Guest Author Lura Ketchledge Invites You to Help Solve a ‘Past Life’ Puzzle

This isn’t fiction, this isn’t someone else’s story; this is my story. There is a puzzle that needs to be solved in my present life, a linked to the person who was me before I was me. To piece my past life together and find who murdered me I need your help. I invite you as a reader to roll up your sleeves get on your computer and search with me. I want you to go through obituaries, archives, court records and news paper articles to find my killer. This article is the first in series of articles about my murder!

These are the facts: my name was Eleanor, and I was murdered in 1942 by a jealous boyfriend. I had straight shoulder length red hair parted on the side. My eyes were blue and somewhat small. I was a young adult, and a bit overweight but not obese. My skin was fair. My nose was straight and pointed. My cheeks were full almost plump I had a strong chin, not a big chin a distinct chin. I was not beautiful or ugly I was average. I had the face of the girl next door, pleasant and friendly. How do I know these things? I spoke with my mother in my past life, she told me my name was Eleanor and my jealous boyfriend killed me in 1942!

Let me go back thirty years ago when linear time made sense to me and birth and death had a beginning and end. My paranormal journey started innocently enough, I fell off a horse and died. When I came back to physical reality I brought with me back psychic abilities. A tug of war in sued inside me as I struggled to make sense of my new found insights into the paranormal. What do you do when you can see spirits and occasionally speak with the dead? It is not exactly dinner conversation is it? To stay sane I channeled all my psychic experiences into three novels. I created fictional characters with my psychic abilities living in a pretend world with a mystery and a sense of humor thrown in for good measure As I wrote I refrained from reading about the paranormal because I didn’t want to taint my stories, overlap them with other peoples’ experiences. To keep myself psychically pure and my novels original I kept my mouth shut and worked alone.

In theory before 2008 I accepted that reincarnation might be possible, my thoughts on the subject we limited because I didn’t really care. I was doubtful anyone could recall their past lives and when someone claimed they were the reincarnation of so and so I assumed they were either a fraud or just crazy. I once joked to a friend that if I lived in Egypt two thousand years ago I wasn’t Cleopatra I was her maid. I imagined when you are born we all started out in this life with a clean slate so to speak with no recollection of who we were before we were born.

Twenty years ago I met a young woman at a restaurant she was petite with red hair and blue eyes. When I saw to her I instantly thought of a character I would write. At the time I believed it was inspiration something a writer gets from time to time and nothing else. Why did I think my idea was snatched out of thin air? Why did I connect with the eye color and hair color of this girl and not her as a person? I didn’t know the answer to those questions then but I do now.

I started my third book ‘The Reincarnation Of Tess Hamilton” in 2007. It is the third novel in my series of books. For me to write any novel I need two years minimum. This books focus is on reincarnation. During the process of writing my latest novel I felt compulsive to describe my central character Abigail Cantrell a certain way. She had to have blue eyes and red hair I wouldn’t have been possible to write her any other way. I am not plugging my books at least not in this article! What I am saying somehow my usual process in creating a character was sidetracked or I should say hijacked. Why my character Abigail Cantrell struck such a cord in me?

To make a connection to the other side I have a routine, I practice a combination of meditation and guided questions. Questions asked not to the living but to the dead. During my meditation I posed the question who was I before I was me. Nothing happened that afternoon in truth nothing usually takes place only once in a while do I get an answer, when I do it usually comes in sideways. I went to sleep that night almost forgetting what I had asked that afternoon. During my sleep I became aware, lucid with all my scenes heightened and a feeling of anticipation swept over me. I wasn’t in the physical world anymore but my body was. Astral projection has always been a sensitive subject to me. To make it simple and short I detached from body and traveled to another plane of existence. I will elaborate more in the next article.

I entered a place or I should say I was drawn to this place. I met a woman her face and shoulders were visible but not the rest of her body. As for her age she was over fifty. All I could make out was that she was a heavy set woman with brownish hair. When she spoke her voice felt sad. She said “I was your mother, your name was Eleanor, a jealous boyfriend murdered you in 1942! For some odd reason I did not react, instead I felt a disconnection from the woman who bore me in a past life. I didn’t get to ask questions instead I was pulled back to my physical body and the event was over. A day or two later I was standing in a swimming pool in the middle of the day minding my own business when a picture, that’s the only name I can come up with to describe it was presented to me. The woman in the picture was me! The face I saw was my own when I was Eleanor!

Visit Lura Ketcheledge’s website here.

Editors disclaimer- The preceding views are that of the author and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Paranormal People, its administration, or any other authors or contributors in connection with Paranormal People.

Unified Theory – For the Paranormal

Albert Einstein spent the latter half of his life in pursuit of his elusive unifying theory.  He was looking for an explanation for everything, a way to tie what was known, with what was yet to be discovered.  Alas he died before such a theory could be found.

Some would see that as a sad story, as a testament to the life of a genius wasted in vain pursuit of what, at the time, was an unattainable goal.  Einstein didn’t see it that way however, and neither should you.

Einstein pursued truth more than anything else, he sought the answers to life’s puzzles and more often than not, found them deep within in his own imagination.  He toiled with an almost religious dedication against mathematics, physics and cosmology, and in the end provided us with the framework of our continued scientific development well beyond the futures of our great grandchildren.  He laid the foundation for mainstream acceptance of atypical and even outright weird science, which in-turn allowed scientists who might otherwise have never realised their potential to study the subject of their respective passions, and we are all richer for it.

Einstein’s legacy was one of unified acceptance and broad understanding of the key concepts of physics and cosmology.  He, near single-handedly, disarmed the superstitious sceptics and installed a genuine curiosity for things not yet understood.

The Paranormal is one such element of our world that is yet to be understood by science.  It is no surprise that religious entities continue to hold tightly to their reign over the supernatural, though they seldom provide adequate explanation for what is fast becoming an issue of science and academic study.

It seems, from the sidelines, that the paranormal world needs an Einstein of its own; a scientist of courage and passion and dedication to finding answers to some of our more elusive and mysterious plights.

We long for a unified theory of our own, for scientifically produced and supported definitions, for regulated study and examination, for standards of evidence, for protocol and rule and reason.

A call can be heard in all corners of this field of study, a call for the bar to be raised.  Those at the heart of the issue feel a need to separate themselves from the religious, from the fundamentalist and from the amateur; and while the amateur holds the potential to shape the future of paranormal culture, he, like all the others, would benefit from a distinction between the arm chair quarterback and the real deal.

A unified theory or a unifying set of theories would serve to define the classes of enthusiast, professional and opportunist within our circles.  It would provide those of us with a passion for the truth, with a vehicle for pursuing that truth while inhibiting the deleterious work of the dogmatic faiths.  It would open lines of communication between academic houses and open the door to acceptance within the core of the scientific community.

