Download pdf - Paranormal Explorer Magazine - October Issue

Written For The People By The People October 2011 3.00 UK/$4.95 USA

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The Paranormal Explorer Magazine

Born This WayThe Life of a REAL Vampire

THE EXPLORERS SPOTLIGHTMEET THE INVESTIGATION TEAM OF PARAVIZIONZThe Sound of Midnight A look at Gothic Horror Musicians,

MIDNIGHT SYNDICATE2012 - ANGELS, ALIENS, and NATURE SPIRITS, OH MY!The Paranormal Explorer 1

Editors Note

Hello again folks, I hope you have had a wonderful month since the last time I talked to you all. I, along with Belle, have launched the UKs first Paranormal Radio Network (in conjunction with Birmingham City Radio) called HCFM Paranormal Radio Network located at http://hcfmparanormalradionetwork.co.uk/. Our radio show, Haunted Cornwall FM, has gone back on the air and is going very well. If any of you have a radio show involved in the paranormal world, remember you can advertise it in our show directory in our magazine at a very affordable rate. The Paranormal Explorer now has its own radio show airing on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm BCT/2:00 pm EST where you can tune in and listen to Belle and I waffling on and interviewing our writers from the magazine. The link for that is www.hauntedcornwallfm.com. Click on the listen/chat tab to hear the show and chat with us. You can ask us any questions that spring to mind. We, as a magazine, have decided to sponsor Ghost Stories of South Australia for a competition they are running so be sure to stop by their fan page and tell them we sent you. Its a great page so stop in and say hi. http://www.facebook.com/ghoststoriesofsa And last but not least I would like to see a load of your Halloween photographs in our November issue. The best one will win a 3 month subscription and The Paranormal Explorer 2

their photo will be on our front cover of the magazine, so get snapping over the Halloween holiday. We will have plenty to share as the show is doing a 2 day event in Penzance. Again, I would like to say a special thanks to Belle and our family of people who work so hard to make this magazine the best available for you all. So until next month, have a great month, stay safe, and be honest on your investigations. Let us know your results. If you have some great pictures send them to us at [email protected].

John Forster

The Paranormal Explorer 3

Contents Paranormal10 16 Chambercombe Manor Investigation The Explorers Spotlight

Contents Spirituality62 2012 Part 1; Angels, Aliens, and Nature Spirits, Oh My! 68 Faith Vs. Knowing 70 Healing Around the World 72 Life and Us 76 How To Be The Change

12 The Paranormal Undercover 28 The Sound of Midnight

Paranormal Education34 Experiments with Orbs

Occult38 Obsessed with the Tool 44 Wickerman, Equinoxe, and Harvest Home 48 Born This Way 52 A Breakdown on Real Vampirism On Our Cover 16 The Explorers Spotlight 28 The Sound of Midnight 48 Born This Way 62 2012 Part 1: Angels, Aliens, and Nature Spirits, Oh My! 56 Donor Bill of Rights

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82 Tips, Tricks, and Tools of the Trade 86 Reincarnation, The Secret of Past Lives 88 Angelic Experiences

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Guidance90 Therapy Thoughts 92 Photograph Readings 94 In Your Dreams 96 Agony Aunt 98 The Faulkner Tarot 104 The Herbal Corner

Ufology58 UFOlogy Vs. the Media

Myths & LegendsMore Articles Coming Soon

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Horoscope106 October HoroscopeThe Paranormal Explorer 5




Dear Editor...Do you have a question for one of our column writers, or a comment to share about our magazine? You can submit your questions or comments on our Fan Page on Facebook, or email your questions or comments to us at [email protected].. We want to hear from you!

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF John Forster EDITOR Belle Salisbury WEBSITE www.theparanormalexplorer.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS www.theparanormalexplorer.co.uk/ subscriptions EMAIL [email protected] FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/paranormalexplorer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PARANORMAL Darryl Atherton Gina Wedlake Tara Perfetti Scott Haire PARANORMAL EDUCATION Ken Orbdog OCCULT SIN Jones Magister Belfazaar Ashantison UFOLOGY Martyn Hicks SPIRITUALITY Jessica Schab Nathan Martin Bryan Wright Mike Voyce Michele Hudson Charene Henderson GUIDANCE Kristen Leona Elaine Fessey Belle Salisbury Rhiannon Faulkner Christa Bouchie HOROSCOPE Jeanne Marie Douglas

I was really amazed with the photographs in the article Ghostly Images in last months issue. They were incredible and yet so creepy. We have certainly come a long way in our belief in the paranormal and that spirits do indeed show up in photographs. It doesnt require a professional photographer or any special camera to capture spirit images. You can find pictures all over the internet. Im sure many of them are photoshopped, but Im willing to bet there are more genuine spirits pictures than fakes. Great job on the article! Michael Parkson USA Your magazine is great and seems to cover so many different topics in the paranormal. Any chance that you can include an article that covers more about astral travel? Id really like to learn how to do that but Im just a litte nervous in trying it until I can learn more about it. I really trust your magazine and know that you only include the best in it. Thanks for publishing such a great collection of topics. Jade Gatsby USA Loved the story on crop circles! Have there been any found in the US? Gavin USA

www.theparanormalexplorer.co.uk/subscriptions



Haunted Cornwall FM Presents

Chambercombe Manor Investigation

By Darryl AthertonThe Paranormal Explorer 10 The Paranormal Explorer 11

ParanormalAugust 27, 2011Pre-Event & Walkround The HCFM Team had done some pre-investigation energy linking to the manor and the main points arising from this was the amount of rapid movement on the stairs leading up from the Kitchen, and strong female energies located in the Tudor Room. On the Walkround to view the rooms and place the trigger objects John demonstrated the reported events from the Chippendale Room,. When he lifted one of the drawer handles, at the same time the one on the opposite side of the unit copied this. A photograph was taken just after this and a large orb was detected in this area of the chest of drawers. The investigators were divided into 3 teams, led by Mark, Pygar and Darryl; John adopted a roving commission. Main Hall Both Mark and Darryls group reported the presence of a tall man who stood in the room between the window and cupboard. It was also reported by Allan that this man was around 76 tall. There were a number of reports from all groups of cold spots near the chairs by the fireplace. This was supported by a report of a woman walking toward the chair during the night, and on one photograph in particular there is a large orb on the furthest chair that suggests someone sitting in it. Also, there were reports of both a monk and a young girl with a straw doll in this room at times during the night. There were some good results from the Spirit Board in the Main Hall, and these confirmed details and dates given during an earlier vigil in the Kitchen. During the sessions with the board numerous cold spots and shivers were reported. Chapel Area In this area a Priest was seen and there were 2 independent reports of a strong smell of incense in here at different times during the night. This room had a very Catholic feel, and Darryl felt the need to kneel at the Altar when placing the trigger object in here. A wooden cross was placed in front of the altar, and there was some small sideways movement at the top of the cross. The phrase Peters Chess was picked up in this area. Kitchen The experiments set out in here were Table Tipping and Planchette. These were supported by a ball being placed on the small settle under the stairs. Photographic evidence appears to support some slight movement in the ball. Darryls Team made contact with a young boy named Daniel, who lives in the fireplace, and he was asked to tip the table, or rock the table. He successfully rocked and then tipped over the table using the energy of the 5 people on the table. Then with just 2 on the table, using just 2 fingertips each, one each hand, he walked the table 4 feet across the floor from the centre of the room towards the Chapel. Another table tipping exercise by Marks Team resulted in some tipping of the table. A number of things were reported across the groups in this room, including 2 lurcher type hunting dogs, a man and women, heads being touched and a sense of being watched. There was a suggestion that the dogs had been buried with the girl in the pond. Darryls Team also undertook a Planchette experiment here with a man named Clement, who had followed them down from the balcony above the kitchen. Clement has referred to Darryl as The Devil because he had taken his wife away that he was looking for, and identified Tina as his wife, Vivien, from a former life. During the work with the Planchette Clement drew the word GO, aimed at Darryl, then gave the date as 1846. He told us he was the Gilly for the estate, and drew several flowers that looked like large daisies; finally he drew the word LOVE.



