R. Wolf Baldassarro February, 2012

Do We Need Parapsychology?

When one speaks about a topic which is controversial it is important to understand the concept of a paradigm, or underlying worldview. It can be thought of as a framework of beliefs which are so taken for granted that most people are not even aware they have made any assumptions. A paradigm helps us to make sense of the world around us. In terms of science, it not only determines what is true, but how truth itself is determined. There is an obvious “catch 22” to this. If one doesn’t recognize the underlying assumptions made with a paradigm, it has the potential to limit our perception of the world, what we can discover, and how we can determine that knowledge.

The old paradigm, which many have held since the days of Descartes, states that the subjective and objective worlds are completely distinct, with no overlap. Subjective is “here, in the head,” and objective is “there, out in the world.” The Cartesian paradigm presupposes that there are objective ways to define and measure the fixed external world, which the followers of this paradigm would say is the only world that matters.

Writer and philosopher Elbert Hubbard (1857-1915) eloquently quipped that “the supernatural is the natural, just not yet understood.”

The formal scientific study of paranormal phenomena began in 1882 with the foundation of the Society for Psychical Research in London, England. Early efforts attempted to dissociate psychical phenomena from the pop culture trend of Spiritualism and superstition, and to investigate mediums and their claims of evoking spirits or apparitions.

But 100 years later most people still think that paranormal research is either a group armed with night-vision tech stumbling around buildings in the dark in search of ghosts and fame, or simply the study of any subject that is weird or bizarre (i.e. Bigfoot and UFOs/aliens). Parapsychology is, and has always been, so much more than the former, and has nothing at all to do with the latter.

Paranormal research does NOT concern itself with UFOs, urban legends, vampires, witchcraft, or mythical creatures (a study known as cryptozoology). What parapsychology DOES study is the seemingly abnormal qualities of the physical universe in a scientific quest to find order and meaning in life. It is the ultimate exploration of the human condition and the discovery of all that the brain is capable of becoming; some of these concepts the legendary Carl Jung touched on with his theories of the collective unconscious and synchronicity.

A lot of people inappropriately use it as a synonym for “paranormal investigators,” such as when referencing the cast of Ghost Hunters or Paranormal Adventures; what’s more, parapsychologists have also been linked with “psychic” entertainers, magicians, and illusionists. Some self-proclaimed “psychic practitioners” even falsely claim to be parapsychologists, going so far as to wave about bogus doctoral credentials.

This is not to say that all psychics are that way. I am personally acquainted with a few very adept and talented psychics here in the Detroit area. Life, however, is rarely as glamorous as Hollywood portrays for them. At best they are ignored or written off as delusional; at worst they are harassed and fired from work. Often psychics are exploited by mainstream media for fluff pieces in October, and mocked by the same the other 11 months of the year.

There are the inevitable frauds, scammers, and crooks. This is an unfortunate truth, and a few bad apples have spoiled it for everyone else. It is inexcusable that these charlatans con money out of vulnerable and naïve people. This is why no respectable group ever charges for its services.

It should be noted that many parapsychologists take an empirical, data-oriented approach to psi phenomena. However, some researchers regard the current findings of parapsychology as having a wide variety of important implications about the spiritual, physical, and psychological nature of humankind.

Parapsychology is fascinating because of the implications it places on society, science, and how we understand the very nature of existence. Psi phenomena suggests that what science knows about the nature of the universe is incomplete; that the accepted limitations of human potential have been underestimated; that western assumptions and philosophical beliefs about the separation of mind and body may be incorrect; and that religious assumptions about the divine nature of miracles might have been misguided.

Physicists have an interest because of the proposition that we have a misunderstanding about space and time, and the transfer of energy and information.

Biologists are interested because psi implies the existence of non-physical methods of sensing the world.

Psychologists are interested in the theories regarding the nature of perception and memory.

Philosophers are interested because psi phenomena specifically address many age-old philosophical debates concerning the role of the mind in the physical world, and the nature of the objective vs. the subjective.

Theologians and the general public tend to be interested because personal psi experiences are often accompanied by feelings of profound, deep meaning.

A cornerstone of the current scientific worldview is that human consciousness is nothing more than a result of the functioning of brain, body, and nervous system. No matter how different the mind may seem from solid matter, it is generated solely by electrochemical functioning and so it is absolutely dependent on it. When the brain dies, so does consciousness.   From this perspective, claims of the survival of bodily death and the resulting apparitions are mere wishful thinking. Furthermore, the limits of material functioning automatically determine the limits of mental functioning, thus ESP and PK are impossible, given the establishment’s understanding of how the world works.

Still, psi phenomena have occurred in all cultures throughout history, and continue to occur; and some of the reported phenomena have been convincingly verified using scientific methods. Because psi seems to transcend the assumed limits of material functioning some interpret psi as supporting the idea that there is something more to the mind than just the firing of neurons and electrochemical reactions.

This “non-physical” aspect, which is not restricted by space or time, might survive bodily death. If so, there may be important truths contained in some spiritual ideas and practices.

The research in parapsychology may have implications for spiritual concepts but parapsychologists are not driven by some hidden spiritual agenda. Some critics of parapsychology seem to believe that all parapsychologists have hidden religious motives, and that they are really out to prove the existence of the soul. This argument is as absurd as claiming that all chemists have a secret agenda in alchemy, and the quest to attain riches by turning lead into gold.

Despite all its claims, there are just some things that mainstream science can’t explain about the universe. Parapsychology really acts as the center of scientific doctrine and theory, with lines leading to and from every branch of the other sciences. Together they form an intricate web of knowledge and understanding that is only limited by the egotistical whimsy of those who think they know all there is to know about the nature of the universe based on their blind obedience to one limited train of thought.

© 2012 R. Wolf Baldassarro/Deep Forest Productions

Tags: ghost, hunting, paranormal, parapsychology

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R. Wolf Baldassarro December, 2011

The Ghosts beneath the Mistletoe

The days are increasingly shorter, the air chills to the bone, and nature slumbers beneath a blanket of sparkling snow. This is the time of year when we gather with friends and family to talk, share life’s adventures, and relive the year’s memorable moments. If you’re like many folks, you’re also gathered around a television to enjoy classics like It’s a Wonderful Life and Dickens’ immortal A Christmas Carol.

But take a step back and look at these holiday classics through the lens of a seasoned investigator and you’ll begin to see them in an entirely new light. It is, after all, a fairly spooky ghost story wrapped around the morals of giving and sharing.

The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future are similar to the phenomenon of “Anniversary Imprints,” residual hauntings resulting from an emotional, physical, or electrical discharge that “records” an event into the atmosphere of a particular location and which usually manifest around the same time each year.  Such imprints can appear non-conscious and redundant, but since the Spirits were highly interactive with Scrooge, it appears Dickens melded different aspects of the Spiritualist philosophies which were commonplace in the London of his day.

