Watch the episode on YouTube:

Or listen right here:

About the Guest: JJ of Southern Demonology

JJ is the founder and brains behind Southern Demonology, a Podcast that explores a wide range of paranormal topics with an intellectual tone. How did we know you’d like that? Well, if you’re a fan of Homespun Haints, but wish we’d go waaaaay deeper into the theology and history of the supernatural things our guests tell us about, then you’ll really get a kick out of Southern Demonology. Whereas Becky and Diana are overeducated in other fields and learn about the paranormal from their guests on this show, JJ actually has advanced degrees in this field.

Listen to the Southern Demonology Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. To follow JJ, Southern Demonology, or the other podcast he regularly contributes to, The Paranormal Rundown, all social links are at linktr.ee/southerndemonology.

Eastern vs. Western Demonology

Ghost stories aren’t universal. The spirits that haunt us reflect the cultures that shape them – a truth JJ from Southern Demonology discovered when he moved from his haunted Tennessee cabin to Tokyo.

Having grown up in “a land of patchworked nightmares” – a 200-year-old log cabin in a town of just 113 people – JJ thought he understood hauntings. His childhood home had its resident ghost, Patrick, who would mysteriously open and close the attic door and leave body impressions on beds. But these Southern spirits paled in comparison to what awaited him in Japan.

Aokigahara Suicide Forest

The contrast became starkly clear during JJ’s visit with friends to Aokigahara, Japan’s infamous “Suicide Forest.” Despite not typically being sensitive to paranormal phenomena, he alone heard an inexplicable sound that drove him to leave after just 20 minutes. Others have described the sound as either a monk chanting sutras or a baby crying. The experience was so disturbing that he won’t return to the Sea of Trees.

Can Yokai Enter Without Permission?

Most chilling was his encounter in Tokyo, where an entity appeared on his balcony, demanding “hairu” (to enter) – a Japanese word JJ didn’t know at the time. The entity communicated not through normal speech but by projecting directly into his mind, causing physical pain. “I know that if I had opened that balcony door, I would no longer be in this world,” JJ explains.

Differences Between Eastern and Western demonology

JJ’s academic background provides context for understanding these cross-cultural demon differences. In a whopping 14 languages including ancient Hebrew, JJ traces how entities like Lilith evolved from Akkadian wind goddesses to Jewish folklore figures, demonstrating how spiritual beliefs transform across cultures. He also goes a little bit into different types of Japanese yokai (yurei, oni, tengu, kami, and tsukumogami).

Have You Seen A Demon?

If you’ve been approached by a demon, what was it like? Are you familiar with an even scarier type of demon than those in Appalachia or Japan? Why not apply to tell it on Homespun Haints? Ready to hear how demons differ across Eastern and Western cultures? Listen now, and have a spooky day!

The post Ultimate Demonology Smackdown: Appalachia Vs Japan appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Already familiar enough with the science of sleep paralysis?

Scroll down for 5 podcast episodes where we interview regular folks who have seen a demon during sleep paralysis, or had other sleep paralysis experiences that felt unexplained by current scientific theories.

What Is Sleep Paralysis?

People describe sleep paralysis as waking up, unable to move or speak, and feeling like they’ve been cast in a twisted game of “freeze tag” with their worst nightmares. This temporary paralysis can last from a few seconds to several minutes, long enough for you to rethink all your life choices and reconsider if that late-night horror movie marathon was such a good idea as you lay there unable to move. It’s often accompanied by vivid hallucinations, just in case the paralysis alone wasn’t terrifying enough.

Imagine waking up to find yourself immobile, with an invisible force pressing down on your chest. You want to scream, but no sound comes out. Your eyes dart around the room, and then you see it—a shadowy figure lurking in the corner. This is the quintessential sleep paralysis experience, a real-life horror story that leaves many wondering if they’ve just had a brush with the supernatural.

Sleep Research

Ongoing studies continue to shed light on sleep paralysis. For instance, research has found that sleep paralysis may be linked to disrupted REM sleep cycles, which can be caused by stress, irregular sleep schedules, and sleep disorders such as narcolepsy and sleep apnea. Stay updated on new findings with publications like Sleep Medicine Reviews.

Brain Activity During an Episode of Sleep Paralysis

Brain activity during sleep paralysis involves a curious mix of wakefulness and REM sleep, creating a strange blend of consciousness and dreaming. During REM sleep, the brain remains highly active, which can lead to the vivid and lifelike experiences that characterize sleep paralysis. Research into this interplay between REM sleep and wakefulness provides valuable insights into how they might be prevented.

The REM Sleep Connection

To understand sleep paralysis, you need to know about the sleep cycle. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is the part of the cycle where you do most of your dreaming. During REM sleep, the part of the brain responsible for muscle tone decides it’s a good idea to paralyze your muscles to prevent you from acting out your dreams. Because who would want to wake up smashing their nightstand in horror, thinking there’s a monster there? You may experience sleep paralysis when this muscle immobility persists as you wake up or fall asleep, making you a temporary prisoner in your own body.

