Issue 1

From the editor Big Thank you to all our writers that have taken part in this issue. And to all the people that has showed support while launching this online magazine.

Regards James

In This Month issue Ghost’s Stories By Jensen House Ghost Hunt Investigations In the USA By Luana Kurz Australia’s Ghost’s Stories By Jan Murphy Mediumship Exercise By James Kemp Guide to Tarot Cards By Kate Bowman Magic for you to do at home. By Becky Head Interview of the month Jenny Docherty Scariest Places

England’s Ghost’s Stories

By Jensen House

When it comes to famous haunting, Borley Rectory has it all! The building was once dubbed the most haunted England and it was investigated by one of the UK’s most well known Paranormal investigators.

If your real passion is investigation the paranormal then it is impossible for you to not have heard of the event that took place at Borley Rectory.

Borley Rectory was built in 1862 as a home for Reverend Henry Dawson Ellis Bull and his family and it was in 1863 that the first recorded incident allegedly took place. A builder working on the buildings construction alleged to have witnessed some-thing paranormal but against his better judge-ment, simply put it down to his imagination.

Shortly after The Revered and his family moved in they reported the sound of unex-plained footsteps but didn’t explore this any further. They thought it could simply be the building creaking.Reverend Henry Dawson Ellis Bull died in 1892 and passed the building to his son, Reverend Henry Foyster Bull.

In 1900 they experienced their first strange occurrence when the Reverends family re-ported the sighting of a Nun just outside the house. They had become startled but her presence and attempted to speak to her, but she disappeared.

During their time in the house they had become convinced that it was haunted after experiencing several unexplained events. In 1928 Foyster Bull died and Reverend Smith moved in. Shortly after they moved in, his wife came across a skull in a brown package whilst cleaning out a cupboard. The skull was said to belong to a girl and after its discovery it appeared that the activity would increase!

The family reported a huge amount of para-normal occurrences from the sound of servant bells ringing that had been discon-nected to bright anomalies in windows. On another occasion, Mrs Smith claimed she witnessed a horse drawn carriage outside the property but turned to see it had disappeared.

The family were so convinced the rectory was haunted that on June 10th 1929 they contact The Daily Mirror who sent a reporter and paranormal investigator Harry Price to the property. Price arrived at the property on June 12th and shortly after his arrival the spir-its appeared to become more violent throw stones, smashing vases and appeared to com-municate with them by tapping on the frame of a mirror.

Mrs Smith had doubts about the activity which was heightened when Price left the property and the activity stopped. She accused Price of creating the phenomena and noted that Price was an expert conjurer. The Smiths vacated the property in July 1929 and a cousin of the original owner moved in, Lionel Foyster and his family. After moving in the family would also experience strange phenomena. Foyster decided to write about the incidents which included windows shat-tering, stones being thrown at them and vari-ous poltergeist activity. Foyster conducted two exorcisms, which both failed to stop the spirits. However, the family would eventually move out after Mr Foyster discovered that his wife was having an affair with a lodger. She used the paranormal experiences to cover up the affair. Mr Foyster became ill and eventually moved out in 1935. The building remained vacant until May 1937 when, Price himself moved in after signing a year contract. His aim was to prove he wasn’t creating the phenomena and he invited a group of people, mainly students, to take part in his experiments. The group conducted several experiments with the aim of speaking to the spirits. During one divination experiment two spirits came forward. One of a French Nun and one called Sunex Amures who claimed he would reveal bones a murdered body. Several years later, Price excavated the site where the bones were said to be buried and discovered what he believed were human bones. The claims were disregarded as many believed they were nothing more than pig bones.

During another experiment Price claimed that so much information was coming through that they had to use the walls to write information. During his year at the property it seemed that the activity was indeed genu-ine. This was backed up by those taking part.

The story of Borley met its grizzly end when its last owner accidently knocked over an oil lamp whilst unpacking boxes in 1939. The fire swept through the building causing intense damage. The rectory was left in ruins for sev-eral years until it was eventually demolished in 1944 after wind continued to cause more damage and it was deemed unsafe.

Strangely, even those sent to demolish the building claim to experience something ghostly. One man was taking photos, when he looked back he saw a picture of brick be-ing thrown. Although, it is important to note that the photo itself has been highly disputed because it looks like the brick is dropping.

Despite the fact that the Rectory no longer exists it hasn’t deterred current paranormal enthusiasts from investigating the area. Many believe that the spirits have moved to the Church across the road.

The Church was left derelict for several years and each year hundreds of enthuasist descend in Borley in search of the ghosts of the most haunted house in England.

The events at Borley Rectory continue to divide the paranormal community. Whilst many believe that Prices research was genu-ine, other dispute his claims as Prices attempt to become famous. Either way, we will never truly know.

However, you have to take a close look at the facts. The original claims came from the Reverends and their families. Why would they make up such stories and why would one family be so scared that they felt the need to contact The Daily Mirror to put them in touch with an investigator?

Price was a well established investigator at the time and has conducted a lot of in depth research in the paranormal. He was a member of SPR, which was one of the paranormal re-search groups at the time. He had built up and impressive CV in the paranormal community, why would the risk all that to create events?

On the other side, Mrs Smith made claims against Price early on. But she wasn’t the only one to raise suspicions. After Prices death in 1948 three members of SPR, two of which were good friends of Price launched an inves-tigation into Prices research at Borley. They concluded that Price had created some of the phenomena using the buildings acoustics and design.

Former resident Marianne Foyster also ad-mitted later in her life that she hadn’t actually encountered anything paranormal in the rec-tory at all. She claimed the noises were made by the wind and that her husband was simply playing practical jokes to scare her after hearing about the ghosts.

She wasn’t the only former resident to claim that they hadn’t encountered anything either.

The Children of one of the Reverends claimed to be surprised when they discovered that Borley Rectory was being dubbed England’s most haunted house because they had seen anything paranormal at all.

One former resident believed so much that it wasn’t haunted that a TV documentary had to be halted after she threatened legal action its producers. She noted that the ghosts of Borley were not real.

However, there has also been a lot of support for Prices work including from renowned investigation Peter Underwood who stated that he believed Prices work was accurate and that he did not create any phenomena.

One question does always come to mind. Why was this house so haunted? The an-swer lies with the history of the land it was built on. The house was built on the former grounds of a 13th century monastery and the reason for the Nuns was that there was a convent not too far away. It’s alleged the fre-quented the monastery.

Perhaps this is the reason why the house was believed to be doomed from the start. The house may have been burned down but it seems the ghosts aren’t in a rush to leave.

Just take a look on Youtube and you can browse through thousands of videos of peo-ple who have tried to encounter the spirits of the rectory. Most seem to focus on the church which was left empty and locked by a metal chain.

Those brave enough to approach the church have experienced its organ playing by itself, a ghostly choir singing and other strange phenomena which you have to admit it pretty firm evidence considering you couldn’t get in to the church itself.

I must stress that the Rectory itself no longer exists and the land is now split up and privately owned. The only existing part is the cottage which was there before the Rectory was built. No ghostly activity has been reported in the cottage.

