paranormaltheory

[paranormaltheory]

Is Seeing Believing?

YouTube is flooded with videos of hauntings with smartphones, CCTV cameras, or vehicle cameras. But are the ghosts and paranormal activity real? I often wonder about the level of extremes some people take to become YouTube and TikTok sensations in paranormal investigating. I’ve watched a lot of ghost hunt and CCTV videos and I’ve looked at ghosts captured in photographs that the sleuth within emerges to analyze and classify as real or faked. Lately, I’ve determined a lot of what I’ve seen are fake.

Oddly convenient that dash cams capture paranormal activity on a dark isolated road. we’re A solid white ghost appears walking across a road and it enters the woods through a small opening instead of passing through bushes, but it doesn’t vanish entirely. Its silhouette is visible to the eye as the car halts to a stop and speedily passes the apparition.

Home security cameras record doors moving and kitchen drawers opening when the house is unoccupied. Doors move seemingly in one direction. Drawers open slowly as objects fly out at a questionable distance off camera in a perfectly straight line. Objects move in the direction closest to the edge of a kitchen counter.

A group of teenage boys are recording themselves in a field shooting fireworks when an inhuman screech is heard in the distance. The boys investigate when a human-shaped being with a motionless face chases them. The boys run away in a panicked state, but the boy recording the incident conveniently holds the phone on the creature, but in the clip you can see the creature pause and adjust the mask on its face.

There are teams that go to a haunted location with ghost detecting gear. They always talk, pan the camera to areas where they “see” a shadow or hear a bang. There’s always a hush moment: “shh, did you hear that?” “Yeah, it came from over there.” “I heard it, footsteps or shuffling.” “Yeah.” Out of the blue they run screaming like they’ve seen a boogeyman. They stop in another room where they have their hands on their chests doubled over and out of breath. Oddly, one of the guys will stand up and challenge whatever it was that made them nearly soil their pants.

A single lady goes to places fellow ghost hunters advise she not go to alone, but she does. She’s affected by a presence that resides in the place she’s “investigating” and becomes affected by the environment. She later does a dousing tool, a pendant on a chain, and asks spirits to confirm if her ghost hunting as helping the living and the dead. The direction the pendant moves is always a yes. I ask, then, how the hell is she “helping” anything or anyone? All that she does is taunt the spirit to throw something or move an object.

There are multiple channels that show digital photographic evidence and always the owners of the photos say the extra person wasn’t present when the photo was taken. The captured ghosts are solid figures or in direct light that makes the figure seem hazy like anything is when in direct light. Can ghosts appear in solid form?

What astounds me are the people ghost hunting for thrills and believe they serve a purpose or believe they are helping spirits. Explain to me exactly how taunting and invading is helpful. It’s apparently helpful for algorithms and subscribers to a YouTube or TikTok channel for free products and sponsors. There are a few hunters that have admitted that ghost hunting is a thrill and that’s why they do what they do. If a ghost exists and doesn’t bother anyone, why invade their “home” for a rise? Skeptics go to haunted locations to debunk activity which is respectable compared to thrill seekers. I’ve determined there are three kinds of teams: one determined to prove the dead exists alongside the living, one determined to disprove paranormal activity, and one for only thrills and social media popularity.

The most respectful and reputable paranormal team is Ed and Lorraine Warren. They never charged for their services and they always helped families suffering with hauntings in their homes. They are the pioneers of paranormal investigating because Ed used equipment to capture evidence. Not all cases they investigated were hauntings, however. They would find logical reasons to explain knocks and creaky floors, but mostly, they made it their mission to educate people about the paranormal.

Today, like the Warrens, many paranormal investigators are on missions to help families fearing their home is haunted. These investigators include a researcher that is open to possibilities, a skeptic, a tech specialist, and a psychic. Extensive research about the property is done to get an idea of who maybe haunting. During the night investigating, the team will attempt to contact a spirit and find logical reasons for what goes bump in the night. If sufficient evidence is found to prove the home is haunted, the team helps remove the entity. All this is done on camera with a TV crew and staged interviews.

