It’s the middle of the night, and you’re lying in bed, stressing out about the next workday with looming deadlines and an overbearing boss. As you attempt to sleep, you open your eyes in the darkness of your bedroom, and that’s when you see it.
You observe a disfigured shape in the corner, staring back at you. But that’s not all; the shape resembles a woman dressed in Victorian clothing, and her face is disfigured. The sight of this entity frightens you, and you move back as fast as you can. As you do so, the disturbing figure glides towards you and just stares at you.
Two possibilities might explain what’s happening. One, you’re being haunted by the Victorian woman.
Two, you might be in the early stages of losing your eyesight.
What is Charles Bonnet Syndrome?
The scenario described above is one of the common scenarios experienced by people who suffer from Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS). It is a condition that is associated with visual hallucinations that occur during sight loss. What stands out the most with this condition is that the people who suffer from these hallucinations are mentally sound. CBS has also been called “phantom vision” or “ghost vision” as experiences have been recorded throughout time.
The Syndrome was first studied in 1760 by Swiss scientist Charles Bonnet (BON-ay). He began to study this occurrence when his grandfather started experiencing visual hallucinations after he developed cataracts. The hallucinations included visions of people, carriages, birds, and buildings, which could only be seen by his grandfather. These visions were spontaneous and were seen in what was left of his eyesight.
Bonnet also noticed that his grandfather was mentally sound and was not experiencing any symptoms associated with mental illnesses.
Some people have reported seeing disembodied gargoyle heads with Charles Bonnet Syndrome.
Types of Hallucinations
Hallucinations will vary depending on the person, their medical condition, and their stress levels. Some people may experience flashes of light while others may experience color changes. Others may experience all different types of hallucinations, including the frightening images of ghosts. Some people have seen figures dressed in period clothing and moving as if they were gliding across the floor. Missing body parts like hands, arms, or even faces are common occurrences. These visions will also be in great detail, even for people with vision that is blurry.
Those with CBS have also seen incredible images like a double-decker bus going through their living room, or people sitting on their couch, kitchen table, bed, etc. They have also seen surfaces covered in patterns like tiles or bricks, even bottles, hats, or dancing children, and the visions can last from several seconds to several hours. What is consistent is that these visions appear and vanish abruptly. One of the most frightening hallucinations include floating, disembodied faces that squirm during random times. These faces have wide eyes that don’t blink, plus prominent teeth and features like a gargoyle.
Experts in CBS believe that increased stress levels can contribute to the manifestation of more negative images. The condition also seems to be more common among people who live alone with limited social interaction.
Why Does This Happen?
One of the most common causes of CBS is macular degeneration, which is a disease that causes certain light-sending cells in the retina to malfunction and cause a blindspot in the center of a person’s vision. Glaucoma and cataracts are also commonly associated with CBS.
As the eyes lose their ability to see, the brain will attempt to “fill in the blanks” for the missing information. It is the brain compensating for what the eyes could no longer see and is trying to help the person navigate through their surroundings. CBS has been compared to phantom limb syndrome after an amputation has taken place.
How Common is Charles Bonnet Syndrome?
A study conducted by Dr. M.L. Jackson of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Dr. Joseph Ferencz of the Harvard Department of Ophthalmology and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, found that Charles Bonnet Syndrome affects approximately 10% to 38% of people with visual impairments.
One of the main reasons for the vast range is because not everyone who suffers from CBS reports it to their doctor. Other factors include differences in definitions as well as historical record-keeping of the condition and the symptom-specific context that’s taken into consideration.
Does Charles Bonnet Syndrome Explain All Paranormal Phenomena?
After learning about this condition, it may be easy to assume that Charles Bonnet Syndrome explains all paranormal phenomena. That’s not the case. The condition has been studied by scientists and skeptics alike and as people have learned more about CBS, it’s very symptom specific depending on the type of person.
For example, CBS wouldn’t explain why people would encounter the same type of phenomenon at a haunted location. Also, CBS wouldn’t explain other experiences like sight, smell, or touch. But just because CBS doesn’t explain all paranormal experiences, it doesn’t mean it should be disregarded or forgotten. It is definitely something to look into and discuss with your doctor if you believe.
The Importance of Sharing Experiences
Patients are often unwilling to share their experiences with their doctor, let alone with others, because they fear they will be judged as mentally incompetent. Therefore, they don’t say anything and end up suffering in silence. Sharing experiences is incredibly important for the person going through this because it will help them get the support they need. Not only that, but it will also help doctors and other members of the scientific community gather information and data on the condition. As we know research and data collection is critical to learn more about the issue as well as move forward towards preventative treatment and a possible cure.
When people with CBS see hallucinations, they often suffer in silence/
Closing Thoughts
Robert Lanza said in his book, Biocentrism, that the world only exists because we are looking at it. What we see is a reality that is created in our heads, our consciousness. If humans weren’t there to observe the world, it would be nothing.
As people with CBS navigate through their lives seeing visions of people, objects, animals, etc, that is their reality as they know it. It only exists because they see it.
Could we say the same thing for ghosts?
Sources:
Jackson, M. L., & Ferencz, J. (2009). Cases: Charles Bonnet syndrome: visual loss and hallucinations. CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l’Association medicale canadienne, 181(3-4), 175–176. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.090049
In the paranormal investigation world, it is inevitable that we will run into a location where there are reports of spirits of children. While this can be unsettling to think about, because a life cut short is always tragic, it is a truth we have to face at times. Nothing reminds us more of our mortality than to encounter a life that didn’t have a chance to live.
The best way to communicate with child spirits is to treat them the same way you would when they were alive. However, this can be challenging for people who don’t encounter children in their daily lives or don’t work with children.
What Makes Me Qualified to Speak on This?
I worked in childhood and adolescent education for years. I started my interaction with kids helping in the church nursery in high school. In college, I spent my summers as a unit leader camp counselor for the YMCA. After graduate school, I spent my teaching career as a teaching artist for the local school district teaching theatre to kindergarten through 5th grade. In the summers, I was teaching reading skills from preschool through high school. Then, I was a preschool teacher for three years. I’ve interacted with nearly every age group leading up to adulthood before I eventually left the education field for the corporate life. But I’ve taken what I’ve learned and applied it to the paranormal field.
Disclaimer: These are just my suggestions based on my background as a former teacher and experience as a paranormal investigator. These tips aren’t the “only way” to talk to the spirits of kids.
First Things First: They’re Not Demons
Let’s get the obvious out of the way; 99% of the time, the ghosts of children are not demons. This is a very Christian-centric belief in the paranormal that often takes over the field. I’ve only encountered a few spirits that tried to come across as a child. But even so, it’s only been maybe twice in the 20 years I’ve been investigating. Not everyone in the field believes in the idea of heaven or hell. Don’t treat these kids like they’re evil entities trying to take your soul.
Get on Their Level
If you know the location is reported to be haunted by a small child, avoid standing if you can. Try to sit in a chair, or even on the floor, and get on the child’s level to communicate. Even for living children, getting on their level to communicate and talk to them is a more effective way to gain their trust so the child doesn’t feel intimidated by you. Standing over a child and asking questions could very well make them feel nervous around you and possibly remind them of someone who wasn’t kind to them when they were alive.
Be Mindful of the Tone of Your Voice
Some kids appreciate big, boisterous voices. If you’re a parent or a teacher, that voice may work in your favor in a positive manner. But sometimes, you may run into a child spirit that has been traumatized by an adult, and a loud voice may very well upset them and inhibit them from communicating. When I first initiate communication, I try to have a more neutral tone and volume to my voice in the beginning. This gives me the opportunity to gauge the comfort level of the child spirit and see how much they’re willing to communicate, their personality, and how outgoing they are.
