The Evil Apartment in Los Angeles

Children are more sensitive to other-worldly presences than adults. So, when Ludovic and his mother moved into a new apartment in Los Angeles, Ludovic could feel the unseen evil in their new home while his mother could not. Would his mother believe him? Or would that boy have to grow up feeling all alone with the darkness? And how would the darkness twist his mind?

About our guest, Ludovic

Our guest this episode, Ludovic Vuillier, is CEO of The Good Life Manifesto. His company is dedicated to helping its clients live the best life they can through actionable processes. Learn more at thegoodlifemanifesto.com.

Notes on the Evil Apartment in Los Angeles

What is esoteric Judaism?

This episode makes the distinction between Judaism, at its core, and offshoots of Jewish mysticism such as Kabbala.

Many outside of the Jewish faith are fascinated by kabbalistic teachings and imagery. And why not? Kabbala is full of fascinating paranormal mysteries! Many within the faith, however, would argue that true Kabbala cannot be understood, nor should it be practiced, by those without a strong foundation in Jewish teachings. After all, dabbling in faith-based rituals without proper context can have unforeseen consequences. Surely we learned that from Episode 18: Dennis the Demon and the Meth Gators.

Here’s an article on High Profile Kabbala from Hadassah magazine. It includes an in-depth analysis of Kabbala inside—and outside—of Judaism.

Want to learn more about spiritual cleansing concepts within the core of Judaism? Encyclopedia Judaica has an in-depth article about ablution.

Jewish Horror

With so many classic horror film tropes pulling from Christian (specifically Catholic) origins, it’s easy to forget that Judaism has its own traditions revolving demonic evil, and how to protect and ward against it.

You may be familiar with the concept of a golem. Not the one from Tolkien. The term “golem” appears in the Talmud, referring to something unshaped or incomplete. In the context of Jewish tradition, it originally described an unformed or unskilled human. Kabbalistic mysticism added the concept of creating a supernatural golem to protect its creator. Kabbalistic texts provide detailed instructions on how to animate a golem from clay through mystical practices. The concept bears some vague similarity to creating a tulpa, or reanimating a corpse into a zombie.

Modern Golems appearing in film and television, such as in The X-Files, Supernatural, and The Simpsons, often show this creature as something horrific and dangerous; the protagonist is tasked with trying to kill or destroy the Golem before the creature wrecks havoc on the world. In fact, the 2018 Israeli film The Golem explores this theme delightfully. For a great article on how the film connects to the roots of Jewish horror, check out this well-written article in Tablet.

Have you ever rented a haunted apartment?

Apartment living can be spooky, even when there’s nothing paranormal involved. Startling noises, an unknown number of open flames in the building, and sleeping only 2 layers of drywall away from a stranger who might be listening to every breath you take is not for the faint of heart. That’s what makes these stories of real haunted apartments even more sinister than haunted houses. If you have a true ghost story you are willing to share with us, submit it here, and you might get to speak on a future episode of Homespun Haints!

Thanks again for spending time with us! Until next time, have a spooky day!