ParaQuest! Paranormal Conference
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Visit www.vaparaquest.com to pre-register!
About ParaQuest:
First held April 1-2, 2011 in Lynchburg, VA, ParaQuest was a first of its kind conference, a collaborative effort of Seven Hills and Bedford Paranormal Societies and intended as co-op of paranormal interest and talent in VA.
Speakers included authors L.B. Taylor Jr., Beth Brown, Alpheus Chewning and Pat Bussard. Other presenters included Debbie Carvelli on out-of-body experience, Benton Bogle of the Rhine Research Center on Remote Viewing, Carol De La Herran of the Monroe Institute on Healing with Frequency, Billy Willard of the VA Sasquatch Watch, Trevor Carter on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, Dr. Shari Stacy and Clayton Trout of Dark Objects Radio on the UFO/Paranormal connection, Pat & Stephanie Bussard on burial customs of the Victorian Age, Sue Swiatek, the VA state director of MUFON, Mike St. Clair of VIPER paranormal on hoaxes and fakes, Rick Youells and David Parrish on a tech-talk panel, Tara Bryant on Cellular Memory in the Transplant Scenario and Alan May on A History of Spirit Communication.
ParaQuest hosted a Friday night reception with musician Jason Ring and magician David Condoures of Smith Mountain Light and Magic. There was a variety of vendors, a blood drive and after-hours Ghost Tours hosted by Seven Hills Paranormal Society.
Check out some of the ParaQuest reviews from speakers and attendees:
“Virginia ParaQuest – Voted ‘Best Drama-Free Paranormal Conference’ by Attendees”
by Beth Brown; The Paranormal Paradigm
True Tales of Ghostly Encounters
by Pat Bussard; The Loafer Magazine; April 5th Edition, page 9
ParaQuest 2011 Review
by Elena; MsElenaeous Rants and Raves blog
Visit Central Virginia ParaQuest’s wesbite for more details!!
Tags: amherst, apparition, Battle of Lynchburg, battlefield, bedford, Bedford County, bedford paranormal, campbell county, cellular memory, civil war, civil war ghost, confederate hospital, conference, danville, EVP, fraud, ghost, ghost hunter, ghost story, ghost tour, ghost walk, ghosthunter, ghosts, halloween, haunted, hoax, investigation, lynchburg, lynchburg ghosts, lynchburg paranormal, MUFON, natural bridge, near death experience, Nelson County, paranormal, remote viewing, roanoke, seven hills paranormal, St. Albans, UFO, Virginia, Virginia Beach, virginia ghosts, virginia haunting
SHPS on WSLS TV 10 Halloween Special
Posted by admin | Filed under SHPS News!
Check out SHPS segment on WSLS Our Blue Ridge segment- Halloween special!!
CLICK HERE
Tags: apparition, Battle of Lynchburg, bedford, civil war, civil war ghost, confederate hospital, EVP, ghost, ghost hunter, ghost tour, ghost walk, ghosthunter, ghosts, halloween, haunted, investigation, lynchburg, lynchburg ghosts, lynchburg paranormal, paranormal, roanoke, seven hills paranormal, Virginia, virginia haunting, WSLS
Avenel’s Uneasy Spirits
Posted by admin | Filed under SHPS News!
Uneasy spirits
By Casey Gillis on Oct. 13, 2010
BEDFORD — Peggy Graybill’s first ghostly encounter at the Avenel was more than 30 years ago.
She’d always been fascinated with ghosts. After hearing that the historic Bedford home was haunted, she started staking it out on weekends with a friend.
They’d sit in her car, watching the house, which was abandoned at the time but has since been restored by the nonprofit Avenel Foundation.
After four or five weekends in a row with absolutely no sightings, they were antsy. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: apparition, Avenel, bedford, civil war, civil war ghost, confederate hospital, EVP, ghost hunter, ghost story, ghost tour, ghost walk, ghosthunter, ghosts, halloween, haunted, investigation, lynchburg, lynchburg ghosts, lynchburg paranormal, paranormal, roanoke, seven hills paranormal, Virginia, virginia ghosts, virginia haunting
Types of Hauntings
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What is a haunting?
A haunting is a physical or psychically perceived manifestation of unexplained phenomenon attributed to an apparition or multi-dimensional entity. Hauntings may present as visual, auditory, olfactory, or tactile phenomena.
Hauntings may be attributed to a collection of psychic energy created by traumatic events including battles, murder, and extreme emotional distress. Events may occur and recur on specific and consistent occasions, or in conjunction with events possibly connected to environmental or biological factors.
