which have been labeled ‘pagan’ in contemporary usage in which I utilize. My philosophy is Satanism praxis often involves ‘pagan’ ideologies and methods. Pagan is not limited to the Neo-pagan movement of the 1960’s. Pagans can certainly be Atheists and have been historically, and on through today. Are you a ‘LaVeyan Satanist’?? NO, I am a Modern Philosophical Satanist. I use this label to differentiate between what has been coined as ‘LaVeyan’ (most commonly known) and my own Satanism. While I have read the full works of Anton Szandor LaVey, I do not follow his ideas, I have my own. I study any/all spheres of knowledge that may enhance my understanding of the world that I am a part of. Philosophies do not provide answers; they 48 The Paranormal Explorer

NO, ‘Tradition’ suggests that I follow a generational form of Satanism. I do not. My philosophy is extremely modern, ever-changing and evolving as I change and evolve. Do you believe in, and act from a position of EVIL? YES, ‘evil’ is a highly subjective term. There are many things that I do believe in and aspire towards which may be EVIL to your own aspirations, beliefs and actions. I do not believe in good vs. evil; this is a duality I reject. I come from a more Hermetic aura, in that all things exist within the mind, and are the same at the end of the day. For what is good for one, may be evil to another - hence, there is no duality, only conceived perceptions. You may hold concepts of good and evil, therefore many of my ideas will be EVIL to you. Are you an Occultist? YES, I draw gnosis from hidden symbolism, allegory, metaphor, prolific occult writing and praxis. ‘Magic’ and ‘Psychology’ are synonymous in my personal occult traditions. Suspended belief is often required in order to reap results, which is willed change in my

reality. Are you into Black Magic? Magic is merely a term to apply to human psychology. The colors black vs. white are concepts to categorize good and bad. I do not believe in such divisions. Some choose to call it ‘Magick’ I do not. There is literally no difference between Magick and Magic. Whether slight of hand, or direction of thought. Both are equally magic and human psychology. I use Magic, and for selfish reasons; therefore my self concerned magic may be considered ‘Black’ and I accept this classification - even if I do not recognize it in my own philosophies. I am Hermetic in my thinking, rejecting unnecessary dualism and segregation of singular concepts; in this regard I am a monist. What is the difference between the Right-hand Path, and Left-hand Path? These concepts can be traced to Tantric teachings. I am using Tantric, as it relates to Western philosophies rooted in Eastern teachings. Tantra is considered to be the Left-hand-path to Kama Sutra. All things physical/carnal are considered left-handed, while all things emotional/spiritual are considered to be right-handed. Essentially, there is no difference, in reality. These labels are used to conceptualize ideas. These concepts are used to communicate physical/ emotional concepts. Satanism is considered to be Left-hand-path because of a focus on man’s carnal nature. This does not exclude his emotional/spiritual nature. In fact, it includes it. RHP vs. LHP is a duality I do not subscribe to however; for all intensive purposes of discussing Satanic philosophies, I use it to communicate concepts. Satanism, generally speaking, is classified as a Left-hand-Path religion and/or philosophy. Satanism, of any flavor is highly individual and personalized.

Occult

sions and will to act on my own behalf. This could be quickly summarized as Love Under Will, made available to mainstream society by Aleister Crowley; however the concept pre-dates him. I recognize that the field of the paranormal is an ever-growing landscape of research and exploration. If ever there is empiricism to be found, I will leave it to the paranormal investigators to find for me to review and determine what I find to be true. In conclusion, Satanism is stigmatized by thousands of years of history, and contemporary understanding of historical context. Today, Satan means many things to many people, and what constitutes Satanism is as individual as the daring individuals which take such aggressive and provocative approach to their lives. Some Satanists go through great effort to clear up any misconceptions, I do not. I embrace Satan in all of its convoluted glory. What some believe to be a misconception may just be a conceptual practice by an individual Satanist or group. I’m sure the Satanic Panic of the 80’s and 90’s lingers in the air, and in the minds of the faithful. And with threats of a coming rapture, and the impending doom of the 2012 apocalypse, can you blame them? I’m not at all concerned with whether people believe I’m sacrificing small animals, eating children, or have a harem of men at my disposal for diabolical plans. I embrace all of this, as it serves me well. Ambiguity is a girl’s best friend. When a girl has Satan...who needs diamonds?

Do you believe in anything? YES, I believe in lots of things. My Atheism does not interfere in what I believe to be true. I’m also not a hard-line Atheist to it allows for flexibility in perspective. Truth and facts are terms used to differentiate between empiricism, and subjectivity. While truth is often based in fact, it is not reliant upon it. The same can be said for facts. Facts are not reliant on truth, but truth can be utilized to codify facts. I spend a great deal of time shaping my world, my reality, and this requires fanatical belief in order to drive my pasThe Paranormal Explorer 49

Myths and Legends

Myths and Legends

The Legend of the Mad Monk of Neath Abbey by Paul Tristram

There is a famous Neath Abbey ruins, which is about a mile from where I was born. It was a Cistercian monastery located near the present-day town of Neath in southern Wales, UK. The Abbey was once the largest in Wales, called, “The fairest Abbey of all Wales.” As history reports, in 1129 Sir Richard de Granville gave 8000 acres of his estate on the west bank of the river Neath, to the Norman abbey of Holy Trinity at Savigny for the foundation of a new monastery. A year later, Abbot Richard and his twelve monks arrived from Savigny and a new community at Neath was formed: it was the second daughter-house of Savigny in England and Wales. By the end of the thirteenth century Neath Abbey was one of the wealthiest houses in Wales. In 1314 a rebellion broke out in Glamorgan. The monks of Neath were plundered of their goods by reason of rebellion, and their house was devastated and ruined. Neath experienced further financial difficulties during the fifteenth century, but it seems that by around 1500 the house had largely recovered from these setbacks. During the beginning of the sixteenth century, the southern end of the dormitory and the refectory ranges were adapted to provide the abbot with substantial private accommodation. From about 1509 until the dissolution, these new apartments were occupied by Abbot Leyshon Thomas, the most influential Cistercian abbot of late medieval Wales. Neath Abbey was finally dissolved with the larger monasteries in 1539. A few years later the site was purchased and parts of the monastic buildings were converted into an impressive Tudor mansion. These buildings were to be abandoned in the early years of the eighteenth 50 The Paranormal Explorer

century and left to ruin. Today the remains include much of the east and west ranges of the monastic buildings, the gothic church, and the mansion. The site ruins are now under the care of Welsh Historic Monuments and are open to the public at all reasonable times. It has recently been suggested that the ‘Red Book of Hergest’, one of the ‘Four Ancient Books of Wales’, normally ascribed to Strata Florida, was in fact copied in a Glamorgan monastery – probably Neath.

The Mad Monk of Neath Abbey “Hello, this is the Samaritans, could you please give me your name, at least your Christian name, so I can have something to call you by?” “I am the Mad Monk of Neath Abbey and I have been dead for 200 years.” “Really, could you tell me the name and surgery of your CPN, please?”

There is a gravestone with the inscription of MURDER in the churchyard of the village Cadoxton and a lot of people suspect the mad monk of this heinous crime. The murder stone reads that a woman was raped and found on the banks of the River Neath. Although the monster was not found and put to trial by man, there is a greater courtroom waiting for him! We were all warned about walking that street at night as children. My uncle, a local drunk, actually put his hand on the Mad Monks shoulder once when leaving the pub in a friendly gesture, as one drunk to another crossing paths. My uncle said his hand went straight through him and he nearly fell over. He stayed in his room for a week and refused to say anything else about it, right up to his death. Basically, it is believed the Mad Monk walks from his grave, across the road to the Abbey which is now a ruin and can’t get in. He is really upset about this, hence the name, the Mad Monk, and he disturbs anybody who crosses his path!

“Look, I just want to talk, my job is boring, I can’t seem to frighten anyone anymore. People don’t seem to see me and if they do, they let off rape alarms in my face. The grave I guard has a LOSE WEIGHT TODAY flyer stuck on it.” “Are you on any medication, sir and are you contemplating abusing your medication?” “Medication is probably a big part of my problem. I mean everybody’s taking it. They are accustomed to seeing far more scary things than me. As for the youngsters dressed as Punks and Goths they intimidate me, I don’t stand a chance.” “You are obviously feeling very confused and fragile, would you like the number of a duty CPN, there are 2 working tonight?” “I still have 300 years left of walking the same ground, I think I am losing my mind?” “If you will not let me help you sir, then there is nothing I can do for you. I suggest you phone your doctor’s surgery tomorrow morning just before 9am to book an appointment. I have other callers waiting, goodbye.” “Jesus Christ!”

A monk’s grave lies about a quarter of a mile from the ruins. It is rumored that he obviously did something bad to be buried that far from the Abbey, across a main road and on unhallowed ground. The grave is basically on a grass verge in a council estate.