The arrival of Bob Marley on the first anniversary of his death fits the definition of a Revenant. These entities project an appearance of being distressed or misplaced; often a recently departed person who returns very briefly to make contact with loved ones to serve as an act of closure before going on to the afterlife. Perhaps the more appropriate classification for poor Marley is the Guardian, a spirit who returns to warn family members of imminent danger. These entities offer messages or aid during moments of distress to others.

The Ghost of Christmas Future is clearly a Harbinger, a ghost that brings warning of impending events.

Aside from the various spiritual entities throughout the story, some other cornerstones of psychical research play a large role in the adventure. For instance, Scrooge’s journeys are what we refer to as Astral Projection, or Astral Travel. Astral Travel is the theory that a person’s spiritual awareness can temporarily detach itself from the physical body, remaining connected by what is called the “silver cord,” and experience things in other locations, time frames, or dimensional planes; the spiritual body and the physical body are then able to act independently of each other. That is why Scrooge travels through time and space but must return to his bedchamber to await the next spirit- and all within a single night.

But this is all, of course, fiction; so what sort of real-world personal experiences provide similar events? Here are but a few anecdotes that I will share with you.

The Winter Solstice also brings with it a recurring event to residents of Lower Boscaswell (Cornwall). A lady in white holds a red rose in her mouth, then turns and walks into fog. Some say that to see her will bring misfortune.

On Christmas Eve in Kempston (Bedfordshire), England, local legend tells of a child that ran out of Kempston manor to greet his parents who were returning in a horse-drawn coach. He was hit by the horses and died of his injuries. Now, the anniversary of the event is marked by the reoccurring sounds of the tragic incident.

A man’s mother passed away in 1964; that same year he moved from Nova Scotia to Ontario. Christmas Eve, 1971; on the tree, one string of lights, which was supposed to flash, had stopped several days before. According to the witness it was five minutes to midnight when the fireplace suddenly went out, and the string of lights started to flash, and the other lights stopped flashing. He reported the room becoming very chilly when a figure appeared in the recliner- his mother, with a smile on her face. His wife, who had never met her, reported the same thing. It never spoke but at the stroke of midnight the fireplace lit up and the lights on the tree stopped flashing and the others started flashing again. The figure was gone and the lights on the tree never flashed again.

A woman received a call from beyond one Christmas. The phone rang and upon answering it, a familiar voice casually said, “Hello there.” It was her mother’s voice, who had dies three years prior. The line had static noise and it cut in and out.

Lewisham Station, London is the place of a crash in December 1957, caused by fog, that killed ninety people and injured over one hundred. Their cries can be heard on the anniversary of the accident.

So as you take in the many feasts this holiday season and enjoy the company of loved ones, take a moment to reflect on those dear departed and raise a glass in their honor- they just may be celebrating along side you and your kinfolk.

So, dear readers, any experiences of your own you’d like to share?

**I would like to take this moment to thank you all for following along each month as I explore the paranormal. I extend to you- whatever your faith or tradition- a warm blessing for a year well-spent, and a new year well planned. Happy Holidays, best wishes, and see you on New Years Day.

© 2011 R. Wolf Baldassarro/Deep Forest Productions

Tags: christmas, ghost, paranormal, yule

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R. Wolf Baldassarro September, 2011

The Ghostly Side of Michigan State University

To most folks Michigan State University represents many things: a top-rated education, a sports Mecca, even a party school. But there’s another side of the hallowed college campus that few ever see; and of those who have, most wish they hadn’t.

Michigan may be the 26^th State to enter the Union, but it’s in the top 10 for the most haunted.

Stroll with me as I explore the ghostly side of Michigan State University.

The first stop on our tour takes us to Fairchild Auditorium, which is rumored to be haunted by a young boy wandering around the stage and seats. Some report the sound of a boy laughing and the bouncing of a ball; he is often accompanied by other unidentifiable noises coming from the stage area such as loud creaks when no one is on the stage.

The stories are popular and plentiful enough that “Haunted Auditorium” fundraisers have been held in the past with tours of the building and its purported paranormal history.

Next up, we have Holmes Hall, which just might have a permanent resident of unknown identity or origin on its sixth floor. Many students over the years have reported seeing a man entering the elevator, but he is never seen inside it, or anywhere else within the building.

A former student sent in an email account of Yakely-Gilchrist. In the summer of 1995, well after midnight, she awoke to the sound of ‘someone’ pounding on her door. Looking out under the door she could see no one standing in front of the door, yet the pounding continued. Two security staff were called and they could hear the racket. They ran down the hall to stand in front of her door watching it rattle in its frame, with the handle ratcheting back and forth. It stopped after about five minutes.

Residents of Mason hall tell tales of the Oak Room, where a figure is often seen sitting in a chair but then gone upon second glance.

The campus green area by Beaumont Tower is known for images of couples in old-fashioned dress holding hands and walking slowly by on foggy mornings; and glimpses of a man in tails and a stovepipe hat on particularly dark nights.

Perhaps the most talked about incidents center on Mayo Hall.

The story goes that the ghost of Mary Mayo, for whom the building is named, may wander its halls; and the building is equipped with a secret fourth floor “Red Room” reportedly once used for devil worship.

Located on the college’s section known as “West Circle,” alongside other historical buildings, it is the oldest residential hall on campus and was built in 1931 as a standalone women’s dormitory.

Mayo had progressive ideas about women’s education which led to the first female professor of Domestic Economy and Household Science at the college. She fought for expanding the education of women and rallied for a women’s dormitory on campus until her death in 1903. Rumors spread that it was murder or suicide, which have helped elevate the spooky tale to legendary status, but the truth is she died of an illness. It should be noted that she never once set foot in the building that bears her name. So what, if any, ethereal connection she has to the building remains a mystery. (photo of Mary Mayo from the Michigan State University Archives)

No one has ever officially died in the house, but there is some merit to the stories of satanic rituals that took place on the fourth floor, but these have no connection to Mayo herself and the floor has been locked for years.

Many personal anecdotes, nevertheless, pepper the internet of alumni experiences in Mayo Hall including one from a sophomore who was told stories of various apparitions walking the halls and of the lobby piano that reportedly played itself, making her sheepish about sitting at its bench.

These were supported, though, by the student who reported the incident at Yakely-Gilchrist. She recounted a similar story of how she and a small group heard the piano playing a Back minuet when no one was in the room.