ParanormalVictorian Room This room gave many people experiences, and most of these revolved around a dispute and duel between 2 men and a young servant girl. The most reported incidents in here were touches, cold spots, breezes, tight chests, being choked or strangled, and pains from wounds and injuries. The information collected from the vigils in this room told of a young servant girl, made pregnant by the son of the house. There was a resulting duel over this and the proposed dowry of marriage. The names of those involved were James, the son, Bess the servant girl, and her brother Richard, known as Roger. James fought a sword duel with Roger, who was killed from wounds sustained to his leg and right lung. Afterwards, Bess was attacked and kicked by James that caused her to lose the baby. During the vigil by Marks Team in here, Allan was channelling James and when Mark mentioned a particular event, Allan shouted at him and went to draw his sword. Other details from this room included the date 1706, connected to a blonde lady known as Beatrice, 2 people felt the sensation of being choked in the room. The cold spots and breezes were felt by those near the window, however, on checking there was nothing coming from outside, and these disappeared as quickly as they started. There was also a report by one of the investigators of feeling very warm on one side of her face. Pygar also described a Victor Meldrew type man who was in the room during their vigil. He was dressed like a chaplain in long black robe with a white surplice, and stood with his hand on his hips. The bedframe vibrating was felt by a number of the team. Tudor Room In here contact was made with a young girl named Elizabeth, who was encouraged to rock the crib. She also said the following: Mummy loves me, Who are you and have you brought presents. Two other women by the names of Mary and Katherine were also seen in this room, one of them being sat on the bed. When Allan reported this there was a dip in the bed clothes at the same time. She was still there during a later vigil; she seemed to be a nanny and was very upset over the death of a child. There was also a heavy set man who stood in the corner over by the chair, and when a photograph was taken, there was an orb in that location. During his teams vigil, Pygar was compelled to hug the right hand bed post as he needed this to hold him up. Allan was pushed by a big man, Ros touched when she was near the wall cupboard. Footsteps were clearly heard on the steps outside of the room. Chippendale Room This room was active all night and it mainly centred on a short lady, of no more than 40 years old. She was very ill, and a number of people reported a priest giving her the Last Rites. Feelings picked up around this were severe blood loss, severe stomach pains, and TB Illness. Lethargy was also reported in here. A great deal of sadness was also felt with this lady. Other details from the vigils here include a boy following Marks Team named Peter, and Pygar being asked what he was doing when putting the cameras in this area before the investigation began. There were a number of moving light shadows between this room and the room with the armour. Names picked up in this room were Katerin (Katherine), Oliver, and Henry in 1521. During the vigil by Darryls Team a man known as George was seen stood over by the dresser nearest to the window. He was dressed in a black velvet top and knee breeches, white knee length white socks, black shoes with a large silver buckle. Also, a couple of people, including Pygar, felt the need to sit on the window seat. Mark also picked up on a man who was very proud and he stood near the armour. There was a report that 2 soldiers had been beheaded close to the base of the staircase leading down from this area. After the event when reviewing the footage and photographs, one of the investigators, Becci, found a photograph taken at the end of the vigil, by Darryls Team, when she was the only one in the room that clearly shows a young womans face in the window, not Becci. Details of this photograph were shown in last months issue of the magazine. The Paranormal Explorer 15


The

EXPLORERS SPOTLIGHTBy Gina Wedlake

Welcome to the Explorer Spotlight! Each month we will review the Crme De La Crme of paranormal investigation teams from around the world! A special paranormal investigation team will be featured each month here, showcasing the groups members, talents, and unique investigational techniques. We are looking for the best teams out there, and if you would like your team to be considered for a monthly review, please email your teams name, location, group members, and why you should be chosen as the monthly feature. Please include your website, and brief information of your most interesting travels. Being that we are an online magazine, we have the advantage of making your interview interactive! We have the ability to add EVP, video, and photographs to your feature. So bear that in mind while composing your email, keeping it fresh, engaging, and different. We can only choose one group per month, so give us your best! Please email your consideration to: [email protected]

This Months featured team is ParaVizionz Paranormal. This group is a high level paranormal investigation and research team. Founded by Lee Allen in 2005, ParaVizionz is located in Ohio. The team serves Ohio, Indiana, and Northern Kentucky. The team has completed over 175 investigations from January 2008 to present. Today, ParaVizionz has 15 members, excluding Lee Allen and Co Founder, David Jones. Founder, Lee Allen, became interested in the paranormal after the death of his infant baby boy. His son had passed just 2 months and 2 weeks after birth. After his sons death, while leaving the home for a golfing trip, he heard something unusual coming from his sons nursery. It sounded like music and a voice, says Lee. He was curious and his body shook as he grabbed the doorknob tightly in his hands. His heart racing, he turned the knob and slowly pushed the door open looking for any signs of life. As the door inched forward, he still heard the music. Lee said, It was the mobile music,

Featuring the best in the field of Paranormal Investigation.From left to right, Dave Jones, Patrick DeHart, Patti Riegert, Deb Lantz, Kristin Mason, Nick Lantz, Jamie Wilson, Lee Allen, Garry Fox, and Jim Wilson The Paranormal Explorer 16 The Paranormal Explorer 17

Paranormalbut it was weird, because it played really slow, and I heard a babys voice. Confused and curious, he slowly forced himself to continue into the room. To his surprise, the little stuffed animals on the mobile were dangling and moving as if a child was reaching up to touch them, the music and voice had ceased. Lee was dumbfounded. There was nobody in that room! He says, I felt a presence in there, like a child. Lee slowly crept into the room looking for anything out of the ordinary. His mind raced as he slowly made his way into the room. He saw that the toys had been moved and the babys closet was open. He then knew at that point something was going on here, something that he could not see, yet something he knew in his heart was there. That day has never left me, states Lee. That day had changed Lees life forever, something frightening, yet more beautiful than anything else he has ever known. This first experience is what launched him into the world of paranormal investigating. In 2007, David Jones joined Lee as the Co Founder of ParaVizionz. Dave and Lee immediately clicked the day that they met. Lee was 3 years into the group at that time. The chance meeting happened at a meet and greet at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Both men happened to be there at the same time when The Ghost Hunters Team from SyFy were there filming a show. David, at that time, was with another small group. The guys chatted at length and they immediately had an instant bond; same ideas and visions for the future. The two soon joined forces and have been together ever since. They have since done some professional filming for various networks. Psychic/Medium, Deborah Lantz, had 15 years under her belt in the paranormal field when she joined the team 2 1/2 years ago. She is a well respected investigator and brings her knowledge and experience to the table. She has been psychic for as long as she can remember, I never labeled myself as a psychic, she says, because it was just normal for me. Deb uses her psychic abilities while on investigations and backs it up with EVP evidence. She may sense a spirit is in a room and may even get the persons name, or details about that person, and then later, upon EVP review, she finds some validation that her instincts were right. She uses a kinder approach to investigating and is against taunting and terrorizing the spirits. Deborah states proudly, I never sacrifice my integrity by taunting the spirits. She believes spirits are people just like us; they should be treated as such. She also does psychic detective work on the side. Her high spiritual side shined through, says Lee, and that is when I knew I had to have her on my team. We had a Spiritual bond. When asked about their most memorable investigation, Deb and Lee paused. They both said, Well there have been so many! They chatted amongst themselves for a few seconds. I heard the name Waverly in their whispery voices and they went back and forth. Then it got quiet.Ok, says Lee, we have two that are really good, but the most exciting investigation was at the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky. Knowing the history of Waverly, I anxiously asked them to elaborate on that investigation. What they told me about the investigation left me thinking about Waverly Hills for days The team set up their equipment to get ready for the nightly investigation. Arriving at dusk, Marge, a Waverly caretaker, pulled slowly up the driveway and swung the gate open. Once inside the Waverly grounds, strangely, she was unable to restart her car, and oddly enough, some of the member of the team had car issues that day as well. That was really weird! says Lee, Her car wouldnt start and then we had some car issues of our own, it was just really strange! Once the team had settled in and was beginning their investigation they decided to look around a bit. The group said they remember hearing voices desperately crying out for help, as well as various high pitched screams as if the souls were being tortured. It didnt surprise the team that the source of these cries were coming from the fourth floor, the surgery room. The team used their high tech equipment as well as some self invented gear exclusive to their group to monitor the activity and was able to verify the voices.