© Paul Tristram 2006


Spirituality

Spirituality

Reincarnation It’s History and Why It Matters

Reincarnation is an old idea, something over four and a half thousand years old in Europe and Asia. In Greece, both Pythagoras and Plato believed in it; in the East it was a basic part of the teaching of the Buddha. It still is part of Eastern religions, so why was it dropped in the West? At this point it is impossible to say, maybe the emperor Constantine didn’t like admitting he’d been a beggar in a past life, I’ll come back to the Western religions. It is a simple and grand idea. Each of us has had many lives before this one, maybe thousands of lives; lives beyond counting. Can I give you a pat on the back at this point? Because you’re reading this, you almost certainly believe there is part of you 52 The Paranormal Explorer

which is independent of the body, which will survive the death of the body. For all the ‘gainsayers’ in the World, this much should be beyond doubt and has been clinically demonstrated. Next you are invited to believe physical life is not just a ‘one off experience’. It would, indeed, be both strange and partial if it were a ‘one off experience’. In this life I know what it is like to be a man in a reasonably comfortable environment; I don’t know what it’s like to be a woman, or starving, or to go to war. If I want to experience the human condition I should know these things, emotionally, at first-hand, so they affect the person I am. You can easily see how experiencing the human condition may take countless lives. You can see it

could account for the evident inequality all around us. I haven’t finished yet. Why should we all put ourselves through this experience of the Ages, often messy, painful, frightening, and sometimes filled with despair? The answer generally given is, so we can learn and grow. The alternative answer hardly bears thinking about, that answer is we have no choice, it’s in our nature. Fortunately you are a Paranormal Explorer, there is a reasonable chance you believe in spirits who have no bodies, and that means there is a choice. So, why should we look at Reincarnation now? There are two reasons: one, to learn enough to make the choice, and, two, to learn about ourselves and the Past. Learning enough to break the cycle of lives, Samsara was a major concern of the Buddha and there is vast and deep work on it. I am in awe at the countless people who have devoted their lives to it; don’t be put off, neither do I have the devotion to do that, nor could I ask it of you – unless you’re very religiously inclined. Modern Psychology can offer a hand, though only Carl Jung ever went any distance down this road; Psychologists offer a word “attachment”. We are attached by bonds of love to those around us (yes, even to our ‘enemies’), we are attached to learning and growing, knowing and feeling more, and living our lives better in greater understanding. Here I sink into a cliché; we need to ‘graduate’ from the ‘school of life’. So we keep coming back together, on the first day of each new term. The second reason attracts me, as a former lawyer I want to know the truth. Not just the truth about Reincarnation, but the truth about the Past. Media interest in Reincarnation really started in the 1950’s, with “The Search for Bridey Murphy”, but my first exposure was to Arnold Bloxham and his famous taped hypnosis regression sessions, in the 1970’s. “The Bloxham Tapes” gave useful and true historical information from modern subjects ‘remembering’ their past lives. Since then other hypnotists have explored the past lives hidden in subjects’ subconscious minds, doctors Michael Newton and Brian Weiss to name just two. It’s very much what I did in writing my own book; but while I was in search of information, most, if not all, hypnotists work to help subjects with present life problems, which have caused them

to seek therapy, and which are not explained by their present lives; historical information is secondary and it shouldn’t be! Back to the Western religions, why might they legitimately be against the idea of Reincarnation? Well, not only may it cause despair of ever reaching Heaven on anything like a permanent basis, it may be past-life memories are confusing or even untrue. When I researched my own particular past life, a very great and respected hypnotherapist warned me, he even coined a word for it, “why shouldn’t the subconscious mind ‘confabulate’ and even tell lies?” What he meant was we could mix up unconnected memories, even mistaking dreams, fears, and hopes for the fact. I believe in evidence and can say beyond doubt; some of the things I found are fact. Though here is a very big ‘but’, that one thing is true does not make everything else true. Plenty of others have researched past-life ‘memories’, though most have not been systematic. Many people would argue the results are, as yet, inconclusive; and ‘gainsayers’ have poured scorn on even the strongest evidence. If we are to establish the truth of past lives we need the weight of evidence. So there you have it: Reincarnation was a universally accepted civilised belief, denied only by Western religions. It gives a vast perspective on the existence of all of us. It can explain present life inequalities and problems. It can reveal personal and historical truths. Now a plea, I want every reader with any past-life experience or memory, or who has had any regression consultation, to contact The Paranormal Explorer; I want you to give your stories, as directly, simply and honestly as you can. Let us, together, increase the weight of evidence and establish the fact (or otherwise) of Reincarnation. Mike Voyce http://www.edwardstafford.co.uk The Paranormal Explorer 53

Spirituality

Spirituality

THE RATIONAL MYSTIC PRESENTS

Dr. Alan Jones

Crop circles are always far too large, too well defined, and with too much detail to be a hoax. It would be easy to dismiss such a statement, but it is an example of the kind of casual comment which is used to promote ideas with the paranormal. I thought it might be interesting to offer some thoughts about debate, the logic of arguments and pose some challenges for all of us to think about. 54 The Paranormal Explorer

Logical Fallacies

As such it will have an emotional hook for the person making the statement.

In an original statement or in the debate that follows it may be possible to identify some simple flaws in logic.

All parties explore the evidence and information there is on offer about this statement.

The Art of Debate Sometimes one is accused as having a closed mind, or rather of not being open to the ‘possibility’ of – well whatever it is that is being questioned. Now, let’s explore that for a moment… If one is presented with an idea and seeks to question it, is that being closed minded? By definition every idea, issue or phenomenon within the ‘paranormal’ is outside of what many would consider as being ‘normal’ and perhaps demands some kind of question. Put another way, how open does your mind have to be before your brains fall out? The world of personal experience is that – personal experience and yours to enjoy, learn from and celebrate. The moment, however, that personal experience is shared in order to promote some ideology, opinion or belief then the experience and the conclusions drawn from it are very much open to question! The challenge then becomes what to question and do so effectively. Take this statement gleaned from a comment on the internet…

A statement is made.

The Art of Debate I have an opinion based upon my knowledge, experience, beliefs and attitudes. You have an opinion based upon your knowledge, experience, beliefs and attitudes. When we undertake to discuss these opinions we will often make a statement which we believe to be ‘true’ based upon ‘what we know’. When we discuss personal truths our emotions get in the way and so debate can fall into adversarial and personal conflict very quickly. If we are serious about having the debate and learning from the sharing of each others experience then it is worth considering a way of doing so constructively. For me, choosing to enter into a debate has the element of playfulness; sometimes from the devils advocate position, and intellectual challenge. There is also the desire to test “what I think I know” against the expertise of others and if presented with compelling argument to be willing to reconsider my own position and opinion. The following framework for debate is one suggested by my use of Edward de Bono’s thinking tools. The process involves the collective ‘mind power’ of all engaged in the debate.

This evidence must be able to be verified. It is not about more opinion and rhetoric, but about what others (outside of the debate) have published and said about the issue. All evidence pertinent to the statement is included no mater whose original position it seems to support. The relevance of this shared evidence is assessed as to its relationship with the original statement. In essence the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of the information offered needs to be discussed. Those involved with the debate need to consider what other evidence would be useful in exploring the statement. If necessary they could see if this evidence exists (if it does then its relevance can be assessed) and if it does not exist then thought be put into how this evidence could be obtained. Only when these previous steps have been followed can individuals reassess the initial statement in the light of what is now known, or perhaps what is yet to be discovered. At this point we’re back to the emotional connection individuals have to the initial statement. If they are being true to the spirit of debate it may well be that the statement can be rejected, upheld or redefined. The process can start again with the next (new) statement. This very simple process means that all are engaged in exploration of an issue rather than taking an adversarial stance from the outset. We are capitalising on the collective minds of the people involved rather than the regular divide and conquer of traditional debate.

Some of the more obvious of these logical fallacies include:The Argument from Authority This is where a statement is said to be true simply because of the authority, or presumed authority of the person making the statement. Professor Moriaty said …… therefore it must be true… The Argument from Ignorance Making the assumption something is true or false depending upon whether the speaker knows it to be true or false Well I can’t see how my brain does that so the idea must be wrong Argument from Incredulity When what is being presented is beyond the listener’s level of current knowledge or understanding. Well I can’t imagine how that could work so it must be impossible The Argument from Antiquity The assumption that because an idea or statement comes from an ancient or historical source it is true or valid The Ancient Chinese practised Tai Chi so it must be beneficial… The Argument from Popularity The notion that just because something is popular it must be true (or false) Everyone has been finding that this works so it must do something…. The Paranormal Explorer 55

Spirituality Debate Continued Naturalistic Fallacy The argument that because something is natural it is necessarily good, beneficial or pleasant This treatment is based upon natural products so therefore it works… Post Hoc Ero Propter Hoc (after this therefore because of this)

Spirituality Appeal to Emotions

Cherry Picking Ignoring the breadth of information or research available and only picking that which supports the argument. These three studies into homeopathy prove that…. Ignoring the many others that show otherwise Teleological Fallacy

The idea that because one event follows another then the first event must have caused the second… This is often noticed when there is a mathematical correlation which does not necessarily have a causal link,

This is the notion that some idea has a purpose and that alone means that it must be true. Mediums provide a valuable service supporting grieving people and so they are able to genuinely connect to the other-side, which of course means the afterlife is real because they (the mediums) can talk to spirits there!