It is theorized that the human brain’s conscious thought process creates its own electro-magnetic field which can influence and be influenced by external electro-magnetic fields, thereby either CREATING an induced hallucination, or ALLOWING our brains to experience fully an event which we may otherwise not consciously be aware of due to filtering.
Types of Hauntings
Residual
The most common type of haunting, residual hauntings are believed to be the playback of an event via discharges of psychically stored energy. It is presumed that these events may recur at specific times, dates, or under environmental conditions associated with the original event – which may have been a murder, torture, or other emotionally charged event (possibly not even related to an actual death). These haunting are characterized by random vocal communication which may not relate to questions asked, and by visual experiences in which the entity does not appear to be aware of our presence.
Intelligent (Interactive)
These hauntings are believed to be the work of what we normally consider “ghosts” or the spirits of deceased persons. Typically, these events are characterized by the appearance of apparitions, auditory experiences including EVP or disembodied vocal communication or any other physical interaction. In an intelligent haunt, the entity seems to be aware of our presence, and often seems to attempt communication. We cannot presume however, that these entities are in need of our “help” (unless they expressly ask for it), as we cannot wholly understand the circumstances by which they appear to be attached to a place, person, or object.
Self-Haunting
A fairly new theory generally associated with mental health issues, the self-haunting is attributed to either mental illness whereby the witness is experiencing biological or chemically induced hallucinations, or as a legitimate paranormal phenomenon possibly caused by unconscious psychic projection. These hauntings are characterized by paranormal experiences “following” an individual from place to place, in their car, to friends and relatives houses, etc. when entity site-attachment must be dismissed. Poltergeist activity may sometimes be associated with self-haunting.
Shadow People
Theorized as non-human, possibly multi-dimensional entities that are generally conceived as merely observers. They rarely are reported to interact with humans, though witnesses consistently report feelings of fear in their presence.
Poltergeist
German for “noisy spirit”. Poltergeist activity is often associated with chaotic psychic energy in pre-adolescent and adolescent girls – sometimes boys. It is theorized that either these children are unconsciously creating the phenomena or that entities characterized as “non-human” and “mischievous” are attracted to the intense emotional energy projected during these tumultuous years. Poltergeists are often the cause of the most distress among witnesses, as they tend to demand attention, throw temper tantrums and cause general havoc including breaking or hiding objects, rattling pans, turning on/off electrical appliances, etc.
Portal Hauntings
Sometimes associated with Shadow People, these hauntings are believed to be entry/exit points and activity of multi-dimensional entities.
Demonic
Physical haunting of a person by a malicious non-human entity. These hauntings are typically climactic in nature, beginning with subtle interaction and progressing into sometimes intensely violent episodes, including possession. The onset of demonic hauntings have been linked to cursed or possessed objects, working with Ouija boards, and unconsciously (or consciously) invited attachment by the victim.
Tags: apparition, civil war ghost, EVP, ghost, ghost hunter, ghost tour, ghosthunter, ghosts, haunted, investigation, lynchburg, lynchburg ghosts, lynchburg paranormal, paranormal
Types of Apparitions
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Types of Apparitions
Apparitions of the dead (Post-Mortem Apparition): These apparitions are the manifestations of the recently deceased. Usually, their purpose is to complete unfinished business, convey information, comfort loved ones or, in some cases, announce themselves as a spirit guide. They are generally the most reported type of ghost phenomenon and most popular classification in many ghost stories. They have been reported to be conscious of those present upon their manifestation and are, at times, able to communicate to the living as well as manipulate objects.
Collective Apparition: The same figure is seen simultaneously by two or more observers. It is hypothesized that if one person experiences an apparition, the chances are increased that a second individual in the same party will experience the apparition as well. This may be due in part to expectation or fore-knowledge of the alleged haunting.
Crisis Apparition: Vision of a person familiar to the viewer coincides with the death or endangerment of the person seen. Sometimes linked to spontaneous telepathy or psychic projection. Typically, the “living ghosts” appear only once to a special loved one who may be many miles away at the time of the incident. This phenomenon can also manifest in the person hearing a voice of a friend or loved one with some message or warning while the person is alive and well, totally unaware that this has occurred. Most of these crisis apparitions occur at a moment of great crisis or death when a person is in some form of danger or pain. The person in crisis may not be aware that they are doing this. It is explained and often agreed that these apparitions are the externalization of an unconsciously received telepathic impressions. Apparitions that are seen hours after death are put in to the category of “delayed” crisis apparitions.
Deathbed apparitions: These are apparitions that are seen by those who are about to die. Many have claimed to see religious figures, divine beings, visual images or dead loved ones coming to guide them to whatever existence awaits them. These apparitions have also been reported in near-death experiences as well.
