Each month, a GWPI team member will write an article on the paranormal.
Bill, August 2012
October 2012
Alex LaFountain
For this essay I chose the Skinwalker which I noticed was not listed. My sources cited will be at the end of the essay. The Skinwalker is an old legend that many Native American tribes, particularly in the south western tribes, believe is an evil witch who can transform into other animals or people in order to wreak havoc. Most legends state that the witch is either born with this power or has to wear the skin of the animal or person, which allows her/him to gain all the powers of what ever it has transformed into. I was not able to locate a specific date for when the first legend came to exist regarding Skinwalker's but I was able to find a story regarding them.
In August of 1966 scientists in Utah, USA went to investigate a ranch. The ranch was reported to have activities of UFO, paranormal hauntings, and a strange mass death of several animals. The local's told the scientists the house sits in the path of the Skinwalker. In return the scientists spent a long time trying to track and document the existence of a Skinwalker which seems to be more inhuman rather than a witch who is evil. According to some legends that Skinwalker has the ability to use mind manipulation and lead people to their death by causing them to think suicide is a good idea. They also are able to fall or leap high distances with no problem. On top of that they are said to run faster than a moving car. So great is this belief that a Michael Stuhff is one of the only few Nevada lawyers to ever file legal papers against a local Skinwalker.
The Lakota tell of how the Skinwalker got its start when the hunters would dress up in wolf skin and hunt bison. Eventually this practice made it all the way to the Navajo whose medicine men adopted the practice. Though this particular tale doesn't explain how the Skinwalker's became full of hate for their fellow tribesmen. Some Navajo believe that Anasazi had a lot to do with the witchcraft in their community thus it was considered forbidden to visit the Anasazi ruins and graves where they believe the Skinwalkers use Anasazi bones as charms.
According to legend some of the powers of the Skinwalkers are they are able to read minds, they can mimic any animal noise they choose, and they can even imitate another person's voice in an attempt to lead you out of your home. Skinwalkers use charms to instill fear and control in their victims. Things such as shooting a pellet made of bone that enters the victims skin with out leaving a mark, taking a victims hair and dropping it wrapped around a piece of pottery into a tarantula hole, using rattlesnakes, and human bone dust known to cause heart failure. It is said the only way to kill a Skinwalker is to dip the bullets into white ash. It also said that some times those seeking to shoot the Skinwalker have found their weapon jammed, frozen, or their bullets do not effect the Skinwalker. If spotted and attacked the Skinwalker will some times flee but leave no foot prints at all. If no white ash is available then the only way to kill them is to shoot them while they are in human form.
August 2012
Bill Harding
This is my month to write the the GWPI newsletter, I am new to the world of investigating the paranormal and I am still learning a lot. I have been fascinated with ghosts, demons, good/evil entities, poltergiests for about 9 years. When I was a child I was petrified, probably more than most children of even remotely thinking of a ghost. I think It all changed when I had my first round about with sleep paralysis, and the events that surrounded it. I'll explain...