Statistically there may be a correlation between the number of storks and the number of births but to assume that one causes or is related to the other is fallacious Red Herring When the person presenting the argument moves away from the question at hand in an attempt to distract the listener The discussion is evolution… Science has shown that natural selection is a viable theory… OK, well what about the Big Bang, where did it all come from, and we know that scientists get things wrong – I mean they were wrong about…… Retrospective Determinism The idea that because some event has occurred then it must have been inevitable. The Tsunami was always going to happen and was always going to happen because…. 56 The Paranormal Explorer

A frequently used technique where the argument stands or falls on an appeal not to logic or fact but to emotions such as fear, desire, hope, love, and belonging. Really easy to spot in TV adverts where imagery is used to link a desire to a product. Poisoning the Well A particular Appeal to Emotions which connects ideas in such away as to discredit the source of the idea. Well look, Hitler used Darwin’s ideas… Appeal to Flattery An argument which presupposes that accepting it is what all good, intelligent, honest, worthy or just people do. Accepting this idea is the smart thing to do… Ad Hominem

False Analogy Making a link between two unrelated observations or situations where no link exists… The number of repeats on TV and the resulting boredom can be linked to the decline in motivation in young people.

Combining professional psychic services and directory, educational workshops, and products all in one convenient place! Meet our Intuitives Join their groups Converse directly with them Before you purchase a reading!

Where the person presenting the argument is attacked and not the substance of the argument.

Your Direct Line To The Divine

Why should we believe what you say we all know you are a closed minded, scientific hack!

Free Membership

Sharpshooter Fallacy Picking the target of your comment or idea or proof after the event in order to prove you are right

(OK so I’ve also hidden a circular argument in that example, but I think it still makes sense)

Ask Our Intuitives Market Place & Educational Center

I predicted something terrible would happen and look here’s the Tsunami that proves I was right…. Historians Fallacy The assumption that people, and decision makers of the past perceived events from the same perspective and with the same information that we have today… Next time you listen to a debate, or read about the latest craze see if you can question the logic behind the information you are expected to take at face value.

Affordable Rates To Join Our Intuitive Team Our Intuitives are featured on our radio show, Ask Our Intuitives Monday’s 7:00pm EST www.askourintuitives.net


Spirituality

Spirituality

Angelic Experiences

Share Your Stories of Angel Encounters It was Christmas time 2009, one of my sons favorite time of the year, Yule tide, Christmas carols, and Parade’s. In fact this has to do with the annual Hollywood Christmas Parade; it’s the only parade that has a Santa Claus in it. As a parent, going to a parade where you know there is going to be over a million people lined up and down the boulevards, traveling 30 miles to drive up and down the streets for parking, sometimes just isn’t worth it. I’d rather sit at home with my warm blanket, popcorn at my side saving the four letter sailor foul mouth yelling at someone to move so you can park. I had little choice when one of your kids Christmas wish list only had the one wish on it and it was to go see this parade. And so I went on to find tickets so at least we had grandstand sitting. “Sold out,” well that is not going to stop me. I decided to call the parade director, and explained that I had a disabled son who has wanted to see this parade now since he was three years old; he is now 17 years old, has Cerebral Palsy, and mild Autism.“ I have some tickets left over, I can give you two of them,” he said, “I will hold them for you at the will call booth.” ‘Thank you Angel’s!’ I was excited and nervous at the same time. All of those people, where can we park, it’s just me and my disabled son. The day came sooner than I could prepare myself for the adventure we were about to take. I had map quest, check, I had snacks, check, I had blankets, check, hot chocolate, check, and so off to our parade we drove. After 35 minutes of driving we were getting closer to the area in which the parade was blocked off for. I had directions then, the freeway comes to a complete stop. “Hey,” I yelled at the car which was turning into my 58 The Paranormal Explorer

lane forcing me to veer to the right. “Hey,” I yelled at another car that was doing the same thing, “Get out of my lane!” I had to veer to the next lane. Now I am in the lane which has to exit. I am yelling at this, I don’t want to get off the freeway, but the car won’t let me get over so I had no choice. Ok, now where am I? I know, I will make a turn here and get back on the freeway. So I try to turn, “hey, watch out your going to hit me!” I don’t want to turn left, and so again for the third time a car almost hit us. Thinking I still wanted to turn around to get back on the freeway, after all, that is what map quest said I need to do. And so I drive, and drive, trying to turn around, no left turn, no turns at all, so I drive and drive and drive. Hallelujah, finally a street opened up to turn left. As I turned left, I look in my rear view mirror, a man closed the street again, but why did he open it up just for us? It’s like he knew we were coming. I yelled at my son, “unbelievable, there is the will call booth!” As I got closer, I noticed a blue painted curb with an open parking spot right smack in front. With a million people here, I am sure there were tons of people who need handicap parking. Funny place to paint a blue curb and to find parking where all you have to do is walk twenty yards to your seats.

amazed on why I was brought to the front of that very long line. Then a black man appears, “Come with me,” he says. We walked across the street where the grandstands were located. “Sit here. Here are your seats, enjoy your parade.” And when I turned to say thank you, he was gone. The parade was excellent. We had a blast, and there was no traffic when we left. The night was so smooth. Why was I forced to exit off the freeway? Why was I forced to turn left? All the streets were blocked to turn around and yet, as I drove, no cars ever were behind us. The only street where we could turn around was the street we needed, and the man in my rear view mirror who closed off the street, he wasn’t there before. How did that woman know to pull my hand to the front of the will call booth’s line? How did that man know where we were seated at when I did not tell him my ticket number? Why was that curb painted blue when there were no homes in front of it, no businesses, and the oddest place for a handicap parking? I know without a doubt that night me and my son had some Divine help in every way. Do I think Angels helped us? I don’t think it, I know it. I believe those were Angels in the cars, in the will call booth, the man who seated us; I know all were Angels, helping us, protecting us. Tuesday Miles Paranormal Researcher Exec Producer Paranormal Radio Psychic Medium

Do you have an Angelic experience you would like to share with our readers? We would like to hear from you. Submit your story to us at:

theparanormalexplorer@ gmail.com

Gathering all of the stuff I brought, the sun is setting and we can hear the bands warming up. Soon the parade will begin. I noticed the will call booth’s line was really long. As we got closer to get in line, a woman grabbed my hand and started pulling us up to the front of the line.” Tell them you need your tickets.” I replied, “But, don’t I have to wait in line?” “No,” she said, “tell them your name, get your tickets now”, and so I did, and the tickets were given to me. “Come this way,” she said, pulling my arm, guiding us through a crowd. “Here, stand here.” “Ok,” I said, still The Paranormal Explorer 59

Spirituality

Healing Around the World Each month I will be sharing different meditations that will focus on various topics of healing. I would like to propose a world-wide meditation event to help send out these energies to all those in need at a set time each week. Because of our different time zones it is hard for everyone to meditate together, but for those of you who wish to join me, I shall be sending out unconditional love and distance healing every Tuesday evening at 8:00 PM UK time (3:00 pm EST). If enough people take part we could truly make a difference! For those of you meditating at a different time you will be ensuring that the love keeps flowing, wherever you are in the world. I would love to hear about your experiences with healing and meditation. Please write in to [email protected] Until next time, Elaine 60 The Paranormal Explorer

Spirituality

How To Send Unconditional Love To Heal A Situation Unconditional love is the key to spiritual advancement. Here is a meditation that is quick and easy for use by someone new to meditation or as an addition to an established healing circle.

Turn off all distractions, get comfortable and warm.

Feel any stress and tension oozing out of your skin and leaving your body.

Light a candle to bring in the light and Keep the palms of your hands open place it on a table in front of you. (Make and facing upwards. sure it is safe.) Think of a person or a pet who you truly love. If at any time during your meditation anything does not feel right with you Get the love flowing until it feels good simply stop and relax, stay grounded. and strong. Close your eyes and take several slow deep breathes. Ground yourself by visualising roots growing from your feet, down through the floor and into the earth. Surround the room with a golden light of protection. Now surround yourself with a cloak of protection.

Now direct this love away from you and towards the person or situation you wish to heal. When you are finished wriggle your toes and fingers and open your eyes. Don’t forget to blow out your candle! Eat and drink something light.


Ufology

Ufology

“I will never hide the truth because it’s uncomfortable. I will deal with Congress and the courts as co-equal branches of government. I will tell the American people what I know and don’t know, and when I release something publicly or keep something secret, I will tell you why.” – President Barack Obama, National Archives, May 21, 2009

This article assumes that since government and military officially consider UFOs a non-issue, and hence not a matter of national security, it can also be taken as read that any interference and/or activities in the field, official or otherwise, are completely unwarranted. Despite grand ideas concerning government transparency at the outset of the Obama administration, it would appear no real “change” has been forthcoming. President Obama has said if something is to be kept secret that he will “… tell you why.” The problem with this is how does one pose the question to begin with? Attempts have been made to contact the White House concerning UFO secrecy, calls have been made, letters sent, but the administration refuses to acknowledge this. And so it would appear that the easiest way to not keep one’s word, such as telling the American public why they can’t have this information, is to pretend you didn’t hear the question.

Current Transparency Status “A nation under a well regulated government should permit none to remain uninstructed. It is monarchical and aristocratical government only that requires ignorance for its support.” – Thomas Paine, Rights of Man

Progress of Transparency

UFO’s, Transparency, and Civil Rights By Paul Robinson 62 The Paranormal Explorer

On the day after his presidential inauguration (1/21/2009), Barack Obama signed off on what were supposed to be considered sweeping reforms concerning the declassification and accessibility of information. In practice, however, it would seem that those wishing to use the FOIA request system haven’t seen much in the way of progress. Since this time, we have seen the launch of FOIA. gov and the implementation of technologies to bring disclosed information to light via the internet. The question, of course, is what information will be released even with these new tools in place? More low level/classification information than ever before? Should we really expect to see anything at Top Secret or above just because the president has requested a more open and tech savvy government? Probably not. As for the FOIA.gov site itself, on the page about how to submit a request, there is a list of agencies to which a request can be made. There is currently no mention of the National Security Agency (NSA), National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), or the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI). That said, neither are a great many US agencies.

