Watch the episode on YouTube:

Or listen right here:

About the Guest: Chris, Co-Host of The Wandering Road

Chris is a co-host of The Wandering Road Podcast, a show that explores paranormal and spiritual themes a little more seriously than Homespun Haints does. The podcast is available on several platforms, including Apple Podcasts. Follow TWR on YouTube, TikTok @ twrpodcast, IG @TWRoadPodcast, Twitter @TWRoadPodcast, and FaceBook. To tell your paranormal story on their show, write to them at twroadpodcast@gmail.com.

Tormented by Duendes as a Child

Chris tells us the story of his first paranormal encounter as a kid growing up in The Bronx. Were those strange, short creatures he saw in his mom’s bedroom duende? He only remembers it happening once, but his super-Catholic mom says it was actually many more times, always around 3am. She’d seen the little people too, validating what he saw.

Then they moved to Queens, where his experiences were to be a whole lot more terrifying.

Paranormal Mysteries in Queens

His Aunt called them “visitors.” They turned on the stereo when nobody else was home. Then came the heavy footsteps from the attic, as soon as the lights were out. Chris’ dad blamed pigeons and squirrels. But that didn’t explain the 3 am growling. Or the 3 knocks on the front door that repeatedly happened when nobody was there.

Chris wasn’t the only one in the house to experience the paranormal during the witching hour. His cousin saw an inexplicable light, moving from the bathroom to the basement and back, for hours. When his aunt was home alone, she’d hear heavy footsteps coming from Chris’ empty room. Then his other aunt got bodily thrown out of the bathroom by an unseen force. His grandmother couldn’t sleep, for all the voices in the house. Then, the ghost confronted and threatened his mom, choking her with invisible hands. His sister had an imaginary friend named Andy, a kid who dressed in a 1920’s sailor suit and wasn’t allowed to leave the block. Chris would hear his name being called in his family’s voices, which his mother warned him not to listen to.

Later, the neighbors revealed that the previous residents were allegedly Satanists. Chris’ family bought the house as-is, full of the previous resident’s furniture…and old WWII Axis memorabilia.

Paranormal Stories from NYC

This isn’t the first paranormal story from NYC we’ve heard.

• Her Broken Heart Broke Her Reality, But Not the Bottle
• Ghost Trucks of New York
• Korean Folklore, Death Days, and the Haunted Queens Apartment
• Quarantined with a Ghost
• Will You Share Your Nightmares?
• Ghosts Make Great TV: Reliving the Past, Episode By Episode

Adult Chris Kept Getting Haunted

We didn’t have enough space in this episode for all of Chris’ paranormal stories! Once you’ve listened to this episode, head over to Patreon for bonus content about all the haunted places Chris has lived since he moved out of the allegedly Satanic Queens duplex.

The Full Tortoise Video

Of course, we have to include the full video of the amorous tortoises mentioned at the beginning of the episode. Here you are, and you’re welcome (or sorry?).

Can You Debunk Chris’ Stories?

Chris’ paranormal encounters in NYC were intense and terrifying, but also mysterious. From the UAP light that followed him and his mom home, to the entity that threatened the lives of the entire family, the experiences led Chris to a spiritual awakening. And yet, he still craves an explanation, pleading with listeners to give him a better rationale than pigeons and squirrels.

Can you figure out what was lurking in that Queens duplex? Or better yet, can you scientifically explain all of the phenomena Chris described in the episode? Or are you like us, just having a mysteriously spooky day?

The post That’s Just the Dead, Calling Your Name appeared first on Homespun Haints.

Listen to the episode here:

Then, treat yourself to a weird bonus episode: What’s in the Dybbuk Box?

Episode Summary

In 1968, a 13-year-old boy moved into a rental house with his family…and perhaps another, more transparent family. Although both he and his sister had extensive paranormal experiences, his parents remained too skeptical to believe their children’s stories. Even when the landlord corroborated them.

