Paranormal International by Paranormal International

Paranormal International Issue

1, October 2016

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

The mysterious Djinn

Meet the Yowie:

Bigfoot’s Australian counterpart

Romania’s Haunted Forest

The history of Halloween And much more

CONTENTS 4..... GHOST STORIES FROM PORT ARTHUR 5..... FOUR HAUNTED OBJECTS YOU MUST AVOID 6..... THE HAUNTINGS OF DARTMOOR, DEVON 18... THE HISTORY AND ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN TRADITIONS 19... TOP FIVE MOVIE SUGGESTIONS FOR HALLOWEEN 20... ROMANIA’S HAUNTED FOREST

FEATURES

8....YOWIE- AUSTRALIA’S BIG FOOT 11... THE HAUNTED BREAKFAST CREEK HOTEL

PARANORMAL PROFILE This months paranormal profile takes a look at the Djinn 14... DREAMING ABOUT GENIE 17... THE DJINN WEDDING

INTERVIEW

22... Interview with clairvoyant Stephanie Senthirajah EDITORIAL Editor Mardi Reason paranormalint@mail.com Staff Writer Mardi Reason Contributors Norma Holt, Alan Toner, Angela Tempest, Sarah Todd, Patrick Omari, Duncan F Smith

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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to the very first issue of Paranormal InternationalMagazine. The name Paranormal Internationalwas chosen to reflect the global focus the magazine aims to reflect. As a native English speaker, most of my readings of paranormal phenomena have been limited to the English speaking world. I was always curious to hear more stories from the rest of the world. It is only early days yet but we hope to collect stories from all corners of the globe to feature now and in the future. In this first issue you will find stories from Iran, England , Romania and Australia. We encourage readers to write in their own stories which we will be including from the next issue. Paranormal International looks indepth at a range of paranormal topics; from the well known to the lesser known areas of Paranormal phenomena. You can write in your own true paranormal stories to the following e-mail address: paranormalint@mail.com October 2016

Paranormal International

Ghost Stories From Port Arthur By Norma Holt

ne of the best places to find ghost stories and testimonies of sightings has to be an old jail where inmates died of torture or were executed. Port Arthur is just such a place and its history and the conduct of the guards are horrendous. Filled with transported prisoners from England it is situated on the east coast of Tasmania with a port to house the ships that brought them here. It was considered an impossibility to escape from it as the surrounding area was dense bushland and the only way off the island was by sea. Many, however, did escape and some died of starvation while attempting to find a way back to the mainland. Not one succeeded in that quest. No longer a jail it is now a relic of the past and a major tourist attraction. It still resonates with horror to visitors, however, as they pour in to see what life and death was like

for the poor unfortunates who were brought here. They are entertained by ghostly stories that speak of sightings of figures walking across the yard and of unearthly screams as tortured souls send out vibes of their terror. Videos have been made by ghost hunters of this type of activity and they were brave enough to spend nights in the place to get the recordings. Some of the scenes are enough to send shivers up and down the spine as one contemplates life behind these walls. On a beautiful sunny day in April, 1996, horror came again to this place. A lone gunman managed to shoot and kill 35 people and wound another 22 before he locked himself up in a cottage which he eventually set alight. In 90 to 120 seconds he had killed 20 people in the cafe and gift shop before moving to the outside and shooting randomly at people trying to

hide behind buses and other things. He had entered the cafe with a large bag and ate a meal before taking his gun out and opening fire. The history of Port Arthur is not a good one to look back over and yet it draws the crowds. Coupled with the notions of ghosts and visions of supernatural events it lives on in the imagination of those who can only wonder about the pain, the suffering, the loneliness and the despair of men who were imprisoned on charges that may have been as paltry as stealing a loaf of bread. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder they still cry out in agony or that a crazed gunman thought it a good place to perform mass murder. One doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to visit to see the ghosts of Port Arthur as so much has been published online. The massacre conducted there in 1996 changed the rules for Australian Shooters who must now be licensed

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Four Haunted Objects You Must Avoid

By Alan Toner Over the years, there have been many reports of certain objects which are supposed to be haunted. Here are just a few of them. 1. ROBERT THE DOLL When he was just four years old, Key West artist Robert Eugene Otto was presented with a rather cute little doll dressed in a white sailor suit and carrying a miniature stuffed lion. Absolutely delighted with his gift, Robert christened the doll “Robert”. But his initial joy at his new toy soon began to evaporate, as a series of weird events began to plague the Otto home. For example, Robert’s parents would often hear their son chuckling with somebody - somebody with a deep voice - whenever they walked past his bedroom door. Also, items of furniture would be overturned in rooms whenever Robert was present in them, and he began having terrifying nightmares. Toys would also mysteriously disappear and reappear. Not surprisingly, all these strange things suggested that Robert was a very haunted doll indeed, and possibly cursed. Robert is now kept under lock and key in the Key West Fort East Martello Museum, and many would say (naturally) that this is the best place for him! A new movie is currently in production about Robert, who is said to be the inspiration behind the Child’s Play movies. 2. THE HANDS THAT RESIST HIM The notorious eBay painting, it depicts a young boy and a doll-like girl standing in front of a window and a sea of disembodied hands. It was discovered by a Californian couple on the site of an old brewery. They auctioned the painting on eBay in February 2000, and said that the figures it depicted seemed to mysteriously move around. The painting eventually sold for a whopping $1,025. 3. THE DYBUKK BOX

