Experience Vs. Evidence

"Experience is the teacher of all things."  (-Julius Caesar)

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.  It is the source of all true art and science."  (-Albert Einstein)

As some readers have noticed, and as I explained in an earlier post, the paranormal occurrences about which I've written here, thus far, are unprovable.  They took place over the course of my life, beginning in very early childhood, and continued throughout a time when the gathering of "evidence" for the sake of proving something or convincing others was of no concern to me.  In the beginning, things just happened.  As time went on, I began seeking out knowledge of the unexplained in the only ways I knew how:  reading voluminously, and actively entering into places and circumstances that might increase the chances of my experiencing something of a paranormal nature.  I did what I did.  I saw, heard, and felt what I saw, heard, and felt.
And I have only my stories to account for it.

[SIDEBAR:  You know what they say... Be careful what you ask for.  Throughout my teens and early twenties, much of this seeking involved deep study and practice of the occult, including involvement in foolhardy provocations and dangerous conjurings, and a deliberate state of "openness" to powers and principalities that--as I now know--are best left alone.  Like I said, this is not a course I'd recommend to anyone.  There are other ways of investigating the unexplained, Lighter ways which are far less likely to send an invitation for Dark forces to enter one's life.  Remember, as Nietzsche said, "And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee."]

In my opinion, in regards to the paranormal, nothing beats real life experience when it comes to making a believer out of a skeptic.  Yes, I do believe the gathering of concrete evidence is a vital component of keeping the field of paranormal research moving forward.  However, no amount of cold evidence alone is going to convince a hardened skeptic of the reality of the paranormal.  This is especially true today, when you consider the vast array of multimedia technology available to anyone, which makes the fabrication of false-but-compelling evidence extremely easy.

No, I'm afraid the only way for a skeptic to be convinced of the reality of the paranormal is for them to experience it for themselves, to which any compelling evidence may be added as additional and welcome support.  Once you've been there and done that, you will believe.  Those of you who have, know exactly what I mean.

My intention for this blog is to first relate my own early experiences, in order to provide the reader with an understanding of where it is I'm coming from, as an individual and as a paranormal researcher.  As I've stated, none of these accounts can be proven.  If they ring true with you, if you have had similar experiences, or if you know and trust someone else who has, it is my hope that they might help validate what you already know to be so.  Conversely, the skeptical reader may find them entertaining, but will inevitably write them off as hogwash; I'm okay with that, too.  Once my backstory is adequately documented, this blog will proceed with the sharing of accounts and evidence that have been gathered, both by S.P.I.R.I.T. and by other paranormal investigators. 

From time to time, as it is a particular interest of mine, I will also here share examples and elements of mystic traditions and folklore from around the world, along with my thoughts on how they relate to contemporary explorations of the paranormal.

Capisce?

Good.

Onward!

The "Eyes" Have It...

Early Summer, circa 1987.

During a particularly active period of shadow people sightings, I was awakened one night by the strong sensation of "being watched" by a sentient presence in my room.  Rousing myself to full alertness, I turned and looked at the wall opposite my bed.  There, suspended just above my writing desk, I saw what appeared to be a single, large, bloodshot eye - about two feet in diameter - glistening wetly and staring at me.  I shit you not.  Pulling my blanket over my head, I tried to call first for my parents, then for my older brother, whose room was next to mine.  Nobody responded, probably because they could not hear me; I remember that fear seemed to have tightened my throat, and I was barely able to make a sound.  After half a minute or so, I chanced another look at the wall.  The eye was gone, and I was once again alone in my bedroom.

This was an odd and unique occurrence, to say the least.  Thanks for reading, and please feel free to leave any thoughts or questions in the comment section below.

Paranormal Wisconsin: Presentation by Chad Lewis

For those in the Ashland, Wisconsin area, be sure to check out "Paranormal Wisconsin - Tales of Ghosts, UFOs and Mysterious Creatures," on Sunday, October 18th, at 1:00 p.m. CST, in the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center auditorium.

Details about the event can be found HERE.

The presenter, Chad Lewis, is a prolific author and world-traveled paranormal researcher.  More information about Mr. Lewis can be found HERE.

Note:  S.P.I.R.I.T. is currently recruiting researchers and field investigators!  If you're interested in participating in paranormal investigations in the northern Great Lakes region, find me at this event, ask me for a business card, and let's set up a time to chat!  If you can't make it to the event, email superiorparanormalresearch@gmail.com for more information.

"Sing Me a Song..."

"... you're a singer.  Do me a wrong, you're a bringer of evil..." (Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell)

Midsummer, 1992, about 5:00 p.m. CST.

Remember when video games allowed you to access and listen to individual sound effects and theme music, from the "Options" screen?  When I was 16-years-old, my little sister and I were sitting in my brother's bedroom, listening to various sound files from Castlevania IV on our Super Nintendo console.  One after another, we would listen to a sound effect or song, make up a joke or say something about it, and move on to the next one.

