Kathryn Lively asked:


New York City is known for many things: the bright lights of Broadway, fine cuisine and corner vendors, glamour and excitement. Yet for those interested in the paranormal and unexplained, the Big Apple may very well be renamed the Big Haunt.

A growing interest in the paranormal and unexplained draws visitors to the City, year after year, to explore the less than touristy parts of the five boroughs. Celebrity spooks and historical specters are the stars of these underworld tours, and you never know when some will stop by to say hello, or “Boo!”

Once you’ve seen the popular sights the city has to offer, why not take a trip down the eerie side of the City many call home…years after they have departed? If you’re in the mood for a frightfully fun stay in New York, and can’t wait until the Halloween, the city is not without yearlong otherworldly charm.

Here are just a few frightfully fun spots to explore:

Merchant’s House Museum: This is a must-see for any ghost chaser, where else but the one place called the “most haunted house in Manhattan?” Certain times of the year, the Merchant’s House Museum presents ghost tours and lectures on various topics, including the art of dying. If you’re lucky you might catch a glimpse of any of the curious spirits known to wander the property, perhaps one of Seabury Tredwell, who died in the very house in 1865. Call ahead to find out when the Museum offers an authentic recreation of his passing and funeral.

Hotel Chelsea: The Chelsea Hotel is long known as a one-time residence for widely-known literary and pop culture icons. William S. Burroughs, Donald Sutherland, and Bob Dylan once hung their hats here, and rocker Sid Vicious reportedly killed his girlfriend Nancy in their room.
Whether Nancy haunts the Chelsea remains to be confirmed, but it is said that the ghost of Dylan Thomas haunts the famous hotel. Of course, he died after drinking too many spirits at the White Horse Tavern and was taken to the Chelsea after collapsing outside the pub. It is believed he haunts the White Horse, too, so maybe he’s pulling double duty?

New Amsterdam Theater: Did you hear the one, too, about the Ziegfield Follies showgirl who haunts this popular venue? Many have claimed to see Olive Thomas strutting the stage in her beaded costume, no doubt looking to take one last bow.

Radio City Music Hall: If the Rockettes are kicking extra high some nights, it could be from fright! The ghost of Roxy Rothafel is said to haunt the theatre he built.

The Algonquin Hotel: Known for the eclectic group of wits and writers of the earliest 20th century who gathered often as the Vicious Circle, this hotel is also home to permanent guests. It is said some of the Circle have continued their stay at their favorite Round Table and elsewhere in the hotel. Could it be the tart-tongued Dorothy Parker, the hilariously mute Harpo Marx, or maybe Alexander Woollcott? If you hear a horn blow from nowhere, that may narrow it down.

The Dakota: This stylish Manhattan apartment building is believed to be haunted by the ghost of John Lennon, who was fatally shot near the entrance.

Hotels and theatres, pop stars and fallen stars, New York City is home to millions. How many are living as opposed to the living dead is difficult to say, but for those with a fascination for the paranormal half the fun is finding out.

AmandaConnors asked:


What is Protection?

It is a form of safety and if you look at other forms of protection, you will understand a little more about it. When we go out into the sun we put on sunscreen to protect ourselves from the sun’s rays. It is the same when you go on a bike, you wear a helmet to protect from any damage if you were to fall. To protect is to keep yourself safe, secure and to stop anything from getting at you.

 Why is it important to protect?

