Tag: hauntings

12 Types of Hauntings You Need to Know About

Alex Matsuo

One of the most common questions I get is all about the types of hauntings. To be honest, I don’t really think about it that much because…ghost theory is shaky. I can’t prove any of these hauntings exist. Also, everyone has their own theories about ghosts, spirits, hauntings, demons, etc. There may be some consistent ideas across the board, but everyone will have their own thoughts on the details.

With that in mind, the hauntings I’m going to talk about are ones that I’ve either run into a lot on the field or something I read about in my research. This is seriously just my opinion, and I’m always open to ideas and feedback. And if you disagree, that’s okay too! I would love to hear your opinion as well.

Residual

This is a haunting that’s most misunderstood as a conscious ghost. I like to think of residual hauntings like a broken record player that replays a moment over and over again. In my opinion, residual hauntings are leftover energy from what was there before. Have you ever walked into a room after two people were fighting, and you can sense the tension? That’s kind of like what a residual haunting is. Residual hauntings are caused by an emotional imprint of a traumatic event in the area (like Gettysburg). It could also be something where someone has a set routine for so long that they’re energy just keeps flowing, like someone getting a midnight snack at 3 am for 50 years.

Intelligent/Interactive

This is the type of haunting where we interact with a spirit. I tend to use the word “intelligent” haunting over “interactive” haunting. In this situation, you’re able to interact with a spirit. They are aware that you’re there and they are responding to you. While they may or may not be aware of the current time period, they are responsive. These types of ghosts are able to answer questions, (maybe) interact with equipment, and tell you their story. This is the type of spirit that most paranormal investigators encounter in the field. It is the type of spirit you will most often see on television.

Spontaneous Apparitions

This one might be my favorite type of haunting because it comes from the living. That’s right. Spontaneous apparitions come from the living. This is sometimes associated with out-of-body experiences, astral projection, just to name a few. It usually involves a person leaving their body as a way to contact someone. From my research, spontaneous apparitions aren’t usually intentional, which means that this could happen due to extreme stress or extreme desire to contact someone.

Thoughtforms & Tulpas

Okay, maybe THIS is my favorite one. It’s a tie between spontaneous apparitions and thoughtforms/tulpas. What this means is that we create our own apparitions, so to speak. We create our own objects or beings through intense thought. There are theories that the hauntings we experience at more famous locations are thoughtforms because all these ghost hunters have created ghosts through their own collective thoughts. I’m actually on board with this theory since the same stories seem to circulate around. There have been experiments all over the world dedicated to testing out this idea, with the most famous one being the Phillip Experiment in 1972.

Crisis Apparitions

Crisis apparitions are truly fascinating. The person who appears as the apparition is usually going through some sort of stress or transition, like dying. When you see a loved one right when they die, it is a crisis apparition. For example, someone reports seeing their grandmother in their home at 4 pm. Then, they found out their grandmother passed at 4 pm. But crisis apparitions are also seen as the person is dying, in an accident, trapped somewhere, extremely ill, or badly injured…meaning they are still alive. I’ve only seen one crisis apparition in my life after my grandmother passed.

Guardian

Guardian hauntings are fascinating to me. This is when you have your spirit guides, relatives, ancestors, etc. visiting you not only often, but they are causing disturbances. This is merely my personal opinion based on experience. When you have a guardian spirit haunting you, it usually means that there is something in your life that you need to change as soon as possible. Or, something disturbing is happening around you. The only case we had that involved a guardian spirit was when the client’s daughter was being abused by a relative right under their nose. Afer the relative was removed and arrested, the haunting stopped.

Poltergeist

In case you’re wondering, the 1982 movie Poltergeist gets it all wrong. Most people don’t associate poltergeists with ghosts or spirits. Instead, poltergeists come from our own minds. This type of haunting usually happens around teenaged girls going through puberty or women going through menopause. It’s a combination of hormones and extreme stress that causes a psychokinetic phenomenon. Poltergeists have also occurred with teenaged boys as well. Basically, you have to have extreme emotional stress in the picture. This phenomenon can cause objects to move, electrical disturbances, phantom voices, and even apparitions. In case you’re wondering, yes, poltergeists are extremely difficult to diagnose.