As evidence goes, believers have pre-conditioned their psyche to believe hauntings and ghosts are real and anything captured on video or in photos prove it. Skeptics are criticized for being non-religious and often critical to anyone otherwise. I’ve encountered skeptics who are quick to insult anyone believing in ghosts and when they’re asked to prove their theory, they can’t or won’t. Instead, the only argument is they know ghosts aren’t real - boo-yah. Seriously, a good argument from either side, is important because you want data to support your claim. It’s also good to be open-minded and appreciate opinions and facts from both sides and to understand that there are phenomenons in this world that can or can’t be explained. I’ve seen photos and videos that left me baffled and I’ve seen some that I’ve debunked. I’ve been asked why I hold fascination with the paranormal. Frankly, I’m fascinated with possibilities of truth from both sides of the spectrum and my goal is to educate people to possibilities they’ve never considered. Overall it’s your choice whether to believe or not; there’s no right or wrong regarding the paranormal. If ghosts do exist, it’s bothersome on a moral level knowing people disrespect spirits for personal fame and financial gain. If ghosts don’t exist, well, kudos for social media success and earning financial abundance toying with people’s fear.

Until next time… thanks for tuning in.

Photos: *ABC News, Indie Wire, Weekly Entertainment, CNN

#ghost #paranormal #spirits #paranormal investigation #paranormal investigators extraordinaire #supernatural #ghost hunting #ghost stories #facts #skeptic believer #skeptics #skeptical #ghost hunter #paranormal evidence #paranormal events #ghost and hauntings #haunted #do you believe

[paranormaltheory]

Psychic Mediums: Are They Legit?

Psychic mediums are pinnacle topics in debates between skeptics and believers about claims of their ability to see the dead. But there are different classifications of mediums, each with specific kinds of abilities.

1. Mental mediums: equipped with telepathic abilities to connect their consciousness directly with spirits allowing words to be spoken through them.

Mediums in this category are usually clairvoyant. These types can see, feel, hear, smell, etc. everything about spirits.

2. Physical mediums: equipped with abilities to use physical energy to see things from the past. These mediums also have the ability to channel energy allowing spirits to use their physical bodies to relay messages.

These mediums can see past events and spirits connected to objects through touch.

The issue skeptics have with mediums is the number of people claiming to be psychic and how they sell their services to desperate people who suffered tragedy of losing a loved one. Undercover news investigations have exploited scam artists with reporters wearing hidden cameras by staging scenarios of missing people. The psychic will give a premonition reading and will later be exposed when the reveal is made that they’ve been set up. On the flip side, there are police departments that rely on psychics to help solve crimes or cold cases with claimed success.

Famous renowned mediums have their own shows and are often interviewed on talk shows, morning radio programs, or podcasts about their abilities. During interviews, the mediums will perform readings to demonstrate their skills. People who’ve been read will testify the accuracy of information they were told. But skeptics doubt these abilities because of leading questions mediums ask an entire audience to get someone to bite the bait they cast, like, “I see a letter ‘R’ in a name, or I hear the name Robert or Roger. I also feel pain from within this area (hands circling the head and chest area).” Skeptics call this fishing. In many cases, audience attendees have said they are given sheets of papers asking for personal information and who it is they wish to contact.

Some mediums own tarot reading shops and will provide services for a steep fee and if they tell you that you have negative energy around you, they will provide a spiritual cleansing at an astronomical price. You can find tarot readers on YouTube and many offer private readings if you click the link to their website and then there are a small few that won’t offer personal services, but all tarot readers give general reading to one astrology sign.

The most famous medium is Lorraine Warren. She and her husband, Ed, are famous paranormal investigators who helped people with severe hauntings or possessions without charge. Though skeptics have doubted them as a team, Lorraine did identify spirits and demons that haunted locations and people. Their cases are famous and have become movies in The Conjuring Series.

Scientific studies were performed on TV star mediums, Tyler Henry and Theresa Caputo. They had electrical activity measured in their brains while performing readings and their results showed they access a part of their brain that is not typically accessed when conscious and their brain waves have flat-lined and are inactive while they’re channeling spirits. The results left neurologists baffled.

Are mediums real? Majority of mediums say they discovered their abilities when they were children. It’s believed that children have innocent souls and are susceptible to see spirits. But there is plenty who’ve educated themselves to mimic abilities to scam people.

The debate will be continuous and skeptics will remain persistent in debunking mediums’ abilities. In the end, it’s up to you to decide what to believe, but do so objectively and respectfully.

Until next time… aloha oe.