As it stands today, amateur theorists, hobby ghost hunters, fortune seeking opportunists and poorly funded researchers are pooled together, to the effect of muddling the waters of exploration. Theory after theory is presented, though few are given due examination in the light, and none are accepted as elements of the truth.  We need to silence the voices in order to hear the truth.

There is a first step to be taken, though that first step has eluded virtually everyone within and without the community; at times it seems regulation and enforcement are key to organizing the various schools of thought, though seldom does bureaucratic involvement do more than slow the process of learning to a halt.  Symposium and counsel have been tried, and in rare cases have succeeded in becoming more than a Las Vegas spectacle, but the medium is less than efficient.

The power of the internet is, without question, our best resource; but a way must be found to filter, academically censure and disseminate the right information to the right people.  Misinformation is the cancer of the internet and our culture is more prone to its influence than most would admit, and as such we are currently ill-equipped to install such a vehicle without disruptive revolution.  Politics and the pursuit of scientific truth mix like water and oil.

This issue has legs, and it has memory, and until we find our Einstein we are bound to its direction and fate.  The answers are out there, keep looking and in our time, we will find the means to unify the Paranormal.

Who watches the watchers?

Coming from the field of Private Investigation in Canada, I’m all too familiar with organizational and operational regulation of private enterprise.  Legislative bodies have dictated the scope and scale of our investigative powers within Canadian society, but the actual day-to-day operation of the business of Private Investigation had largely been uncontrolled, until the inception of a peer reviewed intra-disciplinary counsel, which included both business owners and investigators alike.

Membership in this professional counsel brought with it some clear benefits, access to valuable and otherwise restricted information, industry recognised training, various retail discounts, and of course, alliance with the unified voice of the industry in the face of further legislation which was not in the best interest of the industry stake holders.

The obvious similarities between Private Investigation and Paranormal Investigation notwithstanding, there may be cause to consider the creation of such an authoritative body within the paranormal field of interest, altogether academically, professionally and operationally.

From a position of interest and experience, it seems that there should be certain gravitation within the field toward some form of self regulation.  To maintain a census of the industry, to monitor complaint and access the benefit of controlled group discussion; in large part these things are slowly falling into place on their own through social media such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, but it may be time for a more organised effort.

Such self-regulation might take the form of a professional counsel or society, marketed in such a way as to make membership more attractive than non-membership, but also to impose certain restrictions on the membership as a whole.

Some of those restrictions might be:

1)    Codes of Conduct; which might include restrictions on profit vs. non-profit operation, standards of evidence and presentation, and even regulatory guidelines for carrying out a complete investigation.

2)    Certification requirements; which might impose educational requirements on investigative groups, distinguishing the hobbyist from the professional.

3)    An Ombudsman; which would handle the difficult task of managing complaints, the nature of which might be anything from breaches of the code of conduct, to disagreements in findings, and even to defining terms and procedures for the collection of evidence.

4)    Delineating Communication Standards; i.e. providing education and guidelines for every aspect of communication within the paranormal field, from phenomenon reporting, to investigative notes, to commercial marketing, to peer-reviewed white papers and web presentation.  (An effort to reduce the exorbitant amount of misinformation that is widely available on every subject associated with the paranormal)

The benefits to the field would be innumerable, though this examination would be less than fair if we did not look at the potential drawbacks of such governance.

What immediately comes to mind is the enormous potential for such an organization to stifle the creativity and ingenuity of those who currently populate the paranormal investigation field.  Some of the less traditionally minded personalities of the field might see the imposition of self-governance as a control mechanism, which could lead them away from the field.  One wonders if this is a drawback or a benefit however.

We could also imagine a build-up of bureaucratic red-tap within the field of study, turning the entire sector of interest into a political machine, rather than an academic pursuit.

What we see through the evolution of the paranormal investigation culture is that there is a growing power struggle. Almost inorganically the pressures within this group of people push toward governance and to freedom of expression at the same time, and while these may seem like opposing positions, the institution of a professional society of governance over paranormal investigation could serve to relieve that pressure through directed discussion, authority and regulation.

Of the many things such a regulatory body could be, any one entity in this field should be dedicated to preserving the right that every individual is entitled to their opinion.  Governance and regulation should not be considered dictation, nor should they ever be made to disguise political agenda or coercion; rules should not inhibit a passion for the truth, and certification should not value academia over common intelligence and field experience.

There is a very slippery slope awaiting us on the other side of this hill we’re climbing, be sure that this hill is long and steep, but if we can climb as a group, offering a hand up and a foothold to those around us, and ultimately ensure that there’s room for everyone at the top, we should be able to elevate the entire lot of paranormal enthusiast to a higher level of understanding and achievement.

Are Paranormal Reality TV Shows Doing More Harm Than Good?


paranormal_state-show
Perfect smiles, expert dictum, and a Hollywood agenda; how far will reality TV go to keep us hooked on their wares?  In a field where scepticism and faith have boldly drawn lines in the sand, is there a responsibility on the part of producers and on screen leads in maintaining a critical eye and sensible attitude, or are these shows given free reign to exaggerate and even fabricate scenarios and evidence?

Clearly there is some responsibility, the level of which is blurred by clever marketing and a public zeal for believing in anything considered off the mark, by even a single step.

In the growing cultural interest for paranormal phenomenon, our modern society seeks avenues to express and share the various views, arguments and leading events within that culture, it seem the logical culmination of that progression is to create television shows within a genre that actually exploits those people who either pursue the phenomenon with academic interest, or whom are pursued by the phenomenon itself.

It may sound as if I have little reverence for the ever popular ghost hunting show, but the contrary is actually true, only to a lesser extent than some.  I have immensely enjoyed the premiere seasons of the most popular shows, though invariably as each of these franchises moves from the “next new thing” to a seasoned product that has to be packaged and marketed to survive, the teams behind them begin to make some mistakes.

In comparison to a season one haunting investigation, a season two or three investigation tends to take on a sensational tone.  I don’t necessarily think this is a deliberate change, in most cases, but actually a natural evolution of the show.  The production teams are tasked with keeping the presentation “new”, which over the course of two to three season becomes harder and harder to achieve.  The consequence is that the stories, techniques and interpersonal dramas they exploit, become more and more fantastic, until eventually they no longer resemble the truth.

I hesitate to mention a specific franchise name, only to avoid the same sensationalism in my own work, but the argument deems it necessary.

scifi_ghosthunters2While any investigation team, paranormal or otherwise, is prone to assumption, authority arguments and tunnel vision, the elements of an investigation that cause its lead to step further in that direction are caused by either an inborn need to prove his or her point, or, in the case a reality TV investigation team, the pressures they experience from those in executive production.