ParanormalAs the night went on, Dave and Lee decided to change their pace. They decide to pull off their gear and go back to the 5th floor, the floor of a little child that likes to play ball. They dressed up in clown suits to amuse the child and headed in to play. Their time was spent playing marbles and dolls. Dave and Lee had a wind chime hanging by room 502 and right in front of the door they had a camera. The group was able to get EVP during their session. Later that night, things began to take a turn. One of the members was scratched by an unseen force. Lee says, It was like a big tornado coming and we had to get the hell out of its way! The activity could have been caused by what some of the team members decided to do as an experiment. Lee and Dave had brought the necessary costumes and props to do a reenactment of a doctor and nurse treating a patient. Once dressed in costumes, Lee was in his wheelchair playing the part of an ill patient, and then their grand performance began. The Doctor, played by Dave, frantically yelled for help up and down the darkly lit halls, pacing back and forth. He called for the nurse to check the patients vitals. Lee began to cough and wheeze and gasp for air, and he appeared almost dead as he slumped over in his chair. They began to wheel the patient down the dark and dingy hallway. They were heading to the 4th floor- the surgery room. Once in the surgery room the patient began to scream in terror and pain. The doctor and nurse continued on with the procedure, despite the patients desperate cries for help; like many times in the past, nobody came. Lee states, Once we entered the hallway to the 4th floor, something changed. It felt thick; it went from just spiritually charged to stifling and heavy, really thick. The teams emotions rose and fell from a good feeling and then full panic set in. Some were sick at their stomachs and nauseated; others had to go outside to vomit. Suddenly, Lee got a message from Marge on his phone. She and Deb were outside of the upper floor and overheard the reenactment. Marge became frantic and put in a call to Lee, she said, Lee you might not want to do that! You dont know what youre getting yourself into! (What was it that Marge knew about this place? Had others done the same experiment, and did it go wrong? Her fear for the teams safety went a lot further than just the normal day to day paranormal activity. What did she know?) In retrospect Lee says, Maybe we shouldnt have done that. Paranormal investigating is about trying different things, so it is always a learning experience. After the investigation ended, the team felt physically, spiritually, and emotionally exhausted. Each member went their separate way. There was no communication between the team for days. Lee states, Every investigator took home a residual energy, had texting blackouts, coughing, and just emotionally drained. A few days later, Lee contacted Deb. He asked her to help him get rid of the bad energy that seemed to burrow deep down in his soul. This wasnt just a typical one day post investigation energy drain. This went much deeper than they had ever thought possible. I have never experienced this type of feeling or energy drain after an investigation, this was something else! Lee began to pray and literally vomited up emotion and energy deep from within his body. Deb had him burn white candles. She concocted a special bathing herb for Lee to use. This would remove the bad energy from within him. It worked, and soon Lee was back to normal. It felt like I was in sunshine! says Lee. Today, ParaVizionz remains very active within their area. They are well respected in their community and are members of their historical society since 2008. In the summer, the team volunteers doing ghost walks in Bellbrook, Ohio, benefiting the society. In turn, they are allowed access to the most haunted off limits historical locations. They have also created ParaVizionz Paranormal Alliance, an umbrella in which other groups fall under. Everyone works together to help each other by teaching, learning and assisting. ParaVizionz will be hosting some exciting events to celebrate Halloween this year. They invite you to join them for Bellbrook Lockdown, October 28-30th, for some fun daily activities and nightly

Scratches received during the investigation.

investigations! There will be celebrities, and TV film crews will there on location! For more information, you can visit their web site at: ParaVizionz: http://www.paravizionz. com/

Something just touched my back! Click on image to view the video.



Paranormal

Victoria Theatre, Dayton, OhioThe EVP you hear was captured in this majestic theatre. If you listen you can clearly hear Walk Quiet.



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Paranormaling their proof. So this month, I bring you a story that I hope you will share with me the humor as we expose a complete fraud in our field! ones in the house and then things really started to get bad. I remember one night I was sleeping and felt like someone was lying on top of me but when I woke up there was no one there. When I looked up at the ceiling I saw this really big black blob moving across the ceiling. I had asked her at this point to tell me about the blob. Well, it was like solid and all black and it moved real slowly. You know like that movie The Blob. I didnt realize until it was too late but I did actually giggle out loud at that point, and she looked at me oddly then continued. Anyways, Brian says that he never felt anything and that he never saw anything in the bedroom, just the pictures and water and stuff like that. I kept swearing that I wasnt crazy and these things were happening to me! I couldnt believe that he didnt believe me. It got worse, I woke a lot to find scratches all over my body, and then there was one time it felt like someone I couldnt see was having sex with me. I am fairly certain that if it is possible to have your jaw literally sitting on the table, mine likely was at this point. Did I really hear what I had just heard? Did she seriously just accuse a spirit of rape? I asked her if she felt as though it was a rape and she replied, It absolutely was! I kept saying no, stop and it wouldnt listen to me! I asked her where Brian was and she stated he had duty that night and then proceeded to tell me I wasnt on my birth control and I was really scared! I literally bit my own tongue to the point of pain so I did not laugh in Karyanns face. I have heard some whoppers but rape and pregnancy? Ok then. So I tell her, This is just standard procedure and I hope you dont mind, but I have some questions to ask you if you could answer to the best of your ability for me that would be great! I asked her if she had any known diagnosis of any psychological issues (expressing that skeptics would claim this, because they indeed do!) and she said no. I asked if she knew the history of the home and she stated it was just built last year and was military housing and that was all she knew. I asked her if she thought there was any way possible she felt as though she could explain any of these happenings and she stated absolutely not and finished with So, do you think if you print this we could be on one of those television shows like The Haunted or Ghost Hunters? I would really like to meet Grant! with a huge Cheshire cat grin on her face.

The Paranormal UndercoverBy Tara PerfettiBirth Control You Say?From the start of this column I have brought you stories that are believed to be true. Of course we can never claim anything is 100% factual in this field, as you know, but they had enough substantial foundation to say with comfort these things happened. I put an offer out across the web, across where I live, and with places I go and people I see regularly to write in and tell me about their personal paranormal experiences so that we can chat about them and determine if they should be published in our magazine. Let me tell you that is one hell of a door I opened. You guys should read some of the stuff I get, or hear some of the things I hear! It is unreal! Now I will tell you that I take a special interest in things that I can pretty well come to the conclusion of honesty to share with my readers. I take special care if I feel the person sharing a story may have some psychological issues going on, as I am completely against exploiting anyone for that, but when it comes to flat out lies, and lies you know damn well are lies, I am thinking that it is about time us paranormal investigators and enthusiast alike start exposing these frauds for what they are! Mean you say? Perhaps however, it is these people that are giving people like us a bad name across the world. They are the ones that cause people to look at you like youre crazy when you bring it up. The skeptics true pot of gold is in backThe Paranormal Explorer 24

About 3 weeks ago I was out talking to some people. It was a rather large group and the topic of ghost hunters came up. Yup, the Television show. Anyway, I proceeded to explain that I do this on a regular basis and personally refer to it as investigating and not hunting. I continued to explain about our magazine and the column I write about. In the midst of this conversation Karyann approached me and told me that she had an experience, and how she thought it is soooo cool that I am writing for a magazine. She stated she would give anything to be able to see her name in one, or on television. Immediately my little spidey senses went off; an eyebrow raised. We agreed to meet at Dennys to talk about her story. Two weeks later I met Karyann at the Dennys as we had planned. When she sat down I could not help but notice that she is one of the giggliest grown adults I had ever met. We ordered our coffee and food then I asked her to share her story with me. Here is the story that she related to me in her own words as I sat and wrote it down. Well, I was living in this two story house about 3 years ago with my fianc at the time. When we moved in, it was supposed to be temporary because my fianc was going to be transferred with the Army a year later. After we got all settled in we started to notice some really strange things going on. Oh and by the way, his name is Brian. Karyann, can you explain to me with some detail what you saw or felt going on that you considered strange? I had asked her. Well, like pictures would be crooked or just clear upside down, even after we would fix them. The water in the kitchen sink would turn on and as soon as we walked towards the faucet it would shut off. We could hear people walking around upstairs event though we knew that we were the only

Image Yidneth www.yidneth.deviantart.com 25 The Paranormal Explorer

ParanormalI explained that was not likely and we finished up and I headed home. I definitely needed some time to let all this sink in and then thought I would go and try to research as much information as I could about the property. I could not find much on Karyann seeing as HIPPA would throw a fit if I tried to find anything on her. I found nothing. Not one scrap of negative claims on the property, one owner previously, and yes owned by the military. I can honestly tell you of all the things I have seen, heard, or gotten in at this point, this was certainly the worst of them. Anyone with common sense can sit here and read this and realize this chick saw an opportunity to get her name out there and perhaps be on television one day. Sorry folks, we love our magazine and think its the best but it most certainly does not work that way. We are not scripting you and mailing them off to the major network stations. Although now that I think about it that is certainly a movie that has not been done yet. I can see it now, Paranormal Impregnation. I am sure it will be Hollywoods next big hit. The moral of this story is that if you are going to be dumb enough to lie about anything paranormal with the amount of interest, investigators, books, television shows, and internet( AKA: INFORMATION) available to us live humans then at least have enough sense to make it somewhat believable. It is people like this that have the label of crazy slapped on believers. It is people like this that make fools of us all. Help me put a stop to the defamation that is projected upon us in the paranormal world by exposing your local idiots with me! Together we can put a dent in stopping the garbage that spews from peoples mouths under the guise of paranormal. I think I should start a Guild for the exposure of morons within our community! What should I name it? Know someone like this? Write to me and tell me about it! By the waywould that be a baby ghost, a baby that can see ghost, or a half blood.Curious minds would like to know. Until next time Explorers. Wishing you much Love and Light ((PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU ARE WRITING IN, I WILL NOT PUBLISH ANYTHING ON ANYONE THAT HAS ANY KIND OF MENTAL OR PHYSICAL DISORDERS THAT COULD ALTER THEIR MIND. TO US IT MAY SEEM LIKE A LIE OR IGNORANCE BUT IT IS VERY, VERY REAL TO THEM! EXPOSING A FOOL IS ONE THING, EXPOSING AN ILL PERSON IS ANOTHER AND WRONG ON MANY LEVELS. THIS STORY IS A CLEAR INDICATION OF A HEALTHY MINDED PERSON LOOKING FOR THEIR 5 MINUTES IN THE LIMELIGHT KARYANN HERE YOU GO, THE LIGHTS ALL YOURS BABE!))



