SIGHTINGS
Don't Open The Door
To Strangers...
- COMMUNICATING WITH THE UNKNOWN
- The questions exist - Can mediumship or spirit communication lead to 'possession'? Is automatic writing a dangerous pursuit? Does danger exist 'out there'?
- What is the controlling force behind such things as the Ouija Board? Experts find it difficult to agree on answers to these questions. Early researchers in psychology and psychiatry refered to ouija-type devices and to spirit-writing with pencil or planchette as a form of automatism.
- Following the lead of noted 'psychic medium' Eileen Garrett, modern research tends to regard 'guides' and so-called spirit controls as secondary personalities, which lie deep within the subconscious mind - only to surface when some form of parapsychic 'spirit' communication is attempted.
- ACTUAL RESEARCH CASES
- A 34 year old woman had been experimenting with Ouija among other means of 'communicating' with the spirit world. Under observation, she was seen to suddenly change from an awake to a sleeplike state. Over her face, some sort of misty, unfocused field seemed to appear, looking much like another person's face. It appeared to be male. She later awakened and reported that she believed herself to be in contact with a brother that had passed away some time before. _____
- While at a meeting, a woman approached researchers and told them that her husband, she thought, was going mad. He had lost much weight and was always feeling ill. He also had played with a Ouija type device. In speaking to him, he reported that during a daughter's pajama-party some years before, they'd been playing with a Ouija Board device, and had encountered some strange phenomena. The 'board' had told them to call the father and ask him to take control of the planchette which spelled out the 'messages'. He had no experience with the Ouija, nor any form of the mysterious at the time. He took control reluctantly, to show the girls it was all a 'bunch of hokum' and the 'board' provided a gaggle of information, none of which could be checked out. After the party he continued off and on to play with the board and one night it 'told' him he would not need it any more, but he was to get a pencil and sheets of paper. With the pencil and paper, he began doing 'automatic writing' and eventually he produced reams of material, mostly high-sounding information and messages that actually were meaningless. After several years of this, he was 'told' by the pencil that he did not 'need' it anymore, but was to just sit down and get sleepy, then he would hear the 'voices' of 'Bob and Steve' (father and son) his so-called communicators talking to him. Before going any further, the researchers obtained a King James Bible and read to the man a passage from 2nd letter of John referring to a question to be asked of any 'spirit' to test them. The passage was read aloud to the man twice. Following the Bible text, which directed that the question "Who is Jesus, Christ" be asked, the researcher was careful to read slowly the question and the answer. Then the man was asked to prepare himself to 'listen' to Bob and Steve, and to 'channel' their voices for the group. He sat in a chair, became somewhat sleepy, and finally what sounded like another voice was heard, greeting the researcher. It gave the name 'Bob'. He was asked "Who is Jesus, Christ" and admitted after some time that he did not know. He volunteered to go and get Steve, his son, who he felt sure would know the answer. When 'Steve' was asked the same question, he also had to admit that he did not know the answer, and after some meaningless platitudes in his voice, the man was awakened. The 'channeler' was amazed to hear that the so-called 'spirits' he'd been communicating with did not know the answer to the question, and thus failed the test. He was advised to go home and cease communicating with the voices or to do any other form of 'spirit' contact. Several weeks later, he returned to the home of the researcher and reported that he was feeling very much better and that he had regained ten pounds, plus he was able to sleep at night without being bothered by any 'spirits'. His wife was ecstatic. The man promised never to attempt any kind of communication again. _____
- A married couple had been communicating with a board, and were told to sell their home and move to Arizona. The board insisted that they would be taken care of and would become rich. They were retired and had no extra source of income. They had only a small equity in their home. Following the 'direction' of the board, they sold their home (at a loss) and moved to Arizona, where they promptly found no property they could buy and within a very short time they were penniless. Financially devastated. At this point, there was little the research team could do for them. _____
- The research team was contacted by several individuals who belonged to the Church of the A......, in Northern California, and were taking Courses from this Church. They were somehow 'told' by the 'spirits' while there, that the researcher's son was the reincarnation of St. John, and that their job was to guard and honor him. (he was 8 at the time) Several weeks later, they appeared again, along with a Counselor who'd flown in from that Church, who communicated with her own 'sources' and verified that the child was indeed the reincarnated St. John. Some months passed without incident, but one morning, the researcher received a telephone call at six a.m. from someone who identified themselves as God. 'God' commanded the researcher to appear at her home, immediately. The researcher did not want to go, but finally awakened her husband and took the child along as 'God' had directed.
- When they arrived, the woman who was 'channeling' and believed that she was speaking for 'God' had completely lost her mind. She had built an altar of some kind on top of the television set. She was pacing, stiff as a board, back and forth around the room. When she passed the 'altar' she would suddenly fall to her knees with a resounding 'boom' on the bare wooden floor. In addition, she was shouting some sort of commanding language. Her face was blank and mindless, her skin ashen though she was normally a black person of medium complexion. Her friend Carol, who shared the communal house was watching her in distress.
