How To: Log Paranormal Occurrences (The Basics)

Today Ill give you a simple, quick guide on how to properly, accurately, and most importantly, how to HONESTLY log any paranormal occurrences that you may experience. Logging paranormal events is helpful when you experience them regularly, especially if they are major events or if they happen to be violent or frightening. Personally, I didnt realize to log the events until YEARS after I started experiencing frequent and scary paranormal phenomena. I spent years denying it and trying to ignore it, trying to explain it away. Had I started to log it earlier, I wouldve been able to debunk things quicker and keep track of the true paranormal experiences I was having. 

Quick Tips: Below I will list some of the most important information that you should include in any log you keep.

Date (What day did this occur? Ex: Monday, September 26th, 2016)
Time (What time of day? Ex: 11:04 am // Between 11-12 pm in the afternoon)

*Try to be as specific as possible when logging the date and time. If you do not have an exact time, try to give an estimate of time, as seen above. 

*Try to log any events directly after they occur, or even better, while they are happening to give the most accurate and honest account. 

What happened (Explain directly and clearly what occurred. Ex: I was sitting on the couch, when I looked over to the hall way, a ball moved down the hall on its own.)

How you felt (What type of emotions or feelings are you experiencing during the event? Ex: When the ball moved down the hallway, I felt a sense of fear and anxiety)

Who experienced it (Its important to record who exactly experienced the event. If you are the only one home or the only one who sees it, make sure to write that down. Ex: My sister and I both experienced the event OR Ex: I am the only one who experienced this event.)

Senses (If possible, record any other things you sense while the event took place. Did you smell anything odd? Did you feel something odd? Did you hear any voices or sounds that are abnormal, or seem to not have a source? Any drastic changes in temperature? etc.)

* It is crucial to be HONEST when keeping these logs. I know it can be hard, especially when you may be frightened or confused to not put your fear into the log and accidentally embellish the event or make it out to be more than what it was. *

* Also, try to be neat about it, I, myself have been guilty of scribbling down an event, usually a rare one that actually scared me, only to look back and not be able to read it. So remember to stay calm. *

Pro Tip:

If you happen to actually see an apparition or entity, be sure to take note of what it looked like as well as the other info listed above. 

How tall was it?
What color?
Did it look human, animalistic, humanoid-like, etc?
How did it move?
What did it do?
Features?
etc.

Any questions? Need more tips? Let me know in the comments below!

Haunted New England: Devil's Hopyard, East Haddam, CT

Devil's Hopyard is one of New England's most beautiful and picturesque locations. It also happens to be one of my favorite spots to go in the fall, not only for the scenery but for the history. This location has been thought to be the main spot where Satan, the Devil, Lucifer itself hides. Some have even claimed to see an entity sitting atop the waterfall surrounded by other negative entities. People have also claimed to see apparitions, shadows and figures creeping throughout the woods, behind the trees and on the trails. People claim to have captured laughing, disembodied voices and whispers on tape. 

Not only does the location have rumors of paranormal activity, there is evidence of a violent past and a variety of events that have contributed to the parks current atmosphere and energy. 

In fact, Devil's Hopyard was the site of an attack carried out in 1775, by the Sons Of Liberty. The mill area was owned by British Loyalists. In the early 1700s, there may have been an early version of a brewery nearby, as there is evidence of an actual hopyard. 

In 1999, 5 men snuck into the park after hours and claimed that they had been frightened and disturbed by demonic phenomena and voices. Two of the men claimed to hear a voice saying "Leave now, or youll join us forever" and one of the men said upon the group heading out of the park, he heard laughter. Not only that, but one claimed to have spotted a large "beast- like demon" and a "shadow with a jagged edge". They then ended up fleeing the park and driving to a pastors house, asking for help with their recent encounter. The pastor called the police, claiming the men looked uncomfortable and had weapons. All 5 men were arrested and taken into custody, although police found zero evidence of the men being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, their story cannot be proven fully, as there is no documented evidence of this particular encounter. 




I have my own little experience with this location, as does my sister, though she was too young at the time to remember what it was clearly, now. 

