DESTINATION DAKOTA … Laden with all the information you

Before our parents moved into the house that I grew up in, they were warned by our neighbours that people had previously practiced satanic rituals and animal sacrifices on the land. Paranormal activity was part of our life in the house. I was about nine years old. My mother saw an apparition, and she was really upset. The woods are very creepy, and I do feel the spirit was elemental. I went out there one night with my buddy Alex who is also a member of the show and we were asking questions and I heard a woman screaming in pain right in front of us. We went back into the woods and it happened again. That was one of the creepiest events that happened, it didn’t sound like any animals or trees it sounded just like a human. We had many events that happened over many years. I feel the property was haunted, not the house. So since then, I’ve been very interested in the paranormal.

I have always been an urban explorer, and I always loved the show Ghost Adventures. For several years we cranked out videos for our YouTube channel. We began to get a cult following on our channel when we started to spoof the Ghost Adventures crew. My friends and I would act like Aaron, Nick and Zak. Pretty soon our YouTube videos captured their attention. Zak and his team started tweeting about us. At one point there was a Ghost Adventures contest where you had to edit real video clips together with music. I had a ton of previous editing experience, so I thought this would be an amazing opportunity to get involved. I ended up winning the contest and I was on the show. At sixteen! The experience working with the Ghost Adventures crew was incredible.

I continued with YouTube for a while, then I graduated high school. I was hired as a production assistant on sets for Lions Gate Films. I made a documentary called Trail to Terror. The Idea for the Trail to Terror documentary was pitched as a show idea to several TV stations. Zak called me right after my 21st birthday and offered me a gig to help shoot as a cameraman and do B roll for Ghost Adventures.

The Travel Channel made a call to Zak letting him know they wanted to make a TV show out of the premise for my documentary. The name was changed to “Destination Fear”. My goal with Destination Fear is that I wanted to offer a unique show experience unlike other paranormal shows. I am more of a paranormal explorer than investigator and I wanted to make Destination Fear more relatable to the viewing audience by bringing people on a road trip who have had no paranormal experience.

Everyone sleeps alone at the locations; part of the show is us in seclusion four to five hours a night. If you follow all the episodes you can see over time how our behaviours change. After the trip we were really jumpy, I experienced many nightmares. I still have the same recurring nightmare where I’m in my sleeping bag in an insane asylum or penitentiary. I’m also editing the episodes and I can see myself change, I became darker by the end of the series. I consider myself to be very much “in the light”. The second I feel darkness overpowering me, I get rid of it fast.

In Travel Channel’s “Destination Fear,” documentary filmmaker Dakota Laden, his sister, Chelsea, and his best friend, Tanner Wiseman, travel across the country in an RV to spend nights in haunted locations. From asylums to prisons, they explore abandoned buildings using scientific equipment to capture evidence of paranormal activity. At each site, the luck of the draw determines where each one of them will sleep -- alone and separate from each other -- armed with cameras and dread as their only companions. Episodes include a visit to Brushy State Penitentiary, which is rumoured to be rife with paranormal activity. At Old South Pittsburgh Hospital, Dakota prepares sister Chelsea to confront a spectre that attacks only women. In West Virginia, the team visits Sweet Springs Sanatorium, the site of a massacre of Native Americans, where they hear screams, voices and chants. They also revisit St. Albans Sanatorium, even though Chelsea has vowed she would never return to this awful place.

In Destination Fear, we walk sometimes two to three hours just urban exploring and activity would start on its own. Being present and not asking questions sometimes makes what’s inside the location want to reach out to you. Some locations didn’t turn on until the ninth hour and we were there for about twelve hours. I still get freaked out by being in the dark and even scream sometimes in the show. When we were at Pennhurst Insane Asylum, I cried and was so affected by the lives of the people who lived through the trauma and abuse. It’s unlike anything I have felt before. After visiting Pennhurst, it made me want to tell more stories like it to the public, I feel like when I was in school, they didn’t tell us the truth about what happened in our institutions. For the future, I’d like to take Destination Fear to Europe and see other countries like haunted locations in Australia. I’m so interested in history and addicted to it.

Dakota Laden is the star of the new TV series Destination Fear. In the series premiere at the end of October 2019, Dakota surprises Chelsea and Tanner with the news that they are headed to Brushy State Penitentiary in Petros, Tennessee, known as the “Alcatraz of the South.” Bearing witness to more than 10,000 deaths and housing James Earl Ray, assassin of Martin Luther King Jr., as one of its former inmates, Brushy is rife with paranormal activity. But when Chelsea has a shocking confrontation with an entity inside Ray’s cell, and Tanner is threatened by something unknown, Dakota’s “fear” experiment takes a terrifying turn.