If you do happen to stop by in Borley to look for ghosts, you probably won’t feel welcome. Unfortunately, the residents of Borley are said to worry about any ghost hunters who in the past, have caused damage to the area. I guess we will never truly find out if Borley Rectory really was haunted or not. Whilst Harry Price was a reputable investigator, there continues to be a lot of scepticism about his work at Borley. I have always a huge interest in cases like this and think the validity of the claims speak for themselves. Borley Rectory is one of the world’s most fa-mous ghost stories, despite the differences in opinions.

https://www.facebook.com/ jensenhouseofficial http://www.jensenhouseofficial.co.uk

Photo of Harry Price

Ghost Hunt Investigations

In the USA By Luana Kurz

My team, Colorado Shadow Investigations had the opportunity to hold a private paranormal investigation at the Museum of Colorado Prisons to see if we could record or capture any paranormal activity. What we captured that night is one of our best apparition photographs yet! A location rich in history which used to primar-ily confine female felons, later in years turned to housing male convicts. This location contains articles used in some of the most violent crimes. A location that today is still attached to an active prison that began housing criminals in 1871. The location where my team had the rare opportunity to sit inside an unsettling gas chamber where we were alone with the thoughts and images of the unfor-tunate souls that met their fate, a price paid for the crime they were charged of committing.

We drove over a hundred miles to a desolate location in Colorado where seven state prisons are located. I have to admit I wasn’t sure what to expect when I pulled up to the little, pale green building.

When I stepped out of the car my eyes quickly met the tall stone wall where the active prison next door had their watchtower, the top lined heavily with barbed wire. As I opened the gated entry area and began walking towards the front doors I was distracted by the large round chamber detached from the building.

Colorado was one of the first states that allowed legal execution of prisoners by the method of gas. This gas chamber had windows on each side, specifically designed to allow onlookers a view of the final moments of the person being gassed.

As I walked through the front door I saw the main prison hallway where 30 prison cells lined both sides of the walls. This prison was very small and began as a women’s prison, although later in time also housed men. I walked down the halls peering into each cell and seeing historic photographs of prisoners, old prison uniforms, pictures of the original prisons in Colorado. In every corner of this building you would find items that were used in prisons, everything from medical supply tools, video projectors, even weapons that were confiscated from inmates including some that actually killed other inmates and a hangman’s noose was displayed as well.

Our team set up base downstairs and were excit-ed to start investigating in the far room, furthest from our base room. We set up a laser grid in that room and con-ducted an EVP session asking questions for any spirits that were with us, either part of the prison or any that we may be interacting with to chime in and let us know they were with us. After about an hour of investigating that room we moved into the next room where a couple

old, isolated holding cells were located. Things started to get interesting!

Our team set up a couple motion sensors in the doorway where one would enter from the bottom of the stairwell. There were two motion sensors pointed towards each other on the floor and once we were ready we could turn them on with a remote control so that if anything passed in between the two sensors an alarm would sound. A full spectrum camera was set up on a tripod approximately 10 feet away from the doors. We moved behind the tripod and in the corner of the room turned on our spirit box SB7. As the spirit box scanned different AM frequencies, we started asking questions and were getting both male and female voices to come through. Everyone was centred around the spirit box when all of a sud-den the motion sensors started alarming! Mike, one of the investigators in the group went to the full spectrum camera on the tripod and started taking multiple pictures, some with flash and some without.

We wouldn’t realize for a few days what we had actually captured on one of these photos! The motion sensors went off a few times in that area but nowhere else in the building. Eventually we broke off individually and each picked a cell to sit in to record EVP.

A few days after the investigation as we were reviewing the photographs, something caught our attention. Out of 273 photos taken with our full spectrum camera, only one captured an im-age that was very faint. It was in one photograph where the flash was not used. An area our team is experimenting with is photography without the use of light. An image can still be captured even if the photo looks completely black. Most people quickly discard these photos. When we looked carefully we could see an image, although we couldn’t make out what it was. However, once I took the photo and added light back in, the image was clear enough to see legs and something else to the left of what appears to be a face or a head. Using a photography application I then added a filter and the images popped. If you look at the three photographs, you will see the lightest pho-tograph appears to be what most people think is a woman walking away from us. You can make out her legs and backside and you can see through her head to the picture hanging on the wall. Some speculate that she is naked, others see clothing like overalls. The image to far left most can make out a face of what looks like a male and where his mid-section would be you can make out his arm which is crossed in front of his torso and below that, his legs. If you look at the bottom right side of this picture there is a bright white object. That is actually one of the motion sensors that alarmed when we started taking these pictures.

My question now is who are these individuals? Were they part of the prison? Were these souls just passing through the prison the night we happened to be there? I do believe that we were supposed to encounter these souls and capture these images. It’s another piece of a very large puzzle that our team is trying to put together. Piece by piece we’re trying to make sense of the mysterious puzzle of life after death, and with the research we’re conducting hoping to leave a few more pieces to the next individuals who try to complete the picture. www.coloradoshadowinvestigations.com www.facebook.com/COShadowInvestigations

Australia Ghost’s Stories By Jan Murphy

Point Cook Homestead - Victoria, Australia.The Point Cook Homestead is a charming, elegant, bluestone building nestled amidst pine trees and bushland, situated approximately 20 kilometers south west out of Melbourne City. It is a somewhat lonely place, yet somehow seems content to be so. The moment you enter through its gates there is a sense of something else going on, something you can’t quite put your finger on. When one delves deeper to explore the story of this place, its mysteries are revealed.

Let us go back to the year of 1839. A burly Scotsman arrived in Australia with little more than a Bible in his pocket, given to him by his mother, and a few hundred pounds from his father. Thomas Chirnside was a man of strong character with a sense of adventure and a natural head for business. He was not shy of hard work and immediately got stuck into building a new life for himself in this strange new land. It wasn’t long before Thomas’ younger brother, Andrew Chirnside, also arrived in Melbourne to seek his fortune, then together the two brothers went on to build a hugely successful pastoral empire in Victoria. In 1845 Thomas returned to Scotland to visit family to update them on his progress out in the new country. He stayed for 2 years and during this time fell madly in love with his first cousin, Mary Begbie. He asked for her hand in marriage but unfortunately Mary’s parents did not approve, thinking Thomas to be too “unsettled” for their daughter.

Thomas ventured back to Australia alone. Irritated about his rejection by Mary’s parents, and perhaps dwelling on their reasons, he immediately bought land and set about building the quaint Point Cook Homestead. Here would sit a fine little house that would befit any young woman, such as Mary starting out in married life. With the homestead completed, Thomas’ brother Andrew then decided to take his first trip back to Scotland. But before leav-ing, Thomas asked a favour of him– to please bring Mary Begbie back to Australia any way he possibly could for he was still determined to make her his wife. He entrusted Andrew with the job of convincing Mary’s parents that their daughter would be well taken care of as Thomas was now truly settled, successful, and making more than enough money to give Mary the comfortable lifestyle they so desired for their daughter. Andrew agreed to the task he was given and set off on his trip home. He was away for quite some time but eventually returned... Accompanied by Mary as his own wife!

