Psychic protection, elementals & a plan of attack

I live in a very old gold mining city, built upon mine shafts and riddled with quartz and gold veins which are still being dug out to this day. This has lead to some interesting experiences growing up, as the violence and greed that this city has grown on has left some indelible marks in many locations. This brand new home is clearly no different.

Very recently I was invited to join an investigation in a home where activity of the elemental nature was rife.
Sure, the upper two floors were flooded with spirit activity, darting apparitions could clearly be seen almost upon arrival, but it was a very different entity that presided in an open and functioning mine shaft beneath the home. The home owners have spent thousands on employing miners to sure up the original mine, restoring the shafts, ladders and elevators that service the area. There is a glass floor in the house that lets you look all the way down into the mine itself. Since moving in, the family has experienced nothing but bad luck, voices, pipes bursting, things breaking and there is no way they can sell the property or catch a break.


Now, the actual investigation provided a lot of activity, from extreme hot spots, clear communication through ghost boxes and photo evidence. On the third floor we captured growling, draining batteries and the floor was moving like an elevator or a rolling ship for most of the night. This in itself is usually enough to give me physical symptoms, but it was when we ventured down into the basement that it became apparent that I needed to learn a few things.

Firstly, the concrete basement is open to the outside, it is late autumn here and very cold. However after ten minutes of making 'contact' the area became stiflingly hot. Through our communication with the many spirits it was clear that whatever was down there was causing the havoc in the home and it was not happy. Sulfurous smells wafted up, shuffling and raspy noises occurred, even a sound of what seemed to be two coins being rubbed and clinked together and a clear 'yeeeesss' to a question.
My head began to pound, when I peered into the mine for a while, I was almost sick.

After the investigation (and primary cleansing) I headed home. Not being familiar with dealing with heavy or angry energy, I did nothing to decompress...I simply went to bed. I woke with a migraine. I slept for roughly 20 hours on and off. The next two days I couldn't move from the couch, my dreams were feverish and I thought I had caught something nasty. I think it turns out I did. My energy was simply drained from me in a way I haven't encountered before. So, before returning to the house in a couple of days from now, I have to have a plan together. I know for sure i will ground myself afterwards by standing barefoot in the grass and letting the negative energy flow back into the earth, but I'm yet to research the best way for me to protect myself before going in. I'll update the post when I do, but any experienced advice is surely welcome!

Review - Ghost Asylum - Waverly Hills

Waverly Hills, Louisville Kentucky

Mug of tea, check. Alone in house, check. Ready for a down south ghost hunt? check!

8000 or more people have reportedly died in this location, so Porter tells us on the drive. it was also used as a tuberculosis hospital and suicides have been reported here. Pretty sure if you're a ghost show aficionado like myself, you'll have visited this place with other teams and other shows before, but unlike them, the Tennessee Wraith Chasers will build a trap and attempt to brig a ghoulie or two home with them. So let's jump in with the TWC.

The "Phantom Voltage Inducer"

 
Cuts of locals tell us of activity experienced at Waverly, ranging from scratches to being thrown to the ground. One man has a jolt to his pacemaker every time he visits and there's not only human spirits but a dark creeper too.


Chris and Doogie head into town to talk to a local news reporter, while the others head straight inside to do a baseline sweep.
Patients were experimented on , we hear from news reporter Chris, by having their ribs removed and even being crushed by heavy weights. A nurse aborted a baby on the premises and it was later found in the sewer system, not long after that one of the the nurses in question committed suicide.
During the sweep back at Waverly, the boys get hits at the spot where a nurse was found hanging. So that night when they all head in, it's the first place they aim for. After a 'fist bump to the big man' of course.


Inside, Porter suddenly gets a fit of coughing that he can't shake and sees a shadow down the hall, he feels that he is being attacked so steps out for a while.
meantime, Chris gets the name "Betty" coming through his equipment and feels a wave of sadness hit him.
In the body chute that runs under the sanatorium, Doogie is waiting by himself and hears strange noises coming from the darkness. Of course there's stupid sound effects going over this whole segment so we don't have a chance to experience any of it.
A flash of light in the darkness indicates that his equipment has just failed due to the fresh batteries draining flat instantly.