Deathbed Visions

We hear about deathbed visions or deathbed phenomena most often from nurses, hospice care, etc. Basically, from those who care for the dying. It is believed that as someone gets closer to death, they are visited by deceased friends and loved ones. Some even report seeing angels or even Jesus Christ. The dying person may even rise from a comatose state to declare their long-passed spouse is in the room. Or, they see the dying person talking to someone who isn’t there.

Elementals

These hauntings are confusing. Can we really call them a haunting? Well, maybe. I guess? Elementals are inhuman spirits that have been around for….ever. When one hears elementals, they may think of faeries, elves, sprites, will-o-wisps, the list goes on. What is interesting is that during my investigation days in California, we ran into quite a few elementals. Many elementals are tied with Native American legends, which makes me believe they’ve been around since the dawn of time. During my investigations in heavily wooded areas, I’ve experienced what I believe were elemental experiences. Finally, we usually associate elementals with nature.

Shadow Person

Shadow people are a strange phenomenon that seems that everyone knows about. Mainly because they have seen them. Shadow people are humanoid figures seen as dark masses. You can’t see any features on them like eyes, nose, mouth, ears, etc. They can be seen in your peripheral vision as well. While we usually don’t see features of clothing on shadow people, there is the fascinating case of “Hat Man.” People have reported seeing a shadow man wearing a hat. There are thousands, if not millions, of shadow people cases. While these apparitions are seen often, not a lot is known about them. Are they human? Could they be aliens trying to study us? Or, are they demonic? Well, we don’t know. They can also be seen as shapeless masses. Shadow people have also been seen moving through walls. My favorite shadow sighting is shadow cat sightings because animal spirits are adorable. You could even say there aren’t any hardcore rules when it comes to this phenomenon.

Demonic

Before I go into details, I need to shout this from the rooftops; demonic activity is rare. Like, super rare. Sadly, with mainstream television making it seem like demons are around every corner, people greatly misunderstand demonic activity. I’ve always found it interesting that folks who don’t believe in demons don’t encounter demonic activity. I truly believe that this type of haunting all depends on the mindset of the person. You could say that a demonic haunting may even fall under elemental spirits. They are not human, and they seem to possess incredible strength. When it comes to possession, we honestly can’t say only demons possess, or if possession is even real. Depending on your religious beliefs, your perception of demons will be different. I’ve seen Christians name Greek gods and goddesses as demons, while another religion may consider something else for demons.

Portal

This one is the least believable for me. Maybe it’s because I don’t really understand it? There are so many theories as to what opens a portal, how to close a portal, and all of that info is inconsistent. But I digress. A portal is basically an open door to some sort of spirit world where spirits are coming in and out as they please. You can imagine this is problematic for the person living with the portal haunting. When this happens, the urgency to close that portal is high. Many believe that portals are associated with sacred ground or places of religious worship. Either way, it’s interesting.

What other types of hauntings have you heard of? Feel free to share in the comments!

10 Reasons Why It Rocks To Be a Ghost Hunter

Alex Matsuo1 Comment

Ghost hunting, paranormal investigating…call it what you will . The world of looking for the unknown and trying to communicate with spirits is a centuries-old practice. It’s going stronger than ever, and it only keeps getting better! Of course, this is a life that may seem weird to outsiders, if not a little scary. But there’s a reason why people stay in it.

Let’s look at ten reasons why it rocks to be a ghost hunter.

Talk to Ghosts

This is the number one reason why many people love ghost hunting. It gives you the opportunity to talk to people who have passed from this life and remain in spirit form. How often do you have the chance to sit and chat with someone who lived through the American Revolution or the Civil War? Sure, there’s historical documentation like letters. But ghost hunting takes that one step further with the chance to talk to the person who wrote the letter.

