Kevin L. Powers asked:


After a six-year hiatus director Mike Mendez returns behind camera for the horror romp THE GRAVEDANCERS. Having broke every religious taboo with his previous film THE CONVENT, Mendez returns in full form with this entertaining and imaginative film about a group of friend who desecrate three graves in a cemetery and inadvertently wake the dead.

Now, going into this film you can’t concern yourself with the absurdity of the whole premise you just have to go with it. Three school friends get back together after one of them dies. Having not seen each other they all gather at a bar and get drunk while reminiscing over the good old days before heading to the cemetery for one last goodbye. Letting loose they decide to have a little fun by dancing on the graves and desecrating the ground which awakens angry spirits which latch onto each of them.

Upon learning from a group of paranormal investigators that they have until the next full moon to rid themselves of the spirits before the spirits are strong enough to kill them, the three search for a way to exorcise the spirits. What follows is a darkly comic misadventure of the three friends as they are teased by their spirits before the big finale in the paranormal investigators’ home.
The cast is at top form with Dominic Purcell (from the short lived television series JOHN DOE) heading the group that includes Clare Kramer (from television’s BUFFY, THE VAMPIRE SLAYER), Josie Maran, Marcus Thomas, Tcheky Karyo, and Megahn Perry.

The film borders on self parody but like Mendez’ previous film THE CONVENT he knows how to balance the laughs with the screams for an enjoyable ride.

Daniel Benor asked:


Nightmares – the kind that wake us with our heart beating wildly and our whole body tensed and ready to do battle with the baddies or run away – are often experienced as very frightening and worrisome.

Many want to forget their bad dreams as soon as possible. They don’t realize these could be missed opportunities for enrichment in their lives. Analyzing dreams is a potent method not only for managing stress but for our personal development.

We may ask ourselves:

Did I see or hear something bad that is coming back to haunt me?

Is my dream warning me about someone who is out to get me?

Did I eat something spoiled for dinner?

Or could there be something more that I am not getting here?

The truth is, any or all of these and many more possibilities may be true. Dreams are imagery and storyline salads that our deeper self puts up on the screen of our awareness during the night. When we sleep, our conscious mind is resting. This allows our unconscious mind the space to chew on and digest whatever issues we have swallowed but have not yet sorted out during the day.

The ingredients in this salad may include

- Residues of experiences from the day

- Memory associations with those experiences that

are sitting in the same file drawer of brain

- Feelings similar to those experiences

- resonating like taut guitar strings to a similar

note from recent events

- Sounds our unconscious mind notes while we sleep

- Worries and fears about the future

There are countless books for interpreting dreams. These may give us some general ideas about our own nightmares, but only we ourselves can say what our particular dreams mean. This is because we have concocted this imagery salad out of the unique ingredients of our individual, personal lives.

Example

From ‘Kate,’ a 35 year-old, single parent MBA:

“I once woke in a sweat, having dreamed I was driving a car with a steering wheel I could no longer turn.”

The first step in befriending our nightmares is to write down every detail and nuance we can recall, omitting no pixel of pictures, no nuance of feeling, or soundbyte of words, or intonations exchanged by the characters on that inner stage.

“As I started to write, more details emerged. Not only was I approaching a curve, but there was a big truck approaching in the opposite lane. I kept fighting the wheel that wouldn’t turn, terrified as my car crossed the yellow line just in front of the truck. I wanted to scream but no words would come out of my mouth. I woke just before impact.”

Next, we can scan our memories for what might have been a leftover from recent days’ experiences that was dropped into the salad.

“I felt I was being driven by my financial needs to continue on a career path that I was unhappy to pursue. The atmosphere at the factory was terrible because I was being asked to do jobs that weren’t mine, due to several recent staff resignations. I was forced to stay late, compromising my duties as a mom to two young girls. I was having a hard time finding another job I wanted, and worried I could not hold up (might crash) under the stresses.”

Examining patterns from the past that might be similar, Kate realized:

“My father was forced into bankruptcy, due to a poor choice in business partners, when I was in my late teens. This severely disrupted our family and delayed my plans for going to university until I could pay my own way. I felt totally out of control when this happened.”

Sorting out the meanings of the dream, one can explore alternatives that one might have overlooked in the dream and why these blind spots might exist.

