The Talking Board, or patented Ouija Board, has quite a past and contacting the other side using automatic writing or letters on a board goes back far further than the nineteenth century.

It is recorded that in China in 1100BC a method of spirit writing called Fuji was used, this entailed the use of a device with a stick that would write Chinese characters in ashes or sand. Likewise the Greek philosopher Pythagoras is recorded to have used a table on wheels adorned with letters and characters to contact spirits from beyond our plain.

Today a talking board or Ouija board is recognised as a table top device with characters laid out that which, when combined with a triangular pointer, enables it’s user to contact the dead, or as the spiritualists would correct me, Spirits From The Other Side. So how did this come about and how did such a device in the twentieth century become recognised as a children’s parlour game ?

The Planchette

The triangular pointing device is known as a Planchette and it seems to stem back to the 1850’s although how it got its name is somewhat unsure. The original Planchette consisted on a small triangular board raised on two legs, with its third leg being a pen or pencil. By placing their fingers on it members of a séance would ask questions hoping the device would move to write out the replies. Its name like its origin is dubious, one version is a Frenchman called ‘M Planchette’ invented it, while some records show ‘Thomas Welton’ laid claim to the device and published a booklet called ‘The Planchette’ to endorse this.  With no official records of such a Frenchman, or a copy of Mr. Welton’s booklet still in existence today’s historians favour the name stemmed from the French word  ‘planchette’  its literal French translation being ‘Little Plank’.

The Ouija Board

The history of the ‘Ouija’ board however seems far better documented, although the actual inventor is still a mystery in itself.  There are two contended accounts for this title. 

Ernest Charles Reiche, a cabinet or coffin maker from Chestertown who’s interest in the afterlife and need to have a more portable device to communicate with the dead brought about the creation of the first Ouija Board. This information is documented in a The New York World Magazine article written by Edgar Goodman on May 23rd 1920, where it is stated:

“Col. Washington Bowie, who was a leading figure in the company that originally manufactured the ouija board, narrated, while testifying in the case of Fuld vs. Fuld, that in the early part of 1890 Mr. E. C. Reichie, a cabinetmaker of Chestertown, Kent County, Md., invented the ouija board. In that year spiritism was in the flush of its early glory, and tables rapped and pranced on every side. Mr Reichie, although not a spiritist, noticed sympathetically that a large table was a heavy thing for a frail spirit to juggle about. His meditations, attuned to cabinetmaking, took a practical form. He devised a little table – the ouija board.”

The more documented Ouija history puts its creation down to Elijah J. Bond of Baltimore, who applied for the first US patent on 28^th May 1890. He assigned the rights to two fellow masons and local business men Charles W. Kennard and William H.A. Maupin. The two combined forces with Colonel Washington Bowie and on October 20th 1890 they appeared in court to file for incorporation papers for the Kennard Novelty Company which went on to produce the first version aptly titled ‘Ouija : A Wonderful Talking Board’. The patent was granted on February 10, 1891.

William Fuld

This was to be a short lived company ownership and by 1892 the Kennard Novelty Company was to be taken over. A name now synonymous with Ouija came into the spotlight. One of Kennard’s employees, William Fuld and his brother Issac took over the company and renamed it ‘The Ouija Novelty Company’.

On 19th July 1892 the patent was re-issued to William Fuld, the company continued under the leadership of the Fuld brothers until nigh on nine years later. On 18th July 1901 the Fuld’s ended their partnership under somewhat of a cloud and the company was once more to be renamed. This was to give way to the name that would adorn the Ouija Board throughout it’s life span under William Fuld … ‘The Baltimore Talking Board Company’.

It must be stated that William’s brother Issac did try to hold onto some of his association with talking boards. He set up his own company called ‘Southern Toy Company’ making a talking board called ‘Oriole’ based on Kennard’s original design. After a legal battle with his brother William Fuld however he was forced to cease this production in 1920.

Williams association with the Ouija Board came to a tragic end when he died falling from the roof of his home, while overseeing  the work  on a flagpole . The company was then to be taken over by his sons William A. Fuld & Hubert Fuld.

The company continued under the Fuld descendants until 24^th February 1966 when Willaim A. Fuld sold the company to Parker Brothers, best known for the game Monopoly.

The board has gone through many changes over the years, as have the owners. In 1991 Hasbro took over ownership of Parker and so the patent of the Ouija Board.  They still make the board today in various guises included a green glow in the dark version, and a pink version sold through Toys R Us aimed at young girls. A version that caused much contraversy in 2010. An interesting issue when we consider since it’s introduction  it has always been marketed as a parlour game.

Many films have portrayed the Ouija board as a device to communicate with evil including the Exorcist, 13 Ghosts, Witchboard, What Lies Beneath and most recently Paranormal Activity.  Is there any fact behind this and occultist Aleister Crowley’s association with the board ?  Watch this space for the next article on Aleister Crowley and the Ouija Board.

By Paul L. Griffiths 2010

The Tarot was originally a deck of 78 cards, divided into 4 suits of 14 cards (the standard ace-10, then page, knight, queen, and king) and 22 un-numbered ‘triumphs’ or ‘trumps’. Over the years, the trumps got numbered 1 to 21, with one card (the fool) remaining un-numbered or sometimes being 0. The 4 suits are commonly called the ‘Minor Arcana’ and the trump cards are called the ‘Major Arcana’. More loosely, any deck of cards designed for ‘fortune-telling’, divination, meditation, contemplation, or other non-game uses is popularly called a Tarot deck. The most commonly found suits for Tarot decks are cups, swords, wands or staffs (probably originally polo-sticks), and pentacles (originally coins).

The names of the Major Arcana cards frequently change from deck to deck, but historically they’ve been ;

• The Fool (un-numbered or 0)
• The Magician (I)
• The High Priestess (originally the Popess) (II)
• The Empress (III)
• The Emperor (IV)
• The Heirophant (originally the Pope) (V)
• The Lovers (VI)
• The Chariot (VII)
• Strength (VIII, originally XI)
• The Hermit (IX)
• The Wheel of Fortune (X)
• Justice (XI, originally VIII)
• The Hanged Man (XII)
• Death (XIII)
• Temperance (XIV)
• The Devil (XV)
• The Tower (XVI)
• The Star (XVII)
• The Moon (XVIII)
• The Sun (XIX)
• Judgement (XX)
• The World (XXI)

The Major Arcana cards are usually illustrated, frequently the Minor Arcana cards are, as well.