Visit Historical Places

For the conventional tourist at a historical site, you can usually tour the location for a short time. Then you’re off to the gift shop. But, there are multiple historic places all over the world that are open to paranormal investigations. This means that you will get to spend much more time in a historic location than a daytime tourist. For example, you might get to spend 8-12 hours at the home of a patriot for a ghost hunt. Plus, you may even get a special tour of the place and get a unique perspective that others wouldn’t get.

Meet Cool People

There’s no doubt that the paranormal and ghost hunting community has some of the coolest and most unique people around. I’m always amused at the reactions when I tell people I’m friends with witches, psychic mediums, and Pentecostal Christians. We all hang out together! This community is very diverse when it comes to interests and backgrounds. Plus, you never know who you’ll meet. For example, I have a ghost hunting friend who is a corporate CEO at a major tech company that investigates on the weekends! We often banter about ghost theories and the latest happenings in the tech world, all in the same conversation.

Traveling is a Way of Life

If you’ve ever needed a good reason to travel, ghost hunting might be the ultimate excuse! There are haunted spots all over the world. Plus, there are even companies dedicated to creating paranormal-themed adventures just for you. I can’t tell you how many ghost hunters travel for hours for one location and then make it back home in time for work on Monday. Traveling is such a special experience, and ghost hunters get to visit as many places they can if they have the means to make it happen!

Cool Gadgets

Even though these gadgets aren’t confirmed to prove the existence of ghosts, they’re a lot of fun to use! The technology of ghost hunting is always changing and evolving, and the gadgets just get cooler. What’s even better is that the manufacturer is usually accessible to chat. It would be like getting the chance to talk to Steve Jobs about the computer. The world of ghost hunting equipment is always fascinating and exciting, and I’m excited to see what comes of it in the future.

Unique Opportunities

Ghost hunting definitely comes with its own opportunities. People have gotten a chance to do extraordinary things like appear on television, receive unique teaching opportunities, travel, write books, the list goes on. Others have had the opportunities to appear on podcasts, and even consult on paranormal-themed movies. There is definitely value in having expertise in the paranormal and the world of ghost hunting, especially if you know where to look.

Learn New Skills

Ghost hunting is much more than wandering around a building looking for ghosts. There are logistics that a seasoned ghost hunter needs to be familiar with like scheduling, networking, and even social media. And let’s not forget there’s also historical research, knowing how the equipment works and knowing how cameras work when it comes to photography and video. Some of the best ghost hunters and paranormal investigators out there are knowledgeable in how to research, photography, and videography. Paranormal research is the perfect place for working on your interest in genealogy and historical research.

Cultivating Gifts

Many people realize that they have some sort of spiritual gift while ghost hunting and they want to know more. Others dive into the world of paranormal investigating and ghost hunting because they have a gift and want to cultivate it. The beauty of spiritual gifts is that it doesn’t just mean psychic mediumship. There’s a whole world of gifts that even include being good at interviewing people or writing.

Helping the Community

The world of the paranormal has also given back to the community in a multitude of ways. Groups have fundraised for local charities, like the Gettysburg Battlefield Bash for the Wounded Warrior Project. Others, like the Association of Paranormal Study, host ghost hunting events for a price. Then, they give 100% of the proceeds back to historic locations. I’ve seen ghost hunting teams create toy drives at local haunted places. There are some that even participate as a group for 5Ks and walks for causes like March of Dimes, the American Diabetes Association, etc. Ghost hunting definitely has a unique twist on the traditional charity benefit!

Spiritual Awakening

Being a ghost hunter opens you up to a whole new world of diverse cultures and ways of life. You experience things that you can’t explain. Your mind becomes a little more open. The lessons you learn in your spiritual awakening end up in your everyday life. This ends up fulfilling your life all around. You become a well-rounded person both in life skills and spiritually, and you’re able to use these gifts to make the world a better place.

Why do you love being a ghost hunter or paranormal investigator? Tell me all about it in the comments!

The Ghosts of Alexander Hamilton & Aaron Burr

Alex Matsuo

You could say that Alexander Hamilton is not only popular in the theatre right now.