Thomas was quietly devastated. A great tension between the 2 brother’s must have followed this rather unexpected betrayal and it’s not certain whether or not Thomas ever got over losing Mary to Andrew, however, he loved them both and so had no choice but to accept it.

In the early 1870’s, the brothers began work on building the beautiful Werribee Mansion. This was to be the grand home Thomas had always envisaged for Mary and the design was strongly driven by him. He wanted her to reside in a home of stature and serenity unrivalled in Victoria, whether she was his wife or not. The elaborate 60-room Italianate style Mansion was built in just three years and Andrew and Mary, and their now three children, promptly moved in.

In the years that followed, Thomas, who remained a bachelor and never married, mostly resided alone at his beloved Point Cook Homestead. This place was truly a Sanctuary for him where he could be with his dogs and indulge his passion for sport and bloodstock. He imported racehorses from Scotland and England, a number of which went on to win at the famous Melbourne Cup, as well as the Caulfield and Derby Cups. His horses were housed and cared for in the stables at the homestead. His most famous racehorse was “Newminster”.

This two-year-old colt excelled at Flemington in 1876 and won the Maribyrnong Plate, the Sires’ Produce Stakes and the Ascot Vale Stakes. He was strongly backed for the Derby and the Melbourne Cup that year, however, shortly before the Derby, disaster struck when Newminster’s trainer found him in his loosebox at Point Cook- writhing in agony...poison was suspected!

A few days earlier, the trainer recalled seeing one of the stable boys talking to a bookmaker, and, assuming foul play, the young stable hand was sacked immediately. Newminster survived but was unable to race, and following the incident the accused stable hand committed suicide, hanging himself above the very stable that housed the horse he was accused of poisoning. Over the years, the stables gained a reputation for being haunted by this poor soul.

As time went by, Thomas too began to feel haunted- not by spirits, but by his own thoughts and memories. He began to suffer with bouts of melancholy and paranoia and soon became morbidly depressed. Subsequently his health began to fail and, worried about his mental state, was persuaded by Mary to move in to the Mansion where he could be properly looked after by her and Andrew. Reluctantly he agreed, finally leaving his homestead, and the place he had originally built for himself and Mary all those years ago, behind. On 25th June, 1887, after a family luncheon, Thomas calmly left the Mansion and went out to garden for a walk, he was found 2 hours later by his nephew. He had shot himself through the head. Andrew died not 3 years later, and Mary died tragically in 1908 when her hair caught fire from a candle flame in her bedroom.

The remaining Chirnside family owned the Homestead for almost 70 years after Thomas’ death and used it as a holiday home where they fished and went horse riding among other recreational activities. During this time, more tragedy struck. A child drowned accidentally and a young woman died on the property while giving birth in the back bedroom. In 1920, the estate was finally sold to private owners and over the next 50 years its ownership changed hands several times as the property gained a reputation for being haunted. Eventually abandoned, the derelict homestead sat empty and unloved for some time. It’s believed at one point it became a refuge for an ex-soldier-come-hobo who was apparently suffering from the effects of the Second World War. This fallen man had apparently lost his family and his home and, though it’s not clear how he died, he is believed to have passed while squatting at the Homestead. There is a rumor that his remains are buried within the grounds, although this has never been confirmed. The Hauntings...In the late 70’s, after extensive lobbying to save the property, the State Government compulsorily acquired the alleged haunted homestead and a restoration project finally began. Since being restored there have been numerous reports of ghostly activity on the property and within the grounds. I myself have spent numerous evenings alone and in the dark here, and there is a definite presence with the stable block being particularly creepy. Midnight vigils have re-vealed what seems to be a tortured spirit try-ing to communicate, with bumps and bangs made on request. Is this the accused stable boy who committed suicide- perhaps trying to clear his name? Various psychic mediums have visited the stables and many of them be-gin choking and gasping for breath on enter-ing despite not knowing any of the history.

Other visitors have reported hearing the sounds of footsteps above them in the hay loft and the sound of what could be a creak-ing rope. On one occasion two male guests fled from the stable claiming they had heard the definite sound of a horses hooves on the cobbled floor beside them- this was shortly followed by a rattling of chains. No one was there, no person, no chains and certainly no horses. Residual energy perhaps? EVP’s have been captured here as well as un-explainable light anomalies on film. Thomas’ ghost has also been seen in the stables- it seems he’s still precious about who visits his horses! One lady in particular, attending a history tour at the homestead one afternoon, wandered away from the group and decided to pop into the stable block. As she turned to leave the stables she was startled to find a gentleman standing in her way. She later described him as tall with facial whiskers and wearing old fashioned clothes. The lady had assumed he was an actor dressed up for tour so she smiled and complimented him on his fine costume. The man then made direct eye contact with her and she suddenly felt strange and un-nerved, but before she could speak again he completely vanished before her very eyes. It’s widely believed by locals that Thomas has chosen to return here in spirit to watch over the place he so dearly loved in life. His apparition has unknowingly been observed several times in broad daylight and has been observed walking slowly across the lawns from the stable block and up the pathway situated next to the homestead where he then disappears from sight. Children visiting the homestead with their parents often complain of being “told off ” by the old man in a dark suite, for entering the house without his permission. In one incident a child refused to the enter the homestead and, pointing at an empty doorway, he explained to his mother that “the old man doesn’t want us to come in just now, we have to come back another time”.

Staying with children, it’s believed the spirit of the unfortunate child who sadly drowned while swimming at the property, also haunts the area at the front of the house. Wet footprints have been known to mysteriously appear on the pathway, only to disappear again moments later. A visitor attending a wedding on the property was taking photographs when they captured what appeared to be the image of a child dressed in pink. The visitor was genuinely puzzled by this and insisted no child was present when they took the photo of the beautiful trees found all around the homestead. Heavy footsteps can sometimes be heard in the main foyer of the house and the large, solid front door has been known to slam shut, even though there is no draft strong enough to move it. But it’s Thomas’s own bedroom that is said to have the strongest atmosphere. In here, male guests feel a strong urge to leave immediately; there is a sense of not being wanted. People have also reported feeling very sad and morbid in this area. Some have even had to leave the house altogether, overcome with emotion for no apparent reason. Are they perhaps picking up on emotions familiar to Thomas in his life? In the corridor, people claim to have been pushed or shoved out of the way by invisible hands, and in the dining room the distinct sound of a dog scampering around the table has been heard. The scent of tobacco drifts through the house occasionally, even though nobody is smoking, and the sound of a log fire crackling has been reported coming from the drawing room. Outside, near the out-buildings, a cat is regularly seen but when visitors try to pet it, it disappears! The back bedroom of the house is particularly active; chairs like to move of their own ac-cord, this has been captured on film during a vigil in 2010, disembodied voices are heard.