Written by Dakota Laden & Vicky C. S. Laursen

“Scarce hoarier seems the ancient Wood Whose shivered trunks of age declare What scath of tempests they have stood In the rock’s crevice rooted there; Yet still young foliage, fresh and fair, Springs forth each mossy bough to dress, And bid e’en Dartmoor’s valleys share A Forest-wilderness“

In the heart of Dartmoor, England, lies a very ancient and mysterious woodland shrouded by legend and its name is Wistman’s Wood (‘Wist’ meaning wise.) There is simply no other wood like this one, except in fairy tales. Remote, it clings to huge granite boulders on the eastern side of a mystical valley at 1,334ft. Below the West Dart River runs energetically where herons can be seen catching fish. Above, towers a rocky outcrop named Littaford Tor. Uniquely beautiful, the scene is something incredible. Hundreds of stunted dwarf oak trees, no more than 18 ft in hight, each one dead but covered in moss and lichen of more than 100 species. The shades of green were a spectacular view with a variety so wide even the keenest of eyes, would be unaware so many existed. Some trees wore a carpet of moss so thick my hands disappeared completely when leaning on them to ramble over the large boulders which the trees grew around. Looking upwards some trees where adorned dreadlocks of the stuff (bearded lichen) hanging down as if dressed up for the occasion. The atmosphere here is queer, the magic almost tangible, and on a misty January morning, my hair soaked, dripping from the fog and mist during my dawn 2-mile ramble through the moors, I arrived. On my approach I had already discovered some animal bones. Either a warning or a coincidence, I wasn’t sure. I could barely see the valley as the thick fog blanketed it from view. Confident my feet were taking me the right way I noticed a lone Raven perched on top of a very old but very small oak tree. I continued until I reached the edge of the wood. The path changed, becoming increasingly difficult to walk on, huge boulders replaced that of the moorland underfoot. Climbing and scrambling I moved further into the trees. Erie and foreboding and I was becoming breathless from the damp within my lungs and I began to feel exhausted. Before I planned my visit here, I’d known about this place. I had researched it and heard tales of myths and legends from the locals. There is, I would say, one reason for most people visiting here and that is the ‘Druid Stones.’ In one particular spot in the wood sits two boulders facing each other at a rough 35-degree angle, just a few meters apart which focuses down through the wood and further on to the river in the valley. On the larger of the two a symbol grows or has been etched and appears to be a large eye or labyrinth in the moss and lichen. The other a rather perfect spiral. The story goes that no one really knows why they are here, or who created them,

but this is why I wanted to visit. Some people believe the woodland was planted by the Druids as their name also means ‘wise man.’ There are many legends, but it seems that no one really knows why they are here or who created them, but that is exactly why I wanted to visit. They are stories of the Devil, witches, ghostly hauntings and mythical creatures of which feature within the special location. Druids sacrificed here during their pagan rituals and from the Bullerstone a large triangular shaped boulder situated above to the east of the wood higher than the trees it is said the Wisht Hounds or Hell Hounds are released by the devil himself or Old Crockern an ancient spirit of the moor that haunts this area. The hounds with their yellow snarling teeth and deep red eyes go out every night after dark looking for the blood, flesh and souls of lost and lone travellers. Howling can be heard, and it is often reported in this area. The ghost of a terrier dog has also been seen in his search for rabbits between the stones and boulders as he died years previous from an adder bite. The wood is rife with these serpents. Adders reside here in vast numbers so visitors also need

to watch their footing as well as their backs in these woods. A nearby pathway known a Lych Way or ‘Way of the Dead’ is also a home to apparitions from when the route was used to transport corpses to Lydford for burial.

THE INVESTIGATION: As usual I brought along my standard investigation kit, or at least what I could carry. My Nicky (Nikon,) K2, Digital Recorder, SB7 Spirit Box, Full Spectrum Camera, Video Camera and a Black Light. As far as photography goes, no luck. Unfortunately, the black light didn’t show up much either however it was the K2 and EVP that made this investigation one of my favourites to date. I initially had nothing on the K2 but after calling out at the spiral boulder for a long while all of a sudden, an amber spike, then up to a red which lasted for a few seconds. With that, both of my legs below the knee heated up, and quickly. Then, as fast as it arrived it left with none of my questions answered. Aside from that little bit of excitement I got nothing else on the K2 anywhere else including the eye boulder. It wasn’t just the K2 that was successful, here is promising evidence caught on the Digital recorder…

“I heard there were many snakes in this woodland, why?” – A disembodied voice simply replied “Shhhhhhhhhhh.” I also captured the sound of dogs howling twice throughout the session. Upon investigating the area, I found no one walking any dogs and considering the time of morning, any dog walkers were very unlikely. What follows now is the dialogue from the spirit box session at each boulder;

What River runs at the bottom of the valley? “Meet” (Dartmeet is the name of the place where to rivers east/west dart meet)

SPIRAL BOULDER Is there anybody here with me now? “a demon” OR “Druid” Do you just say Demon? “He there” What’s your name? “Crockern” Can you tell me the name of this woodland? Does Somebody… “Nothing” OR “Lydford” Look after this woodland? “I do” Are there Druids here? Witchcraft? “I know” “Pendle” Did rituals take place here? “I know” Why are my legs warm? “Ghost” Ghost, are there ghosts here? What does this symbol mean (touching spiral) is it fake? Is it a hoax? “NO!” … “Katie” What does this mean? (gesturing towards spiral) “Mean” … “Tax” OR “Take” What land am I on? “Wistman” … “Wood”