The brain is responsible for sleep paralysis. During REM, the brain sends signals to inhibit muscle movement, preventing you from acting out your dreams. Sleep paralysis occurs when these signals continue after waking or before sleep onset. So, if you want to blame someone, blame your brain for this late-night horror show. Understanding the sleep cycle and how REM fits into it is crucial for demystifying these frightening experiences.

Experience Sleep Paralysis

Lifetime prevalence rates for sleep paralysis vary, but studies suggest that a significant portion of the population will experience it at least once. Knowing that you’re not alone in this can provide some comfort and reduce the isolation that often accompanies these experiences.

People experience sleep paralysis differently, but common elements include an inability to move, a sense of pressure on the chest, and frightening hallucinations. These sleep related hallucinations can be as benign as the feeling that someone is standing by your bed, or as terrifying as seeing a supernatural entity coming to get you.

Characteristics of Sleep Paralysis Hallucinations: Know Your Enemy

Understanding the characteristics of sleep paralysis, such as muscle paralysis, hallucinations, and the transition between sleep and wakefulness, can help demystify the experience. Knowledge is your best defense against the fear and anxiety that often accompany these episodes.

Meet the Sleep Paralysis Demon

Many victims of sleep paralysis report encountering sleep paralysis demons, sinister figures that seem all too real in the moment.

A sleep paralysis demon is a common hallucination during these episodes. It’s the brain’s equivalent of a haunted house attraction, complete with an malevolent entity, often shadowy and menacing, lurking in your room. The sensation of being watched or suffocated by this entity adds to the terror, because nothing says “sweet dreams” like a demonic creature staring into your soul.

Intruder hallucinations, where people perceive an malevolent force or alien abduction scenario, are common during sleep paralysis. These vivid experiences can be linked to our brain’s attempt to make sense of the paralysis and the fear it induces. Because when you can’t move, why not spice things up with a little alien probing or ghostly intrusion?

Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic Hallucinations

Hypnagogic hallucinations occur as you are falling asleep, while hypnopompic hallucinations happen upon waking. Both types can occur during sleep paralysis, because why should nightmares have a monopoly on scaring the pants off you? Between sleep and wakefulness, these hallucinations can blur the line between dreams and reality, creating terrifying experiences.

A common hypnopompic hallucination involves seeing shadowy figures or intruders in your room as you wake up. It can make you wonder if you’ve stepped into a real-life ghost story, and fuel beliefs in sleep demons or supernatural entities. During the transition of falling asleep, these vivid images of sleep demons can feel overwhelmingly real.

Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry

Waking nightmare hallucinations are basically nightmares one experiences during sleep paralysis episodes. The night mare can add frightening hallucinations, or sensing impending doom, on top of the already frightening situation of feeling paralyzed.

Sleep Disorders and Sleep Paralysis Episodes

Sleep paralysis may occur as part of other nocturnal disorders, such as narcolepsy, or due to sleep deprivation. Certain neuropsychiatric disease, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, can cause one to experience sleep paralysis as a symptom. Sleep apnea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, can also be associated with sleep paralysis.

Isolated sleep paralysis isn’t really a great concern, but when it becomes chronic, there’s definitely something wrong. Identifying underlying health and sleep issues can help one prevent sleep paralysis from recurring. Nothing says “get your life together” like waking up to a demon on your chest.

Mental Health and Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis has pathologic associations with conditions that are common in the general population, such as anxiety, depression. Sexual abuse has also been linked to episodes of sleep paralysis, as does post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These traumas can lead to heightened anxiety and stress, both of which are triggers for the condition. Victims may experience specific fears during sleep paralysis, like hostile incubus hallucinations. Seeking support and treatment from a mental health professional can be beneficial for those experiencing recurrent/isolated sleep paralysis.

Sleep Hygiene and Prevention

Maintaining healthy snoozing habits is key to preventing sleep paralysis. Regular sleeping schedules, a comfortable sleeping environment, and avoiding stimulants before bed can improve sleep quality and reduce the likelihood of episodes.

Sleep Paralysis Demons

Transcultural psychiatry examines how cultural beliefs and practices influence the experience and interpretation of mental health conditions. Exploring these perspectives through transcultural psychiatry can provide a broader understanding of sleep paralysis and how it manifests differently around the world.

The interpretation of sleep paralysis varies widely across different cultures. Some see it as a purely medical condition, while others view it as a supernatural event, influenced by cultural beliefs and folklore.

The “Old Hag Phenomenon” is a term from folklore describing a demonic entity that sits on the chest of sleepers, causing paralysis and fear. Various cultures have their own versions, reflecting how sleep paralysis is always interpreted through a particular cultural filter.

One modern take on sleep paralysis involves space alien abduction scenarios. These vivid hallucinations reflect contemporary cultural fears and anxieties, showing how sleep paralysis can manifest differently across time and cultures. Whether it’s sleep demons or space aliens, even the sleeping brain knows how to keep things interesting.

Feeling an evil presence during sleep paralysis is a common experience among the general population. This sensation is likely a result of the brain’s attempt to make sense of the paralysis and associated hallucinations. Recognizing this can help you keep calm the next time a nocturnal intruder shows up.

