Men In Black

“Here come the men in black, the galaxy defenders……” ok, no worries, I’m not going to start singing the song. I’m sure Will Smith wouldn’t approve and luckily for you, by reading this, you’re not tortured by hearing my unmelodious voice. 😉 And I’m not here to talk about the hit film starring the very talented Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. However, I am a huge fan of their movies!

BUT……. I am talking about the supposedly real-life individuals known as the “Men In Black” (MIBs). Just like the Hollywood portrayals, these non-fictitious characters primarily wear black suits, white button-up shirts and black ties. They are reportedly some sort of secret organization that has been obviously denied by certain officials. It’s been said that the mysterious Men In Black appear anytime UFO sightings have been experienced. Why? Possible cover-up involvement? To insure that UFO witnesses remain quiet about what they have seen? By intimidating and threatening those who dare to speak publicly about any sort of UFO interactions?

Throughout recent decades, many supporters/investigators of ufology have supposedly been harassed and some have even died by mysterious causes. Are the MIBs to blame for all of this misfortune? Who knows?? It’s also alleged that the Men In Black have taped and recorded UFO hunters’ phones.

I personally have never experienced anything like this nor have I seen an alien or UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) of any kind. I’ve only witnessed shadow people, clairaudient experiences, touched by spirits and other paranormal encounters similar to those, but never aliens. I do know people who have claimed to have seen visitors from other planets, but none of them have ever told me about any visitors from the “Men In Black”.

So, do these well-dressed individuals actually exist or….??? I wouldn’t wanna find out…….

MIB 145

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A Ghostly Perspective

This next post was inspired by a film that I’ve recently watched titled, The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia. The film is based on a true story and here is its description: “A historic Southern home’s new residents come face to face with a malevolent force.”

While watching, that was when it dawned on me that I was already familiar with the people portrayed in the film. I had seen them on other paranormal shows talking about their story and discussing the daughter’s ability of clairvoyance and communicating with the dead.

After I finished watching the film, it got me to thinking about ghosts and why some of them seem to be so malevolent. Perhaps their spirit isn’t actually malevolent at all. Maybe they just seem that way because they are trying to convey a message to the living. And after countless failed attempts of communication with the living, the ghosts become enraged because they have something to say but have no way of reaching the other side.

I know it may sound crazy, even far-fetched, but it made me think. So, by the time these ghosts finally find someone with whom they are able to communicate, they’re ready to unleash all their built-up emotions. And with the rush of feeling (and the fact that they’re dead) it’s easy to understand why the living can get so terrified by a paranormal encounter.

It makes total sense to me. Put yourself in their position. One day you’re walking down the street and all is well, then unfortunately something tragically out of the blue happens and you’re no longer part of the living. You’re now on the other side. You’re terrified, freaking out and you have no one to turn to. You try so hard to communicate with the living, but nothing – nadda. You try and try until one day your persistence finally becomes successful when you’re able to communicate with someone. But by this time, when you’re able to speak to a clairvoyant or whomever, you’ve got all this rush of excitement and that’s what scares the living because it becomes too overwhelming for them to handle.

Now this isn’t me in any way, shape or form, discarding all malevolent entities as non-malevolent. Extreme caution should always be utilized when investigating the paranormal because there are evil creatures/beings on the other side. So, be careful!

But the film did make me think and I wanted to share……

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The Endeared

One, two, three and four.
The petals are soft, but they still hit the floor.
Plucked from the bloom, the rose lays bare
in the hands of the jaded without a care.

A bodice draped in elegant lace
defines the figure of Victorian grace.
Staring out the window, vision’s a blur
from tear filled eyes longing for a cure.

Strong is the will waiting to survive,
creating the happiness to make one feel alive.

Suddenly, a love that’s been removed
now comes into view,
a view that’s been long over due.

The faint smell of a cigar quickly fills the
room with no smoke in sight.
Accompanied by a warm, curious feeling,
nothing of fright.

The ghostly vision comes clear
as he approaches her near.
To him she says sadly, “I’ve aged a bit.”
He sweetly replies, “Not in my eyes. I still see you as exquisite.”

Then he caresses her cheek softly and full of love. He adds,
“I still see you as my beautiful dove.”
A smile sweeps across her wrinkled face,
so elegant and full of grace.
She whispers, “I love you, my dear for all eternity.”
He nods, “I know, my sweet for our love shall forever be.”