- Finally, after trying to talk to the woman and not succeeding, it seemed impossible to get through to her.
- At some point, she stopped shouting commands, and said that she had just been told that the researcher's husband was the Devil, and she was to kill him. She headed toward the man and boy with mad eyes, hands raised like claws.
- The researcher had to jump between them and, shouting something remembered from the Bible herself, finally succeeded in backing the woman against the wall long enough for the man to grab his son, and go outside. Instructing Carol 'Call 911' the researcher was somehow able to keep 'Sarah' flattened against the wall until the ambulance arrived, and the EMF team was able to take control. The woman was led away in handcuffs.
- After a year or two, Carol was met on the street downtown, and reported that her friend 'Sarah' had spent two years in the hospital, and had now been released on medication. They were no longer Members of that Church and had given up all attempts at communicating with the Spirit World. ____
- A woman contacted the researchers and explained that she had visited a crystal ball reader who communicated with the 'other side.' She gazed into the ball and told the woman she was under a bad 'spell' and that her deceased husband had been a crook - stealing money from his clients. The money he had left his wife was 'tainted' according to the 'spirits'. It must be cleansed. The cleansing method was to take it to a specific graveyard (which had a high stone wall) at midnight, and to bury it behind a certain headstone. The next day, the woman could come back and retrieve her money, which would then be 'clean'. The older woman knew she could not climb that wall, especially in the dark of night. It would not be physically possible for her. The 'spirit communicator' then told her that she would be happy to do that job for her client. All she had to do was to withdraw the money, in cash, and bring it to the reader's home the following evening at 8 pm. Following the spiritual advisor's advice, she withdrew all her money - thousands in cash, and brought it, wrapped in a white handkerchief as she'd been instructed by the 'spirits'. She never saw the money again. ____
- A woman in Meridian, Mississippi wrote to the researcher after reading an article in a New York Publication, and related that she had tried to use a ouija-type device, and was later told that she should try automatic writing. She had continued to use this mathod to contact 'the other side' and after some months had found nothing of value coming from the writing. However, when she attempted to quit, she would shake uncontrollably. If she would sit down and begin writing automatically, or using the board, she could keep herself from this shaking, which began in her hands and arms, then her entire body. If she resisted, it would begin and continue until she sat down. She was almost afraid to write the letter for help as the shaking began while she was writing it. Finally, after some commonsense counseling and several telephone calls, she was able to stop both the 'spirit' communication and the shaking ceased forever. She was free. _____
- Another woman called from New York and had the same thing happening to her. She did not know of the first woman. She reported that she had contacted eight 'psychic readers' and all of them had told her she was under some kind of 'evil spell'. The researcher explained to her that there was no curse, and that she could stop the whole thing through will power. The woman became angry, as 'eight psychic readers' had verified the spirit curse. She insisted that it had to be true. Several weeks later, she called, and said that she had been thinking the whole thing over and had decided that the researcher was right; and that common sense had 'cured' her problem. She now believed that she'd met eight frauds and one real expert. _____
- Late one night a call was received from the Dean of Women at a northern College. It seemed that a 'dorm' party which involved candles and 'spirit boards' had resulted in a panic amongst the girls who lived there. They were heard in the background, shrill screams and odd noises. After counseling the Dean that there was no 'spirit' reason for the commotion; but that the girls were over-reacting (and may have been taking something other than apple cider) the Dean should just turn on all the lights and wait it out. The following day, she called and said that the idea had worked and no further trouble had erupted. She had also gotten rid of the 'board'. _____
- A Public School teacher had become so obsessed with the use of the ouija-type board that she operated it entirely alone. Her hands,on the planchette, moved at blinding speed, spelling out letters so rapidly that even close observation could make little of nothing of what was being spelled out at that speed. _____
- A Roman Catholic Priest, on a radio talk show with a member of the research team, reported that he had 'exorcised' a man who'd turned into a leopard. The researcher asked him if the man belonged to the Espiritu religion, and was told that indeed he was a member of that group. It is a practice of this religion and others, that those who are taking part in the celebrations and rituals often are 'mounted' or 'possessed' by one of several 'spirits' - including that of the leopard. The Priest had to admit that the man did not grow fur, nor did he really turn into an actual animal. In this case, it would be illogical for a Priest to use the Church Rite of Exorcism, as the 'possessed' man was merely acting out a strong belief of his religion. _____
- A perfectly logical reporter for the St. Louis Post Dispatch reported that he'd been assigned to do a series of articles on "Psychic St. Louis" and had spent some time with a totally normal-seeming woman who was convinced that she was somehow communicating with The Virgin Mary on her 'spirit board'. She'd been doing that for some years. He reported that she 'seemed sort of weird'. _____