The 2012 horror movie The Possession (which is reminiscent in its plot of The Exorcist) is loosely based on the true story of the Dybbuk Box, a wine cabinet which is reputed to be haunted by a demonic entity called the Dybbuk. The box had once belonged to a Polish Holocaust survivor named Havela, who’d fled to Spain and bought it there before emigrating to the United States. The Box had been kept in her grandmother’s sewing room and was never opened because a Dybbuk -- an evil spirit from Jewish folklore -- was said to live inside it. He offered to give the box back to her, but she became upset and would not take it. Contained within the box were: two 1920s pennies, a lock of blonde hair bound with cord, a lock of black/brown hair bound with cord, a small statue engraved with the Hebrew word “Shalom”; a small, golden wine goblet; one dried rose bud; and a single candle holder with four octopus-shaped legs. The box was auctioned on eBay by a seller who claimed that strange things had been occurring in their home after purchasing it at a flea market. This is the box that inspired them to make the movie The Possession, and as I say, a damn scary movie it is too!

4. THE ANNABELLE DOLL Any fan of the supernatural will doubtless know that the movies The Conjuring and Annabelle were both based on this true story of a haunted doll that terrorised a pair of nursing students. Leading paranormal experts Ed and Lorrain Warren were called in to investigate, and they found that “Annabelle” was actually a demonic entity in the form of a little girl. After solving the problem with an exorcism, the Warrens took possession of the doll and it is now locked away in their Occult Museum. Alan Toner is a paranormal writer whose True Ghost Stories series of books can be bought from Amazon Kindle Store. In addition to writing, he also runs the True Ghost Stories site at http://www.trueghoststories.co.uk Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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The Hauntings of Dartmoor, Devon

By Angela Tempest of a crafty sort, he stole another sheep and lined the sieve with its skin to accomplish his task. But it didn’t do him any good as he was hung on nearby Hangingstone Hill for this misdemeanour. His spirit was condemned to spin the sand in the empty pool into ropes and since has been unable to do this, is still trying... There is also said to be a ranmere Pool figure who haunts the pool and can Cranmere Pool is a shallow change his form into that of a black pool on the eastern side of Hang- horse, though his identity is uningstone Hill near the source of the known. There were rumours of an West Okement River and the East exorcism performed on the pool, Dart River. It now lies within Oke- but that it failed. hampton Artillery range, operated artmoor Prison by the Ministry of Defence. It is famous for being the location of I remember visiting Dartthe very first letterbox which was placed there by James Perrott in moor Prison as a kid when our 1854. He was a guide across the family lived in Devon, and I don’t moors and placed a bottle there for think I have seen a more desolate and forbidding spot since. The visitors to leave cards. The pool features in the prison was built from 1806-09 uslegend of Benjamin Gear, who was ing local labourers for prisoners mayor of the town of Okehampton from the Napoleonic Wars as well on five different occasions. He was as from the War of 1812 with the accused of stealing sheep and as Americans. In fact, though the war endpunishment ordered to drain Cran- mere Pool with a sieve. Being a bit ed in 1814, by March 1815 there were still 6500 American sailors imprisoned in Dartmoor, but There are many exposed granite hilltops which are called tors and are home to a variety of wildlife and the entire area has a rich history as well as archaeology. The area is named for the River Dart, which leaves the moor at Buckfastleigh and enters the sea at Dartmouth.

their discipline created the model prison. They created their own governance and courts who dealt out punishment to any who misbehaved. They also had a market, theatre and a gambling room. The prison was opened as a civilian prison in 1851 but closed in 1917 and became a Work Centre for conscientious objectors granted release from prison; cells were unlocked, and prisoners wore normal clothes as well as being able to visit the village. But by 1920, the prison became home to some of the worst offenders in the country. It is now a category C men’s prison which is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall and operated by HM Prison Service. One of the most commonly reported hauntings on the prison grounds comes from the graves of the French prisoners at the rear of the prison. Here a short man with long dark hair is often seen gliding along without touching the ground in the middle of the night. Even a now retired governor admitted seeing him one night while doing his rounds. He may or may not be one of the French PoW’s who are said to haunt the prison itself. Another ghost is a former

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“There are also reports of a group of figures dressed in white walking a path through the woods which was used for funerals.” prisoner called David Davis. He was imprisoned in 1869 and stayed there for 50 years, during which time he was given the duty of looking after the sheep. When his sentence was finished, he begged to be kept on as he didn’t want to leave his sheep. The governor refused but joked he would keep the job open. Sure enough, Davis was back in prison two weeks later and died there in 1929. However, his spirit continues to tend his flock of sheep and has been seen many times following them around.

son who admitted often leaving an item on the grave. But this does not explain the sightings by motorists of a dark, hooded figure kneeling at the grave in the night, glimpsed in their headlights as they approach. Perhaps this is the spirit of the man who caused Ann Jay to kill herself still suffering guilt for his part?

dressed in white walking a path through the woods which was used for funerals.

ewhouse Inn

the inn stood on Widecombe Hill and was constructed by the Woodley family on the site of an earlier inn and was known as Culver House. It was destroyed by a mysterious fire 150 years ago and since then, a horseman in military garb has been seen galloping nearby as well as a coach and horses which slows at the ruins then Phantom Dogs are a common feature of Dartmoor’s hauntings takes off again at speed.