“I came to see I had struggled with the steering wheel but never thought of stepping on the brakes. The dream actually helped me understand that when stressed, I often felt panicky and out of control – when actually there often were choices I could make that would be under my control.”

The nightmare can then suggest new ways we might approach our life situations.

“I came to see that I could take a stand for myself and put on the brakes at work. I was lucky that the division manager was an understanding single mom herself and she supported me when I requested shifts in my duties.”

Kate also found ways she could deal with the heavy feelings of hurt, anger and resentment she carried from her father’s bankruptcy.

In short, if we don’t run away from our nightmares or push them back into the fog of unknowing in our unconscious mind, they can be a rich feast for understanding ourselves better and for discovering creative ways to improve our lives.

John W. Martin asked:


Psychology – Intriguing Phenomena of the Mind



http://www.yallways.com

Strictly defined, psychology is the study of mental processes and behaviors. Psychologists study everything from interpersonal relationships to unconscious habits of the mind. They also attempt to relate behaviors and thoughts to neurological processes. While most professionals in this field work within the realm of mainstream science, some have adopted a focus on “paranormal psychology,” commonly referred to as parapsychology.

Parapsychology first developed as a field in the 19th century. In 1882, the Society for Psychical Research was founded in London to promote the critical evaluation of paranormal psychic phenomena. Three years later, psychologists in the United States created the American Society for Psychical Research. Both organizations still exist today and continue to conduct prominent research. They are now joined by other interested institutions, like the Parapsychological Association, and sections of major universities.

Parapsychology focuses on several key phenomena. One of the most heavily studied is extrasensory perception (ESP). ESP refers to the ability to garner information without using any of the known physical senses. This can include precognition, telepathy, and clairvoyance. A key method of ESP study has involved sensory-deprivation. When unable to use other sense, subjects are able to test supposed ESP abilities. Results from these so-called “ganzfeld experiments” seem to prove the existence of some ESP phenomena. However, such findings have not been confirmed by the general scientific community.

Some parapsychologists specifically focus on the survival of consciousness beyond the death of a person’s physical body. Most research in this area involves exploration of near-death experiences. These refer to instances where a person has come close to death or been revived after cited as medically deceased. In many such cases, subjects describe an “out of body experience” in which he or she was able to observe the situation from outside their physical self. Other subjects have reported communicating with deceased loved ones or spiritual figures. Today, this phenomenon is widely studied in universities, such as at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and by the International Association for Near-Death Studies.

A more obscure segment of parapsychology is the study of psychokinesis, or the ability of the mind to influence physical matter. Although claims in this area are numerous, scientific study of such phenomena is difficult. One popular method of studying this phenomenon involves using computers as random number generators. A subject is then asked to try and influence the outcome of the device. Some results from these experiments seem to show that a person can influence a random event. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to determine whether data is accurate or simply the result of chance success.

Despite some empirical findings, most scientists still consider parapsychology to be a pseudoscience. They do not support supposed experimental findings, and continue to debate the credibility of parapsychologists. However, this has not deterred researchers, and parapsychology continues to be studied by scholars around the world. Some projects have even received government funding and media support. However, more experimental findings are necessary before even a single parapsychology claim can be verified.

Bobby Elgee asked:


 by Bobby Elgee; Sights Unseen Paranormal 

Today, I used my EVP machine and it recorded a ghost’s voice. I also utilized my Ghost Image Capture Device to take a picture of a ghost. Another investigator used an Electric Detector that picks up spirit energy. I also used my Indoor Battery-Powered Illuminator–fancily called ‘a torch’ by our friends across the pond–to light up some ghosts in a dark room. We also used an interesting invention, a Television Spirit Capture Device, which records video of dead people. Finally, we analyzed all this research data on a computer that is specifically set up with programs–like Photoshop and Itunes–that help to find ghosts. 

Does the above paragraph sound as asinine and ignorant to you as it does to me? Interestingly enough, there are ghost hunting teams that use language similar to what I’ve typed above. To me, reading a paragraph like this makes a couple of things painfully obvious: 

1. The person writing it has absolutely no technical expertise whatsoever. 

2. They aren’t even coming close to practicing debunking. For people like this, everything is a ghost. 

Sorry, for venting…the moral to this story is KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT. I have a lot to learn, that’s why I do research, read my owner’s manuals, and depend on experts and consultants to help me research potential evidence. 