Pictures: *Jewish Boston, TV Insider, The Business Standard, TV Tropes

#ghost #paranormal #spirits #paranormal investigation #supernatural #ghost hunting #psychic mediums #psychic #psychology #skeptics #skeptic believer #skeptical #do you believe #believers #limiting beliefs #television #medium #abilities #psychic abilities #paranormal investigators extraordinaire

[paranormaltheory]

Ouija Board Seances

There is ongoing debate about Ouija boards of whether that people move the planchette themselves or if spirits do. There have been scientific studies conducted to debunk planchette moving, but for now, let’s summarize seances.

Spiritualists believe that using Ouija boards is safe if you are trained to use it properly. They do agree with Catholic priests to a degree that talking boards can be dangerous, but only if you use them foolishly and improperly. It’s also believed too many people are ignorant regarding protection and fail to properly do so and because of that, they are vulnerable and attract evil beings.

Hauntings and Possesions

People who think their homes are haunted will use social media platforms to showcase incidents of paranormal activity. They want answers. They want to know who, not so much what, is haunting them and the only way to find out is through an Ouija board. Too many video accounts show an increase of paranormal activity: cupboard doors opening and slamming shut, objects being thrown, lights flickering, and so on. Occupants will later claim that scary activity has increased and they are more frightened than before. Teenagers playing with Ouija boards for fun and then suddenly, one of the kids behave oddly or suffers a nose bleed.

Mediums say that playing with talking boards loosely is very dangerous because you will open portals that give evil entities, demons, passage to this realm or worse. Possessions occur when players openly offer the use of their energy to speak through them. The aftermath never goes well for participants in seances gone wrong from recorded testimonies. Someone is usually unexplainably affected by becoming either quiet, unsociable, isolated, moody, or have violent tendencies; but most disturbingly, some end their lives.

When possessions become extreme, it’s usually demonic and priests are summoned to perform exorcisms. However, there must be absolute evidence that a demon is present and the Catholic Diocese must review evidence and hear testimony before approving requests for help.

Crimes

Some murder suspects claim an Ouija board “told” them to commit crimes. Though these admissions don’t hold a candle in court, attorneys will create a defense of mental instability or insanity for reduced sentences.

Opening Portals and Summoning Demons

Homes without paranormal activity suddenly become active after use of a Ouija board. Skeptical people tend to play with the boards and often complain of strange activities and odd behaviors after playing. Paranormal investigators and mediums are often sought to help explain changes within the home and upon investigating, mediums inform the residents a portal was opened and spirits, usually evil ones, are entering their home. What’s more frightening for some is that a spirit has attached itself to one of them.Mediums usually perform rituals to rid homes of evil entities and spirits by closing portals and leaving advice that Ouija boards shouldn’t be taken lightly and to never use them again.

Exploiting ghost hunters will record themselves using a board to summon the most infamous Ouija board demon called Zozo. Mediums can’t express enough that this is the most dangerous fear that anyone can perform when doing a seance. There have never been positive results, even for skeptics, because getting rid of it is challenging and dangerous for mediums or anyone with abilities to perform detachments and expulsions. These ghost hunters claim that they experience negative events and nightmares after seances, even though they believe they’ve ended a seance properly.

Burning Ouija Boards

It’s highly advised to never burn an Ouija board. If you’ve opened a portal and negative energy is present, you will need professional help to use the board to rid yourself of the portal and entities. Burning a board angers spirits because you’ve trapped them here and they will lash out at you.

It’s advised that you give the board to a medium or bury it in the ground.

Skeptics Corner

Psychologists and scientists claim all the activity experienced with Ouija boards are results from self-sabotage of one’s imagination. Whatever you convince yourself to believe comes to fruition - mind over matter, logical thinking. If it’s not seen, that it’s not real.

What do you believe?

Photos: *Discover Magazine, Getty Images, Howard Lyon, YouTube, Mojo, RedHubble

#ghost #paranormal #spirits #ghost stories #paranormal investigation #paranormal investigators extraordinaire #supernatural #ghost hunting #ouija origin of evil #ouija planchette #ouija board #possessions #spirituality #religion #medium #psychic #psychology #seance

[paranormaltheory]

Playing with Ouija Boards

This notorious game is known world wide as a tool used to communicate with the dead. The Catholic Church condemns the Ouija board, a tool of the devil, and anyone using it denies God’s love. The Ouija board is a key that opens portals that allows evil spirits to posses their bodies, or worse… their souls. True spiritualists claim that talking boards predict future events, and yes, cn be used to advise that an Ouija board shouldn’t be used without proper training and if there’s a desire to communicate with spirits, it would be wise to contact a medium that is experienced. Self-proclaimed mediums offer different advice, depending on whom gives it, but they all agree on one thing: never perform a seance with a board, or by any method, alone.