I was about 16 years old, and I was sleeping in my room. Suddenly I was awoken by a loud clash. It was so loud and sounded so close, my first thought was that someone had thrown a brick through my bedroom window. I also had Pet Rabbits, 2 of them at the time, and when I had woken up, they were running around thier pen very scared. Well as it turns out, nothing had gone through my window. I quietly checked the rest of the house, and the vehicles out side. Was It a dream? more than likely. But I swear to this day, it sounded so real that even after i had woke up, i heard the sound of what could be pieces of glass falling onto the carpeted floor, and bouncing off of things nearby. Well, back to the story. Once I figured that it was probably just a realistic dream, I layed back down in my bed. I remember closing my eyes, and then a sudden weight came upon my body. A physical weight, that made me feel like i was pressed into my bed. From chest down to my feet I was experiencing pins and needles, and i could not move a muscle. Common case of sleep paralysis right? Well the thing was I was awake. so I guess it was a moment of conscience, unexplainable paralysis. At 16, knowing that I was not asleep and that this was very much real, starting going into panic attack mode. I felt fear, and helplessness. I couldnt talk, cry for help or anything. Whatever had taken over me had taken my ability to do anything but feel scared. I began to hear voices, a lot of them. like I was in a crowded cafeteria, and people were going on with thier mindlesss chatter. I couldn't make out anything being said, I don't believe I was considering to take an actual listen either. I just heard endless talking, felt like my whole body had fallen asleep, feeling like i had an invisible weight on my chest all the while I am conscience looking around my room for an explanation. And then, as fast it came, it all left. I could move, I could talk, I got up and ran out of that room as fast as I could. After I left my room I went to the living room, contemplating on telling my parents. I ended up lying down on the couch and decided against telling my parents. My parents are and have been big Born Again Christians, for years. They strictly believe that there are Angels and Demons. Nothing in between, no ghosts. So I decided to spare myself that lecture and keep it to myself. Now, is there a scientific answer out there for my experience? Could be. It could be the result of many things that were going on in my life at the time. Do I feel like its something that can be explained, medically? Well, I won't shut it out, but I believe everything I experienced that night was paranormal. I was there, I sensed something there, I knew this was a result of some unseen force doing this to meNow I don't know all the backround to my house, it actually happened in my room which my father had built from the ground up, two years prior. I know that I have seen shadows, all through out the house, I have also had small minor experiences, when I tried some home-made, ghetto style EVP sessions with a static FM stereo, a computer microphone and a blank tape... My brother has had experiences as well. I can't explain any of this, and it began to bother me... like why did this happen? Not in the sense of why did it happen to me, but moreso why did this happen at all.
t was about then I started embracing the thought ghosts and paranormal things are real, and not imaginary monsters that plague our dreams as kids. I got into watching the TV shows about paranormal investigations, and then it seemed after a few years everyone was into documenting the paranormal. The movies, the pseudo-documentaries on "real" exorcisms.... I am not into this for anything else but to learn. I want to understand and experience the different types of paranormal. Demons, Ghosts, Spirits, intelligent entities... all of them. I want to experience them all. I want to go after what happened when I was 16, and understand it. I am self willing to go through that experience again. I am willing to be touched by something I can not see so that I know what It would feel like and the emotions it would bring upon me. I want to help other people that want answers as badly as I want them.
The thing is about me, I am a pretty big skeptic. Unless I see it, I don't believe it. I think having that trait about me helps a lot when it comes to investigating. I don't get super excited at every speck of dust and call it an orb, I don't hear a house settle and think its a goblin walking in the attic. I do (ironically) believe that there are Aliens in outer space, but I base that on more (what I think is) Common sense. An infinate universe, that not even a fraction of has been explored, and we are the only living life forms in the entire galaxy? Do I think UFO's visit earth? I have never seen one. My focus is more on ghosts and demons. I am not very scientific, I am not very savvy in all aspects of the paranormal society. But, as I said I am here to learn. And with the chance GWPI is giving me, there is endless networks of people and groups with information. I am ready to start experiencing life.... and death July 2012
EMF and the paranormal
By Ted Milam
EMF, not the ‘80’s band, known as Electric and Magnetic Fields (or Electromagnetic fields) is a popular subject in paranormal investigating. It is probably among the most debated areas, with a lot of information that is either misunderstood or misused. There is a lot of information to cover, but I will bring up some key points and make some broad overviews of the subject.
EMF is all around us, it is practically everywhere. Almost everything we do in our lives involves the use of EMF from our cell phones, televisions, appliances, computers, even our own sun. There is ongoing studies and information about the effects of EMF on humans. I will include some links in this article.
RF, known as Radio Frequency, is what is used to receive and transmit communications. RF is broken down into different frequencies, some of which are shortwave, VHF(very high frequency), UHF(ultra high frequency), CB(civilian band) and 800mhz. In the United States, the FCC regulates and monitors RF. There are a few reasons for this. There are only so many Radio Frequencies to use, so if you have everyone trying to use a single frequency, there would be a log-jam of traffic. Another reason is an example of shortwave. Like its name, it has a shortwave length, a few inches at most. These shortwave RF tend to bounce off our atmosphere and can end up thousands of miles from where they were transmitted. An example is a 911 call was dispatched out over a police shortwave radio in Chicago, the radio transmission was received in Houston causing quite a bit of confusion. RF can interfere with EMF detectors which I will cover later. There is a lot more to cover, please refer to the links below for more information.