Know How to Talk to Different Age Groups
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone on an investigation that’s reported to be haunted by a small child, and then it’s apparent that the young person we’re talking to is a pre-teen or older. Have an understanding of communication styles of different age groups. You don’t want to talk to a 10-year old the same way you would talk to a 5-year old. One can speculate that even in the afterlife, that spirit will reflect their age and development stage they were in upon passing.
Keep an Open Mind
The paranormal investigation practice isn’t an exact science, and we have a long way to go. This means people can make assumptions and mistakes sometimes. The way that folklore, myths, and legends can grow and evolve can quickly change the origin story for many spirits. This means that the 5-year old girl that haunts the old barn may not actually be a 5-year old girl, but instead, a 13-year old boy. Or, even an old man! Keep an open mind and don’t pigeonhole yourself into insisting on communicating with a spirit that may or may not be there.
Use Trigger Objects
If you know the location is haunted by children, bring trigger objects! This means toys, dolls, puzzles, music, whatever gets someone engaged. When trying to engage with children, people will bring different activities to stimulate that child’s mind. Just talking to people with nothing to entertain them could get bored rather quickly. Just as living children can have short attention spans, one can theorize that this is still the case in the afterlife. Depending on what you believe when it comes to evolving spirits long-term, it never hurts to try different trigger objects.
Talk About Things They Enjoy
This can apply to teenagers and adults as well. You can never go wrong talking about things that a spirit enjoys, whether it was something they enjoyed while alive, or still enjoying during their afterlife. Just like the trigger objects, talking about things like foods, their favorite colors, books, music, and depending on time period; movies and television.
Avoid Talking About Traumatic Topics
Children can sense blood in the water if you’re not comfortable talking to them, or if you have something to hide. It’s like they have that extra sense. So, when a child spirit is comfortable communicating with me, I treasure that moment and try to make the interaction as positive as I can. Talking about trauma for the sake of sparking communication isn’t okay. When you think about the living, majority of society doesn’t candidly talk to a child about their trauma, their abuser, etc. when they first meet them. Even experts in pediatric psychiatry will engage in different modes of play and other engagement methods before diving straight into trauma. As paranormal investigators, we are not that spirit’s psychologist, counselor, etc. and when we bring up a child’s abuser and just yelling things in empty rooms, it causes more harm than good. Now, if they volunteer the information themselves, it means that you’ve established enough trust with them to talk about more difficult topics.
They’re Not There to Perform
While spirit communication can be both disturbing and exciting, especially for content creation, these spirits are not there to perform for us. They’re not there to help us create spooky content. They are existing in their (hopefully) happy afterlife and doing their thing. Every time I encounter (what I believe is) spirit communication, I feel exceptionally honored. I feel even more special when it’s a child.
Final Thoughts
None of these tips are a guarantee that you will have the chance to talk with ghost children, or even that they’ll be interested in talking to you. But in a field where trauma-based ghost hunting is becoming the norm and now very popular, this is an alternative approach to paranormal investigations that doesn’t cause additional harm. At the end of the day, ghost hunting and paranormal investigating is talking to people, or at the very least, talking with something we believe is conscious and intelligent. Just as we expect spirits to engage with us respectfully, we should do the same when we enter these buildings and try to talk to those inhabiting it. If you have the chance to engage with the spirit of a child, take that experience as a gift and have a positive and meaningful interaction.
Every human you encounter has their own life story, wishes, loves, desires, dislikes, the whole bit. Every human you meet has had certain life experiences that have shaped them into who they are up to that moment you meet them. They each have their own identity.
Psychology Today defines identity as “encompasses the memories, experiences, relationships, and values that create one’s sense of self. This amalgamation creates a steady sense of who one is over time, even as new facets are developed and incorporated into one’s identity.”
And yet, there’s a common ideology in many paranormal circles that a spirit’s (or ghost’s) identity isn’t relevant as soon as their physical body ceases to live.
Let’s go off with the idea that spirits exist and they’re the remaining consciousness of dead people (sorry, skeptics…) to explore how identity plays a role in paranormal investigations and why it’s important for both the living and the dead.
Why Does Identity Matter?
I had already written the initial draft of this blog a few weeks ago and let it stew for a bit. During that stewing time, I posted a TikTok video lamenting about how cool it would be if the mainstream paranormal television shows had more representation when it comes to diversity in body types, ethnicity, sexuality, and the such. As people started to respond, I was quite surprised over the vitriolic comments from people.
Identity is a socially and historically constructed concept. We learn about our own identity and the identity of others through interactions with family, peers, organizations, institutions, media and other connections we make in our everyday life.
Key facets of identity—like gender, social class, age, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, religion, age and disability—play significant roles in determining how we understand and experience the world, as well as shaping the types of opportunities and challenges we face.
Social and cultural identity is inextricably linked to issues of power, value systems, and ideology.
The media uses representations—images, words, and characters or personae—to convey specific ideas and values related to culture and identity in society.
As you can see, identity matters because it is who we are, who we interact with, and how society sees us. We experience the world based on our identity and how the world identifies us.
Most Common Pushback When Seeking Representation
Over the last few years, I’ve noticed this common saying that’s been used as pushback when I write about and advocate for more representation in the field.
It’s a variation of “Ghosts/Spirits don’t care if you’re black, white, gay, straight, Christian, female, male, etc.”
Personally, from looking at and researching different perspectives of investigators and mediums, one could argue that spirits do care about these things. They care because these things helped shaped their identity, which resulted in specifics experiences throughout many different chapters of their life.
No two people will have a universal experience, especially lived experiences that include encountering racism, sexism, bigotry, and the like.
This pushback could be coming from a variety of angles. For one, I’ve noticed that the people who’ve said this the most often come from a mindset where they don’t see gender, race, sexuality, etc. This comes from a privileged mindset because they more than likely have not experienced oppression because of their identity.
Why Acknowledge Identity No Matter What
But this is a problematic mindset when approaching paranormal investigations, especially if one is trying to make a connection with a spirit for the purposes of communication. If they don’t acknowledge the spirit for what they are, where they come from, and what their life experiences were, then why are they there?
I often find that interacting with people who don’t care about the things that make me who I am to be an extremely shallow experience. How deep can one actually get if you don’t acknowledge the traits that make up that person’s identity?
Spirits aren’t blank slates that stop caring about the things that make them who they are. From personal experience and talking with other investigators, they still care about their identity as well as our own.
Also, identity not only affects the makeup of the person, but it also impacts the way that the person interacts with different social groups. The acknowledgement of identity isn’t an act of exclusion. On the contrary, it’s an act of inclusion and acceptance.
The Nature of Collecting Data vs. Experiencing
Even if one is going into a haunted location to document and collect data, there is still a whole other side of the coin; there’s usually some sort of interaction that happens in some aspect in an investigation. Usually this is in the form of the investigator trying to start a conversation.
While yes there have been reports of phenomena occurring while no one was trying to actively engage them, if we look at the context of those incidents, usually there was a topic being discussed that resonated with the spirit.
What resonates with spirits is directly connected to their identity. Maybe it resonates because it’s a reflection of how they experienced the world when they were alive. Or could also remind the spirit of what life was like before they passed away.
It doesn’t even need to be a deep conversation about trauma. It could be something as similar as a shared interest like a favorite book, song, or movie. More paranormal investigators could be asking questions in relationship to identity as opposed to asking questions based in trauma. The field seems to be heading in that direction as more people take on a more compassionate approach to paranormal investigating.
The Benefits of Acknowledging Identity
For many paranormal investigators, they got into the field because they either wanted to have a paranormal experience or get documentation of one. It’s not unheard of for an investigator to be in this field to prove the existence of the afterlife as well. When I started Queer Ghost Hunters on YouTube, I started noticing that the investigators would share their own backgrounds and their stories to show the spirits that they were safe to talk to and they were creating a safe space where the spirit can simply exist.
