Elementals

Elementals (aka nature spirits) are beings and spirits associated with nature. Elemental aren’t like ghosts they never knew life as we know it, as they originate from another realm of existence.

Every society taught that there were spirits associated with everything that grows on the planet. There are many different names for elementals in the west we refer to them as faeries and elves, other names are nature spirits and devas.

Elementals are mother earth’s children. They are many sided as nature herself, coming in all forms and sizes. Elementals like to get our attention; one way of doing this is moving things on us. Something has just flat out disappeared and now all of a sudden is back where you thought it was is an indication of an elemental.

Elementals energy is usually strong, inducing altered states of consciousness and even triggering an adrenal response in the body. They have intense energy and are usually misinterpreted as something evil.

For some reason it is easier for us to believe in ghosts than it is to believe in elementals. Ghosts have a connection with us, they were once living. Elementals on the other hand never were living as we do.

Every plant, rock and animal has a spirit. These spirits can join together to create a spirit of the area. Elementals are considered more ethereal than spiritual; they can choose to be visible or invisible as they please.

The elemental kingdom- the four basic elements are fire, air, earth and water. Within each element lives a spirit unique to the element.

Fire

Salamanders are the spirits of fire; they are considered the strongest and most powerful of the elementals. Their ruler is the Djinn those who have seen them say they are terrible but magnificent in appearance. Like all elementals they can be mischievous at times. They are like children and don’t fully understand the results of their actions. The salamander’s job is to create fire and found everywhere that holds a flame.

Air

Sylphs are the spirits of air; they have the highest vibratory rate of the four. Their ruler is Paralda who lives on the highest mountain on earth. They travel in the wind and are kindly towards humans. They are usually seen with wings, looking like cherubs or faeries, but they are not faeries. They are associated with the mental aspect; one of their jobs is to help humans receive inspiration.

Earth

Gnomes are the spirits of earth, the younger brethren of the animal, vegetable, and mineral world. They can often be found in houses and gardens where there is a happy and loving atmosphere. They often befriend children or take on guardianship of homes for their own delight.

Water

Undines are the spirits of water; they are able to control the course and function of water. They exist in water itself and cannot be seen with the physical eye. Their ruler is Necksa, undines love, serve, and honor her unceasingly. They are very emotional beings and are very friendly and helpful to human beings. The undines work with the liquid of plants, animals and humans. They are present everywhere containing water.

Mike Morris

Chupacabra

The Chupacabra is a reptile-like being. It has leathery or scaly greenish-gray skin, with a row of sharp spines reaching from its neck to the base of the tail. It stands three to four foot high and hops similarly to a kangaroo. It has a dog or panther link nose and face, a forked tongue with large fangs. It screeches when alarmed and has a strong sulfuric scent to it. When the Chupacabra screeches its eyes glow red and makes the witness overcome by nausea.

Another description is a strange breed of wild dog, mostly hairless and has a pronounced spinal ridge and eye sockets, fangs and claws.

The first reported attacks were in March 1995 in Puerto Rico. It was reported that eight sheep were killed and had three puncture wounds to the chest. They were all completely drained of their blood. A few months later in August, it was reported that 150 farm animals and pets were attacked and killed in the town of Canovanas.

In 1975 there were similar killings in the town of Moca. These killing were attributed to the vampire of Moca. Animals had been killed and their bodies bled dry through small circular incisions.

The Chupacabra has been sighted in America, Russia, Philippines, Chile, Mexico and others.

There have been many photos of an animal that is thought to be a Chupacabra. A lot of these photos have come from Texas. In July 2010, Hood County, TX animal control officers shot what was reported to be a Chupacabra. Texas A&M University scientists conducted test and indentified the animals as a coyote-dog hybrid with mange and internal parasites.

October 2010 University of Michigan biologist Barry O’Connor said that all of the Chupacabra’s reported were coyotes infected with a parasite Sarcoptes Scabiei, symptoms which explain the features of the Chupacabra. The coyotes would have little hair, thickened skin, and a foul odor. Animals with the parasite would be greatly weakened and would prefer to attack farm animals because they are easier prey than wild animals.