EYE/LABYRINTH BOULDER Hello?...... “Who’s that” Can someone tell me what this symbol means? Why is it here? “magic” …… “Littaford” (Name of Tor above the woodland) What’s the name of this woodland? It looks like the shape of an eye, is it watching? Multiple indiscernible voices Hello? Is this woodland Haunted? “It is” Who haunts the woodland? “a woman” A woman? Are there fairies or pixies here? Are there creatures here? “Druid” Are there Demons here? Do you have a message? Hello? “Lady OR it’s me” Who are you? Do you watch over the wood? Who’s the guardian of the woodland? Are there witches here? “I am” Were sacrifices made here? “Katie” I would encourage any investigator to spend some time in this quirky location, an out-of-the-movies type of place. I get the feeling that there could be some interesting discoveries to be made here and already there seems to be links to my research. The many odd connections from my evidence, the legends and factual information on the area suggests that this is a sacred historical site. I also urge anybody who visits to please preserve it, do not damage anything and most importantly, watch your step and look out for those adders. THE DRUID SYMBOLS The boulders themselves are Granite, which is believed to affect the Earth’s energy, in particular focusing on healing areas with disturbed energy, neutralizing toxic areas. The Druid symbols on the boulders, one of which being like an eye could be “the Third Eye” known to be a gateway to the inner realms is in fact a connection between granite and the Third eye Chakra. Labyrinth -symbol to trap and confuse evil spirits or symbolizes a difficult journey. The eye- capable of assessing the soul at a glance and if necessary, inflicting a curse. The Spiral- The sacred spiral symbolizes energy, even under microscope pure energy appears in small spiral shaped patterns. The Raven- the power to move between worlds. Adder- The adder, a symbol of wisdom. They have a connection with Druids as they kept them, making divinations and some decisions depending on their movements. They are also said to be a bad omen to anyone who sees one.

‘A Haunted Atlas of Western New York’ is one of those rare gems that is actually two items in one. Blending seamlessly as one-part spooky history lesson and onepart travel guide, this piece of non-fiction fits at home nicely on any bookshelf whether you are from the area or not!” Adam Benedict Author, Monsters in Print

“Anyone wanting to visit Haunted locations in New York, this is just perfect, when, where and how in one easy to read and use guidebook, ideal for anyone, even an Englishman in New York, aliens or legal aliens”

Paul Stevenson Editor, Haunted Magazine

Iknow that this is going to sound a bit off, a bit weird, a bit selfish, but as I drove to Hornchurch in Essex to a reported spirit in a house, I was desperately hoping for a real goody. By a real goody I mean there was actually going to be a spirit there and there was going to be some phenomena that would test me. Most house spirits are family members popping down to see if everything is ok but inadvertently scaring the pants out of there unassuming relatives. So, when I was told there were cold spots, feelings of oppression, being touched and pinned down by an unseen force I couldn’t help but feel a little excited. The kids didn’t want to sleep in their room; this seemed to be where the main problem was happening. As always, I wanted to know nothing else. I never research an address or its occupants. I want to go in fresh and see what I can discover as I walk in.

The house, on arrival was nothing out of the ordinary. It was a terrace house sitting on an estate at the edge of the town. It was autumn at the time. The sun was trying to warm my cockles as the orange and brown hued leaves whipped up around my feet. As I walked towards the front door, my attention was drawn to the upstairs windows and there on the left top window I sensed my problem, this spirit had the arse ache, I could feel him staring down at me as if to say, ‘f**k off now, this is none of your business.’ Boy was I right. I stepped into the house and spoke with the mum. She was quite nervous and understandably troubled. I allowed her to make a cup of tea and let her chat away as I always do. This allows me to scan the house with my head to find where the culprit is. I could feel him so strongly it was tangible. He was not a happy bunny. I felt a bolt of excitement tinged with a little apprehension; he did not want me here.

After the tea and chat, it took me everything I had not to race up the stairs and start having it out with this spirit man. Instead I casually walked up the stairs and sauntered to what I knew was the problem room. The mum expressed her surprise, (We shall call her Jan*) that I located the room straight away. There were two children’s rooms along with the master bedroom. As I walked into the room I could feel and see a vortex over the top bunk of the kid’s bunk bed. It feels like a door has been left open on a chilly day. You can imagine your hair blowing in the chilled breeze but of course it isn’t. I could see the sparkling rain like orbs clearly showing a wide rod of energy where this man was manifesting through. “F**k off” said this very friendly spirit. I smiled through the abundant spirit welcome and asked if Jan could go and sit downstairs to give me time to sense the spirit. Sense it? I wanted to punch its lights out! Jan happily walked down the stairs as I gripped my fingers into a ball ready for a fight. I sat down on the lower bunk and said, “Right mate we have a problem here, I’m not going anywhere soon, so best you tell

me what the f**k you are doing here!” Not the most professional or spiritual introduction, but he has already used the F word, so I figure, meet him head to head.