A resident once woke up in the middle of the night and the overhead lamp in her dorm room was on. Her roommate was asleep and the girl just assumed the other had forgotten to turn it off and went back to sleep.
When they got up the next morning for class, her roommate asked if the other had gotten up during the night, to which she responded in the negative.
She said that she woke up in the middle of the night and the light was on and the door was unlocked. Her roommate affirmed that she’d turned it off because she couldn’t sleep with the lights on.

Whatever the truth of these reports may be, one thing is certain- Michigan State University has a rich and vibrant history. Countless individuals have walked its grounds creating more memories than there are stars in the sky. Whether in a crowded lecture hall or alone in a dark library corner, its history is shaped by each new student. Its alumni know with fondness that they are part of its history; and be it figuratively or literally, the next time a chill goes down your spine as you cram for that big exam, you just might not be as alone with your studies as you might think.

If anyone has other stories from their time at Michigan State, please feel free to share them in the comments. Until then, happy hunting.

© 2011 R. Wolf Baldassarro/Deep Forest Productions

Tags: ghost, hunting, michigan state university, paranormal

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James Choron July, 2011

Sverdlov’s Ghost

My first paranormal experience in Russia began, literally, the first day I arrived. This story is not about a ghost that I have seen, but rather, one that I very much want to see. I shared a suite with him the first week that I was in Moscow, but he stayed to himself that week, and I never saw him. I’m still trying…

When I first came to Russia, in the fall of 1987, I was with a major international company which had decided to take advantage of the newly “open” Russian Market. I was one of three foreigners to come over in the “first” wave and open an office in Moscow. I arrived in Moscow on 5 November, 1987 with high hopes, a knowledge of the Russian Language taught to me by the U.S. Military, and a lot of misconceptions. The company, in conjunction with the (then) Soviet Government, had arranged for an apartment for me, but, of course, it wasn’t quite ready when I arrived. This is Russia, you know.

Now, most people know that in the “bad” old days, 7 November was a very big holiday in Russia. It was “Revolution Day”, marking the anniversary of the “Great October Revolution” (a calendar change made it a November date). Next to New Years Day, it was the biggest holiday of the year. Of course, since my flat wasn’t ready for me to move into, the company had to put me up in a hotel until it was ready, and since it was Revolution Day, every hotel room in Moscow was full… what to do?

Well, to everyone’s surprise, the company found me a room. It was in the Hotel Metropol, the most exclusive and, needless to say, most expensive hotel in Moscow at that time. I not only had a room, I had a three room, corner suite on the top floor that overlooked Red Square… a perfect vantage point from which to watch the Revolution Day Parade without standing in the freezing slush of one of the foulest autumns in recorded Russian history.

Upon moving in, I noticed immediately that this suite must have cost the company a fortune… at least $500.00 an night, which at that time, was an unbelievable sum. Later, in 1991, when I came back to Russia permanently, in the era of Yeltsinite banditism, it would be nothing, but this was 1987. In any case, the Metropol is the oldest hotel in Moscow, and at that time, it was the only Five Star Hotel in the city. The suite that I moved into was decorated in turn of the century style, with heavy green carpeting, genuine oak paneling, and had elaborate carved ceiling with hanging cut crystal chandeliers in each room. It consisted of three rooms… a master bedroom, a sitting room, and a smaller bedroom that had been converted at some time into a rather ornately decorated (by turn of the century standards) office. The shelves in this office were filled with books in at least six languages, the desk was well stocked, as was a liquor cabinet behind the desk. The furniture, throughout the suite was heavy, leather upholstered and comfortable in an almost decadent way. The bathroom was huge, with a tiled floor, and an elaborate mural inlayed into the tiles that made up the wall. It had one of those fine old porcelain bathtubs that would make Caligula proud… large enough for an entire family. On one wall of the master bedroom was a small plaque which read “On this spot, died Yakov Mikhailovich Sverdlov, People’s Kommissar, President of the Russian Republic and First Deputy to V. I. Lenin. 18 March, 1919”. Now I was enthused. The suite was not only beautiful and comfortable, it had a history.

Being the warm, trusting and loyal company official that I was, only one thought went through my mind as I began to unpack my things. Something had to be wrong. There was no conceivable reason for a suite this nice to be empty two days before a major holiday, and… the company would never shell out the kind of money that this suite represented if it had any choice, at all. Don Martin, the man who was in charge of our “overseas operations” was the Scotsman who gave all other Scotsmen their reputation for “thrift”. I decided to make another, slightly more thorough tour of the suite.

Upon looking around more carefully, I was even more confused. The heat worked, the carpet was dry (no leaks) and everything in the bathroom was in working order. As I was looking around, I heard the key turn in the lock, and saw the door into the hallway open. A maid stepped in. She looked around for a moment, and was seemingly quite shocked to see me in the room, and my things scattered on the bed.

The woman silently went about her work, straightening the linens, placing new towels, and dusting. Every once and a while, she would look over toward me, and stare at me as though I had two heads. Finally, I asked her what was wrong. Her response was to ask me, quite quizzically, if I liked the suite.

I told her that it was beautiful, that I was lucky to get it, and that I couldn’t understand why it had stood empty just before the holiday. I went into detail about how well it was furnished, and how comfortable it was. Then, pointing at the little plaque on the wall, said… “This suite even has history…”

The woman looked over toward me, smiled a sweet, smile, and pointing to the same plaque said… “It also has a ghost…”

Now, I never saw Yakov Mikhailovich while I was there. I stayed in the suite for three days, and honestly, I really looked for him. Sverdlov had been Lenin’s deputy. He was Lenin’s hand-picked successor, and by all reports, one of the most intelligent and best informed men in the original cadre of the Bolshevik Party. Had he not died in the great worldwide Influenza Epidemic, he would have followed Lenin to power, and the Soviet Union would never have been subjected to Stalin, whom Lenin did not care for, and who actually forged his way into power over an ailing Lenin’s signature. I had a couple of questions for Comrade Sverdlov if I saw him… the first one was… “Why in Hell didn’t you wear your overcoat and take a little better care of yourself?”

I have stayed in the Metropol several times since that day, and have visited there on numerous occasions. In all those times, I have not seen him. I’m still looking. On behalf of 32 million dead, we have some serious matters to discuss.

©2011 by Dr. J. Lee Choron, all rights reserved unless granted by the author in writing.

Tags: ghost, paranormal

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Mamie M. February, 2011

Haunted Works of art

Have you ever seen a painting that just gave you an uneasy feeling, or perhaps felt the eyes of a portrait following you?  Is it possible that a simple work of art could be haunted?  is made to stir emotion.  Some images stay with us or remind us of evil or darkness.  Simple images can “haunt” a person’s mind, but can something within the painting itself be paranormal?  An artist will put much of them self into a painting and at times can capture the essence of another in a portrait, but can this act stir up more than just hidden emotions?  Here are some example of art pieces believed to have a supernatural touch to them.