In 2010 Benjamin Radford revealed that Madelyne Tolentino, the original eyewitness, had described a creature she had recently seen in the film Species as the Chupacabra. Radford believes the popular image of the Chupacabra, one appearing on thousands of books, magazines and websites is in fact based on a science fiction film and seriously undermines the credibility of the Chupacabra as a real animal.

Mike Morris

Orbs

What is an orb? It is a type of an anomaly, a ball of light.

Being a paranormal investigator I have seen my share of orb photos. Most of which I captured myself and others that showed me and wanted to know if it is a ghost. There are many things that are completely natural that cause this effect on cameras. Some of them are dust, moisture, reflections, pollen, bugs, dirty camera lens, rain, and snow.

Then there are the orb photos that are just hard to explain, motion. While doing an investigation in Gettysburg, I took a photo right after something tugged on my jacket. What I capture was an arcing orb. I would consider this to be of paranormal nature. Do I think that orb was a ghost? No, I don’t think any orb is a ghost. I believe it to be energy, something a spirit could use to help communicate with us.

So how do we determine if an orb is paranormal? I only consider orbs as evidence if something else was detected at the same time the photo was taken. Examples may be EMF spike, temperature change, someone being touched, and voices are heard just to name a few.

Now consider you’re in an old building, cemetery, or an old road. You walking around taking photos, you’re kicking up dust as you walk around. Also most folks go spirit hunting at night usually in the warm months of the year. There is a ton of moisture in the air on summer nights; chances are you will capture orbs and lots of them. 

Orb classifications

Class 1-Supernatural

Anomalies that can NOT be explained, instruments were used to gather physical readings or measurements. Photos should show readings and instruments being used if possible.

Class 2-Psychic

Anomalies that are seen, sensed, or heard. Examples would be seeing or feeling a presence, cold spots, scents, and or voices. Photos should show anomalies as the event is occurring.

Class 3-Natural

Anomalies that can be explained. Examples would be reflection, lens flare, dust, rain, snow, fog, breath, insects, pollen, etc. Photos should be disregarded as paranormal.

Orbs have their place in the paranormal field, but we first must make sure it is a real orb.

Mike Morris

Electromagnetic Fields EMF

Electromagnetic fields are present everywhere and are natural or man-made. Electric fields are created by voltage, the higher the voltage the stronger the field. Magnetic fields are created when the current is moving. The greater the current, the stronger the magnetic field.

Natural sources of electromagnetic fields:

Electric fields are produced by local build up of electric charges in the atmosphere associated with thunderstorms.

A magnetic field is what makes the needle in a compass point to the north. It is also used by birds and fish for navigation.

The power to your house is man-made electromagnetic field. An electric field exists as soon as you plug in an appliance into an outlet. When you turn that appliance on you now have created a magnetic field. Both electric and magnetic fields exist in the home. The two are closely tied together and are called electromagnetic fields.

EMF does affect the human body; some folks are more sensitive than others.

How does EMF related to the paranormal.

It is believed that spirit use EMF to manifest an apparition or to manipulate objects. It’s like a power source to the spirit, a spirit needs energy to do things and EMF is readily available in all homes.

The fear cage, a fear cage is EMF that is very high in a concentrated area. Some people get feelings of being watched when near a fear cage. They can also get sick and some claim they can even hallucinate.

EMF is spirit fuel, when I see high EMF in a residence or building I don’t see a fear cage at first. I see a charging system for a spirit to use. Just because there is high EMF we can’t assume the client is sensitive to it. Sure there is a possibility they are and a thorough investigation would help determine what is going on.

Mike Morris

The Ghost Box

Many moons ago a man named Thomas Edison was rumored to be working on a device that could enable us to talk to the dead. There historians that say this is untrue, Thomas Edison didn’t believe in the afterlife.

Present day there is a device termed the ghost box, the first box invented was called the franks box in the 1990’s. Frank Sumption got the idea for the ghost box from a popular electronics magazine; he was also experimenting with EVPmaker software by Stefan Bion.

Frank designed a box that took random voltage to create raw audio from an am tuner, then amplified and sent through an echo chamber, and then recorded. The box would create audio bits and white noise that spirits could use to manipulate into words and phrases.