(A poem by Sheila Renee Parker)

petals

Suicide Forest

Sounds like such a frightening place doesn’t it? Suicide Forest, full of despair and darkness. It’s located at the northwest base of Mount Fuji in Japan and is also known as Aokigahara. This fourteen square mile forest is so thick with trees and other natural formations that it makes it difficult to hear anything that doesn’t belong there.

If anyone wants to visit the Sea of Trees, be forewarned for it harbors an egregious reputation. It’s reported to have an association with demons and more than fifty suicides took place among the woods in 2010. Sadly, this forest is one of the top three most popular locations worldwide for suicide. Up until around 1988, nearly thirty reported suicides occurred yearly. These lost lives have not gone unnoticed. Because of their tragedies, a warning sign has been erected at the beginning of the trail pleading that anyone contemplating suicide to please consider their loved ones and to contact a suicide prevention hotline.

Why the dark history? It’s believed that an old Japanese custom referred to as ubasute was practiced there until the 1800s and that the victims of this tragic era are to blame for the hauntings. Ubasute refers to an act where an elderly relative would be taken to an isolated location and left there to perish, be it by starvation, exposure to the elements, dehydration, etc….. all for the sake of euthanasia.

A feature film titled, The Forest starring Natalie Dormer and Taylor Kinney was released a few years ago regarding the topic. Here’s the cinematic trailer…

Suicide is nothing to take lightly and should be treated as an extremely serious matter. The following is contact information for suicide prevention.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (website)

Phone Number: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

the forest

Below is a photo of the warning sign pleading that anyone contemplating suicide to please consider their loved ones and to contact a suicide prevention hotline.

suicide forest sign

Paranormal Investigative Equipment: What’s Your Pick?

There are so many different types of equipment that one can use while conducting a paranormal investigation, even supposedly fully equipped ghost hunting kits that claim to have everything one needs. Interesting…. do these kits come with an unlimited supply of batteries? Ghosts are known to drain batteries for the energy. So, if these kits don’t come with batteries, they’re not fully equipped now are they? Just a random thought… 😉

Anywho, the pieces of equipment that an investigator can add to his/her collection can be quite impressive to say the least. The technology and research required to create such devices go way beyond my level of education. Such devices like a full spectrum digital camera that can be used to capture videos and photos. Another one is the Ghost Box Ovilus that “converts environmental readings into real words”. Then, there are Rem Pods that detect energy disturbances and fluctuations. And, there’s even digital thermometers that are created to locate temperature changes. The list goes on and on with the various tools that one can use in hunting the paranormal. Pendulums and divining rods are a couple of other ones as well. The routine and methods used are as unique as the investigator conducting the investigation.

Here is where I want some interaction. From you, the daring individuals who aren’t afraid to go out and search for the unknown. Tell me, share with us all, what’s YOUR favorite piece of equipment to use while investigating the spectral realm? And why?

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Debunking by Candlelight

The paranormal is definitely something that I believe in. Without a doubt, there are inscrutable entities in their own realm of existence. Some are shady with dark, malevolent intent, while others are merely passing through for whatever reason. However, I still view things with a skeptical eye. Not everything “incomprehensiblethat happens can be explained with paranormal reasoning. In fact, with research and investigation, often what we perceive to be unexplainable can actually be justified with plausible cause.

So many factors need to be considered when trying to debunk or prove the preternatural world. Often, findings can be conclusive with the simplest of methods. And other times, even some of the most advanced paranormal equipment ends up with inconclusive results.

Recently, something peculiar happened in my home. Now looking back, it’s kind of embarrassing because it’s so mundane, but I want to share it with you because I believe it’s a prime example of investigating the unknown. Previously, I mentioned in another article that there is a huge window in my bedroom. On its sill at night I like to light tea lights. There’s just something soothing about the illuminating glow from the warm little flickers. Anyway, when I first began doing this, I noticed some gentle, random tapping outside on my window. I quickly brushed it off, thinking it was due to a soft wind blowing by. A couple of more nights passed with the same tapping , but there wasn’t any wind to blame. So my curiosity grew. I grabbed a flashlight and began to search for answers outside my window for the source of the tapping, but nothing was found. So, I went to bed that night still without explanation as the candles burned down.

The very next night I lit the candles again. The gentle tapping slowly started back up. It was dark, no street lights and the wind was calm. So where was this mysterious sound coming from? I looked outside the window, searching for an answer. “Question mark” was all I could think about, and then I noticed something…. something small and fluttering… bobbing around in the darkness….