Later, grown-up Al returned to his childhood home in an attempt to investigate and document what had happened there…only to find that the house had burned down. More mysteriously, none of the locals he spoke to could really say just when it burned down, and the land records are notably sparse.

About the Guest: Al Cooley

Al is the author of a book about his experiences growing up in a haunted house. He also formed the Ghosts in the Valley Podcast in 2019, but don’t let the newness of his podcast fool you. Al has been collecting people’s true paranormal and ghost stories since he had to put an ad in the newspaper to find them and film them on VHS. His 1998 documentary, Ghosts in the Valley, referenced his home turf of the Ohio Valley, PA. Since then, Al’s wider net cast by using the internet and podcasting has proven to him that the “valley” referenced in the name of his show could be my valley, or your valley…that witnessing the paranormal is just part of the normal human experience for many of us.

Listen to Al’s podcast Ghosts in the Valley at https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/ghosts-in-the-valley-al-cooley-Ch4MfeFHv5i/ or follow Ghosts in the Valley on Twitter https://mobile.twitter.com/GhostsValley

Do ghosts choose whom they want to connect with?

In his childhood haunted house, Al would see a ghost girl around the age of 7-10, whom he nicknamed Alice. Alice was also seen by Al’s young friends in the “ghost club” he formed for the understanding and comeraderie he craved but was denied by his parents. But his sister saw a teen ghost girl. Others reported seeing violent ghostly men in the same house, although these men never bothered Al. When people’s encounters with the ghosts in a specific haunting vary enough, it can cause outsiders to doubt that their stories are true. But could the discrepancy be explained by assuming it’s true that ghosts, like living people, are picky about whom to hang out with based on their own personal tastes? After all, we living folks haven’t met every single living person in our neighborhood.

Would you get buried under a clear lid?

After we finished recording, Al tipped us off to a new trend: transparent coffin lids set into the ground under a clear barrier instead of under the dirt and grass. Why? No, really…WHY?? A clear casket at a viewing or funeral makes sense. Unless you’re Sleeping Beauty or Snow White-post-apple, a clear casket seems like it would end up looking pretty gross over the long haul. Would you ever follow this trend, either in your own last wishes or for a deceased loved one? PLEASE tell us why in the comments on Patreon (where you can listen to this episode ad-free,) or our Facebook group.

Hillview Manor Asylum

In his investigations, Al has visited Hillview Manor of New Castle, PA, was once known as the Lawrence County Poor Farm. Far from the reputable nursing home it would become in the 1960’s, its history is much darker. Upon opening in 1926, the Poor Farm was a place for society’s undesirables to stay (sometimes under court order) while working off debts, or simply because they couldn’t take care of themselves and nobody else wanted to deal with them. During its years in operation, the home saw many suicides and even some murders. Al tells us that someone even built a golf course over a cemetery here.

The nursing home closed in 2004. The current owners are very pro paranormal-investigation, and the site even hosts a paranormal convention in August. (Our buddy April the Psychic Housewife of New Jersey will be there in 2022!) Keep an eye out for a Most Haunted entry about Hillview Manor, coming soon.

A shared love of people’s true ghost stories

We’ve certainly met a kindred spirit in Al. Where we focus on the art of story telling by people with true ghost stories, Al delves into the evidence surrounding those stories until they’re difficult to deny. Either way, if you have a true ghost story, hit us up for an eager ear. Until next time, have a spooky day!

The post Alice Looking Through The Glass appeared first on Homespun Haints.

This is not some made-up tale, but part of a plethora of true, scary ghost stories told by the very photographer who experienced them. Hear how this brave woman purchased a haunted condo in Florida, drove through a ghost, and experienced several other paranormal events years after her encounter with the scary demon in the haunted darkroom. Plus, she gives us a little bit of an astral projection guide, because she just happens to do that, too.

We listened to her true ghost stories, our mouths agape, as she relayed one scary experience after another. These haunted darkroom stories are on YouTube:

Or listen to this episode on astral projection right here:

Scary Demon and Ghost Stories About Astral Projection in a Haunted Darkroom

Haunted Pennsylvania: Do home sellers need to disclose a house’s paranormal activity?