 It is extremely important to protect yourself when doing any form of Spiritual, Psychic or Paranormal work this includes working with Angels. It is important because by doing so, you are keeping yourself free from risk of posession, energy drainage and emotional outbreaks from the source that you are picking up from. The source could be a negative energy, spirit or person who can attack you without your awareness, hence the importance of using protection.   How do we protect ourselves?   It does not matter if you find it hard to begin with, as time goes by you will find this process easier to do and you can be even more imaginative with what you use. There are several ways in which we can protect ourselves from psychic entities, debris, dark entities and negative auras to name a few. The first way is with white light and you do this by using visualisation techniques and imagination. Imagine yourself stood in a room, you look up to the heavens and you see a small light like a little star in the sky glistening down on you. As you stand and watch this light it draws closer and closer until it hoovers just above you. Picture this light moving around and down your body, every second the light gets brighter and every inch of your body becomes engulfed in it’s pure brilliance. As it moves faster and faster imagine it underneath your feet, moving back up and into your body so that you tingle.    When your whole body is covered then you are protected and you can then open your eyes and go forth and now that you have protected your self. This technique can work with any color but it is suggested that white is best. If you need double protection or to provide a group,home or a circle of friends.

Secondly, another way in which you can protect yourself is to use a cloak. Any cloak will do just as long as it is long and it has a hood. Visualise one that is royal blue in colour,pick it up and put it on, but make sure the hood is pulled right over your head and make sure that your whole body is covered and nothing can get at you.

When you find the task of protecting that little bit easier you can move on to larger things. For example if you are camping and feel a little on ease, why not protect the tent and all it’s inhibitants. Or if you are in a car then do the same, you can even put protection up around your home but make sure when you do this to add a few more layers than usual, afterall your home is a lot bigger than just one person.

Whatever you are do; do it safely. Protect yourself.   G.A.G@ www.supernaturalangels.org.uk.

Martha Jette asked:


Miranda Clearwell of southeast Missouri was just a child when she first heard voices in her head and realized that there were “sparkling figures” around her or following her.

As she grew into a young girl, it became so natural to her that she thought everyone experienced these kinds of things.

“I just thought they were extra friends for me that I couldn’t see or talk to directly,” said Miranda.

But she soon learned that her friends at school didn’t have similar experiences and she found it very upsetting. In fact, her friends warned her that such entities must mean trouble and she should be careful.

“For a time, I thought I must be crazy,” Miranda explained. “None of my friends knew anything that could help me.” In fact she added, many of them “became upset with me.”

Her experiences began as a youngster, when she realized the presence of the entities and that things in her room would move around as well. Miranda said she could also sense a lot of negative energy in the family home and it would grow unusually dark.

“Even when the sun was coming through (a window), the house could become dark,” she explained adding that this frightened her. “That was when I started feeling a presence very strongly and then there were multiple presences.”

While most of the house gave her an eerie feeling, she said her own room felt “warm and safe.”

The first time Miranda actually saw a “sparkling figure,” she was 19 years old and it sat right on her bed!

“I could see his outline,” she said adding that he appeared to be about six feet tall and “wearing clothing that fit somewhat close to his body. It looked like smoky water,” but was easily recognizable as a man. It also looked like he was “radiating some of it… I couldn’t see anything within the outer lines of the body, so I didn’t see a face or eyes or colors. He was all clear.”

Miranda said he walked like a normal person and then “sat on the edge of my bed facing me, while I was standing up in the center of the room. Once I spotted him, I moved close enough to sit on the bed in front of him.”

At this point, she was very excited, because she had never actually seen a spirit before. She was also quite afraid.

“Of course, my heart was beating out of my chest because it was a little bit scary, but in a miraculous way.”

“When I raised my hands in front of me, he raised his own and touched them to mine.”

Miranda said his hands felt “almost like fuzzy liquid.”

“He stayed like that until my eyes blurred with tears and he was gone.”

Miranda said she was “surprised by the experience, but his simple gesture was very touching…”

Since then, she has seen as many as seven of these figures in her room at one time, but the problem is: she isn’t sure what or who they are or why they keep coming around her. Miranda said she has spoken to the entities and upon a number of occasions, asked questions and received the answers in her mind – answers that were later confirmed.

Miranda explained that as a child, there was only the foundation of a house sitting on the property next to her home. She often played in that area and did not know at the time that the house had burned down.