None of the technology used in ghost hunting was originally designed to find ghosts. Be accurate in your description of the equipment you use. Know what it was originally designed for, and the theory behind using it to detect possibly paranormal events. 

Otherwise, you risk looking like a fool. Not sure about you, but I’m enough of a goof ball as it is, so I like to cover all my bases. 

Now, you’ll have to excuse me because my Electoplasma Initiator/Personal Massager is ringing.

 

Bobby Elgee asked:


This article is an open query to all ghost hunters, paranormal investigators, psychics, mediums, parapsychologists, and theologians regarding the possible moral obligations concerning assisting certain types of ghosts–as defined as the consciousness of deceased persons possibly trapped in the material realm–to move on to ‘the other side.’

I am an amateur paranormal investigator with limited experience and many questions cross my mind, not only about the research and gathering ‘evidence’ of the paranormal, but also questions related to the moral, ethical, and spiritual aspects of this endeavor.

My question is this:

Do we have an obligation to assist ghosts in their transition to ‘the other side’?

The question is based on a series of assumptions as follows.

1. Ghosts are the consciousness of deceased humans and certain ghosts are ‘stuck’ in the material realm.

2. Some ghosts may be unaware that they are ghosts and/or they are unable to muster the actions/steps necessary to ‘move on.’

3. There is something beyond the material realm. A place or state exists that is a natural and probably desirable next step, and getting there is  necessary to complete the spiritual evolution of these free-floating ‘minds’ called ghosts.

4.  Thus we, as the living, being knowledgeable of the condition of their existence–and theoretically having the tools to assist them in their spiritual evolution–should render this assistance.

The above assumptions possibly place us–as paranormal investigators and others concerned with the spiritual evolution of our species–in a unique position to be able to provide this assistance. If the assumptions above are true and/or you believe in ghosts, to not act based on these assumptions be could something akin to leaving Kitty Genovese bleeding on the street.

If you believe that people should be altruistic–that is being obligated and willing to help our fellow humans (and ghosts)–we should seriously consider this issue.

There is research that shows that humans can be altruistic. They certainly may demonstrate this trait. We operate in groups for the greater good and are social creatures. However, there is also social psychological research that demonstrates that we are very selfish, e.g. we may only clearly operate altruistically when it serves our own needs/ideals or that of our family. We may be unique in the animal kingdom considering our combination of altruistic and selfish traits. The discussion of  these psychological and sociological ideas certainly goes beyond the constrains of this article, but they do bear mentioning.

So, when considering this question, one has to look deep into oneself and society and consider whether your answer to the question is self-serving or genuinely altruistic.

Considering the popular television show Ghost Hunters, rarely do they televise cleansing efforts, involve religious authorities or psychics specific to this issue, and it appears that their activities in regards to their clients mostly involve educating their clients to paranormal phenomena with the tenet that knowledge reduces fear–and that there is really nothing to fear. At least for the humans involved.

This is just on the surface, and TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) certainly provides more services than is discernable from their television show and  has demonstrated the capability to provide referrals to professionals and experts capable of operating under the assumptions I mentioned earlier.

Anyone that has done any background research on Grant, Jason, and Steve–the force behind TAPS– realizes that their paranormal experiences far exceeds what is able to be shown in an hour television show. For all the commercialization and debates to as to whether the ‘evidence’ they present is valid, they do deserve immense credit to bringing the realm of the paranormal–and implications on the spiritual evolution of the human race–to light and educating the general public in regards to these type of phenomena as genuine and legitimate human experiences.

Other television shows have a bent that lends themselves more toward addressing the possible  moral and ethical responsibilities that this article is questioning. Paranormal State, the team of young investigators and paranormal entrepreneurs from Penn State, definitely deserves credit for bringing this issue more to light and embracing a wider spirituality that underlies the entire endeavor.

Both groups, Ghost Hunters and Paranormal State, are clearly human-centric. The living are more important then the dead. Their needs take precedent, being the primary needs in any case. This is a premise I have to believe, as my belief in ghosts and the afterlife are unresolved at best. If a child is scared, or an adult is being tormented by paranormal experiences, the impact on their quality of life is obvious. Why the supposed ‘ghosts’ are exhibiting this ‘behavior’ is always secondary to the needs of the living..