This was all I could hear and see, written in words in my mind’s eye. We were getting nowhere fast as he just repeated the same words repeatedly. After ten minutes of this scintillating conversation, I decided to go up and get one of my guides Julianus. I needed a little assistance on how to move forward as I didn’t have a clue. I concentrated in my mind on the frequency I know my guides reside in and there was Julianus. His hood was up (he is a monk) so that showed he meant business. He made me feel like I had to stand up; he then took me to landing of the house. As I stood there Julianus then showed me a rope swinging from the loft hatch. I knew though that this wasn’t the house where a hanging had taken place as the walls had turned a different colour in my vision. “So, this man hanged himself?” I got a whoosh of energy run through my body, which always meant I was right. “But not here though?” Whoosh again. This is where I really didn’t like what I saw next. I was abused by my mum’s husband for many years and his face came into my mind as clear as day. I am changing the name as I don’t want to lend any energy to this monster. Let us say his name is John Barker. Now, unfortunately John wasn’t dead, so I knew it wasn’t him telling me to f**k off. So, I called down to Jan.

“Jan, do you know anyone called ‘John Barker’?”

She walked to the bottom of the stairs and looked up to me.

“Oh my God, how do you know that name?” “It’s just been shown to me Hun.” I reply. “That was my brother in law. He hung himself nine months ago,” she stated, going paler by the minute. Bingo! I had worked out who this man was. Jan went on to explain that he had killed himself because his wife was having an affair and had left him. He sank into a massive depression started drinking and in a desperate bid to end the emotional agony he hung himself on the landing of their house. He was the kid’s favourite uncle and it had left them all devastated as he was only in his forties. I asked Jan to come upstairs with me and sit on the bed. This was a family thing and I needed her there for him to see and feel his sister in law supporting my presence there. I took on a more sympathetic tone as I addressed him next. I spoke of his life and the agony he must be in and that he needed to lose the guilt and pain that he had caused his family. The room had been freezing but was now starting to warm a little.

He had not gone over and felt he needed to protect and look out for his ‘kids’ as he called them because he had let them down by killing himself. What he didn’t realise was that because he was still manifesting in a torrent of anger, pain and torment that was the energy he was creating in this house. It took about an hour to get this through to him, along with Julianus helping him. He had no clue what fear he was creating, he honestly thought he was being a strong and safe presence for his beloved family. I along with Julianus eventually convinced him to go over to the spirit world, join Archangel Jeremiel (The Archangel that does your life review) in order to get healed so that he could come in visitation in a clean, pure and serene energy as that would serve his family better. The room warmed up, the vortex disappeared, and I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. It was exceptionally emotional for Jan but even she could feel the lightness permeate the room on his departure. I ‘saged’ the room, in fact I did the whole house. I asked Jan not to mention John for a while, just until he sorted himself out. I called Jan a few months later. She was happy to report that there had been no further issues. She had created a collage photo display of John with the kids that stood pride of place in the lounge. As I always say, never judge a spirit by their initial energy, they always have a story to tell…

www.nickyalan.co.uk Psychic Medium, Magazine Columnist & Author Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn – Nicky Alan Author of ‘M.E Myself and I’ ‘Diary of a Psychic’

Sarah Chumacero is an Australian paranormal researcher, creator ofLiving Life In Full Spectrum Paranormal Blog, author of Stuff Paranormal Investigators Need To Know and volunteer paranormal investigation guide for Black Rock House Paranormal tours. https://llifs.com.au

If you want to know the future, there is no time like the present to look to the past … Albert Einstein once said, “If you want to know the future, look at the past”, something I find quite relevant when it comes to investigating the paranormal. We often ask the question as paranormal investigators “where do we go from here?”. We always seem to leave an investigation with more questions than answers and yet we are no closer to finding the answers we seek than we were over 100 years ago. Perhaps in order to move forward, we need to look to the past.

There is a strong movement within the paranormal field at the moment almost standing up against a lot of the technical devices used during an investigation.

Gone are the days where people can’t leave the house without a K2 meter in tow and instead, they are using the one valuable tool they have that doesn’t cost any money …. themselves.

In the ‘spirit’ of this, I recently along with my brother held a series of ‘Old School’ inspired investigation nights for the general public. The only condition of the evening was that no electronic equipment could be used whatsoever. The location of these events was at my regular haunt, Black Rock House. Nestled in the south east suburbs of Melbourne Australia, it was built in 1856 for Victoria’s first Auditor General Mr Charles Ebden as his holiday seaside residence. Used to entertain Melbourne’s elite, it eventually went onto become a boarding house and self-contained flats. After going through various owners over the years and eventually becoming derelict, it was purchased by the local council in the 1970s and with the help of volunteers, slowly returned to its former glory. It was remodelled on what an 1800s homestead would have looked like unique touches like the wallpaper reprinted to match the original traces which was found under years of neglect in the walls. With its beautiful furnishings, large castle gate with battlements and rumoured underground tunnels among the many mysteries that surround the property, this is the perfect location for such a night. We asked our guests to dress up in Victorian Era inspired dress and they could incorporate a steampunk twist if they saw fit. While it was intended to add an element of fun, it also held a much greater purpose. Would dressing up in clothing from the past resonate with a spirit and encourage them to interact with us? It is one of the most basic methods people use when investigating the paranormal. Mostly known as the ‘Singapore theory’ it is a