Too many videos made by “paranormal investigators” using Ouija boards at locations that are supposed to be haunted. The team’s research gives them knowledge of the history of the locations and when seances are performed, they always get answers to validate what they already know all for pure entertainment for their viewers. I always question the authenticity of the people using planchettes because it’s difficult to see, or know, if the object is being manipulated by the users.

You can see viral videos of people playing with Ouija boards and effects they experience, or suffer, on YouTube. You’ll see stories of how school kids were hospitalized hit with unexplainable symptoms possession or people claiming their home is haunted and they want to know who or what is causing strange activity that results with increases activity. You will also find videos of skeptics debunking the Ouija board’s reputation of a spiritual communication tool.

Toy manufacturers market the boards as common parlor games. Though sold as a game, each one comes with directions of how to play:

The board was originally marketed as a dating tool for men to find true love. Today, you can buy small versions as party favors, or, you can download an app to have it on your smart phone. But like all games, this one comes with a set of rules to make your playtime experience pleasant. If you Google rules of how to play the game, you’ll see disclaimer warnings about the danger of playing with it and you’re given rules that should keep you safe, but only if you follow them exactly as directed:

1. Never play the game alone.

2. Never use the board in a graveyard.

3. Never burn an Ouija board.

4. Never leave the planchette on the board.

5. Never ask the board when you will die.

6. Always say goodbye.

Though these rules are advised to be followed, the outcome of your experiences isn’t guaranteed to be either food or bad, but it’s said that your attitude and emotions will decide the outcome. Regardless of what you believe in religion or in the supernatural, the reputation of the Ouija board should be respected.

Photos: PC Mag, Getty Images, Hasbro

#paranormal #spirits #ghost #ghost stories #paranormal investigation #paranormal investigators extraordinaire #ghost hunting #supernatural #ouija origin of evil #ouija board #ouija planchette #religion #skeptic believer #skeptics #skeptical #do you believe #believers #games #board games

[paranormaltheory]

The Birth of the Ouija Board

Spiritualism is the belief that the living and the dead coexist and have the ability to communicate through objects or through mediums.

In my last blog post, I discussed the history and use of talking boards. In this post, I will discuss the origin of the notorious Ouija board and why it’s the most controversial thing ever made.

Upon the birth of spiritualism, the most popular tool used to communicate with spirits was the talking board. In 1886, spiritualists camps in the state of Ohio, created talking boards designed from ancient ones used in China to conduct seances. The board’s design was specifically made to transcribe responses and salutations: hello and good-bye, letters A to Z, and yes and no. A pointer, or planchette, is “used” by the contacted spirit to provide answers when asked questions. Spiritualist suggest that before you start a session, say “hello” to open a channel and say “good-bye” to close the channel, as to let the spirits know they cannot attach themselves to you. It’s advised to never use a talking board alone but always in a group to create a binding circle, a seal of protection. Spiritualists warn to never break the binding seal because it tears open a portal that will cause you indefinite horrors from negative entities.

News spread about the Ohio based spiritualist using the talking board and in 1890, a Baltimore businessman, Charles Kennard, recognized the financial value of profiting on people’s emotions during the age of spiritualism. He gathered potential investors: Elijah Bond, attorney, and Col. Washington Bowie, a surveyor, to invest in a business to market talking boards. Together, they founded the Kennard Novelty Company. The men didn’t have a name to patent for the talking board. Elijah brainstormed the idea of recruiting his sister-in-law, Helen Peters Nosworthy, a proclaimed psychic medium, to assist with naming their brand.

The men and Helen held a seance and asked the board what name it would be suitable and it spelled out “Ouija.” They asked the board what the name meant and it replied that “Ouija” is an Egyptian word meaning “good luck.” However, Helen later admitted that she wore a locket with a picture of a female activist named Ouida and she could’ve misread the spelling, but regardless, the name “Ouija” was used. The investors now needed to get the board patented as a board game. On February 10, 1891, Bond and Nosworthy went to Washington to apply for a patent license and the chief patent officer scoffed at the idea that spiritualism was real. He needed convincing and demanded a demonstration of proof. Both Bond and Nosworthy claimed to not know the officer’s name and the three encircled the board to which Nosworthy successfully asked the spirits to spell the officers name. Spooked and dumbfounded, the parent officer granted the license to the Kennard Novelty Company. and thus, the Ouija Board was born.