A short way into the song known as "Simon's Theme," or "Stage 1: Dance of the Holy Man," the disembodied voice of a woman suddenly echoed throughout the room, loudly and clearly harmonizing with the music coming from the television's speaker.  It was quite lovely, and lasted for several seconds before fading away.  My sister and I simply sat there for a few seconds, jaws dropping, before turning to stare at each other with wide eyes.  "Holy Crap!  Did you hear that?" I asked her.  She replied, "Yeah!  What was that?"

We immediately replayed the song to see if we would hear the same thing again, but were unable to recreate the phenomenon.  This was disappointing, because the voice we'd heard really was beautiful.  We went into the adjoining living room and determined that the television there was not turned on.  My father, who had been dozing in his easy chair just on the other side of our closed door had not spoken, nor had he heard anything.  Upon investigation, we also determined that there was nothing outside of the bedroom's open window that could have made the sound.

Through the magic of the internet, you can now listen to the song that was playing when my sister and I heard this ghostly singing.  Play the video below... the voice started at the 1:06 mark, and continued to about 1:14.

Into the Shadows...

Let's jump back to 1980.  After experiencing the entity I now refer to as "the vomitus whirlpool," things started getting wiggy, and it's been one helluva roller coaster ride ever since.

Immediately following that initial, terrifying encounter with the paranormal, I began seeing so-called "shadow people" regularly.... that is, if you can call witnessing the manifestation of dark, non-corporeal entities that appear out of nowhere "regular."  Anyway, although less frightening than my first experience, catching glimpses of these shadowy forms was nonetheless disconcerting, especially at first.  After a while, though, it became so commonplace that my reactions would range widely... I'd be anything from scared, to startled, to interested, to downright pissed off.  Nowadays, I usually just find it amusing.

These sightings seemed to occur in waves, often happening multiple times a day for stretches that sometimes lasted a week or more, before temporarily letting up.  This would continue over the course of my entire childhood and into my early twenties.  In a way, I came to use my sightings of shadow people as a sort of gauge, to assess how relatively "tuned in" I was to the world of the paranormal at any given time.  After conscientiously breaking away from my involvement in occult activities around the age of 22, I experienced a short-lived surge in shadow people sightings, before it progressively tapered off almost entirely.  Rarely, perhaps once or twice a year, I will still catch a glimpse of these forms.  In a way, seeing them now makes me feel a bit nostalgic, and I simply respond with the same sort of friendly smile and nod that a person might offer to acknowledge someone they used to see around town when they were growing up.

So, what exactly are shadow people?  What is it like to see one, and what the hell do they want?  After the internet came along, I was fascinated to learn that this phenomenon has actually been witnessed by many people, and that their experiences have been very similar to my own.  Theories abound regarding what these beings actually are.  Until I was well into adulthood, though, I had only my own experiences from which to gain perspective and draw conclusions.

Here's what I came up with:

First of all, let's paint a mental picture of what it's like to see one of these buggers.  Shadow people typically manifest as a visual form on the edge of one's peripheral vision.  I have seen more of these entities during the daytime than at night.  They are usually about the height--and in the approximate shape--of an adult human, though I've seen some that were shorter and stouter (think "dwarfish"), and a couple that were a bit larger than an average person (up to seven feet tall, or so).  Much of the time, they appear to be robed and/or hooded.  Though often seen standing still, their appearance is sometimes observed to be moving or shifting in place.  Shadow people do not seem to have a physical, discernible mass; rather, their shape and form is defined by a space occupied by deep shadow, with varying degrees of translucency.



Note the relative translucence and hooded appearance of this figure.



This form presents as a very deep shadow.

Often, their sudden appearance is preceded by the sensation of being in the presence of a sentient being, and accompanied by a feeling of being observed.  Usually--in my experience, about 80 percent of the time--a shadow person's visual form dissipates almost immediately upon turning to look directly at it.  Less frequently, the form will remain in full view throughout the duration of direct observation; this can be extremely disconcerting, to say the least. 

Before exploring the concept of what shadow people are, let's consider briefly what these beings most likely are not.  Specifically, I tend to favor the theory that a shadow person is not a "ghost," or the disembodied spirit of a human being.  My experiences with them have demonstrated that they do not seem to be attached to specific locations, per se, nor are they representative of specific historic eras or events, in the same way ghosts tend to be.  Rather, they tend to manifest as visible entities, to persons who are open or sensitive (even inadvertently) to psychic, spiritual, or supernatural energies.  When the person moves to a different geographic location, the shadow people often follow.