I looked at this little insect as it attempted to fly towards the light given by the candle on the inside of the window. And that’s when it dawned on me. Every night when I’d light the tea lights, flying insects were attracted to their illuminating glow, creating the tapping on the glass with their attempts to enter.

Something so simple with a plausible explanation… nothing paranormal at all. Just the innocent curiosity of some winged little insects wanting to get in.

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Poltergeists: Why are they here?

Now this next topic is something entirely different from the earlier one that was about intelligent and residual hauntings. Previously, I discussed the difference between the two types of hauntings. Intelligent is spirit interaction with a conscious energy and residual is energy that has been “recorded” from the past.

Ok, so what’s a poltergeist you ask? Well, the word “poltergeist” is German and loosely translates to meaning “noisy ghost”. I suppose you could say it’s similar to that of an intelligent haunting because it does interact with the living whereas a residual haunting is composed of “left-over” energy that’s a repetitive playback of itself. Poltergeist activity is quite often thought to be the work of malicious spirits wanting to wreak havoc upon the living. Many people have reported crazy things happening, like personal items being misplaced without plausible reason. Example: Wrist watches being left on a nightstand before falling deep into slumber only to awake to them being mysteriously relocated to another part of the house or lights flickering, television sets turning on by themselves, doors opening and closing, etc. etc. On a more frightening note, poltergeists have been known to be more physical in nature, inflicting pain like hair being pulled, poking or jabbing and even scratching people. The list of poltergeist activity can be very extensive and seem almost “made-up”, but accounts like these and many others date back centuries, coming from stories of old. They are not to be taken lightly and can be quite detrimental for anyone involved. People of all religions and spiritual paths have experienced such encounters.

A common belief claims that poltergeists are demons or “evil ghosts” that possibly are here to torment the living. An alternate belief claims that the origin of poltergeists actually derives from the individual experiencing it. For instance, a severely depressed person who harbors a lot of pinned up pain and frustration. Unfortunately, the saddened individual can often get so wrapped up in their own depression, that whatever negative energies they have can unconsciously project outward, out of the person’s psyche and body and manifest into something malevolent, thus taking on it’s own consciousness. And by this happening, this newly formed entity can form what is known as a spirit attachment to the living individual who is being haunted.

Parapsychologists believe that poltergeist activity can be explained by a phenomenon known as psychokinesis which is an alleged psychic ability that allows an individual to influence a physical system without physical interaction. However, there is no proven evidence that validates the existence of psychokinesis.

Another Spooky Random Fact!

Ok, everyone’s heard of Casper the Friendly Ghost, right? You know, the cute transparent guy who floats around through walls? If all the hauntings were as adorable as him, then that would be pretty amazing and all the little kiddies wouldn’t be so afraid of the things that go bump in the night.

Well, let’s take a step back and face reality here. Some hauntings can be pretty frightening and down right mind-numbing. Did you know that there are actually two known types of hauntings? Yes, intelligent and residual…

An intelligent haunting is when the spirits can interact with the living, a type of energy that DOES have consciousness. These spirits may find ways of communication much like the ways discussed in my previous blog titled, The Afterlife ~ A Corporeal’s Transition, or the spirits can often communicate through the use of a voice box; a tool that is used to collect electronic voice phenomena (EVPs)……….

The second type of haunting is known as a residual haunting. It’s more like a supernatural experience that resembles a recording of past energy. For instance, like hearing footsteps walking down an empty hallway when no one is there. It’s believed that in a location where someone has released a large amount of energy or heightened emotions were experienced and the energy attaches or “imprints” itself. As a result of the abiding energy, individuals in the future may get to experience seeing a type of “recording” of these events. Some signs of a residual haunting may be the absence of interaction from the spirit. As if the spirit doesn’t acknowledge the presence of the living person. The spirit will almost seem totally oblivious to anything that’s occurring in it’s presence.

I’ve actually encountered both. Read more at Intelligent & Residual Hauntings: What Are They?

The Afterlife ~ A Corporeal’s Transition

Crossing over into the afterlife isn’t an easy subject for many to talk about simply because it involves the thought of losing a loved one who is very dear to them.

Unfortunately, it’s been a little over ten years since my father’s passing. His death was extremely untimely and a total shock to me and my family. I’ll never forget that call I received in the wee hours of the morning of the heartbreaking news. It was a moment that had changed my life forever. There were so many questions left unanswered and so many raw emotions revealed. I was angry for months on end and wanted to know why he was taken from us so abruptly without warning.