My experience: I went on a day trip to the hopyard with my family. After a day of activities we decided to take one last stroll around the park. I remember being drawn to the Chapman Falls, waterfall. Now, its important to note that I am incredibly fearful of lakes, rivers and ponds. Any dark water for that matter. But for some reason, my fear was over shadowed by an intense feeling of belonging. I stepped along the rocks and sat above the black water on one of the ledges. I wasnt afraid of the fact that I was practically dangling above black water that was who knows how deep. It is completely unlike to me even go near water like that. So I just thought it strange that for that moment I seemed to unafraid and almost too comfortable peering over into this inky water that I otherwise wouldve had a legitimate panic attack over.

Besides some other intense feelings and shifts in atmosphere, I havent had any other major experiences there. However, my younger sister, who was quite young when this happened, did see something. Oddly enough, it was the same day I had my own experience. 

We were walking along one of the more open trails, heading back up to the exit. My sister kept looking back behind her, like she was staring at something. We stopped and she said, "Theres a BIG cat thing over there!" We all turned around to where she was pointing and there was nothing there. No animals in view, no people, no nothing. But she insisted there was still a "big cat thing" walking behind us. Perhaps this was just a young child playing pretend or a trick of the eye, or perhaps she did see something, as she has proven to be a great clairsentient, reader, and empath. 

I hope you have enjoyed this haunted post and if youd like to find out more info, please feel free to ask or head on over to google and discover a vast amount of haunted information! 

The Witch Trials + Explaining Mass Hysteria

The preponderance of people in this region, and country have heard of the Witch Trials. In this post, I will be discussing some of the common myths about colonial + modern witchcraft, as well as the role hysteria played in the trials, as well as the hand it had in spreading fear and misinformation. 

When the Puritans settled in their colonies here in New England, they brought along their strict religious beliefs, which often featured fear mongering, hate, and a need for control over every detail about their new society. The Church and religious leaders often took advantage of peoples fear of the unknown, they also took the knowledge they had of real Wise Craft, and further twisted it to fit their agendas. They preached that any participation in religious practices that did not conform with the churches teachings was evil and a result of one giving into the temptations that the devil has lured them with. Anyone who strayed from the churches control was shamed and labeled evil or a witch. More often than not, those thought to be witches or possessed, were executed before any investigation took place. The churches reasoning? Kill them before they can spread the devils work and harm the community. 

The hateful preaching and mistreatment of innocent people by the early Puritans set the path for the Salem Witch Trials (1692-1693) and even before that, the Connecticut Witch Trials, which took place between the years of 1647 - 1697.

This photo shows a depiction of a trial taking place during the Salem Witch Trials. 

During various trials, those who accused community members of being witches, would twitch, convulse or thrown themselves to the ground and scream nonsense, to further make the accused look guilty of witch craft. They would then claim that the accused was casting spells and harming them during the duration of the trial. Judges took these outbursts as solid evidence that the accused, was in fact a witch. In some cases, it was decided right then and there that the accused must be executed and charged with witch craft. These outbursts, naturally, only added fuel to the fire and reinforced the panic amongst the colonies and villages. 

The reason that judges at the time were allowed to do this, was because spectral evidence was still considered fact and solid evidence.

("Spectral evidence refers to a witness testimony that the accused person's spirit or spectral shape appeared to him/her witness in a dream at the time the accused person's physical body was at another location. It was accepted in the courts during the Salem Witch Trials." - https://salemwitchmuseum.com/blog/2013/02 )

Mass hysteria is the term that is used to describe a situation in which various people (large amount of people) believe they are suffering from similar symptoms, from either a phantom illness or an unknown source/inexplicable event. 

So, because of the actions of the accusers in the court room, combined with the hate speech and fear tactics by the church, a mass hysteria and mass panic was created. Large groups of people began to believe they were being attacked by witches and the devil, simply because someone told them they were, or someone told them over and over that there were witches and evil among them. 

