May 2008

Annette: Steve, I have been looking forward to this for quite some time now. Thanks for making some time for me. I appreciate it. I think I have some good questions for you   I’d like to start off by asking about the history of the Ghost Box, the different kinds of boxes, and what types you use.

Steve: The Spiritcom came out in the late 70′s to early 80′s. A bunch of scientists working on that were able to communicate with the other side using audible tones coming through some type of device that they were using and had developed. It lasted for a few years, but everyone started fighting and it never amounted to anything.

Then Frank Sumption got a hold of a Popular Science magazine from I believe it was 1995, and it was basically an article saying “How do we speak to the dead?” and “Could we speak to the dead?,” based off an idea that Edison came up with originally back in the 20′s. I can’t verify any of that as I wasn’t around in the 20′s, (laughs) this is just the story that I hear. Frank started building his boxes back in 2002, and gave them to Chris Moon, and he started using them out in the field. I didn’t get involved in this until 2007. It was only last year. My sister knew I was big into EVP’s so she e-mailed me an article about Frank’s Box. I saw that Chris Moon was using it and immediately signed up for one of his ghost hunter universities because I wanted  to see the box in action.

In the meantime I started to go nuts looking for an idea of my own, since Frank’s boxes were not available, only Frank made them, and he gave them out, and there was only very few. So I ran rampant on the internet trying to find an engineer to build one for me. I ran across Joe Cioppi, who lives in Pennsylvania, he’s a nice guy and a retired engineer, and he said he was working on an FM version of a Frank’s Box in his own design. He said if I was interested in that, I could buy the parts and he would build it. So we started there.

He built the first device. I got it and I was not overly thrilled, it seemed to sweep very slowly. The whole idea and premise behind the box is that you have a nice fast sweep rate going through the stations grabbing only small bits and pieces of the fragments that they (spirits) utilize to form words and sentences, whatever the case may be. So it was a little slow, we went back and did this a few times until we finally got it right. I went over and sat on his couch and we went over ideas, what I wanted to hear and how we could go about building it. We finally designed a product that I started getting results with. So being that Frank Sumption called his design the Frank’s Box, I decided to call what we made the Joe’s Box.

We collaborated on different ideas over the course of the past year, and I’ll have 4 Joe’s boxes as of next week, and they’re all unique, they’re all different. What happened was I started using the Joe’s Box, and I found Frank’s message board and started posting my files the way I knew how. I didn’t have any direction at all, I just started doing my own thing. (laughs) Frank saw what I was doing. I wasn’t using a Frank’s box, but I was still getting communication. He had just got two boxes from Chris Moon that were not working. He fixed them and then he offered me one of those boxes which was #13.

I never asked him for the Frank’s Box, he had offered it to me. So I got it and used it for awhile, I never really got a whole lot out of it to be honest with you. Then I ended up sending it back because it just didn’t work. So he built me a new one which was #27. I do get good stuff from that one.

I use so many different methods. When the Radio Shack Hack came out, somebody got the idea and posted it on the internet that you could pull a pin off a radio and the thing constantly sweeps and is like an instant Frank’s Box for about $25.00. So what I did with that is the person said they had this idea but didn’t say how to do it. So I was at home, it was raining, I didn’t have anything to do so I  e-mailed this person and said that if he knew how to do it, but wasn’t ready to post it yet, could he please tell me because there is a Radio Shack across the street and I’m ready to get jumping and get involved with it. So he e-mailed me back about what model it was and such. I went right across the street, grabbed it and within a half an hour, I already posted a couple of files from it.

He is actually Bill Chappell, who has now developed the Paranormal Puck and the Ovlilus. He was under an assumed name. After he came out with the Radio Shack Hack, I used  it and got some great stuff with it. I’m always up for something new. I sent my files to him and he e-mailed me back and said he had this website called ghostboxhacks.com., and he says can I use your files on the site? I said, “yes, sure, why not?” So he did that and everything went rampant.

The 470 is another model that was able to be hacked right after that which is the same as the 12-469, which incorporated a speaker, and is the only basic difference, plus it didn’t have the annoying click. So that was the one that really took off with a lot of people because it was small and portable with a speaker built into it and you could  take 5 minutes to modify it and be up and running.

Since then I found two of my own Radio Shack models that were able to be modified. On a whim, I was walking around in Radio Shack and grabbed a 20-125, which is another radio that incorporates a speaker and also has a shortwave, and is the first one that brought the shortwave into the research. I figured I had to modify that and put that up on my website allowing everybody to go out and buy that and use it if they wanted to.

Soon after I found another one which is the 12-820 model. It’s an armband radio, it costs $29.99, and I did that one at the pizza parlor at work. There’s a Radio Shack next to the pizza parlor, and while I was waiting for my food, I took it apart and  I actually modified it right then and there on the table (laughs.)  So I got that one out into the public too.

There’s also other methods. I have a Sony Walkman radio (model #SRF-M37V) that needs no hacking at all. All you do is hold the scan button down and it automatically sweeps, never stops, that one you can buy anywhere it’s $30.00. So I try to get these ideas out to the other people who are trying  to get this research going.

Since then there’s been so many other modifications to the boxes. Frank is on box #38 now, I believe, I have #27 so he has made 11 more boxes since he gave mine to me. As far as the boxes are concerned LC Duplatt developed a Joe’s Box type that sweeps the FM band, but he modified his to scan and sweep a little differently than the rest. He gets really good stuff with that. I’m always complimenting him on his files. I think they are excellent.  I think he is going to start producing them.

Stefan Bion, from Denmark, developed an EVP Maker, if you actually go back a little ways. EVP maker, according to Frank Sumption is what he was using, and spirits were taking that program and telling him how to build a Frank’s Box before it was called a Frank’s Box. Now basically what EVP Maker does is you take a piece of audio put it in there, and it mixes it up, jumbles it, and spits it out. Kind of randomly grabbing words from whatever file you put in.  He used that and that’s how he came up with the design for the Frank’s Box, which is the story that I have been told. I used it several times and never got anything from the EVP Maker.

A couple of months ago Stefan came out with this Allophone File which is based off of 72 audible tones, no words at all, just the audible tones. It’s very robotic sounding. You use the EVP Maker software, and you put it in there and it mixes up the 72 tones. I gave that a shot and all of a sudden I was getting full sentence answers that I have never gotten with any box. This was the first time I got full sentences from anything I have done research with. So I was pretty intrigued with that.  What I did was, I decided to take his file and use a program called Sound Soap, which is a software program used to edit and take the noise out of files and stuff like that. It has a bar on the bottom you could actually manually sweep it yourself. So I put the 72 allophone tones as my program and I started just manually  sweeping it myself and I started getting  answers to my questions.

What I feel is that they (spirits) use what we use. It doesn’t really matter. I think it is more based on the person who is doing the research. I seem to be able to, whatever I turn on, get something. So I’m using the Sound Soap and the EVP Maker and all of a sudden the Speakjet comes into the picture.

Rob Fitzgerald from deadscience.com put together a Speakjet Box, which is basically the 72 allophone tones in a chip format and it sounds like a Speak and Spell. He put it into a box and he based it out of energy fields so when it detects an energy field it randomly jumbles the 72 tones and spits stuff out. Now I could understand if it says “hello,” that I get, but if it says “hello Steve how are you?” the chances of it actually jumbling audio together to say things like that is significant enough that it’s not a coincidence to me.

Then the Paranormal Puck came out, which is Bill Chappell as I said before. That’s about energy fields, he’s all about environmental readings. Energy fields, voltage, he’s really into the data and that kind of stuff. I was one of the beta testers for original Paranormal Puck that started in February and I used it until recently then he sent me a brand new one; a finished product of it. I use that.

It has a thing called phenomes, and what that is, is bits and pieces of human speech. It’s not words and it’s not tones, it’s actually human vocal speech patterns. Now if you run that into his program, you can change the speed of it, and it randomly jumbles it up and spits out human speech giving a nice clear communication. A lot of things can be caught in a real time format. Some things you can’t which is why I record everything and go over it later, put the headphones on and I have some incredible files from that.

And that brings us up to date on all the boxes that are out there, except for one more which is the Mini-Box. That one came out in December. I got that one in December and the first time I used that I went to my mother’s for dinner. I was using it and there was a grounded spirit that was at my mother’s house and he kept saying “Why can’t you see me I am staring right at you, why can’t you see me?” It was really creepy (laughs.)

The way the Mini-Box was working that night was that I heard the radio and this voice was coming on top of the radio, using the audio from the radio, to make his presence known, and he was not happy. We fought with him for awhile and then finally convinced him to move on and he said okay. Then all of a sudden all I heard was radio and he was gone. My mom hasn’t had any problems with her house since. She had people singing in the middle of the night coming from her closet and people walking around in her room; all kinds of stuff before, and after that night she hasn’t had those problems since. So does the Ghost Box work? I think it does. Can people say it’s radio? Of course. Most people will. I don’t believe that. I have gotten stuff beyond what I believe to be radio. I just think this stuff works.

Annette: That was a very good detailed answer. I would like to talk about the Box itself for a few minutes. I’d like to ask you about the uses for it as well as  the limitations in your opinion.

Steve: Boxes are very useful. I’ve taken them out on location and I’ve gotten some really interesting stuff. LC Duplatt has also touched on this recently also. Bringing it to a supposed haunted location seems to fire it up and makes it a lot more active. I found that in a lot of situations.