- After the release of the movie 'The Exorcist' a young man tried some 'spirit' communication of his own. He became convinced that he was 'satan' and one night, he hid in the dark hall of the apartment he shared with another young man. As the other young man came home and walked down the hallway to hang up his coat, the first man jumped onto his back and began to scream in an unknown language. After fighting him off, the 'possessed' man calmed down so that the other could call for help. The 'possessed' individual was certain that he'd been 'claimed' by a spirit-tiger, whose picture had hung in that hallway for some time, until it was taken down and burned. Having lost touch with both men, it is not known what the outcome might be. _____
- The research team was called by a local Pastor and asked to pay a visit to a house outside of town about thirty miles. Some very strange things had been going on. When the team arrived, they were told that the house had apparently become 'haunted' Mysterious blood would appear on the woman's nightgown - a black spot would appear on a wall in the bedroom - the family car would start up its engine in the night and run down the driveway only to crash into a neighbor's carport. (this had happened twice) There were many other strange and frightening things going on there. The research team asked if anyone there had been using some form of 'spirit' communication, and were told that indeed, they'd been doing some of that 'just for fun' and had commanded "spirits of the underworld - come forth". After that time, the noises and disturbances had begun. The couple were worried and frightened. They were afraid their two small children would be harmed. During the following investigation, at a time when the children were being cared for in another home, the research team were interviewing the couple, in the living room, as to events that had occurred. Within full view of the team, in an empty kitchen, a washing machine turned itself on and began to fill, then swish its blade. There was no timer, no possibility that anyone had tried to play a trick. After a few minutes, one of the researchers had an impression of a harmonica and asked if one was in the home. The man vehemently denied that he owned a harmonica; although the wife reminded him that they indeed did have one and that it was at that time in a drawer in the kitchen. Getting up, she went to get it although her husband was protesting loudly. She gave it to the research team and while they were examining it, suddenly a very large black shadowy field was seen to move down the hallway and into the place between livingroom and kitchen. It was icy cold and very strange in appearance. When the agitated husband saw this shadow, he began to break down. Finally the story came out in bits and pieces. It seemed that he'd been a member of a Special Forces group in Viet Nam. He'd had an uncomfortably bad relationship with another soldier. The soldier was African American. This man had used his harmonica to play tunes such as "Old Black Joe" and 'Dixie', as he knew the would aggravate the other soldier. Finally, one day, the African American soldier said "One of these days, we're going to go out on patrol - and only one of us will be coming back". Several days later, the group did indeed go out on patrol, and only the man talking to us came back. As he told this story, his face tightened and he was pouring sweat, knowing that the shadow was still in the doorway. Talking this over, we decided that the best course was for him to ask forgiveness of the shadow. He kept insisting that he hadn't done anything. But the shadow would not go away and the room became even colder. Finally, the man got on his knees, crying and shaking, and begged for forgiveness. As he did this, the shadow slowly dissipated and was gone. Such a case cannot be explained fully, other than the attempted contact with the 'spirit' board had opened some door that should have remained closed. This could not be just the imagination of the man involved, as the research team had seen too much to believe that. Events such as the last episode are uncommon, naturally. There have not been many over the thirty-odd years the research team operated as a 'rescue' squad. Spirit boards, writing and other devices to contact 'the other side' do not automatically result in reaching their goal. More often, they seem to open a door into the hidden depths of the mind of the person trying to communicate....where many strange and frightening thoughts and memories may be contained. Metaphysical experts have for years warned against such practices, and agree that any form of trance may be dangerous. The practice of 'spirit' communication may indeed not lead to contact, nor to 'possession' - but certainly may lead to obsession! No form of 'protection' has been found to be helpful in averting such things from happening.
- Experimentation in the parapsychic is not recommended. _____
- Some of the above cases are related in the book Ghost Hunting - Professional Haunted House Investigation By Beverly Jaegers with Ray Jaegers
- Originally published 1979 by Aries, Inc. Available from Amazon.com or from:
- Aries, Inc. Dept L, P.O.Box 29396 St. Louis, MO 63126
- Comment
- From: Chris Poteet <chris_poteet@hotmail.com
- To <USPsiSquad@aol.com
- 11-2-99
- I have a story to tell you. About 15 Years or so ago my sister and some of her friends played with a ouija board game. After an experience she had, she eventually had mental problems. Things around the house kept getting worse and worse. My alcoholic father went mental and had many episodes that were hard to explain. Everything led up to a Fire in April of this year. My father was badly burned. After many operations and treatments and prayers, He finally is ok.
- In July of this year at the house My sister was helping me unload a lawnmower I jumped off the truck and the ramp came loose
- and fell on me. I broke my leg. I have prayed and prayed for my father and sister. Miraculously my father has since stopped drinking and is joining church. My sister has made amends with her husband and maybe our lives are back on track.
- I can't help but believe that the Ouija Board caused our
- home to be possessed. It may still be?? Just a couple of weeks ago the
- furnace in dad's home blew up and smoked up the entire house he told about the awful nightmares he has had.
- Chris Poteet
- chris_poteet@hotmail.com
SIGHTINGS HOMEPAGE