Are we ****** against ghosts? Do we neglect their needs in support of the living? Absolutely, but this is the way it is. There is a conscious and unconscious assigning of priorities in any paranormal investigation, and whether we are ‘racists’ considering ghosts is fodder for another article, the implications of which are not discussed here.

I take this type of bias as possible indication of genuine altruism exhibited by the human race. It is one of the ways that demonstrates that we, as living humans, are part of the same family. Ghosts, by definition, are not, though perhaps they once were. Thus ghosts become the second-class citizens of any paranormal investigation. Though ghosts are the reason we’re investigating in the first place, in reality they are not. We are investigating for us, and sometimes ghosts are treated like nothing more then strange animals in a zoo where we go to gawk. Again, these issues are very interesting, but beyond the bounds of this article.

So, we come back to the original question:

Do we have an obligation to help ghosts move to the other side?

Consider the following series of questions which represent a potential can of worms related to the question above.

1. What if some ghosts choose to stay?

There are documented cases of people who are alive, astrally traveling or presumably engaging in ESP and appearing as apparitions to people, family members, or even complete strangers. How do you determine the difference between this phenomena and that of a  haunting?

Then we would need to determine the difference between a residual haunting and an intelligent haunting, assuming that residual haunting is not caused by a conscious spirit.

What’s left may be an intelligent haunting. If so, how would we decide if the ghost wants to be here, or that it doesn’t know it is trapped? What if the ghost knows it’s trapped, and believes that the other side is hell? Again, we have a can of worms here which may place us–as paranormal investigators–casting judgements that have already been decided by the concepts of God across a variety of religions.

2. How do we determine the reasons why an intelligent ghost is staying?  How do we decide those reasons presumably using the tools we have now?

3. Once we’ve determined the answers to #1 and #2, what do we do next? How do we decide which ghosts to help, and those that don’t need or want our help? What tactics do we employ to accomplish this?

So, we are left with a series of questions that are very important, addressing the basic premise of what it is to be human–and to be a ghost–and our obligations and responsibilities as to what that means. Ranging from theology, spirituality, psychology, to the tactics of ghost hunting, this “hobby” certainly generates questions–and possibly answers–that may affect all of the human race.

I have no answers, only questions. However, in my quest to become a more competent paranormal investigator, I believe the techniques and technology are the relatively easy questions to address. The questions behind why we are employing such tactics–the difficult part in my opinion–and our eventual goals become very important for all ghost hunters to consider.

I firmly believe that we cannot flail blindly in the dark when dealing with such questions. I think, whether we believe in ghosts or not, we do have an obligation to help them if they need it. Not to do so makes you less human in my opinion. And, I feel that many groups neglect these questions or when they are addressed, it is done so in an cursory and self-serving way. I certainly do not exempt myself from this, and perhaps writing this makes me a hypocrite.

In my opinion, there are many obstacles in the way of developing any type of consensus in these matters. One of the main obstacles is inconsistent use of language and even a basic ignorance, and perhaps disagreement, in regards to various terminology.

For example, many groups state that their goal is to find proof of the paranormal. This is a misnomer. The fact is that paranormal phenomena does exist. I define paranormal as something that is currently unexplainable by science. There is plenty of phenomena that is unexplainable by science, as every scientist will tell you.

One needs to clearly define the words they are using if they pretend they are doing something remotely resembling scientific research. If everyone uses the same word in a different way, no one has any idea what anyone is talking about. In scientific research, one doesn’t generally have to worry about this. In the field of paranormal investigation, I feel this problem is pervasive.

Some groups clearly state that their goal is to prove the existence of the afterlife or life after death. These groups come more closely to presenting themselves in a way that elucidates their goals. But what exactly are their goals?

Lets be frank, no one is probably ever going to prove the existence of the afterlife in the foreseeable future. A lofty goal, sure, but one in all likelihood is probably  unobtainable. Setting realistic goals is important in any endeavor, and ghost hunting is no different. Perhaps setting such an all encompassing goal undermines the method, and the ability to work toward obtaining this goal.