There was a girl that lived up the road from me that needed help. I went over there and used the Joe’s Box that I was currently using at the time, and  got a lot of answers to questions; things I did not know, and I went to school with her, but that’s pretty much it. Up until recently, I didn’t know anything about her history. Her boyfriend was living with her. I kept getting this name Ed coming through, and he was really nasty, cursing, and doing a lot of stuff that was just not nice. Come to find out  the boyfriend’s father’s name was Ed, and he had a falling out with his father, and ended up putting his father in jail. His father died in jail. I didn’t know any of these things when I went in there. All I did was just repeat what I was hearing and they were blown away that I was getting answers, and this is like the first month I was using this box, so I was pretty intrigued that I was getting anything like this also.

Up until that point, I was sitting at home doing research and I was getting minimal stuff. When I went over there where they actually had activity,  I was getting stuff that was pretty close to their situation. So I found that to be pretty good. Now as to the limitations of the box, radio method boxes are limited to the location you are in. You’re not always going to be able to get a good signal. Say for example, if you are in a basement. So if you’re in the basement where the activity is and you turn the box on and you don’t have a radio signal, then you don’t have anything (laughs.) It’s definitely a downfall. That’s my big problem and why I am moving forward into the Speakjet boxes and to more of the Allophone tones.

I mix and match. I do a little bit of everything just to keep it fresh in my mind. I want to stay current with all of it. I don’t want to stick with one option. I think I will bounce around until I find the one that best works for me and then maybe stick with that.

Annette: It seems that there are some other limitations in regards to what kind of information they will pass on. They don’t like to predict the future, they don’t like to try to give too much detailed information as to what it’s like on the other side, have you run across any of those things?

Steve: I actually have gotten a lot of files that pertain to the other side. They’re pretty willing to talk about that. As for predicting the future, if anyone wants the lottery numbers they’re probably not going to get them (laughs.)  I think from what I have learned doing this, is that they have limited predicting ability. I have that file that you heard that said I have company and right then the phone rang. So they know things that are current and going to happen in the immediate future. As for the distant future, I’m not really too sure that they know any of that. I actually had a prediction tonight through the Joe’s Box and it was very specific as to what I am doing tomorrow night. So I am interested in seeing how that pans out because it didn’t seem to be a good message (laughs.) I don’t know if anything they say is actually going to happen and is true.

Annette: Bruce Halliday had posted some files that may be about the recent earthquake that happened in China, and I thought that was really interesting.

Steve: Yeah a few months ago we were getting a lot of earthquake messages. All of us.  It got to the point of yeah earthquake message and I just started deleting them. For like two weeks straight I got nothing but earthquake warnings and I didn’t think anything of it. I never got China, and then Frank was sending me seismograph maps showing me that there are always earthquakes going on and not to take it seriously. So I didn’t.

Annette: There is another researcher, and I’m not going to mention his name, because I’m not sure he would want me to, who had a particular spirit that he was talking with. He started asking questions about when that person was alive and trying to research him. His communication got cut off. He heard other voices in the background saying “don’t” and “stop” and things like that and he actually lost contact with that spirit and never heard from him again. Have you ever tried to use the box to research anyone in particular? You know try to find out someone’s personal details; where they lived, when they died etc?

Steve: I have tried to do that in the past but never got anything. They don’t like to answer those sorts of questions. I shy away from doing it now because I know they don’t like it. I’ve had problems and been cut off at different points in my communication also.

Annette: That person lives in a haunted house and was trying to investigate the spirits that remain there.

Steve: Which is a great idea but can we say on the other hand that we are talking to spirits for sure? Can we say that they are who they say they are? If I were them, and wanted to have a good time, I could say I am so and so and let you run to the library looking up all sorts of records (laugh.) I don’t know where they are. Are they on a parallel universe to us? It’s possible. Are there different levels? I’m sure there are. I’ve gotten that several times where  they say they are on different levels. The longer you are gone the more you move up on the levels. Sometimes I ask for someone, and it takes a long time like they have to go searching… I can’t say if it’s spirits or ghosts that we’re talking to, or if it is always earthbound spirits that we are talking to. Is it aliens (laugh) I honestly don’t know.  All I know is I ask questions and I get answers.

Annette: It’s a fascinating thing. I think I have been privileged in a lot of ways to be able to listen to so many files. I am amazed all the time at the questions and the answers that are coming through; people actually getting in touch with their loved ones, and people doing spirit rescue. It’s kind of mind boggling, it really is.

Steve: I’m actually going over a session I did today. I went to Monmouth Battlefield Park, here in New Jersey. It’s where they fought one of the big battles of the Revolutionary War. George Washington was there. So I went over there today and sat in the middle of the battlefield and I did a session. This is the second time I have done this at this location. Both times that I went there I got British speaking people coming through the Box. Which is bizarre, because there are no British speaking people on any of the radio stations around here that I know of. Now considering that this was a war between America and Britain, getting British speaking voices is really interesting.

Now today I went over the file and I believe I crossed over five spirits today while I was there. They were speaking to me and were willing. I asked them if they could see the light and told them to go to the light. This isn’t the first time. I actually enjoy doing this. I feel like I am serving a purpose at that point. What I did was simply convince them. If you see the light, your family friends and loved ones are all over there, and they want you over there. Trust me. And then I hear people in the background saying “yeah Steve said it is okay” I think I have built up enough clientèle over there  that they seem to know who I am now (laughs.) So when I said it, they were like hesitant, and then I kept saying “it’s okay go” and I keep hearing some Spanish radio station and then they were gone. Did I help cross them over? I might have. They said there were five of them. I didn’t hear anything after that so if there was five, I may have crossed all five over. I had that happen quite a few times.

Annette: I’d like to ask about your research in particular, what your hopes are for the future, as opposed to other researchers out there. What are you looking for? What are you hoping for?

Steve: Basically I do what I do every day, I think the skill  is in the editing process; going over the file and being able to capture it with your ear. You develop an ear for it over time. Being able to isolate it and get it out into the public is a great thing. I’ve never done this for a cent. I’ve given boxes away. I’ve offered tons and tons of time. I’ve gone over files for people and worked on stuff for them. What I like to do, what I feel is my portion, is teaching and helping others. That’s what I really like to do. That’s what my research is about. What I hope will come out in the future is to eventually get a device where we could actually sit there and no matter who you are you could sit with me and hear what is being said. I think we’re a ways off from that, but it’s coming.

I started this back in early 2007, and it’s light years away from when I started. When I started, it was just Frank Sumption, Chris Moon and me. Those were the only people doing Box research at that time, and I was the only one using the Joe’s Box because I co-created Joe’s Box. Joe was an engineer. He knew how to build devices but he didn’t know what this research was about. He built it, we learned together, so it truly was a collaboration between us. We have a good working relationship that way. When I go to visit, his wife brings out coffee and cookies and I stay and talk for like three or four hours (laughs.) We have so much stuff to talk about. I always have ideas. He’s constantly trying to put things into motion. He’s now talking about working with the Speakjet chip and trying to do something with that. You never know what will happen next. It seems to change all the time.

Annette: Yes it certainly does. It’s out there and people are thinking about it. There’s this idea and that idea and it’s kind of like a think tank situation in a way. You have a bunch of very sharp minds all focused on the same sort of a goal.

Steve: Well the thing is people see your ideas and see what you’re doing, and sometimes it sets something off in somebody. You know, basically, what I did when the Radio Shack Hack first came out, I saw the idea of what was going on and I just kind of ran away with the idea. I saw what he did with that design and I thought any radio with a similar pattern, set up and circuit board inside it, could be done the same way. It could also be done in different ways and people are just kind of all over the place doing stuff now.

There’s not a whole lot in the development. It seems like everybody just currently is using what everyone else is using. Me, personally, I am trying to do new things all the time to keep it new. I kind of throw it out there and try to keep myself slightly ahead of the pack. People see me using things and want to give it a try. I have gone pretty far with this. I am trying to keep myself a little bit distanced so people look to me and say, well he gets good stuff, he’s gotten a lot of answers and I am willing to give it a shot because he did it. It’s kind of like follow the leader, not that I am a leader, because we are all working together on this,  but I think that we should all keep moving forward.

Annette: Well, I think you are a leader, and I think that your curiosity, imagination, and enthusiasm  has effected a lot of people Steve.

Steve: I get a lot of e-mails. It’s almost impossible to help everybody. I do reply, but when it gets more and more in depth I send them to my Yahoo Group where I can, or somebody else can answer it. That’s kind of the whole point of having a group and we have everybody working together on it.

Annette: Steve thank you so much. It was all very informative and interesting. I’m glad we finally got together to do this. I appreciate your time. I’m going to close with some tips from Steve on editing.

Steve Hultay on Editing
This is a style that I do. Basic scenario for me is if I get a 5 second piece of audio that, for example, says “Steve, I (er-ee-oo) love (ir ikk) you”. Granted, you can share that to the group and it would sound like a mess. I simply highlight the nothing worded area and I amplify it, slow it down, and also reverse it. At that point, if I get nothing by those 3 methods, in that highlighted area, it gets deleted and I’ll move on to the next section.