Madame Delphine Lalaurie; A New Orleans Mardi Gras painter named  Ricardo Pustanio, was asked by a resident of the Lalaurie home to paint a portrait of the former socialite.  She became infamous during the 1830’s not only for her high stature in social circles but also because of her involvement with the torture of slaves.  The painting was done in 2003 using whatever images the painter could find. The resident hung the painting and was pleased by the response visitors would give, some even assuming the painting was an original part of the home that was believed to be haunted.  Séances were held as well for tourists and paranormal researchers and they would watch in astonishment as the painting would rock or fall from the wall.  Soon the resident claimed frightening things were happening due to this painting so he gave it to another tenant.  Soon the new owner of the painting returned it to the artist.  She claimed the eyes would follow her, the expression would change, and that she heard it sigh. The painting is now with a private collection and it is unknown if the new owners have experienced anything that was described by the first two.

The Crying Boy; In the early 1980’s the British tabloid The Sun released a story of several house fires occurring in a short period of time.  There was one strange thing these homes had in common, each contained a painting of a young boy shedding a tear and these paintings were always untouched by the flames.  Once the story was published there were several calls from people who owned the print stating that they too had suffered fires.  Several weeks later the paper offered everyone to send in their copies of The Crying Boy to be destroyed and end the “curse”.  One woman claimed to try and set fires to 2 copies of the painting but to her horror they would not burn.  The origin behind the painting is just as mysterious. Some theories are that the boy was an orphan whose parents died in a fire; another is of the painter taking in the young boy only to have his studio burn.  There have also been psychics who have studied the painting and reported the child is stuck inside the print.  There are several variations of this painting; the boy’s age and clothing slightly differ.  There have been reports as recent as early 2000 of fires occurring with this painting in the home, some are still dismissing the story as nothing more than an urban legend.

Pogo The Clown; John Gacy was executed in 1994 for several murders, yet his alter ego is still causing trauma.  Gacy once performed as Pogo the clown at children’s parties.  As an artist he would often paint images of Pogo. These paintings became very sought after.  Soon the people who possessed these works of art would only want to get rid of them, due to tragic events occurring.  These events would range from what seemed like a streak of bad luck, to more serious events such as car crashes and suicides.

So is it possible that such things actually exist?  Can the soul of another be caught in a painting? True art comes from within, and it may be very possible to have that connection between our planes of existence and beyond caught on canvas.  The next time a painting gives you the creeps, try researching the artist and the subject.  There are quite a few pieces of art out there that carry more of a supernatural quality than one may think.

Sources;

http://www.hauntedamericatours.com/museum/haunted.htm

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/73801/the_curse_of_the_crying_boy_paintings.html?cat=38

http://www.hauntedamericatours.com/cursed/CURSEDPAINTINGS.php

Tags: ghost, haunting, paranormal

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R. Wolf Baldassarro October, 2010

Investigation Procedures: Getting Your Hands Dirty (Part 3 of 5)

Perhaps it’s apropos that we’re on to the actual investigation portion and it’s October- ghosts, goblins, Charlie Brown, and all that jazz.  But, I digress…

Only after some level of background research will you ready to enter the location and explore.  Even still, prior to setting up a mutually agreeable investigation date with the client, put some controls in place for the experiment.

For instance, having the client communicate to their neighbors that there will be strangers parking out front and tiptoeing in the dark with flashlights in their home at an odd hour would be a good idea; police showing up with lights and sirens blaring would definitely slow down an investigation.  Your client should find a sitter for any pets because you wouldn’t want the family cat being responsible for that odd shadow in the basement, nor would you want him jumping out of a closet and giving a team member a heart attack no matter how entertaining that would be at the time (no, I am not speaking from experience on that one).  If at all possible the residents should have a place to stay for the night as well, to not get in the way.  Keeping contact with them at intervals during the night and calling them while wrapping up would be preferable to them contaminating evidence with noises or lights to “prove” their claims, whether done purposefully or through restlessness while they wait out the investigation.  The less disruption in the home, the better.

The exploration should be fun but your ghost hunt should be a combination of intelligent analytical skills, respectful scientific approach, an open mind, and respect for the people and possessions in the location- living or dead.

It’s embarrassing to wander about not knowing what to do next so set up a guideline for the investigation including team assignments, what equipment to use, and areas to concentrate on.  Have a central command center with one or two people monitoring computers and DVRs, batteries, miscellaneous equipment, and coordinating with everyone providing time, weather, and investigation updates.  Establish a logical time table including session time limits and set-up/tear-down times.  Remember that you are coming into someone’s home or business.  Hours of operation and the personal lives of residents are a factor in the length and time of any investigation; a full night is preferable but rarely feasible.  Other factors include how large of an area to cover divided by the number of investigators on hand.  Have efficient and detailed investigation goals tailored to the case at hand; expertise is the key to success.

Check local news, weather websites, and the Ghost Weather Station, if you downloaded it, on the day of an investigation to determine any environmental aspects which could enhance or deter your investigation.  Check this information again just prior to lights out and at intervals throughout to monitor any changes and mark the time of each change so that they can be compared with the other results later.

Make sure all equipment is in proper working order, fully powered, and calibrated prior to arrival at the investigation site.  You’ll want to tape down or conceal equipment wiring throughout the house and perform an extensive tour of the home’s geography for both logistical and safety reasons.  Additional insurance in case of accidental damage by you or your team should also be considered.

Of particular consideration while hunting in closed quarters would be noise control of the team.  Teammates should wear soft-soled shoes rather than heavy boots or shoes that click or squeak, causing unnecessary noise pollution.  Accessories such as jewelry should be removed or tucked away if they have a tendency to produce a jingle.  Check clothing before going through the home for audible friction as some fabrics when rubbed together can cause a disruption.  No baseball caps, brimmed hats, or reflective buttons should be worn either due to the visual obstruction they may cause.  Keep in mind- the less reflective, the better.  Make sure all of your team members have had sufficient food, water, and rest prior to investigating.  Low blood sugar, dehydration or exhaustion can lead to the failure of a ghost hunt.  It goes without saying that any member that arrives at the location intoxicated or under the influence of drugs should be escorted home.  You could keep a water bottle handy; otherwise there should be no eating or drinking while investigating.  You will also want to refrain from using the bathroom as well.  All the extra noise from the plumbing could taint an otherwise perfect EVP being captured elsewhere.  Do your business before arriving to the site.  Do not allow smoking during investigations, regardless if the home owner is a smoker or not, as it can be disruptive in various ways such as coughing, and the clouds can appear as mist giving false positives to photographs or other anomalous readings in visual equipment.  Suppose reported activity is a lady of the house emanating a floral perfume scent.  How can this be detected if someone is smoking in the room or has been near the area recently?