People are touched and unexplained flashes of light have been captured on night vision cameras. Activity in this area has been attributed to the lonely ex-soldier character. His spirit has come though several times during séance’s here. In the same room, women suddenly fall faint and feel ill, some are overcome with fear, while others have reported feeling excruciating pain in their stomachs and backs, yet on leaving the area they feel fine. Are these women perhaps inadvertently tap-ping into the remnants of past events and the residual energy of the poor young woman who died here during childbirth? Near the entrance to the estate, there now sits a small restaurant situated in what was once the old barn. It’s a pleasant place to enjoy your coffee and cake during the day but come nightfall the building takes on a whole different atmosphere. Staff have reported that on occasion, late at night, the doors to the restaurant suddenly begin to rattle and shake violently, as though someone is desperately trying to gain entry. Yet on further investiga-tion no-one is ever out there. One member of staff described this incident to me as “utterly terrifying”. There also seems to be a mischie-vous spirit at work in the restaurant. Appar-ently items will go missing from the kitchen, only to show up in places that have previously been searched! Buckets are discovered full of water even though nobody has filled them, and taps mysteriously turn on by themselves. If ever you happen to find yourself in Mel-bourne, Australia I highly recommend a trip to the Point Cook Homestead. You could wander through the Norfolk pines and the beautiful bush land, explore the old bluestone house, visit the stables and then have dinner in the rustic restaurant. One thing is certain, there’s plenty to discover now you know where to look!

Mediumship Exercise

By James Kemp

There are many things I could talk about but in this first issue I wanted to share a quick meditation exercise with you that you can do at home, however it might be easier if someone is reading it to you. Meditation to meet your spirit guide.Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.

Breathe in and out at your own pace. Take a deeper breath in than usual and each time just take a deep breath.

Now I’d like you to imagine oxygen in front of you which will appear as small light blue circles.

As you breathe them in feel them go-ing though your whole body from your mouth to your arms, legs and down to your toes. Now I’d like you to imagine that you’re in a beautiful tranquil place in which you feel totally relaxed. See what comes into your mind instinctively. It could be a hillside, garden or a beach, anywhere that you wish. Wherever you choose, this will be the same place in which you contact your guide in future.

Imagine that you are walking through this place. Feel it with your senses.Feel the grass, sand or any object that you are walking on.

You may feel pressure on the top of your head as feel your third eye opening up. This is located just above your eyebrows in the middle of your forehead. As you carry on walking there is going to be a mist in front of you in the dis-tance. As you walk to it you know your guide is waiting for you behind the mist.Walk closer and ask for your guide to appear.

Beware that your guide is getting nearer and ready to appear.

Ask for the mist to clear and for your guide to be revealed to you.Ask to see your guide’s clothing and shape.

Greet your guide.

Ask for the guide’s name and any other questions that you may have.

Questions you can askWhat is your guide’s name?Do you have any more guides? And ask anything that you may wish to be answered.

When you have finished thank your guide with your love.

Watch your guide leave you and go back into the mist.

The mist will fade into the background. Now focus on your breathing again.

Bring your breathing back to normalWiggle your feet and fingers ’’’ Open your eyes.

The decks were used to play a game called tri-umph that was similar to bridge. In triumph, 21 of the 22 special picture cards were perma-nent trump cards. The game spread quickly to all parts of Europe. People began referring to as tarocchi, which is an Italian version of the French word tarot, around 1530. In 1781, in France and England, followers of the occult discovered Tarot cards. They saw the symbolic pictures of the cards as having more meaning than the simple trump cards they were used for at the time. They used the cards as a divination tool, and occult writers wrote about “the Tarot.” After this, the Tarot became a part of occult philosophy.

There are also those who believe that Tarot cards originated in Egypt. In some circles, they are thought to be the sole surviving “book” from the great fire that burned the libraries of ancient Egypt. In this theory, the cards are considered to be the hieroglyphical keys to life.As this is the first issue of this magazine I thought I would start it off with the Fools Journey - The story of the major arcana. The Fool’s Journey is a metaphor for the jour-ney through life.

Guide to Tarot Cards

By Kate Bowman

Tarot Cards for me bring insight, clarification and guidance into the most challenging situations life has to offer, I find many clients are looking for predications on their love life or health matters , and guidance when faced with difficult situations. They are known as a tool of divination, with knowledge comes power so combining both a deep understanding of the tarot and trusting your own intuition this tool can work in a wonderful way.

The dated history of the tarot begins as far back as 15000 years ago in china Middle East and Egypt According to Tarot historian Tom Tad for Little; traditional playing cards were first seen in Europe in 1375, having been brought over from the Islamic societies where they had been used for centuries before that. These cards were not, however, Tarot cards. It wasn’t until 1440 that the cards that were most likely the origin of Tarot cards were first mentioned. In a letter from the Duke of Milan, there was a request for several decks of “triumph” cards to be used at a special event. The letter differentiated triumph cards from regular “playing” cards.It does appear, however, that the first Tarot decks were created as a game. There were four suits with cards numbered one through ten and also court cards that included a queen, king, knight and page. The deck also included 22 symbolic picture cards that did not belong to any suit.

a new discovery of order and predictability the fool now learns, rules and regulations that are not always fair or of his own will are dis-covered sometimes a challenge but with the direction of his father the Emperor he starts to understand their purpose. The HierophantEventually, the Fool ventures out of his home into the wider world. He is becoming trained in all lessons associated with religion and beliefs .He has a stronger sense of belonging and being part of a group, learning to conform to rules and being more organised in his works. The Hierophant is the educator who teacher’s one common language so all can conform. The need for social ap-proval and acceptance. The LoversHere after, the Fool faces two new challenges. He faces his sexual powers and urges with another person and his own belief system, how to determine his own beliefs and step away from what he has been led to belief, temptation and choices. He welcomes these changes as being in a loving relationship will balance him out from being cell cantered.

The ChariotThe Fool is now an adult, he has a strong identity and a certain mastery over himself.Through discipline and strength of will pow-er, he is in control which allows him to tri-umph over his actions. The Chariot represents the vigorous ego that is the Fool’s crowning achievement. Success and achievement are his powers now and striving forward on his journey.

StrengthBy now the fool has had many challenges some which have needed more strength then others, he has had to develop courage and dignity and find the much needed strength to carry on despite some harsh obstacles.

Each major arcana card stands for a stage on that journey - an experience that a person must take to gain wholeness and contentment in their living lives. The start of the journey is with the fool number 0 in the deck repre-senting a continuum of life - the beginning of the journey - he is young and perhaps foolish but carefree and open to all possibilities. With excitement and hope full of optimism and freedom ahead a fresh start awaits. The Magician and the High PriestessOn setting out, the Fool encounters the Magician and the High Priestess - To make up a complete world we need balance - think of these 2 as yin and yang - opposites yet balance each out perfectly. The magician is the posi-tive side active with a masculine energy and impulsive will power .The High priestess is the negative side mysterious and the unconscious side of will power, providing fertile ground where creative events happen. Unrealized potential waiting for action to expand her. The magician represents our ability to create our own reality and the High priestess allows your intuition to be open in ways it may not have been before.