I go over all my files in the exact order that I get it originally, but I try to keep the crap in the middle to a minimum, so others can hear the message clearly. I can’t personally listen to a 35 second audio clip that say’s “Hi”. “Hi” takes up a half a second and the rest is just random audio nonsense, so why not just highlight the “Hi” and make it a 2 or 3 second file? And to add more to the editing process, sometimes a word during that sentence doesn’t fit and sounds like gibberish. At that point, I do the 3 methods and in doing that I reverse it and it actually is a word that fits in the same sentence. Now, I didn’t do anything but reverse a piece of nothing fragment that became something usable, which is still in the same exact section of the original audio file. Editing for me is very hard and takes a long time, but we have to grab every section that could possibly be something and utilize it.

Remember that whoever we are speaking with is mostly likely not a professional at communicating either. We can’t expect that whatever device we turn on, that it’s going to be full word clear sentences, it’s not possible. If we do not edit to get the full message clearly, they will eventually just give up on us because we are expecting them to do all the work and for us to do minimal at best.

Common sense has to come into play, if a section doesn’t belong, and is obvious it’s a fragment or piece of white noise just get rid of it. As long as you keep the file moving in the same  direction without cutting and pasting words to fit your situation, it only makes sense to make sense…?…Right?

Steve’s website
Keyport Paranormal

Watch Steve on an episode of Mystery Hunters

Stuart’s Malevolent Orbs?

by Annette Munnich August 2008
A few months ago I was sent an amazing photo from my friend Rob Smith (EVP/ITC Australia) and that led me to trying to find some advice for Stuart. Stuart from Queensland Australia, feels he is attacked by orbs. He believes they are mean-spirited and out to hurt him. Now the pictures as you can see here are pretty extreme.I will tell you upfront that I have been kind of warned off this project because no paranormal investigator worth his or her salt nowadays pays much attention to orb photographs. In fact it’s true that many of the experts I tried to consult with did not respond.

The e-mails from Stuart to me pulled me in his corner. He told me that no one believed him or would help him. He has had many paranormal experiences in his lifetime. Stuart died and was resuscitated many times. He is able to see auras and have out of body experiences. My own experience in the paranormal has shown that people who have had near death experiences sometimes come back with “gifts” Stuart seems very sincere in his distress.

Orbs and the Paranormal Community

I do love the TAPS guys and I understand that orb photos can never be used as evidence to skeptics because they might be the product of a dirty lens, or dust, or even insects. Okay. This has evolved to a place where black and white thinking has taken over and orbs are totally dismissed as not being real. People have told me, “don’t even talk to me about orbs.”I have a sneaking suspicion that many won’t speak out due to fear of putting a dent in their credibility. One thing about me is that I don’t give a lick about what skeptics think or proving anything to anybody. As the old saying goes… “For some people no proof is necessary and for other people no amount of proof is enough.” Because orb photos could be dust or bugs I don’t think they can be evidence of a haunting in and of themselves. I think they are an energy phenomenon. They seems to show up in haunted locations, and are sometimes seen with a naked eye. Somewhere between the dust and bug theory, and the orbs are proof of ghosts theory, is the truth. Orbs are an energy phenomenon we don’t understand and they are of common occurrence in haunted locales and graveyards. In short, just because they can’t provide the investigator with the perfect proof, does not necessarily mean they are nothing. This is just my opinion, and I’m not afraid to tell it.

Dave Juliano from the Shadowlands Ghosts and Hauntings website says this…

“I always approach things with a bit of skepticism, so when I saw all these websites start showing off these photos as ghosts, I was just as weary as most of you.  I just had to try it for myself.  I took a 35mm camera that I had used regularly for 6 years in all types of lighting and weather and had never gotten an orb or other unexplainable photo before and went out with a few seasoned field investigators on a cemetery investigation.  One of the investigators was psychic and she pointed out a few areas we should take photos, so I did.  I also had ghost footsteps walkup behind me twice and I turned around quickly and took photos of the empty air.  When I got my photos developed, I had these orbs and fog in those photos that I was told to take, as well as the footstep ones.  All my other photos were normal.  Coincidence?

Since we do not know what orbs truly are, just that they seem to be found mainly in areas where there is ghost activity, I will tell you what they are not.  On a normal investigation there are about 10 people using 10 different cameras, 35mm and digital, and many speeds and brands of film.  They all get their film developed at separate places.  Let’s say only half of these investigators get some orb photos.  Are these water spots or dirt on the lens?  That would mean that 5 people all had similar dirt on their lens and all 5 did not clean their lens either.  Are these orbs film processing errors?  Well the 35mm cameras all had their film developed in different locations and used different film so that is very unlikely.  The digital cameras can’t have film-processing errors.  I am aware that some people feel that the orbs on a digital camera are an error in the digital processing of the image.  When that error does occur in digital photos, the objects tend to be square in nature, not round and they cannot be semi-transparent, the pixel behind would have to be corrupted also.  I will not even address the precipitation theory, no legitimate researchers takes photos in any form of precipitation.   What about dust and dirt being stirred up? Can that be the cause of the orbs?   If that were the case, I would think that there would not be normal photos in a sequence of photos from the same camera and location.  All of the shots in a sequence should have the dust or dirt in it. We find that most orb photos do not appear in consecutive photos.  All photographers present should get orbs if it is dust being stirred up as well.

These are just a few things for the skeptics to think of when they are condemning an orb photo as a fake or fraud and some things for investigators to consider when checking their photos for positives.”

Anyway back to poor Stuart’s situation

I would like to share some of Stuart’s e-mails to me to help you understand his plight. Now no matter what our personal beliefs are here, there is a person who feels very alone in dealing with what he absolutely believes is a paranormal attack. Since I felt he was sincere in his despair I thought he was worth a few minutes of compassionate consideration, yes?

Dear Annette, I’ve been a successful  professional prospector all my life. Prospected internationally and  in Australia , I’ve been very lucky, all I’ve ever done is ask  and my mate up  there has  showed me the minerals. My Journey started when I was 6 years old when I got polio and was crippled. I cried and prayed for hours for Jesus to heal me ,as I didn’t want to be crippled .I woke up next day and was healed,  My life is a long strange  story . I’ve heard voices all my life that have saved me in dangerous times. Out of body experiences that have changed my consciousness for ever.I died 7 or 8 times on a life support for 1 .5 months and came back . I got a deadly incurable bacteria from bats in an old gold mine. Thats another story. I  went on journeys to the other side , maybe that’s why these orbs are attracted to me. Maybe they see something different in my aura, I’ve seen aura’s around everything since I was six years old.  Regards, Stu..   PS. I had a bad night last night , an orb came above me in bed and flashed a brilliant white light that hit me on the forehead, I then had an electric shock that  really hit me hard right through my body. Twice now. It then zapped me 3 times in the head, cells sparking.     43 times now.     Annette , if these orbs let loose on humans we are in big trouble, they are not friendly. I’ve have seeked danger all my life, I was a crocodile hunter when I was younger,I got hooked on the adrenalin in the hunt. Prospected in Bulgaria with the Russians, plenty of danger there, Prospected in the jungles of Central America, Panama, Costa Rica and Honduras confronted all the dangers, BUT I’m up against something different now something I can’t see fully , I am really concerned.

Dear Annette,My ears started to ring high pitched ,I was laying back in an arm chair , I had the camera ,pressure started to come on my head, I was about to be zapped I flashed and here is the photo. My foot in the picture, Regards ,Stu.

Dear Annette,  Re:  the EMF meter , I don’t have one. Every time I go onto the computer and send orb pictures, that night I get zapped, again last night. What I have  been hearing is like a grunt or a bark sound, then I am zapped, but it sounds like it’s in my head . last night I woke hearing like a pack of savage dogs growing, I thought it was out side but it was in my head ,then zapped. When I went to sleep I thought of my old crocodile hunting days, I feel they read my mind, they certainly observe me on the computer as I have photographed them. They are very intelligent.It sounds crazy but its real. I feel if anyone keeps photographing them over and over and over in one area eventually they will be attacked. Regards, Stu

I think maybe because he is surrounded by so many orbs he is experiencing something akin to electrical shock from their combined energy. I suggested that but he feels otherwise. He feels they are coming to him with malevolent intent. I am referring this case to my friend Allison Andrews in Australia. She has a TV show there called Haunted Australia and hopefully some good contacts over there. More than I do for sure.I’d like to find someone who could help him in person.

Now it’s up to you my Parareaders to decide for yourselves. Is Stuart crazy? Seeking attention? Is his lens really, really, dirty? Or is Queensland the land of outrageous dust and bugs? I don’t know the answer.

If any of you has any help to offer Stuart please e-mail me at editor@paranormalpython.com

A special thank you to Steven LaChance and Dusty Smith, for being consultants on this case.
Steven and Dusty are both very straightforward and helpful. I appreciate the input very much.

UPDATE

With none of us knowing what to do in a case like this as it is the first of it’s known kind, it was decided to recommend A picture of Saint Michael and the accompanying Saint Michael’s prayer. Stuart reports that his attacks have lessened in frequency but still occur on occasion.

The Prayer reads as follows~

Prayer to Archangel Michael

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen

From the makers of THE SECRET

 

April 2008

Annette: Denice, thanks for making some time for me. I am so glad to have this chance to get to know you better. I have heard so many good things. The movie THE SIXTH SENSE was loosely based on your son Michael’s experiences. Back to the beginning of all that has happened, what was your uh-oh moment when you realized you had a serious problem on your hands?