method of recreating some sort of act or replicating an environment which may be familiar to the spirit and therefore induce some sort of response. It is one of my favourite techniques to use as a paranormal investigator, as in a lot of ways it makes sense to me. If people believe that a spirit is the ‘ghost’ of a person who was once living, what better way to get their attention than to offer them a drink of their favourite whisky or to dress in the same way they did when they were alive.

On top of this method we also set out to show people that Ouija boards would not in fact summon a demon and that by scrying into a mirror we were not going to open a portal to hell. While times have changed, in the early 1900s these methods were extremely popular. Instead of heading out on a Saturday night for an investigation like we do now, people would stay at home and hold a séance or use a Ouija board with friends. Not only was this night arranged to give people a safe and comfortable space to try old spiritualist methods, but it was also intended to break a few stigmas along the way. The investigations took place while it was still light outside and, in most cases, we still had the lights turned on inside. Before reality television showed us how to investigate in night vision with the lights off in the darkness of night, this is often how investigators worked. It makes sense when a lot of reported paranormal experiences and sightings, occur during the day. Aside from the common table tipping, séance, and Ouija board sessions you commonly see at events, there was another ‘old school’ method I wanted to highlight to our guests that is often forgotten about. The very basic concept of ‘locking down a room’. This is something you can do not only on a paranormal investigation, but it is a great concept when investigating claims of paranormal phenomena. Place some trigger objects in the room and trace them onto a piece of paper. If these items are ‘moved’ during the course of night you would be able to tell. I also laid out a series of ping pong balls and then took a photo of the room and left it empty to see if anything moved while I was gone. In the past, people used to use powder on the floor to see if footprints would mysteriously appear or it could also indicate if someone had come to tamper with things. Unfortunately, these days it is not really acceptable to spread powder across expensive carpet, but aluminium foil does the same job! Take a photo of your set up and most importantly, close the door and tape up the seal with sticky tape. Write the time and date on the seal. This way you are able to see if anyone has entered the room and possibly tampered with things. In the few times I did this during our investigations there was no success, but this was one of the staple methods investigators used in the past to investigate claims of activity and something that is still very relevant today. There are famous names from our past such as Harry Price and Hans Holzer were famous for their work within the paranormal and advancements within the field. Long before paranormal reality television shows, their work was published in newspapers, correspondence and featured in books – many of which they authored. Their kits were quite simple and, in most cases, electronic free. During this time, they were able to develop theories and methods which we still heavily look to even today. Technology is expensive and in a lot of cases unnecessary. It is not just the false positives they pick up; it is more about the culture of looking down at a piece of tech be it a mobile phone or a k2 meter. If you are looking down and focusing on a piece of equipment, are you missing something happening right before your eyes? Immerse yourself in the experience. Use your eyes, your ears and observe your surroundings. Take the time to talk to the location and you just never know, it may talk back! You can hear the past, but are you really listening? Catch you all later, ya flaming galahs…

Sarah x Owner/Creator/Blogger

During recent ghost hunting events that I have attended, alongside popular tv and online programmes the use of the old craft has made an appearance as a tool for gaining evidence of the afterlife. We have seen the use of demonic invocation, curtsy of Fred Batt on “Most Haunted”, rituals and Tarot taking place on “Hellier”, as well as Lady Snake performing spells on “Ghost Adventures”. There seems to be a global rise in witchcraft as is reflected in these popular shows, in books and on social media. It is therefore not surprising that these areas are fusing together once again, with the world of the paranormal. Historically the two have been conjoined, almost seamlessly. Now witches of all varieties and backgrounds are literally coming out of the broom closet and this has elicited the question of does magick have a place in modern ghost hunting? What does the use of the craft bring to the table if anything? How is it being used and by who? And to what purpose and how could it be used. But most importantly what are the pitfalls and dangers of performing sorcery within a haunted location?

The purpose of this article is not to give an in-depth historical tour of the old ways, nor examine in great length the methods used in magick. This would be far too extensive for an article of this size. There are many good books, websites and videos that you can access if you wish to increase your knowledge (some will be noted at the end). However, I will briefly explore these ideas to contextualise them within the parameters of the article questions.