An example of this, is shown in a book entitled "The Crucible". Neighbors, family and friends start to turn on each other and accuse anyone who acts out of character. Mass hysteria also interrupts the ability to think logically and blocks individual thoughts. 

Some not so fun facts:

• The amount of people executed during witch trials around the world is in the tens of thousands.
• In some colonies, people were "tested", to see if they were a witch in various, gruesome ways. One way in which they "tested" people, was to tie the accused up, and drop them into a body of water. Because they thought witches couldnt be successfully baptized, they also believed that the water would reject a witch, thus making them float. If one wasnt a witch, they would submerge and sink to the bottom. Either way, the persons life was in danger. 
• A common misconception about the witch trials in America, are that witches were burned. This is not the case however. In New England, witches were hanged. The thought that they all were burned, comes from England, where they DID burn accused witches. 
• Many people blame Massachusetts for starting the witch hysteria. This is not true, a "Witch Craft Act" was put into effect in England in the 1500s and kicked off the witch hunts.

For more information, please feel free to do personal research or ask questions here! I hope youve found this post informational and interesting. More like this to come!

Haunted New England : Gay City State Park, Hebron, Connecticut

If you grew up where I did, you spent many summer days in the lake at Gay City, running along the small beach and hiking along the trails that run through the over 1000 acre area. But, did you know that the beloved park is thought to be haunted?

Gay City was once owned by the Gay family, named after John Gay and operated as a village in the 1700s, when the town was founded. There are still pieces of its original glory that can be found there, such as stone structures and remnants of the old mill, which was built in 1811. The mill itself burned down twice and after the unfortunate events, the town once known as Factory Hallow was never able to recover 100%. There are also confirmed and rumored deaths of mill workers that took place on the property. The town is also took a hit because of two rumored murders,both of which were never fully solved.

Supposedly, locals and visitors alike have claimed they saw the spirits of these murder victims and rumored spirits of those that died while working at the Mill Site. More recently, there are new rumors of the spirit of a teenager who DID drown in the lake in 2010, showing up at the park. May they rest in peace. 

There have been reports of mists, orbs, footsteps and whispers throughout the entire lot. Some claim to hear a man whisper "the hollow" at night, but to me, that sounds like something out of a bad 90s horror movie. 

Others claim a girl also drowned many many years ago and can be heard screaming and crying near the lake. While the lake has always given me the creeps, thats most likely due to the fact I am deathly afraid of all dark water. I will admit the beach area does have an unsettling atmosphere. 

The father back into the woods you get the more unsettling it feels, it not spirits, there is most definitely some residual energy that this former town has absorbed over the years. 

The Gay family, along with other extended family are buried on location. If you go, please do be respectful and tread lightly across this area of the park. The graves can be found just inside the entrance.

 How would I investigate?

I would probably start with an EVP session at the entrance near the graves. I may do a question and answer session or pendulum session to establish or confirm some information. 

In the picnic, lake area EVPs are also a good idea, photos and night vision images. Heat detecting equipment to help spot any temperature fluxuation. 

 Near the Mill Site, I would do EVP, photos and video, pendulum sessions and motion detectors. Trigger objects may be helpful in establishing a connection with anything that may be there. 

I would also record myself, to document any physical or emotional changes or reactions. A lot of activity that may take place here stems from energy and emotion. Therefore, taking careful note of how people are reacting and behaving during the investigation is key.

Can you go?

Yes! Gay City is open to the public all year round from 8 o'clock in the morning until around 6-7pm (sunset). The beach area and trails are also public. 

Ive never experienced any outstanding or solid experiences other than feelings and things Ive heard through clairaudience. 

Haunted New England : The Lizzie Borden House , Fall River , Massachusetts

We all know the famous rhyme, "Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her mother 40 whacks. When she saw what she had done, She gave her father 41." This dark saying would be familiar to anyone who either grew up in Mass, or has seen one of the many televised investigations, a la Ghost Adventures. But do you know the true story behind this grizzly murder? 

Lizzie Borden lived in Fall River, Massachusetts from 1874 until 1892 when she was tried and acquitted for the murder of her father and step mother. 