Running around, taking strange photographs, capturing audio of unexplained voices, and documenting cold spots and spikes in EMF activity may not be advancing the body of knowledge toward proving the afterlife in any meaningful way. However, at this point, these are some the most popular tools we have.

If you do want to prove the existence of the afterlife, and you capture some evidence of what you feel is a ghost, how come most people just walk away from it? They put the picture on their Web site and show it off, with little regard to the ghost itself. Even worse then that, they may return to the location–even bringing in more investigators–in an attempt to capture further ‘evidence.’ And yet, what is done as far as attempts to determine why the ‘ghost’ is there and what can be done to help it’s spiritual evolution? Again, this unfortunate spirit is reduced to an exhibit, a zoo animal, and something to be harassed.

There has to be more then that, and as a ghost hunter or paranormal investigator, especially if you believe in ghosts, you should do something about it, and hopefully something that will help on a spiritual level. Otherwise, in my opinion, you are nothing better then a tourist and an amateur, and are solely thinking of your own needs and desires. In other words, you are being self-serving.

Many groups are very committed to debunking. In my mind, these groups have less of an obligation to assist these disembodied spirits. For myself, I am not convinced of the existence of ghosts. The paranormal phenomena I have captured evidence of is simply that in my mind. It’s paranormal–unexplained by science. Subsequently calling such phenomena a ghost is a leap of faith I can’t make with any degree of certainty at this time. Thus, I’m fairly comfortable not attaching any spiritual implications or obligations to any such phenomena.

Until I am actually convinced that there are such things as ghosts, I don’t necessarily feel any obligation to take further steps beyond just trying to figure out what “it” is. However, I do articulate this, and don’t run around identifying such phenomena as ghosts, then do nothing about it. Also, I do work with people who study these aspects of paranormal investigations, and feel that they have the skills to address these aspects if necessary.

Of course, I may be wrong and self-serving and–in an effort to justify my actions and reconcile them with my thoughts and opinions on the subject–may be neglecting a very important piece of the puzzle. In fact, I have a nagging feeling in the back of my head this may be the very case.

Given the original premise of this article, ghost hunters become elevated to a unique group– a group who has to have an understanding of human psychology, culture, and spirituality, and be able to offer advice and take action concerning a spirits spiritual well-being.

The field of paranormal investigation will evolved only  if people consider the basic questions, motivations, and drives beyond just capturing evidence. Look at the original question underneath it all…why do we do this?

To take a basic tenet of ethics, one must first do no harm. Regardless of whether ghosts exist–and by default this implies the existence of an afterlife–I sincerely don’t believe that most paranormal investigators are causing any harm. But if one does consider the spiritual implications regarding helping a trapped spirit, we are acting on a body of imperfect knowledge, and thus by doing so, perhaps could cause harm if we aren’t very careful and thoughtful in our methods.

So, are there any answers in this article? Probably not, but there are many questions and the half-baked musings of an amateur ghost hunter who may just be in over his head.

Peter Nisbet asked:


Making money with Twitter is not difficult, and while everybody wants to know how to use Twitter properly very few do. Yes, you can log on and tweet, but do you really know how to use it? Do you know how to attract the followers that you want, or how to choose the tweeters that you want to follow?

Most people are happy having as many followers as possible, but why are they following you? Why do people who don’t have a clue who you are want to follow you? Unless you can answer questions such as these then you do not know how to use the site, let alone how to make friends and money from Twitter.

That’s right – make money! It is possible to make money with Twitter by using it as it can be used, but you have to know how to do that. Twitter can be used to drive masses of traffic to your blog, Squidoo lens or website. There is nothing illegal about it, and Twitter will not throw you off: in fact they will welcome it. The reason for that is that the owners want it to be as popular as possible and to have as many Twitter users and followers as they possibly can get.

Part of that might be due to reported bids for Twitter from Rupert Murdoch, Apple and Facebook, and perhaps even Google: obviously the busier and more popular the site is then the higher its value. However, a lot has also got a lot to do with pride, and the more uses to which people can put the site then the less it will be known as a one trick pony, useful only for short tweets but nothing else.