Lets face it, TV programming of any kind is a money making venture; shows are designed to get us to watch, so that networks can sell ad space and in turn make billions of dollars of profit.  When the teams on Ghost Hunters and Paranormal State are faced with challenges from new shows, rival networks and production costs, they actually have an incentive to ignore proper investigative practices, in favour of a more exciting and TV worthy outcome.

This effect begins small, and I’m not suggesting that either show has done any more than frame the definition of their findings in more dramatic brackets, but the slippery slope approaches.

To cite an example, Ghost Hunters, season two, episode: The Playhouse and the Firehouse

This episode, actually made up of two separate investigations, one of a famous Connecticut Playhouse and the other of a haunted Fire Station, ends up being an exercise in primetime soap drama.  The team ends up airing interpersonal issues, and spends more time patting each other on the back for jobs well done (or not), than on the actual investigation.

In the end, the team finds little evidence, which is less than surprising, but, and this may have been a trick of overzealous editing, what evidence they did find (i.e. a door moving two to three inches directly behind a team member during dead time) was presented conveniently with more camera shake in the episode filming than could be deemed reasonable for a professional crew, and as a result, the viewer was left with a quick second hand view of what may or may not have been a door moving.  No explanation was given for how or why the door might have been nudged and a gaping hole in their investigation was opened, leaving room for questions about whether or not the door actually moved, and if it did, was it a deliberate attempt to manufacture evidence?

Taken on their own, the above issues can easily be explained and accounted for, but taken over the lifespan of the show, and with an eye to a progressive trend toward more and more dramatic and sensational claims, evidence and outcomes, one begins to wonder just how far they’re willing to go.

One could suggest, believably so, that the progression of their fame, the popularity of the show and the subsequent production budgets that go along with such success, enable them to employ more effective and accurate techniques, better equipment and even more effective support, though for those who are familiar with the science of paranormal research and investigation, it remains unclear why those types of “upgrades” would have such a drastic effect on their results.

Ultimately, reality TV is nothing more than an entertaining distraction, it is meant to be dramatic and exciting, and to draw your attention away from the mundane in order to generate add income, all of which perpetuates the cycle indefinitely.  Ghost Hunters and Paranormal State, among many others, are all subject to that same catch-22; all in all, they remain entertaining, distracting and above everything else, money making juggernauts.

The Power of Misinformation

The age of the internet is well upon us, we are now more connected and more informed than any other generation or culture that has ever graced the surface of the Earth.  We have at our finger tips a wealth of information, lighting fast interaction and communication with our peers the world over.  What may have taken a decade in previous eras, to circulate an idea, a theory, or a thesis among various academic circles, to be debated, analysed, examined and collectively decided on, now takes only weeks, and in some cases, only days.

The capacity of the internet in disseminating information has been and likely will continue to be the single greatest asset known to our collective development.  But, where there is such efficiency to spread ideas and information, there is enormous risk to all involved, where misinformation is accepted as truth without the use of critical thinking and verification.

A few examples pertaining to the ever prone world of paranormal phenomenon are presented below; you may recognise some of the items discussed, you may know them under different names and circumstances, you may even think you know the truth, though in most cases, you would be entirely wrong.

   The Mystery Monster in Question                                                  

Anyone who has spent any real amount of time searching and reading about paranormal phenomenon has most likely seen this photograph, and also likely they have seen it represented as any number of creatures and through any number of explanations.

In researching this piece I came across four distinct explanations for what we think we see pictured in this photograph.  They are as follows:

1)    Some time ago a girl a group of friends made a trip to historical sites in the Middle East. During the tour she had a chance to visit a cave on one of the hills around the holy city of Makkah. Inside, she was attracted by-she swears it was nothing but-a bright light perched on the cave’s wall, and took a picture of it. When she returned home the rolls of film she used during the trip were developed. And she was surprised to see a picture of a creature she never saw before in her life. She took the picture and showed it to her spiritual teacher. The Ustadzah explained that it was Satan in one of its forms, as was described by her teacher decades ago while she was still in school.

Presented by: [Username] ‘its me’ on the Unexplained Mysteries Forum website forum.

It’s interesting to note the use of middle eastern names and other words in the explanation when the rest of ‘its me’s’ post is written in plain, albeit very poor, English.  Following the above post many of the forums members cry foul, they outright label the presenter as a liar and expose the ridiculous story as a fraud right off the bat.  Kudos to them for spotting the fake, though their reasoning is less than admirable.

One particularly insightful responder posted an alternate version to the story, leading those who cared to follow to another series of websites, all claiming to have exclusive knowledge of the truth in this case.

Which leads us to example number two:

2)    “heres the real story:  Bashar writes, “This is a true story in Ras el Khaimah, United Arab Emerites. This picture has been released as a police report evidence in the UAE. The story is that a young man went in the caves in Ras el Khaimah to take pictures in caves known to be deserted, with a friend. He had been warned not to go. The person who had been with him called the police saying he had seen his friend’s flash go off and then his friend screamed. He called his friend but never got an answer and got scared that he’d fallen so went to the police. A few hours later they found the man in the cave dead and the single picture found in his camera is this one.”” Presented by [Username] ‘Chupacabra_Researcher’ on the same website forum.

Chupacabra_Researcher’s claim does seem more credible on the surface of it though we see right away, the similarities to the storys.  Both involve caves, both involve a mystery, both involve a supposedly credible source of confirmation (the teacher in the previous and the police in the latter).  Though as mentioned earlier this story takes us on an adventure across several paranormal websites.

The same story is repeated on what some might call reputable web sources, though none of these sources provides any further insight.  What they offer is essentially a carbon copy of the story above; they provide no reference material, no citations or footnotes, no corroborating evidence, and after spending some time examining the sources of the so called explanation, one finds it to be just as much of a fraud as the preceding fable.

Through that examination though, those who wish to look any further will find yet another explanation hidden in the pages of yet more paranormal websites.

The author (unamed) of the website: www.anomalies-unlimited.com offers his own critique of our number two explanation, though instead of providing some insight into the real meaning, he proceeds to offer our third incredible explanation:

3)    “I’ve seen this photo on several sites over the years, and the story ranges from “this is an alien” to “this is a decomposing guy in a ravine”.

This is the supposed real story, edited a bit to make the English better:

Bashar writes, “This is a true story in Ras el Khaimah, United Arab Emerites. This picture has been released as a police report evidence in the UAE. The story is that a young man went in the caves in Ras el Khaimah to take pictures in caves known to be deserted, with a friend. He had been warned not to go. The person who had been with him called the police saying he had seen his friend’s flash go off and then his friend screamed. He called his friend but never got an answer and got scared that he’d fallen so went to the police. A few hours later they found the man in the cave dead and the single picture found in his camera is this one.”