Tarot decks come in a bewildering variety these days. You can find oversized, undersized, or round decks. Some have more than 78 cards, some less. Some are based on a particular mythic cycle. Some are based on a particular psychological theory. Some are based on channelled information. Some are just hard to describe. A ‘historical’ deck has simply one, two, or however many wands, cups, or whatever for the number cards.

A.E. Waite first popularised a deck which has illustrations on all 78 cards (painted by Pamela Colman Smith), which has become the model for the greatest number of other currently available decks.

A. Crowley popularised a deck which had arcane symbols, but not real ‘illustrations’ on the number cards (painter by Lady Frieda Harris). Decks which follow those basic set-ups are descendants from these earlier ones.

No-one knows the ‘true’ origin of the Tarot. The most common myth is that it was brought to Europe by the Gypsies – but this myth come from the fact that very early occultists who used the Tarot fancied that it came from Egypt. They were as wrong about that as they were about the homeland of the Gypsies. In fact, the Tarot came to Europe about the same time as any other form of playing card, in the early/mid 1300’s. It is most closely related to the ‘Mamluk’ deck of the Islamic world, which had suits cups, coins, swords, and polo-sticks.

The Tarot was originally used for a game called ‘tarocchi’ in Italy, which is sort of a distant cousin to Bridge. Tarocchi is still played in some parts of the world, not usually with the same decks the ‘fortune tellers’ use.
The game was quite popular for a time among the royalty in Italy, and sometimes a duke would commission an artist to create a really nice deck. Some of the earliest surviving Tarot decks come from this source. Plainer decks existed, but were not well made enough, or well thought-of enough, to survive the intervening 600 years.

The Joker of ’standard’ card decks is “not” related to the Fool of Tarot. The Joker was invented as a wild card for Euchre in the 1800’s, in a part of the world where the Tarot was virtually or totally unknown.

The Tarot was first associated with the occult by Antoine Court de Gebelin, a relatively obscure Parisian mason who wrote about the deck in 1781. He invented a lot of the standard myths about the Tarot which were later popularised by others (it comes from ancient Egypt, the Major Arcana is related to the Kabalah, etc.). The first big popularise of the deck was a contemporary of de Gebelin, called Etteilla, who published the first ‘revised and corrected’ Tarot deck for divination. The fad was caught up by Eliphas Levi, Oswald Wirth, and Papus, among others. From Papus, the Tarot caught on with some English mystics, such as S.L. Mathers (whose mistranslation of Levi brought us the suit of pentacles), A.E. Waite, and A. Crowley. The Tarot received a lot of attention from these folks, and they created a fairly large body of writing on the use of Tarot. For the most part they thought that divination was a ‘lower’ use of the cards, that ideally it should be used to put you in touch with eternal verities, usually in conjunction with whatever magical order they happened to be involved with. But of course, divination was the most popular use for the cards.

Most of the Tarot decks on the market were created this century, most of those in the last 20 years.

“Is anyone here?” the intrepid ghost hunter asks while walking into an empty room.  Nothing is heard, but later while listening to audio recordings of the session, there can be heard a faint response. The presence says very clearly, “No, I am not here!”

Some may interpret that answer as a lie; I tend to think of it as a great sense of humor.

If you subscribe to the theory that ghosts are the energy form of a deceased human, then you also have to deal with the reality of individual personality.  The world is full of humans, some happy, some sad, some helpful and some basically nasty.  We can expect nothing less of their earthbound spirits. We all know people who can’t lie, it is not in their nature to tell a fib, while we all also know habitual liars whose very existence depends of the game of misleading those around them. So too with ghosts, we can only assume, with every other variation in between.

At least one researcher from the turn of the last century theorized that in fact, what a ghost says is dependent on the mind of the person asking the question or someone close to them, suggesting that the consciousness associated with a ghost is in actuality the projection of a living human.  We will come back to that hypothesis a little later on, but for the present, let’s explore the possibilities.

The earliest forms of spirit communication can be traced back to scryers and the reading of objects to receive a message, this eventually led to the use of the pendulum, swinging from a subject’s hand, first to signify yes or no and later, with the use of a board with letters and numbers, to spell out words.  Finally, came the Ouija Board, which replaced the pendulum with a planchette which glided over the smooth surface of a lettered board at the touch of two subjects.  The progression is noteworthy for several reasons, the most obvious the fact that the communications passed from soothsayers to the general public as time progressed, eliminating the “middle man.”

In the later 20^th century, as the concepts of radio and TV were introduced, so too moved the notion of spirit communication through electronics, most notably the ITC experiments and later Franks Box and those that followed, giving a “voice” to the spirit.  The observer might assume all of these systems are interrelated, but on close scrutiny, while they share a common goal, there are worlds apart. The one thing they do share is the need for interpretation, be it the soothsayer and his magic crystal ball or the Ghost Box operator listening for Aunt Hattie to send a message. Truth, like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, one might comment.

In order to separate the wheat from the rest, you have to set some realistic limits to any communications inquiry.  To keep it simple, the best way is to limit the information being sought to simple answers; yes or no to start with.  While all of the communications devices I have mentioned can communicate longer and more extensive messages, the researcher will classify most of them as flawed to some degree, thus the rating system used today by most researchers when classifying Electronic Voice Phenomenon.  A Class One EVP is completely understandable, no room for interpretation, no noise factor to deal with. This message is “in the clear” with no room for error.  For example, “What is your name?” followed by an appropriate response in context, “Charles.”  These are not EVPs open to conjecture or interpretation, we are not saying “It sounds like it is saying Charles.”  The Class One EVP could be played to a thousand people and all would say the tape is vocalizing the name, “Charles.”  Every other class of EVP is open to conjecture, so if you want to make a case for real spirit communication, only the Class One will suffice.  Many may disagree, but this is the only logical direction to follow.