Paranormals another All Hallows Eve creeps into our minds eye and the little zombies, ghouls and goblins prepare themselves for another round of trick or treat; there is a force that begins to darken my heart and soul with gothic melodies and imagery. Their gothic-inspired soundtracks can take your mind to places only fools dare trespass; from the haunted house of Haverghast to the asylum where the Gates of Delirium will always open for one more guest. Maybe the carnival is a little more your speed, Im sure the experience on the carousel will be a heart-stopping unforgettable one for you if you live to tell about it.

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s darkness falls and Halloween parties and attractions start in earnest I guarantee you somewhere along the way you will hear the duo I am speaking of; if you know them, well then I bid hello to the Legions of the Night, but if you dont, let me have the honor to introduce you to the duo of Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka collectively known as ...

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Midnight SyndicateFallen Grandeur from their CD The 13th Hour 2005The Paranormal Explorer 28 The Paranormal Explorer 29

Paranormal

The Sound of MidnightA look at gothic horror muscians, Midnight SyndicateBy Scott HaireMidnight Syndicates formation began in the mid1990s with an idea Edward Douglas had to form a band that would create soundtracks to imaginary films. After releasing the self-titled debut CD in 1997 (which was more of a solo project for Douglas), Edward sought out a writing partner for the 2nd Midnight Syndicate disc. Enter long time friend Gavin Goszka, I wanted another musical mind and a writing partner going forward after that first disc, said Edward in a phone interview I had with he and Gavin last month. I saw a lot of common ground between us. Gavin stated as he reflected back on the meeting of the two minds, and it wasnt long until the duo brought their creative minds together successfully and created a monster the likes they didnt even comprehend as of yet. The first steps to the trademark Midnight Syndicate sound came with the July 1997 release of Midnight Syndicate. The album saw many styles of music from rap to new age, but it was the darker tracks that set the tone for their September 1998 follow-up. Born of the Night was released in time for Halloween that year and established their trademark sound and concept. The duo became an instant success and realized they may be on the verge of something special, We did a trade show in Chicago and were getting a lot of great feedback about the CD. Gavin commented. With the reaction and success of Born of the Night the band knew that the bar had to be raised even higher in future projects and Ed and Gavin wouldnt fail on this challenge. After the bands 2000 release Realm of Shadows came, in this writers mind, two of the best examples of what Midnight Syndicate are about, the The Paranormal Explorer 30 2001 release Gates of Delirium and in 2005 The 13th Hour These two works take you through the . story of the Haverghast family; first Gates takes you through the vast and intimidating Haverghast Asylum where the patients of the present and the past wait to welcome you to your new home. The 2005 release The 13th Hour continues the tour as you, through the music, explore the dark and desolate corners of the doctors old Victorian Mansion in the mist with an equally sinister past. The 13th Hour is the most successful release for the duo and it became the first album in history to receive both The Origins Award and the ENnie Award for Best Game Accessory the industries two highest possible to receive. The band has also tapped into the worlds of gaming and film, in 2003 the group collaborated on the industrys first soundtrack to the classic Dungeons and Dragons role playing game, they also have licensed their work for other online games and various X-Box video games like Baldurs Gate 2 The band has also had the opportu. nity to align with Universal Studios in the creation of the music for Halloween Horror Nights XVIII, and developed the soundtrack for Robert Kurtzmans (Producer of From Dusk till Dawn) film, The Rage . In 1995 with a budget $2000 Ed Douglas directed, scored, and produced his first movie titled The Dead Matter. The movie tells the story of a girl named Gretchen whose ambition to reunite with her dead brother finds her exploring the realms of the undead and the world of the vampires. Eds goal was to remake the movie someday with an actual budget. In 2010, Ed was able to realize that dream when he teamed with movie producers Robert Kurtzman and Gary Jones (Xena, Her-

cules) and formed Midnight Syndicate Films. The 2010 the remake of The Dead Matter is a major motion picture starring Andrew Divoff (Lost), Jason Carter (Babylon 5), and Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead, Friday the 13th). The band performed the soundtrack to the film and released a second CD of music inspired by the film entitled The Dead Matter: Cemetery Gates (released in 2008). The film has been well received by many in the media and by fans alike, and has also won many awards as well including Best Film and Best Director (Edward Douglas) at Nashvilles 2011 Full Moon Horror Fest and Best Soundtrack by the indie-movie award team at the Golden Cobs. The film is currently being played in many festivals around the world, and looks to be a fan favorite for many years to come. In the same year the duo performed together for the first time on camera in their first music video for a song entitled Dark Legacy from the Cemetery Gates album. It was the first time Ed and Gavin had performed live and as the characters seen in the liner notes of albums like Gates of Delirium and The 13th Hour, when I asked them what the inspiration was for the characters I was amazed at the response. Good question Scott we have actually never been asked about that before. Ed stated laughing. The characters are a part of us, he continued, an amalgamation of our interests and things that inspire us. The band

also released a second music video produced by 529 Studios for the song Lost off the The Dead Matter: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack I . asked about the inspiration of the Lost video as it took a different turn from the previous concept used in Dark Legacy 529 (Studios) came up with . the entire concept for that video and produced it, Gavin stated, we really enjoyed how they worked in the Midnight Syndicate references throughout the video and tied things together with the Dark Legacy video at the end. I asked the guys if there are any future videos in store for the fans; Ed Douglas stated, We would like to do one for the new CD. More on the new CD to come soon. In 2010, the band gave a new feel to their music with a six-song EP entitled The Dark Masquerade. In it, vocalist Destini Beard takes tracks the band had previously released and transforms them through the addition of new vocal tracks which she performs. One of the most popular titles off the CD is a dance remix of Troubled Times from the Dungeons and Dragons CD that Destini chose to make her title track. We had a great time working with Destini on that CD and the feedback on it has been tremendous Gavin stated. I asked the guys if that meant a new album with Destini,Its already underway, said Douglas. Destini will be releasing a full-length CD in mid-2012. We just heard some of the early tracks and its sounding great! Ed and Gavin also have side projects they have worked on for many years. In addition to Eds The Dead Matter film, Gavin has several other music projects that he has produced. Parlormuse, one of his projects, revisits the music of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Parlormuses first release titled Its Not the Coat Makes the Gentleman features popular music from that era with modern day arrangements. Parlormuses second release, A Day for the Feast takes other songs from the Victorian era and recreates them with historically-accurate interpretations. Gavin also has a love of Japanese anime music and released an inspired CD titled Kaleidoscope in 2010. The Paranormal Explorer 31

ParanormalI asked Gavin if we may ever see a gothic Japanese anime Midnight Syndicate project. These are two separate worlds and I dont know where there would be commonality out there for the two, Gavin said laughing. To be fair he did feel inspired when I said it could give us the chance to see Ed in an Anime outfit not unlike the characters they take on with M.S. so you never know folks. , With 2011 comes the latest Midnight Syndicate creation as Ed and Gavin give us Carnival Arcane which could be the best title to date. Carnival Arcane takes you on a visit to the Lancaster-Rigby Carnival where you learn quickly that not all is happy and joyous within the company of these visitors. The album pushes the Midnight Syndicate sound to new heights also with the introduction of new instruments and their now 14 years experience in the genre aiding as well. We were really able to study the old carnival attractions and sideshows and I think it really helped when we went to arrange the music. stated Gavin. The group also called on many to do voiceover work for the album to help with the atmosphere, Jason Carter, Brian Van Camp and Dennis Carter Jr. from The Dead Matter Movie left their mark on raising the bar for the bands projects. Listening to the CD does let you enter a world in your mind which will at times make you sit straight up in your chair, but the interesting thing always with their CDs is although there is the suspense, you can also have a beneficial escape from the real world for a while which is what I love about the music. Oh and a bit of advice, if you are reading this and dont particularly like clowns, dont listen to Track 17 on the CD if you want to sleep again. The guys wanted me to make sure I talked