This kind of looks like me when I wake up in the morning, before my coffee.

Now for the real Real Story.

I first saw this picture on the web site of a Big Huge Late Night radio Talk show guy. They swore it was true. The Guy talked about it a few times over the next months. It used to piss me off that known, and I mean KNOWN hoaxes, debunked stuff and outright crazy people were fed to a whole new generation as Truth on this show. There’s enough real, anomalous stuff out there without lying to people. I put this photo on my site as one of the very first things and tell people to write to me if they wanted to know the REAL story. This is when 8 people knew I was messing around putting a few things up to occupy myself and I got 20 hits a week if I was lucky. Some would say YEAH! they saw this on this Big Web SIte! They got it in Email! They know the guy who took it! Then I got to tell them it was BS, and see how gullible we get? Believe what you want but use your brain a bit. Reading and Reasearch Are Your Friends.

Ok, the True Story – this is a real photo. Of a sculpture at a place called Cheddar Showcaves & Gorge in Somerset, England. A kind of park, if you will, with figures of dragons, dwarves, fairies, Demons of the Night. Kind of to spice the place up a bit.But you wouldn’t believe the people who would argue and insist to me that this was a real Djinn because they saw it on this Guy’s Website and he talked about it on his show and he swore it was true. They got it in email, their friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother’s neighbor took it.

I wish I had one of these for my hallway. Wouldn’t that be a great surprise for the mailman? :)”

Now, since this particular website doesn’t offer a forum to respond to this kind of nonsense, there are no further bread crumbs on this branch of our adventure.  But before we get to far ahead of ourselves, lets try to understand what makes his claim more credible than that of the people he criticises.

He literally claims the story cannot be true because it was presented along side other stories known to be hoaxes.  Well, I hope he checks his bath water for babies.  Unfortunately for his story he didn’t stop at debunking, he continued on and presented his own version of truth, and by now the poor creature in the photo is suffering from an identity crisis.  The explanation he offers seems, on the surface, to satisfy the debunking tastes of most audiences, though looking a little deeper yet, one finds that his story holds no water either, even though it’s not a supernatural explanation.

In trying to corroborate his claim that this creature is a simple plaster (or otherwise) model of a mythical being, placed in a UK park space as decoration, one finds that none of the many websites offering information about that particular park offers any such story.  Having not had opportunity to visit the park myself, I cannot claim it to be outright false, though one would think that if credibility were in question, providing reference to evidence might be prudent.

So, in the face of questionable explanation, where do we stand? At this point we still have no real idea what is pictured in this photograph.  It does have truth, for it exists, so someone knows the circumstances of its creation.  Though the sad fact remains that the mountains of misinformation that have been presented along side the image, have done immeasurable harm to any possible credibility the truth may hold.  We may never know it, and if the truth is presented we may not believe it anyway.

I, for one, want to know the truth, but I will not be satisfied with anecdote and hearsay.  In spite of that objection however, I invite any and all who have witnessed any other version or explanation for this photograph to come forward and post the account in comment below.  You may post anonymously or you may stake claim to your story, either way, let the flood gates be opened, and let the waters flow.

The Face of the Demon; A Preliminary Examination

A full year of hell on earth, demonic torture and self directed spiritual warfare; a family plagued by the hellish whims of a purely malevolent entity and their struggle to survive what could have been their last days in life or sanity.

I recently made the acquaintance of a humble and strong woman who leads a broken family through the daunting task of healing the emotional wounds of a demonic encounter.  Her story is compelling, and fantastic, and as far as my discerning mind can see, her story is completely true.

As much as that lead in might draw your attention, the purpose of this piece is not to retell this tragic story, that I will save for larger venue. No, what I bring to you today is a preliminary look at some of the photographic evidence presented to me in support of the startlingly unbelievable events that tore this family apart.

I will provide you with a small amount of background information, but largely, I will leave interpretation of the photos up to you.  While you examine this evidence, please bear in mind that my experience in law enforcement, my training in statement analysis and my level of photographic proficiency all came into play when I was initially confronted with the details of this claim.  Speaking as a professional investigator, I cannot come up with an alternate possibility for what is pictured in these photos.  I cannot even come up with a reasonable method for reproducing the effect, and as such I will walk you through the reasons for that failing after the images have been presented.

Over the period of a year, between July of 2006 and April 2007, the family (whose names I will not release at this time) was bombarded with a complete spectrum of demonic events; beginning with emotional influence, then moving onto physical and auditory phenomenon, and eventually to all out warfare.  The horrors this family survived were very real and very dangerous, and at every opportunity the mother (who we’ll call Angela) did her best to control the situation, but to no avail.

The entity acted out at its own discretion, vandalising the home and everything in it, destroying belongings, setting fires in inexplicable ways, emptying the contents of the family refrigerator and spreading foodstuff all about the home; stacking furniture and other smaller items, barricading doors, knocking, growling and eventually attempting to physically harm each family member with violent attacks while they slept.

In the end, this family of four was broken apart, while they all fled the home in terror following one of the most violent and dangerous events, Angela and her husband separated under the stress.

The following photographs are a small sampling of four images captured by the youngest daughter during a late night event.  As with many other poltergeist and/or demon type hauntings, electrical systems and devices seem particularly prone to their influence, and on the night in question, October 12, 2006, the entity had isolated the youngest daughter in her bedroom and began manipulating the lights and television in the room.  The commotion alerted the sleeping girl to the event and following futile attempts to control the situation by turning lights off and unplugging the television, she found herself in complete blackness as the entity cut power to the entire room.  Thinking on her feet, the girl remembered her digital camera and tied to use the flash to illuminate the room.  Of course, the inadvertent effect of using the flash to see her surroundings was that the camera captured some amazing images and what follows are the results.

Note:  The images have not been altered in any way; the file names are original as is the file Meta data.  Angela has proclaimed with complete humility, that the photos are authentic.


You’ll note immediately that while there is an amount of light from the flash reflected on the artefact in the photo, it also seems to emanate its own light energy.  You’ll also find that it is transparent while also having mass, shape and depth (notice the frame of the wall photo can be seen through the edge of the artefact).

What seems odd is the repeating pattern that is obvious in the upper left quadrant of the artefact, it resembles a photo in itself; a super-exposure of a single image imposed onto the overall frame, though the rest of the frame shows no similar effects that might be consistent with multiple exposure.

cid_000401c6ef5851d7693030373518JmesPuter

Again, notice the transparency and the trend of the repeating image within the artefact.  Also note the complete lack of distortion and movement in any other area of the frame.  The camera was held still at a medium shutter speed, which should mean that all of the movement characteristics in the artefact are unique to the artefact.

cid_000501c6ef5851d7693030373518JmesPuter

This photo illustrates the bands of light energy emanating from the core of the artefact.  Notice the intricate lattice structure and the fairly obvious depth of the artefact in the field of view.