The same is true for any other communication in this genre, be it a ghost box or a Ouija Board. Once you enter the realm of interpreting the message, you are opening a can of worms, so a superficial glance at the most significant data is probably the best place to start, not that some very complicated messages can’t be gleaned from these devices. Within the scope of my work in this area, I have heard or witnessed dozens of complicated messages that begged to be confirmed and a good deal of time has been dedicated to researching the truth behind them.

The one case that comes to mind is from a Ouija Board study conducted at NYU many years ago. During those sessions, multiple subjects received messages from a spirit reported to be a young boy, who had been killed in a trolley car accident at the turn of the century, not too far from the cmpus.  More and more information was collected from this spirit and researchers then set to the task to prove or disprove his existence in history.  This was not easy at the time, it required hours of work searching microfiche files and thumbing through dusty newspaper morgues; the Internet did not yet exist.  All of that work did pay off however; the boy did live in the area he said and the accident was reported in the newspaper. As to what else he told the subjects, we have to leave to conjecture, but the basic element, the boy’s existence in context, was astounding to most.

Of course, that should not have surprised the team all that much. Almost a century before, under the supervision of Dr. William James, a Boston psychic made contact with a recently passed member of the ASPR, who entered into elaborate conversations with his late colleagues. Richard Hodgson was a great researcher, probably the first full-time paid paranormal investigator, who had risen from being a self avowed skeptic and debunker into one of the great investigators of his or any later era. Hodgson was an Australian, who earned multiple degrees before undertaking, “the search for the source and secret of all life.”

Hodgson later joined James Hyslop and William James at the ASPR where he acted as the group’s Secretary, field investigator and principal researcher. Hodgson became the point man in the ASPR’s study of Leonore Piper, possibly the most gifted psychic of her generation. During this period he hypothesized that talk of the subliminal self and psychic communications were incompatible.  He had earlier considered that psychics were reading the minds of their clients, either consciously or subconsciously, which he later abandoned in favor of the spirit communications theory.  Hodgson later began to have direct communications with what might be called “spirit guides,” in today’s vernacular.  He later wrote that, “It adds a great deal to life to be assured of the nearness and help of particular discarnate spirits.”

Hodgson died at the age of 50 and was missed by his associates, but none were expecting what was to happen next. Eight days after Hodgson’s death, Ms. Theodate Pope who was a friend of the last researcher, had a sitting with Leonore Piper, who worked primarily through automatic writing.  She began to write the letter H, and her pencil broke.  Once replaces, the message was written, HODGSON.

One January 23^rd, 1906, on a third sitting, Mrs. William James and her son went for a sitting with Piper as part of the ASPRs ongoing study. This time Hodgson communicated directly using Piper’s voice, “Why there is Billy!  Mrs. James and Billy, God Bless You! Well, well, this is good! (laughter) I have found my way and I am here… have patience with me…Where is William?  I am not strong, but have patience with me…I will tell you all.”

Over the next seven months, several ASPR investigators worked with Pipe full time and the spirit of Hodgson emerged with remarkable results. He admitted that some earthly names come and go and that was very difficult to remember some events.  For example, he could recall his last meal with some associates at the Tavern Club, but could not recall the names of those present. This may not have been a defect of being on the other side however; several colleagues noted that in life, Hodgson was very poor when remembering names. The spirit suggested that it was also difficult to manipulate the “organism” (the medium Piper) to communicate.  When writing, the lettering was sometimes illegible, but it was noted that in life, Hodgson had such a bad handwriting that James often had to ask his daughter to decipher it.

The key to believing that this was actually Hodgson communicating was a fact he offered, in a session with several witnesses, alluding to a past affair in Australia, before any of them knew him.  James hired a private investigator, who was able, with great difficulty, to confirm the relationship.   The spirit was most comfortable working with a spirit guide named Rector.  When James asked if he could communicate without Rector, Hodgson explained, “Rector understands the management of the light.” He offered no further explanation. He told James he was far too skeptical and that he (James) had to understand that communications in this fashion are far more difficult than when he was alive.  In time the contacts became less frequent and eventually nothing more was heard from Hodgson.

Of course, the skeptics would say this could be any number of other phenomena, but James and Hyslop admitted that during their sessions and other, the voice of Hodgson was speaking on several topics and ongoing research that was frankly way beyond the understanding or vocabulary of the psychic. They also felt that the information given was true and accurate, but that there were questions left unanswered, either because Hodgson did not have the answer, or was not willing to share it with them.  The problems associated with the stated difficulty in communicating, loss of memory in some areas and a fading link for the continued communications were all potholes on the road to better understanding, but universally, those involved in this case were convinced that they had communicated with their departed colleague.

So, in theory, real communications is possible, based on this early ASPR study, but that begs the question of how to eliminate the false or fictitious from reality in spirit echanges. The first step is the research. While I may not have encountered the phenomena personally, there are many cases where investigators claim that a presence followed them from a haunted location to the individual’s home.  The first question is not the obvious one, however. Rather than questioning the validity of the claim, it is better to look at the details that have led the investigator to believe that this is true.  This is also where the separation of research from field work is important.  If the investigator does not have access to the history of the case beforehand, it is fairly simple to compare the “personality” of the reported traveling spirit with the assumed presence in the target location. If the “guest ghost” can’t articulate specifics as to his history and nature, then it is probably not the same.  This would especially be true in long running phenomena, where the presence at the original target location has been residing and active for some time.

If it is assumed that the two are one in the same, then you have to go back to the original client for further follow-up.  Is the activity still in that location, specific to the “spirit” being identified.  If so, it is unlikely to have achieved the ability to be in more than one place at a time, and whatever is happening, it is unlikely that it can be attributed to a bilocating ghost. But if that is not the answer, what could it be?  There are two possibilities; first it could be another spirit who is playing with the individual, part of a cosmic game that seems to show up all too often, especially in those not fully versed in the field, a kind of initiation prank from the other side.  The second is also possible, a kind of mental projection created by the individual in response to being in close contact, usually again for the first time, by a real spirit. A mental construct is certainly powerful, can manifest in many ways and be very real.