Paranormalabout the fans of the band as they mean the entire world to them. Dubbed by the two as their Legions of the Night the group is very , aware that they wouldnt be as far as they are without the Syndicate support around the world. The group, as a thank you, started a Legions fan page on their site, www.legionsofthenight.com, so their supporters have a place to showcase their works and talents. The other thing they stated to me as we were talking was how they like to let the listener create their own world as they listen to the music. We love to let our fans create their own worlds around the tracks on the CD, I think it enhances the whole listening process a great deal for them, stated Edward Douglas. Midnight Syndicate info, Music and The Dead Matter movie can be found and purchased at their website www.midnightsyndicate. com; you can also give them a shout out on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter as well. Their music can be purchased through amazon. com along with many other retail sites, and if you wish, they can be found for purchase on ITunes and ITunes Europe. You can also find them on YouTube if you want to get a taste of their gothic genius before diving into the deep end of the madness. Just remember when the urge this Halloween finds you to delving into the depths of the darkness, remember to look to the Clock tower when Midnight Beckons. Beware though when you do my friends, there may be no way back when the sun rises next MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!Scott is the Director of the Central Connecticut Paranormal Society (CCPS) in Connecticut (USA); if you have any comments about any past writings drop me an e-mail at [email protected]

Freakshow from the CD Carnival Arcane 2011 The Paranormal Explorer 32 Images Midnight Syndicate The Paranormal Explorer 33

Paranormal Education

Ken

Orbdog

presents

His Experiments with

Orbs

The large black mass is the main power grid and cloaks itself from sight very much like a curtain drawn and opened for a few seconds and various times. These large black objects may send other orbs to split off and gather (steal) energy from other nearby orbs like clashes. This may explain why in some photos where lots of orbs are seen that some will have holes in them. The energy mainly consists of positive energy as it searches for more to take back to the main power grid. When in visual contact with these objects they appear much larger than the regular orbs. Some can be as large as a small car, they can have wings, or have an oblong shape; and then there are the smaller ones that look narrow and long. In a video there was this black object observed to hover for a few short seconds and within that time frame it had changed its shape many times like it was breathing. So what can they be? At this point in time there isnt much known about them as they are very hard to detect as they evade the cameras ir (only slightly visible if watching closely). It may be absorbing any light like a black hole in space. They can be captured in photos but hard to see unless one lightens up the photo until it is visible. They can leave ectoplasm (orbplasm) trails behind as energy spent. I have observed one that cast a shadow during an evening when the moon was bright. It parked right beside me and the air where it hovered was cooler. So theoretically I am leaning towards shadow people on these objects. By not being able to see these investigators rely on instruments and temperature changes. These black objects, I suspect, are the ones responsible for the temperature changes. There is the real possibility these same objects can mimic footsteps, voices, and other noises such as doors or drawers opening and closing. What isnt clear is if these same objects can actually touch, poke, and other physical means. I wouldnt exclude it yet. From personal experience I feel there is a connection to the black objects and the sounds that can be heard and the EVP sounds we dont hear, as well as the physical sensations. So what are they? Anyones guess! I was thinking more on the terms of these bleeding through the dimensions as they only appeared occasionally every other cycle.

There appears to be another black object that may be plume like objects. I suspect these carry hundreds of orbs like a bus and this may be cloaked in. These are the ones I believe leave the ectoplasm. Capturing this one in photos may explain why there are lots of orbs all of a sudden (in warmer temperatures) for no reasonable explanation. However in cooler temperatures this mesh like surface is visible just as the flash strikes this object and ectoplasm (orbplasm) can be produced as if it were to turn into a vapor and surprisingly you have a display of an image varying from animals to people, creatures, past lives etc. So as we move forward on learning more about the black orbs and objects we can only work with the pieces we have for the puzzle. My perception on orbs; these are not the orbs that people think are airborne particles. They are not real in real time but they are there from another dimension. Over the years I have seen orbs pass through solid objects like the objects did not exist and yet these very solid objects are in real time, so are orbs in real time? No, they cant be and yet in real time they can cast a reflection in the mirror showing that they were in fact there. Confusing? Yes... and the intelligence of these objects and their demonstrations were caught in real time and were they there in real time like a dust ball is in real time and in our dimensions. Orbs come in many colors and sizes, colors havent been fully determined what they mean but size can be from the maturity it is, like the stages of advancement as it gathers energy to grow, much like children into adults and then more advancing stages into more cloaking and capabilities like the sounds and EVPs possible as the energy gets more powerful, then finally the ghost? That hasnt been proven yet but it is in my sights and not far away. I have many videos on orbs that blink. My idea is that is when they are in a mode of recollecting energy as they are moving very slow or it could be their way of trying to conserve it, thinking at the same time and listening in on what is happening around them. Orbs may be the eyes and ears to a much larger black mass that can be seen briefly and is very clever on hiding. Or is it our equipment that fails to expose them The Paranormal Explorer 35

Black Orbs and Mass Objects


Paranormal EducationThese objects are the main energy for the EVPs and other occurrences. This model would have to cloak the colored orbs from sight and released as needed to collect each of the items needed and that may explain why in one instant there are tons of orbs and then a second later none to be seen. These occurrences can fool you into believing they look like particles in the air, but then how do particles vanish so fast? As for the ectoplasm (orbplasm) caught in photographs, how can it appear out of nowhere? This is the spent energy of orbs as a pre-drawn display of its character or memory. This is done faster than our real time because orbs and ectoplasm are not in real time, but became present time.

Sometimes objects just hang around longer...

Same ecto caught twice in about 1/3 of a second

Next month we will continue our study on orbs to better understand what or rather who they are. Can orbs really communicate with us? And if so, what are they here to tell us?



Occult

A Discussion of Satanism By SIN Jones

Obsessed With the Tool

What is an Obsession? OBSESSION n. 1. Compulsive, disturbing preoccupation with a fixed idea or an unwanted feeling or emotion, often accompanied by symptoms of anxiety. 2. A compulsive, often unreasonable idea or emotion. Examples of OBSESSION 1. He was fascinated by the actress and tracking her every move had become an obsession. 2. She has an obsession about cleanli ness. 3. Her concern about cleanliness ap proaches the level of obsession. 4. Money has become an obsession f or him. [Source: Websters Dictionary] Linguistically speaking, the English Obsession, is a derivative of the Latin obsessionem[1], in the Latin context it meant to besiege, occupy and sit opposite to. By the mid-fifteenth century, the term was meant to convey a torment in the context of unknown forces (such as spirits), and by the end of the century was synonymous with possession. The Paranormal Explorer 38 Considering the amount of time and energy lent to these futile disputes, Satanists seem to be obsessed with Satan. It begs to question what Satan represents to each Satanist which uses it, and so you get caught up in the circle-jerk trying to understand the obsession. Dont misunderstand; I am not immune to such obsessions. I have been discussing this subject for the better part of two decades in an Internet environment alone. Perspective discussions are useful in understanding how others conceive use and what it does for them, to contrast and compare to your own. that to be the case. Thus, there is also an obsession to categorize Satanists into factions or identifiers. For example, if a particular Satanist believes in external forces such as deity or magic(k) - they are most likely to be labeled a Theistic Satanist. If a Satanist believes in deity, but not magic, they are labeled a Spiritual Satanist. If there is no belief in magic, deity, or similar concepts this is classified as a Satanic Atheist Materialist (or Modern Satanist), or if adherence to a specific philosophy such as that codified by Anton Szandor LaVey, simply LaVeyan Satanist (Philosophical) even if LaVey did not write explicitly about Atheism. And this is just the tip of the iceberg! I dont believe in absolutist language, I engage others and encourage them to do their own research, and extrapolate their own meaning. anything. Otherwise, it is meaningless. Im going to take a hard position on this, and say - it most certainly can mean anything and still be Satanism. At the center, is Satan, a symbolic representation to paint allegorical schemata in the mind. The -ism, implies a practice. It is through Satan, that the individual can establish what those practices are. More recently, I have been using Satanity[2] . The -ity, implies a quality, or a set of attributes. This is specifically what makes my Satanism unique to me but will include the pre-established attributes of Satan as a symbol as well as include many of my own. Satan shares some common attributes among Satanists, reliant upon the resources they draw from (some examples): Adversary Advocate Logician Hedonist Litigator Protagonist Self concerned Libertine Antagonist Activist Humanist Socially Apt

It occurs to me that when conveying ideas in written format, they can get confused by the readers personal perception and interpretation of tone, thus the message can often get lost. It is for that reason that I use various mediums to express my internal perspective of various topics.

Satan is very specificIs it? If so what? This topic is at the very center of this obsession. Its a myriad of things, and highly personalized by the individual using it; Specific things; group specific, or individual specific?

Satanism cant mean anythingThe What is Satanism? debate continues on with a new generation of Satanists. The finger pointers, the adherents to strict dogma, and those trapped in a framework continue to issue out absolute statements such as: Satanism cant mean

It has been my personal observation that self-styled Satanists, are obsessed with owning the language of Satan. You may have observed this yourself; hundreds of discussions are occurring right now at this moment, hashing out what is and isnt Satan, Satanic, Satanity, and Satanism. This obsession has become a disease of the mind.