ther hauntings

ennett’s Cross A place as bleak and beautiful as the cross stands by the road Dartmoor is bound to acquire sto- from Moretonhampstead to Two Jay’s Grave is the supposed ries and folklore, and there are Bridges, north-west of the Warren grave of a suicide victim from the plenty. Some of the less detailed House Inn. The cross is thought 18th century around 1 mile northones include: to be a boundary marker between west of Hound Tor and at the enparishes, but it is judged to be of trance to a lane which heads to onson Manor considerable age. Even the name Natsworthy. The story was given the manor is in the village is uncertain, either due to it being in the North Devon Journal on of Wonson and parts date from the erected by the Benedictine Or23rd January 1851 that one James 13th century. It was owned by the der or for William Bennet, a minBryant had been removing some Nothmore family and is haunted er from the local area in the 16th soil near his home of Hedge Barby four Cavaliers who are seen sitcentury. Large phantom dogs are ton when he discovered a grave. ting around a table, playing cards. said to hunt the area and on one A skeleton was found to be inside, One of them is identified as Wiloccasion, even killed the son of a and it was said to be that of a womliam Nothmore. farmer. an named Ann Jay who had hanged If you would like to read istman’s Wood herself around 70 years previously more on the hauntings of Dartthe woods are home to and was buried at the crossroads, Wish Hounds, who appear in the moor, please check out my blog as was the custom at the time. The folklore of the grave is winter during bad storms and hunt post http://angelatempestwriter. that is always has fresh flowers on lone wayfarers into mires and bogs wordpress.com/2014/02/05/haunted-devon-postbridge-and-theit, and sometimes other items in- under hairy-hands-2/ cluding coins, candles, shells and even toys. Some locals, including orders from the Devil. There are Article Source: EzineArticles.com also reports of a group of figures author Beatrice Chase, is one per October 2016 7 Paranormal International ay’s Grave

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YOWIE Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bigfoot

Australia has its own version of Bigfoot, which the Indigenous people called a Yowie. Certain places around the Australian east coast have been named as hot spots for sightings. Mardi Reason investigated one of those so called hot spots and spoke to a variety of both experts and witnesses.

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By Mardi Reason

enturing into Mount Lamington National Park, it is very easy to imagine that within its vast mountainous territory of 20,600 hectares, an entire world of undiscovered flora and fauna exists. Like most Australians, I had heard about Yowies, the Australian equivalent of Bigfoot and the Himalayan Yeti. I had also heard that the Gold Coast hinterland was one of the country’s main hotspots for Yowie sightings. And indeed it was here, in Mount Lamington National Park in the late 1990’s that Capri Jennings and her younger brother believe that they themselves had a brief glimpse into this undiscovered world. After finding a pair of strange footprints they decided to try and follow them, they were just children at that time, aged 11 and nine. So when they discovered that the footprints headed up a mountain and deeper into the bush, they naturally got too spooked to follow them any further. “Another day we decided to go look for them again and in that same area we heard some strange noises. As we got closer there was a dingo making a horrible noise and something was standing there fighting it, making an awful noise,” Capri said. “We saw the dingo get thrown a couple times before this russet brown creature slowly walked out and started heading down towards us. I think it was trying to escape, about 30 seconds went past that whole time and we ran like hell.” It was only recently that Capri and her brother spoke about this experience since it happened all those years ago. Their mother also remembers having seen and heard ‘something’ out there. The Jennings family’s experiences are not an isolated case. Local Aboriginal tribes have long acknowledged the existence of the yowie, and sightings have been reported in the Gold Coast hinterland since the middle of the 19th century by the first European

settlers to the area. Even politicians have been among those who have claimed to have had a sighting. Former Queensland Senator Bill O’Chee told the Gold Coast Bulletin in 1977, that he along with other classmates had seen a yowie while on a school camping trip in Springbrook in the Gold Coast hinterland. Dean Harrison is a researcher who runs a website titled ‘Australian Yowie Research’ where people can report their sightings and research more about Yowie related information. According to Dean, the Gold Coast sightings have slowed down a little in recent years but the most recent sighting was on the forest cusp of the Pacific Pines and Nerang forest. Gary Opit is a wildlife expert who works as an environmental consultant for ABC North Coast Radio who also has a fascination for unidentified animals such as the Yowie. He had his own encounter back in November, 2008. “I had a yowie approach me as I was walking along a track in coastal bushland with a dense tea tree & sedge grass understorey. I was with my dog Banjo near my home when I heard something moving towards me through thick vegetation,” Gary said. “As it drew closer, my dog suddenly gave a double warning bark, I hissed at him to shut up. Then after four or five minutes my dog suddenly barked a second time, and again I hissed at him to shut up. I had been carefully viewing through binoculars & saw a brown upright animal 1.5 m to 2m tall moving carefully parallel to the track I was on and about 10 metres away and then it moved quietly off.” I asked Gary why he thinks the Gold Coast sightings have slowed down recently. “If you look at the sighting reports, you will discover that there were never many sightings over the years and most sightings were either never report-

Mount Lamington National Park, a hotspot for Yowie sightings October 2016 9 Paranormal International

ed or never published in newspapers. Old sightings still trickle in occasionally, also fewer people work or live in the bush.” The point about the lack of sightings published in newspapers was echoed by a similar point made by Dean Harrison. “Mainstream media does not receive this information; witnesses do not run to mainstream media, in most cases, this is a life changing experience. Many people battle and have a hard time dealing with this emotionally,” Dean said. “Out of the last 100 Reports over that past year or so we have received, none went to the media. These people come to me, they need to vent with others who they can share their experiences with. Some refuse to tell friends or family.” Looking through the database of reported sightings on the ‘Australian Yowie Research’ website, one thing becomes remarkably clear, the consistency of the descriptions given by the witnesses. In the majority of the reports, the witness has described the creature as being between six to eight feet tall, of either reddish brown or long dark brown hair covering the entire body, a flat face, long arms, standing upright and in most cases giving off a bad smell.