The point here however is the fact that when dealing with a presumed ghost, you can’t necessarily depend on the information you receive, whether it is an EVP or any other form of communication. The integrity of the information is limited by the honesty and possibly the intention of the spirit.  Sometimes the spirit will reveal meaningful information, other times mindless babble. Many times they will simply agree with you or tell you what you hope to hear.  Dozens of folks each year write and call me because they are communicating with a spirit who simply says, “Help me!” which in some ways is very similar to an EVP that says it isn’t there. It is simply something to say, mindless chatter, part of a game.  On the other hand, the message may be revealing and meaningful and a simple “Help me,” might be very real.  How do you know?  Again, go back to the research.

First, identify the entity; don’t assume anything! Carefully question motivation, why would it follow you home?  For what purpose? Hodgson communicated with his colleagues in an attempt to conduct unfinished business.  That is true, as we all know, in most haunting cases; so what is the reason for this hitchhiker? Ghosts do not just go visiting, they do not take vacations, there has to be a purpose.  These are no easy answers to these questions, but the alternative is to ignore the activity all together.

Returning for a moment to the subject at hand, this is not to suggest that all ghosts lie or mislead, nor does in suggest that a spirit who misleads is in some way “demonic.”  That would be mixing apples and oranges. Scrying does not open a door to the damned, if it opens a door at all. We have yet to prove empirically that any of this is “real.” Voices from a ghost box could be simple audio matrixing, and messages from a Ouija Board simple electrical impulses that move the planchette; psychics could be channeling their own abilities through ESP.  Yes, there is a long anecdotal record that suggests it is something else but what, is the question and until as much time is devoted to research in these areas, we are no further along this path than James, Hyslop and Richard Hodgson.

It is nevertheless prudent to take all “communications” with a grain of salt and not be misled. All too often I hear of folks who allow themselves to be manipulated by spirits, they consult with them before any decision of consequence and blindly follow their lead.  This is a pitfall that anyone could easily fall into and one that we have to avoid. There is no proof that what they are hearing is true or in their best interests. That does not mean it is demonic in nature, just dishonest and there is nothing to suggest otherwise. Yes, folklore runs rampant in this context with all sorts of claims, but as with anything else, first you have to confirm the existence of activity, then research its history. Only after all of that can you hope to find answers. That is our quest.

Fate Magazine by Rick Moran

We like many of you want to believe but need to see it and do it for ourselves. Having read numerous articles on paranormal investigations and taken part in a few this has been written to prepare you for a paranormal investigation. We were lucky to join Phil Whyman & Dead Haunted Nights team on our first investigation and had the baptism of fire learning on the job as you may say. This contains information gleaned from many reputable sources and they are duly credited.

Research & Interview

When investigating a haunted location as part of your preparation try to collate as much information as you can. This can be via research on the web, books and via interviewing people who are associated with the location or who have experienced something. My personal belief is mediums should never be briefed on the location, but the investigator should know as much as he or she can.
When researching a location make notes, get copies of the material or if on the web print it out so you can refer to it later. When interviewing again make notes or even better record the interview so again you can refer to it later.

Preparing for A Paranormal Investigation

When possible visit the location in the clear light of day. Knowledge of the layout is always beneficial. Draw or obtain a ground plan of the location, this will enable you to plan the vigil better by knowing in advance how to split up your group etc. Mark on the plan sources of drafts, natural sources of electromagnetic fields (EMFs), temperature readings in each room and area in case of natural cold spots and even mark up creaking doors and floorboards, this enables you to dismiss natural ocurrances from possible paranormal ones. This technique of preparation is known as Base Line Testing.

Paranormal Investigation Equipment

NotePad or Dictaphone
To record the events of the vigil. Make note of times you start each part of the investigation and anything that is picked up on. I would also recommend make a note of start and end times on your camcorder and start and end point of photographs from the counters This is useful later if two areas are similar you have a reference point to identify the time and exact location.

Digital Camera
With the introduction of digital cameras there is much discussion of Orbs, something that couldn’t be caught on a film camera. To catch these orbs or other light anomolies and analyse them later use the highest mega-pixel setting on the camera. This allows you to be able to zoom in on anything caught on camera. Dust and water droplets, as well as flies and spiders can often be mistaken as such and it is only when you zoom in you find your orb or anomaly actually has legs or wings! ( See the Orb Zone Theory. )
Good advice is to use a camera that focuses and shoots as quickly as possible. Some cheaper models can be quite slow and you need to capture anything you see as quickly as possible.
On a recent investigation it was also found that the use of a polarising or UV filter that protects the lens of SLR cameras is not recommended

Camcorder
A night vision (Low LUX) camcorder can be used to record vigils in the dark and also to act to record personal feelings when solo. The cost of these has greatly reduced allowing the novice to be able to afford DVD or memory card based models.

Digital Thermometer
These are now relatively cheap and are essential to obtain temperature changes quickly. More advance models are laser thermometers, they give you temperature of where you point the laser, thus are very use for taking fast readings of different areas without moving.

EMF Meters
There is heavy research that suggests there is a connection between the paranormal activity and changes in electro magnetic fields. These fields are all around us and these are higher near electrical equipment, cables and power outlets. This is why when you carried out you baseline tests you recorded natural sources of EMFs. The EMF meter comes in various guises using LEDs and meters, some with fixed settings, the dearer models with differents ranges etc.. The criteria for such a meter is that it picks up changes between 2 to 6 mG, the recognised readings for paranormal activity.

Walkie Talkies and Remote Listening Devices (Baby Monitors)
These are two fold one they allow members of your group to communicate. Secondly they allow you to listen to anything that may be occurring in a room currently unoccupied.

Motion Detectors
These are two part devices that emit an infrared beam between each device, when the beam is broken an audible alarm sounds. These are useful to ensure no-one enters a locked off area. Another use is to detect if a spirit bases through the beam, Phil Whyman, a high respected paranormal investigator, however pointed out recently if a manifestation is transparent will it break the beam ?