In 1891, the Kennard Novelty Company opened its factory doors in Baltimore and produced thousands of Ouija boards. The boards were branded and sold as parlor games to conflict accusations of his intent to open gateways to hell. It didn’t matter what religious figures said, groves of people bought the talking boards to communicate with loved ones who passed over too soon or those that were killed in the war.

In 1892, the company opened another factory in Baltimore, two in New York, two in Chicago, and one in London. It’s later speculated that Kennard and Bond had gotten into financial turmoil with investors and in 1893, William Fuld, a supervisor at the factory, bought stock in the company was given the task to oversee design and production of the game boards and it was he who changed the name of the company to The Ouija Novelty Company. In 1898, production rights of company was given to Fuld and his brother, Isaac, to manufacture and sell.

In 1901, William and Isaac broke their brotherly bond after lengthy court battles. Later, William stated that the Ouija board instructed him to build a factory in Baltimore where he would die in a freakish accident in 1927. Isaac would continue to produce and market Ouija Boards until 1966 when Parker Brothers acquired the rights for the parlor game. The company successfully sold over two million games that surpassed Monopoly. In 1991, Parker Brothers transferred to Hasbro who still makes and markets the Ouija Board as a parlor game.

The Ouija Board is the most controversial “parlor” game ever produced. Religious figures, most notably Catholic leaders, defy them because they claim the boards are keys that unlock gateways to hell. Spiritualists do agree, however, they claim that the board can be used safely if done so correctly. As stated at the beginning of this blog, users should use caution when communicating with spirits and if it’s not done right, users risk the event of evil entities becoming attached to them.

Now that I’ve summarized the birth of the Ouija Board, it’s time to dive into how the obsession with them has caused debate between science, skeptics, and believers.

*photos from Getty Images, Reddit, Wikipedia, Brown University archives

#paranormal investigators extraordinaire #ouija board #ouija planchette #ouija origin of evil #paranormal #history #ghost #facts #spirits #paranormal investigation #supernatural

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#monsters #horror #horror movies #scary stuff #ghost #ghost stories #paranormal #supernatural #scary movies #epic #spirits #monster movies

[paranormaltheory]

Can the Dead Speak? Devices used to communicate with spirits - gimmicks or authentic?

Disclaimer: I am not biased to any one opinion or belief. I will only reveal results from my research. My POV is objective and you, the reader, is responsible for what you choose to believe.

Whether you’re a believer or a skeptic, I can’t grasp the fascination people have with the spiritual realm and why they would want to communicate with dead. The growing community of “ghost hunters” is plaguing social media - YouTube and TikTok - and many videos I’ve seen are nothing but thrill seekers behaving stupidly to capture “evidence” of ghosts in haunted locations. Now, there are paranormal investigators with televised programs helping people rid locations of said hauntings, which I find intriguing because they have a purpose to help. In every video, investigators ask spirits to communicate through devices used to capture, or hear, their “voices.” But regardless, I am curious and want to learn more about the phenomenon of paranormal interest.

Let me clarify that my interest lies with why people are fascinated with the paranormal, and what I believe will never be revealed. But, I am open-minded and I will never discredit or challenge any skeptic or believer. My mission is to understand this world-wide fascination with ghosts from all aspects. I intend to uncover as much as I can, and maybe, just maybe, readers will find my research interesting and informative.

Everything that exists has a beginning, so, I took the liberty to research the origin of communicating with the afterlife and how it’s evolved with the help of science.

It’s safe to speculate that all cultures around the world and throughout the centuries have superstitions and traditions that discipline behavior with fear. For example, bad luck superstitions like walking under a ladder, opening an umbrella indoors, or, breaking a mirror will stricken you with bad luck. Itchy palms, seeing lady bugs, or rainbows will bring blessings of good luck. I must confess that I do believe that your thoughts create your reality. If you believe bad luck superstition, you will invite that into your life. If you believe in good luck, you will be blessed in all your days. Hence, always be and think positively and your days will always be blessed, or vice-versa.

There are four kinds of paranormal investigators.