When the paranormal investigator shares their experiences and takes ownership of their identity, it’s beneficial not only for the spirits, but also their fellow investigators. Sharing similar lived experiences based on identity can help build trust and create a connection between the living and the dead that could potentially create more meaningful interactions.
Those who have experienced oppression because of their identity tend to veer towards the importance of it and they are eager to acknowledge and validate that spirit’s identity. They see the importance of acknowledging a spirit’s identity, whether that is their gender, race, or sexuality. Depending on the context of the time period for that spirit, they may have had their life end because of their identity.
Final Thoughts
Let’s return to the pushback mentioned earlier, “Ghosts/Spirits don’t care if you’re black, white, gay, straight, Christian, female, male, etc.”
The big question would be if the people saying this care about their own identity right now? Do they care about the identity of others? If the former is yes, and the latter is no, then there’s a lesson in compassion and empathy that still needs to be learned by these individuals. When I hear someone say that their faith is important to them, I point out that their faith is an integral part of their identity. If they are married, their spouse is an important part of their identity. Same if they have children, friends from different social circles, it’s all important.
So when someone says that spirits wouldn’t care about identity, I simply say that if the living care, then certainly the dead do as well.
Finally, these concepts aren’t just for spirits. These are critical things to think about as we navigate social relationships within the paranormal community. Acknowledging identity in the field is a step towards representation in the field, and it can help create that inclusive space where everyone can truly feel welcome.
For decades, it has been typical to see paranormal investigators walk into a haunted location and immediately start provoking and saying things that could be extremely traumatizing to not only spirits and ghosts, but also the living. Is it really necessary to do this in order to get a response during a paranormal investigation? What if this the best way to try to communicate with spirits? Is there another way to go about it?
Personal Experience
I had a TikTok recently that went viral where I shared a (very) short version of the One Bed Over: A Hospital Haunting story. This was the incident of the spirit attachment I dealt with after my car accident on New Year’s Eve 2005. I shared my story with the TV show “Haunted Hospitals” and wrote the book. Telling this story became a healing experience for me, and overall, I’m grateful for the opportunities I had to share it.
Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of interviews on different podcasts and radio shows about the story. But in the past few months, I found myself experiencing more PTSD incidents since telling the story more frequently. Nightmares, panic attacks, flashbacks, they were all coming back with a vengeance.
How Do the Spirits Feel?
Why do I bring this up? Because talking about this traumatic chapter in my life just a few times per month has really sparked some responses in my body and soul that’s made me identify the need to step back.
Yet, what about the ghosts that we try to connect with in haunted locations? Especially locations where there was a lot of trauma and negative events in their lives? There’s a group of strangers coming in and asking about one of the worst days of their lives. Then we expect the spirits to pour out their heart and souls to us, a bunch of strangers, without building rapport or trust. And some of these places see traffic on a daily basis.
Besides a location not being haunted, perhaps this might be a reason that paranormal investigators are met with silence? Or worse, they end up being physically assaulted. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve encountered this on the field. But then, a simple subject change will change the activity levels towards a more positive environment. That simple subject change is compassion and empathy.
Example: The USS North Carolina
In 2018, I did my first paranormal investigation at the Battleship North Carolina (also known as the USS North Carolina). I had been investigating for quite a while up until this point. I wanted to dive deeper into the hauntings of this location besides traditional ghost hunting. Taking a page from John Sabol’s Ghost Excavation method, I had my team members (all female identifying) dress in period clothing. Justifying our presence on the ship would be a bit challenging. This is because civilian women on the ship wasn’t necessarily the norm back in the Battleship’s prime.
So we took on a more flirtatious approach as women looking for sailors to take us out on a night on the town. This included contextual flirting, dancing, and all sorts of shenanigans from the 1940s. Yet, when we tried to steer the conversation towards World War II, and more specifically, Pearl Harbor, we were met with absolute silence. But if we brought up drinks and dancing, our equipment would respond and we got more activity on our recording equipment. Simply put, they weren’t interested in talking to us about a tough topic. To be fair, most of the World War II vets I knew (especially my grandpa) didn’t talk about the war, especially with women.
Example: Trivette Clinic
If you’ve read my book, The Hamptonville Hauntings, then you’ve already read this story in more detail. Without going too deep into the history and research rabbit hole, the Trivette Clinic opened in 1932 in Hamptonville, North Carolina as a small town clinic. This was a place where tonsils were taken out and babies were born. After Dr. William Trivette died in 1938, the Clinic was converted into a supper club and detox center, then a nursing home, and finally, a private residence. While not a lot of “horrifying trauma” happened at the Clinic, one could argue that surgery and childbirth is a form of trauma on its own.
But one of the most remarkable experiences I had at the Trivette Clinic didn’t involve talking about medical procedures at all. It was playing music. Dr. Trivette’s wife Gwendolyn was a singer who had a love for opera. I’ve always been extremely drawn to her for various reasons, and one night, with two of my team members, a series of events led me to believe she was with us. Thinking about her love of opera, I was inspired to use music as a trigger object. Trying to think of popular operas back in Gwendolyn’s time, I defaulted to “Musetta’s Waltz” from the opera, La Boheme.
Reaction to the Music
As the music started playing from my phone, every device we had in the basement started going off. The lights became brighter when the music swelled in intensity, and the lights dimmed during the quieter moments. It was like there was a reaction in the environment to the music. In my head, I pictured Gwendolyn singing to the music. Needless to say, it was an emotional experience.
Ever the debunker, I decided to play Van Halen’s “Jump” to see if our equipment would react the same way. None of the equipment went off, even when I grabbed my phone and walked around the space. I played a few more songs and still, nothing. No reaction like that.
Example: Melissa Elliott at the Cabin on 360
One of the darker places I’ve been to is the Elliott House next door to the Cabin on 360. The locations are owned by the same person, and sit just feet away from each other. It should be noted that I don’t call the Elliott House dark because of demonic entities or anything like that. It’s because it was the site of a brutal murder. If you want to learn more about the Elliott House, and Melissa Elliott, here’s some more information.
Melissa Carol Elliott was just 12 years old when she was raped and murdered by her half-brother in 1979. Just being in the house and knowing what happened within its walls is enough to give me bad feelings about the place. Knowing this, it made it hard to remove my bias. Also, it’s been said that there is a dark entity in the house.
When my team and I investigated the house, we went into Melissa’s bedroom and set up a few recording devices. I wanted to make sure to focus on things that a pre-teen girl would have liked or been interested in during the late 1970s. If Melissa was still a present entity in the house, I’m pretty sure the last thing she would want to talk about is the end of her life and likely the worst day of her life. But also, avoiding the traumatic topic could give us an opportunity to communicate with other spirits in the house, if there were any.
Shifting Gears
Immediately, I noticed that there wasn’t much response when my other two male members were asking questions. Keeping the nature of Melissa’s death in mind, plus being a 12-year old girl, she may not be comfortable around older males. Pulling out the Osmonds, David Cassidy, and other pop culture icons, it seemed we were getting some responses on our equipment.
There was a moment where it looked like there was light shining on me for a brief second. I thought one of my team members shined their flashlight on me. My team member thought my Fitbit went off. The only thing that made me hesitant about declaring it my Fitbit was that my little watch will stay illuminated for several seconds, not a brief moment. It wasn’t headlights from the outside either.
Why Avoid Using Trauma
There’s a multitude of reasons to avoid using trauma in spirit communication. To be fully candid, using trauma as the first tactic to get a response is a cheap tactic. I even find skeptics using trauma to also try to elicit a response, which is puzzling. It’s like, “I don’t believe you exist but I’m going to exploit your trauma anyway.” Some of the best skeptics who investigate still respect the space and the people who once lived there.