The EmpressAs he grows, the Fool becomes more and more aware of his surroundings. He first becomes aware of his mother, a warm, lov-ing woman who is nourishing and caring and loving . He is also becoming more and more aware of mother earth around about now, again who nurtures him in a wider sense. The Empress represents the world of abun-dance and nature. Feelings of comfort and peace and support from maternal females.

The EmperorThe next person the Fool encounters is the Father in the figure of the Emperor. Representing authority and respect and stability

HermitSooner or later, the Fool is led to ask himself the age-old question “Why?” searing for answers and reflecting on his travels he won-ders what the point of it all is t- to be born to live then die? he wants a deeper knowledge of the truth and he is ready to take some time out to look inward of his feelings and motivations, deeper truths is now required.

Wheel of Fortune After much soul-searching, the Fool begins to see how everything connects. He sees things more clearly now and can see how the pat-terns and cycles of the world turns the wheels of life in motion, fate has applied itself many times now and the fool recognizes his destiny more over after a sequence of events that led him to his turning point. after some time out he is now ready for the wheels and motions to get back on track.

JusticeThe Fool must now decide what his life is starting to mean and the cause and effect his relationships have had, he must take respon-sibility for his past actions so he can make amends and move forward with honesty and fairness. decions are needed her as to which path way he will take ahead of him , one that is true to his insights and feelings or the one that is easier but stunts his further growth.

Hanged man Determined the Fool pushes on. but he finds life is not so easy Sooner or later, he encoun-ters his personal cross life is now at a cross roads - and the experience is overwhelming and challenging he has no choice but to be more flexible and make sacrifices and let go. He feels the sacrifices at first were for nothing however by letting go he can be truer into his inner self and becoming more flexible with his journey. The Fool is the Hanged Man (12), apparently martyred, but actually serene and at peace.

DeathThe Fool now begins to end old ways that no loner serves him, cutting ties and closing doors behind him making way for a simpler lifestyle. Ending aspects of his life he has out grown ready for new ones to start. The process of this elimination may be mournful and such changes may be hard to bear but the fool knows he will rise again and transcend into a new way of life.

Temperance After his time of reflection with the Hermit, the Fool has swung wildly back and forth on an emotional pendulum. Now, he realizes the stability of balancing with the temperance. Appreciating moderations after extremes, he now feels centred and whole, glowing with health and grace seeking a harmonious lifestyle.

DevilThe Fool has his health, peace of mind and feels at peace What more could he need? On everyday terms, not much, but the Fool is courageous and continues to pursue the deepest levels of his being. He soon comes face to face with the Devil. The Devil is the temptation down the wrong path, the despair we all have within us, the greed for more material things, things that bind although not stick to us when we want to be free, ignorance that needs to be enlightened. TowerHow can the Fool free himself from the Devil? Can he root out his influence? Destruction and Release with sudden change, chaos and upheaval but it releases the fool from the chains of the devil. The people falling in the tower imaginary looks as though with crowns they were once rulers now they face humble deaths.

The Fool may need such a severe shakeup if he is to free himself, but the silver lining of this cloudy change makes the painful experience worthwhile. The dark despair is blasted away in an instant, and the light of truth is free to shine down.

StarThe Fool is calm once again tranquillity hold posture once more, openness and honesty are laid bare and hope and inspiration are favoured. Peace is restored after the storm of the Tower, the fool is blessed with trust again after the temptations of the devil He is filled with joy and his one wish is to share it fully with the rest of the world. His heart is open, and his love pours out freely a magical time.

MoonWhat effect could spoil this perfect calm? His contended bliss makes him yet again vulnerable to illusions around him, the effects of the magical moon are not always what they seem, in his dreamy emotional state fantasy and an over imaginative mind forecasts another challenge with truths and matters of facts. Deep seated fears arise the fool is bewildered and lost.

Sun It is the strong clarity of the Sun (19) that directs the Fool’s thoughts. The Sun’s illumination shines in all the hidden places. It dispels the clouds of confusion and fear giving the fool more understanding of his feelings and the world around him. With strong and vibrant energy , assurance and enthusiasm are once again at their highest point. Free and open with honesty ready to face a new day with happiness and great contentment and no fear.

JudgementThe Fool has had enlightenment his false; ego-self has been shed, allowing his radiant, true self to manifest. He has discovered that joy, not fear, is at life’s centre. Forgiving of others and himself he now realises is pure self and goals. He can make the decision he needs to carry his fulfilment out. his higher self is awakened. WorldAnd finally or is it? The Fool again enters the World (21), but this time with a more com-plete understanding. He is fully aware of his duties and has a more wholeness approach thanks to his experiences. The future is full of hope and happiness right now and far more contentment in line with his calling. So the Fool’s Journey was not so foolish after all. Through perseverance and honesty, he re-established the spontaneous courage that first impelled him on his search for Self, but now he is fully aware of his place in the world. This cycle is over, but, the Fool will never stop growing. Soon he will be ready to begin a new journey that will lead him to ever greater levels of understanding.

While there are many different meanings for each card and some will read just intuitively I find using both the text book meanings with my own spirited and guided intuition gives the most accurate readings.

Truly Blessings Kate Bowman

Kate Bowman - http://www.trulytarot.com Facebook - Trulytarot Twitter - TrulytarotUK

Magic for you to do at home.

By Becky HeadPeople will use magic for all sorts of reasons, but today I’m going to give you a simple well-being spell using candle magic.

For this simple spell you will need:A white or pink dinner candle in a holderA small piece of paper & a penRose Geranium oilRibbon of a colour that suits you (approx 10cm long)A pressed sprig of LavenderA clear quartz tumble stoneA rose quartz tumble stoneAnd some quiet alone time. To start you may want to set the scene; This may involve having a relaxing bath to cleanse and rid yourself of the days stresses, then putting on some comfortable clothes (or you can chose to remain sky-clad if you chose, but be careful with hot candle wax), light a few candles around the room being careful not to place them too close to your curtains or anything else flammable, burn your favour-ite incense, put some gentle music on to play quietly in the background, then get yourself comfortable with a sturdy surface in front of you ready for your spell work to begin.

Sit quietly and relax, take a few deep breaths and with each breath ‘out’ let the worries and troubles of the day drift away.Then take a few more deep breaths but this time with every breath ‘in’ feel yourself fill with love, health, happiness, contentedness and peace.

Continue to breathe deeply and slowly for a few more minutes until you feel completely relaxed and stress free.

Now take you piece of paper and write on one side as many words that you can think of that to you mean well-being, happiness, love etc. and that which you wish to draw to you.Then slowly and deliberately fold the paper around the sprig of pressed lavender and place it to one side putting the clear quartz and rose quartz on top of it.

Then taking your ribbon (symbolising you) and your candle, tie the ribbon around the centre of your candle, then you will need to dress the candle using the rose geranium oil.To do this you must first fill your mind with that which you wish to draw to you as written on your slip of paper.Then put a drop of oil at the top of your can-dle and rub it down to the middle of the can-dle, then pour a drop of oil at the bottom of the candle and rub it upwards to the middle, thus drawing your intentions towards you.