Do a thorough walkthrough of the location to obtain baseline readings with all your equipment to determine normal energy levels as well as to naturally explain any of the occurrences before going lights out.  Once lights are out you will look at anything as being possibly paranormal more so then when in the light.  For one thing your autonomic nervous system kicks in and the darkness makes you revert to fight-or-flight mode.  You are more calm and unbiased when in the light.  That bent metal plate or loose water pipe is more apt to be seen now then in total darkness when all you can hear is the bang it makes as it moves.

Take baseline readings with a compass, EMF meter, K2 meter, geomagnetometer, ion detector, or Geiger counter and if any spikes occur see if they can be traced to natural causes such as common household appliances, so while investigating you’ll know where these are located and can be ruled out.  If during the walkthrough all is quiet and readings teeter between 0 and 1 but during the investigation they bury the needle you may be on to something.  Also check yourself at this time to see where they register.  Remember you are carrying any combination of watch, cell phone, radio, camera, meters, video equipment, and various metals or gems which can amplify the EMF.  You yourself are a walking field.  Perhaps all that equipment is being detected in the next room by another team as an anomalous reading.

Use the equipment at your disposal together or in infinite combinations throughout an investigation.  While you track a suspected EMF spike, also run an EVP session asking questions and making demands for specific reactions to determine intelligence.  Have your teammate take pictures as you follow the readings around the room.  If separate tools record results within the same time index they will support the claim that paranormal activity exists.

Whatever equipment you are using, make sure you are using it correctly.  All man-made equipment emits an alternating electrical current.  This is what the EMF detects.  Remember that a single-axis meter must be turned and tilted along all three dimensional axes to gain a true reading.  Also determine how your particular meter measures activity and analyze the results accordingly.  Some meters measure the amplitude or strength of the field while others detect changes over periods of time.

So if you happen to register a response that is outside the baseline you took prior, stop moving.  First see if it remains stationary or if the point of activity moves around in a random or seemingly intelligent manner.  Try to determine if there is a pattern to the movement that might have a natural explanation, or if the signal grows stronger or leads you to a viable cause.  Even though lights are out there is still power running through the building powering everyday items from alarm clocks to refrigerators.  ALL of these items will generate a response on the meter.  If the high readings can be traced to these items then there is a fault in the appliance that is the cause and not a ghost playing with you.

The K-II meter is a great tool to use in conjunction with EVP sessions because of the question-and-response means of its use.  Place the meter on a stationary surface and invite spirits to interact by manipulating the LEDs in a particular manner.  You might first notice all lights activate indicating something in its proximity.  Set up rules for 2-way communication such as flash once for yes, twice for no, and ask questions accordingly.  Having a video camera focused on the meter is invaluable so that a record of the experience can be kept without wasting time going back and forth with writing or voice-recording the responses.

Go with your instincts, but if you’ve captured something try to debunk it by recreating it.  Have someone stand in the same position to see if it was just a reflection or light effect.  Often it’s just our imagination impacting our perception of events.

I’ve discussed EVP experiments and Spirit Photography at length previously, so to save time and space, please refer to these links: Experimenting with EVP, Spirit Photography.

The use of infrared motion detectors can best be used in conjunction with stationary video cameras.  If you have a camera set to continuously monitor a particular room or area, set up the motion sensor in such a way as to alert the group to the presence of activity or to possible contamination of the scene by someone or something.  If there is paranormal activity present on the footage but the sensors have clearly not been tripped and you can disprove the interaction of a person or animal to the scene you stand a better chance of having valid paranormal evidence.  Again, this is why time-stamping every reading and an accurate account of all people in the location is so important to a valid claim.

If the presence of a hot or cold spot is felt, pull out your thermal equipment and begin taking readings.  Remember that an IR thermometer can only read something with a visible surface and NOT the ambient temperature of the room.  Use the IR thermometer to monitor the drop or rise in degrees or trace the cold spot to a draft or some other logical and natural explanation.   For more accurate ambient temperature readings use a thermocouple-based temperature measurement device which can take rapid readings that are essential when dealing with an actual paranormally-induced cold spot.

The Thermal Imaging Scanner can put into visual form what the IR device detects.  This not only measures the temperature but shows the varied temperatures of all objects in its aperture.  If a teammate is sitting on a couch and the scanner starts reading a heat rise in the seat next to them without some kind of natural explanation you may have evidence of a spirit attempting to manifest itself.

You’re now several hours into the investigation and all teams have had sufficient time to explore each area of interest using all the tools at your disposal.  It’s now time to wrap it up and turn the lights back on.  Gather all the teams at command central for a quick debriefing and begin the process of gathering all your equipment.  Take special care to gather everything in a logical and efficient manner- don’t just start pulling up wires at random and throwing them all in a box.  Pull all memory cards out of cameras and place them in special containers along with digital recorders (since it is not possible to backup these items on scene) and correctly save and store all recordings and readings captured on computers and DVR systems.  Simply pulling the plug before saving all your data could prove disastrous when you go to analyze it.  Once it’s gone, it’s gone.  Night wasted.  End of Story.

Collect any twist, zip ties, or cords used to secure equipment.  Make sure that if you taped anything down you leave no residue from the tape and everything in the location is in the same condition and place it was when you first arrived.

After a good rest begins the lengthy process of analyzing the data collected.  Don’t jump to analysis right away; get some sleep and come back to it the next day refreshed but with the night still clear in your memory.  Join me next month when I discuss the analysis phase and all the tips and tricks associated with it.  Happy Hunting and Happy Halloween/Samhain.

Tags: ghost, hunting, paranormal

• Articles

Mamie M. October, 2010

Ghosts of 1600

When we hear the address 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue we think of the beautiful historic White House in Washington D.C.  Construction first began in 1792 but it wasn’t until November 1800 that the house had its first occupants, President John Adams and his wife Abigail.  Since then this grand building has been the home to our countries presidents and like any other home has seen its share of intense emotions and unforgettable events.  As I’ve previously discussed, whenever there is that much emotion and history tied to a location it creates a perfect breeding ground for paranormal activity.

The most common reports of a ghost in the White house are that of our 16^th president Abraham Lincoln.  Mr. Lincoln served as President from 1861 to 1865 when he was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre.  During his term it has been reported that he and his wife would hold séances in the Green Room in attempts to contact their deceased son.  There is also the report that President Lincoln had a dream of his own death, hearing people sob and seeing a casket, he asked a guard who had died and was told the President.  These reports have definitely proven that Mr. Lincoln was a very “mystical” man but was it his belief in spirits or the fact that he led our country during the traumatic Civil War that has made his spirit stay at the White House?

