Watch the episode on YouTube:

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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.

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Summary of today’s stories of first-hand paranormal experiences

When you were a child, did you ever get in trouble for something that a ghost did? Can you imagine not only being tormented by a nasty entity, but then getting blamed for the havoc that it wreaked?

Our guest today grew up with something sinister in her attic. Something that liked to creep, to crawl, to make loud noises in the middle of the night…and to create endless nights of horror. Let’s hear her terrifying personal ghost stories, today, on Homespun Haints.

What is dowsing?

We’ve always heard the word dowsing used to refer to the very specific and uncommon practice of using a pair of rods or sticks held laterally in the hands in front of the body. Asking a yes or no question may result in the dowsing rods moving. A different meaning can be assigned to various rod movement patterns. Rods moving towards each other could be a “yes;” crossing an emphatic “YES!” And away from each other a “no.”

Rods specifically manufactured for the explicit purpose of dowsing have their handles encased in a low-friction tube, so they rotate freely. They’re designed to allow spirits to communicate without expending too much energy.

When Danielle talks about dowsing in this episode, she’s referring to the pendulum technique. You know, like the time Becky used a pendulum to speak with the spirits of soldiers in a haunted Civil War Battlefield in Nashville. In the great tradition of thrifty witchcraft, Danielle’s college friends used whatever they had on hand to ask yes or no questions of unseen entities. We guess anything dangly that moves back and forth without influence from a significant force can be a dowsing tool. A pendant necklace, a spider on a silk thread, a tube sock half-full of frozen corn…hell, get creative.

Can a haunting cause sleep paralysis?

Most people caught in the throes of sleep paralysis report seeing shadowy humanoid figures and experiencing fear. Some say that this stage between wakefulness and sleep causes hallucinations, and that the fear is a side effect of not being able to move. One of the most common causes of sleep paralysis is stress, coupled with sleep deprivation.

But this is the 21st century; we’re pretty much all stressed and sleep-deprived a lot of the time, no? So how come only some people experience sleep paralysis? And only in some situations, not every time they’re sleep-deprived and stressed?

Danielle’s theory, based on her own teenage first-hand paranormal experiences, is that sleep paralysis may have a third cause: ghosts. She believes that the shadow people were there in her childhood bedroom all the time. But she believes she could only see them when she was experiencing sleep paralysis. When the haunting subsided, and her entire family stopped noticing strange noises in the house, Danielle’s sleep paralysis demons resolved.

Are child ghosts or elderly ghosts more likely to be demons?

It’s a theory we’ve heard before; when you see an unidentified supernatural entity who is presenting as the spirit of a deceased child, it’s probably a trick. We’ve heard that this might be because children are so innocent that their souls immediately cross to a better place when they pass away. Therefore, they never become earthbound spirits.

This would imply that there are no real child ghosts. Every representation of a child ghost is something else disguised as a child ghost. Whether this is the case exclusively for nefarious reasons, or just because the entity enjoys identifying as their childish self, we have no way of determining.

Why do demons disguise themselves as child ghosts?

Because the living see children as innocent, they might be a good costume for a sneaky evildoer to get into one’s good graces. Danielle might be the first to tell us that the same is likely to be true about entities who present as the spirit of a very elderly person.

This seems counterintuitive at first. Children may be arguably innocent, but by that logic (e. g. if time lived begets corruption), why would we see an elderly spirit as innocent? Danielle’s theory is that, in addition to displaying innocence, a nefarious presence would also want to present as something or someone physically harmless.

If you think about it, maybe some of these entities really do see themselves as physically harmless. Since they’re non-corporeal, perhaps the harm they cause is only psychic harm. Indeed, psychic influence could manifest into physical injury, but perhaps these entities can only use roundabout ways to influence the physical realm. Maybe that’s why Danielle’s college friend group spent nearly 6 months interacting with a demon without experiencing serious harm?

Have you had any first-hand paranormal experiences like these?

Have you ever owned a haunted antique? Do you have haunting-induced sleep paralysis? What’s the weirdest thing you use to dowse with? If you were a ghost, would you prefer to communicate through dowsing rods, a pendulum, or a Ouija board? What percentage of child ghosts and/or elderly ghosts do you think are actually demons in disguise? Join the discussion in our Facebook Group, or on Patreon.

Speaking of sharing personal paranormal stories, let’s all cross our fingers that Danielle sees some spooky things at the haunted Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, and comes home with more haunted Arkansas stories to share. But most importantly, make sure to say goodbye when you finish dowsing, or you’re gonna have a spooky day.

The post Rocking Chair Man Can’t See You appeared first on Homespun Haints.

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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.

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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.

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Notes From This Podcast Episode of Spooky Stories

Whereas most of our guests are pretty adamant that they don’t want to share their homes with paranormal entities (listen to Episode 45 or Episode 25, for instance), Frantz builds relationships with the entities around him. He believes that asking them to leave his various abodes and workplaces would be wrong or fruitless.

In relaying his true ghost stories to us, Frantz makes mention of a ghost he met on the Roswell Ghost Tour who followed him home! He also develops a strained rapport with an entity (perhaps a demon?) brought forth through hoodoo ritualistic magic, and helps a friend who angered the ghost of a 19th century miner.

Episode references

The Roswell Ghost Tour is particularly scary because the area of Roswell, GA, is full of ghosts, as Frantz is quick to point out in this interview. But why is Roswell, Georgia, so haunted? Many attribute the massive hauntings to the raid on the mill workers in 1864. The raids were ordered by General Sherman during the Civil War as he attempted to cross the Chattahoochee River, which Roswell (and its mills) sat upon. Troops marched over 400 women and children out of the city, and many of them died along the way.

Others point out how the rushing waters of the Chattahoochee serve as a conduit to enhance the activity of restless spirits, and the granite prevalent in the area can also increase the amount of things that go bump in the night.

As if these factors aren’t enough, there is another sinister secret in Roswell’s past, tied to the cemetery that houses the town’s founders. You see, no one really knows how far the boundaries of the cemetery extend, but what we do know is it goes under the houses built around. That’s right. The houses surrounding this tranquil cemetery are sitting on top of unmarked graves. And the spirits there are none too happy about it.

And with that lovely little nugget of scares, we wish you a very spooky day!

The post I Am Talking to this Motherf*ing Ghost 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!

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