SAMSUNG DIGIMAX A503

 

To my mind this is the most spectacular image of the set.  Again, showing transparency, depth, mass, movement and its own light energy, and, if you examine the trailing end, it appears as though the artefact is projecting out of the television screen.

With “Angela’s” permission I invite further analysis of these photos, for my expertise is in capturing the images, not in defining the content.  Each reader is encouraged to examine what is presented and conclude for themselves what is genuine and what is false.  The background I have given is truthful to the best of my knowledge and the photographs are offered as entirely authentic.

For further information on the background of the events or for information about the expected timeframe of releasing the entire story, please feel free to leave comment or contact site administration through the contact form on the left of the screen.

Edit note: November 28, 2009

Since the posting of the above article, of which I amit that I may have been overly charitable with the subject, I have concluded, with the assistance of my colleagues at the Paranormal Studies and Investigation Canada faculty (PSICAN), that the above photos are most probably not genuine.

This may come as an obvious admission to some, though to others who have supported the idea that there is something unexplainable pictured in each frame, I offer that a valid explanation has been determined.

Specifically pertaining to photograph #1, it has come to my attention through closer examination, that this picture is not of the same set as the latter three.  The texture and apparent colour of the wall shown in the background is inconsistent with the remaining photos, which does not necessarily exclude it from consideration along side the other three, nor does it even really suggest that it was not taken in the same room (a room that may have a single wall of a different texture and colour), though this discrepancy coupled with the fact that the unknown artifact pictured here is also inconsistent with that shown in the latter three pictures, indicates that is should not be considered to be a genuine member of the original set.  This does not necessarily speak to an explanation for what is pictured in this particular photo, though it has been suggested that in this case, photographic or computer manipulation seems likely.   Therefore, it becomes likely for this photo alone, that the party responsible for capturing the image acted with the intention to deceive.

A great deal of discussion and examination took place, by me and on behalf of me through PSICAN regarding the three other images, as these images are, as outlined above, inconsistent with the first photo.  It was pointed out to me that a hair or fibre could have become trapped in the plastic trim of the camera involved, with a portion of the hair or fibre’s length extending off of the cameras surface and placing it in very close proximity to the lens, and possibly directly in front of (or in the path of) the flash housing; wherein upon activating the flash and shutter, light from the flash would have illuminated the hair or fibre as such, and the close-up nature of the capture would account for the oddly deformed structure of the artifact.

In the case of photo’s #2 through 3, I would reasonably conclude that the story relayed by the witness could be true and accurate, however the photos are not a representation of that.  This explanation leaves room for both deliberate deception and accidental or unintentional misinterpretation, though when weighed against the first photo, one can hardly ignore the likelihood that the people involved sought to deceive and deliberately manufactured either the story, or the photos or both.

Ghosts, For Better or Worse

I was recently asked if I believe in, or if I believe there could be such a thing as a benevolent ghost.  I think essentially this question means; do I believe there are good ghosts?

This is a more complicated question than you might think.  To answer this, one must first decide what ghosts are, at least to their own mind and sensibility.  While there are many schools of thought on this particular subject, what matters is the opinion of the person bearing the question, but for the sake of argument we might consider some of the popular ideas.

The three main types of ghosts, that is, the three main kinds of situations in which people tend to experience what they believe are ghosts, are residual hauntings, apparitions or spectres, and poltergeist type hauntings.

Each type has it’s own characteristics, which are typically used as a primary means to identify that type in the course of an investigation, though only the latter two are capable of maintaining any emotional polarity, as might be identified by the person experiencing the event.

In other words, residual hauntings are analogous to a video playback loop, with no sentience or intrinsic intelligence.  Any qualities of personality in this kind of haunting are difficult to assign a label of good or evil too, in the same way that a video recording is neither good or evil.

Apparitions and spectres, and poltergeist are unique in that they appear to possess a will and/or purpose, though not necessarily intelligence per se. This will is what allows us to anthropomorphically assign a moral value to its behaviour or actions, and thus label the entity either good or evil.

Now, all of this may give the impression that I lack any belief in ghosts, specifically in apparitions and poltergeist, though nothing could be further from the truth.  In my experience I have witnessed full form apparitions, I have experienced real world interference and effects from their actions and have heard and analysed testimony from multiple Mediums who were, at various times, able to confirm my own interpretations of the events as I experienced.

In particular, I was exposed to the presence of an apparition at my previous address, this ghosts is believed to be the spirit of an older generation Portuguese woman.  The details of the many encounters that were experienced at that location, by my entire family and by many friends, colleagues and acquaintances, are of no consequence to the question at hand; except to say that never once was any witness to her appearance, behaviour or effects frightened by the experience.  This would quite clearly suggest that, at least in this instance, the spirit in question was far from malevolent.  She did not interfere with our enjoyment of the home, and on more than one occasion she showed genuine concern for the emotional troubles of myself and my wife.

This of course is not offered as evidence of her existence, or of any other ghost for that matter, but takes us a step further toward answering the question.  The initial question, whether or not I believe in benevolent ghosts, is sufficiently answered, but the second is not completely satisfied.

The mere mention of the word “poltergeist” often incites feelings of fear and unease; the typical characteristics of a poltergeist event are shrouded in anger, manipulation and malice, and in some cases can become dangerous to witnesses.  On the surface this would suggest an inherent malevolence in the entity behind the event, and while I might agree to a certain extent, I would propose that there is a more human explanation.

With certain exceptions, what we mean when we label something as a ghost, whether that entity or event is classified as a residual haunting, an apparition or a poltergeist, is that there is a spiritual entity present, which is exerting its influence on our environment.  The nature and origin of that entity remain debatable, but most agree that they are, or were human spirits at some point in the past.

If we can, even loosely, agree that this is the nature of the ghost, then our answer is already present.  No ghost, no matter the scope, scale or style of its influence on our environment, is specifically good or evil, it is human.  And as much as there is both the capacity for good and evil in every human, it stands to reason that there remains that capacity in the ghostly spirits we encounter in the hereafter.

In my usual effluent style, I have clumsily come around to what seems to be the reasonable conclusion, though there will be those who argue.  To those people I would suggest, that what appears to be one thing in our experience, is often something entirely different in someone else.

Déjà vu – Separating Fact from Fiction

Have you ever felt like you’ve experienced a situation or event before, but couldn’t place it; almost as if you dreamed your own future and only just realised it as the moment passed you by?  Many would call that Déjà vu.

