It’s paranormal history. It’s the fabricated stories that locations will release. It’s the fake stories from ghost hunters who are trying to generate views on their YouTube channel, likes on their Facebook page, etc. We’re currently in an age where haunted locations will post their haunted history on their website to draw in paranormal researchers and ghost hunters. This comes from the fact that we want to see the value of a product before investing money to rent out the location. While this is a reasonable action in terms of marketing and running a business, it is doing something much more damaging than we can ever imagine.

It’s changing history.

The historian expressed a lot of concern in the fact that 100 years from now, what will remain of our text? What books will remain in print? What websites will still be in operation? If the historical facts of most paranormal places remain in existence from the embellished, exaggerated, if not fabricated, stories that were created to draw in a crowd…then we’re changing history for future generations. They will see the incorrect historical information and take it as fact, with the true stories falling away to the wayside.

Of course, there are untold stories that never made it into the history books. That’s a different dilemma. But when you release certain information, and historical research proves that the event didn’t happen, the name was wrong, circumstances were different, etc., then there’s a problem.

At the same time, I understand that there have been individuals who have tried to alter history, especially less-than-positive incidents that may have happened under their watch. As participants of the paranormal field, we have the extraordinary opportunity (and responsibility) to keep things as factual as possible. We will run into stories that can’t be found in the books. We ran into this with the Tenth Avenue Theater. However, the stories we were hearing were coming from church members who witnessed these events, knew the individuals we interacted with, etc. These stories came from the age before the internet, social media, etc. where these unmentionable secrets were hushed and they hoped they would be forgotten. We told the stories that were never meant to become public. But, I feel that enough time passed where any collateral damage was minimal, if not eliminated thanks to the passing of those who enforced such silence.

The moral of the story is that you shouldn’t make stuff up for the sake of being more spooky. If the spooky thing happened, great. If it didn’t, leave it alone. Let the stories come organically from your investigations. Let the stories come from the preserved diary entries of those who lived. If you capture compelling data that goes against documented history, make a note in your write up so that people know where the story came from. Be as transparent as you can while sharing your findings. If you realize something lines up with an actual event, that’s even better!

Happy hunting, and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty in historical research. Let the future generations have as much truth as possible so they know where they came from.

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Here are some of my favorite encounters I found in my research. As you read, ponder this: How likely is it that planes can be haunted? Why or why not?

Demon on a Plane

Okay, I’m not convinced this was an actual case of possession by a demon. In December 2017, a woman caused an Air China plane to turn around and go back to Beijing. After the plane took off, the woman collapsed about 20 minutes into the flight. Given that she was unresponsive, the captain decided to turn the plane around. However, when the woman came to, she wasn’t very receptive to receiving any help. She declared that there were things “possessing” her body and she started thrashing and becoming emotionally unstable. It took six people to get her under control. What’s even more creepy is that the woman said that there were not only things possessing her body, but that they couldn’t be found with health checks.

Eastern Airlines Flight 401

This is probably one of the most famous ghost stories in relation to airplanes that I’ve read about. On December 29, 1972, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 went down in the Everglades and took 101 lives. The plane departed from New York City and was heading towards Miami. As the plane was preparing to land, the landing gear indicator light wasn’t on. It was later reported that the light had burnt out and the landing gear was down. However, the crew became so distracted by the reported malfunction that the plane crashed. Pilot Bob Loft, and flight engineer Donald Repo, were among the perished. After the crash, it was rumored that the functional parts that were left were used for parts on other planes. After that, there were over 20 reports of Loft and Repo being sighted. Repo was often seen warning the passengers that there was something wrong with the plane, while Loft was seen sitting next to passengers. While this could be an elaborate ghost story, one has to wonder if Repo and Loft were trying to make amends for their mistake in life.

The Scarebus

How sore would you be if you were sent home from work, and then killed in a car accident on the way home? That’s what happened to a flight attendant who was working on an A320 aircraft that was run by the Constellation International Airlines. While she was doing her pre-flight check, she fell ill and called her boss. The flight attendant ended up being sent home. While she was driving back, she ended up getting killed in a car accident. After the accident, it seemed that her soul went back to the plane she was supposed to work on. Flight attendants and pilots reported hearing her whisper in their ears, screaming for help over the intercom, as well as causing mechanical issues on the plane. Not only is Casper still reporting for work, but she is also wreaking havoc. Could it be a revenge plot? The flight itself is known as the “Scairbus.”

The Yellow One

A Boeing 737-8Q8 belonging to Sterling Airlines has created quite a reputation for itself. Flight crew members, and even the cleaning crew don’t like to go on this plane at night. Why? There have been reports of footsteps being heard on the roof of the plane, even at over 30,000 feet in the air! There is nothing more unsettling than hearing footsteps above your head when you’re flying over the Atlantic Ocean. Supposedly, a woman died on the plane, and it is believed that her spirit never got off the plane.