Preventing Sleep Paralysis

Preventing episodes of sleep paralysis starts with good sleep habits. Ensure you have a consistent sleeping schedule, avoid caffeine and heavy meals before bedtime, and create a relaxing bedtime routine. Most of all, get enough sleep.

Poor sleep quality, whether due to stress, an uncomfortable sleeping environment, or other factors, can lead to an episode of sleep paralysis. Creating a sleep-friendly environment and addressing any underlying issues can help improve your sleep quality and reduce occurrences.

Sleeping position can influence the likelihood of experiencing sleep paralysis. Studies suggest that sleeping on your back increases the risk, so finding a comfortable side or stomach body position might help prevent episodes.

Relaxation

Relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing exercises, can help reduce stress and anxiety, which are often associated with sleep paralysis. These techniques involve tensing and relaxing muscle groups to promote overall relaxation and reduce stress.

Guided meditation for goths

If you’re not the kind of person who can relax to typical guided meditations, we get you. Sometimes it feels like every guided relaxation session out there is basically the same. Well, not this one. Check out our Meditations for Goths on YouTube.

Central nervous system (CNS) drugs can help regulate sleep patterns and may reduce the frequency of episodes. Consulting with a healthcare professional can help determine if this might be a treatment option.

Supernatural Beliefs and Sleep Paralysis

Supernatural beliefs about sleep paralysis are common due to the vivid and often terrifying nature of the episodes. While science provides explanations, the cultural and historical contexts add layers of meaning to these experiences. Whether you chalk it up to ghosts, demons, or biology, sleep paralysis just feels paranormal.

There are also a few phenomena associated with sleep paralysis that lend some clout to its supernatural reputation.

Lucid Dreaming

Lucid dreams, or dreams where you realize that you’re dreaming within the dream itself, can sometimes overlap with sleep paralysis. These states involve heightened awareness and control within the dream world, which can be fun under normal circumstances. Becky has mastered the art of lucid dreaming by developing the habit of poking her left palm with her right index finger at regular intervals throughout the day. Her goal is always to punch right through her palm, like a receipt on a spike at a 24-hour diner. Because this is such a habit in daily life, she’ll continue to poke away in her dreams, but when the finger penetrates the palm, that means this must be a dream. In theory, you can develop this skill by starting an impossible habit of your own like Becky’s, although Diana hasn’t been able to quite get it to work for her yet.

Out of Body Experiences

Out of body experiences (OBEs) can also occur during sleep paralysis, adding another layer of surrealism to the condition. OBEs are like unintentional astral projection. These experiences involve a sensation of floating outside your body, which can be both exhilarating and terrifying. Embracing the adventure can help reduce fear through curiosity.

When Sleep Paralysis Demons Can’t Be Explained

So, does sleep paralysis stem from demonic forces? While the episodes can certainly feel like encounters with otherworldly beings, science offers more grounded explanations. Sleep paralysis, with its associated hallucinations and physical sensations, is a fascinating intersection of sleep, neurology, and culture. Understanding the mechanics of REM sleep, muscle paralysis, and the brain’s role in these experiences demystifies the phenomenon somewhat.

Podcast Episodes with True Paranormal Stories About Sleep Paralysis and Demons

Then again, there are sleep paralysis stories that cannot be easily explained.

What if the demon is always there, but we can only see it during sleep paralysis?

For example, one person we interviewed told us sleep paralysis didn’t cause her demons, but only revealed them. Danielle’s theory, based on her own teenage first-hand paranormal experiences, is that sleep paralysis may have a less common cause: ghosts. Because her entire family heard strange noises throughout the house and other strange events, she believes that the shadow people were there in her childhood bedroom all the time, but she could only view them when she was experiencing sleep paralysis. When the haunting stopped, and her family stopped noticing strange noises in the house, Danielle’s sleep paralysis suddenly resolved.

Listen to these first hand paranormal experiences of demonic shadow figures that were only visible during sleep paralysis.

What if many unrelated people in the same place experience a sleep paralysis demon at the same time?

Not all sleep paralysis demons can be explained as hallucinations, either. If feeling like you’re being physically attacked by a demon during sleep paralysis is a personal experience, then how do you explain the exact same thing happening to over a dozen young women in a dorm, at the same time of night, over the course of several weeks? And if you had been one of these women, would you be able to brush it off as a completely natural occurrence? Or would you accept that maybe, you too, had come face to face with an actual demon?

Listen to this story about the sleep paralysis demon that terrified an entire floor within a dormitory.

What if sleep paralysis demons only bother you when you sleep in one particular room in a house with other signs of a haunting?

One guest told us that her childhood friend’s house was haunted. For one, a full-body apparition disappeared from her friend’s porch in a streak of white light. Other paranormal things happened in the house, like intense loud window shaking for no discernable reason. Sleeping over at that same house, she experienced terrible sleep paralysis, featuring demons chanting, as though preparing her for a ritual of some sort. But she only ever experienced isolated sleep paralysis when sleeping in her friend’s mom’s bedroom. Interestingly, the paranormal activity significantly receded after her friend’s mom moved out. From then on, she was able to rest soundly in that room. Could it be that her friend’s mom was haunted, and not the house?