Back with Chris on the fifth floor, he's searching for room 502 where a nurse reportedly hung herself. The word 'wed' comes through the ghost box which leads to some questioning if she was going to marry a doctor...
But it's time to wrap for the night and have a quick review of the evidence: there's some raspy breathing and an unusual light flash.


TRAP TIME!
What will it be? a box with some string? a carrot and a hook? Nope, we're building the 'Phantom Voltage Inducer' which is full of complicated panels and meters and will somehow trap something in there. probably some fingers by the look of it.


Porter has headed off to talk to a Demonologist to see how they can protect themselves. PAUSE: this is a practical thing that frankly I'm surprised these shows don't (or rarely ever) touch on. Protection when entering these locations is important as it can affect health both mentally and physically. I wish they showed us more of a debriefing afterwards too, not just reviewing of evidence. A blog for another time maybe. UN PAUSE: Father Price explains how Waverly harbors many shadow people and recommends prayer and vigilance, especially on the fourth floor.



To set up the trap, Porter wheels Chasey in to the operating room on an old trolley, and soon after we hear footsteps in the hall and then something grabs Chasey's leg. It's then that the trap starts moving on it's own which is when the boys wrap the night.


Back home, the TWC look over the evidence which unfortunately there wasn't too much of. A shadow in the hallway, a bad EVP but then a not too bad touch on some clothing. We don't even test the trap because it didn't close up at all to catch anything. So it's hang the picture and head off for some food.

Sounds like a good idea to me, so I'll see y'all next week boys.

Review - The Enfield Haunting - part 2

This is a review of part TWO of the series, if you wish to read part ONE first, click here.

Focusing heavily on the relationship between Maurice and Janet, this episode reveals the wound that still exists over his own daughter's death both in himself, and his wife.

1977, In an unassuming council flat, Enfield London. Strange things have been occurring to a family who have become terrified and tortured by an unseen force. Janet, the youngest daughter, has been at the center of the happenings which are about to get much worse.

After being thrown to the ceiling by the entity, Guy is ready to admit the activity is real and calls Maurice back to the house. But when Janet presents with a bloody eye and the video feed cuts out as she is attacked, she is shipped off to stay with relatives. But it is at this time, Maurice tries a ritual in the girl's room, when Janet experiences activity  in the form of objects stacking and seeing an old man in the bathroom mirror, causing her to smash it accidentally. Clearly she is not believed and promptly sent back home. Janet shows her contempt towards Maurice for the first time for sending her away.

A medium is bought in on the advice of Guy to speak to the poltergeist and the small framed woman who sits on a chair in the lounge quickly taps into the entity, In a raspy voice she reveals a sexual assault episode which is pretty disturbing and a few different voices come through. It speaks directly to Janet before ending the session. Afterwards, she warns both Guy and Maurice that they should by no means attempt to communicate with the spirit in the house and that it is a 'house of death' for Maurice particularly.

Upon returning home, Maurice discovers his wife with another man; it turns out she hasn't been having an affair as suspected, but is instead, consulting a psychic. Maurice shows his disgust at this 'charlatan' preying on a grieving mother and sends him packing when he discovers his wife has been giving him objects that belonged to their daughter as payment. It is just as he leaves that Guy turns up. Over dinner they discuss potentially communicating with the entity.

Not long after, a knocking is persisting in the house when the family is gathered in the lounge during the day. This is the opportunity that Guy and Maurice have been waiting for and promptly ask it to 'knock once for no and twice for yes'. It is after Maurice is thrown from a chair that things ramp up and he demands that it speaks. Very quickly the raspy voice begins to emit from Janet and tells him in foul language that he is named 'Joe'.
It is apparently the opening the entity was waiting for, as at every opportunity now Janet rasps obscenities at everyone she can, even Maurice's wife when she unexpectedly turns up to visit. Of course, a Joe did indeed live and die in the house, adding intrigue and validity to the story.

There is a cruel moment when Janet calls Maurice's wife from a payphone and claims to be her dead daughter. This is Janet lashing out at Maurice for producing this new phenomenon but Maurice is determined to use this new addition to get the heads of the SPR involved. But when nothing is witnessed, frustration takes hold and Maurice forces Janet to take a drink and tapes her mouth shut. The voice of Joe comes forth and everyone can not help but be convinced. Of course, this incenses Janet who runs away from home during the night.