Tape Recorder & MP3 Recorders.
These are used for recording possible EVPs. Electronic voice phenomena (EVP)’ are “spirit voices” that are said to manifest themselves on audio recordings. It is a widely used technique to set up a recording device when conducting a séance to see if anything is picked up that is not heard audibly.
The most important thing to remember when analysis your recordings is if you hear something be sure to get others opinions on what you have recorded. NEVER share your view on what you think you can make of the recording, i.e. create suggestion. If you all think you hear the same without conferring, then the result is positive.

What to Look For

Outward Manifestations.

These are often in the forms of noises (crying, growls, whispers etc) and knocks, smells, light anomolies and orbs and moving objects.
Sudden changes in temperature and ‘cold spots’ are good scentific evidence that something is abnormal.The feeling of being touched is probably one of the most alarming things, but for other members of the group and sceptics, there is obviously no evidence of this is purely relying of trust. However injuries (scratches and brusies) are not uncommon and provide more tangible evidence.

Actual manifestation

In the form of a haze or spirit form is the most positive evidence you can get. This can be transparent or solid in form, may not be complete or even on the same ground level as yourself.

Three Types Of Haunting

When investigating there are three types of haunting you may well encounter

Active Hauntings
These traditional hauntings involve the prescence or a sentient spirit.

Imprint Hauntings
These are where an imprint has been left behind and what you encounter is a ‘playback’ of an event that took place, more often than not of a violent or emotional event. The theory behind this is the because the event was traumatic the persons energy was ‘burned’ into the environment.

Poltergeist
This type of haunting involves throwing objects, movement of larger objects and/or disturbing noises rather than actually being visible. (The word poltergeist is in fact German for noisy ghost.) Poltergeist activity is actually triggered, normally by one person who created the connection, and research has shown that often this is a child. Also the activity may stop as suddenly as it starts. It should be noted when investigating that this is regarded as the most dangerous type of haunting to be involved with and many feel it is connected with demonic forces. Caution should be taken if you attempt to communicate with it

Analysis

Once you have conducted an investigation the investigator should always be rationional and open minded with his analysis; was there something there, what was it and why was it here. Here you see the importance of researching a location first.

Paul L. Griffiths, 2008

The word Seance comes from French séance, ’seat’, ’session’, from Old French seoir, ‘to sit.’ In French as in English the word came to be used specifically for a meeting of people to receive spiritualistic messages (a sense first recorded in English in 1845), but earlier in French and English the word had been used for meetings more generally.

Part of our human conditioning tells us that we are part of something more than third dimension. We envision gods, angels, guides, and others on the other side who sometimes interact in this realm. As we expand our conscious awareness – we seek to hear their messages and make a connection that is far more powerful than that in 3D. It is how we are programmed. humans have always sought to connect with their creators – who exist above this realm.

The history of seance communication can be traced back to the third century. Often a seance was connect to Occult practices brining fear to those who attended or heard about them. To many people – the concepts of spirits on the other side who wished to communicate seemed impossible often linked to Black Ceremonial Rituals and Magic and of course the Trickster. This comes from Fear of the Unknown. FEAR is part of human consciousness. As a soul group we are often ruled by our issues and fears.

It was during the 1800’s that the seance became popular mainly due to the stardom of the Fox sisters who began a spiritualist movement. Spiritualism is about Life After Death – the Spirit Realms.
The Spiritualism movement began with what Allen Kardec termed typtology. Typtology is a mode of spirit communication in which spirits lift and tilt a table during a seance to produce rapping sounds. In organized seances, a number of people would sit around a table, hold hands, concentrate, and ask questions of the spirits. The spirits would then answer their questions through a series of raps, or knocks, similar to someone knocking on a door. In order to question the spirits, sometimes a simple yes or no would be indicated by a prescribed number of knocks. In another method, called alphabetical typtology, letters of the alphabet were recited and when the letter that the spirit wanted to draw attention to was called, a rap could be heard; thus spelling out words, sentences, and so on. Using this method, it was possible to hold lengthy, detailed conversations with the mysterious entities responsible for spirit-rapping.
The first recorded spirit-rapping began in America in 1848 with the playful efforts of Margaretta and Kate Fox to communicate with the spirits of the dead. Much to their astonishment, they succeeded in establishing a ghostly dialogue with the spirit of Charles Haynes. Using rapping noises as its means of communication, Hayne’s spirit conveyed the message that he had been killed and buried in the basement of their home. When bones were found in their basement, what had begun as innocent fun became a sensation. From these humble beginnings, what came to be known as the Spiritualism movement took root and grew to international proportions. As a result of their spiritualistic activities, the Fox sisters were condemned and lived in constant danger. They were attacked by religious fanatics in their community, and besieged by angry mobs several times. They were also exploited, and eventually betrayed by their own sister, Leah, who was said to have been the beneficiary of most of the donations collected from those who came to the Fox sisters for spiritual counseling.

As the spiritualism movement got underway in America and Europe, the strange but well-documented manifestations of spirit communication such as spirit-rapping and seance channeling were regarded as weird and unexplainable events. The great majority of Americans and Europeans viewed it as nothing more than a bizarre form of entertainment. For those who took the spirit communications seriously, however, it quickly became apparent that something more was happening. Many of the messages received from the spirits were discovered to be quite accurate. In addition to the messages, other phenomena were being witnessed and verified by many of the most credible individuals in American and European society. By 1854, spirit-directed paranormal phenomenon had reached the level of an interdimensional invasion. Leading spiritualists in the United States decided that it was time to undertake an official investigation. The erudite and well-respected spiritualists petitioned Congress to appoint a scientific commission to investigate the perplexing paranormal phenomenon that had been witnessed by so many people.