Listen to her story, plus other weird paranormal stories from East Tennessee.

What if other people can see the same demon?

Every night, a shadow figure emerged from Bill’s closet to stare at him. He knew he wasn’t having sleep paralysis, because he could move, but he was absolutely certain moving was a very bad idea. The entity in the closet began to make him groggy. It seemed to induce brain fog and even manifest physical illness. As a self-proclaimed horror-freak and the offspring of generations of Roma people with inherited psychic gifts, Bill is open-minded yet rational about the paranormal. Eventually, he wondered if he might be seeing a demon. By the light of day, Bill was able to convince himself there’s nothing too bad happening. That is, until his roommate and friend saw the figure, too.

Listen to his story about the corroboration that made him question his logical skepticism about the sleep paralysis demon.

What if the sleep paralysis entity interacts with physical objects?

One guest told us a story about a figure in a cowl-hooded robe that scurried around his bed at night. He’s seen this same strange entity throughout his life, usually during sleep paralysis, so it seemed like a typical case. Except that his encounters with the sleep paralysis demon only occurred after other strange things began happening in his house. Oh, and it stole things from him!

Listen to his story; it will make you wonder, can a sleep paralysis demon steal physical belongings from you?

Do You Have Something Visiting You During Sleep Paralysis?

Have you had sleep paralysis encounters that don’t seem to fit within the logical scientific explanation of sleep-induced hallucinations? Why not apply to tell your story on the next episode of Homespun Haints, so you can share your experiences with people who have had similar ones?

Whether you chalk it up to supernatural forces or mere biology, sleep paralysis and the demons who live there are fascinating things to experience. Until the next time we see you in your nightmares, have a spooky day!

The post Our Top 5 Podcast Episodes About Sleep Paralysis With Demons appeared first on Homespun Haints.

I always tell my children that if there is something that scares them, they should learn more about it. Whether that scary thing is their classmate’s odd habits, or the structure of the roaches that crawl in the walls, challenging ourselves to understand the nature of something that is different is a key way to make it less scary.

So, if you are trying to create something that is scary in your art, the best way to go about it is to create something that will make your viewer uncomfortable by its very oddness, its very differentness if you will. Here are some tricks to make that happen.

How to draw a Scary Drawing in 3 easy steps

Use unnatural distortion to make your drawing feel wrong

An easy way to create a scary feeling of “wrongness” in your drawing is to take an ordinary object and distort it in an unnatural way. Think of the abnormally long fingers of the creepypasta Slenderman or Nosferatu. Our minds recognize when something is mostly normal, but just a little bit off, so that we can recognize the wolf in sheep’s clothing, so to speak.

Remove or change facial features to make your drawing feel creepy

Pivoting off of the distortion concept, you can easily draw something scary by removing parts of an object, or putting them somewhere where they usually wouldn’t be found. For instance, consider the Pale Man from Pan’s Labyrinth. Or recall the Doctor Who episode “The Idiot’s Lantern.” In each of these instances, the artists have removed pieces of the characters’ faces, placed them elsewhere, or entirely erased them. It makes for some pretty creepy feels.

Use disparate meshing to make your drawing feel uncomfortably monstrous

Finally, meshing two disparate things together really rubs us the wrong way as humans. We’re uncomfortable when we see the discarded clones of Ripley in Alien: Resurrection. Or when we see the spliced together side show gaffs of carnivals long past.

The classic drawing party game Exquisite Corpse creates a scary result by default because contributors don’t have a clue what the previous person has drawn. It reminds us of the age-old warning not to play God. Not to make new life. Not to Frankenstein things together, lest we get a monster.

Combine these 3 drawing concepts to draw something scary

Throw these three principles together. Then, add some teeth, some smoke, and some other classically scary items, and you have yourself a frightening image.

If you follow this tutorial, please share your results with us! We’d love it if you posted the scary things you draw in our Facebook group. Don’t miss our other tutorial on how to draw a haunted house, which we have a video for as well. Sweet dreams!

The post How to draw a scary drawing appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Listen here:

Listen to “The Ghost Hunter of South Florida” on Spreaker.

Episode Summary of The Ghost Hunter of South Florida

Paranormal investigators use countless tools and devices to capture impressions from the other side. Us mere mortals usually can’t perceive this faint evidence with our regular five senses. But lore tells us that the more we expose ourselves to ghosts, the more we develop our ability to see them. So, does that mean if you regularly investigate haunted locations, you may start seeing more with your eyes than with your recording devices?

Today, on Homespun Haints, we sit down with paranormal investigator Eric, the Ghost Hunter of South Florida. We chatted about some of the things he has experienced while on his myriad investigations. Pour yourself a nice, hot cup of cocoa, cause this episode might give you the chills.