It is no secret that witches, the imagery at least, are regarded alongside the dead. Think of Halloween (Samhain), and conjured images amongst the pumpkins, skeletons, skulls and ghoul’s, sit the hags on brooms. The long-standing relationship with witchcraft, magick, and the disincarnate has a lineage as far back as the subjects began to be documented. The relationship is often, if not always portrayed in a grim, macabre, malevolent light. Witches have been accused, rightly or wrongly, in all cultures, of raising the dead for despicable tasks. This was often documented as an act that raised the dead in physical form or in spirit and these would do the dreadful bidding of the witch. Stories of witches setting zombies and ghost upon the living to terrorise and unleash chaos in the mortal world was the public’s view of a large part of the craft. Necromancy is a seen in many cultures and branches of witchcraft that often shapes such tales of raising corpses directly from the earth. From the African continent, Europe, the orients, as well as the Americas the stories are a popular thread and often used to demonise practitioners. Witchcraft has been seen as a force against the Christian church and other religions. This is demonstrated in the documentation of the witch trails and reflects religious fears and the drive to stamp out the old ways. Necromancy is also a term of summoning the spirit of the departed, today this act would be classified, in part at least, as mediumship. Through a medium, a person who can allegedly talk to spirits and these are said to manipulate the thoughts and actions of the medium to impart information. The spirit is utilised, not only to confirm the notions of life after death but as part of divination. It was and still is believed that the spirit could foretell future events and come to assist in the transpiring of the events.

Mediumship, as with necromancy, the raising and communing with the dead was firmly placed in the arena of black magick. Black magick is a set of principles, spells and rituals that could only be ill fated and wicked in the eyes of the public. It is considered that up until around the 1900s the use of communicating with the dead was firmly seen as an act against religion and blasphemy against God. Even now these beliefs exist, for the time being at least. The practice of channelling, the method of using the body and voice as a conduit, was another way to project the dead into the world of the living and used with much the same purpose as mediumship. Channelling sometimes falls in the parameters of necromancy but is also a term for transmuting energy which is the bringing of information from the astral and divine realms. For the convening of spirits summoning spells and rituals can be very effective. Summoning rituals are complex and extend beyond the calling up and channelling of the deceased. Summoning isn’t merely taking to spirits, it is a command, an order that must be obeyed. These rituals are often involved lengthy, intricate and time consuming, and certainly not for the inexperienced.

communication. The deceased of a tribe were revered in their knowledge and wisdom they had gained in the mortal world. It is believed that ancient sites such as long barrows and burial mounds where used to house elevated peoples of the clans. The living could seek out the wisdom of the dead by visiting and calling up them, asking them for guidance. Similar practices from ancient times can be seen all over the globe. Shamans in native American culture would call upon their ancestral blood line during deep trance meditation. In some cultures, the actual corpse of a family member is dressed and paraded. This is a practice we still see today in an Indonesian village, Toraja, where the crumbling mummified corpses are dressed in their favourite clothes and seated in their beloved places. Such practices were held in high esteem and served as an integral part of community reflecting cycles of life and death. In Mexico, at the time when we celebrate Samhain, there takes places the largest of the year’s festivals, Día de Mertos, the day of the dead. This is a three-day long festival which places ancestors both old and newly past at the centre of feasting, parades and gift exchanging and is celebrated by the young and old. The dead are invited back into their beloved family homes which are adorn with altars made in their dedication. Although we may consider these rituals as a macabre act, they are far from sombre or morose. Día de Mertos is a colourful, vibrant exciting time, where the dead are invited to live in the mortal world.

Witchcraft, whether it be a singular person or the acts taking place in a community context seems to permeate people’s minds. Cultural belief systems of spirit interaction therefore extend beyond the coven. With whole populations engaging in festival, rituals and spell casting. These are not acts of the devil, far from it, but important turns of devotion, celebration and joy of the lives of those who have pasted on. I wish to spend some time analysing other ways in which magick has and is used in relation to the dead. These ideas pertain to practices that take place in the western world and particularly, but not exclusively to practices in the British Isles. To include a global view on the subject would be too vast, although some allowances have been made as they are areas that obviously traverse into modern practices. At certain times of the year, the day and the lunar cycles the veil is thinned between the material world and that of the ethereal. These are good times to commune and honour those who have passed over from this incarnation. In neo pagan terms these times include festive holidays such as the solstices, and the equinoxes. Samhain is thought as an exceptional time when portals are at their strongest. It is also believed that a good time is at dusk, dawn, midday and midnight as well as the dark and full moons. Natural and manmade portals also exist, hedgerows, gates, arches and the like can act as a gateway. The line that is created between water and the land in also a world in between worlds and can create a doorway. As can mirrors, (always place these in the home with caution) doorways and windows, even passages and halls can create powerful rifts. In scared spaces, created and natural, ancient sites and natural places can be a great place to call in the dead. Such places hold memories and energies that can be accessed. Sacred spaces are places that hold the energy of the land, as with lay lines, or hold the invoked energy given by humans, such as stone circles.

Divination, the act of foretelling the future, is a staple grounding in witchcraft and one that has been performed for centuries. This takes many forms, and I want to just outline a few methods.