Denice: Hmm… I think when Michael started getting hurt by these things, I knew it was getting serious. Although when your children are so afraid of what they are seeing that no one will sleep in their rooms at night, or go in any room alone, not even the bathroom, I think you know you have an issue.

Annette: Could you tell me a little bit about how this began?

Denice: When Mike was able to talk he started asking me who was talking upstairs, but no one would be upstairs and I would tell him that. This would progress to the point in which he was very afraid to be alone in any of the rooms, and even to this day, he has to sleep with a light on. One day he was screaming that a man had tried to touch his shoulder, and I ran around my home looking for a man in the house, when I found no one I held Mike and he was still shaken and told me the man was crayon colored white.

I knew about ghosts as both my parents had some gifts, and growing up, we would hear and see things our home. Our cupboards and refrigerator doors would open and close on their own. When we would be sitting in the living room, we would hear a cracking noise in the wall, and then we all knew we were not alone. Usually, most of the time, we would see someone or something, go up the stairs. I was so afraid of ghosts growing up that I could not sleep. I would fall asleep when my eyes shut. My heart would race at night. I was very afraid. I would leave the doors open in the house so I could run out, something I would get yelled at for in wintertime. In some ways I feel I was being prepared for what I would have to deal with in later years.

I brought Mike to my parents home after the man had tried to touch him so we could talk to my mom. Mike and Kenny, my oldest son, went into their living room to get some candy, and Mike started to scream as he pointed to a picture my father had just placed on his wall the day before. He said that was the man who tried to touch him, and it was a picture of my grandfather who passed when I was 10 years old. Michael never met him, nor saw a picture. My father sat Mike down and told him it was his great Grandfather and that he would never hurt him. I thought maybe he was around because I cried and prayed to him when Michael had a troubled birth and I begged him to help him. Whatever the reason was he was around…

So much went on…

Mike would scream that a man was standing and watching him in between his windows. He would see a man with a bandana walk into his room, a woman in a wedding dress sitting on his step sister’s bed, a woman humming, and a baby crying in a friend’s home. He also saw many little boys watching him and running around, a soldier in blue with yellow stripes in the living room, two elderly women in the kitchen, black shadow men all the time, demonic, and he has seen Archangel Michael. I could go on and on throughout the years he has seen so much… sometimes they are trying to talk to him, sometimes they are watching him, leaning over him in bed, peering into a room from the door or closet, walking up or down the stairs towards him and so on.

Michael would go out of body and have visions as well. Like he saw an officer giving a ticket to a parked car and 4 men circle him, and they grabbed his stick and started beating him very badly.Mike said he was screaming for them to stop, but they could not see or hear him. Mike said he could feel this officer’s pain and fear. This upset him a great deal. Another instance was a girl who was kidnapped by two men in a truck; they chained her to a bed in a small home. One man was mean the other seemed to more caring. He said he could not feel her pain or fear. He also does not know if it was the past, present or future. He just knows he saw it and it scared him. His out of body and coming back into a paralyzed state would go on anywhere from 10 minutes to 6 hours. It was so bad he missed a lot of school.

House in Manchester, Connecticut

where it all began 1994.

Denice’s book THE OTHER SIDE

Annette: Denice, this must have been very hard. I’m sorry your family endured such terrifying hardships.

Denice: Thanks. It was awful. Michael would be choked, scratched, pinched and slapped by unseen spirits. We all would see, feel or hear things ourselves. We were all a bit scared by this. Things would go missing and so on. Michael still sees spirits it calms down at times and yet sometimes it is just horrible. He dreams with messages as well. Michael has had a few exorcisms mainly to stop the physical things, as you cannot exorcise a gift of discern like he has. It was very hard to try to protect my child from unseen things; I was brave when I needed to be. We all slept together and the kids would want me to stay up until they fell asleep, we had to stay with Mike as he would not go in some rooms alone, there were times when we all would go in pairs to go to the bathroom and to shower, of course we would turn our backs.

It affected our extended family as well. I remember one Christmas Eve, my niece, sister, and brother came to my home. My niece had to go to the bathroom. She went in and then ran out of the bathroom a few minutes later, with her pants down to her knees, screaming and trying to pull them up. The faucets came on by themselves and something growled at her and she refused to stay. My sister had to leave and I was very sad as it was even ruining my Xmas. My brother came for a weekend and stayed at my home. During the first night he was held down in bed like something was on top of him, and he said he would never stay at my house unless he was drunk! He went to stay at my parent’s home the next night. Then he went back to South Carolina, where he lived at that time. Many years later he and his girlfriend, were moving back to Connecticut and stayed at my home, I thought they would be okay, and it was a different place, (we seemed to move a lot to get away from these things although we never did). It did help to rid of many of the entities tied to a certain home, they tend to get stronger the longer you are there. Anyway, his girlfriend went to take a shower, and she came downstairs white as a ghost and in shock. She said she was attacked in the shower. What was the weirdest thing was that a patch of her hair turned white. She still has that patch of white hair and was never the same since.

I took Mike to so many doctors and psychiatrists to make sure it was never a medical condition that they asked me to stop bringing him. I even called 911 once when he was in a paralyzed state and then later, when he was at the hospital, they called in a priest who prayed over him and we walked out of that hospital, with everyone staring at us, as they knew it was not medical condition at all. He sees ghosts and one was attached.

Annette: Wow, I am utterly speechless. I think this is the most extreme story I have ever heard. I would really like to cover what is happening for you now, and in the future. I have heard wonderful things about your LIFE FOUNDATION, I wonder if you would tell us all more about it. Actually, just the other day, I received a load of e-mails telling me what a kind and giving person you are and recommending the LIFE FOUNDATION

Here are some of the things people are saying…

From STEVEN LACHANCE; “Denice is someone that deserves the admiration and support of every single person working within this field today. She is truly THE person you would want to go to if ever your find yourself or your family in paranormal need.”

From JOHN ZAFFIS; “Denice has been helping families for over TEN years now and I have been a personal friend and help with many cases that have come in to the LIFE FOUNDATION. Denice is truly devoted to helping all that she comes in contact with in need of paranormal help and is known and respected in the field today.”

From TRACY BACON; “I have known Denice Jones for many years. She is a very caring and generous person who puts other’s needs before her own. Helping those who have nowhere else to turn and nobody else to look to for understanding and assistance with the paranormal.”

From CARI STONE; “I know Denice on a professional level, and I’m proud to say she is my friend. Denice has always said yes I’ll help when I have called her and said I have someone going through something similar to what you and your family went through. I absolutely loved Denice’s book THE OTHER SIDE. I recommend it to everyone.”

From MATT MOYER; Denice put together a network to assist those whom need help with the paranormal activities they may be having in their home or business. By having selected paranormal Investigators throughout the country in the foundation, Denice can effectively send the help they need. It is an honor to be on the Life Foundation list of Investigators.

From JIM JONES; For several years I have known Denice Jones. Denice is probably one of the most respected paranormal investigators, and one of the greatest human beings alive. The finest words cannot describe a person with such passion, vigor, and integrity. Always looking for the positive in people, that is what Denice is about. Never give up, never surrender, see it through…

Annette: Well, that’s quite an impressive line-up! The LIFE FOUNDATION clearly has had a profound effect on many people. How did this all get started?

Denice: The LIFE FOUNDATION was started in 1993-1994. When I was searching for help for our family’s situation, I could not find any. It wasn’t like it is today. I did not own a computer then, so I had no clue how to find help. I went to bookstores and read as much as I could. I did find a book with Ed and Lorraine Warrens names in it. I wrote down the address and sent them a letter. I also sent photos of us to show we were serious. They never wrote back. Why? I do not know. In the letter I begged them to help. I told them all that was going on with my son and told them I had no money to pay them,as this situation was taking all my time. I could not sleep… I was up all night protecting the children. My husband worked. Maybe they never received the letter, I don’t know. I sent a few.

My mother worked with a woman who knew a group that studied under the Warren’s, who came to our home. Their story I wish not to go into, as it is so negative, and that’s something I try to stay away from. The only good thing that came from them was that they got me to the Bishop, who helped Michael get rid of some of the negative he was experiencing at that time.

While still going through our ordeals, it upset me that there was hardly anyone out there to help, so I spoke to my attorney, who copyrighted the idea, and asked me to come up with a name and I did; LIFE (meaning Living In Fear Ends) FOUNDATION. He set it up as a Non Profit Organization. All donations are tax free. I got a computer and started working. I would find investigators, see how they work, and ask them to join. Then when I received a case in their area I would send it to them. The groups began to grow, and so did the referrals. By the year 2000, I had helped 7,500 families. At that point, I stopped counting and printing all the cases. Now I have hundreds and hundreds of Investigators throughout the world; JOHN ZAFFIS, JASON HAWES, GRANT WILSON, BOB HUNNICUT, and TRACY BACON. TROY TAYLOR’S reps were the best, in helping the Foundation. There’s many more, I just cant list them all. Back in the day, I gave JASON and GRANT (from GHOST HUNTERS) cases as well.

Annette: If anything good has come out of your frightening experiences, what would those positives be?