Episode Promos

This week’s podcast promo is for The West London Witch. We were guests on her show and it was a delight, but we really enjoy listening to her podcast as well!

Ectogasm discount on spooky accessories: Visit ectogasm.net and use code HAINTS for 10% off all orders over $20.

Show Notes from The Ghost Hunter of South Florida

About Eric

Eric goes by The Ghost Hunter of South Florida, but that’s not all. Eric helped to found the company Ghostly Experiences, Inc. According to their website, the vision of Ghostly Experiences, Inc. is two-fold. One, to bring ghost hunting into the main stream and give the public an opportunity to search for answers. Two, to teach and share their decades of experience in the paranormal field. Their aim is to teach civilians how to conduct a proper and honest investigation. They hope to bolster the reputation of the entire field of paranormal research by promoting evidence-based ghost hunting.

You can follow Eric on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. War Party Paranormal, is also on FB and IG. Eric works at the nonprofit with his buddy Joe, who helps people with haunted homes get answers. War Party is also featured regularly on Univision paranormal shows. Eric has investigated with our friends Karly of the Haunted Housewives. He has also worked with Stephanie of Stephanie Marie Marketing, and Kat from The Bewitching Hour. He’s been a guest on The Dead Hours YouTube show. He also spoke at ParaExperience 2021 at the Biltmore in Tahoe, NV.

Why is this crappy old recorder so good for ghost hunting?

The Panasonic DR60 is an old, glitchy audio recorder that is no longer in production because it basically sucks. And yet, Eric credits some of his ghost hunting success to owning most of the Panasonic DR60s still in existence. Apparently, ghost hunters will pay thousands for these recorders any time one pops up on ebay. They owe their usefulness to the same quality that made them fall out of mainstream favor: they often pick up strange sounds that nobody heard in real time. Hmmm…sounds familiar.

No language barrier for spirits

As a regular contributor on Univision, the biggest Spanish-language televsion channel in the US, Eric is at least somewhat bilingual. But the ghosts speak to him in English. He has enough experience with EVPs, spirit boxes, and oviluses (ovili?) to confidently say that spirits will use the language of the investigator to communicate. This despite all evidence suggesting that the deceased never spoke that language. We’re thrilled to hear this, as we believe it finally settles Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous debate over faked spiritualism. Well, we’re mostly just excited about what this means for our goal of a haunted world tour someday.

Haunted museums

There are a lot of haunted museums in Florida! Eric talks about the Gold Coast Railroad Museum, which apparently has a haunted blimp hangar, whaaa?! War Party Paranormal also investigated at the 1911 Old Davie Schoolhouse Museum. And next time you’re in South Florida, so can you, through Ghostly Experiences, Inc.

Until next time, have a spooky day!

The post The Ghost Hunter of South Florida appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Listen right here!

Demonic Possession in Oklahoma

William grew up in a rural town in Oklahoma’s panhandle. The son of an iron scrapper, William could have led a perfectly ordinary life, if the ghosts had let him. However, in this sleepy town, the ghosts are anything but restful. They want someone to notice that they’re there. And that someone was William.

On this episode, William takes us way back to childhood to tell us a story about his haunted travel trailer. We hear about William’s time at Tulsa Job Corps in 2013, and the impromptu informal exorcism that resulted. And exactly who (or what) was responsible for saving his life in that near-fatal accident?

About the Guest: William Walker

Today’s guest is a native of Wenoka, Oklahoma, AKA the Dust Bowl, AKA the harsh and lonely Oklahoma Panhandle. He currently resides near Diana’s stomping grounds, in the Tulsa Metro area. He dreams of owning a ranch, he even has a name for it: Walker’s Ridge. With William being a self-proclaimed “Big Foot enthusiast,” we’re really looking forward to seeing what types or creatures he will raise on his ranch.

Did Tulsa Job Corps campus used to be an asylum?

This isn’t the first dormitory demon we’ve heard about on this show, but it’s definitely the most explicit. We are having a devil of a time finding any details about the history of this building. Please drop us a line if you know any details.

More of our ghost stories from Oklahoma

• Live by the Signs: Weather Magic
• The Cursed Parking Lot at Tulsa Freedom Fest
• Finally, Diana’s Haunted Basement Ghost Story!
• Tiny Terrors in Tulsa
• There’s an extra person in this room.

What is a Black Mirror?

We actually have a Patreon episode about how to make and scry with black mirrors. Becky advises against it, but you know you wanna. Also, we saw black mirrors for sale in the Nickerson-Sneed House gift shop.

If a haunted travel trailer moves, does the ghost go with it?

Let’s turn this question around for a second. When you hear a brand new house is haunted, isn’t your first thought “maybe it was built on an ancient burial ground”? Yeah, of course, what else could it be? So when you have a haunted travel trailer, it HAS to be the land it’s on…right?

What do you think, have you ever experienced a haunted mobile home? We’d love for you to tell that story on our next episode, submit to be on the show now!

Who was the 12 foot tall ram-horned man in William’s dream?