Maurice goes to retrieve Janet from her father's house, where Joe has given the new girlfriend a mouthful. He gives her a ring that belonged to his daughter and smooths things out. But they arrive back at the house only to find that he and Guy are barred from entering as the SPR has taken over the case.

The final scene is of Janet and Margret talking in the backyard. Janet declares that the voice is not so bad, because it means at least the poltergeist needs her and doesn't want to destroy her.
That's when Joe's voice comes from Margret "Is that right? I don't need anyone!"
Insects begin to swarm over Janet.

Although all these things have been well documented as happening in the home and to the family, there are a few moments that we can look at and go 'hmmmm' to. A specialist was indeed called in to inspect Janet's throat and proclaimed that there was no way that she could keep up that voice without destroying her own. However, this has been contended over the years and it is unsure if the young girl just took the suggestion from Maurice to speak and used it as a vent for her frustration at the events.
The show has dramatised these moments, although apparently she did produce the voice when her mouth was full of water. There really was an old man named Joe who died in the house also.
But my understanding of Poltergeist was that it was telekinetic energy from a person, so the use of poltergeist is strange in this context, although I suppose in a perfect storm the haunting could have opened up the abilities in Janet.
The conclusion is next week, so reserving judgement on the wrap up until then. Still a great production and a very moody watch.

Review - The dead files - House of mirrors

Amy Allen and Steve DiShiavi are on the road to Independence, Oregon, in search of a haunting once again.
We all know the drill by now (don't we?), Amy does her walkthrough at night, filmed by husband Matt who is in turn filmed by another crew (?!) while Steve's realm is the day: interviewing occupants and digging into the history. We then spend the ep. going back and forth between the two, putting the puzzle (sometimes very conveniently) together until the finale with the householders where a creepy picture is presented and Amy's inscrutable cure is prescribed.Along the way we are entertained by the many faces of Amy Allen.

Here we go!
Steve, car, talking at the camera. he tells us how a couple living in a farmhouse are being terrorised by activity and think their relationship may fall apart without their help.
Amy is now telling us how there are tricksters on the property who create illusions and mess with people, but not in a "haha, got your nose" kind of way, more in a "you go crazy now" sort of fashion. They can also enter people's dreams.

Steve meets Terry at the kitchen table. He admits to hearing voices, seeing full bodied apparitions and even being chased by something in the house which he shares with partner Bobby and sometimes grandson Ashton. Terry is worried that it is affecting his grandson and feels utterly helpless.

"What the Hell?" is usually what we hear from Amy when she enters a location. This time is no different. She's seeing a person yelling in the lounge, it's someone who lives there, and now she is sensing a telepath in the home but HOLD THE PHONE there is the creepiest looking dead plant growing across the ceiling in this room and no one is mentioning it, OK, moving on...this telepath is making things appear.
"OH boy", no we're in the bedroom and meeting the 'tricksters'. They are apparently manipulating the occupants fears and anxieties.

Terry has just told Steve about the women's voices he hears in the kitchen and is describing the figures he's seen at the end of his bed, which are human shaped but smaller.

Come on Amy, time for a crazy face and yes! there it is. She describes the trickster beings as small black humanoids who are quite enjoying all the havoc they are causing.

Steve is now interviewing partner Bobby in the house. He describes the small black figures that both Amy and Terry have talked about, Grandson Ashton also tells Steve about things coming out of the closet  with red eyes and a tall man in the bathroom.
Right, time for Steve to do some history on the home and here's what we know: a prison superintendent lived on the land with his mother in the nineteenth century, he was blamed for a third of his prisoners escaping. His mother then died and was buried there.
Secondly, a deadly feud between neighbours in 1889 happened close by. Now we also find out that the house was moved to its current location from another farm property, so we head out there. Of course, there was a suspicious hanging and deaths there too. Feeling the urge to move anyone?