Lizzies parents were almost unrecognizable after she had taken an axe to them. There were various rumors flying around about the exact reason she may have killed her parents, and just as many about who else may have done it. As of today, the case remains unsolved. 

Lizzie was considered to be mentally unstable and she and her sister were considered spinsters at the time, because they were unmarried and in their 30s. This was unheard of at the time and raised suspicions amongst neighbors and towns people, as even Lizzie and her sister had a lot to gain by the death of their father and step mother. However, all is not lost, in March of 2012, journals that were kept by Lizzie's defense attorney were discovered, which may shed new light on the decades old case. 

Fact vs Myth:

The rhyme leads you to believe it took Lizzie an excessive amount of "whacks" to kill her parents, this in fact is not the case. Lizzie's step mother was actually found to be murdered first, with 19 blows to her body. Her father was found to be killed after, it took only 10-11 blows. 

There are other rumors that were documented involving Lizzie and her sisters relations, because they dont really add to the article I am presenting here and they may be triggering to some, I will omit them. They are, however, easily accessible through a Google search. 

Claims of a haunting:

Popular paranormal investigation show Ghost Adventures did a "lock down" at the Lizzie Borden House for one of their episodes in 2011. They made an attempt to speak to Lizzie and any spirits that may still reside at the home, that is now a Bed & Breakfast. 

The crew was able to gather the usual evidence that they seem to get in almost every episode... A little bit of everything.  

While Ghost Adventures reputation is declining in recent years, there is some compelling evidence gathered from their time at the house that should at least be considered. 

Evidence gathered by Ghost Adventures Crew:

1. Cold spot about the size of a small child
2. Cold breeze during an active seance (do NOT perform a seance, they are often disrespectful and dangerous)
3. Dresser drawer moved/opened on its own
4. Flash light turns on by itself
5. Angry feelings at various points during lock down
6. Heard shuffling, footsteps and strange noises
7. Voices heard on spirit box : "Abby", "Borden" ,"Keep on killing"

etc.

Please keep in mind that the words they claim to have heard are determined by ear only, therefore we cannot 100% say that this is exactly what was said, as some of the words and phrases do not make sense and do not seem to relate to the location or case. 

How Would I investigate?

Well, since Ive heard many stories, rumors and legends about the location it would be hard to go in there uninfluenced. However, I would go into it with zero expectations, and let whatever happens, happen. No provoking is needed and it is disrespectful. In this case, a trigger object may also be helpful in starting a line of communication. Asking questions that are specific and direct as possible is helpful to getting more clear answers and less cryptic messages. 

Room at the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast.

Haunted New England : The Seaside Waterford, CT

The facilities now known as The Seaside Sanatorium was originally built in 1934 as a place to treat children diagnosed with tuberculosis. The building was then transformed in 1958 to be used as a home for the elderly, it was only open for 3 short years before it was once again changed to house and treat people believed to be mentally ill/challenged. You may also know this location by a few different names, as it changed when its purpose did. 

1930s - Seaside Sanatorium 
1958 - Seaside Geriatric Hospital 
1970s - Seaside Regional Center for the Mentally Retarded

It is now simply referred to by locals as "The Seaside".

The building was eventually shut down due to reports of malpractice, suspicious deaths and unexplained disappearances. It was more recently gated, therefore you cannot get inside the actual building without hard to get, special permission. You can, however, walk around the beach area and view it from beyond the gate as it is still considered a state, public park. 

As of summer 2016, it has been decided that the buildings will be renovated in order to be used as a spa / lodge center and a restaurant. While Im not overly enthusiastic about what its being turned into, it is much better than the alternative option of tearing it down and shutting off the area to the public. I hope that the new uplifting reason / use for this building will bring good energy and peace to those that remain there. 

How I investigated:
Before I even left my home, I decided to try something new for my investigation of this location. I did a very short session of opening my energy up to whatever wanted to come through. I saged myself, stood before my cleansing items, closed my eyes and said "whatever and whoever needs to speak, or come forward, please do. Show me whatever you need to, I am opening my energy to you. However you must not follow me or harm anyone while we are in your presence. Thank you, I come to you with nothing but compassion and respect" (Do NOT do this unless you are a legit medium who knows what they are doing!)