Although William was pretty certain he wasn’t the devil, or The Hat Man, he was still pretty scary. Oh, and he also appeared in his friend’s dream, because that’s definitely normal. Was he a sleep paralysis demon? When the creature said “tonight” what did that mean? We’re bamboozled. What do you think?

Thank you for listening to these real demon possession stories!

Oh, before you go, please email Sparky the electric eel, if you want to solicit an eel for some odd jobs. He’s available for electrician work, as a stud for your own electric eel, or probably whatever else you can think of. You’ll have to listen to the episode for the address, so he doesn’t get spam (he prefers shrimp).

Got your own shockingly cool ideas on uses for an electric eel for hire? Join us on our Homespun Haints Facebook group to liven up the discussion. Until next time, have a spooky day!

The post The Possessions in D-Hall Dorms appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Let’s have a chat about one of my favorite supernatural entities: the succubus. A succubus is a demon that takes on a female form, seduces vulnerable men and steals their souls through sexual activity. Typically this takes place while the man is dreaming, and most of the time there are multiple dream visits, each time sucking out a little more of the man’s soul until there’s nothing left. Sounds kinky!

Above: The succubus sucks out the man’s soul each night until there’s nothing left.
Original photo before modifications by Dainis Graveris on Sexual Alpha

Seriously though, the idea of succubi (yep, that’s the plural form) has been around for centuries. I’m talking waaaay back into biblical times, y’all. Succubus sure has been around! (See what I did there?!?) While it’s said the succubus changes appearance to appeal to her victim, she’s usually depicted as a scantily-clad attractive humanoid with bat wings. I mean, sounds pretty hot to me!

Above: The succubus is often depicted as a scantily-clad woman with bat wings.
Photo copyright by kharchenkoirina for Adobe Stock

Okay, so you know this succubus story has been around for centuries, but why did this whole “sexy winged demon lady will steal your soul through your tallywhacker” come about in the first place? One theory is that it was an explanation to why men have, ahem, wet dreams. Because that answer is way more fun than “it’s just a natural occurrence for those with their plumbing on the outside” am I right?

See you in your dreams, suc-cker! Photo by Dalton Smith on Unsplash

Another theory is that the succubus came about to explain sleep paralysis demons. Have you ever experienced that? You know, you “wake up” but can’t move or speak? Typically those that have experienced this sleep phenomenon also describe a feeling of something sitting or pushing on their chest.

So there you have it! I personally prefer the raunchier explanation above, but it’s probably because I have the maturity of a twelve year old.

The post The Story Behind the Sensuous Succubus appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Press play below to listen now:

Scariest Podcasts: Episode Summary

On this podcast, each episode presents a standalone story of true paranormal activity that transports the listener into a world of horror. We interview many people who have seen ghosts and supernatural phenomena. And there have been a significant portion of those haunted people with supernatural encounters who have seen—something—with glowing red eyes.

Our guest, Stephanie, was in a dark place when she saw dozens of entities surrounding her bed, all with the same glowing red eyes. These chilling supernatural creatures were so numerous they blocked out the sunlight that would have been streaming into her room. Did the eyes indicate something evil, that usually hides out in the darkest corners? Or could they have meant something else?

If you’d like to listen to some of our best scary Halloween podcast episodes that these supernatural occurrences reminded us of, check out Charlie Punched a Ghost or You Can’t See its Mouth but you Know it’s Grinning.

Not-So-Scary Podcast Promo

Today’s promo is from The Mindless Morning Show, a captivating podcast that provides listeners an immersive experience in irreverent comedy storytelling.

Update: the Mindless Morning Show’s last podcast episode aired in 2022, but you can still access their archive of nearly 100 free episodes! Also, we interviewed these guys in season 4. Listen to their episode on our podcast, which includes a strange story about a creepy disembodied supernatural foot, and government conspiracies about the mystery of Tesla’s purported death ray.

About the guest: Stephanie Long

Stephanie Long is the owner of the fabulous Stephanie Marie Marketing, and is Homespun Haints’ personal SEO maven. If you have any sort of website that you want people to find on Google, you seriously need to track her down! Follow her for great marketing tips and updates on Linkedin and IG.

Real life horrors: Suicide is absolutely never the answer.

Fair warning: some parts of this story might be unsettling, and this might not be the best podcast to listen to right now if you’re feeling mentally unwell yourself. We’ve both been in an impossibly hard place before and we both have ongoing issues with depression. The best thing we’ve done that helped, ever, is to connect with other people. No matter what the problem is, there is someone out there who’s been there, who can relate with and understand anything you’re going through, who wants to hear your stories about what’s going on with you, and who yeah, actually freaking cares, however unlikely that might feel, because they’ve been there.

This is literally why the volunteers who man the Suicide Prevention Hotline do it; because they are thankful that they were able to talk to someone, or wish their loved one had been able to before making a snap judgment. It’s totally confidential and you do not have to use your real name.

They’re so inclusive that they have, I shit you not, TWELVE different gender identities to choose from on their live chat survey, including fill-in-the-blank. If you’re a talking-out-loud kind of person, call them at 1-800-273-8255. Professional help and this hotline exist because MANY people around the world feel suicidal every day; 20,000 people visit the Suicide Prevention Hotline chat every month. It can’t do any harm to talk about it to a good listener who wants to hear your story, no matter how unsettling it may be.