Grace Coolidge, wife of Calvin Coolidge was one of the first to report seeing the apparition of President Lincoln, standing in the Oval Office with hands clasped behind his back looking out.  There have been other reports of seeing the ghost of the former President, usually a knock on the door to those who stay in or near his former bedroom, some will see his image and it will slowly fade, others have seen him pacing and agitated in the second floor hallway.  Yet Mr. Lincoln is not the only ghostly site at the White House.

Dolly Madison, who planted the beautiful rose garden on the White House grounds has been said to appear there and it has even been reported that she stopped an attempt made to dig up the garden by First Lady Ellen Wilson 100 years later.  No one has attempted to disturb the garden since.

Abigail Adams ghost has been seen in the East Room hanging laundry to dry, since at the time of her residency construction had not been completed, this was the warmest and driest room in the house.

Andrew Jackson is believed to still occupy the Rose Room, where his bed can still be found.  Mary Todd Lincoln was said to have heard Mr. Jackson making noise and cursing.

Another interesting report is that of Anne Surratt.  Her mother Mary was executed on July 7, 1865 for her involvement with the assassination of President Lincoln.  Anne is believed to appear on the steps of the White House on the anniversary of her mom’s death still pleading for her release.

On a more bizarre note, there have been reports of a black “demon cat” in the White House basement. This cat is believed to only appear at night and only when someone is alone.  At first the feline will appear as a helpless kitten, but upon moving closer will increase in size and the demeanor will take a dark turn.  This cat is said to be a bad omen.  Reports of seeing the “demon cat” always occur before a tragic event.  One of the first reports of the cat occurred before the great stock market crash in 1929 and it was also seen before the assassination of JFK

In 1952 there was reconstructive work done at the White House and the reports of paranormal activity, though still occurring, have decreased.  There has always been great curiosity about what takes place behind those grand doors.  This has been a place of great victory, defeat, joy, sorrow, mystery and intrigue.  There is no doubt that the energy in this building will continue to surge and those who loved to stay may continue to stay, those who feel they have unfinished business may continue to work, and those who need the inspiration of great former Leaders and First Ladies may find it when it is least expected.

Tags: ghost, hunting, paranormal

• Articles

Michele Burke July, 2010

Pagan Pages (PP): Who is R. Wolf Baldassarro, the man??

R. Wolf Baldassarro (RWB): I guess that’s just it.  I’m just a man who’s simply looking to have his voice heard and make his mark in the pages of history.  I’ve got a natural curiosity for everything and I like to express myself.  We’ve all got talents and attributes that make us special and I want to share who I am with the world because I think I have something worthwhile to say if others are willing to listen.

PP: Can you explain to our readers what spirits are? Have you had any personal experiences with spirits?

RWB: A spirit is the electromagnetic and electrostatic energies containing the soul, personality, and intelligence of an individual that survives the death of the physical body.  I’ve had a few run in’s with spirits.  The first time I ever saw something while on investigation I just about wet myself; now I could talk to a spirit just like I would the way I’m talking to you now.

PP: Do you believe spirits exist?

RWB: This is a complex question. Some people claim that seeing is believing; but honestly seeing is, by itself, not enough for believing.  I don’t think they’re real, I know they are. I’ve seen way too much via both magick AND science to know otherwise.

PP: Most people I know think ghosts are these flighty little creatures like Casper, what would your description be?

RWB: A ghost is the image of a person or animal witnessed after their death and usually in a less substantial dream-like representation of their physical, living body.

PP: How many different types of haunting are there?

RWB: There are three main types of hauntings- intelligent apparitions, imprints, and demonic.  Intelligent haunts can interact with their environment and others by moving objects and responding to direct questions in a logical manner; Imprints are also referred to as residual haunts.  This occurs when the environment records an event and plays a scene in an endless loop like a video; Demonic haunts were never human to begin with.  These are entities that exist between worlds.  Because we tend to anthropomorphize everything we attach human attributes like evil and malicious to these haunts when it is absurd to do so.

PP: I would be very interested in hearing your take on paranormal activity?

RWB: Paranormal activity isn’t all ghosts and spirits and things that go bump in the night.  Parapsychology deals with many aspects of our existence that are difficult to quantify like telekinesis and clairsentience. Parapsychology, in general, is the study of mental experiences not explainable by conventional scientific doctrine.  It’s anything that is beyond the normal; that which cannot be readily explained by conventional knowledge or scientific means.  There’s a whole realm of paranormal activity that many so-called ghost hunters refuse to acknowledge.  By focusing only on one area they’re losing sight of the bigger picture.

PP: What lead you to the field of the paranormal?

RWB: It most directly goes back to the old FOX show Sightings.  I became a fan of the show and intrigued by the concepts of parapsychology.  At the same time I had, literally, stumbled upon witchcraft.  The two seemed to feed each other in my quest for knowledge.

PP: Why are you a paranormal investigator?

RWB: I love the pursuit of knowledge and expanding my understanding of this thing we call existence in all its aspects.  To know what lies just outside our reach that we cannot see and to shed light on the unknown so that it makes it a little less fearful.

PP: Can you tell the readers a little about your book A Ghost Hunters Field Guide?

RWB: I think it’s great to go out and explore but many groups today are run more like hobby groups and do a great disservice to the field of scientific research.  A Ghost Hunter’s Field Guide pulls from my experience as an active investigator to help fans of ghost hunting to be more professional and accurate in their attempts to blend science with adventure.

Bountiful Blessings and thanks go out to R. Wolf Baldassarro for granting the Pagan Pages readers and myself with such a magnificent interview.

Works of R. Wolf Baldassarro:

A Wolf in the Shadows is a book about Wicca and witchcraft written with NON-believers in mind that explains through an unbiased and honest conversation what exactly the religion is all about.

Under a Sunlit Sky is an anthology of poetry, short stories, and social commentary with nature photography and friends mixed in.  It’s a glimpse into who R. Wolf Baldassarro is and how he perceives the world around him.

All of Wolf’s books, art gallery prints, and other projects can be seen and ordered through his website at www.deepforestproductions.com.  His blog is updated regularly and read around the world.

Tags: ghost, paranormal, r. wolf baldassarro

• Interviews & Reviews

R. Wolf Baldassarro July, 2010

Michigan Hauntings

I’ve had the fortune of visiting many interesting places to come away with some amazing personal experiences and evidence.  I’ve included links, where appropriate, to photos and EVPs from these locations.  Just click on the image thumbnails or the sound clip to access the links.