“Organization implies the tendency to oligarchy. In every organization, whether it be a political party, a professional union, or any other association of the kind, the aristocratic tendency manifests itself very clearly.” – Grusky & Miller (1970) Thomas Paine’s quote, is clearly made in reference to the British Government as it was before, during, and after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is, however, missing a few other forms of governance, namely Oligarchy, Plutocracy, Corporatocracy, and Kleptocracy. Oscar Grusky and George A. Miller go on to argue the reasons why the republican government structure of Paine’s day may not be so republican any more. As such, should we really expect to see anything in the form of more government transparency if the majority of its people are not its concern? Revocations of classification appear to be caught in a vicious circle. The problem would appear to be a simple one: 1. security gets tightened under concerns, founded or unfounded, about national security; 2. laws and policies concerning freedom of information become more strict; The Paranormal Explorer 63

Ufology

Ufology UFO Cont. 3. transparency reforms are attempted; 4. reforms cannot be acted upon as the reasons for national security are a matter of national security in and of themselves; 5. rinse and repeat. Aside from that which has been politically expedient to make transparent, e.g. spending on the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), nothing else has really come to fore as far as declassification is concerned. Indeed, TARP spending should be public knowledge. This is not, however, earth shattering information. Nor, apparently, are the abuses and vague / outright unknown appropriations thereof. There will probably not be new releases of UFO information, a la France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Brazil, Chile, etc., because that would mean having to officially declare unofficial interests, which allegedly came to a halt after Project Blue Book was closed in 1969. Yes, it is known by many researchers that information is being withheld, but the media is happy to ignore this and has been doing so for quite some time. The President’s Briefing President Clinton, who had a clear interest in the subject of UFOs, was probably hoping that any such briefing would have come in the form of a presentation made by then CIA scientist Ronald Pandolfi. Instead, the task was handed off to UFO researcher and Naval Optical Physicist (retired), Dr. Bruce Maccabee. Suffice it to say that no previously unknown data was discussed. In the case of President Obama the story goes that this same task fell to UFO researcher, Dr. Steven Greer. It is doubtful that such maneuvering by the CIA would likely instill much in the way of trust in the President.

treated as repeat offenders, trouble causers due to the amount of applications they make. There are, of course, other methods that can be employed to withhold information. One technique has been to store records on sightings with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). In this case the records are made exempt from disclosure since NORAD does not qualify as a United States governmental agency. It is, instead, a combined U.S. and Canadian effort. Another technique is to place records in an interagency status. Simply, this would involve, for example, the CIA placing their files with the NSA. The CIA would not be able to include the files in FOIA searches since they are not in their possession. The NSA would not be able to include the files in FOIA searches since they belong to the CIA. Yet another example is a practice of placing sensitive files with government contractors, say, for the purpose of research and development. Again, the originating agency would no longer have those files in their possession and the contractor is exempt from disclosure since it is a private entity. A document outlining the use of Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) by the United States Department of Energy‘s (DOE) intelligence branch states: 8. RESPONSIBILITIES AND AUTHORITIES. a. The Secretary is the Senior Official of the Intelligence Community (SOIC). b. Heads of Departmental Elements shall: (1) Require contractors, through the contracting officer(s), to conduct FII activities in accordance with this Order and other appropriate policy and procedural documents published by the DOE for management and operation of facilities and activities associated with control and accountability of FII, to include SCI.

FOIA Stonewalling & Exemptions Abuse Some UFO researchers will tell you about problems they’ve incurred in their attempts to extract UFO data through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) applications. One of the newer modes of preventing information from getting out to the public has been to price searches beyond the ability of the average citizen to afford. Others have found that they get 64 The Paranormal Explorer

(https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives/currentdirectives/5639.8-BOrder-a/view) This appears, essentially, to put highly classified information record archives into the hands of private industry and out of the reach of the FOIA request.

Self Censorship of the Fourth Estate “Our Republic and its press will rise or fall together.” – Joseph Pulitzer It was once hoped that the fourth estate would hold the government up to close scrutiny. Unfortunately, we have all been witness to politics shaping the agenda of the press around the world – the U.S. has not escaped this by any means. Does anyone really believe that Fox News is not right-wing or that MSNBC is not left-wing? No matter what your politics are, there probably exists a media outlet that is more than happy to pander to your beliefs and, more importantly, influence and shape those beliefs in the name of the Almighty Dollar. All profit making institutions must, of course, consider their reputation. They don’t want to look bad in front of their rivals. But what do they consider to ‘look bad’? The main stream media (MSM) is quite happy to trot out phrases like ‘Little Green Men’ and ‘True Believers’ in almost startling attempts to distance themselves from the subject. And while they would be more than happy to interview a man like, say, Charles Manson, such a person is nowhere near the threat to their credibility as a military General speaking out on the subject of UFOs. They know that they will suffer attacks from their own organization, rival organizations, and readers who mysteriously always seem to tell them that such information is “not news.” How does one decide what is and is not ‘news’ especially when one is not even in the field of journalism? In light of the fact that many blame today’s MSM of producing nothing more than Yellow Journalism, and reports of UFOs are also considered to be a high demand part of that cadre, one has to wonder why reporting on such things as UFOs as often as possible is not a low-hanging fruit. The trouble, perhaps, comes with the saying, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” This could only be argued in the case of UFOs if it was featured heavily enough in the media to get people thinking about it. It isn’t. The effect is one of self censorship. While it may seem like they’re just looking out for themselves it also sends out the message that they are more than happy to put news blackouts on certain items. And when this happens the government knows that they are, at the same time, malleable and can be trusted not to mention whatever a governing body doesn’t

want them to mention, without them having to constantly look over the producer/editor/director/ publisher’s shoulder; their compliance is assured. First Amendment Under Attack Surrounding more publicized UFO events of both the past and present has been seen a pressure that has been brought to bear on the media and press to cease and desist. The excuse used has been that in publishing such stories, much embarrassment and ridicule has been visited upon the town or city most closely involved. However, what might, on the face of it, be considered self preservation nonetheless doubles as a governmental attack on the First Amendment, most notably, freedom of the press. One of the latest examples of this happening was when Angelia Joiner was pressured out of her job with the Stephenville Empire-Tribune after closely following and reporting on the 2008 Stephenville Lights event, a UFO story that made waves in the media at the international level.

We have also seen politicians such as Dennis Kucinich get ousted from running as a presidential hopeful on national TV after having his UFO sighting questioned. No one questions politicians who believe the planet is only 6,000 years old – that’s OK.


Ufology UFO Cont. Transgressions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 12 No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks. The MSM has certainly been overt in its backing of Christianity and, for the most part, religious freedom in general. With some well publicized exceptions, people’s religious beliefs are not the subject of near constant ridicule. The same cannot be said of people who voice their opinions of UFOs. Whether a person believes in UFOs or merely thinks reports of alien visitation might be true, you can be almost certain that they will be publically demeaned and humiliated without a second thought. That un/informed opinion is now considered news, and ultimately taken by the masses to be actual truth, means we can no longer trust that we are being accurately informed. And so it is that we see any coverage of the subject of UFOs accompanied by glib, childish comments and the compulsory presence of skeptics/debunkers. This is not something that you would see in a news article or chat show about religion. Since religion requires one to believe, not something required in the face of proven fact, one has to question why it is that we don’t see James McGaha or Robert Sheaffer arguing with Pastor Rick Warren on the ‘Larry King Live’. (Since the writing of this article began the show has gone on to become ‘Piers Morgan Tonight’. No UFO stories thus far.) Cowardice perhaps? Simply not worth their time? Believers in religions can tend to be a little more fundamentalist. Suffice it to say that if people who believe in God were treated in the same manner – at a level as visible and vocal as the MSM – as those with an interest with UFOs, the outcry would be such that this kind of treatment would come to a screeching halt.

66 The Paranormal Explorer

Ufology Article 19 Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. Again, assuming that the matter of alien visitation is officially considered a non-issue where national security is concerned, we can also assume that Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is under attack. While not focusing on the outright, ad hominem attacks clearly seen to be transgressions of Article 12, Article 19 promotes the rights of a person to express those beliefs “through any media regardless of frontiers.” This obvious extension of Article 12 outlines the right of an individual not only to hold beliefs without fear of ridicule, but to push them out to the public through the media. Instead, what we see is a media that decides what constitutes important news, tells its audience that this is what they the public want. The people then agree with them whole heartedly, forget rather conveniently that they were told this and then allow the same media to insist that they the public came up with those opinions of their own accord. The media (in some cases) tells the public that UFO sightings are to be ridiculed. And shortly thereafter, if they make another UFO report, the public tells the media that UFO sightings are to be ridiculed. The organization in question is then happy to let such information slide, no matter how startling the information that presents itself.