The idea of Yowie sightings being nothing more than misinterpretations appears highly unlikely to many other researchers in the field. Malcolm Smith is a retired public servant with a M.Sc. in zoology. He points out that there is nothing comparable existing in the Australian landscape that even comes close to the descriptions given by those who have encountered what they could only describe as a Yowie. “I think the evidence for its existence is overwhelming, any single item can theoretically be debunked, but not the whole lot,” Malcolm said. “Also, there is precious little in the bush which could be mistaken for a yowie. And if only one incident is accurate, then we have an unknown animal on our hands.” Despite remaining sceptical, Dr Handsyde admitted that she has come across animals in the bush that she had trouble identifying. “I have had a number of sightings of animals myself that I could not identify, or initially could not identify. However, I have trained myself not to over interpret what those animals might be,” she said. “The key thing is not to make fun of these sightings; many people do believe they saw an uninterpretable animal, but to proceed with very cautious interpretation.” Back at Mount Lamington National Park, I look around at the undisturbed rainforest and ponder about the likelihood of having my own sighting. I decide that it would be unlikely, not because it’s unlikely for a Yowie to exist. But because Of a thought that’s been nagging at me. In a great number of cases involving sightings of Yowies and their ilk around the world; there is often a paranormal element involved. Whether it be UFO’s observed in the same area at the time of the sighting, or the sighting having occurred in an area that is known as being a hub spot for all kinds of paranormal phenomena. I am increasingly inclined to believe that we are not dealing with a flesh and blood animal here. Instead, I am of the opinion that these creatures come from another dimension and come into our world through some kind of portal. But if indeed the Yowie is a real physical animal, It has chosen the perfect hiding spot to go about unsighted by humans; except on the rare occasion for those who have been lucky enough to catch a rare glimpse.

Dr Kath Handasyde is a trained field biologist and senior lecturer of the department of Zoology at the University of Melbourne. She is highly sceptical of the existence of the Yowie and other similar creatures. “I am not an expert in analysing the psychology behind such reports; however I really do not believe that such a creature exists. People often see something, but may not be able to identify it accurately due to distance, poor light, odd posture, a fleeting view, and especially lack of expertise,” she said. During her career, Dr Handasyde has looked into reports in Victoria about sightings of Panthers and has come up with a similar conclusion of misidentification being behind what people claim to have seen. “I have reviewed reports many times over the years, including many observations, photos, and sound recordings. These were simply misinterpretations, and all of the evidence I have seen did not support that interpretation. For example, one sound recording of a panther that the people swore by, was actually a fox, another separate one was a female koala in distress.” 10 Paranormal International October 2016

The city of Brisbane, Australia, has been called the most haunted city in the southern hemisphere. High on the list of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most haunted buildings is a historic pub called the Breakfast Creek Hotel. Mardi Reason interviewed the staff and was privy to some unsettling stories!

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The Haunted Breakfast Creek Hotel

The Breakfast Creek Hotel, an Iconic building of Brisbane,Australia. Image source: Kgbo, Wikimedia.org

By Mardi Reason

he Breakfast Creek Hotel is rather famous for its steaks, but perhaps less well-known, is its reputation as one of Brisbane’s most haunted pubs. Built in 1889 by William MacNaughton Galloway, a Scotsman who made Brisbane his home and at one point served as Lord Mayor of the city. The unfortunate Galloway met his untimely death after falling from a window on the second floor in 1895; it was later confirmed by a coroner’s report that he had been drunk at the time of his death. It seems as though William was not quite ready to leave the hotel he proudly built, as throughout the many years that have passed since his death, staff at the hotel are still bumping into him. Melinda Venning has worked at the Breakfast Creek Hotel for almost three decades now; through the years she has heard many stories from fellow staff members who believe they have had an encounter with the ghostly Galloway.

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“One of the managers said that someone walked past him and it looked like it was in that period sort of outfit. Like what they would have worn, the big coats they used to wear and all that sort of stuff; definitely how he looks in that,” She says, pointing up at the wall where a portrait of the bearded Galloway stares down at us. “They said it was like that, what he looked like when he walked past,” Melinda says. It seems like almost every staff member of the Breakfast Creek Hotel has had an experience that they are unable to explain. Jo Lacey is one such staff member; her strange experience took place in the cellar, which is one of the most frequent areas of the hotel where people have reported unexplained happenings. “Christmas last year, I was downstairs in the cellar with a colleague of mine and there was a cold draft that ran straight through the centre of us, and a