A sketch is done so it must be time to gather everyone for the reveal. We start the story outside and gradually ramp up the terror and it's not long before we're getting the close up reaction shots and furtive glances all round. We continue to go through the history until we get to the telepathy part, it's Terry, big reveal. It's not really explained but moving on to the tricksters now. Close ups for everyone! Amy crazy face comes out to play and there's tears. But we're not done, let's pull out the sketch: It's the tricksters standing around the bed. hang in there guys there's more, they have a leader.
There's that line "and for that I'm going to hand it over to Amy." Cringe.

Plan of Attack
First off, a physical medium needs to talk to the leader, but at the same time a shaman needs to come in and deal with the tricksters, setting up a wide perimeter around the house.
The guys have to write a journal every week and burn it.
Oh What? that's it? No African Wildebeest tamer? ok, seems easy enough.
Then there's the text at the end of the show that tells us they are still looking for a shaman and a medium and the activity still continues. So what then? Come in, stir it all up, terrify the occupants and then leave?
Seems odd that Amy can't at least hook them up with who they need to perform these things.
Also, most importantly, she neglected to tell them they need someone to come in and do an exorcism on that dead thing creeping across the ceiling, taking over their home which was by far the creepiest thing about the whole episode.

Review - The Enfield Haunting - part 1

Based on a true story. The Enfield Haunting portrays the 'true' events that occurred in 1977 - 1979 in an unassuming home in Enfield, North London.

Also known as the Enfield Poltergeist, it was widely publicized by newspapers and media at the time and investigated by Maurice  Gross (Timothy Spall)and Guy Lyon Playfair (Matthew Macfadyen) of the society for psychical research (SPR) as well as other researchers periodically, including the famed Ed Warren.

Hotly debated both then and now over the truth of the claims, Maurice Gross  asserts that much of the phenomena was indeed real.
However the activity, which revolved around a young girl Janet, was caught out on a few occasions faking incidents and seemed to enjoy the media attention.

The show does a great job at treading the line of portraying a clever, pre-pubescent girl who at times is in charge of her world and at others genuinely scared. According to theory, this is a prime environment for a poltergeist; the stress, frustration and sexual tension experienced by the youth (female especially) in some cases so extreme as to form physical or telekinetic activity.

The Enfield poltergeist however, may take some liberties with the original case study, such as showing an old man to be haunting the young girl, and the special connection formed between Maurice and Janet, which may be construed to muddy the facts of the activity.

This first episode deals with the set up of the family situation, single mother Peggy, daughters Janet (11) and Margret (13), sons Johnny (10) and Billy (7). We sense the tension in the mother having to raise the four children on her own after the father left (abandoned) and with Johnny having to go away to school due to 'behavioral issues'. Family life is strained, money is scarce and Janet even shares a bath with a slug in one scene.

After the girls experience some knocking sounds in their room, mother Peggy and brother Billy arrive in time to see a chest of drawers slide towards them on its own.
Just after this Maurice arrives at the home after being contacted by the SPR. He is met by two newspaper men who claim to have caught pictures of objects flying across the room. They tell Maurice that a police woman came to see what the disturbance was and witnessed a chair moving on its own; she left without further ado [Short of arresting the chair for being an unlicensed vehicle I guess there's not much they can do about poltergeists].

It's not long before the first newspaper article comes out and we witness Janet being bullied at school over it, and yet another stress we are privy to in her life; her older sister watches but does nothing to help.
The article draws attention to the family and very soon the SPR sends along Guy Lyon Playfair to help downplay the events occurring in the home lest it bring the society into disrepute. Janet takes an instant disliking to him.

We witness through the episode some of the events that are documented: marbles flying across the lounge, a teapot smashing on the floor and to finish off - Janet being tangled up in her drapes by the neck. The episode ends when Guy Lyon rushes into the room to untangle her and is thrown up to the ceiling.

Although I'm glad that this story has been made into a new production for us to watch, I am wary that for the want of drama and interest things will be (and have been) added in for pure effect. Such as the inclusion of the 'Old Man' that Janet fears she bought home from the cemetery and the addition of Maurice's wife having an affair (to what end this aids the plot we are yet to discover). For the most part it is covering the events in succession, but I'm sure as the parts progress we will get a bit wild with the truth.
The real truth however, is still yet to be discovered, I just hope they leave it open ended enough to satisfy the appetites of believers and skeptics alike.  