If it becomes a useful means of internet marketing, and can be extended into a mainstream income earner, then Twitter will assume a new dimension and not only increase its value but also its reputation as a more solid WEB2 site and not just a bit of frippery on the periphery of real internet marketing entities. You can make money with Twitter, mainly by using it as a marketing tool to drive traffic to your blog or website. You can also use Twitter to send visitors to your MySpace, Facebook or YouTube pages and any other web presence that you have such as your Squidoo lens.

Anybody can do it, not only the experienced internet marketers, and if you have an idea that you can sell, or even a physical product that you want to promote, then there are ways to do that extremely effectively using the application – but first you have to understand how to use Twitter for more than just tweeting.

What you need is good professional instruction, not only on how to make friends and communicate, but also how to make money with Twitter. Not many are doing so right now, but if you feel that this is a growing medium, of which there is absolutely no doubt, then you must make sure that you don’t miss the boat. You can use Twitter without spamming, and without annoying any of the other tweeters that use it.

In fact many might want to join you, since they will learn a lot more about this fabulous communications technique than they do right now. Once you understand how Twitter can be used to the maximum of its potential then you can pass that information on free if you want.

First, however, you have to understand the basics of Twitter. You might believe that you know all there is to know, but don’t be silly! Nobody knows that, not even me, and I know a heck of a lot. Nevertheless there is still a lot to be learned, and you should start learning right now before you get left behind.

By learning how to use Twitter properly, you will broaden your outlook and enjoy tweeting much more, and if you know how to make money with Twitter when you need it, then these sudden expenses that come along will no longer pose problems. By combining the benefits of WEB2 sites such as Squidoo, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter you can create a marketing entity so powerful that you find it difficult not to make money.

Jeff Schuman asked:


Have you heard of Twitter? It seems like there are new ways to promote your business online and Twitter is a very good one. It is one of these cool social network ways of staying in touch with people.

In this article let’s talk about 6 ways you can easily use Twitter to make friends and more money!

1. First and foremost Twitter is a great way to stay connected with people who are following you and who you are following. You do this by posting short messages called “tweets.

This has become known as micro blogging because you are limited to 140 characters in your messages. The key is to build up a large list of followers. You can do this at various sites like Twellow.com and then start following people who have similar interests to yours.

2. Make yourself stand out by offering things that are unique. I like to offer updates about what I am blogging on. Avoid selling all of the time and offer useful content and your followers will appreciate it.

3. You have to get your Twitter link out where people can find you. This means adding it to your email sig file, in forum posts, on your website, on your blog sidebar, in article resource boxes, and so on. People will follow you if you have some credibility which you should haveve doing it this way.

4. Be consistent when posting new updates, or tweets. If you have something to offer say it. This is like posting in your blog. If you let in stagnate you will lose your effectiveness.

5. Social networking is all about being a part of a community. Twitter is no different. If you are an asset to your followers people will want to see what you are up to. You can include a link in your Tweets to anything you want by creating a TinyUrl.

6. Understand all of the ways you can benefit from Twitter. For example you can find new joint venture partners just by posting what you are up to in your internet business. Another way to benefit is outsourcing things you need done by posting a tweet for work such as blog articles, graphics, website design, and so on.

These are 6 easy ways to use Twitter to make new friends and make more money by attracting traffic. Because it is here to stay, and the ways to use it will only increase, this is something you are going to want to learn more about.

Ray Shane asked:


A free friendship dating site is a blessing in disguise for many people who have not found any success with speed dating sites or romantic dating sites or other varieties of internet dating sites.

Free of Cost Friendship Website

The main advantage of hooking up with a free friendship dating site is that firstly, the registration process is free and you can create your account and search through the data base absolutely free of cost.

In a reputed friendship site where registration is 100% free (though you have to upgrade and become a paid member to send messages) you can create a peppy profile, interact with a huge member base and take a look at their profiles, indulge in blogging sessions, send emails and chats and instant messages etc. In short you will get to enjoy all the features of a paid online dating service or friendship site without having to pay anything!



Set Your Own Pace for Relaxed Friendship Dating

A free friendship dating site will allow you to proceed in the dating game at your own comfortable pace without hurrying you on. And these friendship websites are very easy to use and won’t leave you confused through intricacies that are difficult to comprehend.