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few minutes later I got in trouble for clocking off when I was still working. “Which is impossible because you have to finger print scan on and off, and at the time that I was apparently clocking off, I was actually downstairs in the cellar, when that cold draft went through.” Jo Recalls. But it appears there may be more than just Galloway roaming around and haunting the staff of the Breakfast Creek Hotel, Melinda herself has had some rather odd experiences of her own. “In the new part of the hotel, the substation building next door, I’ve been led to believe that someone got killed when it was an electrical substation, and I’ve had experiences over there of just odd things. “One day I was standing there talking to one of our suppliers and where people had dry goods, we had this container and it only had a little bit left in it and it was quite a push back because we didn’t use it all the time. It was just a spice and I was talking to him and I was looking down the corridor and then experienced this thing just come off the shelf,” Melinda recalls. “I watched it, it came off the shelf and went under the ground, didn’t make a noise because the bloke I was talking to didn’t even bat an eyelid because he just saw my face and said ”What’s wrong with you?” I said, “That container, I just watched it come off the shelf,” and it landed perfectly in the corridor right in the middle standing up”. With those kinds of experiences and all the stories she’s heard during the last 29 years, you would think that Melinda would be afraid to stay there alone at night. “No, I think I’ve just gotten used to it now, but yeah it pretty much exists here, there’s something…there is something here.”

The stairs leading down to the hotel basement

William MacNaughton Galloway

The Window that is said to be the one William fell from

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Paranormal Profile:

The Djinn

The Djinn has started to become a popular topic within paranormal circles. This months paranormal profile takes a look at the history and mythology surrounding the Djinn; and we share a true story from Iran.

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Dreaming About Genie By Sarah Todd

Please note: the subject matter of Djinn is very large, and very detailed. I am only touching of the very basics of these fascinating and interesting creatures. Islamic mythology tells us Djinn are fiery spirits, originating in pre-Islam Middle Eastern folklore. The Djinn lived on earth long before man, and were created from smokeless fire; unlike man who is made from earth. Belief in Djinn was so strong the creatures were incorporated into the Islamic faith. Although they are destructive creatures, Djinn can sometimes be useful to human beings. Djinn do not like daylight, and are believed to cause insanity and disease. Contrary to many evil beings, Djinn have free will, and may even be redeemed through the Faith. Many Djinn harbour malicious feelings towards humans, believing themselves to be far superior than man. Djinn, like their human counterparts, have organised societies and lifestyles, and interact within these the same way as human societies. They form relationships, raise families, eat food and die. Their longevity exceeds man’s, and like humans they have the ability to be good or bad. Although they can see humans we are unable to see them, unless by accident or if the Djinn chooses to be seen. The Qur’an states Muhammad was a prophet to both “humanity and the Djinn.” There are four types of Djinn:

hul - a mischievous shape-shifter associated

with graveyards and cemeteries, Ghuls have a particular affinity to the hyena, their favourite metamorphosis. A Ghul consumes the dead, robs graves and preys on children. It also lures travellers into the desert wastelands to kill and devour them. The English word “ghoul” owes its origins to this name.

around long before man. The resentment makes them difficult to work with, and their bad attitude means they try very hard to undermine any orders received from their masters. An Ifrit may reveal him/herself as an individual of incredible beauty and superhuman strength.

arid - the most powerful Djinns, with the

choose, and are very difficult to distinguish from human beings. They’re extremely intelligent.

arrogance and pride so typical of these creatures. Also known as “blue djinn” because their skin is either blue or green, a Marid’s hair always looks wet and wavy - as though swimming. This type of Djinn will grant a human’s wish, but at a price - perhaps a battle, imprisonment or various rituals designed to appease the Marid. A bit of flattery goes a long way!

The main Djinn is Iblis. Created by Allah, Iblis was forbidden from Allah’s presence when he refused to honour the creation of the first man, Adam

ila - these Djinns can take on any shape they

frit - an arrogant spirit, Ifrits resent mankind’s

ability to control them through magic, because they were 15 Paranormal International

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- confirmation of Djinn’s inferiority complex at the supposed usurpation of their position as Allah’s first and best creation. After encouraging Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit Allah cast him out, condemning him to live in Hell - Jarhannam - for eternity. Exhibiting typical Djinn behaviour Iblis told Allah he wanted mankind to fail, and to spend eternity with him in Jarhannam. To test the faith of both Man and the Djinn, Allah allowed Iblis to roam freely on Earth, doing his best to make people commit sins. While it may seem that Iblis the Djinn is to Islam what Satan is to Christianity, the Qur’an says Iblis is not Allah’s enemy. All deeds - both good and bad - come from Allah, who is the only One who can save humanity from both the evils of His universe and that of His creations. Iblis was created by Allah, who is supreme over all His creations. Iblis’ enemy is Man, which is why he tries to prevent human beings from obeying Allah. The similarity between the Islamic and Christian faiths is that universal evil in every man’s personal life is usually experienced because of one being - Satan or Iblis. It’s generally accepted that the Western ideal of the Genie is based on the tale of Aladdin in “The Book of 1001 Nights”, which features a Genie living in an oil lamp. He would be freed when someone polished the lamp, and in return would grant his liberator three wishes. This story has taken several variations; one of the most common is the results of carelessly worded wishes. This is probably best illustrated by WW Jacobs’ classic “The Monkey’s Paw”, wherein the owner of the paw will be granted three wishes... at a price. Caution - spoiler ahead!!! Mr White was cautioned about the three wishes when he receives the cursed paw, but he makes what he feels is an innocent request when he asks for a small sum of money. His wish is granted, and he receives the exact sum of money - as an insurance payment when his son dies in an accident at work. Naturally Mr and Mrs White’s grief is dreadful, and a second wish to bring their son back appears to have been answered when, sometime after making the wish, a knocking is heard at the door. As his wife rushes down to open the door Mr White realises the delay must mean his son had to travel from the cemetery back home, and is probably in the same condition as he was at the morgue. Fearing the terrible sight of his son, who was only identifiable by his clothes, Mr White makes a final wish. The reader never learns the exact details