The petition entitled ‘A Memorial’ described the phenomenon produced by the spirits in great detail. The object of the investigation was described in the petition as: 1) an occult force, exhibited in sliding, raising, arresting, holding, suspending, and otherwise disturbing, numerous ponderable bodies, apparently in direct opposition to the acknowledged laws of matter, and altogether transcending the accredited powers of the human mind; 2) lights of various forms and colors, and of different degrees of intensity, which appear in dark rooms, where no substances exist, which are liable to develop a chemical action or phosphorescent illumination, and in the absence of all the means and instruments whereby electricity is generated or combustion produced; 3) sounds which are extremely frequent in their occurrence, widely diversified in their character, and more or less significant in their import; and 4) how the functions of the human body and mind are often and strangely influenced in what appear to be certain abnormal states of the system, and by causes which are neither adequately defined nor understood.

This document was delivered by the former governor of Wisconsin, Nathaniel Tallmadge, to Senator James Shields to be presented before Congress. Much to the consternation of the petitioners, Shields scorned the spiritualists by saying, “the prevalence of this delusion at this age of the world, among any considerable portion of our citizens, must originate, in my opinion, in a defective system of education, or in a partial derangement of the mental faculties, produced by a diseased condition of the physical organization. I cannot, therefore, believe that it prevails to the extent indicated in this petition.” Responding to Shield’s criticism, Eliab Capron, a chronicler of the spiritualism movement, wrote, “It is not probable that any of the Memorialists expected more favorable treatment than they received. The carpenters and fishermen of this world are the ones to investigate new truths, and make senates and crowns believe and respect them. It is in vain to look for the reception or respect of new truths by men in high places.” The widely documented and verified invasion of the spirits described above never received a plausible explanation and is still regarded as a mystery.

In the fifty years that elapsed between the publication of Kardec’s books and the incorporation of the Union, the spiritualism movement declined in the United States and Europe. Numerous scandals undermined the credibility of some of its foremost proponents. By 1888, both of the Fox sisters confessed that they were cheats. In fact, both sisters had developed serious drinking problems over the years. At the behest of her sister Leah, Kate Fox’s children were taken from her by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and placed in foster care. This act led to a great deal of bitterness and anger against Leah by both Margaretta and Kate. Feeling exploited and betrayed by their sister Leah, who had collected and spent the great majority of the money paid to them…Margaretta and Kate appeared publicly at the New York Academy of Music.

Margaretta confessed that she had made all the rapping noises that fostered the movement by means of a double-jointed big toe. Kate remained silent and would neither confirm nor deny the confession of her sister. It was later learned that a reporter had offered $1,500 to them if they would confess and give him an exclusive on the story. Desperate for money and liquor, the sisters apparently agreed, and then proceeded to drink their earnings away. Margaretta recanted her confession in writing shortly before she died in 1895. Kate never recanted, and died shortly afterwards. Both sisters were buried in pauper’s graves.

There has been a lot of investigation concerning Spiritualism, but not about Spiritualism in general. The early and later researchers were all concerned about how to prove or disprove Spiritualistic mediums, the Spiritual world, the eventually afterlife or to explain strange phenomena’s that occur during seances, or PK and telekinesis, among other related phenomena which all are claimed to rest upon spiritual or (occult) mental power.

The seances in the 19th century tended to be filled with theatrics. These seances usually took place in darkened parlors with a round table that sometimes moved.

A seance generally involves communication between the physical realms and one or more entities in other dimensions. It is also called Mediumship. A Medium is the person who contacts ‘the other side.’

We live in an age when many people are connecting with those on the other side through a psychic medium – on their own – or in dream time. The seance does not have to be negative, scary or spooky.

I have acted as a ‘medium’ for many seances. I have personally never had a negative experience.

As a Medium I speak with deceased entities in many of my daily readings. I do not consider these experiences – seances as there is none of the fan-fare involved with what we associate with that word.

You really don’t have to do ’spooky stuff’ to communicate with spirits. They are around us all the time and are generally ready to communicate if someone in third dimension is able to tap into their frequency.

A group of people mentally calling to spirits will create a stronger energy field than one person. That is why people often feel that group energy is needed – called a seance.

When planning a seacne there are many factors to consider – especially with teenagers are around as their energies sometimes attract souls that are dysfunctional.

An experienced medium should be part of the group to understand the symbols and messages given by Spirits. If a medium is not present – one person should lead the group.

History
The use of talking boards has roots in the modern Spiritualism movement that began in The United States in the mid-nineteenth century. Methods of divination at that time used various ways to spell out messages, including swinging a pendulum over a plate that had letters around the edge or using an entire table to indicate letters drawn on the floor. Often used was a small wooden tablet supported on casters. This tablet, called a planchette, was affixed with a pencil that would write out messages in a fashion similar to automatic writing. It should be noted that many of these methods predate modern Spiritualism.

During the late 1800s, planchettes were widely sold as a novelty. In 1890, businessmen Elijah Bond and Charles Kennard had the idea to patent a planchette sold with a board on which the alphabet was printed, and thus had invented the first Ouija board. An employee of Kennard, William Fuld took over the talking board production and in 1901, he started production of his own boards under the name “Ouija” [1].

The Fuld name would become synonymous with the Ouija board, as Fuld reinventing its history claimed that he himself had invented it. Countless talking boards from Fuld’s competitors flooded the market and all these boards enjoyed a heyday from the 1920s through the 1960s. Fuld sued many companies over the “Ouija” name and concept right up until his death in 1927. In 1966, Fuld’s estate sold the entire business to Parker Brothers, who continues to hold all trademarks and patents. About 10 brands of talking boards are sold today under various names [2]. See also: Ka-Bala
How is it done?
A Ouija board is operated by one or more users. They place the planchette on the board and then rest their fingers on the planchette. The users start moving the planchette around the board and speaking to the entity (or entities) they wish to summon; They then begin asking questions of it. Eventually the planchette will come to rest on one letter after another, spelling out a message. Often an additional participant records the messages on paper. As with automatic writing, the messages are often vague and open to interpretation, or complete gibberish.

Some talking boards have words or phrases written on them to simplify the interpretation of the messages. Tarot, zodiac, and other esoteric symbols are frequently incorporated into talking board’s design, along with dramatic and mystical artwork. Some users prefer to improvise their own Ouija board. They may use a sheet of paper with the alphabet written on it or lettered cards placed around a table, together with an object like an overturned glass or coin as the indicator. Hand-made Ouija boards produced by artists are valued by talking board enthusiasts and collectors.