Have you ever felt like you’ve experienced a situation or event before, but couldn’t place it; almost as if you dreamed your own future and only just realised it as the moment passed you by?  Many would call that Déjà vu.

Heh…ok, so that was a poor attempt at humour, but it does illustrate the basic idea behind Déjà vu.  Déjà vu type experiences are probably the most common type of so-called paranormal event around the globe.  People from all walks of life, at all ages, in all states of health and mental ability and in any class or position can and do experience déjà vu to some degree at some point in their lives.  Some experience it so often that it can almost conclusively be classed as precognition, but we’ll get into that a bit later.

Déjà vu, which is French for “already seen”, and is also known as paramnesia, which is Greek for “near-memory”, has been written about and mused over for centuries.  The term Déjà vu was coined by Emil Boirac, a French psychic, in his book L’Avenir des sciences psychiques” (“The Future of Psychic Sciences”), but no one has been successful in re-creating or studying the phenomena in a laboratory setting.

To the frustration of many people, there are several definitions for the experience associated with the term déjà vu, ranging from out-and-out precognition, to a simple lapse of short term memory, in which a person simply believes that they’ve experienced something twice.  If you can accept a middle ground explanation, you might be further ahead than some modern psychologists who are taking this little psychoanalytic hatchling under their wings (likely in search of an easy Nobel Prize).  That middle ground explanation is a little easier to swallow no matter what side of the proverbial fence you sit on.

“The experience or feeling of reliving a moment in time” is probably the most recognisable definition, though not necessarily the most accurate.  To most people who experience déjà vu, and the numbers in that regard are staggering, it is described more like the recollection of a dream, in which the event they were living was repeated.

Quite often there is a feeling of awe or uneasiness that accompanies the experience and in the vast majority of cases the person is adamant that they have experienced that moment previously.

Of course, the scientific community has contributed its share of ink-on-paper for this subject, and in large part has dismissed any notion that the phenomena is anything more than a simple misfiring of neurons in our complex brains.  Psychologists, psychiatrists and neurophysiologists have nearly exhausted the comparative studies of schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and dissociative identity disorders and have yet to bring forward an acceptable conclusion or hypothesis.

Those same scientists have opened the discussion to pharmacological explanations, as well as visual and auditory impairment, with about the same success.  This is not to say they’re wrong, as some of the less scientific explanations are suspect as well, but their results are unconvincing to say the least.

On the metaphysical side of the argument, equally zealous practitioners have claimed déjà vu to be a purely psychic phenomenon, some wildly proclaiming that it’s the accidental manipulation of time; others calmly suggesting that déjà vu is a mild form of precognitive psychic ability.

Nothing could be less important though, than what some lab coat wearing scientist, or incense burning guru thinks about déjà vu, and the best thing about it is that, with more than 70% of the world’s population experiencing the phenomenon on a regular basis, we can each make our own determination and quantify the experience in our own minds.

A great many people explain their own déjà vu experiences as a cosmic sign that they are, or have been on the correct life path, that the “event” in question was important to their individual destiny and is marked as so by the recognition of those circumstances.  Others still believe that déjà vu has a modern religious aspect to it, and attribute the experience to the voice of angels.

Again, the beauty of such a widely common experience is that the best person to make that determination for your experience is you.  Recommendations for or against one specific explanation or one branch of explanations are only as valuable as they are similar to your own understanding, and in order to increase that understanding, take measures to increase the quality and duration of your déjà vu events.

Unfortunately, there is no way to predict or induce an event, and as such, there is no way to prepare and plan for the next opportunity, but if you make the conscious declaration that you will examine the experience to it’s full potential at the next opportunity, you will already be better equipped to further your understanding than the next guy.

So, with that in mind, I challenge you to go boldly into life and experience all that you can, all in the hunt for more déjà vu understanding.

The Sounds of History: Acoustic Significance in Ancient Architecture

When we study the ancient world, we have but one sense to use.  We can, unfortunately, only view the past with our eyes.  As beautiful as the artefacts of our ancestors are, this one dimensional perspective tends to be somewhat restrictive to our understanding.  After all, when we consider our contemporary world, we have the benefit of seeing, smelling and hearing all of the various elements that make up that landscape.  Not so with the ancient world.

However there are a select few people trying to change that.  Those people are working in the field of archaeoacoustics, and though this is a relatively new field of study, great strides are being made in an effort to understand the significance of sound as it pertains to the monuments and rituals of our ancestors.  The term archaeoacoustics has been coopted from its earlier use, as it pertained to sounds being recorded in clay pottery and other such objects during their manufacture in ancient societies, so as to be “played back” with the use of modern equipment.  This idea was once supported by many in mainstream science, but has recently fallen into disrepute as a result of many failed attempts to verify it through experiment.  The term now relates more widely to the study of sound in ancient construction and monuments.

 

Daoist Monks chanting in ritual

In spite of the fanciful ideas of the more conspiratorial among us, not every ancient monument was constructed to capitalise on resonant frequencies, but some were and they deserve a closer look.

Chanting, a ritualistic form of stylised speech, and the root of all western music, was first used by ancient and prehistoric spiritual leaders in nearly all cultures as a means of furthering or supporting other aspects of ritual.  It was meant to bring the participant closer to a religious or spiritual awakening.  Chants are used in nearly all religious variants, from modern shamanistic cultures to pagan, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic traditions.  It ranges from simple melodies to complex musical structures and depending on the setting, can offer a profound experience to witnesses.

As is common knowledge, sound or music has a profound effect on us humans (and likely on some animals as well).  We develop strong associations between musical elements and certain emotions and our moods are often deeply affected by what we hear.  For this reason, spiritual or religious chants often have a deep effect on our perception of related experiences.  Religious hymns are designed to foster a connection between the congregant and the clergy, and in fact churches the world over are constructed with this in mind.  The shape and orientation of the church and its internal elements are painstakingly arranged to optimise the acoustical properties of the space, so as to maximise the effect of song and instrument alike.  And this is by no means a new practise.

 

An antique map of the Labyrinth of Buda Castle (hi-res)

Nowhere is acoustical significance in ancient construction more striking than in underground temples.  There are famous examples of such construction throughout the old world, perhaps the most famous is the King’s Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops, whichever you prefer) at Giza in Egypt.  Some theorists maintain that the King’s Chamber was designed and built to use sound as a resonant booster, to give the Pharaoh a better chance of reaching the afterlife, though this is not a widely held opinion among mainstream archaeologists or Egyptologists.  Those same theorists, conspiracy theorists you might say, suggest also that the Hall of Records, an unconfirmed structure or room situated under the Sphinx, has significant acoustical properties as well.  This is, for obvious reasons, entirely suppositional of course.