Denice: The positives would be that it made us stronger as a family . Closer. The LIFE FOUNDATION is another thing. I have been able to help thousands of families in need of help. Helping others is definitely a positive. As well as meeting some great people/Investigators who work hard to help others. Jason Hawes was someone who helped with cases that came through the Foundation. Now they send me cases to get help for as they get many in due to the best paranormal show out there ” GHOST HUNTERS”
( I just love that show and those guys, true respect )

Annette: How difficult was it for you to recall all of your terrifying experiences in detail while writing your book THE OTHER SIDE?

Denice: I never found it difficult to write the book. I felt it was a bit therapeutic in some ways. Everything we went through still seems like yesterday and everyday there is something new. To us it is normal life we do not know anything different.

Annette: After those paranormal experiences went public on a large scale, how hard has it been to handle criticism from skeptics and non-believers?

Denice: I never cared about skeptics too much… I am living it, they are not. I do not think trying to live my life, I needed to convince anyone of what we were/are going through. I had no time for that. I was just trying to live my life and protect my kids. When all the TV news stations were parked in my front yard begging to talk to me someone from the skeptic society called and I spoke to him. he was very nice to me and I answered all his questions and he said I was doing all I should be and that was that. He never called again. I did have a hard time with Michael’s school, some of his teachers were afraid of him and some harassed him. However I never took what anyone said to heart as again I knew the truth .I could not help they did not. I always thought someday they would, until then I was okay with how one thought. That’s what makes us all different Michael had a hard time, as he could not understand why some adults did not believe him. But is okay now at 20.

Some Questions For Michael

Annette: As paranormal investigators and researchers it would be very helpful for us to understand more about the other side. Are there any insights you could share with us about the spirit world? What are your viewpoints about the afterlife from what you have seen? Do most ghosts want to be helped to cross over? What types of things do they want? Secondly, your life has been touched by the paranormal since you were just a small boy. What is your outlook on life and death? Is this plane of existence basically a learning school?

Michael: The only thing that comes to mind is that Spirits are scared, confused and angry. You do not know which you are dealing with unless you have a gift. I can feel their emotions. The regular spirits just want attention when they know you can see them and if I do not give them this attention they get angry at me. Now I try to give them some attention and tell them with help to go towards the light as their answers are there. Some are afraid to go and some go. I was at Ellis Island when I was 9 and saw a man sitting in the courtroom, the courtroom was closed to the public, he was not human and was just sitting there looking at me, he knew I could see him. He looked sad like his life was over, he was dirty and old to me. I felt his emotion and then I was sad. I walked away. It was hard to shake that feeling. I do not know why I have these gifts, but, I plan on helping all the spirits I can. It is not like talking to a friend you can hug, joke around and get them better, this is a bit harder. I have my mom with me as many ask me to have her help too. They know she can as well.

The only insight I could give to an investigator, is if you speak nice to them like they are human still, you will get more out of them. If you go in a place and do not joke around too much, and go in like you are going to find someone who needs help, they would be more apt to allow you to help and come forth.

Remember they know you are there way before you know they are there. They know before you enter the home or dwelling. They read you, your light. Also remember most who are still in a location are from older days and in those days they are from the old school so going in laughing, playing around you lose their respect.

The women hardly spoke to men. The ones who passed within the last 40 years I think would not mind joking and such, but you just do not know who is in a haunted area. Children are all different they want to play, some are afraid as they were hurt by adults and so on. It is a crap shoot, That’s all I can say from what I have seen and what I plan on doing on the HAUNTED SURVIVORS series.

When it comes to demonic, which I see as well, I used to be really scared of them as they hurt me. Not anymore. I can actually send them away now, I use my soul, my heart, and my light. They are some things that no one should deal with if they do not know how. My life had been in an uproar because of them and I will continue to fight them and win.

They (demonic) effect your whole life; everything you do. If someone wants to deal with them they should know their life, finances, cars, jobs and people will not like you, things go wrong and so on just dealing with them. Its a choice to some, and some have no choice if you have a choice do not do it. It is as close to Hell as you hope to come.

Many say you need to invite them in to have them attack you. I do not believe this, maybe in some cases but not all. I did nothing but was born and died and crossed over many times. I see the dead and spirits attracts spirits and you can’t pick what comes in; sometimes it is bad. Then you have the demonic who wants your soul, or they do not want you to grow up as you may do something in the future they may not like. Remember there is no time there, they know and see all and know 20 years in the future. No one knows everything in this field, and I see many saying one thing and others another. I know what I know by going through it, living it. They could be fooling me too. I do see, hear and feel spirits, demonic and angelic and other things I wish not to talk about at this time. I used to always say why me? Why Me? I hope in another 10-20 years I will know why me. Life is about Time and Love.

My viewpoints about the afterlife… A friend of mine who passed was young, but when he came to me he was older, and was helping the servicemen who passed over. That was his work, so we all still work. He seems happy to be there. He said never to be afraid to pass over as you are pulled out of your body before you pass away so you miss the real pain and you can watch what is going on. He told me everything they did to him, he said it was like he was knocked out playing football. He did not pass away until after a few hours in the hospital, but, told me many things he saw before going there. He also said after he passed he stayed here on earth for 4 days, he said he had his hand on my mom’s right shoulder when she was walking down to the bedroom to tell me he passed. He had already came to me in a dream and spoke to me. I thought it was a nightmare.

She told me, then I cried and we spoke about the visit in my dream. He said so many things to me…I am not afraid to die, and many should know they are taken before the pain, they know they are going over and they are taken. They save us from any other pain. Many times they are looking for their mother, father, children, husband , wife, sometimes they do not understand why you are in their home and are confused. They have not asked for anything else.

I have known the other side. I am not afraid to die. I did not know others cannot see their energy. I do not know if earth is a school but in the next 5 years, since I still go back and forth, I will start asking the tough questions and learning more. When I start working with the afterlife on HAUNTED SURVIVORS with my mom and The BOOTH BROTHERS, I will find these answers, and I will try to get as much insight as I can for all. I will do this at that time as it will be for all the people and not just me. Am I nervous? Yes I am, but, I have a great support group with me. I don’t know if I answered your questions… they were very hard questions…

Annette: Thank you Denice and Michael. Best of luck to you both with HAUNTED SURVIVORS and all other future endeavors. It has been very interesting, enlightening, and a pleasure as well.

Left to right: Jason Hawes, Denice Jones, Kieth Age, and Grant Wilson	The Booth Brothers

Denice Jones is the founder of THE LIFE FOUNDATION through which Denice has been able to help thousands of families in need.

Denice: Helping others is definitely a positive. As well as meeting some great people and Investigators who work hard to help others just to help. Jason Hawes was someone that helped me with cases that came through the Foundation. Now they send me cases to get help for, as they get in many due to being the best paranormal show out there. GHOSTHUNTERS (I just love those guys true respect)

Today I am trying to finish the sequel to THE OTHER SIDE as well as a few other books I am working on. One with Steven LaChance. I am also working with Steven LaChance, John Zaffis and Carmen Reed, traveling throughout the US on THE HAUNTED SURVIVOR TOUR , lecturing and sharing our stories in many cities and states. We begin this summer.

I also Co-Host HAUNTED SURVIVOR RADIO on Tuesday nights 8pm eastern time with Steven LaChance

on Blog Talk Radio. I am also working with The Booth Brothers on many projects as well as being Associate Producer and starring in the series HAUNTED SURVIVORS with STEVEN LaCHANCE, and my son Michael with Tracy Bacon and with guests John Zaffis, Tim Yancy and so on… We start filming May 2008.

From the makers of THE SECRET

Jon Maronge on Shadow People

An interview by Annette Munnich

Jon Maronge is a psychic/medium and illusionist. He was born with the gift and has been able to see spirit all his life. Jon became intrigued with magic and studied the art. He also is involved with exposing frauds who claim to have psychic gifts and take advantage of the public for money. Jon uses his gifts to investigate paranormal activity as well. He specializes in shadow people and that is our primary focus for this interview. Jon has announced that he will be a guest speaker at Para-Con next month in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jon is someone I know personally and have talked to at great length. He helped us with some paranormal activity in our home and even described some of the layout of our house to us. He is the real deal for sure and the Paranormal Python stands behind him 100%. During one of our telephone conversations we began talking on the subject of ghosts and hauntings. The things he told me led to this article. Enjoy.

The Interview

Annette: Jon could you describe your first paranormal experience and explain how it changed your life?

Jon: The first paranormal experience that I can remember is when I was about 2 or 3 years old. My parents were out and I was left with a babysitter. that night, we went to sleep and I can remember crying to get her to come into bed with me. In the middle of the night, I woke up and sat up in bed because something didn’t feel quite right.

There was this shadowy thing crawling on the floor outside of my bedroom in the hallway. This thing was darker than the darkness that surrounded it, almost like it was blacker than the darkest black you could imagine. It would crawl one way, and then the other. That’s when I slowly pulled the covers up to my face so that it covered my nose and thought to myself, “please don’t see me, please don’t see me.” That’s when the shadowy figure stopped crawling and began to get up slowly. I saw the shadow’s head turn towards me and it started getting closer.

It lunged at me and grabbed my arms near my shoulders and I immediately started to scream However much I felt it’s grip on my arms, there was this other sensation of it grabbing my stomach area too, but from the inside. It picked me up and then slammed me down numerous times. All the while when I was being slammed, I would fling my legs at the babysitter that was sleeping next to me and kick her to try to wake her, but she never moved. Right after that everything for me blanked out and I woke up the next morning.