of the wish, but when we read of his wife’s cry of disappointment and the empty street outside their house our imaginations can complete the story. End of spoiler. Here are some examples of Djinn in literature: Christopher Moore’ “Practical Demonkeeping” describes the origins of Djinn, the creation of man and God’s relationship with both parties. Rudyard Kipling’s “Just So Stories” contains a tale about “the Djinn in Charge of All Deserts”, who gives a lazy camel his hump. Tim Power’s “Declare” places Djinn in a modern cold war, giving them a home on Mount Ararat which is discovered by a British secret serviceman. C S Lewis’ classic “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” features Mr Beaver identifying Jadis, the White Witch, as having giantess and Djinn origins. P B Kerr’s “Children of the Lamp” deals with the adventures of twins Phillipa and John Gault, who have to use their powers to defeat evil Djinn forces. Diana Wynne Jones’ “Castle in the Air” tells of carpet salesman’s Abdullah’s dealings with a magic carpet, his love for the beautiful Princess Flower-inthe-Night and various Djinn who interfere in his life. In conclusion it seems the Genie/Djinn a great character for a fantasy writer, and the surrounding mythology and connotations surrounding this being means it can be placed in many situations. “The Monkey’s Paw” story warns us to be careful what we wish for, and to consider the price and consequences of those wishes. While the Djinn will grant those wishes the greed or ignorance of its master may cause pain, suffering or even death to innocent people or those close to the wisher. The writer was born in Africa, and lived there for the first 38 years of her life. She worked in the world of public relations for over five years, running her own PR company and dealing extensively with the world of journalism and the print media. She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com, a site for Writers. Her blog can be visited at: http://www.writing.com/authors/zwisis/blog Article Source: EzineArticles.com

October 2016 16 Paranormal International

The Djinn Wedding She happened to look down at the stranger’s feet and saw they were backwards, it was then she realised that she was a Djinn.

By Mardi Reason The following story was related to me by a friend of mine named Nasrin, who lives in Iran. Many years ago when Nasrin was a child, her mother told a story about her aunt whose name was Katayon, and who lived in a desert village in the centre of Iran. The old Aunt’s advanced age and hunch back gave her the appearance of a classic fairy tale witch; but appearances can be deceiving, and Katayon was known in her village as a kind and helpful woman. People have been using herbs and natural remedies as traditional medicine in Iran for thousands of years. Almost every village has its own natural healer, which is usually a woman. In Katayon’s village there were only a few families and she was the only medicine woman. The villagers would come to her for special herbal remedies which she was known for, but nobody knows how she learnt. One night, around midnight she needed to use the bathroom. The village used a communal bathroom, so she had to leave her house. The village was so small and quiet that it was

highly unusual for anyone to be awake at that time of night. When she walked inside the bathroom she found a woman standing there. She had never seen the woman before, and knew she was not from the village. She happened to look down at the stranger’s feet, and saw they were backwards. It was then she realised the

woman was a Djinn. The Djinn asked her to come to her house for a wedding. Katayon was scared but she said nothing, and went with her, while silently asking God to protect her. When she arrived at the house, she saw a group of Djinns preparing for a wedding. The Djinn who had brought her there, asked her to make henna for the bride. She was told that they favoured her because she was a helpful and selfless woman. She accepted the task, and made henna for the bride, but all the time she was convinced that she must be having a dream. To prove to herself that it was just a dream, she applied some henna to her dress. The next day when she woke up, she was still sure that the events from the night before had only been a dream. Remembering the dress, she went and grabbed it, and yes, you guessed it, the dress was stained with henna.

A village in Iran, similar to the one where Katayon lived

17 Paranormal International October 2016

The History and Origin of Halloween Traditions

By Patrick Omari

Halloween and All Souls Day are a mixture of both Pagan and Christian beliefs. Two thousand years ago the Celts used to make sacrifice to the dead by burning the bones of animals on large bonfires. This was thought to protect them from spirits who on October 31st, the end of the Celtic year, were said to return to Earth once more. If the person had died within the year, on this night they were thought to pass to the next world. Therefore this evening was believed to be one of great spirit activity. Christianity gradually spread over the years and had spread into the Celtic lands by the 800s. In the seventh century Pope Boniface IV made November 1 a day more in line with the Christian faith named All Saints Day, yet October 31st was still a day of significance for many. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls’ Day, a day to honour the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints’, All Saints’, and All Souls’, were called Hallowmas. Halloween today is on October 31 in line with the old pagan practices and superstitions. Even today we practice ancient traditions, often without even knowing so. For instance many people still feel that October 31st is the most spooky night of the year, keeping with the Celtic tradition that on the last day of the Celtic year the line between the worlds of the living and dead was very hazy.