I wrote an article for the Association of Paranormal Study about the ghosts of Hamilton as well as Aaron Burr. We all know Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical, Hamilton, took off. I often wonder if Lin got the divine inspiration to write the show. If not from God, maybe the ghost of Alexander Hamilton himself?

What if the widespread popularity that is Hamilton has reawakened the restless spirits of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr? I’m no stranger to ghosts from the Revolutionary War. For example, the ghost of George Washington led the 20th Maine regiment during the Battle of Gettysburg. It should be no surprise that Hamilton and Burr might still be hanging around our modern times.

Turn on your Hamilton original cast recording, and let’s go on a Hamilton-themed supernatural journey.

The Hauntings of Alexander Hamilton

Alexander Hamilton has been seen around his impressive tomb at Trinity Church right near Wall Street. Given that Hamilton’s death was premature, it’s no surprise that he may be feeling a bit cheated out of a long life. He wasn’t even 50 when he died.

Hamilton didn’t die in New Jersey where the duel took place. Instead, he died the next day at the home of his friend, William Bayard. The address of this location is 80-82 Jane Street. There is a plaque on the building that marks where Hamilton passed. Before his death, Hamilton had been treated for his gunshot wound by John Francis, who lived at 27 Jane Street.

An artist by the name of Jean Karsavina has lived at 27 Jane Street since 1939 reported seeing paranormal activity like footsteps, blurs, shadows, things moving, the works. Hans Holzer even investigated these claims.

Why Here, Alexander?

Around the time that Hamilton rose to popularity, activity at 71 Jane Street started to escalate. 71 Jane Street is located across the stress and a few houses east of the infamous plaque. That house is owned by Joe Hamilton, who bought the property in 1994. Even after the home was purchased, Hamilton and her family heard crashes and other weird noises that were so bad that the family had to wear earplugs to sleep at night. Joe bought the house from Irene Connors, who believes that 71 Jane Street is indeed haunted by Alexander Hamilton. Why? She saw him with her own eyes. She described him as slim, wearing knee-length trousers, and wearing a white-powdered wig.

A medium was brought to 71 Jane Street. She didn’t pick up the spirit of Hamilton, but she saw a little boy. The medium and the crew used a Ouija board. When the medium asked the child what his mother’s name is, it answered, “Eliza.” Some have speculated that maybe this was the Hamiltons’ son, Philip, who died from a duel in 1801.

But why 71 Jane Street? Well, what’s interesting is that 71 Jane Street sits right in the middle between 27 Jane Street and 82 Jane Street.

The Hauntings of Aaron Burr

Aaron Burr’s legacy is forever known as the man who shot Hamilton. If you want to meet the ghost of Aaron Burr for yourself, visit the New York City restaurant, “One If By Land, Two If By Sea.” Legend says he’s responsible for crashing dishes and moving chairs. The staff at the restaurant rarely want to be there alone after dark.

Like Hamilton, Burr’s ghost has been found in more than one place. After the duel with Hamilton, Burr fled to New Hope, Pennsylvania and stayed with an old friend for a week. While the house was known as The Painted Lady, today, it is known as the Aaron Burr House. Burr’s ghost has been seen roaming around the house and peering around the corners. He has also been seeing going up and down the staircase and tugging on the clothes of guests. Burr has also been sighted around the town of New Hope and has been seen looking over his shoulder, as if someone was following him.

A Marriage of Convenience

Towards the end of his life, Burr married Eliza Jumel at the age of 77. Eliza was one of the wealthiest women in the country. Burr quickly drained her assets, and then he passed away. The marriage barely lasted a year. In fact, their divorced finalized on the day of his death. Ouch.

Today, a desk that belonged to Aaron Burr still sits in the mansion. He has also been seen around the house along with Eliza, who died years later at the age of 90. Today, the mansion is known as the Morris-Jumel House and is available for paranormal investigations.

Waiting for Nothing

Finally, one of the sadder parts of Aaron Burr’s life was losing his young daughter at sea when she was just 29. She was heading to New York City by ship from South Carolina and never arrived to her destination. Burr’s ghost has often been seen at Battery Park at the American Merchant Marine Memorial. It’s believed that Burr is still waiting for his daughter to return.