But we needn’t resort to conspiratorial fantasy in this case, for there are many ancient monuments and temples that use sound and acoustical properties to their advantage.  The underground city complex at Budapest, called the Labyrinth of Buda Castle, which is located under Castle Hill in Buda (which is the west-bank part of Budapest on the Danube river in Hungary), is said to have special acoustical properties, though since this site is largely a natural formation, it doesn’t really count here.  It does remain the oldest known example of the shape of a room or cave being used to amplify or resonate sound for ritual purposes.

 

The Baptismal Font at Castle Hill

Other examples, such as the Oracle Room in the Hypogeum of Ħal Seflieni in Paola, Malta (Greece) offer much to study.  Hypogeum means ‘underground’ in Greek, and in this case refers to a subterranean labyrinthine structure of the Seflieni phase of Maltese prehistory (3000-2500BC).  It consists of several passages and chambers, of which the Oracle room is the smallest.  With its delicately painted ceiling, the Oracle room boasts the most powerful or effectual resonant chamber in the ancient world.  Even muted sounds made in this chamber resonate and amplify, which has the effect of distorting the sound and making it seem like it has a divine origin (or that it hadn’t been generated by any source in the chamber).  Today the hypogeum is a necropolis, containing the remains of some 7000 prehistoric Greeks, but at one time it was used for religious ritual.

 

An intact corridor at Chavin de Huantar

Another site, Chavín de Huantar in the Peruvian Andes, is a large city ruin that was built by the pre-Incan culture known as the Chavín in approximately 1200BC, though the area is thought to have been occupied as early as 3000BC.  The site has buildings, ruins, temples and other artefacts.

Ancient visitors and priests at Chavín de Huantar would have been privy to an experience not found anywhere else.  The buildings were constructed using a highly specialized combination of shafts, corridors and surfaces, all designed to make a series of echo chambers, in which sounds – often conch shell trumpets, called pututus, being blown by priests outside of the structure and chanting, as well as water running in streams under and around the buildings – would seem otherworldly.[1]  Add in the psychotropic effect of ritual consumption of San Pedro cactus juice (and possibly other substances, like ayahuasca), and one can easily see how a pilgrimage to such a temple would have been a profound spiritual experience.

Perhaps the first archaeoacoustic researcher, Iegor Reznikoff, an anthropologist of sound with the Université Paris Ouest, found, in the 1980’s, that there is a connection between the location of prehistoric artwork in the caves at Lascaux (and other ancient cave sites in southern France, where the oldest known human art is found from 25,000BC) and the acoustic resonance of those same locations.[2]  Reznikoff and a colleague mapped such caves, highlighting areas of acoustical significance and found that those areas coincided with areas that held the most works of prehistoric art.[3]  Which suggests a defined ritualistic process to the painting, and may have been prevalent among prehistoric artists.

 

Anthropomorphic carvings at Chavin de Huantar

Acoustic resonance is a feature of many natural caves, and it’s likely that this natural feature was the primary motivator in the development of acoustics in ritual sites and practices.  Modern technology allows archaeologists to identify and study such features of ancient sites, and in most cases the research is inaccessible to the amateur.  However, there are branches of this endeavour that are within reach of anyone who can get themselves to the locations in question.

Recently, a team of researchers have been using sound to study the world famous Stonehenge megalithic site in Wiltshire, England.  According to experts from London’s Royal College of Art, Stonehenge holds more mystery than meets the eye.  For many years, enthusiasts and researchers have held that Stonehenge had an audio component, either in its use or construction.  Many visitors report that chants and music seem to resonate in a strange way at various points within and around the structure, but new insights seem to suggest that the stones themselves were musical instruments.

Research recently published in the Journal of Time & Mind, suggests that the bluestones – the smaller stones that make up the interior of the monument – actually have acoustical properties and may have been selected for that reason.[4]  It turns out that the stones resonate in a peculiar way when struck with a hammer or other instrument, and generate a wide range of sounds.  Researchers even found what may be evidence of hammer or stone strikes on several of the stones, indicating that they’re on the right track.

This research, with the input of other experts, suggests that many of the standing stone sites throughout the UK may have had, as a central feature, an acoustic nature.[5]  It may be that Stonehenge and other standing stone circles and like monuments were built as musical instruments, to be used in conjunction with or as a part of ritualistic gatherings and celebrations.

The same may be true for monuments all over the world, as is highlighted by researchers such as Michael Tellinger, who demonstrates in a video on his YouTube channel the acoustic properties of artefacts found at Waterval Boven, South Africa. (See below)

There is no denying it, sound has played a central role in the development of not only human spirituality and culture, but also in architecture.  While most of our history can only be relayed in terms of visual artefacts and writing, the aural history of our ancestors just begs to be heard.  And when you consider the fact that resonant sound has been a significant part of human life for upwards of 27,000 years (at least), it’s no wonder so many people feel so passionately about music and its makers.


[1] Brooks, Michael.  Was sound the secret weapon of the Andean elites? Newscientist Magazine – September 2008 http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19926721.700-was-sound-the-secret-weapon-of-the-andean-elites.html?page=1

[2] Starr, Douglas. Notes From Earth: Echoes From The Distant Past. Discover Magazine – November 2012 http://discovermagazine.com/2012/nov/03-echoes-from-the-distant-past#.UsCjmvRDsid

[3] American Institute of Physics. “Music Went With Cave Art In Prehistoric Caves.” ScienceDaily, 5 Jul. 2008. Web. 29 Dec. 2013. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080704130439.htm

[4] Paul Devereux, Jon Wozencroft. Stone Age Eyes and Ears: A Visual and Acoustic Pilot Study of Carn Menyn, Environs, Preseli, Wales. Time & Mind  http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1751696X.2013.860278#.UsCuvfRDsie

[5] Sarah Griffiths, Amanda Williams. Stonehenge ‘was a prehistoric center for rock music’: Stones sound like bells, drums and gongs when played. DailyMailUK December2013 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2515159/Why-Stonehenge-prehistoric-centre-rock-music-Stones-sound-like-bells-drums-gongs-played.html

The End of the World is Nigh, But Don’t Worry, The Predictions Are Usually Wrong

Seeing as I write this on the afternoon of May 22, 2011, it would seem that the predicted Rapture has passed without effect, and as certain as I was that this prophecy was false in the days and weeks leading up to May 21st 2011, I know that there were many people who believed wholeheartedly that the end was nigh.

It seems to be yet another defining feature of humanity, in that no other creature on the planet is silly enough to waste time and energy on such predictions.  Below are four broad examples of doomsday predictions.  Some started out as something completely benign, while others have foretold of doom for centuries…or have they?