Satanism is a very specific set of practicesThis implies that all Satanists practice the same thing. Do they? I dont find

It is through these attributes that the -ism, is applied. There is no need for any


Occult

specific doctrine, unless its the doctrine that is written by the Satanist himself. For instance, in my own Satanism, I am socially active in terms of investigating the world I am a part of, but sharing my conclusions with others in social media. The seeking of truth, can present a side to an issue that someone may not have considered for themselves. By sharing my insights, it may provoke people to be more active in their own investigative work, thereby making better decisions, which will affect my sphere of reality. Thus, it is self-serving, in all cases. Is social activism exclusively a Satanic practice? No, any person can be active. However, it is the driving force for that activism that associates it with Satan. I am making the correlation and expressing it; thus Satan is a form of expression. Whether the expression is intended to be literal or symbolic, when Satan is expressed, it is the beginning of a chain reaction: Cause and Effect.

Right Hand Path/Left Hand Path - two sides of the same roadIn this case, having self-concern is considered Left Handed while having concern for others is Right Handed. There is no purely altruistic act, thus even the belief that there is an exclusive RHP thought process can be traced back to self concern. The perceived clear and dividing lines between LHP and RHP can be blurred with reasoning. The most widely embraced is that the LHP represents power and autonomy while the RHP represents slavery and servitude. Some might argue that Satanism is the act of self worship that makes it exclusively Satanic, thereby making the worship of external gods un-Satanic. I see no literal difference between self-worship and Theism. The auto-deist sees himself as god; the theist projects himself as god. I am but one Satanist, I am not solipsist to believe that my personal definitions and usage should be

imposed upon all, although they can be an imposing and influential force one may be up against. I am out there, I have my own ideas and I practice what I preach. The adherence to a strict dogma or paradigm does not a Satanist make. Oh? This statement always makes me giggle. This is the dividing factor, herding sheep to the pack. And the pack is ready to slaughter such easy prey. Most Satanic Philosophies address achieving godhood by being autonomous. Being autonomous is not following a guide, guru, or becoming caught-up in a cult of personality. The use of sheep and wolves is symbolic language in use by Satanists. It implies that Sheep are stupid, follow shepherds, and find safety in numbers; while the Wolf is smarter, and can stand on its own. This dichotomy is flawed if you examine both animal species more closely. Its simply data-design to lead ideas. Take a look around at any social group of Satanists. All the archetypes are present and accounted for, especially the adherence to strict

dogma and/or axiomatic patterns of behavior.

What would LaVey do?

termine his own Satanity as well as put his Satanism to work for him. If a Satanist finds himself involved in a group effort, he should reflect on what it is he is creating for himself. It is in that schemata that Satanism is given meaning. I often ask myself if Anton LaVey were alive today if he would laugh himself to death over the current state of Satanism today.

ing[3], it gets its name from using the hammer to mimic a shoveling move, and its wrapped in a sweater like a glove to soften the blow should you smack yourself with it or scrape surfaces swinging it around like a gladiator. The workout is fun, effective, and employs a tool in a weird way!

Anton LaVey did not write about following what he did. All of his works served as a manifesto to shake people up so they could realize that they too can make their way, to point out how they have been living, and how they could be living. However, you see Satanists doing exactly that, playing follow the leader. Why? Why would they seek to follow a pioneer? Observed results? The need for a leader? A source of inspiration? Cult of personality? Community building? Only the Satanist himself can de-

Why is the Satanist defending his tool?Many fight tooth and nail to tell others they cant use the term Satan anyway they so choose. Lets compare Satan to a practical tool such as a shovel. The shovel sits in the tool shed until you employ it to work. A shovel can be used in many ways, not simply to shovel. It can scrape, cut, smack, hammer, be used as a simple lever, and even a weapon. Does it make it any less a shovel? I practice a form of exercise which uses a sledge-hammer as a freeweight. It is called shovel-glov-

It is by no coincidence that the Weirding-way is in use in the Dune Series written by Frank Herbert. The Bene Gesserit order developed physical and psychological training tools which were later in use by the Freman combat techniques lead by MuadDibs Jihad. If you havent read the books, I encourage you to watch the 1980s film. I think it captured the foundations of the Weirding



Occult

Way well enough for the viewing audience to understand (not having read the novels)[4]. The way is Weird in that the mind and body are used in what would be unconventional ways in the absence of training.

The weird way of SatanA Satanist can hold the Prince of Darkness as the model for his personal initiation. A Satanist may strive to remove all mental and physical boundaries that prohibit his growth as an individual. [5] This cannot be universally true for all Satanists. There is plenty of evidence to support that Satanists are not all working with the same tools for the same reasons, nor do they have a common goal. There may be a common thread which is shared, but the idiom hanging by a thread seems appropriate here.

Tantra, each person slips in and out of an aggressive and passive mode. Instinctively we know when to be Shatki, and when to be Shiva. It is when people are pigeon-holed to ONLY be Shatki or Shiva that it becomes problematic, sociologically speaking. Then, we must consider that some authoritative work described Satan to be aggressive, thus it has this attribute commonly described by Satanists. When you do not share the common view and have attached your own attributes to it (based on your own understanding), you not only stand out, but if you stand up - the group must oppose you to justify their adherence to group think. What disease man is plagued with, a TOOL dictates mans nature? Man makes his tools and employs them [7]. It is when man becomes obsessed with his tools, that he becomes compulsive and unreasonable. SIN JONES www.the-poison-apple.com

Satan belongs to us allI believe, much like the energy flow inMovie poster credit: Universal City Studios, Inc. - 1984

[1] Etymology Dictionary: Obsessed [2] Nagasiva Yronwode http://www.luckymojo.com/nagasiva.html [3] Shovel-gloving workout: http://shovelglove.com/ [4] Dune used in conceptual modeling, CoraSahn http://cultofcthulhu.wall.fm/ blogs/166 [5]User:Nyarlathotep, member of The Cult of Cthulhu http://www.cultofcthulhu.net [6] I maintain an open discussion entitled: Satanism: For Dummies, on a social networking site called PaganSpace. Feel free to visit the site, and comment: Link [http:// www.paganspace.net/forum/ topics/satanism-for-dummies] The topic includes some recommendations for conducting your own research, to include a list of keywords for searching the Internet, or book titles. [7] I do not negate what man deems sacred. I realize my use of language and concept modeling can demystify the holy in use by others. What I call a tool, you may call your god. I make no apologies for doing so, even gods are tools.



Occult

Wickerman, Equinoxe, and Harvest Home

Greetings to all readers, as we pass into the darker half of the year, and Autumn begins its Magick of colour change in woodlands, fields, and hedgerows, and the wheel creaks ever closer towards Samhain, and renewal again. Sandwiched between Lughnassadh, or Lammas as your preference, and Samhain, falls the wonder of Equinoxe; the balance of dark and light and one of the arms of the solar Cross of the ancients. A powerful time for workings and enjoyment of the wheels turn; a time when strange light effects can be found in the places of the Old Ones, if you search diligently, and have great patience. In the part of the Uk where I live, harvest comes late, well after Lughnassadh, the Grain is still being harvested, and the fruits of the forest; hedgerow, orchard and garden coincide with this part of the cycle of life, death, and renewal. Gathering the last Stook, or Neck of Wheat or Barley, from a friendly farmers field to form a Heart for a special sacrificial figure is one of the years tasks. The forming of the figure falls to the Males of the Coven, the Ladies placing their offerings and knots of intent within the last stuffing of the figure with Straw, ready for the eve of Equinoxe, or Mabon. Let me explain a little for those who do not know of the sacrifice undertaken by some traditions of Witchcraft the creation, and burning of the Wickerman. Long ago, Julius Caesar, wrote of the Wicker man, along with Lucan, the roman writer of record, and speaks of the druids forming a man like figure woven,

containing animals and humans which were then killed by the act of lighting with fire, reducing all the enclosed and captive offerings to ashes. Legend says that those humans chosen for incarceration in the Wicker man were psychopaths and lawbreakers that the Celtic tribes who accepted and allowed such an act to happen could not condone, or control, so they gave the druids the problem to deal with. I am sure that many have seen both the original film in which Christopher Lee, Edward Woodward, and Britt Eckland star in, set in a remote Scottish Island, and culminating with the sacrifice of the character Woodward played, together with assorted animals, and the newer version. Each year we create, using Hazel coppicing, Goat Willow, and Honeysuckle Vine, a Wickerman who is made with great care. Woven

over many days, the last Stook of Grain is carefully placed within the chest cavity forming the heart together with offerings of fruit from our gardens and nearby places, the whole being finally stuffed tight with straw before being taken to a private place for the sacrifice to be made of the old God of the passing years Spirit of fertility to allow the new gods coming as the Starchild at winter Solstice. The burning of the figure coincides with our entry over into the dark half of the year proper as the scales tip the balance from the lighter half of the years final warming rays to the frosts of autumn and winter proper. The Wickerman, being formed from the Greenwood and placed in situ, is surrounded by a symbol relevant to our Coven at this particular time. Last years was the Great Glyph of the Sidhe. This year the symbol is the Pentagram The Paranormal Explorer 45