The strange thing about it was even though my mother told me it was a dream, my babysitter never came back because of the mysterious bruises that had appeared on her legs that morning. After that I could not sleep without a night light until my late teenage years. It wasn’t because I was scared of the dark, it was because I was scared of what was in the dark.

We moved a few years after this incident and this shadow thing followed us. I was seven years old now when it went to attack me again. What happened that night is what actually changed things for me.

I had fallen asleep and my father decided that he was going to take a bath. The problem with that was he had to close the bathroom door for privacy. The bathroom light was my night light at this home. I woke up and was surrounded by darkness and started to feel that strange sensation of terror that I had only had when I was about three years old again.

This shadow walked into my room that night and leaned over me. I was so overcome with terror that I could not even get a scream out. This was the final time I was scared of it. The scream let loose from my throat and I hopped up to my feet and started screaming at it as it backed off. My mother ran into the room and the shadow backed into the wall as she flicked on the light switch. The shadow was gone. At that moment, I had stood up to it and felt as if I had defeated it.

Annette: Can you please tell us what you believe shadow people to be?

Jon: There are many things that people believe these shadow people to be. some believe that they are demonic in nature and yet some believe they are other types of negative entities. I believe them to be both of those and also human. There is a fear that accompanies these shadows and in my experience, they feed off of this fear.

I think there are different classifications to the shadow people that all deserve their own merits. Demonic types definitely cause a great deal of fear. I believe these to be the worst type. Then you have the negative entities which may or may not have been human before. And finally you have the human type of shadow which tends to be the most common type in my studies. In particular, the case of Black Hope in Crosby, TX. This was the place that the movie “Poltergeist” was based on. They were plagued by shadows of the human type. These types of shadows normally have a chip on their shoulder because they feel as though they have been wronged. Would you blame your deceased loved ones
for haunting other people if they built their homes over your loved one’s graves?

Annette: Hmmm… I didn’t know Poltergeist was based on a true story.  Have you seen the kind of shadow people that have a hat? What’s your take on that? Are they in a different category than other shadow People?

Jon: I have not personally seen the types of shadows people wearing hats, and if I actually have seen those in my younger years I would not have noticed their attire. People generally see things differently. I have seen pictures while doing research on other groups finding of shadow people. The one that comes to mind is the picture that Frank Sumption book while doing his ITC video experiments. Maybe they are the spirit world’s men in black. As far as which category they would fall into, I could not step out to even pretend that I know because I don’t believe that I have ever come across one in my personal realm.

Annette: You actually specialize in shadow people. How common are they in haunted locations and how can you tell them from regular spirits?

Jon: Although these shadow people are very common in haunted locations, I would venture to say they are at almost all of these places. I must assume that you are asking me this question from a perspective of someone that could not physically see the entities. I need to try to answer this question carefully because I can see the difference in the entities because of my abilities and I do not want to seem smug or egotistical about it. Sometimes I forget that I see things differently than most people.

One rule of thumb I can give here is that if you feel frightened by something in an investigation, it is almost certainly a shadow. The type of shadow it could be would be determined by the evidence gathered at the investigation. It is very hard to describe how someone would be able to distinguish the difference. For example, I was at Oak Alley Plantation in Louisiana on a tour when we went into a room and I started talking with a woman that I believed to be a part of the tour. Everyone in my tour group started to look at me strangely and asked who I was talking to. If you hadn’t gathered it by now, no one else saw this woman but me. I grabbed a camera and snapped a picture. And this is what cameout when I had the film developed.

As you can see, she appears in the picture as a shadow. Numerous people studied the photo, and sadly the negatives were destroyed during a flood that accompanied a storm. f you examine the picture carefully, you will notice that light is pouring into the room from two directions and the head of the shadowy figure appears to be blocking out a corner of the picture frame which is against the wall.

So even though you capture the picture of a shadow, it could be just a picture of a normal human spirit. This is why it would be so difficult to tell the difference.

Annette: What do you believe from your experience most shadow people want? Do the shadows that were human seem to want something other than the very negative or entity type?

Jon: This is a really tough question to answer. Just like people, shadows are individuals so their needs, wants, and intentions vary.

Annette: Your first shadow experience when you were a child is scary as hell. What do you think that presence wanted from you?

Jon: Looking back on that experience, in the beliefs that I hold now, I think that it was there to help me to become fearless. Because of that experience, I can now walk into a severely haunted locations without any fear at all. I look at it as a blessing now because I can do my job.

Annette: What about the theory that shadow people are guardians at portals?

Jon: I am sure that in some cases this is totally possible. You just have to remember that it is all a matter of perception.

Annette: How common are portals and what can be done if someone has one on their property?

Jon: Portals or vortexes are common in haunted locations. If someone believes that they have a portal on their property, it would be best to do some research and find someone to come and investigate it. Those people generally know people that can be of assistance in closing a vortex if one does actually exist.

Annette: If a person takes a photo and finds a black mass in it, is that a shadow person or could it be something else?

Jon: There are different reasons for a black mass to show in a photo. There could be an illusion caused by shadow and light, faulty media, or the real thing. Now remember was I was talking about earlier, it could be the spirit of a human that just appears in the photograph as a shadow.

Annette: Can you explain orbs to us. I have heard someone say they have seen black orbs. Have you seen that and what does it mean?

Jon: Orbs are an interesting topic. Some people believe them to be spirits, which some are, and some believe them to be dust and other particles floating around. The reason why the orb phenomenon is such a touchy subject is because there are so many things it could be other than the fact of it being an actual spiritual entity. Most people do not realize that their digital cameras have a function that when the lighting is not right and the camera can see a particular pixel, it fills it in and smooths the edges around it. Then you are left with what appears to be an orb. This is why evidence with orbs are normally overlooked by most paranormal researchers.

Annette: Jon what is your advice to people living in haunted homes that want to protect themselves and their families?

Jon: First of all, I would say that you have to be able to deem that the home is haunted. Get a team of investigators over so they can investigate the claim. There are a lot of investigative teams out there that can help and know the steps for either getting the entities to leave or teaching you how to coexist with the entity that is present in the home.  Doing your research is the first step.

I have to stress here that I am reluctant to give too much advice as this can be dangerous territory. The important thing is to not be afraid or show fear. Some of the things people try can sometimes make the situation grow worse. Calling a local priest or minister for a house blessing is another option if you can’t find a team of investigators that can help you right away.

Annette: Thanks Jon it was a pleasure.

Jon’s website

Jon’s my space

From the makers of THE SECRET

An Interview With Dean Midas Maynard

by Annette Munnich July 2008

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Dean Midas Maynard. Not in person of course, as he lives in County Durham, England and I am living in the Illinois farmlands (corn and soybeans mostly). Even though we are a world apart Dean’s brightness shines through. When I say bright I literally mean such a good high energy. He is very kind and considerate and he does things fast. I found myself smiling when reading his e-mails. He is a little king of infectious hope and optimism. Now I think you might agree that there is a serious shortage on this planet concerning people like that, sparkling gems that they are.

I read Dean’s website about his abilities in making good things happen for people and even whole sports teams. It’s written that he was asked to help the Chicago White Sox the year they won the World Series. He was contacted by a discouraged fan who said the Sox hadn’t won the World Series for 88 years. I was born and raised in the Big Windy and I will tell you that you haven’t even brushed the surface of discouragement unless you are a fan of Chicago baseball. My old man would get drunk and cry at the end of every season… So he definitely had my attention now.

Dean is a paranormal investigator as well, having investigated some of the UK’s most famous sites, including Chillingham Castle. Anybody else see the episode at Chillingham Castle on the show Scariest Places on Earth with Linda Blair?

So I asked Dean to please give me some luck as I need to find a new house. The next day we went to White Castle (this is a hamburger joint in the US, not a paranormal investigation destination like Chillingham LOL). They got my husband’s picky order right (first time ever this happened by the way) and when we got home there were two extra jalapeno burgers in the bag. A few days after that I got an unexpected check in the mail. Not huge but enough for a week’s worth of groceries so that’s nice. Still looking for the house but we looked at one we were very excited about today. Maybe I have that White Sox mojo on me after all.

Dean is an Aries having been born on April Fool’s Day. Interesting. His favorite band is Green Day. He likes to watch Dr. Who and the Ghost Whisperer on television. He loves Halloween, soccer and walking in the woods near his home with his wife. Dean also does a lot of charity work. He raises money for a little girl with cancer as well as a girl who was murdered. Very sad cases.

Megan Appeal

In Memory of Sophie’s MySpace

Tilley Lockley

The Interview

Annette: I would like to start by asking you how you first discovered your abilities?

Dean: I was 9 years old when I first discovered that I had a unusual strong feelings and was drawn towards something that went on to win, it happened again a week later, and the week after that, and that’s when I began to realize “something was not right.”

Annette: I would like to ask how these abilities have evolved over time.

Dean: To be honest I continued to predict things but I never really worked with my “powers” until 2005, when I started to do regular meditation, visualization techniques and exercises, that seemed to help me even more and it is something I still do daily now.

Annette: Also if you could please explain your personal point of view as to things such as luck and bad luck? Do you believe in such things as karma? What about creative visualization and positive thinking?