The act of dowsing, the use of holding either small metal or wooden rods is usually associated with divining water in the ground, it is also used in the acquisition of future knowledge, or fortune telling. A rod is held in either hand, in between the thumb and forefinger in an enclosed fist, the rods then move freely in either synchronised or against each other direction. It is believed that this movement is created by the earth’s magnetic forces, in terms of detecting water. Within use for psychic or mediumship clarity it is said the direction is caused by the electromagnetic forces ghost emit. This same energy is said to effect modern equipment such as Mel meters. It is believed the ghost can manipulate the rods in directions to answer yes or no questions asked by the rod holder. I have also seen it utilised to find residual energies that may linger in property. In a similar way to the action of dowsing rods a pendulum is also used to pick up on these subtle energy fields. A pendulum is usually a small object, usually a crystal, though can be wooden or an item of jewellery such as a ring, attached to either string or a chain. This can then be handheld or placed on a cradle to start to work. Questions are asked and the direction of the swing of the pendulum will determine a yes or no answer. Gazing into blackened mirrors, pools of still water or crystal balls have been used for millennia, to acquire esoterica knowledge. This act is called scrying. The seer meditates on the surface of a polished object or water to divine images and words that are then interpreted. Other elements such as fire can create a similar experience. Scrying can affect all the psychic senses, as well as seeing images (clairvoyance), the gazer may experience clairaudience (psychic hearing), clairsentience (psychic feeling). These experiences are often attributed to connections with the other side, with the gazer seeing images of the dead. Such is the popular notion of the dead and mirror gazing that it has been featured in many Horror movies, Bloody Mary being one with disastrous ends. The Ouija board, also known as spirit or talking boards are fairly modern in terms of introduction as a means of spirit communication. To operate the this one or more sitters, gather around the board, which is around about the size of an A3 piece of paper. The board has the alphabet and numbers 0-9 adorning it,

additions of yes, no, maybe, hello and goodbye are also common. These boards operate on the notion that ghosts, spirits or energies can manipulate the sitters or the board. The energy is transferred into a planchette (a flat heart shaped piece of wood with a viewing hole) or a glass that moves over the board. Messages are revealed where the planchette stops, either in single words or in sentences that come through. Steeped in a long line of mystery the Tarot cards in terms of a communication tool on ghost hunts is a new phenomenon. This mediaeval parlour game is used as both a tool to predict the future and counselling the sitter. The tarot is a deck of cards made up of 78 cards, the major arcana and minor arcana, 56 of the cards reflect a normal pack of cards containing numbers 1-10 and pip cards in four different suits, the remaining make up the major arcana. the major arcana follows the journey man, starting with the fool card and ending with the universe card. Packs differ in their imagery, but all follow the same basic set of principles and meanings. A sitter or sitters ask a series of questions and cards are chosen and interpreted by a reader. The reader tunes into the imagery and the relationships of the cards to seek clarity. These cards are placed in a specific arrangement depending on the nature if the questions asked. They are reported to inform the reader of past present and future events. There are many rituals that are used in the working with spirits of the dead. Simple candle magick can be used to help focus the mind, to honour ancestors or scry with. The use of herbs left as offerings, to aid in invocations or for protection are common in use within witchcraft. Other rituals can be long, laborious, and that need knowledge and experience are largely hidden from the mainstream, and for good reason. Witchcraft is said not to be a secret society but a society with secrets. A have a go mind set with such things can lead to difficulties Summoning, calling out, inviting and invoking are spells, whether they are aware or not, ghost hunters do as a matter of course. The use of words with intention and focus can create spells, hence the word spelling (?) and the use of derogatory language is called cursing. Summoning very plainly put is an act of ordering a spirit up. Calling out is bring a spirit to you, often without placing caveats. Inviting is putting an invite out to specific spirits, and typically with a

set resolution. Invocation is used in the calling up of deities, as a whole, but can also be used to call in spirits and is very precise in its nature. Witches take these areas very seriously and with a great amount of caution, following the rule “never call up what you can’t put down”. In witchcraft Protection is paramount, it is called upon on a regular basis and in a variety of ways. Whilst working with magick of any kind a practitioner becomes a beacon of energy that will attract both benign and malevolent energies to them. The wearing of black clothing is one of the most basic forms of protection, it is felt that this camouflages the wearer against energetic attacks. Have you ever considered why a ghost hunter chooses to wear black? Using colour magick is simple way of shielding against hidden powers, different colours correspond with different areas in protection. In terms of the protection and the field of the ghost hunter it is important to keep not only yourself safe, but also the people around you. The need to be protected from unseen forces has driven humans since Neolithic times. The use of fire wasn’t just seen as a force of warmth, a means of cooking and light, but revered for its protective properties. The fire not only kept away potential predator assaults but was seen to protect against unseen forces.

Drawn symbols, marks and sigils can have always been used in protecting and warding, the evil eye, the pentagram, the Christian cross are to name a few and span different cultures and time. There are many ways to access and create images to use in warding and there are many good books on the market that explain the process. In countenance to witchcraft the Christian church had its own set of banishing symbols, the daisy, flower of life can be seen carved into religious buildings.

Symbols can be used in several ways, these can be worn on the body, sewn into clothing, as jewellery or drawn onto the body. They can be placed in or around the home, sacred places, or in fact any place that a human settle. Think about your own home, do you have a lucky charm, maybe an icon, or item that is lucky like a horseshoe? These are deep resonances that are embedded in our culture and are usually carried out conscious thought.