For an account of the REAL STORY click here

Review - ghost asylum- st. Albans Sanatorium

Ok, we're back with the boys from the south, I'm tucked into a blanket, cat on my lap, cup of hot chai by my side. This is probably going to be the best moment of the show - where it's all anticipation and no let downs. Alright, can't delay any longer. Let's go ghost huntin'.

Radford Virginia - st. Albans Sanatorium.
Once a boy's school, and then an experimental psychiatric hospital, it sounds like this one should be full of goodies. Those that watch or read my blog know the layout of the show. But for first timers, we do a baseline sweep with half the crew, while the others go meet some locals for some background. Then we all go in to investigate in pairs before it's decided what kind of trap to make : yep, the Tennessee wraith chasers don't just find the ghosts, they trap 'em too. Kind of like your local wildlife rescue only with more gadgets and way less to go on.

The guys are talking about murders and suicides on the site, Indian settlements and a possible demonic curse. Ticks all the boxes. There's one demon reported who is called 'red eyes' (points for originality) which has scared off police and visitors for years.

Doogie, Chasey and Brannon are heading inside and as usual go straight to the attic where a spirit called Rebecca supposedly hangs about. Apparently she kept a baby in a jar up here. Yep.

Chasey and Porter are in town talking to the local law about a young woman who was murdered near the building in the eighties - although her body has never been found. The officer seems happy for the guys to look for some evidence and even takes them out to the spot where her car was found. Thanks officer Andy.

Night falls and after a quick prayer, our intrepid crew start wandering about the halls and come across a bowling alley, they're looking for red eyes. The demon, not the flight...
Using a 360 degree periscope (or the octopus I like to call it), they check the emf (electro magnetic field) in the room. There's a small bang and something touches Chris's ear. He sees a shadow next, Doogie sees the red eyes and they're hearing things all around them. Instead of seeing what might come of all this 'activity' they decide to leave. Ugh. Of course.

Porter and the others are bothering Rebecca using an array of gadgets. They're excited...for some reason I'm not sure of, they are saying they've had intelligent interactions, but I just saw a couple of lights.

Porter says he feels like he's being followed and hearing the shuffling of feet. DON'T LOOK NOW BUT THERE'S A CAMERA CREW FOLLOWING YOU!

Brannon.bowling alley.alone.nothing.happens.k.next.

Yay, ovulus time! It's set to a creepy deep voice. Just like the magic eight ball, its words may or may not be appropriate to the situation. As in this time when it says 'always' .

Review at the end of the night, one orb, two very very faint evps. But no time to dwell because its TRAP TIME! let's bring in the native American Indian folklore to tie it all up and make a huge dream catcher. I'm part cringing part smiling incredulously, these are the moments people, this is why we watch. Right here.
Let's just pause a minute. I need to wipe the tears away.
Ok, montage, we're making a flimsy box from sticks and placing a crystal ball in the middle, all to the tune of a slide guitar. Then with a glue gun just going nuts like crazy string around the outside. Yep, looks pro to me boys, the technology is surely sound.

Night two.
Setting the trap in the bowling alley, Doogie and Chris head to the furnace room to push 'red eyes' toward the trap. He must chill out in there.
The guys in the bowling alley aren't feeling too good and the periscope (cousin to the octopus) is lighting up. Doogie thinks he was possessed by red eyes (you can get drops for that).


Contact with the murder victim Gina is seemingly being made in the other room through the k2.
Ovulus says police, father and Robert. Then the less friendly "out". Dance, fear, happen. She was at a dance before she was killed, Robert is officer Andy's first name. Her father passed away recently.

Back at the clubhouse now. We hear and see the evidence: there's a scream, some knocks and Porter's name is said.  The guys test the trap for any entities and...nope. really? A hot glue gun didn't catch a ghost?
A picture is hung in the wall and instead of pizza, the guys head out for a bit of frisbee. Unless that's slang for pizza?

Sorry the glue trap didn't work boys, maybe the demon didn't want to 'stick around'...