Then it was discovered that you could take a radio shack am/fm radio and modify it to sweep the channels much like a franks box. The ghost box was born; you didn’t need to be an electrician to make one. A simple modification was all that was needed to have your very own ghost box. Search you tube for ghost box hacks to find models and how to make one, as there are many models available.

What makes the ghost box special? The ghost box allows for two way communication, you can talk to spirits in real time much like using a walkie talkie.

The box is not hard to use but it takes a little while to adjust to hear what is being said. When the ghost box scans through the channels you will get bits of audio and blips. They can be distracting, but with a little practice using the device you will soon be able to hear answers to your questions. It’s important to record your ghost box sessions, especially if you are new to the box, so you can review it later to see if you had missed something.

The ghost box is affordable and a pretty cool piece of equipment for investigators to experiment with.

Mike Morris

Welcome to the Winchester Mystery House

A mysterious Queen Anne Victorian style house sits in San Jose, California as a monument to the thousands of people killed and injured by Winchester rifles. It is also a painful reminder of the effects a psychic can have in influencing people who are in grief and seeking answers. 

Welcome to the Winchester Mystery House.

The Winchester Mystery House was the residence of Sarah Winchester, the widow of gun mogul William Wirt Winchester who died Mary 7, 1881 in their New Haven, Connecticut home. Sarah was the only heir to the Winchester fortune since their only child, Annie, died at 6 weeks old from marasmus in 1866. Upon her husband’s death, Sarah inherited more than $20.5 million dollars and assumed 50% ownership of the Winchester Repeating Arms company which entitled her to approximately $1,000 a day.

Alone and distraught over the death of her daughter and husband, Sarah began to believe that she may be cursed and sought spiritualist mediums and psychics to help her solve her problem. One psychic confirmed for Sarah that her family was cursed. The psychic told Sarah that all of the people who lost their lives from the guns her husband sold are now seeking revenge. It is believed, but disputed, that the psychic told Sarah to leave Connecticut, head west, and build a home for her and the spirits. Sarah was told she must never stop building. If building stops, she will die, but if it continues she will live forever. Sarah believed the psychic and headed West hoping to curtail the curse.

Sarah purchased an eight room farmhouse on 161 acres from Dr. Robert Caldwell in 1884 and immediately began renovating. The fear of these spirits who she believed were out to cause her revenge plagued Sarah so she designed the house with many doors, windows, and staircases that led nowhere to confuse and trap the spirits.

Every evening Sarah would hold a séance where she spoke with the spirits to consult them on the design of the house. Construction never ceased and continued around the clock 365 days a year for the next 38 years until her death. She was fascinated with the number 13 and included it, as well as, a spider web motif whenever she could in the design. Some facts about the house:

• 160 Rooms
• 40 Bedrooms
• 2 Ballrooms
• 47 Fireplaces
• 10,000 Window Panes
• 17 Chimneys
• 2 Basements
• 3 Elevators
• 13 Bathrooms
• Windows have 13 panes
• Thirteen chandeliers
• Doors that open into walls
• Staircases that lead nowhere
• Windows that look into other walls or rooms

Construction stopped on September 5, 1922 when Sarah died in her sleep at the age of 83. Her will consisted of 13 sections and she signed the will thirteen times. Her niece, Mrs. Frances Marriot, was willed all contents of the house; however, the house itself was not mentioned in the will. A local investor eventually bought the house and opened it to the public in February 1923.

The Winchester Mystery House was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places as number 868 on August 7, 1974. In honor of Sarah, the Santa Clara-Los Gatos Boulevard was later named Winchester Boulevard and every Friday the 13^th a bell on the property is rung 13 times at 1pm in tribute to her.

Sarah left future generations a wonderful piece of history, but I cannot help but feel sad that her fears were unnecessarily compounded. This woman was driven by a fear of curses and revengeful spirits to fund non-stop building so she would not be subjected to harmful ghosts. Unfortunately, the very means at which she thought kept her safe, actually, haunted her for the rest of her life and became an obsession.

Visit The Winchester Mystery House for more information.

by Kerri L. Schultz

Captian Phillips Massacre July 16, 1780

Today Kerri and I, as well as the rest of Ghost Hunters Incorporated team, will be in Saxton, Pa to see if we can communicate with any past souls still hanging around the Captian Phillips Rangers Memorial. The claims are: hearing drums, voices, and screams on the mountain.