By avoiding the use of trauma, you earn trust not only with the potential spirit you’re trying to communicate with, but also with the group in your company. I think we often forget that if we use trauma to elicit a response, we risk upsetting our fellow investigators who may have a personal connection with similar trauma.
When we use trauma, it’s often a very generic approach with broad questions that don’t go any deeper. Also, using trauma right away forces the investigator to go in with a certain bias. They may assume that the house being haunted is haunted by the spirits tied to specific history and so they laser point on that traumatic event. Meanwhile, they miss out on meaningful communication with an entity that’s either not tied to that specific history, or they don’t want to talk about it.
So What Should We Talk About?
For the socially awkward like myself, coming up with topics to talk about with spirits can be tricky. I can’t even do small talk with the living so how can I talk to the dead? I’ve learned a lot about social interactions from paranormal investigating, especially from the examples above.
It also should be said that not every topic will be “trauma free” for everyone. Like, talking about someone’s child to one person may cause heartache and grief to someone else who may have lost children or weren’t able to have their own.
Here’s some things to talk to ghosts/spirits about:
What brings them joy
Their daily lives
What the space looks like to them
Who is around them at that moment
Favorite foods and treats
Entertainment they may have liked (books, music, movies, television)
Recipes
Games
Here are a few more topics to explore, but may have trauma associated with them:
Religion (favorite hymns, Bible verses, etc.)
Were they in love?
Did they have children?
In reality, any point mentioned could bring up trauma. But in this case, the intention is different. Without diving too deep into intent vs. impact, there is a difference between going into a space with the intention of using trauma to provoke a spirit and trying to talk a spirit about something that may have made them happy and you upset them by accident.
This list is just a starting point. What’s great about this list is that you can keep it generic enough to help you pinpoint the historical and societal context of the entity you’re talking to. I like to call this method, “Start Big, Go Small.” Start with a broader topic, and use the responses to get more granular to help pinpoint the person you’re talking to and where they’re from.
Final Thoughts
We don’t need to provoke or say upsetting things during a paranormal investigation in order to get a response. If anything, we could get even better data and evidence by not going the route of provocation.
I see a shift happening in the paranormal investigation community where we are veering away from using trauma as a talking point. This makes me very optimistic for the future of the paranormal. Unfortunately, paranormal media has yet to catch up. It continues to default to trauma as a way to get a response from spirits. Not all television shows are like this (shout out to “Kindred Spirits”), but most of them do this. It’s not terribly surprising since the focus of most TV shows is to get that spooky evidence and then move on to the next location, leaving a mess of shattered feelings and trauma behind.
On Friday, October 21st, 2022, Netflix released their newest paranormal reality series, 28 Days Haunted. Based on a theory by the late Ed and Lorraine Warren that it takes about 28 days to pierce the veil into the other side, three teams take residence in three different haunted locations for that duration.
As a paranormal researcher and investigator (or even ghost hunter), I’m not the biggest fan of paranormal reality television. It’s unrealistic, and it’s become stagnant in the past 10 years with the same people on TV and nearly identical formatting that’s being replicated all over the media. So when I found out about 28 Days Haunted, I wanted to give it a chance. Especially since I’ve interacted with a few of the cast members previously.
Initial Thoughts: Ed and Lorraine Warren
I didn’t expect Ed and Lorraine Warren to be a part of this show. In full transparency, I’ve read all of their books as well as any books approved by them because I loved the Warrens growing up. My opinion has since become more complicated, which I’ll share another time. Also, I’ve known and worked with people who know or worked with the Warrens.
I’ve never heard of this theory coming from them, even from my colleagues who worked with them. But that’s not to say that the Warrens didn’t come up with it. I would love to see a primary source confirming this. I’ve actually heard of the theory from multiple people over the last few years who have claimed it as their own. I also can’t find anything before 2022 to trace this theory back to the Warrens. Again, if anyone has it, please let me know!
One of my friends did mention that maybe it came from the Amityville Horror. This is due to the Lutz family being in the Amityville house for 28 days. I could see that. But again, at the time of writing this, there’s nothing on paper or video pre-2022 that ties the Warrens as the creators of this theory.
Also, there are quite a few gaps with this theory that the show didn’t address. Does the 28 days theory apply to only a certain type of haunting? What about the dynamic of the group? Could the 28 days take even less depending on the people in the group? Does this include knowing the history of the location and the haunting or going in blind? I have so many questions.
Finally, I found the alignment with the Warrens to be a risky move for the show. Lately, the Warrens are coming under fire as of late for alleged fraud, as well as predatory behaviors, including the story of Ed Warren and Judith Penney. Granted, when the show was in production, these issues didn’t quite have the spotlight as they do now.
A Note About Paranormal Reality TV
Before diving into my first reactions, I want to say that paranormal reality television is a genre of its own. It’s not reality in most cases. It’s dramatized, it’s staged, and sometimes it’s even scripted. I would align most paranormal reality shows as “found footage.” Some shows do more or less of that than others. But keep in mind that these shows have to tell a story to keep their audiences interested. This is a result from research on the side of the production companies. While most of us in the paranormal community want something different, we’re not the target audience of these shows. I can’t watch these shows as a serious paranormal researcher. But I can watch it as someone looking to be entertained. I also doubt that we will get a TV show that’s more representative of real-life paranormal investigation because it’s pretty boring 90% of the time.
These shows are for entertainment purposes only, even if their audiences take them as reality. That’s the nature of the beast.
A Note About My Bias
Because I want to expose my bias right now, I have had conversations with a few of the cast members and we’re connected on social media. Dare I say that I even consider them friends? With this in mind, know that I will support my friends. It is possible to be critical and still support your friends. Also, from my own experience of being on TV, I know how little control cast members typically have over the editing and presentation of the television shows they’re on. Well, unless you’re Zak Bagans or Jason Hawes. Most of my notes is about the production side.
If there are certain things that the cast members did that I liked or didn’t like, I’m looking at it through how the producers edited it and presented it to us. The situations we saw on screen may have been completely different from real-life. As the audience, we were presented with an altered version of the events. I know this and sympathize with the cast on this.
Netflix
First Reaction
On that note, after watching the six 30-40 minute episodes, my initial reaction was that I didn’t hate it. I found the format of the show refreshing, as it’s different from the other mainstream ghost hunting shows you would find on networks like Travel Channel, Discovery, SyFy, A&E, etc. I liked the visuals when they introduced the equipment, even if the descriptions weren’t always accurate. It was evident that the producers were trying to do something different with 28 Days Haunted since it didn’t necessarily follow the same formula as the other shows.
Were there moments of cringe? Definitely. It was not the fault of the cast. That was on the editing and on the producers.
Lack of Gender Representation
After processing through my first reaction, I started to dive deeper on what I liked and didn’t like about the show. The first glaring flaw (yes, I’m calling this a flaw) of the show is that there was a gross lack of diversity. Out of the three groups, there were only two women. There was only two genders on the show, when we know that gender identity is much more diverse. The two women were utilized as psychic mediums, or sensitives. Women are very capable paranormal investigators, researchers, and technicians. Also, there was an all-male team, and I think it did the show a great disservice to not have an all-female team to balance it out.
This brings me into the situation in Episode 3, titled, “I’m Done”, that has put the Colorado team in a negative light, particular with a tense moment between Shane Pittman, Ray Causey and Amy Parks. The team was investigating Captain Grant’s Inn in Colorado. Amy, who has abilities, had set boundaries on her comfort levels and didn’t want to do any mirror scrying. The way the show presented the situation, to me it looked like Shane and Ray ganged up on her a bit. I don’t know if this happened in reality, but it was concerning nonetheless. It looks like Shane, Ray, and Amy have a positive friendship now so it’s quite possible the show skewed the situation.