Dean: I am a firm believer in Karma and firmly believe what you give you out you will get back whether it be good or bad, in terms of luck I would say that my work does have an element of luck involved and that’s why a British journalist said of me earlier in the year “Psychic skills or pure luck? either way Dean is good to have around”

Annette: Could you please tell me about a few of your most satisfying and amazing interventions, and would you refer to them as interventions, if so what would you term it?

Dean: Sunderland AFC was my first and I suppose one of my best cases because it was the first time I was brave enough to approach the media and confidently say “I can help.” The story of Midas could and would have stopped then if they had gone onto lose which, thankfully, they didn’t. Reading Football Club only losing twice in 45 matches was another good case and beating a team of professional tipsters at the Grand National in April this year was also very satisfying.

Annette: Dean do you have a deep philosophy and/or feel a higher calling in your life, or maybe a job or destiny of sorts?

Dean: I firmly believe that I am meant to be doing this. If I wasn’t my first “media” attempt would have gone horribly wrong, I think in the next few years I will be part of something very, very, big.

Annette: Could you explain the variety of applications of your gift so far?

Dean: When I work with the reality shows it starts with me getting “the feeling” towards a contestant then I back them 24/7 during the shows with messages and words support and I send them positive vibes constantly and am always there if they need any help or advice.

Annette: What kind of things do you have planned for the near future?

Dean: It’s going to be a busy 6 months, it starts with backing Niki Evans (British X-Factor contestant) as she releases her debut single here in the UK, then I will be involved with backing a contestant on this years X-Factor, and I am backing Stoke City in the Premier soccer league, I also have a few other things going on but I can’t say too much about them as yet.

Annette: Dean if the world were to end tomorrow how would you spend your time today?

Dean: If the world ended tomorrow I would spend it with my wife, I would visit Hamsterley forest then get up the courage to revist Killhope Mine where I had my scariest ever Psychic experience.

Annette: Thanks for everything Dean it has been a pleasure.

***UPDATE August 20, 2008

I not only found a great house at a great price on a full acre I might add, I actually found a home of my dreams complete with apple and pear trees plus a gazebo! A thousand thank yous to Dean. Wish me more luck anytime you want

Dean Midas Maynard’s website

From the makers of THE SECRET

Interview with EVP/ITC Researcher Rob Smith 

May 2008

Annette: Rob thanks so much for making some time for me. I have heard glowing things about your research and your website is so thoughtful and interesting. I’d like to start off by asking about your background and also would like you to tell me how you got started in paranormal research and where that journey has led you.

Rob: I am the eldest of two boys incarnated in the UK in 1947 (not sure if for the first time!) to an American father and English mother, and I spent my formative teenage years in London. I grew up as a nominal Anglican or “C of E”Christian (Christmas and Easter attendances), although religion and adolescent expression seemed very much at ‘loggerheads’ with one another during my teen years.

My teenage life experiences far outweighed any ideology in those exciting formative days of attending Rolling Stone concerts and traveling around the countryside with my best mate, David, as an eager pillion passenger on his BSA Bantam motorcycle. (David has now passed into spirit and has sent messages to me regarding our various adventurous escapades on two wheels!)

After arriving in Australia as an 18 year old in 1966, I commenced work as a Junior research technician with a large Melbourne hospital and learned many complex surgical procedures and medical insights until I felt ‘called’ to follow another path within the Presbyterian Church (now the Uniting Church). I was ordained a Minister Of The Word in 1984 after completing a Bachelor of Theology degree at Melbourne University in 1983 and served in two country Parishes and one city Parish. I also spent time as an Associate Chaplain in a large Public School in Adelaide, South Australia.

My main area of interest was developing meditation courses and facilitating personal development courses based on M Scott Peck’s, “The Road Less Traveled”.

After a marriage separation in 1992, I left the Church and became a full time Funeral Celebrant as well as working for Foxtel Pay TV providing technical expertise to customers for some 11 years. It was during 2003 (when my partner was diagnosed with breast cancer – now in remission ) that I experienced my first ‘profoundly moving’ paranormal experience.

Up to this point I thought the ‘dead’ were only ‘alive’ in the memories of the physical and that death was simply a gateway to ‘conscious oblivion’ – how wrong I was!

Annette: Sorry to hear about your friend’s passing and your partner’s breast cancer. I have also read M. Scott Peck I would like you to tell us about some of your most profound paranormal experiences.

Rob: I must admit, every experience of the ‘paranormal’ has a profound affect on me – even after five years! While sitting at my PC one day, I heard a strange alien-sounding voice, “Welcome to the Crowd!…Welcome to the Crowd!” I sat stunned by absolute disbelief that a ‘voice’ could actually resonate through my computer. And it was not just a ‘voice in my head’ which may have suggested a trip to the local psychiatrist, but an ‘objective’ voice that others could verify for themselves.

Needing to explore this phenomena for the sake of my sanity, I discovered, by accident, a whole new world of ITC and EVP and was comforted by the fact that many others internationally had experienced this strange audible phenomenon for over 70 years, commencing with reel-to-reel tape recorders. (See www.aaevp.com).

My current understanding after 5 years of recording EVP is that it is the “ability of discarnate and incarnate communicators to work together to remodulate thought processes into audible speech patterns that can be electronically recorded and objectively scrutinized ”

I had always been open-minded to new possibilities – but this ‘event’ in my life really stretched every sinew of rationality that I possessed! It was at the closing of 2003 that I began to record ‘familial’ messages from my deceased Mother (Hello Robert!), my maternal Grandfather (Hard Luck, I say, Robert – referring to my partner’s illness) and my maternal Grandmother (Accept things Rob!).

Not only did the messages address me personally (‘Robert’ and ‘Rob’)- but the voices I heard in EXACTLY in the same timbre and tone as the physical voices that I so fondly remembered. “Hard Luck, I say Robert!” was my grandfather’s way of empathizing with me in his usual Victorian manner.

I have now recorded many hundreds of voices since 2003, but have not been able to further record my family members again, although I have received/passed on messages to them through the assistance of other ethereal helpers.

I was educated in the process of capturing EVP communication to try other electronic mediums at my disposal, namely digital cameras, and have been fortunate to capture the visual presence of ‘ethereal beings’ through photographing ‘orbs’, ‘apparitions’ and ‘angelic beings’

At another time, I received an EVP message requesting me to photograph a ‘turned-off’ TV next to my computer. Following this seemingly irrational request, I held the camera about two feet from the blank screen and took a digital photo without flash. To my utter amazement upon reviewing the photo, I noticed the image of a large black labrador, a childhood pet called ‘Mac’, who had died tragically on a highway when I was about eight years of age. He still had the piece of rope around his neck I had used to walk him to the highway that day! I believe Mac’s presence was made known to me in order to alleviate a lot of guilt I had been carrying over his demise for many years.

So much for placing faith in one’s rationality!

Annette: Your dog story is very touching. I had to cry a little bit about that I would like you to explain your understanding of the underlying energy of all things and how energy and frequency relate to the paranormal? I like how you explained it on your website.

Rob: EVP has confirmed to me that our human actions in this life will always speak louder than our words and that our ‘life in spirit’ is seldom influenced positively by religious dogma nor inherited beliefs – it is far more shaped and honed by loving action. As a matter of fact, our beliefs may well inhibit our spiritual growth and vibrational opportunities in the next realm.

Energy and vibration will play a key role in our spiritual evolution and listed below are some speculations formed from my EVP research. I am in agreement with the findings of Tom Butler of AAEVP found below in the Survival Hypothesis explained by Tom Butler.

(This article is part of the presentation given at the Academy of Spirituality and Paranormal Studies 2007 conference.It was also published in the Summer 2007AA-EVP NewsJournal)

“The study of life after death is described by the Survival Hypothesis, which is intended to order the evidence into a cosmology and resulting predictions which can be experimentally tested. By examining the accumulating evidence, it is becoming clearer that the Hypothesis is largely testable, and that it is substantially proven by the existing evidence. What remains is the need for more research to further evaluate the available evidence and to explore the implications of the Hypothesis. Since my field is Instrumental TransCommunication (ITC) which includes Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP), I will focus on the objective data these phenomena provide. When examined along with data from other forms of trans-etheric influences, ITC can tell us a great deal about the nature of reality. As you read this hypothesis, you will see that we consider ITC as a set of energy-dependent phenomena. Energy repeatedly appears as a limiting factor, and so, the hypothesis is defined from that perspective. The term, “etheric” is used in this document to describe all that is not physical.”

There is a greater reality of which the physical universe is an aspect. Etheric energy appears to be governed by rules that are most responsive to the influence of intent. A fundamental notion of metaphysics is that we create our own reality. The process for that creation is turning attention to an imagined result with the intention that it will be so. Thus, the ability to create is a function of the person’s ability to imagine, hold attention and express intention. According to the Hypothesis, energy is more responsive to intention in the etheric than it is in the physical.

Physical energy is a differentiated form of etheric energy. Virtually all of the evidence indicates that the personality of a person (referred to here as “Self”) is native to etheric reality, and is only in the physical as a visitor. Also, there is a difference in character between the energy forming Self and energy forming the physical body. Consequently, the Hypothesis postulates that energy here is derived from energy there. There is an interface between the physical and etheric that requires a change in energy to cross.

The relationship of an ocean to the atmosphere is a good illustration for this point. There is a substantial change in the characteristic of the environment as one moves from the air (etheric) into water (physical). Also, for a person (Self) to inhabit the water for an extended time, it is necessary to be in a dive suit (the physical body).