The Story

The morning of the 16^th captain Phillips found himself surrounded by a band of Indian of 50-60 in the band was 2 Tories (British soldiers) 10 of the Indian carried rifles the rest bows and arrows. Phillips ordered his rangers to complete silence.

One of the Indians shot his rifle into the air, likely as a rouse to draw the rangers from the cabin. The rangers stayed in the cabin. A short while later another Indian ventured near the cabin. Thomas Galtrell took a shot and wounded the Indian.  Then raising the war-whoop the Indian expecting engagement took cover behind trees about 70 yards away.

The next action was taken by the Indians who fired upon the house riddling the door and window. The rangers held their post, taking a shot whenever an Indian came into range. Two Indians were killed and two were injured. This kind of battle went on all morning till afternoon.

Phillip Skelly shot the chief threw the cheek; again the Indians raised the war-whoop and more determined than ever to wreak vengeance on the rangers. The Indians then shot burning arrows to burn the rangers out, finally the succeeded in catching the structure on fire and the men surrendered.

One of the white men in the band of Indians was a spokesman. He ordered they give up their weapons which they did, the mens hands were tied behind their backs and they started, as the Indians said, Kittanning.

Not long after they started they were halted, Phillips and son continued on with 6 Indians while the rest stayed behind. The fate of these men was not known to the next day.

Col. John Piper of Yellow Creek, who found the bodies of the men following the massacre, wrote that “Captain Phillips, an experienced good woodsman, who had engaged a company of rangers for the space of two months for the defense of our frontiers, was surprised at his post on Sunday, the 16th of July .... When I received the intelligence, which was the day following, I marched with only 10 men directly to the place where we found the house (where they had taken refuge at night) burned to ashes, with sundry Indian tomahawks that had been lost in the action, but where we found no person killed at that place.

 But, upon taking the Indian tracks, within about half a mile we found 10 of Captain Phillips’ company with their hands tied and murdered in the most cruel manner.” They were found tied to trees with 3 to 5 arrows stuck in them and they were all scalped.  The men were untied and buried where they were found.

The “official” list of names of the men killed in the massacre is Philip Skelly, Hugh Skelly, P. (Philip?) Sanders, T. (Thomas?) Sanders, Richard Shirley, M. Davis, Thomas Gaitrell, Daniel Kelly, G. Morris and A. Shelly. These names appear on the monument. However, the Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series lists Joseph Roberts as one of those killed. Historian D. I. Foster added another -- Fred Rouser.

Mike Morris

Thought Forms

What are thought forms? They are exactly what they sound like thought. They are the product of our creative imagination. A thought form is a form of energy created by thought and emotion. It is a non entity form of energy that often behaves as an actual entity. If enough thought and emotion fuels a thought form, it can manifest into many things even a form of its own.

They can be strong enough to become entities on the astral or subtle dimensions. They are sometimes called an artificial elemental. We are influenced by thought forms at one time or another. Advertising is using thought forms all the time.

Homes and objects are easily imprinted with thought forms. Sometimes what people believe to be spirits in the home are actually thought forms that haven’t dissipated or dissolved. They have dynamic electrical aspects and that energy can cause spirit like phenomena.

Imagine you are in the dark; now imagine you are alone in the woods in the dark. There is a slight breeze and two tree branches rub together and make a screeching or growling sound. What was that you think to yourself? All your senses are now on high alert; you hear every little rustle and crack in the woods. Your eyes start making some sort of sense out of what you see, stumps become bears, monsters, etc... Your mind has all kinds of thoughts and images running through it. Of course you are in the woods and form of thinking will only last until you’re in the safety of your car or home.

 Now imagine something unexplainable happens in your home you are full of fear. Again your senses are on high alert but this time there is really nowhere to go. A few days later it happens again, now you’re thinking something is wrong could it be a ghost? It may or may not be, but you start thinking you do have a ghost. Your fear takes over you start worrying and then obsessing on the thought of a ghost, thus a thought form is born.

Is this why sage and holy water seem to work but only for a short time? Is it enough to ease the client’s mind, to make it dissipate for a while? Once those strong creative thoughts start up again, the thought form returns.