Many people also put on masks ready to go out trick or treating. The idea of putting masks on at night roots from both Celtic and European ideas. Winter was a time of worry, as food supplies from the harvest were precious. People were constantly on edge and many were scared of the dark. Electricity was non existent, resulting in incredibly short days. It was thought that if you wore a mask after dark on the particularly frightful night of Halloween ghosts would not recognise you. They would instead mistake you for fellow spirits. Even today you can see people wondering the streets in a variation of masks, most probably unaware of the history behind the tradition. People used to also leave bowls of food outside their houses to keep the ghosts happy and try to protect themselves and their homes. Many people today give sweets in fear of trick or treaters damaging their houses. The concept of asking for sweets is likely to originate from All Soul’s day where the poor would knock on people’s doors and beg for food. They were often given caked known as “soul cakes”, fruit and sometimes money. This tradition has now turned into the custom that we know as trick or treating. The history and customs of the past are still with us today in many shapes and forms whether we are aware of them or not. Therefore, this Halloween take a moment to reflect upon how it was once originally celebrated.

Article Source: http://www.artipot.com

18 Paranormal International October 2016

Top Five Paranormal Themed Movies To Watch This Halloween

1. The Conjuring A must see for any fan of the paranormal. Based on the investigations of real life paranormal investigators Edd and Lorraine Warren. 2. The Skeleton Key

This is a good fun mystery with a lot of suspence

3. Pet Semetary

A Stephen King classic, the dead come back in unexpected ways after being buried in a mysterious pet semetary .

4. Sleepy Hollow

Spooky, atmospheric and gripping. Enjoyable whether your a fan of the paranormal or not.

5. The Woman in Black

Set in 19th century England, this one is damn right creepy.

October 2016 19 Paranormal International

Romaniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Haunted Forest By Duncan F Smith

omaniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hoia Baciu forest is a place which has long been associated with strange and paranormal happenings, especially by locals in the nearby village located on the edge of the forest. Residents of this remote village report seeing strange lights in the sky, beams of light rising from the forest at night, spectral figures are seen and strange sounds and voices are heard by anyone who ventures into the forest. Some people have even reported being assaulted by unseen forces, but letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a look at the known history of the forest before we get to that. In 1968 a military technician named Emil Barnea went camping in the forest to get some quiet time (that was his first mistake). Accompanying Emil were his girlfriend Zamfir, and two friends, the group had ignored warnings about the forest given to them by villagers, apparently Emil and co. had never ever seen a horror movie in which ignored warnings lead to terrible/hilarious deaths. Anyway it turns out

nothing too bad happened to the group, but they got three very clear black and white pictures of a silver disc UFO, which Emil described as executing a difficult flying manoeuvre then flew off into the blue at a steep angle. Long before Emil and co. had their sighting, the Hoia Baciu forest was producing weirdness. Locals have always reported physical effects like feeling sick, feeling very anxious for no reason, sudden headaches and sometimes even burns and scratches appearing on the skin of those who have gone into the forest. Another visitor to the forest of eternal creepiness was one Alexandru Sift, a biologist who became intrigued with the stories surrounding Hoia Baciu. He began to venture alone into the forest hoping to experience the phenomenon first hand. Alexandru began to notice that as he walked through the trees shadowy shapes were following him, always seen from the corner of his eye. It was tricky to form a solid opinion of who or what they were, so

Left, Inside the mysterious Hoia Baciu forest, Right, Peles Castle in the Transylvanian region of Romania where the forst is located 20 Paranormal International October 2016

he began photographing the shadows or at least the areas in which he seen them, the results were impressive. Not only did the photographs he took show the shadows, but also figures of people that he never noticed with the naked eye and also light orbs, his photographic evidence only served to add interest to an already interesting and scary place. In September of 2009 the crew of the Syfy channel’s popular program, Destination Truth, traveled to Romania to check out this infamous haunted forest for themselves. As it turns out they got slightly more than they bargained for. They started by interviewing a professor in the city of Cluj named Adrian Patrut who is Romania’s leading expert on the Hoia Baciu forest. He has personally observed strange bright lights and human shaped apparitions on his trips to study the forest, Adrian directed the destination truth team to a small village near the edge of the forest where they would get the local take on things. The villagers the team interviewed confirmed the reports of strange lights above the forest and disembodied voices and shadowy shapes and also warned “don’t go”. Village advice ignored, the team proceeded into the forest for an all-night vigil. After patrolling through the dark forest and observing quite a few strange lights among the trees

they arrived at the area of most interest in the forest which is a circular clearing near the centre with no trees, and it was here that the team conducted an evp session, where one team member sits in the middle of the circle alone for 30 minutes and asks questions and later the audio evidence is examined to look for replies, the other team members watch the individual from their base camp nearby. Everything was fairly uneventful until Evan’s turn. He reported over his radio that he was hearing female voices which seemed to be coming from different parts of the forest, about three seconds after saying this he was thrown or pulled backwards with considerable force, an event which was captured clearly on the groups night vision camera set up. The other team members sprinted from base camp to help Evan and when they got to him he was visibly shaken and some scratch marks had appeared on his forearm. So in summary it certainly seems like the Hoia Baciu forest is hiding some weird secrets [http://www.doaliensexistsite.com] and it definitely didn’t disappoint on its first big TV appearance. Check out destination truth season 5 episode 2 for the teams return visit to this odd forest.

21 Paranormal International October 2016

INTERVIEW

Stephanie Senthirajah is a natural born clairvoyant based in Oregan, USA. She has her own store under the name ‘NorthWest Clairvoyant’ on the popular online marketplace Etsy. I had a reading done with Stephanie and I was so impressed (which doesn’t happen very often)that I decided to interview her about her abilities.