Spatial relationships in the etheric may be more akin to fractal geometry than to Cartesian space. The notions of “up-down,” “finer-coarser,” are useful for conversation but not accurate for describing spatial relationships in etheric reality. The better view might be movement by changing perspective or attitude. Consequently, linear measuring devices may be useless for mapping etheric space. Instead, world view and ability to manage energy to determine location may need to be considered.

The character of the energy forming reality appears to change over a continuum as:

Physical (Physical energy: Electromagnetic energy; electricity.)

Subtle energy: Vitality; auric; biofield; contact field. The intent is to describe the subtle energy required for physical manifestations of etheric influences. The Hypothesis holds that the influence must be supported by energy that is compatible with the physical. Experimental evidence supports the existence of this energy, too but it is unclear as to how it relates to the assumed physical-toetheric interface.

-AND-

Etheric (Near-locale: Residual energy hauntings; apparently stuck entities; outof-body experiencers.)

A range of “heavens” or venues for experience: Consider the model of quantum levels in physics, in which each quantum is distinguished by a naturally stable but energetically different state. The physical universe would be our local quantum level and there would be another stable level with different energy characteristics.

We know that the ITC communicators see themselves in a place of local heavens, which are dependent on the expectations of the newly-transitioned person. Rather than levels, something like fractal attractors may be more correct.

Inaccessible for etheric-to-physical influence: Some people never make contact via mediumship or ITC. Also, there are accounts of a person having to “go on,” and soon thereafter no longer making contact. The person is the channel through which etheric-to-physical influences are enabled.

World view tends to filter experiences. ITC contacts tend to be consistent with the expectations of the experiencer. A characteristic of EVP is that they are in a language the experimenter or an interested observer understands. A concern for the safety of “spirit contact” can sometimes produce fearful results, confirming the reason for that concern. A Prayer of Protection’ already presupposes a fear that is fueled by vulnerability!

Influences are energy-limited and in accordance with the ability of the person to “gather” the energy is a factor for what is experienced. The ability to manage subtle energy can be developed but some people naturally excel at it. Energy appears to “stick” and remain over time. Experiences may be influenced by environment. A physical medium sometimes sits in a cabinet to contain the energy. The indication is that haunted locations are haunted because the energy required for the haunting activity is available due to long-time human occupancy and/or the extreme expression of strong emotions.

We have recorded EVP in supposedly haunted places that were clearly initiated by our usual etheric contacts. Also, psychometry depends on residual, subtle energy. Physical time and distance do not influence results.

In the 4Cell EVP Demonstrations (AAEVP), the Communicating Entity is required to receive a request from the Sender in one part of the world, and deliver the message to the Receiver in another part of the world. This is done without apparent time or distance constraints. Etheric-to-physical influences are initiated by intelligence outside of the experiencer.

The Self has an etheric aspect, which is its “true” nature. This, and the existence of an etheric aspect of reality, are the fundamental concepts of the Hypothesis. A Self is born into the physical and returns to the etheric when the physical body dies. In this hypothesis, the “arrow of creation” points from the etheric to the physical. The etheric communicators in EVP and mediumship usually do not have a physical body, and therefore depend on people in the flesh to enable etheric-to physical influences.

Self’s point of view shifts from the physical body to its etheric aspect when the physical body dies, or during sleep. A change in point of view is probably the best way to describe death. There have been successful experiments in which EVP have clearly been initiated by a sleeping person, which offers further evidence that Self is independent of the physical body, except for the purpose of being in the physical.

The “survived” Self is able to remain energetically close to the physical for a time, but eventually moves to an aspect of reality energetically “out of range” for contact. This is probably a corollary of the concept above concerning the different characteristics of energy. An entity must be energetically in agreement with the aspect of reality it will inhabit. It is not clear how “agreement” is achieved, but it apparently depends on Self’s ability to manage energy, and that seems to be a function of how well Self understands the natural processes controlling that energy.

Discarnate entities cannot exist in the physical nor independently cause an influence in the physical.

Cooperation/Availability of an incarnate Self is required for trans-etheric influence.

Lessons Learned:

Groups of entities work together to influence the physical.

The Big Circle is a group of friends and family members now on the other side who help people with EVP, grief and presumably daily living. Channeled entities often describe themselves as a group entity. We have learned to behave as if a group of unseen friends are helping us. The EVP, “Big Circle,” recorded by Martha Copeland illustrates the reason for this. In it, her daughter Cathy is clearly heard saying “Big Circle” just as Martha asks for help with her father’s operation.

No evidence of anything “demonic,” but plenty of people behaving badly.

We sometimes find Self with an evil state of mind, but there is no evidence of anything like a demon. Rather than concluding there is demonic activity, look at whether or not an experiencer has the expectation of evil and is capable of a psychosomatic response. People “allow” energy with characteristics that fulfill their expectations to come to them via etheric-to-physical influences. It is apparently possible to be “stuck” in the near locale for such reasons as fear of judgment, religious understanding and/or personal expectations. What we do and think matters, and determines how we do on the other side. For instance, the belief that suicide is a sin appears to be a local custom, but a fear of judgment because the person committed suicide is sometimes the reason for an earthbound entity.

It is important to teach people what to realistically expect upon transition.

Near-Death experiencers also report a life review from the perspective of those we influence. The evidence seems to suggest that the life review is our judgment, and that we are the judges.”

Annette: Wayne Dyer likes to say that we are spiritual beings having a physical experience and that is something I have come to believe wholeheartedly. I find it interesting what you are saying about people creating their own experiences after death by the belief systems and also the energy created around themselves during this life. It’s kind of like the other side’s version of THE SECRET. It applies in this world as well as the next. I would like to talk about the purpose and focus of your research and what you have learned about life and death.

Rob: What I can confirm as evidential after assessing about 3000 EVP recordings over the last 5 years are the following SEVEN empirically-replicated observations:

1. EVP voices are more often than not verifiable by others (Class A) – so go beyond subjective interpretation.

2. EVP voices are often personally directed to me – and use my first name, ‘Rob’ or “Robert!” in response to a comment or question.

3. EVP voices are more often than not ‘stand alone’ comments specific to an actual physical event or situation i.e. “We see you’ve gone to bed!” or “We haven’t got a bar code!” comment recorded as I was checking my groceries through a checkout.

4. EVP voices can be manipulated by spirit after the initial recording consequently changing the intention/direction of the comment i.e. sending email attachments to another party can sometimes change the focus of the message.

5. EVP voices consist of male/female/androgynous (gender neutral) and ‘alien’ sounding voices.

6. EVP voice ‘clarity of capture’ is often determined by the available noise source and I have found that a broad amalgam of ‘background human chatter’ or radio sweep can provide clearer entity speech capture. (This method requires less spirit manipulation to form human words but fastidious assessment is required to determine whether these captures are phenomenal or not.)

7. EVP voices can be both multi-layered (concurrent messages at different frequencies) and some recordings can have ‘reversible coherency’ – in other words – all available bandwidth – both forward/reverse – can be utilized by the discarnate energy source.

When processing over 3000 recordings, I discovered that some discarnate recordings are seeking ‘insight assistance’ or, in other words , seeking to understand their current discarnate predicament i.e. “What has happened to me?” “Where am I” “Can you help me understand my predicament?” Some appear to be consciously confused, disorientated and unsure of their status.

That is why my focus today is more directed towards utilizing EVP as a medium to assist in the ‘moving on’ of discarnates rather than upon the ‘technical development of EVP’ which is currently in the capable hands of many researchers around the globe.

Annette: So you are focusing on spirit rescue. You have actually evolved from being a Pastor to the living to being guidance to the dead. You’re still in the saving souls business I also would like to know why you think the spirit world contacts us and what if anything we can do to help them.

Rob: My understanding is that the Spirit world interacts with us for TWO main reasons. Firstly, to assure us that although our loved ones may be ‘out of sight’ they are contactable and continue to grow and evolve and,
Secondly, we have access to a ‘modus operandi’ for our physical sojourn that will hopefully enable a better life and better transition after our physical demise. Learning to be lovingly supportive of others while maintaining a positive,open and affirmative mindset, in spite of our human trials and tribulations, will prepare us admirably for our transition into spirit.

The more I come across ‘stuck souls’, the more I realize that our eternal fate is very much in our own hands!! I would really encourage all those people involved in ‘Ghost Hunting’ to be more empathetic with the confused souls they often come across, as confusion beyond death seems to be a major stumbling block for those souls who have had to deal with the ‘double whammy’ of a violent or sudden death- and also mindset ‘belief’ blockage, especially many of those ‘deceased’ people controlled by ‘religious control’ before the rise of ‘free thinking’ intellectualism.

We need to show absolute respect for the departed which will assist in their transition rather than hinder it.

I thank you for the opportunity to share my views with you and personally invite

you to forward your comments to me by email robevpau1@optusnet.com.au and/or visit my website: EVP-ITC-Australia.org

Annette: Thanks so much Rob. I believe your research and explanations will be not only an inspiration to many, but a comfort as well.

I’m happy to report that Rob has asked me to do the artwork for his book WHISPERS OF IMMORTALITY. (Please note title change) I am sure that will be a fun project for me as well as an interesting read for us all from a very intelligent and thoughtful man.

From the makers of THE SECRET