Now take your piece of paper with sprig of pressed lavender still inside and place it under your candle, and put your crystals either side of your candle, then light it.

Sit quietly and watch the flame burn, taking deep breaths feel yourself become one with the flame, move slowly with it and as you do this feel relaxed and calm.

Let the candle burn for a while until some wax has run down the side and over the rib-bon and dripped onto the paper below. Enjoy the peace and quiet, enjoy watching the flame dance and enjoy being part of it.

When you are ready extinguish the candle slowly with one long breath.

When the wax has solidified these item can be moved and placed somewhere safe and out of the way.

You can re-light the candle at any point that you are feeling a little off sorts and needing a bit of a boost.

If you choose to burn your candle completely, before you get to the end you can set alight to your slip of paper and let it burn away with the lavender still inside and being careful not to burn the house down. The crystals can be put in with your collection or kept separately in a safe place. Remember to cleanse them though if you use them again for something else.

Once you have completed your spell, forget about it and let the magic do its work. Join Becky Head on: www.facebook.com/groups TheSouthamptonWitches

www.facebook.com/TheWitchesShop

Interview of the month

Jenny Docherty

Our editor this month caught up with Jenny Docherty spiritualist medium to ask her what it is like being a medium.

Born in Westfield Woking, Surrey Jenny spent most of my childhood living abroad in Germany with her parents and younger siblings. Jenny has always been aware of her spiritual gift from a very young age.In her early thirties she attended a local spiritualist church and began her spiritual development. Jenny has featured in Womans Weekly and Fate and Fortune. She has also served upon HMS Victory, also working alongside well known Paranormal Teams. Over the years Jenny has taken every opportunity to develop and demonstrate her mediumistic ability, endeavouring to reunite relatives with their departed loved ones wanting each message from the spirit realms to be as perfect as possible to prove, beyond doubt that our spirits are eternal and are able to communicate with us. Bringing hope to all.

1) When did you first realise you could speak to spirits? I was guided to a spiritualist church where I sat in a circle and began developing my gift and my communication with spirits became stronger and more profound.

2) Were you ever scared when you start-ed knowing that spirits where around you? No never scared. To be honest I found it very comforting to feel their presence.

3) Have you ever had a paranormal ex-perience in a haunted building and if so what was it?I spent the night at The Cambridge Mili-tary Hospital Aldershot with a paranor-mal group in 2006. The hospital had been closed for many years even the security guards feared walking around the hospital.

Ward 13 proved to be very interesting. In the early 1900 a nurse had wrongly pre-scribed the wrong medication to a patient. She felt so guilty that she jumped out of the ward window and fell to her death. There were no doors on the wards only very heavy rubber partitions. Over the years the rubber had expanded and would have needed extreme force to be opened by a human being. There was no breeze that night in the building so how could you explain the rubber partitions kept opening and shutting.

This happened on numerous occasions whilst we were sitting quietly in the ward. The spirit of the nurse was clearly present that night. 4) Are you open to the spirit world all the time?I open up to spirit when I am serving. I always close down when I have finished working. I always endeavour to be spiritual in my everyday life.

5) A lot of mediums out there recom-mend spending a lot of time meditating. What are your thoughts on this? It is very important to make time to meditate every day. It depends on the indi-vidual as to how long they chose to medi-tate.

6) Where did you learn to develop your Mediumship?I developed my spiritual gift in Woking Spiritualist church. My teacher and mentor was a wonderful gentleman Mr Royston Hucker.

7)What psychic gifts do you have? I am Clairsentient and Clairaudient

8) What advice would you give to fledgling mediums?My advice to fledgling mediums is Becoming a platform medium does not happen overnight. Do not fear giving what you receive as it will always mean something to the person who is receiving the message. You have to be dedicated and committed take small steps and not allow yourself not to run before you can walk. Listen and trust your guides helpers and those inspire you. Aspire to be the best that you can be find the inner peace and balance your earthly life along with your spiritual.

www.jennydocherty.co.uk

Guide to Angels

By Becky RatliffThe 7 most powerful Archangels are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Jehudiel, Sealtiel and Barachiel these arch angels were outraged by Lucifier’s behavior and they banded together and prepared to defended the honour and dignity of God against Lucifer and his legions. Go Monday, the season d was so moved that he elevated these 7 to the position of the highest heaven. These 7 Archangels given are related to the seven days of the week. It is believed each archangel is associated with one of the traditional “seven luminaries” or the 7 Planets the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn; but there is disagreement as to which archangel corresponds to which body. 4 of the 7 important archangels also display periodic spiritual activity over the seasons: Spring is Raphael, summer is Uriel, autumn is Michael, and Winter is Gabriel Archangel Michael’s name means “he who is like God” and he is the Patron of the Holy Eucharist. Eucharist is the Holy Communion in honour of the Last Supper. Archangel Michael is associated with the day Sunday, the season Autumn, the colour Blue, (blue is communication, Throat chakra which is the chakra of communication with ourselves and others) was known to be associated with healing early on but is now considered Protection, and his Archeia/ Twin Flame Faith.

Archangel Gabriel’s name means “God Conquers” and is the Patron of Sacrament of Baptism.Archangel Garbriel is associated with the day Monday, the season Winter, the color Orange, (creativity, releasing fear, Sacral chakra which is the chakra of vitality, creativity, and originality) Archangel Gabriel is considered the angel of messages. He communicates message to us from God and from us to God, and his Archeia/ Twin Flame Hope

Archangel Raphael’s name means “God Heals” and he is the Patron of the Sacrament of Penance (meaning remorse for your past conduct or forgiveness of sin) Archangel Raphael is associated with the day Tuesday, the season spring, the colour Green, (healing and harmony, is the heart chakra, an unconditional love for ourselves and others.) Archangel Raphael is our angel of health and healing and his Archeia/ Twin Flame Mother Mary.

Archangel Uriel’s name means “Fire of God or Flame of God, Light of God, or Sun of God” and he is the Patron of the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Archangel Uriel is associated with the day Wednesday, the season Summer, the colour Red or Ruby (Spiritual service of selflessness and to others, our root chakra which is for grounding and balance) He enlightens our minds and our hearts with truth and love, and his Archeia/ Twin Flame Aurora.

Archangel Sealtiel means “Prayer of God” and is the Patron of Holy Orders.Archangel Sealtiel is associated with the day Thursday, (associated with a planet but not sure which one no confirmation) Archangel Sealtiel or St. Sealtiel is the angel that leads Souls to judgement. He is not one of the Archangels of the Rays so he is not associated with a colour or the chakra’s. Archangel Jehudiel name means “ Praise of God” and is the Patron of the sacrament of the sick.Archangel Jehudiel is associated with the day Friday, (once again a planet but not sure which one no confirmation) Archangel Jehudiel is the angel known as the angel of work. He gives encouragement, wisdom, and strength to people who work for God’s glory -- especially those in positions of power and leadership who want to honour God while carrying out his or her job responsibilities. People also sometimes ask for Jehudiel’s help to: figure out which career is best for them, find a good job, complete their tasks well and on time, solve problems on the job, find peace in the midst of stressful work situations, figure out which volunteer service opportunities God wants them to focus on, and accomplish God’s purposes for all of the work they do. Archangel Jehudiel is not one of the Archangels of the Rays so he is not associated with a colour or the chakra.Archangel Barachiel name means blessings of God” and is the Patron of Sacrament of Matrimony.