I’m Cold

I found two stories with striking similarities, which makes me think that this is purely myth. Or, for the hardcore believers out there, it could be evidence of similar phenomenon happening on airplanes. Both of these stories occurred on a Virgin Atlantic flight. In the first story, there was an old lady wandering around the plane and complaining that she was cold. The flight attendants found her and took her to the crew rest area to sleep. She gave them her name and they looked her up on the passenger manifest. They found her last name and went to the seat noted on the report. The flight attendants found a man, who was her son, and told them what happened. The man turned pale and said that his mother was indeed on the plane, but she was in a coffin in the cargo area. The man showed them a photo of his mother, and it was the same woman who was seen wandering the aisle. The old woman was never seen again.

In a similar story, there was an old man standing in the aisle of a plane by the cabin door. When the flight attendant asked him if he needed anything, he told her to tell his wife, “It’s okay.” The flight attendant got the wife’s name and went to the woman’s seat. After delivering the message, the wife showed the flight attendant a picture of the man. Once his identity was confirmed, the wife said that her husband recently passed, and his body was being transported on the plane.

Casino Royale

A 747 aircraft belonging to South African Airways was used on the set of Casino Royale. The galley doors would open and close by themselves. During filming, crew members reported seeing a woman walking up and down the aisle at night. The lights would also turn on and off…and keep in mind this plane didn’t always have functional power while filming. Needless to say, crew members refused to stay on the plane overnight.

Senior Flight Attendant

What if you loved your job so much that you kept working even in the afterlife? While there is no specific flight mentioned, this story of a ghostly flight attendant is interesting. A flight attendant with red eyes and a spooky appearance was seen on a red-eye flight walking up and down the aisles. The passengers would try to stop her and ask her for help, but she would only look straight ahead and kept walking. Given that the woman must have been dressed like a flight attendant for people to ask her for help, one must wonder who this woman was. She had been seen on so many flights, that she was given the name, “Senior Flight Attendant.”

Have you ever encountered a haunted airplane? Tell us about it!

The post Spooks on a Plane: A Story of Haunted Planes appeared first on Association of Paranormal Study.

While I was attending the Excavation of Victorian Ghosts event up in Bedford, Pennsylvania, one of the speakers was Rosemary Ellen Guiley. I know we keep talking about this event, but it was truly a great event where some really intelligent minds from the field come in and present their research and theories. Anyway, Rosemary had a fascinating talk on black mirrors and scrying, and she made a really interesting comment. Of course, I’ll be paraphrasing; the gist of it was that it seems that teams that are tech-heavy tend to not have as many experiences as someone who isn’t looking at a screen. At first, I guffawed because I believed that the central point of investigating is to have the equipment for data collection. However, as I sat and listened to Rosemary speak, I started to ponder my previous experiences.

Most know that one of the most dramatic experiences I had involved a camera that was turned off. This would be the event that happened on the USS Hornet in 2012. Yet, no matter how many times I recollect the experience and retell the story, I know there are people who won’t believe me. I kick myself thinking about how our equipment was shut off, even though we don’t remember turning anything off. However, that experience gave me something that I needed at the time. Looking back, I think that experience was just meant to be that…an experience. Had the equipment not malfunctioned, I really wonder what would have been captured on film and audio. Furthermore, what would MY experience have been like if I was monitoring through headphones or looking through a viewfinder? Would I have seen the same thing?

Take, for example, the experience of a photographer. They will experience something like a wedding or childbirth through a completely different experience. They are behind a piece of equipment. They see things through a tunnel, meant to capture images and video in a certain way. For the paranormal investigator, they are trying to reach the widest scope possible so that they don’t miss a moment. However, data collection still requires monitoring…therefore compromising the person’s experience. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Proper data collection is crucial if we’re going to make any strides in the field.

Yet, we need to acknowledge that when we’re taking pictures, taking video, or listening through audio equipment, our experience will be different than those who aren’t fixed on their equipment. How many times do we allow a piece of equipment dictate the course of an investigation? By this, I mean equipment like the Ovilus, shack hacks, etc.? What if we’re being led astray and missing out on the incredible anomaly that’s happening right before our eyes?

So, how do we implement a compromise into a meaningful experience? Do we ask someone to bow out of having the “full” experience for the sake of data collection? I believe that we can still have an experience while collecting data. But first, we have to know why we’re collecting data. Are we trying to provide proof of the paranormal? Do we just want to remember the experience? Do we want material for our YouTube channel? By knowing this, we can really figure out why we’re lugging all of this equipment in the first place. From there, we can work on implementing a compromise that includes thorough and effective data collection while having that “experience.”

To me, there are grey areas. I believe that we need to be persistent in data collection. Also, I believe there are moments where we don’t have to always look at a screen, and we can just experience the unknown.

Yet, that’s what tripods and stands are for. There are happy mediums, no pun intended. We can take a break from watching through a screen and look up occasionally.

The post Are Hauntings Just Meant to Be Experienced? appeared first on Association of Paranormal Study.

I love any and all things paranormal. Whether it be related to cryptozoology, hauntings, religion or ufology, if it’s anything mysterious or spooky, down the rabbit hole I will go. One thing I love most about the paranormal community is that people love to share their stories, opinions and ideas. That’s why I always jump at the chance to go to con’s, conventions, meetings and other such events. I enjoy seeing people so passionate about what they believe in that they want to stand up and tell the world.