Doppleganger: A doppelganger, also spelled doppelgaenger, may be the ghost or psychical projection of a living person. The word doppelganger comes from the German Doppelgaenger, literally meaning “double-goer. This type of apparition is usually associated as a portent of harm to come to the living twin. Scientists at the University Hospital in Geneva, Switzerland discovered that electrical stimulation of the brain, used to treat epilepsy, can produce the sensation of a doppelganger’s presence in the patient.
Reciprocal apparitions: These apparitions are manifestations of both the agent and the witness appearing to the other simultaneously. These cases are rare but have similar aspects of crisis apparitions. One theory in regards to reciprocal apparitions is that there is a strong desire in the agent and percipient to see one another unconsciously causing an out-of-body experience.
Religious Apparition (also Marian Apparition): Images of religious figures such as the Virgin Mary or Christ in any number of mediums- as a ghost-like figure, solid figure, and also in physical objects including clouds, stones, water, and even toast. Many of these apparitions are collective apparitions seen by many witnesses at once.
Veridical apparitions: These are apparitions that can be corroborated by historical facts. In many cases these apparitions are unaware or are oblivious to any witnesses and appear to be replaying a specific moment in time as if it were a video recording of the event or incident. Typical of a Residual type of haunting.
Tags: apparition, civil war ghost, EVP, ghost, ghost hunter, ghost tour, ghosthunter, ghosts, haunted, investigation, lynchburg, lynchburg ghosts, lynchburg paranormal, paranormal
Glossary of Paranormal Terms
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Agent – A living person who is the focus of poltergeist activity.
Amulet – An object that is thought to bring good luck or have the power to protect from ghosts or spirits and ward off evil.
Apparition – a spectral image of a person that materializes even though a physical body is not present.
Apport – A physical object that can materialize and appear at will in the presence of a medium.
Asport – A physical object that a spirit teleports to another location or makes disappear.
Astral Body – The body that a person occupies during an out-of-body experience.
Astral Plane – A world that is believed to exist above our physical world.
Astral Projection – The intentional act of having the spirit leave the body, whereas an out-of-body experience will happen involuntarily. (See out of body experience).
Astrology – The theory and practice of the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs.
Aura – An invisible emanation of light that seems to surround a person or thing which is often thought to reflect a person’s personality.
Automatism – An unconscious or involuntary muscular movement caused by spirits. (See automatic writing)
Autoscopy – The visual hallucination or image of one’s body looking back at themselves from a position outside the body. (See out of body experience).
Ball Lightning – A rare form of lightning in the shape of a glowing red ball that can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. Typically associated with Thunderstorms, these spheres are thought to consist of ionized gas.
Banshee – A wailing spirit or “death omen” that will appear to be in two different places at the same time.
Case Study – An in-depth investigation of an individual subject.
Collective Apparition – A rare type of sighting in which more than one person sees the same apparition or phenomena.
Crisis Apparition – An apparition that is seen when a person is seriously ill, seriously injured or at the point of death.
Dematerialization – This word is used to describe a spirit or specter meaning to deprive of or lose apparent physical substance or in simpler terms, without flesh.
Déjà vu - An impression or dull familiarity of having seen or experienced something before.
Demon – An inferior deity often spoken of in religious text as pure evil.
Direct Voice Phenomenon (DVP) – An auditory “spirit” voice that is spoken directly to the sitters at a séance.
Doppelganger – An exact spirit double or mirror image of a person which is considered to be very negative.
Earthbound – A term referring to a ghost or spirit that was unable to cross over to the other side at the time of death and is therefore stuck on earth.
Ectoplasm – An immaterial or ethereal substance associated with spirit manifestations.
Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP) – Voices and sounds from beyond that are captured and recorded on magnetic tape.
Elementals – Spiritualists commonly refer to this term to describe mean or angry spirits sometimes also called “Earth Spirits”.
EMF Detector – (See Magnetometer)
Exorcism – The banishment of an entity or entities i.e. spirits, ghosts and demons that is thought to possess or haunt a location or human being or animal. The ritual, which can be religious in nature, is conducted by an exorcist who will call upon a Higher Power to cast away any evil forces that may reside there.
False Awakening – The event in which a person believes they are awake but are actually dreaming.
Ghost – A generic term referring to a form of apparition or supernatural entity which is typically the visual appearance of a deceased human’s spirit soul.
Ghost Hunting – A carefully controlled research project in which various methods and equipment are used to investigate reports of ghosts and hauntings.
Ghoul – Demonic or parasitic entity that feeds upon human remains.