“Me and my little brother used to walk around that lot all the time and we’d find useless things like rusted washers, metal silverware and plenty of burned things.”

Just this past week, she learned from her mother that an elderly couple had lived there.

“The wife was considered an invalid and was stuck in a wheelchair. Her husband set the fire and left her inside knowing that she couldn’t get out. My mother said she died in that fire and that the man went to prison for murder.”

I suggested that perhaps these two people might be among the many spirits that seem to cling to her. Perhaps that dark entity is the husband. However, Miranda’s story suggests that she may also have spirit guides or even angels close to her. Not only do they help her with her problems, but they also bring her comfort.

“I feel so attached to these spirits now,” she said.

Her only desire is that she would like to learn to communicate more effectively with her visitors from the other side. If anyone has suggestions for her, please let me know.

As well, Miranda said the presence of spirits around her has caused her to re-evaluate her personal beliefs. As a child, she was raised as a Christian to believe that with death, one goes to either heaven or hell.

“That was what everyone wanted me to believe,” she said. “I was never raised to believe that souls could still wander the earth after death, so it was startling to see that something was following me around.”

Now, Miranda says she believes strongly in life after death.

“I do believe that the soul is eternal and I also believe that if a person still has something they need to accomplish, God could allow them to remain behind for a while.”

She also thinks God might allow certain souls to remain earthbound for a time “to watch over their relatives or friends that still live. Nothing is impossible with God, so my faith allowed me to accept this possibility of spirit helpers without much trouble.”

Although she admitted that the spirit realm is still somewhat of a mystery to her, Miranda said she knows that everything “happens for a reason and that not one living person can place rules on how a human soul must behave after death.”

To sum it up, the 21-year-old added, “I still believe in a final resting place, but maybe some spirits are allowed to make a few stops along the way.”

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STORIES NEEDED:

If you have had a paranormal experience or know someone who has please contact me, as I would love to hear about it and perhaps feature the story in an upcoming issue of my monthly newsletter entitled Glimpses of the Paranormal. Please write to: marthajette@gmail.com. Aside from ghosts and hauntings, I also accept stories on related subjects such as witches, UFOs and crypto zoology, ESP, angels, past lives and reincarnation. Please put “Story for Newsletter” in the subject line.

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Nick Sanders asked:


Most students study abroad with the intent of making new friends and immersing themselves in a new culture and new community. However, many students end up forming a group with other students from their home country and not making the most of the brilliant opportunity they have. The first thing to do when you decide to study abroad is to work on gaining self confidence, and read some news reports on the country you are going too. Give yourself some background knowledge and something to talk about. Then, make sure you know enough of the language to have conversations with others.

When you reach your destination country, remember that you are going to have to put effort into making friends. Local students may seem standoffish, but are probably just waiting for you to break the ice. The first group of students to start with is other international students studying with you. These are students in your situation, and will want to make friends too. You can make a variety of friends from different countries in this way, and find people to socialise with and practise the country’s language with.

Next, don’t presume that orientation seminars or ice breaker events are pointless, as they are there to help you make friends. Activities such as sticking your name to your head or talking about yourself for two minutes may seem daunting, but will help you make global friendships. Attend a few, and you’ll make many friends in a very easy way. Universities hold these events to encourage everyone to make friends, and they are usually tried and tested methods.

If you want to make friends with locals, you will then need to arrange social gatherings outside of university time. Make sure you are always safe and that somebody knows where you are; make sure you aren’t wandering alone, and take money and a map. Go to different surroundings, and see who you’ll meet there. You might meet friends in malls or clubs, or less obvious places such as coffee shops. Remember that as long as you are friendly and polite most people will respond positively to you, and try talking to different groups of people. Local teenagers will know the best places to hang out, but local adults will know where to get cheap or fresh food, and where student deals are available. However, make sure that you know the customs of the local area, and try not to offend anyone. Watch what you wear and say, and if you are somewhere with strong beliefs, then you should adhere to them. Cover yourself up if necessary, or take off your jewellery. If you meet a special someone, keep public displays to a minimum and research the local laws for your area. In some countries, kissing outside can gain you a caution! Your university should have information on the area if you need some, or try googling it. You will struggle to make friends if you don’t appear to respect the country’s boundaries.