Or is it the complete opposite sage and holy water doesn’t affect the thought form at all because they are artificial.

That is why I believe initial interviews are very important with clients. Especially when the client talks of every home they lived in had a spirit or the spirit seems to be following them from home to home. I’m not saying every case like this is a thought form but it is certainly something to consider.

Thought forms can also be used in a creative way to get the things in life you want. You have heard the power of positive thinking. The same holds true for the power on negative thinking. Both are thought forms.

If you are consistently worrying about the lack of something, you’re going to get that lack of something. It’s all energy, the laws of attraction.

Thought forms are very powerful and can work with or against us.

Mike Morris

The Number 13: Lucky or Unlucky

The number 13 has been surrounded by superstition for centuries as an unlucky number in many cultures, but believe it or not, it is also considered lucky. Some cultures attribute the beginning of the superstition originating with the Last Supper. It is speculated that the 13^th apostle who sat down at the table with Jesus was Judas who was the apostle who later betrayed him. There are many interesting and mysterious facts and stories regarding the number 13. Here are a few:

 Lucky Number 13

• Apparitions of the Virgin Mary appeared 13 times over 6 consecutive months in Fatima.
• Thirteen is the age a boy and girl mature in the Jewish faith. Boys celebrate their Bar Mitzvah and girls celebrate their Bat Mitzvah.
• Several successful sports figures wore number thirteen. These included Alex Rodriguez, Dan Marino, Wilt Chamberlin, and Shaquille O’Neal.

• Colgate University was founded in 1819 by 13 men with 13 dollars. The University established 13 articles and is located at 13 Oak Drive in Hamilton, New York.

• There are 13 guns in a gun saluted to honor U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps Generals and Navy and Coast Guard Rear Admirals Upper Half.
• Thirteen loaves make a Baker’s Dozen.

Unlucky Number 13

• Friday the 13^th is considered unlucky because it combines the unlucky day of the week with the unlucky number 13.
• Another reason why Friday the 13^th is viewed as unlucky is because on Friday, October 13, 1307 the last 13 Knights of Templar were ordered to be arrested and burned alive by Philip IV of France.

• Apollo 13 was launched April 11, 1970 at 13:13 CST. The explosion in the oxygen tanks occurred on April 13, 1970. Although 13 does appear unlucky to the flight mission, all three astronauts returned safely to Earth.

• Serial killers Jack the Ripper, John Wayne Gacy, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Theodore (Ted) Bundy all have 13 letters in their name.

• There are 13 knots in a hangman’s noose.
• There are 13 steps to the gallows.

• The guillotine falls 13 feet.

• Lizzy Borden allegedly spoke only 13 words at her trial for killing her parents. She was acquitted.

• The driver of Princess Diana’s care hit pillar 13 at Place de L’Alma when she was killed in Paris, France.

• The first person to die in a car accident was killed in New York City on September 13, 1899.

 

Whether you view 13 as a lucky or unlucky number, it’s important to remember that it will be whatever you focus your energy on believing. Remember, thoughts are powerful.

Written by: Kerri L. Schultz

Movie Curses - Real or Coincidence?

There is nothing more intriguing than a movie curse that plagues actors and crew members with strange misfortunes, sometimes even deadly misfortunes, simply because of their part in a film. I cannot say that I believe that there is a dark cloud of negativity hovering over the production of the movies I’ve researched, but the events certainly appear more than just coincidence.

The question that repeatedly sounded in my mind was “Why?”. What would cause these groups of people, who were brought together to create entertainment for others, be drawn into a web of ill fate? Is it possible that the subject matter attracted the negativity? Collectively, I am positive the cast and crew focused on the fear of the films they were making, and those types of emotions can easily generate a thoughtform and attract situations of fear into their lives. The cause of movie “curses” may never be known, but the facts are worth reviewing.

Let me know what you think!

Are the circumstances involving these films merely coincidence or is there something more sinister lurking about?

Twilight Zone the Movie

July 23, 1982 in Ventura County, California, production was set to film a scene with Vic Morrow who played the role of Bill Connor, a racist, who is taken back in time and placed in various situation where he is the victim of racism. The movie had scenes of Bill Connor being a Jewish man during the holocaust, a black man about to be lynched by the Ku Klux Klan, and a Vietnamese man trying to escape from United States soldiers.