In the spring of 2008 I was involved in the investigation of a house in the historic city of Mount Clemens, Michigan.  Nestled in a quiet neighborhood, under the shade of centuries-old oaks and maples, sits a home that was built in the 186o’s.  With such a long and profound history of the house and its neighborhood it was not surprising that tales of supernatural events would surface.

The homeowner reported an astounding amount of odd occurrences in and around the home.  On quiet summer nights the sound of horse-drawn carriages can be heard galloping down the street.  In the house itself, there are reports of numerous interactive spirits including men, women, and children.  One of the key entities is kindly referred to as “Victoria” who goes into all areas except the kitchen; another more malevolent presence is confined to an upstairs closet.  The owner notes that most ‘entities’ are gentle and treated as extended guests.

Occupants and visitors see shadows and lights, and experience feelings of being watched or being in the presence of others; lights flicker, especially at dusk/twilight hours (it should be noted that the home was completely rewired in 2006) and the sound of children laughing can be heard.  While on an initial investigation of the home I felt physically and emotionally pulled to the back of the house.  Upon questioning this, I discovered that visitors to the home had similar experiences.      Objects have been thrown both in general and at people and any type of remodeling or painting stirs up activity.  Technology also seems to draw activity.

During the preliminary investigation dining room lights and stand-alone lamps began flickering around dusk/twilight for roughly an hour and faint whispers were heard.  During a tour of the home a presence/cold spot quickly passed around me and into the hallway as I was given a tour of the home.

During the investigation while in the former back servant’s quarters a whistling sound was heard by investigators and did appear on audio recordings.  Also in the servant’s quarters while conducting an EVP session the chains on the ceiling fan began to move by command to specific questions and answers.  A cold spot with no traceable origin was documented in the children’s/guest room.

The most shocking documentation was a vortex/plasma light seen in a photograph of the kitchen as well as an EVP.  During a session the question was asked “Can you tell me what year it is?”  Immediately afterwards a very faint, gruff male voice says “Seventy Nine”!

There were no shortages of personal experiences either.

Another investigator, while in the children’s room, saw a black shadow three separate times while looking in a mirror.

I was conducting an EVP session in the servant’s closet that had the reports of a malevolent entity.  Upon ending the session and preparing to leave I felt a pull.  When I turned on my flashlight, a long string of yarn originating from behind boxes and bags was wrapped around my flashlight and leading back into the pile of boxes.  I didn’t make any exaggerated movements during the session and was sitting in the same position the entire time.

The owner noted that most activity ceased immediately for a period of several weeks after the night of investigation but has since resumed a normal level of interaction.

***

Located on Kidder Road in Bruce Township, Michigan sits Goodrich Cemetery.  This “final resting place” is home to some of the most interesting experiences, photographs, and EVPs I’ve experienced.

Hidden way in the back, almost forgotten, stands a lone obelisk and Worden family marker.  Perhaps coincidentally, this was also the location of plasma lights captured one night.  The following pictures were taken mere seconds apart.

EVP recordings of a very deep and menacing male voice have been captured on very active nights.  I’ve provided links to the best ones: Goodrich 08/20/2007, Goodrich Growl, “He’s Mine”.

While orbs are rarely evidence of spirit activity, the following picture from Goodrich is quite interesting.

***

Memphis Cemetery in Memphis, Michigan is the final resting place to some of the most prominent names in the history of Saint Clair County, with citizens interred from the founding days to the present.

There are literally hundreds of stories revolving around the cemetery and many more centered within the town itself from long dead soldiers of early American wars to jilted lovers out for revenge.  The most well-known legend is of the Memphis Witches’ Ball.  At the very back of the cemetery, where some of the oldest headstones reside, there is a huge black marble stone locals call the “Witch’s Ball”.  Many children are buried here from the age of a few days to adolescence.  According to locals if you get close enough you can see faces and shadows in the stone, voices have been heard and apparitions have been seen.

One story came from older members of the community who said that after having heard noises from the ball a few too many times they went out with axes, pitch forks, and other tools and took turns beating up the marble orb, claiming it hasn’t been active since.  No record exists of this desecration, but there are chip marks, scratches, and dents on the stone that would coincide with it being struck by farm tools.

From my very first visit to Memphis I’ve walked away with numerous EVPs of young women with clear and distinct words, some of which are direct answers to questions.   These are some of my best EVPs to date: “Bridgit”,  “Date” or “Robin Day”, girl laughing, “Why don’t you believe me”.

***

Michigan, just like any other location across the planet, has a long and complex history.  It is only logical that urban legends, folktales, and other stories are told from generation to generation.  As with any urban legend there is some underlying truth to the story but time and interpretation have added to the mythos.

Belle Isle is a Detroit city park located in the Detroit River and open to the public.  First off we have the classic “honk your horn” legend.  The story goes that if you drive your car onto a bridge that’s on Belle Isle, turn your engine off and honk your car horn three times, a spirit will appear from the woods, motioning for you to follow her.  There have never been any reports of anyone following her into the woods.  The ghost of Belle Isle has a couple different versions to the story, either there is a certain bridge or any bridge on the island will call this spirit.  One version even mentioned she was an elderly woman.

***

Haunted roads make for fascinating stories but are the most difficult to investigate due to so many contaminating factors, least of which are other cars- something that also makes these locations dangerous.

One of the most widely talked about roads is Morrow Road in Algonac, Michigan.  So popular is the story that a movie was filmed about the legend.  Interestingly, and perhaps an indication of the validity of the legend, there are widely-differing versions of the story.

In one version a woman walking along Morrow Road was attacked and raped sometime in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s.  She became pregnant and left the baby by the bridge where she had been assaulted.  A severe snow storm started and she couldn’t stop hearing the cries of the baby and when she went back out to retrieve the baby it was buried in snow and the mother died from exposure.

In another version, the child in later years wandered away from home one night during a snow storm.  The mother ran out in search of the child and both reportedly died from exposure and their bodies were never found.  The mother now spends her afterlife in search of her lost child.

Whatever version you hear, both tell of the ghostly mother appearing to the random passerby looking for her lost child.  She’ll ask people, “Where is my baby?!”  People have claimed to have seen her, been chased in their car by her and have heard the sounds of a baby crying.  Proponents of the story claim that if you park on the road by where the bridge used to be and wait with the car off a light will appear down the road and if you speed off towards it the light will follow and then mysteriously disappear.

***

In the early days of Troy, Michigan, Henry Blount in the 1820’s purchased land near Long Lake (18 Mile Road) and Rochester Road and built a sprawling two-story home.   This is now the Sylvan Glen Golf Course.  He and his wife, Elizabeth, raised seven children in this home.  Two of Blount’s grandsons, Harry and Frank, continued to farm the land after his death.