How the Women Were Treated
A few things Ray said during the confrontations greatly disturbed me. This is because it seemed that Amy’s value only came from her abilities and not as a paranormal investigator. Her contributions up to the point of the confrontation seemed to be ignored. Again, I’m sure the editing of the show made the situation something different from real life. But the fact that the show was comfortable presenting this to the audience is a bit disturbing.
Also, if you’re not able to do a proper paranormal investigation or spirit communication without a medium, then you’re limiting yourself on resources and your capabilities. A paranormal investigation should not be dependent on the presence of someone with abilities.
Similar thing happened with Brandy Miller and Jereme Leonard, the team investigating the Madison Dry Goods store in North Carolina. Jereme is a demonologist and Brandy was the one with abilities. She had her limitations and what she was comfortable with as well, and Jereme tried to push her further. Then it ended up being Jereme who got the brunt of the negative energy from the spirits.
It was clear when Brandy and Amy were carrying the weight of their respective investigations. Especially Brandy when she was going in with the spirit communication and Jereme’s main contribution was to walk around sprinkling holy water. And instead of supporting Brandy when things got intense, Jereme continued to provoke the spirits.
Lack of Diversity
There was a gross lack of ethnic diversity in the case. Every cast member was white presenting. Personally, I find that unacceptable given how diverse the paranormal community is. This was a huge miss on the production company and even Netflix. That’s all I’ll say about that.
There was also no representation in different religions. This was evident with the Christian approach to investigating. It’s an old and outdated approach in paranormal television that won’t go away. But if the main demographic of these shows are white Christian people, then perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised. The assumption that if a spirit doesn’t like Biblical scripture, it must mean it’s evil, was evident. Not everyone is a fan of the Christian church and they’re not demons.
Also, it’s 2022. Can we start having a more diverse cast? Pandering to an audience that only wants to see white/Christian men is only going to work against the networks eventually.
The beautiful thing about the paranormal community is that there is diversity. Some of the most interesting things to come out of paranormal experiences and research is the diversity. If you don’t have a team with diverse backgrounds, you’re likely doomed to only see the paranormal through a particular lens that may or may not be correct.
But there was a note of neutrality. In regards to the the Connecticut team, consisting of Nick Simons, Sean Austin, and Aaron Thompson, I found a bit more balance. When Nick dug up the pentagram from the ground, I actually thought it was a sheriff’s badge or even a Christmas ornament. But I did appreciate Nick clarifying that a pentagram isn’t evil, but that mainstream Christian mindset painted it as so. Those are the moments that had me loving the show.
Othering of Spirits
There was a strong sense of “othering” the spirits with one of the teams. Meaning, they weren’t being treated as humans. Instead, they were treated like demonic entities or trapped spirits who were absolutely miserable. The spirits were presented as something to be terrified of. What I never understand with investigators on TV is that they run when activity starts picking up. You’re there to investigate, and you’re getting a response, that’s prime time to stay! Because of this, I feel like there were a lot of missed opportunities. Nick Simons from the Connecticut team did call this out in one of the episodes, which I appreciated.
Netflix
The Liberal Use of Provocation
I’m not a big fan of provoking, nor do I like using trauma to elicit a response out of spirits. So when Jereme and Brandy took this approach in the first episode of 28 Days Haunted, I was surprised that they were surprised that they would have a negative reaction. I did appreciate the Colorado and Connecticut teams having a bit more compassion for the spirits. Given the awful history of the Lawson family, I would have expected more compassion to come from Brandy and Jereme in the beginning instead of exploiting the family’s trauma.
Perfect Predictions
This is the one area I found the least believable in the show. The psychic mediums on the show had near perfect readings of the stories behind each location, even down to the names. Perhaps the producers struck gold with the cast members with abilities, but I rarely run into this, even with the more skilled psychics I’ve worked with.
Not Enough Content
I do find it weird that even though each team spent 28 days at their respective location, which would total to about 672 hours per team, we didn’t get a lot of content. Combine the hours of the three teams, that means they were there for 2,016 hours. And yet, we only got six 30-40 minute episodes. So, maybe 4 hours of content total? If my math is right, this means we saw less than .2% of the footage from all of the investigations. Granted, we didn’t see meal times, personal time, etc. But still, this is a gaping hole.
Of course, this might mean that the teams didn’t get a lot of activity other than what we saw on screen. But, it would have been nice to see those moments where there wasn’t activity, just to show there was more of a balance in the investigation process and that it’s normal to not get activity every time.
Strong Bias
Something else I noticed in the first episode was that there was a huge bias towards, “Yes this place is haunted.” There wasn’t any, “Let’s investigate and see if we can figure out whether or not this place is haunted.” Perhaps this stage happened and the show chose to skip it, which is a very real possibility. The show moves pretty fast.
Speaking of bias, I did see a few comments about the lack of a historian in the teams. To be fair, there was a historian working somewhere. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been given the information on the locations. Also, Brandy did speak to a historian about the Lawson murders.
Did the Show Need a Historian?
I also don’t believe that the hauntings in a location are always due to the historical context of a location. So, I’m not sure if having an on-site historian in each team would have made things better or complicated. Would going in with someone knowing the history and having them direct the team to the history hinder the investigation? If the historian was hands-off and didn’t influence the path of the investigation, that would be fine. I’ve always liked having one person on-site who knows the history because they can help continue the conversation.
But I’ve also worked with historians who greatly influenced the path of the investigation to fit a certain agenda. Like, if the investigator heard the name “Paul” and the historian knew there was a Paul who lived in the house in the 1700s, they go in hard on 1700’s Paul while neglecting that there was someone named Paul who lived in the house in the 1980s but they aren’t as well documented. True story by the way. I still feel bad about assuming that 1980s Paul was 1700s Paul. I don’t blame him for ditching our conversation after five minutes.
Netflix
Why I Ultimately Liked the Show
After all of these criticisms I mentioned, it may be surprising to hear me say that I liked the show. Ultimately, I had several favorite moments in the show. These are the moments that I think made the show stronger than the mainstream shows on the other networks and it gives me some hope that something different may be coming down the pipeline in mainstream TV.
One of which was Amy calling out the culture of toxic masculinity in the paranormal when Shane and Ray were trying to get her to do mirror scrying. Amy did not hold back and I actually applauded after she finished.
The locations were different as well. Given the nature of the show, it wouldn’t have made sense to send the cast members to popular locations like Waverly Hills or Trans-Allegheny. It was nice to see different locations this time around. Because I lived in North Carolina for about 8.5 years, I was already familiar with Madison Dry Goods. I’ll write a blog about that location and why I think it’s haunted.
I mentioned this before, but Nick Simons defended the pentagram. We don’t see this often on mainstream paranormal TV. I loved that moment.
Also, one more thing I loved about the show was that the cast consisted of mostly new faces. We’ve seen Shane Pittman on The Holzer Files and Sean Austin in other programs. But overall, we saw new faces to the paranormal entertainment field and I found them way more engaging that the same faces we’ve been seeing for the past 15 years.
Spotlighting Imperfections
My other favorite moment was when Sean Austin saw “CU” written on the mirror and how it was handled. Nick Simons didn’t hold back on his skepticism. We need more of that on paranormal television. The fact that the show even showed us that it may have been Sean that wrote the letters on the mirror is pretty groundbreaking. How often do we see one of Zak’s team members call him out on “Ghost Adventures”? Never.
The cherry on top though was when Sean, Aaron, and Nick were doing a communication session later, did the spirits start calling out Sean for writing “CU” on the mirror as well. That moment was pure chef’s kiss and something we rarely see on paranormal television.