This particular day was the filming of the scene of the Vietnamese man who was attempting to escape from a US Army helicopter with two Vietnamese children. The two Vietnamese children were played by My-Ca Dinh Le, age 7, and Renee Shin-Yi Chen (age 6). In the scene, the helicopter was to hover over the three actors while an explosion occurred nearby. The scene began filming, and the helicopter hovered only 25 feet above them. This was too close to the pyrotechnic explosions which damaged the helicopter and caused it to crash on top of the actors. Morrow and Le were decapitated and Chin was crushed underneath the helicopter. No one in the helicopter was injured.

Is it possible that the negativity involved in the subject matter had something to do with the incident? Or was the helicopter crash a very unfortunate and tragic accident?

Superman

The first victim associated with the alleged curse of Superman is George Reeves who played Superman on television in the 1950’s. Reeve died of a gunshot wound to the head in 1959 which was considered a suicide. An investigation later revealed there were no finger prints on the gun which would lead one to believe it was a murder, but the authorities continue to rule his death a suicide.

Christopher Reeve played Superman in 4 major motion pictures beginning in the late 70s through the late 80s. Reeve, whose name is eerily similar to Reeves last name, did not have any tragedies occur during the filming of the Superman movies. The alleged Superman curse struck on May 27, 1995 when Reeve was thrown from a horse while in an equestrian competition in Virginia. He suffered a cervical spinal injury that paralyzed him from the neck down making him a quadriplegic for the rest of his life. Reeve was admitted to the hospital early October 2004 to treat a pressure wound that was causing sepsis. Shortly after receiving an antibiotic for the infection, he went into cardiac arrest and then slipped into a coma. Reeves suffered another cardiac arrest eighteen hours later and died on October 10, 2004 at the age of 52.

Margot Kidder who played Lois Lane in the Superman franchise also fell on some troubled times. Kidder experienced a manic episode in 1996 and was found by Los Angeles police naked and cowering in undergrowth with bashed-in teeth. She was placed in psychiatric care and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It is reported that she has gotten her condition under control and has not had a manic episode in years.

Richard Pryor, who played Gus Gorman, a talented computer hacker in the 1983 Superman III, was yet another alleged victim of the Superman movie curse. Three years after Superman III, Pryor was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He also suffered from heart problems and in 1990 underwent a triple heart bypass. Nine days after his birthday, in 2005, Pryor suffered another heart attack and was unable to be resuscitated. He was 65 years old.

Poltergeist

Researching the alleged curse of the Poltergeist movies, I have found many mentions of the use of authentic skeletons in the pool scene. Apparently, this was confirmed by JoBeth Williams on E! True Hollywood Story about Poltergeist. Honestly, if there is any truth to this fact, I find it morbid, simply because the premise of the movie was based on the remains of people being desecrated. I would not attribute the “curse” to the use of authentic skeletons, but the death of 4 of the movie’s actors does appear suspicious.

Dominique Dunne, who played Freeling, the oldest daughter, was murdered in 1982 shortly after completing work on Poltergeist. Dunne met and moved in with a Los Angeles chef, John Thomas-Sweeney (born and raised in Hazelton, PA). The relationship soon became abusive and Dunne ended the relationship. On October 30^th, Sweeney approached Dunne in the driveway of her home in hopes of reconciling. Dunne refused and Sweeney became enraged and strangled her, some report that this happened for at least 4 minutes. Dunne fell into a deep coma and died five days later on November 4 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.

No one will ever forget the creepy rendition of “God is in his Holy Temple” sung by Julian Beck as he played the ghost Rev. Henry Kane in Poltergeist II: The Other Side. Beck was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 1983 prior to accepting his role as the revengeful preacher. He died just two years later at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City at the young age of 60.