Here is a chart of common RF frequency used by the United States:
ELF (extremely low frequency) is natural made EMF. They have very long wavelengths, 100’s to 1000’s of kilometers. They can penetrate a lot of things, water (to extreme depths), concrete, asphalt, air, virtually anything grounded. Lightning is a primary source of these waves. The US Navy used them quite a lot, for communicating with submarines.
RF, ELF and Microwaves can be detected by EMF meters – KII, Gauss Master, 822a, Mel Meters and Tri-Fields. Care must be taken when using.
EMF and the paranormal. How can we detect “ghosts” using EMF meters? Scientists and skeptics say NO. I think It depends on how and why we use them. Skeptics and debunkers will say “EMF is causing this, and you need to do that to correct the problem”. However, it is not known what the effects of different types of EMF have on us. Will an EMF meter detect something paranormal? I say it is possible, and likely. In my own paranormal experience, the energy was extremely strong, kind of electric/static. You may notice others who have experienced this say the same thing.
EMF detection devices
There are several types of EMF detectors, 1 (or single) and Tri (or three) axis detectors. I would like to point out that both types will detect EMF, but to find out at what frequency depends on which type you use and how it works.
Single axis detectors are Gauss Master (or Dr Gauss), KII, 822a. These will read an EMF, but will not give an exact source. To give a source, you need to “triangulate” the device, rotating it on all angles. Care must be used as sudden shifts will give false results.
Tri (three axis) detectors, such as a tri-field, will give you a more accurate detection of EMF and its frequency. Unlike single axis detectors, tri axis can detect all angles of EMF and give a better analysis of where and what the EMF is coming from.
This was a broad overview of EMF. Please look below for further reading.
http://transition.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emf/
http://faculty.cs.tamu.edu/lively/GE_rf/radio_frequency_spectrum.htm
http://www.howstuffworks.com/radio-spectrum.htm
http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/micro.html
http://www.who.int/peh-emf/about/WhatisEMF/en/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMF_meter
http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scenihr/docs/scenihr_o_007.pdf
http://www.who.int/peh-emf/publications/facts/envimpactemf_infosheet.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emf/
June 2012
“ORBS”
I should begin by stating, I am in no way attempting to discredit experiences had by people in regards to orbs, in which they feel were true encounters of the paranormal kind. In my opinion, I feel that there are too many logical explanations that can explain away the balls of light that are often caught on camera. I’ve seen evidence of “orbs” that I believe to be true evidence of unexplainable phenomena. But the criteria for me to even consider it to be paranormal are, these orbs are seen moving with the naked eye and caught on camera at the same time, and they move and emit their own light.
When searching on the Internet for paranormal photos I often find myself frustrated at the amount of “orb” photos I have to sift through.These “ghost orbs” that have gained so much hype are more times than not, insects, dust, pollen, or moisture. I find it very coincidental that they are often captured outside, hovering above gravestones in cemeteries, flying all around the outside of buildings, or filling the inside of old abandoned structures; all of the particles I listed above are present in these places on an average day.
Speaking from experience, during investigations that I’ve been on, I have seen these “orbs” on camera. They typically show up after an investigator has walked into a room and disturbed an otherwise stagnant environment. The dust particles fill the camera shot and catch the light of the camera in a very “orb-like” way. I have caught these “orbs” in everyday pictures as well. Does that make me a believer? Not at all.
I challenge anyone who believes these glowing transparent balls are proof of paranormal activity to take their camera, drive down a dirt road, pull over and let the dust settle, snap some shots, and see what they come up with. Is that dirt road haunted? I also challenge these same people to smack their bedspread, snap a photo, and see if these same orbs followed them home.
Cora Boland
June, 2012
May 2012
Do Demons Really Appear Like Monsters?
by Father Alexander LaFountain