Occult

inner meaning of John Barleycorn, the need for thanksgiving and the Hag of Winters arrival. This years event is very much a private one. No Public will have access to our chosen site and Ritual Circle, and after gathering, only pictures for the memories of the Coven members will be taken last years was a rare event, and one that may never be undertaken by us again with the eyes of the uninitiated seeing the Gods passing, so I hope that the pictures taken and made available for your view here are enjoyed. If you also celebrate in this way, I hope that your individual form of sacrifice and ritual is a powerful and reverent one. Until next time, enjoy the coming Samhain, and may the ancestors bless your lives. Magister.

made from sawdust and soaked with a fuel igniter. The High Priestess, when all are assembled and the Invocation given, commands the Priest Archer, chosen by lot for this years occasion to release a Fire arrow from a traditional handmade Longbow of English Yew, bringing forth the Goddess of death to collect her own harvest of the Spirit of the passing God. With great care and reverence, the Fire arrow strikes the Wickermans heart, and thus the last Stook of Grain. As the flames begin to burn, the Spirit is conveyed back to its origin, to return and bring fertility to the lands next year. The Paranormal Explorer 46

Rarely seen in Public, last years burning was, by needs must, undertaken at a place we could comfortably use without fear of fire risk, and word had got around that Wickermans demise was coming. A great crowd attended and we had some surprise, when pictures were taken of the event, to find in the smoke of the fire, a Childs face, appearing on the pictures, clearly, and mysteriously perhaps the renewed Gods Spirit arriving as the Old passed over. Ill let you draw your own conclusions. You will perhaps find in the book by Gwyn, Light from the Shadows, more information as to the relevance of sacrifice, and the The Paranormal Explorer 47

Occult

BORN THIS WAYTraveling through a sea of Black and Gold (I do live in New Orleans and am a Saints fan from WAY back), I could not figure out how I wanted to begin something of this nature. I was asked to write about my personal form of vampirism and how I came to the realization that I am, indeed, a vampire. So ... I guess I will begin with telling my story in my own way

The Life of A Real Vampiren everyones life a mystery begins to unfold once they become aware of themselves as a singular being and not a we that belongs to the family. For most people, this begins about the time that they become sexually aware, during that awkward time known as puberty. For me, however, this period began with the knowledge that I was different. I was an outsider even among my VERY close knit family. I heard it every time I was around this particular portion of my family. Referred to as delicate natured and special during the nicer comments and Dianas boy during more cruel times. Not my fathers son; my mothers child by those members of my VERY close knit family that held me at arms length from the rest. Ive added this, not as a condemnation of my family whom I deeply love, but to set the scene for you, dear reader, to help you understand just how early MY awareness of my own individuality, my own singular nature, occurred. In the course of self awareness comes self discovery. In my personal self discovery, I learned that I had a penchant for knowing things were going to happen, for seeing someone was sick and for an array of friends I, in my youth, called the gray ones. Later, with time and development, I learned

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By Belfazaar Ashantisonthat these gray ones were the dead. I was encouraged in this self discovery by two important people in my life. Their philosophy was simple. If I was different than the other children in the family and knew and saw things, then I had been gifted with a family trait that was slowly fading away. Self awareness and discovery led me to another tidbit guaranteed to set me FURTHER apart from my family. Something that, combined with my burgeoning homosexuality, would forever set me apart from my VERY Christian close knit family. As a child, I was always sickly. Every cold, flu and sniffle that others caught and rebounded from a few days later, I would keep for weeks at a time. Seemingly, to me and others, as if I never got rid of the ailments completely. I hated it and loathed myself for it, which manifested itself in the form of a foul temper to my healthy cousins. At the age of 11 this exploded into a fight with another family member on a Sunday School Bus. This family member, being stronger and healthier than my delicate self, easily pinned my arms to my side, the whole time laughing at me and making fun of me. I reacted instinctively. I reared my

head back and bit him. I bit deep and as hard as I could in my fit of anger, ripping through his clothes and flesh. I felt something warm, and tasted a metallic tang at the back of my throat and swallowed deeply. Sparks flew behind my closed eyes and the world almost literally shifted for me. I felt stronger Felt energized For the first time that I could EVER recall, I truly felt GOOD. A woman, who called herself Ashanti Whitemantle observed the whole interaction between me and this family member. She approached my mother and after a few hours of very steady and patient talking to, my then flustered and frustrated mother was allowed to take me under her The Paranormal Explorer 49


OccultVampirism is a physiological condition wherein the afflicted persons body does not either produce enough, or none at all, of the essential energies to maintain a proper balance of physical, mental and emotional well-being and must, therefore, turn to outside sources to attain these energies. These sources range from blood to psychic energy to empathic energy to elemental energy to the ambient negative energy present every day to eclectic mixes of any of the above mentioned sources.wing. *Boy does THAT take on new meaning in MY life!* In private, Ashanti began to teach me of my other nature; my bestial nature. She explained, very succinctly, that I was like herA vampire. Ashanti explained this without so much as batting an eyelash. My thoughts on this newfound information werent, Right lady Tell me ANOTHER one! No. Having been self aware for so long, my thoughts went straight to, GREAT!!! ANOTHER thing to make me an outsider to my own family! What sets the vampire apart from others is their NEED for this energy. What sets the vampire apart from magickal people is the TYPE of energy raised and the end result of the energy that has been raised In a magickal ceremony, the energy raised is focused through ritual, tools and the sheer force of will to affect a specific desired outcome. In a vampire, the energy we draw in and consume is used to build up our own wellbeing. Whether that is physical, mental or emotional (or a combination of the three) depends on the individual vampire. care of and they are NOT going to be pushed to donate should they not feel up to it. THEY are my primary concern DESPITE the fact that I need to feed. Through my years of self discovery and understanding of self, Ive learned to not only accept those differences about me, but revel in them as well. I am a Voodoo practitioner (Vodouisan) and a vampire. My connection to the dead is unique in that I am a child of the Ghede Spirits of Voodoo. Papa Ghede calls me Ti Ghede when he makes his presence known by way of riding a horse. My Spirituality and my vampirism are two separate entities in the fact that they are merely facets of that which makes up the whole and like many facets they augment each other but are not necessarily connected. Theyve augmented each other in the fact that I can now truly hone in on that which I need in the form of energy both for my magickal workings and during my feeding But, other than this, they do not meet. Along with the other Elders of active Houses in the New Orleans area, Ive founded an organization called the New Orleans Vampire Association (NOVA). We are a non-profit organization working on humanitarian issues within our New Orleans community. One of our primary/ultimate goals is to establish a homeless shelter catering primarily to gay/lesbian/ pagan peoples. Our shelter will offer a two-fold concept. We will not only provide overnight stay facilities, but for those people who are truly trying to make a better life for themselves, we will also provide transitional housing to help them achieve a rental history so that they can move into an apartment or house when the time comes. Each of the Big 3 Holidays (Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas) we offer free food to the hungry and homeless in Jackson Square. This is a project which I personally started the Thanksgiving AFTER Hurricane Katrina changed the lives of those, myself included, who were unable to evacuate for whatever reasons. This project started off as just me bringing food that I cooked to the Square. It has blossomed into a project that EACH active House in the New Orleans Vampire Association has donated to and participated in. We may be vampires, but we understand, accept, and work towards healing our WHOLE community. This in and of itself, sets us apart from even members of our own world-wide community, but we were NOT the first to do humanitarian aids and we will NOT be the last. Vampire communities around the globe are reaching out to help heal their own global communities (in this sense, global communities include every aspect of a local community that comes into contact with the vampire community). The Paranormal Explorer 51

I am what one would term a sanguine vampire. My energy Ashanti, along with my dead Great is derived from the ingesting of blood. To acquire this blood, I rely Grandfather, taught me that we were part of nature and had been on Donors, people who FREELY and KNOWINGLY give of their life all along. This combined with a essence to sate my need. My story that my Great Grandfather Donors are screened for blood had taught me as a child, caused borne illnesses (because vampirthings to click into place for me. ism is NOT like the myths and legends) and treated with the I guess right about now, I should utmost respect. Unlike many sandefine what vampirism is from guine vampires, I utilize a clean a vampires perspective by using technique and not a sterile techthe definition accepted by my nique because I prefer it. Not for own Vampiric House, the House of Mystic Echoes and the New Or- any other reason. I stress wound leans Vampire Association. Please, care, a lot, for my Donors to prevent the wounds from becoming dear reader, not every vampire infected. My Donors KNOW that uses the following definition they are going to be well taken The Paranormal Explorer 50