Conclusions In many issues that concern some kind of discrimination there are legal consequences that can be visited upon the malefactors. This, of course, usually only comes to light in cases of religious, sexual, racial, and age or disability–related discrimination. The First Amendment covers the first of these. Federal and State laws cover the rest. However, despite the fact that religion is considered paranormal and UFOs are considered by many to be paranormal, belief in UFOs are subject to outright public attacks. Aside from the First Amendment one can also assume that religion also possesses the protection known as ‘safety in numbers’. Voices are needed to help overcome the discrepancy between how beliefs, ideas, and interests are viewed by others. Recently, we have seen such names as Katy Perry and Sammy Hagar speaking out on the subject of UFOs and aliens. If you are a celebrity, speak up and speak out. If you are anyone else, discuss with friends. And whoever you are, do not feel ashamed to mull over and shift your world views around the possibilities that UFOs may or may not represent.

Published since 1986, the number-one publication of its type in the U.S., distinguished by a consistent record of fair and accurate reporting on UFOs and related matters by the best investigative journalists in the field.

Civil Rights Implications As mentioned in the previous section, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (signed and ratified by the US in 1966), Article 19 mandates freedom of expression. And while ridicule – and I hope to write much more on that subject in another article – can be thought of as freedom of expression, too, it is also a tool of suppression, subjugation, and neutralization all of which can be seen as human rights violations to at least some degree.

To read more from Paul Robinson visit: www.barackobamaufo.com www.presidentialufo.com

www.ufomag.com The Paranormal Explorer 67

Guidance

Guidance your world is falling apart?

Therapy Thoughts By Elaine Fessey

A SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING OF DEPRESSION You are handed a gift wrapped box secured by a huge pink ribbon. What do you feel as you rip off the glittery paper? Excitement, curiosity, elation? Beneath the sparkling outer packaging is a plain brown box with one word stamped across it in bold lettering: DEPRESSION. Are you still enthusiastic about lifting the lid knowing that you will be uncovering a proverbial can of worms? Perhaps if I explained that depression is a stage of healing would you be encouraged? The word depression conjures images from chocolate fuelled duvet days to the rock bottom of bleak desperation. A crippling episode induces guilt, isolation and anxiety. Avoiding issues and dwelling on melancholy thoughts culminates in low energy, sleeplessness, and loss of appetite. Emotionally we feel hopeless, everything is pointless and to top it off we blame ourselves, accepting guilt as though we deserve to feel this way because we are vulnerable. It takes incredible bravery, flexibility and willingness for change to face that can of worms. Depression is simply our body’s way of forcing us to accept that the old ways are not working. So why would we 68 The Paranormal Explorer

continue reenacting old patterns if they are clearly blocking our spiritual awareness and progress? Perhaps fear of what is waiting on the other side of healing is the culprit? Depression can be the outcome of desperate avoidance of the pain attached to life lessons. Remember your soul chose these lessons ,so by denying yourself the opportunity to grasp their meaning you are essentially halting your own spiritual advancement. How can you heal others when your own path is blocked by unresolved issues? A new exiting life awaits if you are willing to firmly grasp the two “C’s,” CHALLENGE and CHANGE, although this is often enough to terrify the meanest, toughest of us all! The alternative is attempting to maintain strict control over our behaviour and environment. Control is used as a defense against the two “C’s” until eventually barriers break down, thrusting us outside of our comfort zone. This is usually the point where we shout for help. Medication can ease the worst of the symptoms, rather like using crutches to aid a broken leg. Because depression is invisible, it is often the victim of well meaning remarks like, “Pull yourself together.” But how can you do this when

Talking therapy gently brings that can of worms out into the open. Life lessons may hurt but they need not cripple. By taking things one step at a time, life’s true purpose is within sight. I prefer to use visualisation to understand the purpose of depression. Try this: Imagine depression as a seed ready for planting in the garden. Nothing will grow until hard work is put into preparing the soil. Weeds must be removed and the ground broken up and watered. The seed is planted in the dark, cold earth and nurtured until it sprouts. A weak seedling grows steadily towards the light gaining strength until it is a strong sturdy plant. Bathed in warm sunshine it suddenly blooms into a beautiful flower. Your garden has transformed from a cold, bleak place into a carnival of colour and fragrance. So the next time you feel depressed don’t be afraid of the feeling. You will never experience more than you can handle. Your spiritual guides don’t wish you to suffer. They know you are learning but plead for you not to make things so hard for yourselves. Embrace the gift within the lesson and wait for the amazing changes to follow. You will never look back! In the next issue of The Paranormal Explorer I shall be talking about a modern day therapy. Originating from California, USA, Life Coaching is often seen as trendy. What is it and how can it help us to fulfill our spiritual potential?

~Founded by David Vee in 1987 ~Online since the 1990’s ~Live Chat with Other Members ~Paranormal News Articles ~Paranormal Encyclopedia ~Paranormal Photo Albums ~Forums ~Polls

www.ghosts-uk.net

Until next time....... Elaine Fessey IIHHT reflexology. Dip SNHS life coaching, counselling and psychotherapy. NVQ 3 beauty therapy, aromatherapy. BCNHS dip stress management, Reiki 1, NFSH ongoing.


Guidance

Guidance

Pho to graph Rea din gs

My name is Kristen Leona, and I can read photographs. I am from Central Indiana. I am a stay at home wife and mother, which allows me to focus on my career as a Psychic. My husband is very supportive of my interests in my gifts. We have several pets in our house and we’ve rescued most of them. I have three children and one stepson, ranging in age from 9 to 17. Some of my interests include: vegetarianism, animals, psychic awareness, crystals and stones, spirit communication, genealogy, antiques, Tarot, forensics, and reading. My earliest memory I have about spirit communication was a woman’s “ghost” watching me sleep when I was around 7. This happened several times, and each time I would wake up to this white see-through woman watching me. At the time, it really scared me. Even with my parents next door sleeping, I couldn’t manage a peep. Growing up, other spirits came to me and as an adult, they still do. Now I am able to understand their communication more clearly. What is Photo Reading? Photo reading is being able to receive psychic information from looking at and studying photographs, and sometimes being able to connect with someone who has passed on through their photos. How do I read the photos? At anytime I can get details from photos, but if I want more facts and details, or want to attempt to connect with someone who has passed - I need to try to eliminate outside distractions. To put myself in the right mindset before I begin, I light a white candle and ask for protection. For background noise, I have an MP3 recording of nature sounds that I listen to with earbuds. At this point I am relaxed and ready to start taking notes. While I study the photos and keep in mind 70 The Paranormal Explorer

any questions that the client may have asked, details come to me. These can be the subject’s (the person in the photographs) behaviors, personality traits, past or present experiences, interactions with others, possible medical issues, pets, objects around them, etc. During some readings I have been able to connect to the subject who has passed. I take notes during the reading - any details I receive, physical sensations I experience, or communication with a subject who may have passed. The next step is to organize and type out the notes so that I can send them to the client requesting the reading. Want a free photo reading to be published in this magazine? If you would like to submit photographs for a free reading to be published with this column, please send it to: [email protected] with the subject line “photo reading.” Please include any questions you would like to have answered. Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kristen.leona

Photograph Reading of Rickey LeBlanc, Jr

Photo 1 is of Rickey, his wife, and newborn baby. From this photo I was able to tell that Rickey is fond of McDonald’s, in particular their Quarter Pounders. He’s in love with his kids and family and wants to spend more time with them. At the time this photo was taken, he was unsure of which way to go in life. He has lost some people that were close to him. He wants to help other people. Rickey tries to take time off of work to see his family and feels worn thin from his schedules. I’m also getting something about college or him taking classes.

Photo 3 is of Rickey in a cowboy hat with his wife. In this photo, he’s beginning to feel old and wants to get some things done in his life. He is at a crossroads, perhaps with a career path. He is feeling a little worn down from his responsibilities. I feel he often wishes he could sleep in his own bed. A health concern is that cholesterol is beginning to become a problem, especially since he loves red meat. He will help anyone, is good natured and empathetic. I’m seeing a lot of BBQ’s and that he wants to absorb as much family time and love as he can. Rickey is a strong person, but sometimes is unsure about himself. No questions were asked by the client.

Photo 2 is of Rickey and a girl on a horse. From this photo I can tell that he loves spending time with his children and family, and wants to be the father he did not have growing up. He is somewhat outdoorsy, and likes cars and trucks (Nascar?). He drinks a lot of sweet tea. Rickey has some goals for his life that he is on his way to accomplishing.