All that you need to do to meet men online or meet ladies online and make friends online free is to sign up, create your profile, search through or browse through hundreds of member profiles, send friend requests to those you like or accept friend requests from members if you like their profile and you can simply start scrapping them or leave behind comments in their diaries or scrapbooks to carry on with the friendship. You can use smileys or graphics or instant messages as conversation starters.

And these friendship websites are pretty flexible with time. You don’t run the fear of getting unsubscribed after 3 months or 6 months due to non payment of fees. There is no membership deadline as such and most people remain loyal subscribers of a good and trusted friendship site for years and years, taking their own time to judge people or meet more new people. There is no attached rider like expiry of membership period and you can make as many new friends as you like for 4 years or 10 years.

Wider Scope and Larger Database to Choose Friends from

In a free friendship site, it is possible to meet people from all walks of life, from all ethnicities, from all religious or communal groups and you have the scope to explore your options from a larger database of members as maximum numbers of people prefer to join a free friendship site.

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


The human aura is a three-dimensional energy field that surrounds the bodies of all living-beings and things. It extends in all directions, normally in an elliptical shape around the body. The healthier you are, the further the aura will extend out from the body.

There was an era when many people were able to see auras. In paintings of Spiritual leaders like Christ and the Buddha, we often see golden haloes around their heads. These haloes are nothing but their auras. The artists and painters of that age were able to see the auras, and hence reproduced them in their artwork.

Seeing the aura has got nothing “paranormal” about it. It is very normal, and one of easiest things to learn. With some time, practice and perseverance, anyone can see auras to some degree.

Why do we need to see auras ? : Learning to see the aura can reveal a lot about a person. The colors and intensity of the aura can tell us what the other person is thinking. Since the aura cannot be faked, the person’s true nature and intentions become clear as a mirror.

Someone has said that the aura is our spiritual signature. How true! A person with a radiant, clean aura is spiritually advanced and a person with a dark, murky aura is someone with unclear intentions. So if we know how to see and understand the aura, we know whom to befriend and whom to steer away from.

Also, by reading the aura it is possible to diagnose diseases even before symptoms become evident. If all doctors were trained to see the aura, it would be a boon to mankind.

How to read the Aura : Preparation : Find a place where you can practice undisturbed. Relax your mind by doing some deep-breathing exercises. Make sure the light in your room is neither too bright nor is it totally dark. A soft dim light is ideal. It is also important to have an open-minded attitude. The belief that you can see the aura will give you success faster.

Experiment 1 – See the aura around your hands : The background color, against which you will practice viewing the aura, should be preferably black, white or gray.

Hold one of your hands out in front of you and gently spread your fingers. Your palm can either be towards you or away from you. Take a few deep breaths and relax. Now, here is the trick… look at your hand but keep your focus on the background. That is, you do not focus on your hand, but you look beyond, and gaze at the background.

I repeat, relax your gaze and don’t try too hard. Don’t look at your hand. Look at the background beyond your hand. Try not to blink. In a few moments, you will see a fuzzy haze around the fingers of your hand. It will be a kind of a glow surrounding your hands. The color is generally white, silver or gray. Congratulations! You have just seen your aura!

This haze will disappear if you focus on your hands, and re-appear if you focus on the background. You will soon learn to hold your attention so that you can see the aura for a longer time.

Experiment 2 – See the aura around your body : With practice it will be very easy to look at the aura around your hands. Once you are good at it, you can try to look at the aura of your body. For this experiment, stand in front of a mirror. It is advisable that you are not wearing any clothes. Just like the previous experiment, have a dark or white background behind you.

Look at the mirror, and don’t focus on your body. Focus on the background. As you stare past your body, you will very quickly notice a fuzzy silver or gray outline surrounding your body. This is similar to the aura you saw around your hands. The aura will appear and disappear. You have to train your eyes not to revert to the normal focus. The trick is to stay de-focused. With practice you will see it quite prominently and it will stay for a longer time.

Experiment 3 : See the aura around other person’s body : When you are good at seeing your own aura, you can train yourself to look at other people’s aura. The process is similar to looking at your own aura, but this time, you will be not be requiring any mirrors. The person will stand in front of a background, and you look beyond the person, and focus on the background. De-focus your eyes so that you can see his aura.

For the advanced student : The layers of the aura : If you venture to get deeper into the subject of Aura-reading, you will find more interesting facts about the aura.