In the early 1900’s, the house was modified into separate living quarters for three maiden aunts of the Blount family and descendants of the family continued to live in the home until May 13, 1924 when the home and land were sold to develop the golf course.  The home was then remodeled into a restaurant donning several names through the twentieth century including The Double Eagle, The Wooden Horse and Shark Creek Inn.  The former Blount family home has been home to Camp Ticonderoga since 1996.

The Ghost of Camp Ticonderoga is referred to as Hannah.  The legend passed on through employees of the various restaurants that have occupied the Blount House and according to the story Hannah hung herself in one of the upstairs bedrooms and now haunts the building.  Strange noises have been heard and unexplainable things have been witnessed, such as doors slamming shut, lights turning on and off, and rattling dishes and objects falling for no reason.  Employees will not close by themselves.

***

Butler Cemetery, also known as William Ganong Cemetery, is widely considered the “most haunted cemetery in Michigan”.  Butler Cemetery is located outside of Westland along Henry Ruff Road, just down the street from the old grounds of the Eloise Mental Asylum.

The cemetery is now neglected and overgrown with weeds and other debris.  A wire fence that runs around it is grown over with vines and a rusty gate is broken at the entrance.

A witness reported encountering a woman in white crossing the road in front of the cemetery.  He swerved to avoid her and she vanished right in front of his eyes.  A year later, he saw the same woman again in the graveyard itself.  He claimed to see her standing next to a tall monument and nearby was another apparition of a man wearing a uniform.  He stopped his car for a closer look and the two figures faded away.

The stories of ghosts at Butler still continue today and researchers have pointed out that there have been an inordinate number of auto accidents along that stretch of road near the cemetery perhaps due to sightings of this lady in white.

***

Located on Michigan Avenue in Westland, Michigan, and coincidentally a few streets away from Butler Cemetery, stands Eloise.  This was once one of the largest mental hospitals in the country.  Eloise opened in 1839 as the Wayne County Poorhouse to house the mentally ill.  There were many reports of patient beatings as well as patients being housed in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions.  The majority of it has now been torn down or made into of office buildings. The few buildings that do remain on the property of the old Asylum are the D building now known as the Kay Beard building, also the fire house, the power plant, and the bakery.  The ghosts of many of the tormented patients walk the halls of this asylum. Voices are heard in the empty halls; lights are turned on and off; and growls and moans are heard near the playground built for the use of the office workers’ kids.

General information, history and video footage and a map of the grounds can be found at http://www.talesofeloise.com.

If you have a personal ghostly encounter, or know of a local legend, I encourage you to share your story here and add a comment.

Tags: ghost, paranormal

• Articles

James Choron August, 2009

The Place With No Name

Regardless of what you’ve heard, Western Siberia is a wonderous place nothing like we were led to believe in the West. It is not a frozen wasteland. There are no starving bears chasing emaciated wolves up and down the frozen, dreary streets vying for the skeletal forms that huddle wretchedly in long lines waiting for their daily crust of bread and cup of thin turnip soup.

Siberia is big and bold and beautiful a land of extremes, and contrast with frigid winters and sweltering summers high, snow capped mountains and pine forests that stretch out as far as the eye can seee. It is a land of great modern cities like Novosibersk with it’s population of three million, and tiny villages like Dubovka with is population of thirty.

At one time, Siberia was synonymous with “suffering” and “pain”. At one time, it was the heart and soul of the most infamous and notorious prison system the world has eve seen Stalin’a GuLag (That, by the way, is the proper way to write the word… it is an acronym, meaning Gu(sodarstnoi)La(ger)… Government Camps…) stretching from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, from Vorkuta, above the Arctic Circle to Magadan on the Sea of Alaska it was a place of torture, torment and grief. It was a place to which many came, but few returned.

The train lumbered through the tiny village in the dead of night. It was mid winter, and great sheets of ice shrouded the twelve wooden cars that crept along behind the big, black 6-8-6 steam locomotive. A thick cloud of smoke belched from the engine as it struggled to push aside the dense piles of snow that all but obliterated the tracks. Thinner streams of smoke trailed from each of the cars. It was the only sign that inside each car, packed like sprats in a tin, were eighty human beings lost souls most of which were making their final trip to a place with no name. For five days they had been crowded into the cars five days with one cup of thin soup and one slice of coarse black bread to keep them alive barely five long days with no room to lie down and room to sit only in shifts five long days of a single bucket for a toilet, shared by all, and a tiny coal fed, iron stove to fight off the frigid temperatures which plumeted, at night to over forty below zero. These were the damned. The victims of a dying dictator’s paranoia. They were doctors, lawyers, engineers, soldiers, wives, mothers and children. All of them had managed to run afoul of Stalin, or his infamous henchman Lavrenti Baria. Now, those who had survived the trip, were near their destination a place with no name. They were only the latest arrivals… not the first… not the last. It seems only fitting that these nameless “Enemies of the State” were bound for an equally nameless “last stop” a place in which most, if not all of them, would eventually end up in an eqally nameless mass grave, in the place that they called “Site 36″. The place without a name.

Things are different now. Site 36 has long been closed. The land that that once made up the most infamous camp in Stalin’s GuLag has long ago been turned to farmland. One or two scattered villages dot the landscape, several of these are populated by those who once labored here for the state and their descendants, either as guards or as prisoners. They get along, now. It is as though they share a special kind of sadness, a common nightmare. Their children and grandchildren do not know who was who. It is a peaceful place now, and only the old railway platform marks the exact location of the old camp. No train serves it now. The villagers travel by car, or by bus, the fifty kilometers into Novosibersk when they do their weekly, or monthly shopping for the things that their tiny local shops do not carry. But the legacy of Site 36 hasn’t ended. The local farmers still find “unwanted” obstacles in their fields not the least of which are the numerous uncharted, unmarked mass graves. Then, too, there are the sounds in the night.

Every night the train still comes. The clack-clack-clack of it’s drivers echoing across the wheat and potato fields and through the windows of every house in every nearby village. Every night, the lonely wail of it’s whistle echoes through the stillness of the Siberian night, and every night, the hiss of it’s air brakes slashes the stillness as the train and it’s load of misery ease into the platform at the place without a name. Each night, the shouts of the guards, the barking of their dogs, and the cries and moans of the newly damned are heard echoing through the stillness, just as they have for over half a century. Once in a while the other sounds are drowned out by the sharp crack of a pistol shot, the bark of a rifle or the gutteral growl of a submachine gun. Sometimes you can hear the sirens.

The people who live in the area are used to all this. When asked about it, they shrug and say simply that things like this happen. And, happen they do every night at the place without a name.

© 2007/2009 by Dr. J. Lee Choron. All rights reserved unless otherwise specified by the author in writing.

Tags: ghost, investigation, paranormal, siberia

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