Rickey’s Comments: Wow, It’s amazing how much she knows about me just by looking at a few photos . Most of what she said is dead on... Since my wife and I both work, I have to admit that we do tend to eat out quite a lot, and yes, McDonald’s is a favorite. I am a full-time truck driver, and am also attending the Fire Fighter Academy at nights, so I do not always have the time I would like to spend with my family. A lot of times my job takes me away from home for days at a time, so it was funny when she said I wish I could sleep in my own bed, No Kidding! I do aspire to become a full time firefighter once I have finished with the Academy in February 2012, leaving truck driving behind. Good Job and Thank You for the Reading.. The Paranormal Explorer 71

Guidance

Guidance

Working With Your Dreams When we go to sleep at night, our consciousness leaves the body and travels into other realms/dimensions where we are able to view the past, present, or future; we can visit departed relatives, or meet with our spiritual teachers for further learning, and even offer teachings ourselves. However, for the most part, our dreams are messages from our Higher Self providing guidance to our daily life situations. They often present themselves in three steps: they give a time reference for the problem, they will show how the problem is manifesting itself now in your present situation and what is surrounding it, and they will present the solution or how to learn from it and move beyond the problem that is limiting you. Most teaching dreams will follow this format. Once we understand the situations we experience in life are of our own creation then we can begin to ask why we chose the lesson. We can ask, ‘What is this teaching me?’ Or ‘What is the positive lesson?’ We learn to stop blaming others for our misfortunes or unhappiness and realize no one can limit our lives. We cannot change others but we can change ourselves and move beyond these situations. Every relationship and every experience is nothing more than an opportunity to grow through our limitations. During our dream time, all characters within the dream are an aspect of self, meaning we are the writer, the director and the actor playing out our life situations at the time of the dream. Dreams are given symbolically because often times we can misunderstand the spoken word. In addition, our guides and teachers usually do not speak to us in the human language, as this is not their mode of communication within the higher realms. So our dreams will contain symbols which are not to be taken literally many times, but should cause us to explore their meaning in order to make sense to our current situation. The purpose of your dreams is to know yourself and 72 The Paranormal Explorer

to see your lessons in life as positive opportunities to learn and grow through your life experiences. We chose to come to this earth to experience life using our own free will. The answers we seek lie within us. During our lifetime, we have angels and spirit guides who assist us during our life lessons, but they will never make decisions for us. They will, however, lead us to enlightenment so that we can make our own wise choices. Our dreams are just one method of showing our true inner feelings surrounding a situation. Once we can learn to understand the symbols given during our dream time, we can then begin to work with those symbols to obtain the message within the dream to assist us in our day-to-day life. In this column I will work with your dreams, pointing out the symbols and their meaning, to help you understand the message your dream is bringing to you. These symbols are a guide for you and it is up to you to choose what to do with their message. Last month, I asked our readers to submit their dreams to me for analysis in this column. I was amazed at the response. If you would like to submit a dream to us to help you find meaning to its message, you can send them to [email protected]. Please keep in mind, the time frame in which you had the dream has purpose at the time of the dream and may not always apply to you today. I look forward to assisting you in finding clarity in the message your dreams are bringing to you. May your dreams always be sweet dreams! Belle Salisbury

MR’s Dream: I had a dream the other night, and I don’t know if it’s a good sign or a warning. I’ve been wanting to move to the Carolina coast, but in this dream, I was sitting at a table with my mom (who has been holding me back from moving) in a building (2nd story?) when a huge tsunami hit. I saw it coming, but for some reason I punched out the window. Even though I didn’t see my kids in the dream, I knew they were there next to me. The water came in, but we made it ok. (all of us? I’m not sure, I woke up right after that). Hi MR, Our dreams are always letting us know what is going on around us, and how we are handling any given situation. In looking at your dream there are several important symbols to look at closer. ‘I was sitting at a table with my mom.’ This symbol, the table, represents negotiations. It is usually the place where we enter into conversation, or making decisions. This clearly demonstrates your working through the decision to move to the coast. Your mom in the dream represents the older, wiser part of self, trying to decide if the move is a good idea. The building represents self, and great opportunities, or potential within your life. Being on what felt to you as the 2nd story of the building would symbolize a spiritual path. So this would represent an opportunity for great spiritual growth and potential. The tsunami is a representation of your emotional state around the situation. You are feeling flooded with your emotions around this decision. The idea of the tsunami shows the massive emotions you are dealing with. The window shows your ability to see beyond the situation. Breaking out the window demonstrates your expanded awareness around your decision. Your statement, “The water came in, but we made it ok” clearly shows that in essence you have already made your decision and feel that in making the choice to move will turn out ok for you. In summary, you are struggling with the choice of whether or not you should move to the Carolina coast. You are concerned with disappointing your mother by leaving her behind should you make the move; therefore your emotions are highly involved in this decision. In the end, your dream is showing you that everything will work out just fine for you in your decision to make the move.

Druiekins Dream: I’ve had the same dream for about 7/8 yrs now and really don’t understand it at all, fingers crossed you can. It starts off with 3 of my friends and me. I’m in a room with a floor to ceiling window, a light fitting with no light shade, an old fashioned rocking chair. I’m looking out of the window, I can see one of my friends in the “garden” waving at me, he walks off and I see a “figure” go after him, I scream out but my friend can’t hear me, my other friend hears me, runs into the room and runs through the window. The rocking chair starts to rock as it gets to a certain speed I wake up. Hi Druiekins, Having a repetitive dream year after year demonstrates that you are not getting the message the dream is bringing to you, therefore it is returning to you in an effort that you will ‘gain’ the lesson and stop repeating a pattern. Let’s look at your symbols: 3 friends – the three friends represent a projected quality that you see within yourself, manifesting in your 3 friends. (Three parts/qualities of self ) The number 3 also has significance in your dream. If we look at numerology and the meaning of the number 3, it tells us that 3 represents the trinity, the body, mind, and spirit in harmony, it also tells me that this dream carries a spiritual message. The floor to ceiling window demonstrates a large potential to see beyond the situation, or opening to an interdimensional awareness. The light with no shade could demonstrate your own inner light and the ability to see and understand, without blocking the Christ light within. Old fashioned rocking chair represents your attitude toward your position in life, how you see yourself with comfort and centering. Seeing the friend in the garden again is seeing a quality in you that you have projected to the friend. The garden represents the fruits of your labor, reaping from your own hard work in growing and learning. The Paranormal Explorer 73

Guidance Dream Cont. The figure or shadow that you saw represents a fear that follows you, an unknown part of self. The friend, who ran through the window, again is that part of self that was willing to face that fear in an effort to understand that part of self or the insight it brings to you. In essence, breaking through your fear of what lies on the other side. The increased rocking motion of the chair demonstrates the increase in your energy as you are becoming more centered and balanced. Now, if we put this all together, the message of your dream is showing that you have been working with self in your spiritual development and moving forward while facing some of your own fears about the future. You are utilizing your various strengths in an effort to overcome your fears so that you can continue to grow and center within your sense of self in this lifetime. This is a very spiritual message within your dream! Once you understand this message you will no longer have need for the dream to repeat itself. Janet’s Request My friend, Sherry, had a dream about me and a situation that I am going through right now. Could you look at her dream and tell me what you feel the message is here? Sherry’s Dream: We were all at work on the teller line. The ceiling was a cathedral ceiling and there was a huge Christmas tree in the middle of the aisle. It was decorated in reds and gold’s. The Christmas tree lit up the whole lobby, it had so many lights. There was a mix between red and gold garland. Underneath the tree there were so many presents. They were all wrapped up perfect with no glitches in the wrapping paper or bows. There was garland and strings of lights amongst the molding and down the poles. Instead of the blue carpets it was a white snowlike carpet. Janet was sitting in a throne at her station but it was up higher then everyone else’s station. There was 6 stairs up to her. There was a red velvet runner going up the stairs to her. She was sitting in a throne because Bob thought it would be more comfortable for her. Janet had her hair in big curly locks, and there was glitter in it. Her bangs were pulled off to the left with a bobby pin. Her shirt was sparkly silver, almost looked sequined. Bob was there dressed in his orange puffy vest and orange hat. His whole entire family was there 74 The Paranormal Explorer

Guidance as well, his grandmother, mom, dad, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, daughter and grandchildren. He introduced everyone to Janet one by one. It almost seemed as if it was a family reunion, but in our bank. Shelly was on the other side of Janet’s throne. I (Sherry) could only see her when I moved out front but she didn’t move. Carol was on the closest side of the throne right next to me. I had my back to Angela who was at her station behind me. Shelly had her head cocked to the side and had a confused look on her face. Bob announced it was time to pass out the presents to everyone. He brought each present up to Janet, one at a time. Every single present was for Janet, and Bob brought every single one to her. After he was done bringing every present up to her, he walked up the stairs in slow motion. He didn’t have his orange vest and hat on at this point. He was wearing a suit and tie and it had a daisy boutonniere. He kneeled down on the platform right before Janet’s throne and asked her to marry him. Her expression was happy but indecisive as well. All of a sudden I heard the back door open. There was a bright light in the back corner of the lobby. Jason came in on a white stallion wearing nothing but leather chaps. Everyone looked. His hair was slicked back. His “area” was blurred out like you would see on TV. You could see his behind and the fuzzies on it. There was horse dung caked into the horse’s tail. It got really quiet. Bob’s grandmother then said “I really don’t like that man.” All of a sudden everything froze. I saw two thought balloons pop out of Janet’s head. The first one on the right was of Janet and Bob on their dinner date and how happy she was to be treated nice. The first one on the left was of Janet and Jason and their happy times. The second bubble on the right was of how Janet reacted about Bob rushing. The second bubble on the left was Jason telling Janet that he didn’t love her and he was only with her because he felt sorry for her. The third bubble on the right was Janet being happy with Bob. The third bubble on the left was Janet being severely hurt by Jason. The whole time it showed both of the bubbles. It reminded me of “Look Who’s Talking Now”. And then ...I woke up. Hi Janet, What an incredibly detailed dream! Here is my analysis of the symbols within your friend’s dream. Bank – Interesting that this dream took place in the bank, and I feel no coincidence that you also work in a bank as well. This represents a cosmic exchange, energy vault, unlimited resources; a reservoir of all knowledge and ideas you may draw upon at any