Finally, there is nothing wrong with becoming friends with other people from your home country, but don’t limit yourself. While you will probably become best friends with someone who is at your Uni, you will miss out on a lot of the pleasures of being a student studying abroad if you don’t make the most of the social opportunities it gives you. Remember to use your language skills, take photos and make friends, and you’ll have a brilliant time.

Deb Bunting asked:


In 2003, the American Institute of Paranormal Psychology named Savannah America’s Most Haunted City.  And Savannah is able to support the title.  Ghosts, apparitions or paranormal activities have been reported at many of Savannah’s inns, restaurants, private residences, and of course, cemeteries.

There are many magnificently restored buildings nestled around Savannah’s twenty-one squares.  Many of these buildings are stately homes supposedly still occupied by former owners.  James Habersham has been known to roam around the Olde Pink House, now a restaurant, but formerly his home.  Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts, was born and raised in Savannah.  Her parents, long deceased, are said to still roam Juliette’s childhood home.

Savannah’s Sorrel-Weed House, visited by The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) in 2005 as part of their SciFi Ghost Hunters Halloween special, is supposedly haunted.  The story goes that Mrs. Weed caught her husband in a compromising position with one of the Weed’s many slaves.  Mrs. Weed, very distraught, ran back to her second-floor bedroom.  After a long argument with her husband, she either threw herself (or was thrown) to her death from a second floor balcony.  Soon after Mrs. Weed’s death, the slave found with Mr. Weed was found hung in her slave quarters.  Both women are said to be still roaming the grounds.

The Hampton-Lillibridge House was said to be so haunted, that Jim Williams (of “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” fame) had an exorcism performed at this former boarding house.  On countless occasions, residents and passersby have heard the sound of jazz coming from inside the home.

The Kehoes were a very prominent family in Savannah, as Mr. Kehoe owned the ironworks on the riverfront.  The Kehoes built this fireproof, all-iron home and lived there with their 10 children.  The Kehoe’s heirs sold the house in 1930 and the property changed hands many times to include use for 65 years as the Goette Funeral Home.  It is now a beautiful bed and breakfast where many of its visitors report supernatural occurrences such as a woman screaming, a nurse shushing visitors, the Lady in White making appearances, and several instances involving ghosts of children.

The list goes on and on!

So, what is it about Savannah that makes it so attractive to ghosts and ghost stories?  Many people start with the fact that Savannah is literally built on its dead.  Savannah was the first city in Georgia founded in 1733.  It was established in the same location as the Creek and Choctaw maintained their burial grounds. 

As the colony began to grow and thrive, it needed more room.  Buildings were erected on the burial plots of the original colonists.  Tombstones in cemeteries were moved to make room for sidewalks and roads.  Places of worship were erected on the graves of slaves.

Second, Savannah has a very violent history.  Many bloody battles and skirmishes were fought in Savannah.  One of the bloodiest battles of the American Revolution, the Siege of Savannah, where about 1200 men lost their lives in one hour, was fought in Savannah.

Also, the city has been victim to many city-wide fires, at least two yellow-fever epidemics and several hurricanes.

Third, Savannah has been a major port city since the days of King Cotton, so many a sailor has ventured through Savannah spinning a romantic tale or two.

Fourth, Savannahians are (proudly) an eccentric bunch, as were their ancestors, which adds history and volume to the ghost stories.  Take the

Lastly, I blame the large amounts of Spanish moss hanging from the majestic oak trees.  The blankets of moss look like ghostly shrouds and give the entire region an eerie look.

Whatever the reason, the ghost stories are endless, earning the Savannah the right to the title of America’s Most Haunted City.