Horror movies, scary podcasts, and haunted attractions: love ’em or hate ’em?

Stephanie is a die hard fan of the horror genre. Even Stephanie’s best friends who love ghost stories are too scared to watch horror movies about ghosts, listen to scary podcasts, or go to haunted Halloween attractions with her. Conversely, we love being so scared we pee ourselves, at least in controlled situations. That’s the best reason we can come up with for why we started this scary podcast on all things horror: we just want you to tell us horror stories!

Where do you stand on the spectrum, from scaredy cat to scream queen? Let us know in our private Facebook group that you absolutely should be a part of if you aren’t already.

We hope we’ve provided the best horror stories and scary Halloween podcast experience you’ve had so far!

The best scary podcasts specialize in bringing horror stories to life with suspense, storytelling, and immersive sound design in their audio recordings. We try to maintain a balance with our unique blend of folklore storytelling and non-fiction interviews about eerie encounters with paranormal phenomena. Our goal is that the speculation our podcast employs about the unsolved mysteries which our guests present us with stimulate your brain and speed your heartbeat at least a little.

From psychological thrillers and family drama to ghostly folklore and conspiracy theories, Homespun Haints covers a diverse range of horror themes. This variety ensures there’s something to scare everyone, making it one of the best spooky podcasts around. It’s available for free listening on all major podcast platforms. Whether you’re a truck driver or road tripper listening from the car, or tucked into your cozy bed, looking for chilling tales to unwind with, Homespun Haints podcast wants to be there to provide the perfect blend of horror and lore for you.

And stay tuned; our little horror podcast is just going to get even more chilling from here until October 31st. We really appreciate all our listeners…Homespinnerettes…Hainters…Hainted Loves? Oh, that reminds us, don’t forget to get on our social and vote for the best cute & creepy nickname for yourselves, fans! After all, our beloved clair-audience is the best part of doing this scary podcast. Whether you’re one of our new listeners or one of our biggest fans, we appreciate you, by any name! Thank you for listening, and, until next time, have a spooky day!

The post A Room Too Crowded with Demons appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Listen here.

Episode Summary

You’re never alone if you have demons. And boy, does today’s guest know it. Ever since MR embraced Christianity, he feels like he’s been a target for all kinds of sinister entities (so much so that he filled a book with his experiences), from unseen forces to his own experience with what we can only describe as another manifestation of Sidetable Man (although this time dressed as Shadow Weaver).

About the Guest: MR Gorga

MR Gorga is an author of paranormal horror. He has been a professional writer for over twenty years, both as a journalist and as a copywriter. But Gorga’s newest work is a book where he catalogs his multiple experiences and real stories of demon encounters, along with the first documented case of demonic possession. You can find his books for sale here.

You can also follow Gorga on Facebook or Instagram.

Real Stories About Demons

The cover of Gorga’s book depicts the entity that he describes to us on this episode. The description seems very similar to the entity that our guest Jonas encountered in our Season 2 opener, Sidetable Man Don’t Eat Me! What do you think? Could it be the same demon?

Episode References

Are demons physical or psychic in nature?

When we say someone “has demons,” we refer to the psychic weight of regrets, remorse, guilt, shame, and other emotions we think of as negative. These emotions haunt that person long after the acts which caused them have been committed and the consequences played out. Yet religious writings often imply that a demon has a corporeal form. Sometimes witnesses actually see demons or encounter them physically, and sometimes they manifest, Gorga tells us, as a paralyzing dread, inexplicable hatred, or an inebriating sense of power.

Are ghosts just demons in disguise?

Gorga believes (and some of our other guests have concurred) that when people see “ghosts,” they’re actually seeing demons pretending to be something more harmless. By this logic, all ghost stories are actually real stories about demons. This reminds us of the story of the entity that possessed Annabelle the doll, who gained the trust and pity of the doll’s owner by pretending to be a sad ghost girl. The entity then revealed her true evil nature after the doll’s owner granted permission for her to inhabit the doll. Do you think belief in ghosts, demons, or a little of both is dependent on the teachings of one’s religion? How do you weigh in on the debate?

Why are the residents of New Jersey SO plagued by the paranormal?

When we started this podcast, we expected most of our ghost stories to come out of the American South. But some of the weirdest stories we’ve heard have come from the Garden State. If you have a real demon story from New Jersey, please submit it to tell on the podcast. Until then, have a spooky day!

The post They Have Their Hooks in You appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Listen to this hilarious and creepy episode here.

About the Guest: D.C. O’Rourke

D.C. is a paranormal podcaster like the hosts of Homespun Haints. Also like us, he has many of his own real ghost experiences to share. Unlike us, however, D.C.’s ghost experiences are pretty extra. Like the time his mother’s dead childhood frenemies may have followed him home from an abandoned home for troubled boys and took unprovoked umbrage with his family pet. Also the time he was beset upon by ghost pirates in the woods. Also the time he inadvertently summoned a demon for a demanding audience. And, of course, the time his buddy Charlie punched a ghost. Because that happened.