Will Sampson, who played the Native American Shaman named Taylor in the 1986 movie Poltergeist II: The Other Side passed away on June 3, 1987. Sampson was in need of a heart and liver transplant. His death was due to post-operative kidney failure and pre-operative malnutrition problems. He was only 53 years old. Once of Sampson’s more famous roles was Chief Bromden in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Heather O’ Rourke, who played Carol Ann Freeling, the daughter who disappeared in the house, died on February 1, 1988 at the age of twelve. Her cause of death was intentional stenosis, septic shock and cardiac arrest. O’Rourke became ill in early 1987 and was allegedly misdiagnosed by Kaiser Permanente Hospital as having Crohn’s disease. The medicine that was prescribed to treat the condition made her cheeks puffy which is evident in many picture and in the last Poltergeist III movie. It was later discovered after her death that she did not have Crohn’s disease, but suffered from and acute bowel obstruction. Her family sued Kaiser Permanente Hospital and settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. Poltergeist III was her last performance.

There were also some unusual phenomena reported from the cast. JoBeth Williams said that each day she returned home from filming, the pictures on her wall would be crooked and she needed to fix them. A prop malfunction caused the clown to actually choke actor Oliver Robbins who played the brother, Robbie Freeling. Finally, during a movie photo shoot, a bright light covered the face the Zelda Rubenstein that could not be explained. She later acknowledged that at the same time the picture was taken, her mother passed away.

Rosemary’s Baby

A handful of misfortunes are attributed to the Rosemary Baby curse which I am sure received recognition based on the theme of Satan worship in the movie. The film’s composer died of a blood clot the year after making the film, which ironically, was the cause of death of one of the character’s in the movie. Soon after the film was released, producer William Castle suffered kidney failure. Most notably, the director Roman Polanski suffered a devastating loss when his wife, Sharon Tate, and unborn child, were murdered by Charlie Manson and his family. Curse or Coincidence?

The Omen

The cast and crew of the Omen, yet another movie centered around Satan, had numerous unfortunate events and close calls.

• Script Writer David Seltzer’s plane was hit by lightning as was Gregory Pecks, and Executive Producer Mace Neufeld’s plane.
• The IRA bombed a hotel Neufeld was staying at during filming. The hotel restaurant was also bombed which was where the director and actors were scheduled to eat that day. No one was killed.
• Special effects consultant John Richardson crashed his car in Holland on Friday August 13, 1976. When he got out of the wreck he looked up and saw a sign that allegedly read “Ommen, 66.6km”.
• One of the film’s tiger handlers died.
• Gregory Peck’s son shot himself.
• A plane scheduled for use in film production was rescheduled and the plane was used on a commercial flight. The plane later crashed killing everyone on board.

Curse or simply Coincidence?

Written by Kerri L. Schultz

The Legend of Pennsylvania's Raystown Ray

Are they Evil? Pentagram/Pentacle

Over the years I have come across many homes that have a pentagram somewhere in it. Many new investigators in the paranormal field assume satanic cults or witchcraft. As you will see, the pentacle/pentagram is primarily used for protection from evil spirits. Hopefully this article will shed a little light on the uses of the pentacle and pentagram.

The pentagram and pentacle are usually used interchangeably, but they are two different symbols. The pentagram is a five pointed star with one point up with no circle around it. The pentacle is a five pointed star with one point up with a circle around it. Then there is the inverted pentagram and pentacle. The inverted pentagram and pentacle are the same but with two points up.

The upright pentagrams and pentacles are the most widely used religious symbols. Ancient pagans, ancient Israelites, Christians, magicians, wiccans and others have used it.

The number 5 is a mystical and magical number, yet human. We have five fingers and toes and 5 senses. It is associated with Mars; it signifies severity, conflict and harmony through conflict. In Christianity, it signified the five wounds of Christ on the cross. Muslims have the 5 pillars faith, and the five daily times of prayer. English warrior Sir Gawain adopted the pentagram as his personal symbol. The five knightly virtues- generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry, and piety. The Wiccan kiss is fivefold- feet, knees, womb, breasts, lips.

The pentagram is used for protection against evil. Using the five elements four of matter (earth, air, fire water) and the quintessential- spirit.

One example of this is the lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram. This ritual builds protective and positive energy around you and your environment. It can be used to get rid of obsessive thoughts, protects against psychic attacks, protects from lower astral entities, dissipates negative thought forms and seals doors of other dimensions.

Pentagram no circle- active form of outgoing of oneself, prepared for conflict, aware, active.