Many users feel that the spirit with whom they are communicating is controlling their motions to guide their hands, spelling out messages. They see the board as a tool or medium through which they communicate with the spirit realm. These believers often take offence at the dismissal of the talking board as merely a game. Other users contend that they are in control of their own actions, but that the talking board allows communication with their inner psychic voice or subconscious.

Proponents of Ouija boards do not believe there is any harm in communicating with spiritual entities, provided basic guidelines are followed. These rules often vary from user to user, but usually include things like never playing alone, beginning and ending a séance “properly”, and always using the board in “comfortable” environment. Numerous superstitions surround Ouija board use.
Skeptical view
Few people who have investigated Ouija boards from a skeptical viewpoint accept that a piece of cardboard sold as a game can conjure spirits, evil or benevolent. The accepted theory among psychologists and skeptics is that the participants are subconsciously making small, involuntary, physical movements using a well-known, and well-understood, phenomenon called the Ideomotor effect. Experiments consistently suggest that, at best, the messages are received involuntarily from the participants themselves, and, at worst, by a manipulative player, possibly with the connivance of confederates within the group present.

In some instances, users of talking boards have communicated with “ghosts” of people who were not dead, as demonstrated by the British mentalist Derren Brown in his 2004 television special Derren Brown: Séance. Skeptic and magician James Randi, in his book An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural, points out that when blindfolded, Ouija board operators are unable to produce intelligible messages. Magicians Penn & Teller performed a similar demonstration in an episode of their television show Bullshit!.

These failures indicate, as skeptics believe, that people are simply very willing to fool themselves, for example, by the Forer effect. The public (and frequently energetically flaunted) expression of native and genuine fears and subconscious desires, often concerning death or sex, while appearing genuine, can frighten impressionable people, or cause them to loosen their purse strings (or both). It is for this reason alone that many skeptics suggest that the Ouija board is best avoided, particularly when each player may not absolutely trust, or know, every other player.

Source: wikipedia

Anyone who has become interested in the field of paranormal research today has probably heard of the gadgets that the modern researcher uses. Among those instruments is a devise called an electromagnetic verify probable hauntings. EMF meters provide a starting point and can eliminate things that we can not see in the walls and floors, etc. Such meters make our job a little easier as we struggle to document or disprove a haunting. However, the EMF meter is only a tool that can help us; it can not “prove” a ghost is there.

What is an electromagnetic field (EMF)? An electromagnetic field occurs any time electricity passes through a wire or an appliance that is operating. An appliance that is plugged in, but not turned on emits an electrostatic field, not an electromagnetic field. For the purpose of studying parapsychology we will only need to learn about electromagnetic fields. Electromagnetic fields weaken with distance from the source. Electromagnetic fields are measured in units called mill Gauss. A high mill Gauss reading indicates a strong electromagnetic field. The EMF meter will measure these fields but you must determine what is an unusual field. What is considered a normal field, though? Most buildings generally have an ambient background reading of .5 to 2 mill Gauss (mG).

There are several factors to consider when using an EMF detector inside a building.
1) Walls are not barriers to EMF. Something on the other side of the wall may be causing your reading. Find out what is on the other side of the wall and decide if that could be the source.
2) Electric wiring with current running through it gives off a slight EMF. Look for possible wiring around the area where you are picking up a reading. Active wiring will only register if you are within a few inches.
3) Electric junction boxes or fuse boxes will register stronger than wiring. Be aware of their locations.
4) Fluorescent lights give off an EMF that could register. Incandescent lights give off a minimal, usually undetectable EMF.
5) Appliances of all types give off an EMF when operating. These include, but are not limited to, televisions, computers, microwaves, refrigerators, and electric ovens.

You can determine the strength of an appliance’s EMF by taking readings from different directions and distances. If you are picking up a reading that is appliance related it the EMF reading should drop off significantly when you are a couple feet from the appliance.
Likewise, there are specific factors to consider when using an EMF meter outside. Technically there should be no EMF readings outside. If you find EMF readings outside, consider these factors:
1) Are there any buildings close by? It is possible that a nearby building is causing your reading.
2) Consider power lines. These will cause an increase in the EMF reading. You should be aware of overhead and buried power lines in your area.
3) A high iron content in the ground could also give you a higher than expected EMF reading. This is the same reason that a compass will not work properly in an area that is rich in iron ore.
Now that you know some things that could give false positive readings, what do you look for? If you do find a higher reading that expected, and one not explained by normal electrical sources, then you may have found something paranormal. Remember that you have to account for all the factors above before you can hope to reach any true conclusions.
Look for EMF’s that appear and disappear. The area you are investigating must remain constant to pick up appearing and disappearing fields. If you have the lights on when the high reading appeared, then they must still be on when the lower reading is recorded. The same would apply for all appliances and equipment. Never turn off anything while in the middle of a search. If you find a field that appears and disappears when the background remains constant, then you may have activity.
EMF’s that seem to move are a significant indicator of activity. The background needs to remain constant in order to locate such fields. I have found moving EMF’s in several locations. They will either move away from you or follow you. In one case I was able to follow a moving EMF through two floors of a building. On another occasion, I followed a moving EMF into a room and through a wall. Closer inspection of this wall indicated that there had once been a doorway there.
I hope that you now have a better understanding of electromagnetic fields and what can cause them. If anyone is interested in obtaining an EMF detector, they can be ordered through any major electrical supply company. I ordered mine through Hite Company in Altoona for less than fifty dollars. Now when you see me with my box of little red lights, you will know what I am doing. Good hunting. Working together as a team a photographer and a person with an EMF meter can sometimes capture bursts of energy called orbs. when he is picking up anomalous readings at a location and I snap a photograph with my digital camera, we will have captured an orb. Almost always there is a temperature change happening at this time if an orb is present. These we call cold spots that often signal a ghost or spirit is present. What is believed to happen is that the ghost uses the energy in that spot to manifest itself and, in return, produces a cold mass. These spots can sometimes be extremely cold. (Cold spots are normally defined as unexplained temperature variances not accounted for by normal means i.e.: cold leaking from the seal of a refrigerator, breezes, open windows etc.)