When did you first realize you were psychic? I use the word psychic to refer to a wide range of intuitive abilities. For me those abilities are clairvoyance and clairsentience. “Seeing” and empathic feeling are what I mainly experience. At a very early age I was extremely sensitive to what my parents and siblings were feeling. I noticed that people would often say one thing but I could actually feel them thinking something else. I would also “see” in my mind’s eye the density of their energy. Some people were hard, some were spikey, and some were soft like feathers. It was very confusing for a small child. As a teenager I started having “waking dreams” of past lives and involuntary out of body experiences. I never spoke to anyone about these strange experiences and just assumed others had them too.

Can you describe your abilities and how it works? To read someone’s energy I focus on their first name and the message in their request. This provides the “energy coordinates” in order to request the information relevant to them. I usually say their name in my mind a few times. Once I “tune in” I start to receive information in a variety of ways. I will “see” symbolic information, feel emotions and physical sensations and often times received phrases or words that describe a person or situation. I gather all of these bits of information together and start typing up the client’s report. The writing process serves as another tool for bringing

in information. It seems to help facilitate the flow of additional, more detailed information. I know when I have received solid information when I get a little bit of a rush. It’s like a little electrical charge that says “bingo!”

A lot of people with psychic ability seem to be sensitive to all kinds of paranormal phenomena. Is that the case with yourself? And if so, can you tell me about some of your experiences In my twenties when I was just starting to explore the world of metaphysics I was reading about everything and it just seemed like a door had been flung open. I had numerous out of body experiences that were not intentional and several of them I believe were connected to a past life in Egypt. I was “taken” many times as soon as my head hit the pillow to other places in the world in current time and in ancient times. One night I was taken to the desert of ancient Egypt and I found myself an observer of a procession of some kind. It seemed to be a religious celebration and this procession was heading to a temple. I remember hearing singing, cymbals, drums and I saw dancers with long braids adorned with some kind of a ball at the end dancing to the music as they moved along. Just as I was enjoying the festivities someone in the procession suddenly turned to me and shot me an angry look as if I did not belong there. It was startling and a little disturbing. A few weeks later I was flipping through the pages of a book in my mother’s library about ancient civilizations. There in the center of that book was a photograph of the very scene I had observed in my

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out of body experience. Other places that I have been “taken” to include a Buddhist temple in Tibet, or Nepal, and flying over the ruins of the Temple of Luxor in Egypt. I could feel the heat and the grit on my teeth and I moved through the columns. I later went to Egypt and experienced the very same sensations in that very place. Other paranormal experiences include an appearance by what I believed to be my guarding angel although I did not know that’s what she was at the time. I just kept seeing this shimmering lady in my meditations. She did not speak or gesture but she projected great love. However, not all is rosy and nice on the other side. I have also had some darker and even threatening experiences as well. They were during my early years when I thought everything metaphysical was positive and later in life when going through a period of great stress and upheaval in my life. I wasn’t very grounded during those times and that can attract influences that are not interested in a person’s well-being.

Because the future has not yet been firmly determined, and many things can affect the outcome. I may see the potential for a new relationship in a reading but if the person decides suddenly to change jobs, move or not attend an event that scenario may change. There are however, certain things that are meant to occur and they usually stand out fairly strong in a reading. The details may be slightly different but the event is still in the person’s “blueprint”. When I look at future possibilities I look for trends in the energy patterns in the person’s immediate timeline. I can usually identify what I call a “point of activity” were I see something significant happen. I can tell generally what it is related to (relationship, work, money, etc.) but the details may be slightly different. Most people, however really press for specific details so I try to approach the future events I see as “possibilities”.

Have you had any readings or just general psychic experiences that are particularly memorable?

What is the biggest misconception people I did a Spirit Guide reading recently that took me have about psychics? a bit by surprise. Usually spirit guides show up to The biggest misconception people have is that psychics just automatically receive a data dump of information from the universe about every detail of a person’s life from a vague and general question like “what do you see in my future”. That is not how it works. I know this analogy has been used a lot but it is true, being an intuitive reader is like tuning into a radio station. You need to know the specific s in frequency in order to get the output you are looking for. If you just go to the FM band with no real frequency in mind you are going to get a lot of static, a weak signal or just silence. If you ask a vague question the information that comes back will probably be just as vague. To get useful information there needs to be a specific focus.

I have noticed many times, through readings that I have had with different readers, they may be spot on at reading my past, present and other personal information, but the future predictions don’t usually come to be. Why do you think this is?

help us with a specific phase of life or lesson but in this reading the spirit of a young Native American woman was asking the client for help! The spirit had suffered great trauma to her soul as she watched her people and her culture destroyed and chose not to come back. She had been stuck in that painful place for some time. The client had been her younger sister in that past life and was a more resilient and courageous type of soul. The spirit wanted the client to just know her story and be aware of who she was. By connecting with her “sister” living in the world in present time in the location where they once lived the spirit could move forward in time and get passed the trauma (without having to experience the pain of remembering in the physical world) and start to progress again. I struggled at first with that reading because I was waiting for the spirit to tell me why she was there and what she was helping the client with. She would not answer. Finally I could feel what she was trying to convey. That was the first time that has ever happened. It was a great learning experience.

October 2016 23 Paranormal International