time. You make investments in yourself, deposits of talents and insights which will always be there; you are free to use the whole collective reserve to create whatever you want. Meditation enables you to tap these energies. Cathedral Ceiling – This would be representative of the Higher Self awakening to the higher purpose within the dream. Another aspect of this symbol could be showing you limits, but since this is a very high ceiling I feel it is showing you a need for expansion for continued well-being. Basically, look beyond your limitations. Christmas Tree – This represents an awakening of love power, spiritual birth, since all of the gifts were for you it would represent receiving of higher awareness. Red Decorations – This represents the life force, energy, passion; also anger, or uncontrolled emotions. The color red is the lowest vibration in our color spectrum. It may mean you need energy. Gold Decorations – This represents love, Christ light, demonstrating a great treasure lies within you. Lights – The wisdom of God; power, energy, the ability to see and understand, can also represent the Christ light within. Presents – This has a possible two meanings for me. One would represent a form of initiation, a pat on the back for a job well done. The other I feel more inclined to believe is that this represents Sherry in the dream in showing her how the situation is presenting itself to her in an effort to bring forth guidance to you. White Carpet – The color white represents truth, purity, the light of God, Christ light, protection, and guidance. The carpet demonstrates grounding, protection, stay centered and positive. Again I feel this in itself is showing Sherry how the dream is to unfold in its message to you. Throne – This represents a seat of power. I feel this

means you have the power within you to make a decision. The elevation of the throne above everyone else represents a need to connect with the Higher self for the answer. 6 Stairs – I feel this represents the direction in your life, moving forward. This could also represent the six years you have been with Jason. Red Velvet Runner – This would tie in with the same meanings for the color red and carpet; uncontrolled emotions and a need to stay centered. Hair/glitter – I feel this part of the dream is telling Sherry that the remainder of the dream is a message for you, focusing on the identity of you. Silver, Sparkly, Shirt – The shirt represents the possibility of lessons you are going through now are the same ones you have had before in a previous life. The color silver represents spiritual protection; light, truth, perhaps showing you the truth of the matter. Orange Vest/Hat – Again here the clothing would represent the lessons you are going through now are the same ones you have dealt with in a previous lifetime. The color orange represents a balance of peace and energy; a mixture of the colors, yellow and red, would demonstrate a blending of peace and love. Bob’s Family – This would demonstrate an integration of roles or different parts of self. Usually everyone portrayed is an aspect of you representing the different hats you wear within the situation. Giving the Presents to Janet – Going back to the meaning of the presents I mentioned earlier I feel this represents a form of initiation, a pat on the back for a job well done. I also feel here that each present given is representative of your Higher Self acknowledging the higher lesson. Bob Wearing the Suit – To me the suit represents a sense of professionalism, perhaps even the image or representation of a spirit guide, the guide’s role presenting itself in Bob’s image. Interesting that he wears a daisy as a boutonniere as the daisy is usually the ‘he loves me, he loves me not’ flower. Marriage Proposal – This represents the uniting The Paranormal Explorer 75

Guidance Dream Cont. of ideas, or parts of self. This often represents the blending of the intellectual and intuitive parts of self. You have a decision to make and are being encouraged to integrate both. Back Door – This represents the sub conscious mind and demonstrates an opportunity for selfdiscovery; and moving forward. Bright Light leading to the Entrance of Jason – I feel this is the integration of the conscious mind with the higher consciousness in how you see Jason. Interesting how Jason’s appearance ‘exposed’ himself, perhaps seeing him for who he really is. The exposed frontal parts (although blurred out) could represent that he is a ‘dick’, yet not wanting to accept this reality, and the exposed rear end, an ass. This could also mean that you need to stop and face the problem. (Also, remember, this is Sherry’s dream and therefore could represent her feelings about him). White Stallion – Again here the color white represents protection and guidance; the horse demonstrates freedom, power, sexual energy, and an expanded sense of self. Dung in Horse’s Tail – This symbolizes putting the past to good use, fertile growth. Make use of your past experiences and utilize them to assist you in moving forward. Grandmother’s Comment – “I really don’t like that man,” represents the older, wiser part of self. The Three Thought Bubbles – This represents the conscious mind reviewing the situation in an effort to assist you in your decision to move forward. Putting all of this together, by looking at each of the symbols both separately and collectively, I feel the dream is speaking to you through Sherry’s Higher Consciousness in an effort to assist you in making the decision to progress forward along your path and learn from your experiences. It could also represent your guides using Sherry to get the message to you. The character of Bob in the dream could serve two purposes; one as an aspect of you, representing the masculine side of self; and how you feel you should be treated, and the other in representation of the Higher Self presenting the situation; does Jason love you or not? The marriage proposal represents your need to utilize both your intellect and your intuition around the situation. The entrance of Jason in the dream represents how 76 The Paranormal Explorer

Guidance he is affecting your life situation at this time. For example, the grand entrance atop a white stallion representing perhaps the sexual energy between the two of you, and the further description of Jason could represent either Sherry’s feelings toward Jason, or your unconscious feelings that you are not yet willing to admit or see. And finally the thought bubbles in the dream are showing you that although you have enjoyed happy times with Jason, there is still the possibility that you will find love and be able to move forward although unwilling to rush into another relationship. The final thought bubbles are showing you how you really feel about the situation with Jason, however unwilling to possibly see the truth that lies before you; feeling unloved and hurt. The dream indeed demonstrates your need to learn from this experience with Jason, accept the lessons brought to you by this experience, and the need to move forward toward a more fulfilling life of happiness. There is life after Jason. Janet’s response to the dream analysis: Thank you so much for the analysis about this dream. Sherry’s dream took place last fall but this is all actually unfolding right now. I took a stand last week and ended the relationship with Jason. Some things just weren’t right. I love him so much and we’ve been down this road twice before. I still want him back and I believe that he will come back again. I’ve had a couple readings with you previously and in both of them you said that he will always come back. And last fall you added, “the question is how many times will I take him back.” I’m taking it one day at a time. I kind of had my own take on this dream... I looked at it as Jason coming back into my life when Bob would be proposing and I’d have a decision to make then?? But that’s why I wanted you to look at it. I have to tell you though, that the fact that Jason came riding in on a white horse (my favorite horse) and is only wearing chaps is a fantasy of mine. And only Jason and God knew about that one! There is a lot of sexual energy between Jason and I. So when Sherry came to me and told me about the dream I knew it was from God. I know Jason has “issues” he has to deal with because of past experiences, but he really is a loving, kind and gentle man. And I know that he loves me. That’s what makes this all so hard. I am moving on, one day at a time.

The Herbal Corner I am a big fan of herbs and their natural remedies that produce healthier benefits. I also use herbs for their metaphysical properties. I thought it would be fun to include an Herbal Corner in our magazine to share our favorite herbal use or natural remedies. Each month we will feature an herbal recipe for you to try and enjoy. If you would like to submit your favorite herbal remedy, you can send it to us at [email protected] with the subject of Herbal Remedy. Garlic Honey Immune Booster Garlic is not only used to flavor foods, but is also great for boosting the immune system. Raw honey is also medicinal, so when you put these two together you create a powerful remedy for many ailments. Garlic contains sulfur compounds which makes it antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer, especially against breast and skin tumors. It contains two oil-soluble elements that actually arrest and shrink the growth of tumors. Garlic also has the reputation of aiding the heart and cardiovascular system with its blood cleansing properties, and what’s more has antioxidant activity. The regular consumption of garlic will help to energize your whole body. Garlic has also been used successfully to assist with skin disorders such as acne, pimples and boils by rubbing them with raw garlic several times a

day. Raw natural honey is antibacterial and contains antioxidants that remove the free radicals from your body, resulting in improved immunity. Honey can be used for skin infections, as well as respiratory and intestinal problems. In addition the use of natural honey from your home state is beneficial in the alleviation of allergies known to a particular location. When you add a powerful healing herb like garlic to the medicinal benefactor of honey you increase their healing properties. Make garlic honey to take during the cold and flu season to fight off infections in the lungs and for a sore throat, or use it daily to help boost your immune system and energize your body. Taking a spoonful of garlic honey each day will keep you healthy and free of bacterial infections. Here is how to make a delicious garlic honey Fill a small wide-mouth canning jar about half full with garlic. You can leave the gloves whole or chop them up. Pour raw honey over the garlic and stir to mix them together. Then top it off with more raw honey and cap tightly. Let this mixture sit in a sunny place. Stir every day for about 6 weeks. The garlic will turn opaque and the honey will taste a bit strong. Store this concoction in your pantry. Honey will never spoil while sitting in your pantry because of its high sugar content. Fungus and bacteria cannot live in these conditions. Take by the teaspoonful several times a day for a sore throat and other infections, or take one teaspoon daily as an immune booster.


Guidance

Guidance

Belle Salisbury

Agony Aunt

Psychic Medium Experience the Connection Spiritual Messages, Insights, and Forecasts Spiritual Coach/Instructor Missing Persons Assistance An Extraordinary Psychic Radio Show Host:

2011 Esteemed Member of

Ask Our Intuitives Monday’s 7:00 PM EST Live with Belle Salisbury Friday’s 7:00 PM EST www.hvtalkradio.com 78 The Paranormal Explorer

www.bellesalisbury.com

A warm welcome to you all in this July issue of The Paranormal Explorer. Since the first issue I have been entrusted to answer a question from “Anonymous stepmum.” I hope my answer inspires more of you to write in with your questions, worries and problems. My spirit guide and I are at your service, ready and waiting! Please send in your questions to: [email protected] Problem from “Anonymous stepmum.” Dear Agony Aunt, My husband and I have been married for ten years and his littlest daughter, twenty three, is getting married. My husband and I are paying for half of the wedding and I am happy he is doing that. Here is my problem; I have not been invited to her wedding shower. Everyone in the family is going and I am deeply hurt. Now I do not want to go to the wedding at all with my husband. Should I go and swallow my pride for my husband? Am I being childish? I want to cry when I think she didn’t think enough of me to invite me to her wedding shower. What do you think she is thinking and why would she not invite me to her wedding shower? (Yes, I get along with his ex wife.) Anonymous step mum. Elaine’s answer: Dear Anonymous step mum, Thank you for sharing your problem with our readers. This is the answer my spirit guide inspired me to give you. This situation presents you with a dilemma. Go to the wedding and feel hurt, or don’t go to the wedding and still feel hurt. What needs to be understood is why has your step daughter hurt you in this way?