Hallucination – The perception of sights and sounds that are not actually present.
Haunting – Reoccurring ghostly phenomena that returns to a location where no one is physically present. Ghosts generally haunt places and not people.
Hellhound / Black Shuck – A spectral death omen in the form of a ghostly dog.
Ignis fatuus – A phosphorescent or spectral light that that is alleged to be an indication of death. This phenomenon is thought to be caused by spontaneous combustion of gases emitted by rotting organic matter.
Illusion – A delusional perception between what is perceived and what is reality.
Intuition – Non-paranormal knowledge that is gained through a perceptive insight.
Levitation – To lift or raise a physical object in apparent defiance of gravity.
Life Review – A flashback of a person’s life that is typically associated with near-death experiences.
Lucid Dreaming – A dream state in which one is conscious enough to recognize that one is in the dream state and is then able to control dream events.
Magnetometer (EMF, gaussmeter) – An instrument for measuring the magnitude and direction of a magnetic field typically used by paranormal researchers to detect a ghost’s magnetic energy.
Marian Apparitions – The event in which the Virgin Mary is seen.
Materialization – The act of forming something solid from the air. One of the most difficult and impressive materializations is when part or all of a ghost or spirit can be seen, especially if the face is recognizable.
Medium – Someone who professes to be able communicate with spirits on behalf of another living being, acting as a midway point halfway between the worlds of the living and the dead.
Mist – A Photographed anomaly that appears as a blanket of light. There is no substantial proof that these are related to paranormal phenomenon.
Motor Automatism – Bodily movement or functions that are accompanied but not controlled by consciousness (See automatic writing).
Near Death Experience (NDE) – An experience that is reported by people who clinically die, or come close to actual death and are revived. These events often include encounters with spirit guides, seeing dead relatives or friends, life review, out-of-body Experiences (OBE), or a moment of decision where they are able to decide or are told to turn back.
Old Hag Syndrome – A nocturnal phenomena that involves a feeling of immobilization, suffocation, odd smells and feelings and is sometimes accompanied my immense fear (See Sleep Paralysis).
Orb – A photographed anomaly that theoretically represents the “spirit” of a deceased person. It will appear as a ball of light on film though is some cases; they are not seen at the time of the photo. Since there are many reasonable circumstances (dust, snow, rain, insects, reflection, lens flare, etc.) orbs still remain a highly controversial subject.
Ouija Board – A pre-printed board with letters, numerals, and words used to receive spirit communications. Typically a planchette is employed to spell out words and point out numbers or letters.
Out-of-body experience (OBE) – A sensation or experience in which ones self or spirit travels to a different location than their physical body (See Astral Projection).
Paranormal – Referring to something that is beyond the range of normal human experience or scientific explanation.
Parapsychology – The study of the evidence for psychological phenomena that are inexplicable by science.
Percipient – A person who sees (i.e., perceives) an apparition.
Phantom - Something that is seen, heard, or sensed, but has no physical reality (See Ghost).
Poltergeist - a non-human spirit entity which literally means “noisy ghost” but is usually more malicious and destructive than ghosts of dead human beings. Traditional poltergeists activities are thumping and banging, levitating or the moving of objects, stone throwing and starting fires. It is thought that poltergeist activity in some instances may be brought on subconsciously by an adolescent agent or females under the age of 25.
Radio Voice Phenomenon (RVP) – Receiving the voice of a deceased human being through a regular radio.
Reciprocal Apparition – An extremely rare type of spirit phenomenon in which both the agent and percipient are able to see and respond to each other.
Specter – A ghostly apparition; a phantom (See Ghost).
Spiritualism – The belief system that the dead are able to communicate with the living, through an intermediary or medium.
Stigmata – Unexplained bodily marks, sores, or sensations of pain corresponding in location to the crucifixion wounds of Christ.
Subjective Apparitions – Hallucinations of apparitions or other phenomena that are created by our own minds.
Supernatural – Of or relating to existence outside the natural world. As opposed to paranormal, the term “supernatural” often connotes divine or demonic intervention.
Vortex – An anomaly that appears as a funnel or rope-like image in photographs. These images are sometimes thought to represent ghosts, collections of orbs or gateways which travel to a wormhole in time-space. There has been no substantial scientific evidence to support any of these theories.
White Noise – An Acoustical or electrical noise of which the intensity is the same at all frequencies within a given band.
Tags: apparition, civil war ghost, EVP, ghost, ghost hunter, ghost tour, ghosthunter, ghosts, halloween, haunted, investigation, lynchburg, lynchburg ghosts, lynchburg paranormal, paranormal