It was in self-defense. No innocent ghosts were harmed in the recording of this episode.

Despite his first-hand encounters that would likely fill both of us with nope, D.C.’s terrifying experiences only drive him to dig deeper into the mysteries he’s witnessed.

This episode’s promo is by Haunt Her? I Barely Know Her!

Episode Show Notes

Process Drawing of the Pirate Ghost Punching Charlie

About D.C. O’Rourke

If you love our show, you’ll probably love his: Hauntingly Yours: A Podcast for The Paranormal. D.C. guides us on a private tour of his haunted life. From the dark woods near Chesapeake Bay, to the crumbling abandoned nursing home near his childhood home, all the way back to the streets of Colonial Williamsburg, D.C., come sightsee with us, today, on Homespun Haints.

Episode References

Blackbeard the Pirate

D.C.’s phenomenally frightening first time in Old House Woods makes us think he ran into some of the infamous Blackbeard‘s crew of scallywags. Local legend tells of an old treasure hidden in those woods. In fact, treasure hunters may have recently discovered said treasure! Perhaps his buddy Charlie was astral projecting too close to that buried treasure? Other than that, what would cause ghost pirates to attack?

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a laying-on-of-hands healing technique; a Japanese concept that teeters between metaphysics and spirituality. So of course there is rampant disagreement of it’s nature (good vs. evil) between various religious people. It’s also something Diana has experience with. But we’ve never heard of a reiki practitioner having the ability to detect a demonic imprint, have you?

Why are abandoned medical facilities always haunted?

D.C. did much of his ghost hunting at old abandoned Horn Harbor Nursing Home. This spooky site is also very close to his home town, in New Point, VA. So close, in fact, that the commute was no bother for meddlesome spirits. This insanely haunted location has since been demolished. But not before D.C. had some spooky good times here, with plenty of witnesses.

What Spooky Ghost Stories!

What do you think, Hainted Loves? Have you ever had ghosts follow you home, or seen something terrifying in an abandoned medical building? Or have you ever made physical contact with a ghost, violent or otherwise? Let us know, for a chance to be the next spooky storyteller on Homespun Haints, our creepy paranormal podcast.

Until next time, have a spooky day!

The post Charlie Punched a Ghost! appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Listen now:

Episode Summary

Adam Macias is a podcaster, musician, and comedian. As a child, his home may have had an unseen squatter—after he experienced strange things in his room, he started to change his outlook on the world.

As an adult, this bizarre unwanted roommate—be it ghost, demon, or poltergeist—apparently followed him. How does he know this? Besides the fact that the ghost keeps stealing things? Listen to find out!

About the Guest: Adam Macias

Adam is co-host of the Finger Guns Comedy podcast, available on all podcast platforms. You can follow the podcast on Facebook at @gofingerguns or on Instagram at @gofingerguns.

Adam also performs as half of a music-comedy duo known as Smooch. If you’re in the LA area, be sure to check them out once the apocalypse is over. Head over to Facebook for a list of upcoming performances or follow them on Instagram at @smooch69.

To follow Adam directly, check him out on Instagram at @adamrmac.

What is Sleep Paralysis?

Your mind is awake, but your body is still asleep. Your eyes are open, but you cannot move. Terrified by your immobility, you start to feel as if someone else is in the room. Someone who may sit on your chest, or hold your arms against your sides. The longer you lay there, the more you are certain the weight you feel is a demon holding you down, preparing to do something awful. You try to scream, but at most you’re only able to squeak out a moan. And then, suddenly, you’re able to break free, and the demon is gone.

This common sleep disorder occurs a lot in our shows. It’s a real medical condition, and, according to sleep literature, there are steps you can take to avoid it if you often fall victim to it. According to the medical community, the “demon” people feel, see, or hear is merely hallucination.

We have had several guests with sleep paralysis stories; what we find interesting is that some of these stories involve encounters with entities while the storyteller was wide awake and not even in a state of paralysis (The Hat Man and The Haunted Darkroom), when multiple people in the same building experienced the sleep paralysis demon at the same time, or when the storyteller was ejected from her own body and observed herself being possessed (The Woman Who Lived in Hollywood Cemetery). These encounters don’t seem to fit within the explanation of sleep-induced hallucinations because the observer was either not asleep, shared the experience with others, or wasn’t really paralyzed.

Like these other stories, Adam’s encounters with the sleep paralysis demon occurred after other strange things began happening in his house.

But, of course, we’ll let you decide for yourself.

Do ghosts steal things from you?

What do you think, is it possible for spirits to steal things from the living? For example, our friends who run the haunted jail have trouble with spectral inmates swiping anything with a blade off of one particular table. Do you have a personal paranormal experience like this? If so, apply here to tell it on the Homespun Haints podcast!

Until next time, have a spooky day!

The post Can Ghosts Steal Things? A True Paranormal Story appeared first on Homespun Haints.