I then ventured off to this building and as soon as I walked in front of the first building I saw a woman standing on the stairs (in the picture shown above). She appeared to be wearing a nurses uniform from the 40s or 50s, her hair was dark brown an pinned up. She had her back to me and was carrying some type of tray, walking slowly up the stairs, she seemed to be looking down. She has a sad feeling about her, almost guilt. 

It was at the building where I got one of the heaviest feelings Ive felt anywhere. I felt sadness and isolation. My chest had a heavy pressure on it and I felt frozen, wanting to leave the area yet feeling drawn to it at the same time. 

I felt stuck, and blank. Almost as if I was in a day dream or trance. I was quite drawn to the upper windows of this building, I felt a young female presence that was projecting these feelings onto me. The best comparable feeling would be being on a medication that made you shut down or feel like a zombie. I saw her in a gown, that looked to be grey, and she had medium brown hair big eyes. She seemed to be no more than 12 or 13. 

The next photos I will share with you is where I felt a male presence. It is also where I again felt the young girl and believe I may have caught something on camera through the window.

The male appeared large, no hair and to be around his mid to late 40s. He had a domineering, rough energy and seemed to peer down from a tower like structure that will appear in the photo below. He showed himself to me with his arms crossed, if I had to guess, I would say he was a guard of some sort. He appeared to be wearing scrubs and I believe he may have been from the 60s or 70s. 

I also found a feather while I was doing my investigation and in my belief system, feathers have deep meaning and find you when they are meant to. Perhaps this was a sign, as I had the distinct feeling the night before that whoever is still at The Seaside knew full well I was coming, as I began to get images and strange feelings in my room the night before all the way up until I left. 

This is the front of the building where I felt the male presence the strongest. 

Taken through the fence of the basement. This is from the first building you see as you approach the property. My sister reported feeling sad and like she needed to stay. She felt drawn to the inside, feeling a deep connection with that particular part of the property.

Male and female presence felt here. Heavy feeling, I saw many people in flashes around this area.

This is a side view of the building in which I saw a female face in the window. 





**ALWAYS be respectful when visiting any suspected haunted location. Not only to respect whoever or whatever may still be there, but respect the land and property.**

Haunted New England : Dudleyville / Dudley Town , Connecticut

Dudley Town in located in Connecticut and its considered to be one of the most highly active locations in the entire country. It was a settlement founded in 1738 and has since been abandoned due to high levels of suspicious activity, mysterious deaths, cases of spontaneous insanity and strange accidents. The people who inhabited this settlement started to be looked down upon and soon no one wanted to be associated with the village and group of people, so the settlement was left by its towns people, who thought the property/ area was under a curse. 

Some claim that there is little to no animals in this area and no birds to be heard singing. However, there has been documentation on bountiful bird life in the area in 2002 by a National Geographic writer. 
It is described as a desolate, disturbing and unsettling place to visit. It also has a local nickname... Village Of The Damned. 
Sightings include orbs, apparitions and uneasy feelings. However, this is most likely due to the various, entrancing local legends, who knows? Perhaps there is some truth to this strange ghost town!

How Would I investigate?

I would first do a clean walk of the area, I have personally not heard any specific local legends about this town so I would go into it as unbiased and as uninfluenced as possible. Keeping a skeptical yet open mind. Perhaps I would try to use a trigger object (this should only be done by people who know what they are doing!) to try and welcome some interaction. I would set up multiple types of recorders and cameras making sure to get as many angles as possible. Night vision lenses would also be helpful as to not flood the area with flashlights. 

Note: A trigger object would be any object from the time period or something that a spirit at the location would relate to and recognize. Thus triggering a connection with the spirit which will help in letting them communicate and trust you. 

I would also try to establish or find any possible connections to surrounding areas. Any chemical leaks, pollutants or electronic indescrepancies, etc. I would first rule out any logical or magnetic or scientific explanation. This is crucial to separate local legend/myth from fact. 