The Gauss Master EMF Meter is the ghost hunters EMF meter of choice.

Hand-held, lightweight and durable, with an easy to read scale (0-10 mG), and audio signal. It can also measure between 0.1 -1mG by holding in the button on the side of the unit. A Great meter for demonstrating the presence of dangerous EMFs as well as for paranormal work. Requires one 9V battery (not included). Calibrated at 50-60 Hz.

This EMF meter is an excellent introduction to ghost detection equipment. This is the same item as used and featured in UK Living Most Haunted Program. Put your mind at rest, perform professional investigations: we are not all born with the natural ability to detect ghosts! .

This meter measures the level of EMF magnetic field radiation from power lines, computers, kitchen appliances, and more! The easy to read scale, unique built-in audio signal and auto shut-off make it simple to use and a great way to find hidden sources of EMF frequency magnetic fields.
Includes a useful introduction to Ghost Hunting with EMF meters. You will also have fun taking readings with the EMF meter, of signals that surround us during everyday life. Most experts agree that chronic exposure to more than 2.5 milli-Gauss is inadvisable. This meter will show you which areas are above or below 2.5 milli-Gauss in the 50 – 60 Hz

http://gaussmaster.com/

Orbs appear in photographs as small spheres of light. They range is size and vary in transparency and color. Many groups will claim that orbs are ghosts and restless spirits, proof of the haunted state of the location where they were photographed. Several groups even claim a correspondence between an orbs color and the emotions and intent of the spirit-orb being photographed. The truth is, there is little to no evidence that suggests orbs are spirits or ghosts in any way. We tend to lean towards the explanation that orbs are nothing more than naturally occurring particles photographed by today’s highly sensitive cameras. Before digital cameras found there way into every household, orb photos were extremely rare. Have you ever seen an orb photo from the 70’s or 80’s? Probably not. In fact, low end and first run digital cameras are very likely the cause of this “paranormal” phenomenon.

Digital cameras are the latest and hottest invention, and many groups will tell you that they are perfect for ghost hunting. Rumors abound that digital cameras are capable of photographing the infra-red spectrum, and because of this, will allow you to photograph ghosts..ghosts in the form of orbs. And since many digital shots contain these round anomalies, at first glance such statements may seem true. In fact, the highly sensitive lens of a digital camera will photograph not only the object you are intending to shoot, but any dust, dirt or moisture in the air. When a camera engages it’s flash, light reflects of everything in the lens’ view..including the particles in the air. Also, the digital imaging chips in digital cameras vary from those in standard film cameras. When these chips try to function in a low light setting, they will often be incapable of recording the entire range of the lens’ view, and any gaps in the pixels will show up in the picture as white circles. In fact, the recent debate on orbs has prompted a response and explanation from film industry giant FUJI Films A simple experiment to aid in proving this theory would be to shake out a rug in your living room then snap a pic with a digital camera. You most likely will have several orbs in the photo. Also, look closely at a beam of sunlight that shines through a nearby window. In the sun’s beam, you will see several tiny molecules of dirt and dust moving randomly in the air. It is these particles that are often illuminated by the intense light of a camera flash and then captured by the camera’s lens

As you look from group to group and encounter orb photo after orb photo, you will encounter a variety of theories and defenses for the “evidence” many groups so ardently defend. Some will claim that no dust or dirt was present when they photographed a particular orb. The truth is, the only dust free environment known to man exists in outer space, and a simple breath is capable of stirring up dirt and debris in the air. Some groups will claim that an orb is a spirit because it looks different form one that they admit is dust. In fact, dust particles look vastly different from snow particles, which look different from rain particles, which look different from dirt molecules. Thus, you can have several orbs in a photo, each looking quite different from the other, yet none being anything paranormal in nature. The color of particles in the air can be altered by atmospheric conditions and moisture, thus helping to explain the varying colors of orbs. Many investigators will claim that because the orb was capture in a reportedly haunted location, it must be evidence of a ghost. By that logic, a picture taken of a man in the same location would mean that the man was also a ghost.

http://www.shadowseekers.org/orbs.html

What are orbs? Are they the early manifestation of a spirit or do they have a more rational explanation?
Orbs are small round shapes of light that vary in size, brightness and density. With the increasing popularity of digital cameras orbs have become the most popular photographic anomaly recorded to date. Here at the CPRS we have seen thousands of photographs captured by ourselves and submitted by members of the public. We are of the firm opinion that an extremely high percentage of all orb related photographs are of a natural origin and not related to spirit.
A natural explanation.
Most of the orb photographs out there have been captured with the use of digital cameras and nearly always with the use of the cameras built in flash.
Only very rarely are they caught with SLR cameras with high mounted flash units or in natural daylight conditions with out any the use of an artificial light source.

The main reasons for this is the sensitivity of the CCD technology used with digital cameras and the use of an artificial light source close to the camera lens. Dust may contain moulds, fibres, and dander from dogs, cats, and other animals, as well as tiny dust mites. Dust particles close in to the camera focal range are the normal culprits for most orb photographs.
When a digital photograph is taken using the flash any airborne particles within the focal range and focal angle of the camera lens are illuminated by the flash and reflected back to the lens. As they are so close to the lens they are out of focus and therefore appear often as translucent blobs. The shape of the orb, normally round is due to the particular aperture type of the camera being used. Virtually every kind of indoor environment will contain an amount of dust in the air. Any movement in a building will cause the dust to circulate and carry on the streams of air caused by natural draughts, air condition units or central heating.
Dust itself is does not have a particular reflective quality and therefore it will be only the odd particle within the cameras focal field and angle at the time the flash goes off that will be picked up. Moisture particles are a lot more reflective and by taking photographs outside at night with flash on a night of high humidity will also give the appearance of an abundance of orbs on your photographs.

http://www.cambridgeparanormal.co.uk/orbs.html