For as long as I can remember, I have always had the feeling that shadow people are something distinctly not human.  Of course, this is all just conjecture on my part, based upon personal experiences, observations, intuition, and the examination of evidence and the accounts of others.  Take it for what it's worth.  Although they seem to be, in some ways, similar to what could be described as demons, I do not believe they are truly demonic in nature, either.  Friendly?  Certainly not.  Malicious or dangerous?  Not really, no.  My sense of shadow people is that they are a unique type of entity unto themselves.  If anything, I interpret them more as beings capable of interdimensional movement, interestedly and somewhat coldly observing us here, and possibly taking some pleasure in the discomfort their appearance sometimes causes people.

While not necessarily menacing, I have never had the feeling that shadow people are exactly friendly, either.  They carry an air of superiority.  At best, their presence seems to be accompanied by the sense that they have a sort of neutral curiosity regarding the people they are observing.  At worst, I get the feeling that they are deriving some measure of enjoyment from causing a person to be startled or afraid, more often in the cases of those that linger long enough to be full-on, directly observed.

Of course, there have also been many instances in which dark, shadowy entities that I would classify as actual human ghosts have been witnessed and/or caught on film.  How does one tell the difference?  The short answer is that sometimes you don't.  It is oftentimes virtually impossible to accurately identify or classify paranormal phenomena.  However, there are some steps one can take in an attempt to do so, and I believe it is our responsibility as investigators to put forth the effort to be as discerning as possible.  Indeed, the advancement of the field of paranormal research depends largely upon the investigator's willingness and ability to gather evidence, to make unbiased scientific observations, and to continue distilling and cataloguing the available data into progressively purer information, properly and skeptically "debunked" to the greatest possible extent.

In my experience, some distinguishing characteristics of a true shadow person, in contrast to a ghost, include the following:

• Sudden manifestation, usually--though not always--on the edge of the peripheral field of vision.  (Ghosts characteristically manifest visually in the direct line of sight.)
• Are not specific to nor geographically linked to a particular place, era, or historic event.  (A ghost tends to remain at a given location, and is often representative of a particular time period or event.)
• Commonly appear in full daylight.  (Ghost sightings occur more often at night.)
• Form defined by dark, shadowy mass, with varying degrees of translucency.  (While often translucent in appearance, ghosts more frequently manifest as lighter colored forms.)
• Humanoid shape, often appearing to be robed and/or hooded.  (The visual shape of ghosts varies widely, from distinctly human with detailed characteristics, to vaporous shapes or indistinct masses of light.)
• Typically stationary, often unmoving, though sometimes dynamic or shifting in place.  (Ghost sightings usually involve the visualization of an entity moving from one point in space to another and then dissipating.)
• Most often dissipates upon full, direct observation; sometimes remains in place throughout the duration of observation.  (The appearance and subsequent dissipation of ghosts tends to occur with relatively less regard to observation.)
• Appears to be observing the observer; that is, seems to be intently watching with a feeling of cold curiosity, perhaps even taking some enjoyment in causing anxiety or fear.  (Ghosts often seem to be oblivious to--or at least uninterested in--the presence or activities of living humans.)

Again, all of my theories concerning shadow people are based upon personal observation, reflection, and intuition.  I have never gathered data in regards to environmental temperature or electromagnetic frequency, nor have I attempted to record electronic voice phenomena in association with shadow people sightings.  Unfortunately, the sudden manifestation of these entities is so highly unpredictable and often short-lived that it would be extremely difficult to do so.  If anyone else has been able to obtain these or other types of evidence, I would be very interested in examining it.

As always, thanks for reading.  Please feel free to comment below, or to contact me with any thoughts, comments, or suggestions.

Until next time... stay tuned, keep it weird, and happy hunting!

"Just when I thought I was out..."

"... they pull me back in."  (Michael Corleone, The Godfather:  Part III)

First of all, regarding the nature and purpose of this blog:  These entries are not works of fiction.  Everything I write here is, to the best of my knowledge, true and accurate.  It is my intention to first create a record of the paranormal occurrences I have experienced, thus far, over the course of my lifetime, and thereafter, to relate the results and findings of the ongoing research and investigation conducted by myself, and by S.P.I.R.I.T. (Superior Paranormal Intelligence, Research, & Investigation Team).  Also, for those who may be wondering, my use of the word "Superior" is not meant in any way to be boastful; it is a reference to the geographic location of my home base, in northern Wisconsin, on the shores of Lake Superior.

Clear as mud?  Excellent.  Then let's proceed with a quick overview of my life as a student of the unexplained...

Following my initial encounter with the paranormal at the age of four, further unexplained experiences became almost commonplace, and have remained so, more or less, ever since.  Fortunately, most of them have not been as terrifying as that first occurrence.  I spent a great deal of my childhood reading everything pertaining to the supernatural and the unexplained that I could get my hands on.  This was in the 1980s, well before the advent of the internet.  Not only was I largely alone in this search for knowledge, but I was also limited to what I could find in my local, small town library.  I still regard Hans Holzer and Daniel Cohen as some of the best friends I never met.

