After reading Alan Garner’s “The Owl Service” recently I went on to learn about the Welsh myth of Blodeuwedd. Then I went on a deep-dive into the folklore surrounding owls…
Tag Archives: spirits
The Crow King and the Tengu
Whilst I was halfway through writing a book of short stories (still a work in progress) about a particular character, “The Crow King” – a sort of minor bird-god – that I found out about the Tengu, and noticed a bizarre and uncanny resemblance. I thought I’d share my findings and how this serendipity occurred here.
Most Haunted Places in the UK and Its Environs
Some ghostly and historical tidbits about the most haunted locations in the country in which I fester (and places surrounding that).
The Coldness of Ghosts
A sudden drop in temperature is often associated with hauntings. The question is why? We also look at Mary King’s Close.
Ghostly Force Fields
How come ghosts are associated with high EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies)? Do the EMFs provide the “ghosts” or do the ghosts cause higher EMFs? Let’s investigate…
Poems & Writings for the Dark Season
A selection of poems and excerpts for Halloween and the dark Gothic season that falls afterwards along with website and YouTube channel recommendations
Ghosts and Carl Jung’s Collective Unconscious
Whilst I was ferreting about in a graveyard testing Ghost-hunting apps on my phone last week, one of the apps mentioned that ghosts may be part of Carl Jung’s “Collective Unconscious”. So… who was Carl Jung, and what had he got to say about ghosts? Read on to find out. Carl Jung This fellow wasContinue reading “Ghosts and Carl Jung’s Collective Unconscious”
Testing Ghost-Hunting Apps
Last time I posted, I covered old-fashioned and modern tools that paranormal investigators use when visiting supposedly haunted locations. As I said I would, I have trialled a few iPhone apps that claim to detect presences and enable the layperson to communicate with entities from the “other side.” To start with I used the appsContinue reading “Testing Ghost-Hunting Apps”
Analog and Digital Ghost Hunting
Comparing old-fashioned and modern methods of capturing spirit phenomena. While the Spiritualism movement was at its peak in the 19th century and early 20th, mediums and other folks looking to contact the dead or otherwise prove the existence of ghosts used a few different tools: Spirit boards or Ouija boards Originally sold as a typeContinue reading “Analog and Digital Ghost Hunting”
Adventures in Automatic Writing
otherwise known as Psychography Automatic writing is claimed to be a method of communicating with spirits, or the subconscious, using writing implements and often a trance state. The belief is that spirits take control of the medium’s writing-hand to put words and marks on paper, sometimes in a foreign language or in a strange alphabet.Continue reading “Adventures in Automatic Writing”
Fireships and Ghostlights
Last week we covered some different versions of will-o-the-wisps from various corners of the Earth, some well-known, others almost unheard of (by those in the Western world, that is). What follows are some extra ghostly oojamaflicks that didn’t make it into that post, including a phantom fireship. The Fireship of Baie des Chaleurs Otherwise calledContinue reading “Fireships and Ghostlights”
Ignes Fatui Around the World
Latin – English translation: “Foolish Flames.” Known in the UK as hinkypunks, friar’s lanterns, or jack-o-lanterns, ignes fatui or ghostlights / will-o-the-wisps appear in certain areas and are believed to lead travellers astray in folklore (or, sometimes, to show them the correct route to take if they are already lost). Last week’s post covered theContinue reading “Ignes Fatui Around the World”
Shedding a light on Ghostlights
Atmospheric ghostlights (will-o-the-wisps or hinkypunks, to use some older terms) are strange lights that appear in the air / sky at a distance (even close to the ground) without an exact logical explanation for their existence. We’ve all probably heard folktales or stories concerning distant lights in swamps or marshes that lure unwary travellers intoContinue reading “Shedding a light on Ghostlights”
Serendipitous Ghost Photography
Last week I blathered on about photographic methods for faking images of ghosts. This time we will be taking a look at how ghosts appear in photographs by chance. Accidental spirit photography usually falls into two categories: orbs and faint figures (often consisting of faces or head-and-upper body forms, though there are exceptions.) Orbs: TheseContinue reading “Serendipitous Ghost Photography”
Ghost Photography Techniques, Past and Present
In the late 19th century, during the advent of photography, the way to “photograph ghosts” was stumbled upon accidentally through the usage of long exposure. Sir David Brewster decided this method could be utilised to create deliberate ghostly photographs in 1856, prompting the London Stereoscopic Company to make a series of images known as TheContinue reading “Ghost Photography Techniques, Past and Present”
Who and What is Skati of the Skins?
No one knows about the existence of this mystical man, apart from the evil Lady of a Thousand Faces. However, she cannot gain access to him or to the structure in his possession that she covets, which is good news for humanity. Residing in a solitary tower in a secret part of Dal-Rhiatah known asContinue reading “Who and What is Skati of the Skins?”
Who was Saint Eridmus?
In the present day, not many people know who Saint Eridmus was and what he did to become revered, let alone why the Church of St Eridmus bears his name. During the time in which the second book of the Nighthunter is set, there are no such things as wizards. They were all wiped outContinue reading “Who was Saint Eridmus?”
Conversing with the Dead
The term “seance” comes from the French word meaning “session,” (from Old French seoir, meaning “to sit”). These days, practically everyone knows a seance involves meeting with a group of like-minded people (or curious sceptics) in a dimly-lit or darkened room to try to communicate with the deceased or other denizens from the “spirit world.”Continue reading “Conversing with the Dead”
Fingers Crossed & Other Handy Things
Part X of Amulets & Talismans Crossing your fingers for luck, or to prevent “evil luck” has been a common thing in English-speaking regions for centuries — mostly in the UK, the US, and some parts of Scandinavia. Not only that, but it is used discreetly whilst someone is telling a lie or making aContinue reading “Fingers Crossed & Other Handy Things”
Nightwalks 