Dudley Town Today:

Today, the town is in shambles and only a small fraction of what it once was. You can find broken down pieces of homes and buildings that once stood there. It is currently privately owned and public access is not permitted without special permission from the land owners. The current owners are Dark Entry Forest Association and they are not likely to allow visitors of any kind. So if youre hoping to go, youd better come up with a really good reason and a bit of charm to be granted access. Whatever the true case may be with this vacant village, it surely does send chills down my spine. 

Debunking Tarot Cards + The Dangers Of Whos Behind The Deck

Tarot cards are among the oldest methods of "psychic reading" that there is. However, Tarot doesnt provide a Psychic reading at all. What it does do, is give you general, non specific, often vague messages. Anyone can pick up a deck of cards and claim to be a reader, and if they do not know what they are doing, it could prove to be troublesome for all parties involved. 

Below, I will start with some major red flags to look for in a Tarot Reader and in intuitive readers in general. It is important to remember that Tarot Readers are not necessarily intuitive, as said above, anyone can pick up a deck and claim to know what theyre talking about. And in fact, the majority of Tarot users Ive come across, had ZERO natural born ability, and a whole lot of delusions.

1. If a reader ever fishes for information from you, or asks you personal information other than your first name, this is a red flag.

2. Readers should never go to you and pressure you to give them business. Often times, they will use scare tactics and even call your home or send you mail urging you to call them immediately saying theyre the only ones that can help you.

3. If ANYONE claims you have been cursed, walk away from the reading, and do not proceed. This is a scheme to get you to pay a hefty price for healing and cleansing that you absolutely do not need. Often times, the person, should they really have an entity or negative energy in their home, will be able to cleanse the home themselves with simple tools and methods. 

4. As stated previously, hefty prices for their "services" are a major red flag. Real readers either dont charge, or they go by donations or SMALL fees for their time. Anything over $30 for a full, in depth reading is excessive. Readings normally dont take more than 1 hour, so do not let them try to scam out into paying them more and more money. People also shouldnt be charging per card.

5. If someone says you must not repeat any of the "reading" to friends, or if you shouldnt tell your friends about this person, this is yet another major NO NO. 

6. Computer generated Tarot Readings. Have you ever seen those widgets or files that flash a bunch of Tarot images and have you click on them to find out your "fortune"? Yeah, those are fake too! Never trust a digital deck.

Another important point to make is that often times, when I speak to so called Tarot readers, I notice they seem to think, or try to convince the person being read that these cards are magical and powerful, capable of transferring messages from gods and spirits themselves! This is simply not true, Tarot Cards are made out of ink and paper, they are made in a factory, mass produced, just like your every day pack of playing cards!

Yet another point, and I ALWAYS tell people this. If a reader uses a photo to read you, or is doing it in person. The initial reading is based off cold reading. Anyone who wont admit this is either a fake or misinformed. You can tell a lot about people by their demeanor, expression, clothing, etc. Once it goes beyond general statements, and you start picking up more details you wouldnt otherwise know, thats when you can consider that you may have some type of abilities. 

There are many types of Tarot Cards. Each deck normally has 78 cards. However, there are other forms of the Tarot that you should also be weary of. Oracle Cards and Angel Cards are among the most commonly used other than the traditional Tarot. Below, is a type of Oracle card. 

The Danger Of Whos Behind The Deck:

While the cards themselves have no power or true meaning, the person behind the deck is what is the most concerning part. If the reader has negative energy, malicious intent, or is misinformed about how to correctly use the Tarot (which is for entertainment purposes only), bad energy and bad advice can be given to the person being read. This is especially dangerous, because Ive noticed a trend in which people are relying 100% on the Tarot or other types of readings to make their major life decisions, even down to the everyday decisions they need to make in their lives. They start to surrender their free will and become delusional themselves. 

So, if you dont take anything else away from this little article, at least take a sense of weariness and be AWARE of scam tactics. And, remember, Tarot is nothing but a deck of playing cards with fancy images on it.