If you’re trying to sell a haunted house in Pennsylvania, it looks like you may be in luck. You are actually NOT technically required by law to disclose a home’s haunted status. But, there’s nothing saying you can’t let potential homebuyers know about a home’s unearthly residents. Avallone Law Associates explain more in this blog post, and you can read an article about a home that gained interest when it advertised itself as “slightly haunted.”

Some states, however, do require disclosure if a property is known to be a haunted house.

And, while we’re at it, have you been seeing those “Not Haunted” signs on top of real estate listings? We think it might have started in Texas. I guess it’s important to check that the house really isn’t haunted, though, before making an affirmation like that!

The haunted castle at Arcadia University

Kamila attended a school she knew to be haunted. The campus is a castle. Its grounds sit next to an old cemetery. The art department is in the old stables, where a murder has occurred. What could possibly go wrong?

And what about astral projection?

Oh yeah, almost as an aside to her scary demon ghost story, Kamila tells us of her adventures astral projecting.

What is Astral Projection?

Astral projection is basically an intentional out-of-body experience. Its a fascinating concept where individuals believe they can separate their consciousness or “astral body” from their physical body. Like other psychic abilities, some believe it’s a skill anyone can develop with focus and practice.

Where did astral projection come from?

The idea of astral projection isn’t new. It has ancient roots and is present in various cultural, religious, and spiritual traditions. For instance, ancient Egyptian teachings describe the soul as capable of hovering outside the physical body. The concept also seeps into Hindu scriptures, Japanese mythology, Amazonian and Inuit indigenous cultures, and Taoist practices​​.

Is astral projection real?

From a scientific perspective, astral projection is often viewed with skepticism. Although people who experience it report vivid and profound experiences, there’s no universally accepted evidence that the consciousness can actually detach and travel outside of the body. Cognitive researchers tend to attribute the subjective experience of astral projection to altered states such as during epilepsy, brain injury, or lack of oxygen​​.

That doesn’t mean nobody is looking for evidence that the soul leaves the body…at least once in a lifetime. Mary Roach’s book “Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife,” discusses a soul-weighing experiment conducted by a sheep rancher named Lewis E. Hollander Jr. Around Y2K, Hollander set up a system in his barn to weigh dying sheep. He used a platform linked to sensitive electronic equipment to measure any tiny weight changes that might occur right around the moment of physical death.

The experiment aimed to determine if there was any measurable change in body weight that could be attributed to the departure of the soul at the time of death. Although Hollander cited one transient weight change as potential evidence, others have criticized the rigor of his methods.

How to do astral projection

If you’re interested in exploring astral projection, approach it with an open mind, aware of both its potential benefits and limitations. Learning to astral project often involves meditation and visualization techniques aimed at reaching a state of deep relaxation and focus. You might start by visualizing yourself leaving the physical body by floating up and out of it. Picture in your mind seeing your body beneath you.

Astral projection as a practice may have potential spiritual and psychological benefits, like aiding in self-discovery and promoting a sense of life being more than just the physical. Yet astral projection might not be suitable for everyone, especially those with psychological vulnerabilities. Additionally, it should not be used as a form of escapism or to avoid real-world problems​​​​. If you’d like a real astral projection guide, check out this blog post from a medium who explains exactly how to do it.

Do you have a scary story about a demon or a ghost?

What do you think? Would you put up with frisky ghosts just to get your photography class final project done? Have you ever been in a haunted darkroom (or any darkroom, for that matter)? Do you confront your sleep paralysis demons with astral projecting? Homespun Haints is looking for guests that have a true, first-hand paranormal experience they’d like to tell us about. Please submit your story to tell on our show, and we’ll be in touch! Whether or not you’ve ever done photography in a haunted darkroom, or used astral projection, we want to have a spooky day with you!

The post Astral Projection and the Darkest Darkroom appeared first on Homespun Haints.