1. Thrill seekers that want fame on social media for being “brave” hunting ghosts.

2. Investigators that go to haunted locations to capture evidence of apparitions and to validate a place is haunted.

3. Investigators that want to help people rid their property of anything paranormal by validating hauntings and ridding the place of ghosts.

4. Skeptic teams that go to locations to debunk hauntings and to give scientifically logical reasons to explain why property owners may think they are haunted.

Types two and three will communicate with spirits, maybe group four - depends on the team’s methods when debunking, but two and three communicate for different reasons. Group two wants to capture evidence that ghosts exist and that’s it. Group three wants to capture evidence to identify who or what so they can rid the property of their existence to give owners peace.

Amazingly, engineers and technicians have devised gear that is used to hear voices from the beyond and I want to learn how that was accomplished, and how do the creators know how their inventions work. I’ll dissect that in another blog post. But for now, let’s dive into the origins of spiritual communication.

Earliest recorded method of communication with the spirit world is traced back to Ancient China’s Liu Song Dynasty, 420 - 479 CE. The form of communicating used then is called Fuji Planchette Writing. People Song region believed in a story about a concubine known as Lady of the Privy. The head wife in her household was jealous of her to which she made the Lady do hard labor. The Lady died from heartache and anger one month on the fifteenth day. In the southern Song region, people would honor her each year on the day of the month she passed. They made an alter adorned with a life-like idol of the Lady of the Privy with offerings of food. The idol would move and people asked her if they would be blessed with good or bad luck for that year.

The northern Song region would summon the Lady of the Privy every year on the day she died by making a doll from wood or straw, clothe the figurine, and place chopsticks in the hands. Two children were made to hold the idol over a table with a spread of dust. Questions were asked of the Lady of the Privy and she would reply with written messages. This method established planchette writing.

In another record of Ancient China, in the Song Dynasty, idols were used to summon the Lady of the Privy. The Tang Dynasty believed in the Lady as well, and they would summon her any day of the year using the planchette method with chopsticks or crafted planchettes supported by rods on tabletops covered with dirt or ashes. This form of communicating with spirits is still practiced in Daoist temples in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and in certain temples in Mainland China.

This ancient technique paved a path to more common and recognized tools used to communicate with spirits. In the next blog post, I’ll discuss the Ouija board and other types of “talking” boards used to communicate with the afterlife.

Photos from Encyclopedia Britannica

#history #paranormal #paranormal investigation #talking board #paranormal investigators extraordinaire #spirituality #facts #believers #skeptics #do you believe #ghost hunting #ghost stories #ghost #spirits #ouija board

[paranormaltheory]

Halloween History

(History Channel)

“Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat! If you don’t, I don’t care; I’ll pull down your underwear!”

Ah, the infamous chant to persuade someone to give you a treat to eat. The tradition of going door-to-door for sweet treats started in the early 20th century and stopped abruptly during World War II due to sugar rationing. After the war ended, Halloween returned in full force. But is this truly what Halloween is about? No, it’s not.

Origin of Halloween

The season is traditionally a Celtic pagan celebration called the Celtic Festival of Samhain to welcome the harvest at summer’s end. People made bonfires and wore masks to ward off ghosts and evil spirits. It’s recorded that in the eighth century, Pope Gregory III formerly designated the first of November as the official day to honor saints - All Saints Day. People prepared for this celebration the night before which was known as All Hallows Eve, which was later renamed Halloween. From this holiday, future generations would add new practices and traditions to what we know today.

Jack-o-lanterns

This tradition started in Ireland, but instead of pumpkins, turnips were used. There’s an Irish legend about Stingy Jack. The story is told how Jack repeatedly trapped the devil and would release him on the condition that he would never go to Hell. After Jack died, he learned that Heaven didn’t want his soul either, and thus he was forced to roam the earth for eternity. The devil put a burning lump of coal into a carved turnip for Jack to have light his everlasting path he must roam. Scary faces were carved into turnips and lit to ward off evil spirits. Pumpkins were used in America in the early 20th century.

All Souls’ Day

The Samhain festival marked the transition from end of harvest to the new year, the beginning of winter. This Celtic celebration was for the spirits that walked the earth and Christian missionaries created a festival of their own called All Souls’ Day that was celebrated on November 2. The idea was that the living always came into contact with spirits this very day each year.