When you married your husband his littlest daughter was just thirteen. Teenagers are typically self absorbed and unable to rationalise emotions in an adult mature way. We all react to our life lessons differently. When we experience emotional pain the easiest option is avoidance. We brush the nasty stuff under the carpet in order to deal with it another day. That day only comes when we experience healing or are in a situation that jogs our memory. The blocked emotions are stored in our auras and can be seen by healers as dark shadows. This is often called auric mucous which stagnates and blocks the free flow of energy through the aura. When the block comes into our consciousness it returns us to the age we were when it was first stored away. The excitement of your step daughter’s impending marriage is bringing up the emotional blocks that she stored away ten years ago. She is reminded of the wedding between yourself and her dad. At that time she was thirteen and sensitive to all of the changes around her. Any remembered resentments, sadness, and confusion are from that time, not now. A ten year old memory is resurfacing for healing. She will continue to relate to this situation as a teenager until it has healed. As an adult woman she does not resent you. In fact she has more respect for you than you realise. She is confused by her own behaviour. Think back to how you felt emotionally at the time of your wedding to her father. Are any blocks resurfacing for you too? To heal this situation, imagine a cord of light connecting you both by your heart chakras. Infuse this cord with a rainbow of healing colour and send unconditional love towards her. This will encourage your relationship to strengthen. Any love you send will always return to you. Go to her wedding and enjoy the special day. Use this mantra; I give love, I receive love, I am love. In this issue I have included a short meditation to encourage unconditional love. I hope you find it helpful and healing. Blessings to you and your family. Elaine The Paranormal Explorer 79

Guidance

The Faulkner Tarot The modern black and white photographic deck Rhiannon Faulkner was widowed at the age of 36 and is mother to five young children. Her late husband Dave is pictured on many of the images on the deck, as are her children. She donates 10% of all profits to cancer charities and is in the process of setting up a sanctuary in Devon UK to offer support to other families in the same situation. You can see her teach how to read the tarot on Youtube on The Faulkner Tarot Deck Channel.

When you think of tarot readers, do you imagine an old woman with a scarf on her head, hooped earrings, and a scary looking pack of cards in front of her? Most people do. For years, the idea of having a tarot reading has quite frankly scared the living daylights out of a lot of us and going by some people’s experiences, quite rightly so. I am the author of The Faulkner Tarot Deck, and I want to show you that used in the correct manner, the tarot can be a modern form of counselling and a tool for self help in all situations in life. I created a modern photographic deck, using images of everyday life that we can all relate to, such as the stresses in the office, the happy moments in our love life, and even photos showing how we struggle with money. This deck is being used worldwide by new and experienced readers alike. Having removed the traditional scary images of swords being stabbed into the backs of people, kings and queens sitting on the strangest of thrones and the frightening images of people jumping for their lives from a burning tower, we can now see how these cards actually refer to situations in our normal lives. The tarot is a tool for you to receive messages from spirit. If you can’t yet hear or see your guides, this is a way that they can prompt you to say and see what advice they are trying to give you. Always let the pictures talk to you – I can give 7 or 8 readings in a row and the same cards come out, yet I am prompted by my guide, Brian to notice a different aspect of the photograph. 80 The Paranormal Explorer

Guidance This month, let’s look at the Magician Card. The meaning for this card is a golden opportunity. There is no negative side to this card, it tells us that an opportunity is about to smack us between the eyes. It always seems to come out of the blue! In a business reading, this card gets me jumping up and down with excitement! I know I will be happy with the outcome of this card. Look closely at the picture and you will see several options for you to take to the road to success. A boat, a path, a bridge that leads to the exciting unknown – this card is dynamic and promises an abundance of success, all we have to do is take the opportunity presented to us.

So now, let’s pretend a client has asked the question, “Will I ever have children?” What would your answer be if spirit gave you the magician card? Well, instantly, that excited feeling would hit me as always and my answer would be; Yes! The opportunity is coming, but we want to be more precise with our predictions and readings. So let’s pull another card to go next to it....

The High Priestess!! Wow! Now this changes everything! The meaning for this card is learning something new, relating to studies and education, however, it ALSO means the card of fertility. Now I am getting really excited as these two cards together are clearly telling us that there is an opportunity to get pregnant. Now, I’m wanting to give this woman even more proof and something to look forward to, so let’s pull one more card :)


Guidance

Guidance

Well, by now I would be jumping up and down on behalf of the client – the Ace of Cups not only means a celebration, a new chapter in romance, but the gypsy meaning for this one is …. BABY GIRL!

Well, the magician card is showing us that a golden opportunity is on its way – telling me instantly that this is a fantastic, do-able idea. The High Priestess says that the client has more to learn though. This isn’t bad; it is just indicating that they haven’t had experience in all aspects of running this kind of business. Looking at the high priestess now, she looks exciting, as if there is an adventure ahead into the unknown. The last card, the Ace of Cups, is now saying there will be a cause to celebrate – this business really is going to take off and our client is going to be very happy. So the straight answer to the person’s question is a definite, “Yes, you will be self employed”

So, as you can see, working the cards together when answering specific questions with the tarot, enables us to answer in a detailed way, as opposed to just using the first card spirit gives us in a reading. By the way, The Ace of Swords is the card that means baby boy. Reading the tarot should always be done with good intention. Remember, to be a professional and accurate reader, you need to work with love and light at all times. Light a candle, say a little prayer, and ask for true guidance from above before you start. I never use reverse meanings, remember the Faulkner Tarot is the modern non-scary way of bringing the tarot into the 21st century – so we only like to give positive guidance. Reverse meanings scare the living daylight out of people and we don’t want to do that. Yes, we can predict negative situations and times of hardship – but look at every situation in life from a positive view, giving hope and promise to people having a hard time. Even in the darkest moments of our lives there is always a way of rebuilding and starting again. Now, how would you interpret the same cards if they came up in answer to the question, “Will I be self employed?”

If you have any questions related to reading the tarot, or suggestions as to what you would like to see in this column next month, please contact Rhiannon at [email protected]

www.rhiannonfaulkner.com 82 The Paranormal Explorer


Guidance

Show Directory

Law of Attraction in the Present Economy By Charene Henderson As children of mother earth we live by two sets of laws, the laws of man and the laws of the universe. Time and again we have observed or experienced how the laws of man can change or bend. Universal laws work differently. Universal laws are precise, have no bias, and cannot be bent. What do these laws have to do with the present economy? The answer lies with our subconscious. How we respond to the circumstances this economy produces in our life activates how these laws work in our everyday lives. Like the laws of nature, our subconscious reacts according to the frequency of the vibrations we send out. Its job is to respond to what we request. The subconscious manifests our request under the guidelines of universal law. After experiencing major life changes such as personal loss, many people are not open to receiving the news that within them lies the root cause. In an economy recovering from challenge and change, no one really wants to hear that they’ve attracted the loss of a home, employment, or personal transportation. However, this is the way of life; it sends you lessons when you’re not ready to receive them. Our experiences are directly related to what we attract or repel in our lives. If you find yourself tackling some tough issues right now, you can be sure that the law of attracting and repelling is at work in your life. Universal laws are set in motion simply by our thoughts, words, and emotions. These three energy vibrations are seeds that set the stage for the type of experiences we attract. Holding negative thoughts eat at the soul formulating into negative emotions, planting seeds in our life that yield unwanted results. Who says you don’t get what you ask for in life! It’s 84 The Paranormal Explorer

a common practice for many to unknowingly sow negative seeds into their environment, planting the wrong seed but still expecting desired results. It’s also a common habit for many to allow others to sow seeds into their lives. Next time you or someone around you spews out the words, “Everything is so expensive,” watch what happens to your immediate environment. Believe it or not, these words are commands to your subconscious; resulting in everything you purchase always seeming expensive. The law of attraction is always under our control and not the other way around. It’s not an exclusive law; it works the same for everyone. The key is how we chose to respond to what we experience. We are not victims of our circumstances unless we choose to be. The universe does not determine which law plays out in our life, we do. Universal laws are set in motion by our commands. We give these commands through thought, emotion, and voice. All three of these contribute to the action of choice. In truth, change takes some adjustment. If you’ve recently experienced unexpected change due to the economy, take this time to revisit your dreams. In revisiting your dreams pull towards you the life you desire by practicing positive thinking, feeling, and speaking. Will this be easy to do in your present situation; maybe, maybe not. It’s all up to how you attract it to you. Start sowing positive seeds into your life to attract the life you desire. Charene Henderson and the Rescue Rangers OPES offers a hands-on approach to life-coaching by assisting others in the recognition of their inner gifts. www.rescuerangersopes.com The Paranormal Explorer 85

Paranormal Explorer Magazine - July Issue

Recommend Documents