Also, this show did not present the paranormal investigators as perfect people, or even heroes of the show. Although many of them tried to be the hero, it didn’t work out as such. This is a refreshing approach since the mainstream TV shows remind me of bad LARPing where the cast members are trying to be the hero of the situation. In 28 Days Haunted, we saw the flaws of each cast member because the show took a risk and showed them to us.
How the Show Can Improved for Future Seasons
If 28 Days Haunted has future seasons, here’s what I suggest in making the show even better.
Have a more diverse cast
Balance out the teams
Longer episodes
Let us see the moments where there’s no activity
Rotate the groups to see if each group gets the same activity, or if it changes based on the dynamic of the team
Have a historian available to the team to validate information but not influence the path of the investigation
Continue to bring in new faces
Final Thoughts
Was this show perfect? Definitely not. Expecting perfection, especially from a show that’s experimenting with a different approach, is only going to set one up for disappointment. I want to celebrate what made this show different from the rest of the shows in hopes that this inspires some sort of change from the paranormal entertainment industry. There’s a lot of work needs to be done. But I’m hopeful that this show means that maybe producers are finally listening to the needs of its audience instead of assuming what they want.
If we want something different from paranormal reality television, we should be a bit more supportive when someone tries to do that “something different.” Otherwise, producers will continue to rely on that stagnant format, with the same cast members from the past 15 years, and nothing will change.
Finally, I want to applaud the cast for their work on the show. It must have been really difficult to separate yourself from your families, your job, and even social media for 28 days to film the show. Also, putting yourself out there in front of millions of people to get judged and criticized is not easy. You took a risk by being a part of this show, and I do think you did something great here. This show is a game-changer in the genre of paranormal reality entertainment. It laid a foundation that will hopefully continue to encourage a different approach to this stagnant genre.
On May 28th, 2022, I did a paranormal investigation on the property of The Cabin on 360. It consists of a log cabin built in the 80s that was a model home. Next to it sits a house that was the site of a horrifying tragedy. This house is known as the Elliott House. Located in Hanover County, this brick rancher style house in Mechanicsville, Virginia became the site of this awful event that seems to permeate the house and the surrounding land.
A few days ago, I made a TikTok video about the Elliott House and the horrific tragedy of Melissa Carol Elliott, and it went viral. Since my content doesn’t get a ton of visibility compared to other spooky creators, this was shocking. I didn’t expect this to happen.
With this in mind, I realized I needed to write this blog post as soon as possible so that people can find sources for Melissa Carol Elliott and know her true story. Someone informed me that a lot of junk links have popped up since my video went viral. This post is to help answer questions and hopefully give people a North Star to use when researching her story.
Who Was Melissa Carol Elliott and What Happened to Her?
Melissa Carol Elliott was a 12-year old 7th grade student at Battlefield Elementary School. She lived in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Her parents were John H. and Treva Elliott, and she had a 17-year old half-brother named Randy Lynn Elliott. Randy was from Treva’s previous relationship and was 5-years old when Melissa was born. On the morning of October 4th, 1979, John and Treva left for work early and left Melissa and Randy home alone.
Around 7:35am, Randy Lynn Elliott sexually assaulted Melissa and then shot her twice in the chest. According to a quote from W.E. Mitchell of the Hanover County Sheriff’s Department, “It appears that the girl was shot inside her single-story brick bungalow home and that the body was dragged 75-100 yards to the field where she was found.” There’s more information in the Living Paranormal Magazine article, written by Ryan C. Jones, whose family owns the property.
Jones does say that Melissa’s body was also placed in a large box and tried to hide it behind the house. He says that two men gathering straw found the box and opened it to see what was inside. I do want to note that the articles I read provided by the Cabin on 360 don’t mention the large box and also state that two construction workers found Melissa. Given that Jones’ family owned the land and the home at the time Melissa was murdered, he likely has insight that the press didn’t publicly disclose.
Randy was seen fleeing the scene, and he was eventually captured in Asheville, North Carolina as reported on October 9th, 1979. He was brought back to Virginia to be charged and tried. He was found guilty of Melissa’s murder and put in prison for a few decades.
Here’s a clipping from The Charlotte Observer, printed October 9, 1979.
Was Randy Influenced by a Malevolent Entity?
I arrived at the Cabin on 360 late and missed the historical tour given by the caretaker, Dennis Estlock. According to my team members, they were told that it was believed that the malevolent entity that is reported to haunt the Elliott House existed before the family moved in. There’s a theory that the entity influenced Randy to commit his atrocious act against Melissa.
Personally, I don’t believe this is the case and I do find the statement problematic. This is because some may interpret the connection to absolving responsibility from Randy and that he wasn’t at fault. At the end of the day, there’s free will and Randy made a choice to do what he did.
Can I Visit the Cabin on 360 and the Eliiott House?
The Elliott House is currently available for booking through July 2022. You can contact the Cabin on 360 on Facebook to book a visit.
2022 marks a new year, which means it’s all about new beginnings! One of the things you might be looking to do is to up your ghost hunting game. Becoming a paranormal investigator is a big decision. It’s a choice that takes up quite a lot of time and money, not to mention management on a multitude of levels, especially if you run a team. For many paranormal investigators, going on more investigations seems to always be on the list of things to do to become better. Field work is critical if you want to improve your investigation skills. Perhaps it includes going to that “bucket list” location, or trying new things at an old location. No matter where you are in your paranormal investigation journey, you’re always trying to better yourself.
I know this is one of my 2022 goals. So, here’s a list to help you (and me) learn how to become a better paranormal investigator this year!
Don’t Take Everything at Face Value
When you see someone post a photo, video, or audio clip of their evidence, don’t hesitate to ask questions. Ask the poster why they think it’s paranormal, and how they came to the conclusions they have. Just accepting someone’s posted data as legit paranormal phenomena isn’t necessarily helpful to the field. This is especially true if we find out that the data is a hoax. In a world where people are using filters, string, and other hoaxing methods, I usually go by the idea that if it’s too good to be true, it usually is. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to debunk, but the more you ask questions, the more you will find yourself debunking.
Document More
Documenting experiences doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as easy as writing down an incident with the date and time that it occurred. This is critical to do in the moment, even when you’re freaking out. After you’ve calmed down, you can further explore what happened and find out why it happened. Also, it helps build your credibility. Whether you’re writing down notes, taking photos, making notes of the weather changes, etc., document more of the surrounding events in your investigations and experiences. You might start noticing a pattern, or be better equipped at explaining an incident.
Research Something Different
We have your typical research areas of interest: history, psychic mediumship, and locations. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to research areas within the paranormal. For example, research the psychological effects of EVP, or audio pareidolia. Maybe even research the idea of time loops, adding performance to investigating, etc. Or, subscribe to a parapsychological research journal from the Rhine Research Center or the Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena. Thinking outside the box this year can really help expand your paranormal investigation methods and expertise.
Hold People Accountable
This is especially critical for people to do when they see someone willingly fake evidence. The growing trend on TikTok and YouTube is incredible “paranormal” events being captured thanks to fishing line, clever audio editing, and poorly performed reactions. This behavior continues because we are willing to stay silent. However, our silence is deafening, and we need to start holding creators accountable for their actions. See the fishing line? Call it out. A video of a door opening by itself too good to be true? Ask to see a different angle. Our singular voices aren’t doing much, but vocalizing as a group may make a bigger impact.
Collaborate with Someone Who Thinks Differently
This doesn’t mean you have to collaborate with a skeptic. Collaborating with someone with different approaches and ideas can help you really hone in on what you believe in the paranormal. I often enjoy talking to people who disagree with me because it gives me the opportunity to expand my mind and see what other people are thinking in the field. Being challenged is often a scary thing in this community, but I promise that it is one of the most valuable experiences you’ll have.