Wearing Costumes and Offerings

Celtics wore elaborate costumes to deter evil spirits from terrorizing them during the Samhain festival. The belief was that evil spirits would mistaken the living as spirits and the costumes would scare evil spirits thus the living would be left alone. Another tradition was food offerings were made to appease spirits wandering in the night.

Trick-or-Treat

No one knows for certain the origin of trick-or-treating. There are three theories to how this tradition began.

First theory: trick-or-treating derived from the Samhain food offerings.

Second theory: the Scottish had a similar tradition, a secular practice of guising during the Middle Ages. Poor families would collect money and food from homes of neighbors in exchange for prayers for the dead on All Souls’ Day. In time, a non-religious approach was given in exchange for food and money - songs, jokes, or tricks were given as thanks.

Third theory: the modern trick-or-treating evolved from a Christmas tradition from Germany called belsnickeling. Children would dress up in costumes and go knocking on neighbors’ doors and the homeowners would guess the identities of the children. If they couldn’t identify the costume wearers, the children would be rewarded with treats.

Halloween Colors

Traditional colors of Halloween are black and orange. In the Samhain festival, black represented the end of summer, death if you will, and orange represented the autumn harvest season. Today, purple and green are commonly used along with black and orange.

Black Cats

During the Middle Ages, people feared black cats because they were associated with evil, more so the devil. Sadly, during the witch hunt era, women found with black cats, or any cat, were accused of being witches.

Black cats are still considered to be creatures that harbor bad luck, a common decoration for Halloween. (Truth be told, these felines are the best cats to have).

Games and Tricks (Pranks)

Halloween parties are now a popular event to have. A traditional game to play is bobbing for apples. Did you know that the game has nothing to do with Halloween? This tradition is traced to a Roman festival of honoring Pomona, a goddess of agriculture and abundance. Roman men and women would bob for apples to predict future relationships.

Playing tricks (pranks) is a pre-Halloween tradition known as Devil’s Night. Good natured pranks were done on Samhain and All Souls Day. Immigrants brought the tradition to America and called it Mischief Night as a Halloween tradition.

Halloween Today

October is a favorite month for all who love Halloween. No matter why you like this festive holiday, we can agree that it’s fun to dress up and enjoy sweet treats without guilt.

#all hallows eve #halloween #halloween history #history #trick or treat #october #happy halloween #facts

[paranormaltheory]

Paranormal Science: What Do You Believe?

Why are people fascinated with ghosts, hauntings… anything paranormal? Skeptics pay attention because they want to debunk anything considered to be proof. It’s amusing that skeptics criticize believers of the paranormal and yet, they they themselves keep vigil on everything to do with the topic.

There are too many ghost hunting channels on YouTube and on television. But why do people ghost hunt? I’ve seen too many “investigators” who believe they are helping ghosts, but I’ve yet seen how they do. I, personally, want to know how “investigators” think they’re helping ghosts.

The first ghost hunting team I watched was GHOST HUNTERS on the SyFy (Sci Fi) channel and their mission was to help people with claims of hauntings. The team was led by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson who founded The Atlantic Paranormal Society, TAPS. They traveled with a team and equipment to investigate locations - homes or businesses, to uncover reasons to what was happening. Many times, the team could debunk and ease the minds of the people who called for help, and sometimes they found evidence of ghosts. In situations where a haunting did occur, Grant and Jason would explain how to either live with the ghosts or how to get rid of them. As years progressed, the show turned into ghost hunts and the original purpose of why they started TAPS dissolved.

If you’re into reality shows, and you believe in the supernatural, there are psychic mediums that will surely entertain you. The LONG ISLAND MEDIUM is one of many that I admittedly enjoy watching. But there are mediums I doubt are legit, one is John Edwards. I’ve seen a lot of his performances and there’s something about his technique that makes his claimed ability questionable (saved for a later discussion).

Tarot card readers that advertise a business to see read your life via tarot cards. These psychics can communicate with spirit guides, theirs and yours, to read your current life situation and to tell you what your future holds. If you have an evil or negative attachment, for an additional fee, they will remove it from you. Is there legitimacy to this? That’s something I will research and reveal whatever I find.

Cryptic creatures also is included in the paranormal world. Is there evidence or finds that prove such things exist?

Overall, whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, my goal is to present information and let you decide what is real or not. I’m not here to persuade or dissuade anyone from their beliefs. But this topic is interesting to all believers and non just the same.

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