Occultampirism is a physiological condition wherein the afflicted persons body does not either produce enough, or none at all, of the essential energies to maintain a proper balance of physical, mental and emotional well-being and must, therefore, turn to outside sources to attain these energies. These sources range from blood to psychic energy to empathic energy to elemental energy to the ambient negative energy present every day to eclectic mixes of any of the above sources. This working definition of vampirism obviously does not take into account that ALL life on the face of the planet REACTS with the energies of ALL life on the planet. What separates the vampire from the everyday man or woman is their NEED for the energies garnered from outside sources because of the vampires own lacking ability to manufacture these basic essential energies. NEED, in this case is not defined by the desire one feels for something as simple as an object, but being defined as a condition requiring relief; anything that is necessary but is lacking; the physiological feature that arouses an organism to action In a vampire, there exists the need to draw in and consume energies around them The necessary element that is lacking from them is the biological means to produce these basic essential energies on their own. In magick, for example, most practitioners can raise the energies themselves for many of their workings. However, should you require more energy; you would simply pull in more likeminded members looking to do the same sort of working. You focus the energies THROUGH your bodies to manifest the will. You are not the end result of the energies you garner and focus. A vampire IS the end result of the energies they garner. Not protection. Not prosperity. Not a new home or shiny sports car or better girl/ boyfriend. The energies we garner are merely to bolster our own lacking or non-existent basic essential energies which everyone needs to do such menial tasks as get out of bed, get dressed, shower, go to work/school or deal with any of the other myriad of daily tasks which occupy our lives. A great many people ask, almost on a daily basis, why cant we pull the energies from such sources The Paranormal Explorer 52

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as fire, water, plants or the air. Pull it from the universe itself. Because it is simply NOT the right kind of energy. Thats like asking a newborn baby to eat a T-bone steak and a baked potato. It is, simply put, not the right kind of energy at all.

TYPES OF FEEDING* Sanguinary- The most widely known, but also the most misunderstood of all the feeding types. Being falsely dubbed psy-vamps on training wheels or some other such nonsense, this is, of course, a blood feeder, a person who can pull their much needed energies directly from a physical source. * Psychic- This type of vampire must feed on the ambient energies given off by all living entities, yet others, feed through direct link. They must have this link in order to draw in their much needed energies. * Pranic- This type of vampire, though touchbased and physical, like the sanguinary when attaining the energies they need, derive their much needed energies from all of the dense prana energies given off by the body, including sexual contact. The difference between the Pranic and Sanguinary vampire is that a true sanguinary only draws their energies from the blood. * Elemental- Most feed on the elements of fire, water and wind, due to the difficulty most have when attempting to feed from the prime elements of the Earth. They can tap into the para-elementals of plant-life (IE trees, grass, bushes and house plants), but for some reason dirt, rocks and gemstones elude them. * Empathic- This feeder pulls their much needed energies from the emotional energies given off. Most of this ambient emotional energy, however, some, as with psychic feeders, must establish a link in order to do this. * Negative- Most of these vampires feed on the already prevalent negative energies that are present each and every day. They hold an innate ability within themselves to flip this energy to a positive feeding for them. However, there are negative feeders out there that will create very negative situations in order to feed. These beings have been dubbed by many within the community as psychic leeches due The Paranormal Explorer 53

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Defining the finer details of Vampirism

Occultto their obvious hazardous nature. * Eclectic- These vampires have awakened with the need for multiple sources of energy to maintain their already precarious balance of energies. This distinctive nature gives them some obvious advantages, like the capability of drawing energies from many sources instead of being locked into just one and having to adapt to others. The drawback to this is that sooner or later, if they not do not maintain a semblance of balance in these feeds, they too will feel the same side effects any other vampire would feel not feeding. * Adaptive- These vampires, through necessity, such as a lack of donors for a sanguine vampire, have adapted to other feedings in order to attain there much needed energies. However, there is a slight drawback. Adaptive feeders must return to their primary feed. The primary feed implies the source of energy that was needed when the vampire first awakened... Every few years or so, someone comes along and changes the standard accepted vocabulary for reasons that range from finding nuances to the vampiric condition to just wanting to not sound so plane to wanting to sound better than everyone else to whatever happens to be going through their mind at that particular moment. Ive stopped with the accepted terms for vampirism in the early to mid 1990s for the benefit of this writing.

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS OF VAMPIRISMhe misconceptions of vampirism have become so widespread due to the popularization of fictional vampires, such as Dracula and Lestat, and the steady dogma pushed upon society as a whole by Catholicism and Judeo/Christians alike. This perpetuation of myth and misconception by religious forces has done nothing but create an air of fear and suspicion, to which psychologists and psychiatrists have added to this stating that persons are not suffering from vampirism but some sort of dementia or psychosis. Some of the more common misconceptions surrounding vampirism are: Severe/deadly reaction to silver, severe/deadly reaction to garlic, adverse reactions to holy objects/holy ground/holy water, people of faith cause pain and/or suffering, sunlight is lethal, Cain is the father of all vampires, Lilith is the mother of all vampires, and vampires must either sleep in coffins or possess earth from their homelands in order to rest. Another continually misguided misconception is that any vampire who is a practicing pagan of any path will only cause groups they are associated with to lose power. This is a fallacy derived from not knowing the extent of the vampires condition and what that particular vampire requires to build up their diminished essential energies. All too often, covens and practitioner groupings will drive a vampire away, when in fact, the vampire was the very person they needed to gain the energies needed for a particular spell working. Not every party you go to will have a vampire draining the life out of the party This can be a number of things besides vampires, including an unwanted ex boy/girlfriend showing up or an untrained empathic person going through a really hard time shows up. Dont just jump to the easiest conclusion Generally, the easiest answer is the wrong one. There are organizations out there that are trying to combat these misconceptions (and others), yet I caution all who read this, that there are those that are

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COMMON FACTORShere are some common factors (perhaps falsely) labeled as symptoms. These symptoms, as with many other physical conditions, mimic a variety of other physical conditions. The key to remember here is that a vampire NEEDS the energies he or she is drawing upon to maintain their physical, mental and emotional balance. These symptoms include but are not limited to Migraines, photosensitivity, obsessive/compulsive behavior, depression and mood swings. There also seems to be an underlying psychic ability to hone in on their specific energies needed to maintain their precarious balance. The Paranormal Explorer 54

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fully immersed in these misconceptions and perpetuate the myths. There are like minded organizations trying to combat these myths and misconceptions, so I thought I would list a few of them here. They are the Vampyre Society, House Kheperu, Sanguinarius.org and the House of Mystic Echoes. There are others, but these are those that I have had personal dealings with and know you, in your search, will find answers to your questions. Well, this ends Vampirism 101, I hope that you have found this writing informative and suggest that you check out each of the groups listed above. For more information on them, I suggest you go to... Vampyre Society http://www.vampyresociety.org/ Sanguinarius.org http://www.sanguinarius.org/ House of Mystic Echoes http://groups.myspace.com/ houseofmysticechoes Written By: Belfazaar Ashantison Original piece written for the Vampire Church Newszine May 2003 www.vampyresociety.org The Paranormal Explorer 55

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This Bill of Rights is to promote the continued safety of the most precious of gifts to us, their life essence. It is suggested that this be signed by both the vampire and the donor on a 30/60/90 day trial basis. After this, the contract can be resigned for an extended period of time which can be either the 30/60/90/ or 6 months to 1 year. At the end of these contracts, discussions can be made as to whether or not changes should be done. What will be allowed and what will not be allowed.

As a donor, I know that it is through my personal sacrifice that the vampires needs are met. It is my loving nature that allows this relationship to continue. It is my right to decline to feed the vampire for any reason. As a donor to a vampiric being, it is my right to know that I am in a vampiric/ donor relationship that will be mutually beneficial to both me and the vampire I am donating my life essence to.

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I am the essence provider. It is for me to decide whether or not I am able to give of my essence to the vampire I am with. I must be allotted time to heal and regain my essence in order to better support my vampiric partner.

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back away from the feed, without being or feeling threatened by my vampiric partner. Should I feel threatened in any way, shape or form, I have the right to seek guidance and council from other donors and leaders of the vampire community. As a donor to a vampiric individual, I have the right to know that my position as lover, friend, family, roommate should not be jeopardized by my not wanting to give of my

essence. In the slang, it should not cost me my ass to be a donor. As a donor, I should also respect the needs of the vampire and try to learn more about his/her feeding habits in order to help stabilize his/her imbalances in energy.

in this Bill of Rights should also be extended to the vampire I am donating too. Ultimately it is my right to know that I will be safe in all aspects of the vampiric/ donor relationship and should I ever feel that my safety is jeopardized, I have the right to walk away clear and free. Ultimately, it is our (both the donor and the vampire) responsibility to insure that we are not abused. It is our (both the donor and the vampire)

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personal responsibility to leave a vampire/donor relat