I recently attended The Excavation of Victorian Ghosts at Bedford Springs in Pennsylvania. There were many wonderful people and presenters and I bought a couple of books that caught my attention. Among them was the book “The Ghost Studies – New Perspectives on the Origins of Paranormal Experiences” written by Brandon Massullo. Of course I immediately turn the book over to get a quick idea of the topic and it states that “this book is far more than a compilation of ghost stories. This book provides scientific explanation for paranormal occurrences that include theories to explain apparitions, hauntings and spirit communications.” It is indicated that the role of energy, electricity, emotions, bioenergetics and the environment are also covered. As someone who has always erred on the side of psychology and science in relation to the paranormal, these topics really jumped out at me.

My first thought on this book is one of gratitude. Thank you Brandon for approaching these topics in straightforward, clear-cut ways. This book could be read by a novice or seasoned investigator, the slightly curious, skeptic or believer and it will still have an impact on the reader. The first chapter touches on popular ghost theories,spiritual and pop culture views and the paranormal investigator him/herself. It provides a solid starting point for the later chapters. Electricity, EMF’s and apparitions are then discussed and even though I feel like i have a rather decent grasp on this, I was still intrigued by Massullo’s discussion of the God Helmet. There are many investigators out there that have a basic understanding of EMF but don’t understand how it affects us personally and these chapters explain this relationship in such a way that it can be understood by even the layman.

Topics like telekinesis, esp, quantum mechanics and near death experiences are just some of the topics approached in this book.

Author Brandon Massullo

While it’s easy to get sucked down the rabbit hole with any one of those topics individually, the author provides enough explanation on each to enlighten the reader but he does a great job at not weighing down the book with too much information. While this book isn’t ‘just a compilation of ghost stories’  there are plenty tales of first hand experiences presented for discussion.

What I enjoyed the most about this book, however, is the attention that Massullo spends discussing the psychology of experiences. It has always been my belief that our minds and emotions don’t get near the attention that they should in regards to evaluating paranormal experiences. I agree strongly with the author and I’m encouraged that this book is really opening the floor for that conversation. For so long paranormal experiences have been discussed as events that have happened TO you and there hasn’t been much discussion about the fact that these events may have happened BECAUSE of you.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to expand their knowledge of the paranormal. You may or may not agree with all the theories discussed but they will definitely make you think. This book is well written and opens the doors for countless areas of study and discussion and it is one that you will find yourself going back to again and again.

Order Brandon’s book on Amazon

Listen to Alex and Maeve interview Brandon Massullo on “The Wicked Domain”

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As an investigator and researcher, I’ve always felt as though client work is a form of conflict mediation, which usually results in miscommunication. But I feel like many ghost hunters, teams, etc. automatically pin the presence as the enemy or “the other”. I’m not exactly sure how I feel about that. In most of the cases I’ve worked, the presence has been a deceased human being, and usually the phenomenon is a response to the client’s actions or behavior. Not saying that one or the other is wrong, but where did the whole idea of treating the presence or phenomenon as the enemy right off the bat come from?

When it comes to cases where the client is having a negative experience with an unseen force, of course the team wants to come in and be the problem solvers and help. But keep in mind that client work can be a form of “he said/she said” in terms of miscommunications. What may be the ghost trying to communicate can be interpreted as an attack by the client. And because the client is physically present and able to verbally tell their story, investigators give them the upper hand when in reality, perhaps the client could be inadvertently responsible for some of the conflict.

I feel to approach the presence and communicate with them defensively is a bit disrespectful. And the thing that gets me more than anything is PROVOKING. When there’s no response, you’re either dealing with something that doesn’t want to communicate (and hey as living beings there are people we don’t want to talk to) or there might not be anything there. And if you’re provoking something that is inhuman or evil…even worse. That’s like poking a sleeping dragon and then being shocked when you get burned. Provoking to me can be dangerous in a client case because we’re not the ones who have to keep living in the house after the investigation is over, and the investigators themselves aren’t the ones who usually don’t deal with the consequences. The idea of communicating with the unseen presence as if they’re the enemy right off the bat is very sad to me and takes away many opportunities for more effective communication that could lead to resolution.

I find the world of investigating and research to be a beautiful thing. It’s communicating with someone who is deceased or something from another realm of existence. Asking the presence to perform tricks for our entertainment is just wrong and on the same level of asking a human being to juggle for us just because we asked. Going in and speaking English and not the native tongue of the presence just shows ignorance. Couldn’t we take the time to learn more about the context of the dead before going in? Perhaps if we approach our investigations with a bit more objectivity and respect, maybe the other side will be more open and willing to communicate with us. Maybe instead of letting the client become so dependent on the investigator, we should educate and empower them by talking to them about what could cause paranormal phenomenon, educate them, and let them know that they still have control over the situation even when they feel helpless. In reality, maybe working client cases is a form of conflict mediation where the investigator is the middle-man helping to resolve a problem between the two worlds of the living and the dead.

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