And then, one random night while in my sleep, my father appeared in a dream. He didn’t say a word. His face was solemn and guarded, yet caring and warm. In the dream he was observing me like he was making sure that I was ok. The morning after I awoke, I was saddened because of the lack of communication, but also grateful for his visit.

It wasn’t a dream like any other. It felt very real with vivid imagery that still resides in my memory to this day. That was actually the first of several dreams where my father made his presence known. Over the course of a few months, each dream my father would become more interactive. The most recent time he visited me, he hugged me and we said “I love you” to each other. That was the last time that I saw him. It was a good visit, something needed as in a sense of closure for us both.

My father is always with me in my heart. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of him…. missing him. Our relationship as father and daughter wasn’t an easy one, but nevertheless, there were some really good times that still make me smile.

The deceased visiting their loved ones in dreams is actually a common phenomena experienced by many. When people die, sometimes there are some who may hang around for whatever reason they have. Sadly, some spirits may not even realize that they’ve passed on and they’re trying to continue living their lives just as they did before. Others may stick around to complete unfinished business that they believe only they can accomplish. Then, there are the ones that I believe are like my father, that hang around long enough to make sure that we’re ok after they’ve died.

Spirits and the living are very similar. The living possess a myriad of personality traits that cause some people to be good while others to be bad. It’s the same with spirits, some are good and some aren’t. However, a lot of spirits may become angry after their passing due to the fact that they might feel cheated out of life for whatever reason they died. Although, several spirits are more accepting and are ready to move on.

Our loved ones have many ways of making their presence known to us. Some, like my father, appear to us in dreams because it’s when our minds are most relaxed. Many may appear as simple signs recognized only by the surviving loved ones like butterflies fluttering nearby while the living is thinking of them. Often, people have reported hearing their deceased loved ones call out their names when no one else is around. Or a random odor or fragrance will faintly be noticed by the living, reminding them of the deceased ones when there is no plausible explanation for the smell to exist. For example, I occasionally smell my father’s cigarettes out of the blue (I don’t smoke) and there are no visible signs of smoke either. Only the faint odor wafting by for a brief second.

It has also been reported that many spirits have been seen at their own funerals. Why? Some people believe it’s because the spirits know that a gathering of their loved ones will be there and it could possibly be the easiest way for them (the spirits) to have closure before crossing over, saying their final good-byes.

Can everyone see spirits? No. But I do believe that spirits make their presence known to those who will be more receptive to seeing them. The key is to be open minded. There’s a huge world of the unknown out there. Don’t fear it, accept that it does exist…

Phantom Travelers ~ a.k.a. ~ Ghostly Hitchhikers

There have been countless reports of these preternatural creatures throughout the centuries. Phantom travelers are supposedly the spirits of humans and/or animals that haunt certain locations like roads or well traveled areas. They’re thought to originate from the catastrophic events that happened at these locations, therefore intensifying tenacious emotional attachments that heighten the supernatural energy of these places. Such horrific events include car crashes, train wrecks and motorcycle accidents just to name a few that have proven fatal.

These spirits appear as if they are among the living, like you and me. They seem tangible without any transparency at all. Yet, they are not to be confused with doppelgangers for they are not harbingers of doom. The opaque apparitions seem deeply saddened, traumatized and severely lonely.

They are commonly seen alongside roads, railroad tracks and even cemeteries. Often, a passerby traveling will see these life-like phantoms as they suddenly appear in the car’s headlights. Looking as if they are distressed, the driver will ask the ghost if they are in need of any help or possibly wanting a ride somewhere. Several reports claim that when the living person’s kind offer was accepted, there was little interaction with their ghostly passenger. And once destination was reached, the phantom traveler exited the vehicle only to vanish into thin air, leaving the driver completely terrified and confused.

When I was growing up, an urban legend floated around town that mystified all those who listened. The details, for me, were never clear, but I somehow remember the tale of a headless woman that haunted a small bridge on a county road. It was said that anyone stopping on this old bridge around the hour of midnight, turning off their car and then repeatedly flashing the headlights, would see the vision of the headless woman carrying her head in front of the vehicle. Did I ever try this alleged paranormal experiment? Of course I did with many of my friends, but was unable to witness anything conclusive.

Perhaps the ghostly hitchhikers aren’t aware of their passing or are simply too distraught to move on, causing them to be trapped in our physical realm. Who knows…