Pentacle circled pentagram- contains and protects, symbolizes eternity and infinity, the cycles of nature. The circle touching the five points indicates that spirit, earth, air, water and fire are all connected.

Somehow over time the pentacle has become associated with evil, during the 20^th century Satanist have adopted the inverted pentacle as their own symbol. The satanic pentacle has two circles around the inverted pentagram and a goat head within it. In contrast with the Wicca inverted pentacle with one circle connecting all the points which represents earth, air, fire, water, and spirit.

Mike Morris

The Difference Between Spirits and Ghosts - A Psychic's Perspective

Is a spirit the same as a ghost? I am sure you have heard the names Spirit and Ghost used interchangeably throughout the media, but is it accurate? Based on my knowledge and experience as a spiritual psychic, the meanings are similar but very different.

Similarly, a ghost and spirit are the soul of a person whose physical body has died and who now lives on another plane of existence. The difference in meaning is the soul’s progression after it leaves the physical body. There are several planes of existence, and the faster a soul’s vibration, the higher the plane they reach. Keeping this in mind, a soul within a physical body vibrates very slowly. Imagine looking at a fan blowing at the lowest possible speed. When you look at the fan you can see the different blades easily. This is the physical plane.

Ghost’s vibrations are a little faster than ours, which is why we can’t see them. Although, their vibrations aren’t fast enough that we can’t catch a glimpse of them from time to time. Ghosts are able to consciously manifest by drawing energy from humans and the environment and match more closely our vibrations in order to manipulate objects, take form, and even communicate.

Souls who are ghosts are bound to that plane of existence for a variety of reasons.

·         Sudden Deaths or Accidents – Some people have been separated from their physical body so suddenly that they do not know they are dead.

·         Murder – Some people choose not to move on or completely cross over because their lives were taken so brutally. Also, they may choose to stay behind until their murder is solved.

·         Suicide – Those who commit suicide also may not have crossed completely over due to the emotions experienced and the act itself. Many religions say that suicides are damned or that those who commit this act are to suffer in limbo for eternity. A person believing this may not wish to cross over and be punished.

·         Broken Hearts – People choose to stay close to loved ones or family members where they feel they have unfinished business.

·         Fear of Judgment – As mentioned under Suicide, there are people who are afraid of being judged after they pass on and sent to hell.

·         Lack of Proper Burial – It is also said that some people do not fully cross over if they did not receive a proper burial or their remains have been desecrated.

A Spirit is a soul who has crossed over to the other side or higher plane of existence. Using the analogy of the fan, imagine the blades turning so fast you can’t see them. This is what a higher vibrational frequency is like in relation to our vibration. These souls know they have passed and move on to have a life review and meet up with their loved ones who have passed before them. It is a belief that the more evolved a soul becomes, the higher the plane of existence. Angels, for example, have a very high vibration, but they are able to effortlessly transcend vibrational frequencies to communicate with us and appear to us whenever they want. Spirits can also do this.

The Spirits of our loved ones communicate with us all the time. They, like ghosts, can manipulate our environment. Spirits can put pennies in our path, maybe manifest a feather, or take the form of a bird to let us know they are still around. A Spirit visits and leaves signs to let you know they are still around you and can see what is happening in your life.

The purpose of the physical manipulation is different for a ghost. A ghost is trying to get your attention for a reason. The ghost may want help or they may want you to leave. If a ghost doesn’t know they have passed on, the phenomena you see may just be the ghost living their life as they would if they were still in the physical body. I have heard stories of dishes and silverware being placed on a table by a ghost preparing to eat or some people seeing someone cooking.

It is true that the definition of ghost and spirit is similar, but overall they are very different. A good rule of thumb that I use when paranormal investigating ghosts is, always speak to them as if they were alive. Assume that you are invading their home. Apologize, tell them your name, and explain that you want to ask them some questions. When asking questions, imagine you are meeting them for the first time and want to know all about them. When conducting and EVP session, ask them their name, their occupation, are they married, do they have children etc.

We have had success using this technique when working with a flashlight, and have made the observation that those who don’t know they are dead stop communicating when asked about their death. These ghosts completely ignore any questions involving death, but they do not believe they are dead. Remember, ghosts are just people without physical bodies!

Happy Ghost Hunting!

Kerri L. Schultz