The Rapture and Armageddon

As we’ve recently seen, the Bible and its followers have their hands in the collective prophecy pot as well, and there has been no shortage of people willing to put a date on the end.

For clarity sake, it should be stated that the Rapture and Armageddon are two different events.  One is the judgement and ascension of devout followers into paradise (Heaven) or unbelievers into a period of tribulation here on Earth[1], which ultimately ends with the second event, Armageddon, or the end of the world.

Some notable Rapture predictions are as follows:

  • 1844 – William Miller predicted Christ would return between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844, then revised his prediction, claiming to have miscalculated Scripture, to October 22, 1844. The realization that the predictions were incorrect resulted in a Great Disappointment.
  • 1914, 1918, 1925, 1942 – Dates set for the end by the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
  • 1981 – Chuck Smith predicted that Jesus would probably return by 1981.[2]
  • 1988 – Publication of 88 Reasons why the Rapture is in 1988, by Edgar C. Whisenant.
  • 1989 – Publication of The final shout: Rapture report 1989, by Edgar Whisenant. This author made further predictions of the Rapture for 1992, 1995, and other years.
  • 1992 – A Korean group, “Mission for the Coming Days”, predicted October 28, 1992 as being the date of the Rapture.[3]
  • 1993 – Seven years before the year 2000; the Rapture would have to start to allow for seven years of the Tribulation before the Return in 2000. Multiple predictions.
  • 1994 – Pastor John Hinkle of Christ Church in Los Angeles predicted that the Rapture would occur on June 9, 1994. Radio evangelist Harold Camping predicted September 6, 1994.
  • 2011 – Harold Camping’s revised prediction had May 21, 2011 as the date of the Rapture.
  • 2060 – Sir Isaac Newton proposed, based upon his calculations using figures from the Book of Daniel that the Apocalypse could happen no earlier than 2060.

Y2K

Y2K, otherwise known as the year 2000 problem was widely heralded as a potential apocalyptic event, though it didn’t start out that way.

In the late 1990’s, computer programmers and electronic systems engineers discovered that there was a problem that would occur at the turn of the millennium, it was a computer problem, namely that standard abbreviated date codes could not handle the transition from ’99 to ’00. The idea was that this transition would cause a logic error that would replicate through the affected systems, essentially causing such systems to crash.

Many, many people and corporations spent many millions of dollars on fixes and fail-safes, though some believe that their efforts were unnecessary.  Some suggest that the original problem was exaggerated by enterprising computer technicians in the hopes of creating a niche for their work, a rather lucrative niche at that.

Y2K, like many other predictions and legends in popular culture was turned into a prediction for the end of the world, though its origin was purely technical.  Many hypothesized that the expected system crashes would render modern life unliveable, though others simply spoke with unerring authority, drawing on vague notions of the 2012 legend and planetary alignments.  None of which were true, obviously.

Nostradamus

Perhaps the most famous prophet of doom and disaster the world has ever known, Michel de Nostredame or as he is most commonly known, Nostradamus, has provided modern culture with pages and pages of carefully prescribed quatrains, poetry that is supposed to tell the future.  He has a nearly religious following of intellectuals and pseudo-intellectuals who espouse his ability to foretell future events with what is ultimately questionable accuracy.

Perhaps his most famous prophecies were the death of King Henry II by way of a duel at age 40, and the Great Fire of London in 1666, or even the rise and fall of Adolf Hitler.

Unfortunately for Nostradamus followers, his quatrains cannot be translated literally, and require much interpretation, though in this sense, interpretation should be read as amendment.  Typically whole words and phrases need to be changed in order to make the vast majority of his predictions fit with historical events.  Not one of Nostradamus’ prophecies has foretold of an event before it happened.  Though as should be noted here, Nostradamus has not foretold of the end of the world, in fact, his own writings tell that his predictions will go on for thousands of years, namely until the year 3797.  This, however, should not be viewed as a prediction that the world will end in that year, but rather, that his predictions simply end that year.

2012

2012 is perhaps the most popular or well known doomsday myth in circulation today, and it is the result of much misunderstanding and misinterpretation. The 2012 legend specifically relates to the end of the Mayan Calendar on December 21st 2012, it is the end of a Baktun or 10,000 year calendar cycle, but what most people seem to be ignoring, is that fact that the Maya were not prophetic people.  Foretelling the future was simply not a part of their culture, and as such all of the legends that follow from the end of their calendar are not only erroneous, but pernicious.  Some of these theories are as follows:

  • Planetary Alignment – Some believe that there will be a detrimental planetary alignment on the 21st of December in 2012, though exactly what mechanism will bring destruction is largely left untreated in writings about this prediction.
  • Nibiru – Some believe that the long lost planet Nibiru will make a pass or even make contact with Earth, bringing destruction by way of the collision or by way of the return of the Annunaki (Ancient Aliens believed to have been the progenitors of humanity).
  • Ascension – Others still believe that there will be a rapturous event, bringing increased consciousness to mankind, allowing ascension to another plane of existence.
  • Asteroid – Simultaneously the most benign and most destructive event in the 2012 cannon, believers suggest that the Earth is on a collision course with a deep orbit asteroid.
  • Polarity Shift – Some of the more metaphysical among us believe that there will be a massive and abrupt polarity shift in the Earths magnetosphere, ultimately switching the north and south poles.  Such an event would be catastrophic, though there is little evidence that such an event could happen.  The mechanism of change is usually said to be the result of a major coronal mass ejection from our sun.
  • Tectonic Activity (earthquakes) – This may be the most widely believed prediction for the end of days, though it isn’t exclusive to 2012.  Conspiracy theorists are already tracking earthquake data, some with an eye toward connecting an increase in tectonic activity to HAARP (High Altitude Auroral Research Project), but there is a general consensus that the mechanism of our demise will be the Earth opening up and swallowing us whole.

As you can see, there is no shortage of doom-saying in our culture, everyone believes something different and everyone is willing to inject their ideas into an already convoluted pool of information.  The bottom line is simply that all of these predictions were made and subsequently disproved by the passage of time (with the exception of 2012), and since we have nothing but time to give, we may as well stop worrying about the end.  Will there be a great catastrophe in the future?  Probably, there usually is.  Will we overcome such tragedy and move forward with our lives?  Most definitely, no one knows when or how the world will end, it is a thing that cannot be known, and we humans have shown time and again, our capacity for adapting to a changing world.  Rest easy and plan for tomorrow, for she is coming whether you want her or not.


[1] There is argument as to whether the rapture will occur pre, mid or post tribulation.

[2] Smith, Chuck (1978), Future Survival, The Word for Today, p.17

[3] “The World Did Not End Yesterday”. Boston Globe (Associated Press). 29 October 1992