Picture of Archangel Michael

Archangel Barachiel is associated with the day Saturday, one of the planets but no confirmation which one. Barachiel is known as the angel of blessings. He intercedes in prayer before God for people in need, asking God to give them blessings in all areas of their lives -- from their relationships with family and friends to their work. People ask for Barachiel’s help pursuing success in their pursuits. Since Barachiel is also the chief of all guardian angels, people sometimes ask for Barachiel’s help delivering a blessing through one of their personal guardian angels.Archangel Barachiel is also not one of the Archangels of the Rays so he is not associated with a colour or the chakra’s.

Scariest PlacesIt’s a very exciting time for the cast of Scariest Places,they have just had their first episode

aired on NotLivingTv, It’s a brand new paranormal channel that focuses on the world of spir-its and unexplained phenomena. Merrick Alora was approached by Annette Pielding and

Carl BT who own a company called Take the Cake Productions. They have asked Merrick to be their professional medium. Travelling up and down the country investigation sightings of alleged paranormal activity. They went off to film a pilot episode in Kelvedon Hatch, Secret

Nuclear Bunker and since Merrick knew a guy who commissions ghost shows it all went well and now they have a brand new show to give to you all. The cast are lovely, it involves a Para-psychologist called Chris 0’Beef who overlooks anything that can be explained and rule out

things that cant. We have our in house historian Dick Feelit. When we are off camera he is the first person to crack a joke with and make the team laugh and he never takes life too seriously, unless Peter is around. They clashed heads when filming the pilot but the more time they have

spent together the more they realised that they are becoming really good friends! There has recently been a new recruit into the cast, Simon Healy and from what we have seen he is really

excited to be in the Scariest Places team. From what we hear he’s turned up to Derby Gaol a week early! Sounds like a kid at Christmas!

So if you would like to see the start of the series at The Victoria Inn, Chester, then feel free, to find them free, on the link below.

www.facebook.com/TakeTheCakeProductions

My name is Merrick Alora, I am a medium, I am a psychic.. And I’m also a part time headstone writer at Merrick’s Memo-

ries, my spirit guide is Peter and these are our stories...

First Date It all started in a small Church in Toxteth, which is a suburb of Liverpool in England. I was meant to be attending a speed dating event, which, to my surprise, ended up being a spiritual encounter night. I’ll bet you are thinking to yourself. ‘What on earth is a spiritual encounter night?’ At the time I didn’t know either. However with the knowledge that I have now, I can confirm that it was in fact a night where spirit guides search for their counterparts. I ended up sitting in a small room with two chairs, waiting for something to happen. My first thought was ‘This is a waste of time and money’ I sat there, alone, with just my thoughts.Then I sensed the room getting darker around me. At this point I wondered whether I had fell into old habits and begun to drowse during the quieter parts of mass, then it occurred to me that the church hadn’t paid their electric bill. Neither was the case.The corner of the room was lit with a flickering candle and that was all there was to reassure me, it got to the stage where the glow from it could hardly be seen. As it got darker and dimmer, the surroundings felt closer and more limiting until I couldn’t see anything at all. Even the candle had done a runner. It became apparent to me that I… I was not alone in that room with my thoughts..... I had company! A slow, quiet, male, voice spoke in my mind. It’s dif-ficult to explain if it should rightly be called a voice or how it communicated without sound. In a comforting tone, it said.“Ive been here week after week with the same old morons pass-ing through, but you, your different, you show promise…. You’ll do! My name is Peter. If you wish to seal a bond between us, you will have to place a ring that belonged to me upon your finger.’Where was I to find such a thing, did I really want to make a bond with someone I had just met? These were only a few of the questions to crash into my mind.‘Be calm Merrick’‘How do you know my name’?‘A persons name is associated with the sound, shape and colour of their soul. It is at the forefront of their being and the first thing that a spirit like me perceives. Many prospects can be eliminated immediately, because their Aura’s are incompatible with mine. And... it’s on the badge supplied to you when you came in’. ‘The ring in question has been placed on the shaft of that candle in the corner of the room, can you see it? ‘ I was completely shocked about this encounter and found it difficult to frame an immediate reply. The darkness reduced and I could hear my own rapid heartbeat slowing. After a long pause to gather my thoughts and settle my nerves, I de-cided that there was more to be excited about than afraid of and, if it turned out to be some kind of elaborate hoax, I’d see where it took me.‘OK Peter, I see the candle.’ My voice was still edgy.‘Jolly Good’ I could hear the smile in his voicePeter then continued by giving directions on what should hap-pen next.‘To remove it you must slowly lift it off without burning your fingers on the flame.’

Having decided to play along I was game for anything. Having heard far to many things not to find this at least a little believ-able, I accepted the challenge and tried to slowly release the ring from the candle. I got close to the flame when suddenly Peter shouted ‘Boo’, I jumped and lost all concentration, burning myself as the bonding ring popped free. The ring dropped to the floor and I was left blowing the wax on my burnt fingers. When Peter had finished laughing, he announced that I had failed in the first of many tests, I agreed and told him that it was NotBoss and harder than it looked, challenging him, that I’d like to see him do any better. He replied, that the first thing he would have done was blow out the candle.Since then I have acquired many bonding rings, having a ring for each test. Every test tells a story about our bond. Which you will discover if you follow us on our journey. Peter is a Boss spirit guide, but we do have different personalities and sometimes that can interfere with our friend-ship. His voice can be very quiet and difficult to understand, at other times it’s swamped by the many voices in the Aether and he’s not always patient with misunderstandings. With experience it is becoming easier.The best way to describe Peter to you, would be to tell you that he is a very proud and well spoken gentlemen. He has read nearly every book in the world, both before and during his time in the spirit world. However he refuses to read any of the Twi-light books because he says that they’re Naff!Peter is always telling me off when I am on Scariest Places be-cause he tells me things and when I come to tell Annette I have somewhat changed or misunderstood what he told me. I think that he’s just being paranoid and should chill a bit. However be-ing a ghost on a higher plain to us. He’s pretty chilled tempera-ture wise. Peter is cagey on the subject of who he was in life. He has said that knowing this could cause trouble with the present establishment and that some things need to be kept secret even in death. Dick reckons that he only says this to impress me and that its comical that people still have a need for self aggrandise-ment ‘even in death’. Peter thinks that Dick is a sceptic who should perform impossible acts upon himself, because of this difference in opinion, they don’t always get on.

Much love Merrick Alorawww.facebook.com/MerrickAloraTwitter: @MerrickAlora @TakeTheCakePro

QUESTION TIME WITH SIMON ‘SCARIEST PLACES’ HEALY…

WHAT WAS IT THAT FIRST SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN THE PARANORMAL?