Review - the dead files - deranged

Psychic medium Amy Allen and her detective partner Steve Di Schiavi are back with a new episode. According to the intro, they never meet during an investigation and only compile their findings at the end of the show when they have a sit down with the owners.
Ok, so today we're at:

Falconer, New York.
Steve is heading to Sheila's house, where everyone is being terrorised by a spirit, especially her fourteen year old daughter (hands up if you're hoping for a poltergheist?!)

But now we flick over to Amy and her husband Matt as they do a walkthrough of the location. Now, one good thing and one bad thing:
+ Matt sweeps through the property and removes all personal items so that Amy doesn't pick up on who lives in the house. Good.
+ Matt follows her around with a camcorder to film all of Amy's strange expressions and impressions. Fine. But why then do we need an entire film crew to catch both of them doing what is supposed to come off as an intimate, creepy, psychic ghost tour? I can just see ten people trudging around the house with them, making noise and getting in the way. What if one of them has B.O. and another keeps farting? do we then have an evil entity in the house? Seems an odd thing to do and makes Matt being there totally redundant. Bad.

Back to Steve. Hi Sheila. We hear how her daughter Sarah is having daily experiences, getting sick and bruising up. Sheila is sick too, stabbing pains.

Amy and Matt are being recorded recording again. Amy picks up on the physical pain that people in the house are having. She doesn't know how they cope.

Apparently there's a super religious presence in the house that wants the dwellers to believe he's a ghost. I don't understand. He IS a ghost right? Anyway, he likes a particular woman in the house and smothers people by sticking his fingers in their mouth.

George now, Sheila's husband. He's chased a spirit out to the garage before and tells how he had a visit from a strange man which ended strangely and strangely enough they never saw him again. Strange.

Upstairs now and Amy is pulling faces. She cops a lot of flack for this, but really, I like it. Being an overly emotive person myself, I can put myself in her shoes and I think my eyebrows would wiggle and I would scrunch my face up too, especially if I was seeing some of the things she describes. Oop, now there's a demon in the house. Ok.

Nathan, Sheila's son tells how he used to see a set of red eyes going into the bathroom and items go inexplicably missing - only to turn up months later.

Matt quietly films (why is he here again?) As Amy pulls some crazy voices saying there's some bad stuff going on, so I have to pause for a giggle and miss what she says about some bad lady.

Michelle Henry is a local historian that Steve visits to get the background. Turns out an owner of the property in the nineteenth century was committed to an institution for 'religious excitement' and classed insane and committed suicide.

There's also been four deaths inside the house so Steve goes to visit Tina Scott, a genealogist to get the low down. Then he meets a local cop to hear how a brutal murder was committed close to the house. Sheesh, sounds like a fun place...

Amy has picked up now on the deaths and the sickness, and decides that it's not healthy for the living to be there.

Reveal time.

We go through a few characters that Amy picked up on while Steve interjects and adds his findings - putting together who is possibly who. It wouldn't be a reveal unless we make someone cry, so bingo, check that box.
The religious guy plays the centre role, so he's the one Amy has had sketched up. Family sufficiently disturbed, a couple more spirits are thrown into the mix for good measure.
We know what Steve's going to say next. No Steve, don't say it!..' And for that, I'm going to turn it over to Amy'. Ugh.

The cure
The elderly woman can't be dealt with. Really? Thanks for that.
A holy person needs to perform a sermon for the religious zealot, then a blessing.
Three sensitives are needed, two females and one male, one of them has to be a physical medium and they have to have a seance.
The daughter needs to be removed from the house until this is done.

Wow. Lots going on at this house. I'm left scratching my head though, as there is so much written history about this place that Steve presented, it just seems far too possible that Amy is given prior knowledge. I would love to believe everything I see, but this is tv, it needs to be entertaining, it needs to be neat and folded and laundered and put back on the shelf. Having said that though, for the entertainment factor, I'm glad we're back in normal homes again, is far more interesting than large tourist attraction sites and gives more of a human angle when Amy and Steve present them with the information at the end - even if that is given in a way to scare the living daylights out of them "you have a demon, and by the way, here's the pictures...also you'll need a left handed monkey trainer from Guatemala to perform a ritual to remove it...good luck!" 

we're watching you watching her and it's creepy