The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the desolate streets of an old western town in Southern California. It was an October afternoon, the air filled with a palpable static charge, and the winds whispered secrets that only the most curious dared to uncover. I found myself on an extraordinary adventure, embarking on a paranormal investigation of this dusty, forgotten place.
The town had a storied history, a relic of bygone eras, but it was also plagued by unexplainable occurrences that had left its docents in a state of disarray. They reached out to our small group, beckoning us to unravel the mysteries that haunted their historic establishment. For us, it was an opportunity like no other, a chance to delve into the unknown and seek answers where others had only found questions.
Our investigative team was a tight-knit crew, well-versed in the art of uncovering the paranormal. But this time, we had a unique addition to our ranks - journalism students from a local college. Their mission? To observe, record, and document our entire process. It was an exciting prospect, a chance to share our experiences and practices with others eager to learn.
As we prepared to enter this enigmatic realm, I performed my personal "connect and protect" ritual. Meanwhile, the rest of the team gathered for a group grounding, centering, and shielding process. My partner in this endeavor was Stephanie, an enthusiastic and engaging student reporter. Little did I know that her presence would take our investigation to a whole new level.
In most cases, during an investigation, I juggled multiple tasks - automatic writing, note-taking, and occasionally speaking into a recorder as I roamed the property. However, having a student observer with me proved to be a game-changer. It allowed me to focus solely on connecting with the place, unburdened by the need to multitask.
Our journey led us to the third-floor attic of the landowner's main house. As we ascended the creaky old steps, an eerie silence fell upon us, and the air grew heavy with unseen energies. My intuition guided me to the center of the attic, a space cluttered with storage items, including beautifully carved headboards, sturdy dressers, and well-worn tables. But it was the southeast corner that beckoned my attention.
Intrigued, I retrieved my trusty pendulum to dowse a series of Yes/No questions. I inquired if there was someone in the space, and then it happened – the pendulum was violently ripped from my hand. We watched in astonishment as the chain, adorned with a deep purple sugilite stone, clattered against the wooden floorboards of the southeast corner.
Stephanie's scream shattered the silence, and her words hit me like a bolt of lightning, "You opened a portal. You summoned an evil spirit."
But my body didn't respond with fear; instead, it tightened in response to the uninformed assumptions behind her words. She was here to observe and document, while I was here to investigate and gather information. I had already gone through the meticulous process of grounding, centering, and shielding before the investigation began. I was attuned to the energies, but my boundaries and permissions were firmly established.
What frustrated me at my core was the societal tendency to perpetuate myths as facts, to leap to conclusions without evidence. We often hear something on television or YouTube videos and accept it as the gospel truth, making sweeping assumptions without a second thought.
For me, taking in information was like solving a mathematical equation – A + B = C. But in this instance, A + B did not equal an evil, friendly, bad, demonic, angelic, adult/child, lonely, or vengeful C. At this point, it was simply a C with qualities and characteristics yet to be determined.
Our investigative process, research, and data collection add depth to our experiences. However, at that moment, all we knew was that an external energy had made itself known. It was felt intuitively, questions were asked, and my pendulum had been forcefully taken from my hand.
In that split second, creativity surged within me. I envisioned an entire course curriculum designed to debunk the myths and falsehoods that pervade our paranormal culture, driven by fear, misunderstanding, and blind acceptance of opinions from paranormal TV shows.
Stephanie, my volunteer assistant, remained by my side, curious and eager. Together, we connected with a 12-year-old spirit who simply craved attention, far from being an evil force. She was just a spirit, standing before a psychic, asking not to be ignored. ("Notting HIll" anyone?) We gave this young spirit the opportunity to communicate, expressed our gratitude for sharing the space with us, and meticulously documented our findings to present to the Lead of the Investigative Team.
It may not have made for gripping TV, but safe and sane investigations, devoid of premature judgments and unwarranted conclusions, can be profoundly informative and insightful. It's time to demystify the paranormal and challenge the myths that shroud it in fear and uncertainty.
So, dear reader, what paranormal myths would you like to unravel?