“That would have been when I was a wee lad,One night when I was about Ten, I was asleep and was woken up by my bedroom door opening then I felt a touch on my leg and the bed sink as some-one sat down.Thinking it was my Mom. I opened my eyes to see a pale, dark eyed child roughly my age sitting at the foot of the bed His legs were crossed and he was staring at me. He reached his hand toward me as if showing off a prize but he was holding what looked like a rotting Potato.We Irish Do Love Our Potatoes!I was freaked out, but as I reached to take it, he pulled back and said “My Potato”. I reached out further towards him and in doing so, blinked. By the time I reopened my eyes, he was gone, the spot of the bed where he had been sitting lift-ing back into place. I told my Mom in the morning and she was surprised but assured me I was just dreaming as I’d had Potatoes for Dinner the Night before. But ever since that spooky encounter, I have been fascinated by and researched into, all things Paranormal by watching shows like “ScariestPlaces and The X-Files” and reading books like Chris O’Beefs Paranormal Prime Cuts or Wines and Spirits. Fascinating Shows and Books that made be believe there is life after death and make me want to jump into the world of the Paranormal!

WHAT’S YOUR ROLE DURING AN INVESTIGATIONS?“Drinking lots of Tea and Documenting all the Paranormal encounters we face at each of the Scariest Places Locations we have visited!As Paranormal Investigators we study unexplained occurrences, which might include anything from strange noises and slam-ming doors to floating objects and apparitions. Sceptics often attribute these phenomena to unstable founda-tions and dust particles or to paranoia and coincidence or maybe even to those who like a sneaky spirit (Jack Daniels or Captain Morgan perhaps) before an investigation. Paranormal Investigators, however, filter through the information gathered to see if there is unexplained activity that can be attributed to ghosts and spirits.

YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A PHENOMENOLOGIST, WHAT IS THAT??

I find that hard to pronounce as you can see in our Victoria Inn Chester Episode its quite the tongue twister! Basically it is the study of experiencing Paranormal Activity in first-person mode and bringing that experience to the Viewers.

The central structure of a PHENOMENOLOGIST is to docu-ment any Paranormal activity on location be it your feelings, ambient and varying temperatures, results from experiments and detection equipment etc and then sit down and look at what it could be and record and research the results of that Information.

The Main key is to be honest and open minded with what I experience and to ensure the Team are also objective. I do watch the Scariest Places Team Very Closely”

ON INVESTIGATIONS YOU CARRY A TABLET, WHAT NOTES ARE YOU MAKING ON IT OR ARE YOU WATCHING CARTOONS ON IT??

“On My Walk about on each Location with Annette Pielding and Merrick Alora I like to make notes of Our Findings espe-cially when Merrick picks up on things and then I can research the information later, over tea and biscuits.We Irish Do Love Our tea and biscuits as well!Sometimes, whilst filming a scene, I like to Update My Facebook and Twitter accounts when Merrick and Annette are not look-ing, its like when nature calls and you have to facebook or tweet, it has to be done on the spot, a guilty pleasure!(Don’t let them know that Please) As I do get bombarded by a lot by people, especially those looking for Jeremy Kyle Advice for their problems or sending Me Game Requests such as Ghost Tetris which I am now stuck on Level 25 Any Tips Anyone?? “SIMON: YOU HAVE BEEN PICTURED WITH SOMEONE VERY WELL KNOWN IN THE PARANORMAL WORLD RICHARD FELIX?

“Oh yes Richard Felix is a Legend and full of amazing stories and histories! He has been on ground breaking Paranormal shows and owns a Haunted Gaol in Derby, which is a fascinating place for me, full of spirits and steeped in history. In fact whilst there, we have odd experiences all the time, a toilet flushing by itself which could be spirits doing their private business, tapping noises and moans that circulate up and down the corridor of the Gaol, a pendulum clock that stops and starts seemingly by itself.We are Filming Our Next Episode of Scariest Places in Derby with the Fantastic Richard Felix. I tell you, Excited is an under-statement for me. In fact, I intend to set up camp on Location ASAP as I am that Excited to film this Episode.Tent Party Anyone??”

Well thank You for the questions Now I must set up My Tent, have Potatoes, Tea and Biscuits, (not necessarily all together), Get Past Level 25 Of Ghost Tetris and see where Scariest Places Takes us Next!

www.facebook.com/SimonHMusic Twitter: @SimonSPHealy @TakeTheCakeProSimon

NOW A MESSAGE FROM THE LOVLEY ANNETTE PIELDING.

Hello my lovelies, I’ve managed to sweet talk my way into getting a column in this wonderful magazine. As you may know we have just finished filming our first episode of the Scariest Places series and I can promise you our hard work has paid off. It’s Fab! So, instead of telling you about the filming of the episode, I thought I’d sneakily tell you some behind the scenes gossip about the cast... Shh keep it quiet though..! As Carl BT is my darling hubby he can be my first kiss and tell. In some of the episodes you will see how horrid he can be sometimes and even though I say how I don’t want to go into the creepy places alone, and the phanomalie’s don’t like me, he makes me do solo vigil’s. Grrrr (don’t worry I know how to get him back, a NO at certain bedtime moments does the trick). Now Carl has a secret, he’s obsessed with Garfield! He has Gar-field boxers, Garfield socks, Garfield slippers, DVDs, and a huge Garfield that has to sit on our bed... But don’t say I told you this. Moving on to Merrick Alora; what can I say but wow he’s amazing! Even when we weren’t filming he was still channelling the spirits. Whilst we were having breaks he was still allowing us to communicate with numerous spirits. Carl did get stressed however, because the bar tab became rather expensive. I told him it was not Merrick’s fault and he had to be hospitable. Just because each spirit requested a different drink can’t be helped and we had to be polite and get them what they wanted... My sweetie Simon Healy’s debut on the show was an immedi-ate success, with his looks and Irish charm I am certain, I erm. I mean we will be seeing a lot more of him in the future. He certainly attracted the attention of an entity during the Victoria Inn investigation who showed their appreciation of a part of his anatomy; but that’s saying too much. You need to watch the episode to find out more. Last but by no means least, is the walking oracle of historical knowledge, Dick Feelit. He amazes us all with his facts morning, noon and night; and he is my immediate choice of partner when we go to pub quizzes. So hands off.. Keep checking our facebook and twitter pages for more infor-mation about forth coming events, investigations, competitions, and latest news.

www.facebook.com/TakeTheCakeProductionsTwitter: @AnnettePielding @TakeTheCakePro

One final piece of information is my forth coming Project: Annette Pielding’s Paranormal Podcast, where I will be explor-ing the true yet wackier world of the unknown!

Coming up next month

More articles from Luana Kurz, Jan Murphy, James Kemp, Kate Bowman, Becky Head, Scariest Places and includes Jensen House who will be telling you all about the Enfield Poltergeist Haunting.

If you wish to get involved in The Supernatural News or advertise with us please email us at editor@thesupernaturalnews.com