The question is then, with all these elements of witchcraft seeping into and now being embedded into ghost hunting, do they have a rightful place? Are they safe to use and what are the possible repercussions of their use? Although I have skimmed through the major areas in which could cross over into paranormal investigation, they give a good basis to answer the above questions. Overall the answer is Yes! witchcraft does have a rightful place in the field; however, this is with caution and boundaries. Even the most witchcraft sceptical ghost hunters in the scene will recognise and utilise some of the mentioned methods. Just by calling out, asking questions into the ether is creating a spell of sorts, using words to manifest energy.

There are some areas that should be entered with high caution even for those who practice, and there are some that should be completely out of bounds, even for those with vast experience. The use of rituals, no matter how simple, should always be taken seriously, you should be aware of the things you are manifesting both intentionally and unintentionally. Unless you have thought through every possible outcome of a ritual, and have a good grounding in protection then these, I would suggest, should be left to those with experience. Even those with years of work under their belt get it wrong, lets refer here to Alister Crowley and his botched summoning that he attempted at loch ness. He failed to complete a long ritual spanning weeks, consequently the property he used to perform in has had a series of fires. Crowley himself declined into heroin addiction and his life spiralled downwards. If Crowley a notable person in the craft can cock things up, then think of the mess that could be caused by someone with half his knowledge. Whether these events where psychological, coincidental or magick they still highlight that caution is needed.

I would heed a warning about the practice of scrying and the use of Ouija boards, and glass work divination. There are appropriate ways to proceed that will to some extent safeguard the sitters before the session, during and after. A clear positive mind is always a good starting point, as is using grounding and protection techniques (many good tutorials of this can be found on the internet.) During the session being respectful, and aware as well as understanding how to open and close sessions appropriately. A method of energetic cleansing after any session, as well as the main ghost hunt, will clear away any negativity that you may have enticed. As with rituals, if you are ever in doubt about this kind of work simply don’t participate. These kind of vigil pursuits can be like dialling a random telephone number on your phone and asking questions, you never know who you are going to get. The sessions can also be manipulated both physically and metaphysically. The living can sway a session, whether it be a conscious decision or not and this can alter the mind set of those involve. Equally there is always the thought that spirits can use the board to deceive and manipulate the session for their own gains. The act of divination whether it be dowsing, or pendulum work can be an asset to a ghost hunter. It is relatively easy to implement and harbours a narrow margin for invitation of negative energies. Although I must stress again that all communication with spirit holds a chance of receiving unwanted attention. Unlike sitting on a Ouija board session, a single person is in control of the method and it is merely an indication of energy, much like a K2 meter.

It is a good rule of thumb that no matter what, if you start a ritual make sure you complete, or don’t bother. Rituals can and do invite energies that may not have been intended, and some of these may be harmful. The best way to keep yourself and those around you safe in not to engage in anything you are unsure of. Simply searching the net, or even buying good books on rituals will not alone give anyone the skills, knowledge or experience needed to be in full control. There has been a deliberate holding back of the examination of the Tarot within ghost hunting, as this is the area that has led me to examine the topic as a whole. The use of this system has sat uncomfortably with me since I first encountered it being used on an event. The reader on this event lay a spread of cards with the intention of communicating to the deceased. Having worked with the Tarot for 28 years, they have become somewhat sacred as a tool to help the living. Personally, I spend a lot of time cleansing and charging each pack, of which I have many and for different situations. Some packs I keep for the sole purpose of personal readings, for myself. Others for those close to me and a pack dedicated for the broader public. These cards are believed to harbour the energies of the sitter as well as the reader, and to that end I will cleanse them after every reading. I have a theory that if they can harbour the energy of the living, then they can harbour the energy of the dead and I am not sure I would want discarnate energy lingering there. I would speculate that the cleansing methods I use would clear them of any attachment, however, I wouldn’t want to risk this. There is also the fact that Tarot hold incredibly involved images, with powerful symbols embedded. These can be focused on during meditative states to invoke forces from the spiritual realms. I am unsure that with the dead having access to these, along with the state of mind of the ghost hunter what the outcome would be. My own view on this is if this is something you wish to try, have a pack that is used only in haunted locations and for that objective. All these examples of warnings and caution play not only into the witchcraft and spiritual realm but have a psychological purpose. In the world of ghost hunting the mind is particularly susceptible to suggestions of a negative nature. Demons, malevolent spirits and dark forces are speculated a great deal amongst the community, and this can then play on the minds, whether on a conscience level or not. In taking precautions in all ghost hunting activities not only safeguards on an energetic level but also in terms of positive mental health. Witchcraft has a healthy relationship with ghost hunting and one that can and does produce some interesting results. The tools outlined can be another way in which the energies of the living and dead can bridge the gap and aid in interaction. But as in all areas of ghost hunting respect, knowledge, wisdom and caution are the key. Know your own limits and work within them to keep yourself and others safe.