Do you think the ghosts of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr still lingering on this earth?

Sources

The World Was Wide Enough: The Multiple Hauntings of Aaron Burr
Alexander Hamilton: Haunting More than the Theatre

http://www.wnycstudios.org/story/alexander-hamilton-haunting-jane-street/

Spirit of Alexander Hamilton may still be haunting the house where he spent his final days. (Audio)

Ghosts of My Past

Alex Matsuo

It’s a cheesy title.  But the best I can come up with.  This might be a tad embarrassing to talk about on my blog but this topic has been weighing heavily on my mind and it will affect the development of Japanese Eyes/American Heart.
In the play, Amaya is plagued by ghosts of her grandfather’s unknown past.  These “ghosts” are not seen in the world of the play, but can be seen in the audience’s world.  When the Shakespeare text was intertwined, the characters from The Tempest represented theses “ghosts”.  I originally kept the Shakespeare in because I’m stubborn.  It’s an ambitious decision to intertwine Shakespeare into contemporary text of my own words.  Plus, I was writing this play as my thesis for my graduate degree.  I hadn’t thought that this play would have a life outside of school.  However, I was mistaken.  It has begun to generate interest from others, hence to why I created this blog.  I realized after looking at my last few entries, I hadn’t been writing about the play development lately and for that I apologize.  When I get into my “zone” I don’t think about, “Oh, I need to go blog about this.”  I spend so much time in my books and researching, that I forget about the reporting aspect.  If you know me personally, I love being a dramaturg in theatre about as much as I love performing on stage.  It’s a way to stay involved and also learn as much as you can.  I’ve been doing so much research on Japan and World War II and how it affected Japanese-Americans that I find myself going on tangents when I talk to friends when they ask how my research is going.  Even though Little Women closed in May, I’m still sorting through research on Louisa May Alcott and her work.  I love historical research.  Period.
But now that I’ve taken the Shakespeare out, I feel like there is something missing.  I want Amaya’s interest in learning about John’s past to be more than curiosity, because my intention was more than curiosity.  It has been shaped from the void that is in me because I only had my grandpa for seven years before he passed away.  Seeing the characters I created come to life on stage brought the memories back and made the memories more real than ever.  I still get positive feedback from audience members and there is a strong consensus that the play stands well on its own without the help of good ol’ Will.
I had a few of my actors from the staged reading look at some old family photos of me with my grandparent’s in which the seven year old version of Amaya is based upon.  One took a look at the photos and said, “I can totally see the personality you wrote about in your face.”  I didn’t think it translated as well as I had thought.
Anyway, back to ghosts.  I wrote about the ghosts of my past echoing into my present.  But that’s not all of it.  My family seems to attract paranormal activity.  I’m not going to talk specifics here because I rarely talk about it at all.  But lately, I’ve been trying to educate myself in the paranormal not only for my play, but also to help answer questions that have plagued me almost my whole life.  Education aside, it’s also made me more interested in becoming an investigator and try to help people who are going through something unexplained.   Right now, I have this unexplainable drive to become more involved in my education of this realm that terrified me as a child and continued well into my teens and he offered an online class, and I took the opportunity.
I always felt like that something is motivating me to keep going with the Japanese Eyes/American Heart project.  Something supernatural and something I cannot explain.  I feel like there needs to be a story told; about identity, making peace with your past and accepting that you may never be able to know all the answers or explain everything.  How will the ghosts of Amaya’s past manifest on stage?  Will there be an actor physically leading Amaya to the medals?  Or will it be a fog machine?  Will they be actual actors on stage or will they be the result of lighting and sound designers?  I won’t put the answer here.  All I’ll say is, right now I’m focusing on memory.  If I could draw a diagram of the memories between Amaya and John…Amaya would be God-like, in it that John only exists in her memory, and therefore, his memories exist in her memory as well, but she just doesn’t know it.  Maybe next time I’ll draw something out and scan it so you can see.  It’ll probably help my actors too.
Well, that’s it for now.