Think Like a Skeptic
You don’t have to be a skeptic to think like a skeptic. Even if you think skeptics are full of it, thinking like one can help you keep accountable in your investigation methods. Work backwards in your investigation and method of collecting evidence. What questions would a skeptic ask you about your experience? What gaps would be pointed out in your investigation? Thinking ahead on these points will help you become a better investigator as well as be able to offer better explanations when asked.
Be Aware of Your Biases
This one is a tough one. We all have biases, even skeptics. If a skeptic (or a cynic) goes into a location with a goal of debunking, it’s a bias. I often catch myself having a bias when I go into a haunted location. As someone who likes to do my research pre-investigation, I have to be aware of my own biases. I can’t assume that the spirit causing the activity is the one I read about online. Heck, I can’t assume that any activity is a spirit. I have to keep an open mind and proceed to try other methods of engagement to see. If I feel a cold spot, and I assume it’s a ghost I read about online, that’s a bias. This can be really counter-productive and even harmful.
Read What Others Are Doing
While it’s nice to stay in your own paranormal bubble, sometimes you have to see what others are doing. If we stayed in our own corners, we would never know about different ideas and methodologies of other people. Part of the reason why this field has stayed stagnant for so long is that we’re not willing to try new things and try what other people are doing. On the flip side, also share what you’re doing. Yes, peer review can be scary, but feedback is critical in this field and we need more of it in order to get better. Could you imagine if the Estes Method stayed within the circle of Karl Pfeiffer, Connor Randall, and Michelle Tate?
Take Classes
Finally, while controversial, take classes. There are lots of free resources online, as well as offerings for an annual membership fee. For example, ASSAP (Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena), offers weekly webinars for an annual fee of about $28. The Rhine Research Center also offers plenty of online events to learn more. Even classes you find on Udemy and other learning platforms can be beneficial. If you find out the class is bad, then you know what sort of quality to look for.
I’m forever a student and believe in the idea of never stop learning. As soon as we stop learning, we become stagnant. There are far too many people in the field who don’t find value in education and it honestly makes me sad. While it’s true that we will likely never be able to prove the existence of ghosts, we can learn other areas of the field. There’s photography, videography, audio, genealogy, folklore, just to name a few. If an investigator doesn’t find value in education, it’s a red flag. Don’t be a red flag.
Advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The paranormal community can be toxic and problematic, especially if you don’t fit into the acceptable dominant group of investigators.
There is a major disparity when it comes to paranormal entertainment. This is especially true for paranormal events where event runners are filling up their rosters with people who aren’t even involved in the field. There is a major absence in women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community on television and paranormal events. Yes, it’s perfectly logical for event planners to fill their roster with a few TV folks. But there are prolific members of marginalized groups who are researching, creating content, and investigating that are being overlooked.
Also, the paranormal community needs to start listening to members of marginalized groups when they speak out. If they point out something that is problematic in the community, investigation methods, etc., we need to listen and see what we can do to make it better. Personally, I’ve met many BIPOC who have told me that they don’t feel safe in the paranormal community. That’s a huge issue.
We won’t get better, become more inclusive, and be a safer space unless we start listening. We’re not listening to marginalized groups, and that needs to stop. Not only do we need to listen, but we need to speak up when a marginalized group is getting oppressed all over again because ghost hunters want to ignore ethical boundaries.
What other things can you do to become a better paranormal investigator in 2022?
I’ve been trying to find fresh content when it comes to Christmas ghost stories and Christmas monsters. Mostly because there’s already so much information about Krampus, Frau Perchta, Belsnickel, etc. This story was one that I heard from one of my co-workers. So, thanks for the tip, Joni!
Now in full disclosure and full transparency, I haven’t been able to find any primary source for this story. Any references that I found have come from listicles and blogs. But considering it does exist online it had to come from somewhere. I need your help in solving this Christmas mystery, especially if you’re in South Africa or you know someone from South Africa.
I’ll be honest when I heard about Danny, I immediately thought of Danny Phantom, the cartoon from Nickelodeon. It was an awesome cartoon and I loved it.
Obsessed with Cookies
The story of Danny the Ghost Boy goes like this; Danny was a little boy (age unknown) who really enjoyed Christmas cookies. He’s a little boy, he’s a kid. That’s to be expected. He enjoys cookies, especially cookies made by grandma. Now grandma warned him not to touch or eat the cookies because some of the cookies were going to go to Santa and the rest of the cookies were going to be for Christmas, which was the next day. But Danny really wanted a Christmas cookie like really wanted it. He could not stop thinking about it.
So, he tried to think up ways to get a cookie without anyone noticing. Finally, Danny decided to take a risk and eat up a couple of the cookies, hoping that no one would notice. But even if someone did notice, the only person he would have to face would be his grandma. She is a sweet little old lady so you know there’s nothing wrong with facing grandma and just saying sorry. I mean I will admit I’m one of those people that will ask for forgiveness instead of permission, so maybe Danny had the same mindset. It is sweet little old grandma, what harm could come?
A Tragic End
So, Danny ate some of the cookies. When his grandma found out she was mad. I mean we are not talking like she was just disappointed in Danny not following directions. She was mad. Grandma was so mad that she grabbed a stick and started beating Danny with it. She started beating this little boy just for eating cookies. Granny beat him around his shoulders and his head and just kept hitting him with a stick.
She hit him so many times that Danny did not survive the ordeal. I told you it was dark. So yes, a little boy sneaking in some Christmas cookies managed to trigger the rage of grandma. Triggered to the point where she unalives her grandson, all for a bunch of cookies. Grandma was emotional and really stressed out and Danny taking the cookies was the last straw.
Now for poor little Danny he did not move on to the afterlife. Instead, he stayed put as a ghost. Danny now wanders the earth during the holidays. He’s looking to haunt naughty children who may want to steal their own Christmas cookies. He wants to haunt these naughty children so that they do not suffer the same fate as he did. Imagine being so naughty that a ghost warns you not to make the same mistake he made.
Analysis
I have some thoughts on this story like I mentioned at the beginning of the blog. There’s no primary source material for the story. At least none that I have been able to find in the time that I’ve researched this. But to be honest, the only ghost children during the holidays I could find is Ignorance and Want from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. But there are some themes here that I find interesting. Mainly Danny haunting naughty children so that they do not make the same mistake that he did. It very much reminds me of Jacob Marley and him warning scrooge to not make the same mistakes that he did, or his chains would be heavier than Marley’s.
there’s something to be said about this type of ghost story really that’s trying to teach a lesson and warn kids now during you know the holidays and everything it’s not even just during the holidays it’s not uncommon for these stories to come up as a warning to get kids to behave so it sounds like this could be south Africa’s way of scaring children into following directions. it is not that “oh you don’t want to eat Santa’s cookies and you want to be good because if not Santa will bring you coal” it’s “no if you eat the cookies your grandma could possibly unlive you” …all for cookies. That is kind of what boggles my mind too. It’s not anything about money I mean I don’t know maybe grandma really did snap when that happened to Danny.
What do you think of this story?
Feel free to share with your friends and family who also enjoy the spooky stuff especially during the holidays.
Christmas is not only a time for merriment and holiday cheer, but also a time to tell spooky stories. This is especially so if you want to get children to behave. We have Krampus, Frau Perchta, and other monsters to coerce children into being angelic creatures. And yet, one terrifying monster seems to get forgotten; Hans Trapp.
Who is Hans Trapp? He’s a cannibalistic Christmas scarecrow that works alongside Santa Claus. If you’re not good, Hans will kidnap you and take you into the forest to eat you. Let’s learn more about this terrifying monster!
A Monstrous Man
This legend is well known in the French regions of Alsace and Lorraine. He is a lesson to be learned in what happens when you stray from God, turn to the Devil, and become obsessed with wealth and power.