You will see that the aura is made up of several layers. The first layer, called the Physical aura, starts from just above the surface of the skin and tells you about the physical well being of the person. The second layer, called the Mental aura tells you about the mental state of the person. The third, called the Spiritual aura gives you information about the spiritual advancement of the subject. All the three layers overlap each other. Together, they might extend up to 4-5 feet from the human body.

The common colors of the aura : When you advance sufficiently, you will start to see and distinguish the various colors in the aura. The location of the color, the intensity, and the shade can tell a great deal about the subject. But it takes sufficient practice to understand and interpret the colors. Each color can tell you something about the subject.

The most common colors that can be seen are : Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet, Black, Pink, White, Silver.

Conclusion : When we were infants, we all could see auras. Most children up to 3-4 years’ of age see auras naturally. If a child doesn’t like the color of the aura of a person, they start crying! If they like it, they smile and readily go into the arms of the person. As we grew, the materialistic world enslaved us. We forgot to use our innate abilities to see the aura.

If we want to re-learn to see the aura, we need to give ourselves some time. We should not expect to become experts overnight. But have heart! Learning to see the aura is not a mystery. If you have the desire, and really want to see it, follow the experiments outlined above. And you will see your aura within a few minutes!

John W. Martin asked:


Paranormal Books – Reading Targeted at the Unexplained



http://www.yallways.com

Paranormal phenomena have fascinated generations of researchers and prompted countless of authors to explore the unexplained. From the earliest compilations of anecdotes to modern treatises on the paranormal, there exists an almost endless array of literature related to this field of interest. The collection of texts related to paranormal phenomena continues to grow and earn new readership from those intrigued by the paranormal.

Most paranormal books fall into the non-fiction genre. Those seeking a general overview of the entire paranormal spectrum, several organizations have put together paranormal encyclopedias. Readers with a specific area of interest can also delve deeper into an area of the paranormal with more focused texts. For example, Cryptozoology A-Z is an encyclopedia devoted entirely to mysterious creatures around the world. Other paranormal books attempt to serve as “how-to” guides for experiencing some exceptional phenomena. For example, some authors claim they can teach a reader to harness psychic powers or communicate with the dead. There’s even a collection of guides dealing with ghost hunting using modern technology.

Among the numerous authors of these works, a few stand out for their historical contributions to paranormal books. Perhaps the first modern writer of note was Charles Fort, whose early twentieth century research focused on anecdotal data. Fort spent more than thirty years developing hypotheses regarding paranormal activities. These were eventually published in four books: The Book of the Damned, New Lands, Lo!, and Wild Talents. Each text deals with multiple topics within the realm of the paranormal and expresses Fort’s unique theories. Fort was followed by other noted authors who composed texts with a more specific focus. For example, in the mid-twentieth century Barnard Heuvelmans became an expert on cryptozoology and published more than a dozen works on the topic.

Today, several top authors continue to contribute paranormal books to our literary collection. Most writers choose a specific field of the paranormal for their publications. For example, noted author Dr. Robert Moody focuses on life after death and near-death experiences. His most recent work, Life After Life, has sold more than twelve million copies. Fictional authors have also gained praise from paranormal enthusiasts. Titles relating to alternate histories and future developments are especially popular, and authors like George Orwell, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clark have developed strong followings for their work in this genre. Despite successes, work in this area continues to be controversial. For example, famed UFO author Grant Cameron was recently barred from lecturing in the United States and has had difficulty gaining access to presidential archives. His research currently focuses on the White House’s involvement in UFO phenomena.

Paranormal books have become so popular that some publishers now focus entirely on this genre. For example, Paraview Pocket Books works with notable publisher Simon & Schuster to market non-fiction paranormal texts to the public. They also develop paranormal-related television and film productions. Similarly, the International Society for Paranormal Research works with authors to publish paranormal-themed books. In fact, their title ISPR Investigates the Ghosts of New Orleans recently became a best-seller in Europe.

Within the vast spectrum of paranormal books, there is sure to be something for every interest level. However, within this genre there is a fine line between fiction and non-fiction. Thankfully, more and more authors are publishing findings based on empirical research and credible anecdotes. Each year, hundreds of new paranormal books are published, and this number is likely to grow as readership interest increases.