As a teenager in the early-to-mid-90s, I found some friends who were interested in the paranormal, and we spent a few years delving deeply into occult studies.  Much of this research led to arcane and dangerous knowledge, and brought us to dark places; I do not recommend following this course of action to anyone.  It was during this time, and into my first couple years of college, that my activity in the world of the paranormal peaked.  By the late 1990s, when I had reached my early 20s, I decided I'd seen and experienced enough.  I wanted out.  I was done with it.  Unfortunately, what I didn't realize at the time was that it wasn't yet done with me.  It took several years and a great deal of determined effort to focus my thoughts and energies in positive directions in order to, for the most part, lose the attention of the darker entities I'd spent a lifetime studying.

In 2004, at the age of 28, I graduated from college and started a family.  This, more than anything, provided me with motivation to block the negative energies and dark powers from intruding into my life and the lives of my loved ones.  With a handful of exceptions, I have been successful in this effort.  However, sometimes--despite my best intentions--these things just pop up and remind me that they're still around.  In addition, I have been forced to realize that the members of my family are also on their own journeys, and sometimes have experiences that are unique to them, regardless of what I might wish.

The fact of the matter is, this is one tough habit to kick.  Indeed, it's my opinion that, for some of us, it isn't even a choice.  I didn't ask to have that first experience when I was four, or many of the countless experiences that followed.  I was set upon this course at a very young age, by forces much bigger than myself.  What we can choose, though, is the nature of our thoughts, and the intent behind our studies.  What will it be, Light, or Dark?

For as long as I can remember, I have been--and I remain--driven to seek knowledge of the unknown.  The drive to do so is as strong today as it ever was, only it is tempered now by prudence, love, and a desire to share what I've learned for the benefit of others.  The events of the past that I will recount here are unproveable, though some of them can be corroborated by others who were present, and supported by others still who have had similar experiences.  I know what I experienced; it is for the reader to decide whether or not to believe me.

Going forward, my research and the efforts of S.P.I.R.I.T. will be centered around the gathering of scientifically validated and verifiable evidence, in the hopes that it can be added to the growing body of knowledge being amassed by other paranormal investigators today, the world over.  For the first time in history, technology is emerging with the potential to bridge the gap between the world of science and the world of spirit, bringing us ever closer to solving the Big Questions we have been asking for millennia, and for which, on some level, we know there must be answers:  "What happens when we die?  What else is there?  What lies beyond?"

Together, I believe we can find the answers.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned!

In the beginning...

Autumn, 1980.

When I was four-years-old, I was visited by a demon.

I remember it clearly.

Although my mother was usually home to greet me when I got off the bus from preschool, on this particular day, she had been visiting at a friend's house and lost track of time.  She would later inform me that approximately 30 minutes had elapsed, from the time I stepped off the bus to the time she arrived back at our house.

The sky was overcast that day.  I walked out of the early Fall gloom and into our living room, through the back door.  Calling for my mom and feeling scared at hearing no answer, I climbed up onto the couch, where the first few minutes passed uneventfully.  I then watched as, about 3-feet in front of me, on the blue carpet between the sofa and our television set, something that looked and smelled like a small puddle of vomit formed, as if out of nothing.

Without knowing how or why, I could somehow sense that this... thing... had intent.  It was a conscious presence, and I knew it had a purpose:  to scare the living hell out of me.  I began to cry, and stared as the small, vomitus puddle grew in size.  Its swirling mass became a whirlpool, all beige and brown and pink, wet with gastric acid and a rancid, mucosal slime, emitting a sound like deep growling and rushing waves.  The thing seemed to have an impossible dimension of depth, reaching far below the level of the floor at its center.  I was afraid that if I stepped off of the couch, it would pull me in.

Tearfully, after a few vain attempts to find my voice, I called out for help.  The back door opened, and a body of light in the approximate shape of a tall person walked into the room.  As this being approached the whirlpool, its features condensed and it took on the appearance of a man in a white robe, with long, brown hair and a full beard.  Although I no longer identify as a member of any particular religion, having been raised in a fairly traditional Protestant Christian home, I at once recognized and was comforted by the appearance this being assumed; it looked like the familiar image of Jesus, as depicted by classical European painters.  This robed man said nothing, but kindly looked once in my direction.  He then strode across my living room to where the whirlpool was, reached his outstretched arms down, around the outer edges of the churning mass, and lifted it up out of the floor.  The thing seemed to struggle in his arms.  The man walked out the back door, across the lawn and into the woods, and then they were both gone.

When my mom came home, I was crying.  I told her what had happened.  She said she believed me.

I remember it clearly.

Thirty-five years later, grey, overcast, autumn days are still my absolute favorite.