He lived in the 1400s and was very rich and powerful. But he was also merciless and feared by the people who lived in Alsace. He got obsessed with power and started making deals with the Devil to make that happen. In short, he sold his soul to Satan. The Catholic church and the pope found out about it and excommunicated him.
As a result, he was shunned from his community. Hans was banished, stripped of his titles, lands, and money. He resorted to living in the mountains of Bavaria, Germany, and dedicated himself to practicing black magick and the occult. He ended up losing his mind from isolation. Hans went from obsessing over power to wanting revenge on those who wronged him. While this was happening, he had a hankering for human flesh.
One day, he stuffed his clothing with straw and disguised himself as a scarecrow and placed himself along the road. A 10-year old boy from the village walked by, and Hans stabbed him. He took the body back to his lair, sliced the boy into tiny pieces, and cooked his flesh! But before he could eat, he was struck with a divine lightning bolt. Depending on which version you read, he hits his head on a rock and dies when he fell. There’s another version where the bolt of lighting burst his head open and unalived him.
Consequences
You could say that God was basically fed up with Hans’ evil doing. Today, his spirit lingers and he lives on dressed as a scarecrow. Because Hans is stuck in this sort of purgatory, he works with Santa Claus to earn redemption. We have a “good cop/bad cop” set up where Santa gives the good kids presents while Hans punishes naughty kids.
Hans Trapp is a warning to children to be good or he will use his scarecrow disguise to get them if they don’t change. He’ll carry the naughty children off to the dark forest, never to be seen again.
The Real Hans Trapp
Hans Trapp is based on a real person named Hans von Trotha, who lived from 1450-1503. He was a German knight and marshal in the Palatine territory. This would be the French/German area. He commanded two castles on the German side of the border.
As the story goes, he got into a land dispute with the church, specifically Weissenburg Abbey. The abbot wouldn’t concede certain properties to von Trotha, so he had the nearby river dammed so that the local village would be cut off from its water supply. When the abbot complained, Hans von Trotha tore down the dam, which flooded the village and damaged its economy. There was now open warfare between Hans Von Trotha and the abbey.
Even the Emperor at the time couldn’t stop it, so they had to get the Pope Innocent VIII involved. Then, his successor Alexander VI asked Hans to come to Rome in 1491 to prove his loyalty to the Church. He refused to go to Rome to present his defense and wrote a letter instead. He accused the Pope of impure acts and overall, being corrupt and shady. Needless to say, the letter didn’t work. He was eventually excommunicated in 1491.
Hans went on to serve the French court, and he was given the title Chevalier d’Or by King Louis XII. After he died, all of the charges against him were forgiven.
Legacy
You can tell that Hans von Trotha wasn’t well liked since the legacy of Hans Trapp is much more famous than he is. When people hear his name, they think of a cannibalistic Christmas scarecrow instead of a knight fighting over his land. It just goes to show how the dominant group can not only rewrite history, but also our personal narratives.
According to verywellmind.com, “Cultural appropriation refers to the use of objects or elements of a non-dominant culture in a way that doesn’t respect their original meaning, give credit to their source, or reinforces stereotypes or contributes to oppression.”
The conversation about cultural appropriation may be uncomfortable for many, but it’s important. It’s an important conversation to not only have in the witch, occult, and pagan communities, but also the paranormal community. It’s fascinating that current paranormal television shows are still getting away with appropriating. Especially in the age of “woke” culture, which includes a plethora of other things like cancel culture, consequence culture, etc.. If you point out when and where these television shows are appropriating, you’ll get swarms of fans coming after you. All for the sake of defending their favorite paranormal television star.
Sadly, it seems that this wave shows no sign of stopping. This is because the television networks, producers, stars, and fans will not listen to the people whose culture it actually comes from.
The Dybbuk Box
The standout appropriating strike lies with the use of the Dybbuk box in the media. For years, the Dybbuk box has been a source of frightening entertainment on television. It even inspired the 2012 movie, The Possession. After it was acquired by Ghost Adventures star, Zak Bagans, who took it and ran. Bagans has used the box for live investigations. He has fueled quite a problematic narrative for the Dybbuk box and Jewish culture.
This has also inspired countless others to acquire (or even make) their own Dybbuk boxes. Thus, it continues the false and problematic narrative that’s hurting Jewish culture. Why has this narrative continued to exist? According to Zo of jewitches, it’s because, “People wouldn’t listen to Jews […] And if you had just listened to Jews for the past 20 years, you wouldn’t have been scammed for so long.”
What’s even worse is that speaking out against the Dybbuk box has sparked a wave of anti-Semitic hate from the paranormal community to Jewish people. Zo has spoken out about how the show has twisted Jewish folklore. She is tirelessly trying to get more information out there. In return, she was sent anti-Semitic harassment.
Ancient Indian Burial Ground
The “Ancient Indian Burial Ground” trope has been prevalent in paranormal television for decades. While many assume it rose to prominence thanks to the Amityville Horror story, it actually goes back to post-Revolutionary times. This is all thanks to poet Philip Morin Freneau. I learned this as I was listening to The Q Files’ podcast episode, “Ancient Indian Burial Grounds – Oh My!” In 1787, he published a poem called, The Indian Burying Ground. This is a trope that has been used time and time again in horror movies. So is it really that surprising that it made its way into paranormal reality television? By categorizing sacred Native American traditions as nothing more than magical people prone to conjuring bad luck and evil hauntings, we grossly misunderstand the culture. Not to mention, stealing something from another culture and twisting it into something that better fits mainstream narratives.
There’s so many more issues that warrant their own article, like the use of skinwalkers and the wendigo.
Smudging
Somehow, I’ve managed to tick off thousands of people when I publicly said that smudging is a closed practice. Then, I started asking naysayers exactly what they were doing in their smudging ritual. Turns out, they weren’t actually smudging. They were performing a smoke cleansing. It would be like me going out and taking a walk and calling it “going for a run”. The practice of smudging and the plants that are used are considered sacred to Native American/Indigenous Nations. Another issue that is especially troubling is when people feel entitled to use practices from other cultures. They completely distort them from their original intention, and then dig their heels into ownership of the practice. It deviates and steals the spotlight from the marginalized
Sigils & Symbols
Whenever I hear about a group of paranormal investigators seeing sigils and symbols either at a location or on a person, I brace for impact. Anything that “isn’t of Christ” often gets immediately labeled as demonic or evil. Just look at how occult practices are discussed on paranormal television and movies (looking at you Conjuring universe). The occult is often victimized by the perspective of “the other” that has the conventional popular shaking in their boots.
Instead of looking at these sigils and symbols and trying to make sense of them, they’re labeled as evil or demonic. This is offensive for people because those who created these symbols use them for positive reasons. What’s even worse is that there are haunted locations that will look up symbols randomly on the internet. Then, they’ll paint them on their floors and walls in order to look more “spooky”. It would be like getting a tattoo of a random Chinese character and not realizing it means, “toilet”.
Erasure
My friend Ron at White Rose Witching made an important note that pointing out cultural appropriation isn’t enough. We also have a duty to point out erasure that’s happening in the community. Instead of acknowledging a culture’s history and nuance when it comes to certain topics, it’s completely erased for the sake of calling it a demon. Furthermore, it transforms the others in marginalized groups into monsters, ghosts, creatures, basically removing their humanity. The other being erased by mainstream culture causes them to become caricatures of their own existence…and a poorly drawn one at that.
Will it Ever Stop?
All of the elements I pointed out here can make very good TV. To the ignorant person, these elements are spooky. This proves the argument that we fear what we don’t understand, and paranormal reality TV capitalizes on this. But, it’s harmful to marginalized and underrepresented groups. In the era of “cancel culture”, why these shows continue to get away with this absolutely blows my mind.
