On this episode of Paranormal Lens, we touch base on rituals: when, if ever, should they be utilized on our ghost hunts? The conversation uses our recent film "Seven: The Mystery of Jacques" as well as last year's film "Dweller" (winner of Best TV/New Media Feature at the MidWest WeirdFest) to help articulate our points. We discuss what makes "Seven: The Mystery of Jacques" different than some of the past rituals we've been a part of, as well as reveal what "Dweller" got wrong.

"Seven: The Mystery of Jacques" is now streaming on PARAFlixx: https://paraflixx.vhx.tv/seven-the-mystery-of-jacques

Do paranormal re-enactments cross an ethical line, or are they a necessary storytelling tool? On this episode of Paranormal Lens, we explore how ghost hunting TV shows and documentaries recreate eyewitness encounters, and whether staging these b-roll shots could risk misleading audience. We also analyze these re-enactments from the spirits' perspective: could dramatizing their death trigger more activity to occur?

This episode also contains a shocking revelation: not only is Brienna a blonde, but SHE'S ALSO AN OPERA SINGER. How did we not know this???

In this episode of Paranormal Lens: hosts Ben, Brienna, and Angela discuss the infamous 18.9 Hz “ghost frequency,” a form of infrasound believed to trigger feelings of unease and dread. Is the fear we feel in haunted locations truly paranormal, or could our bodies be reacting to sound we can’t consciously hear?

Ben also reveals the one time he intentionally used the ghost frequency in a film, sparking a discussion about the ethics of inducing fear through sound design. The conversation also dives into rumors that some well-known haunted sites may intentionally pump infrasound to enhance activity and mislead ghost hunters. Also: what is the connection between Bigfoot and infrasound?

GEMINI Summary: This episode of "Paranormal Lens" discusses the "ghost frequency," also known as infrasound, specifically the 18.9 Hz frequency (2:00).

What is Infrasound? Infrasound is a low-frequency sound that humans cannot consciously hear, but our bodies can react to it (3:16). Researchers have suggested that this frequency, when present, can cause feelings of unease, paranoia, and jitteriness, which people might attribute to paranormal activity (3:52).

Infrasound and Paranormal Activity: The hosts reference a 2003 NBC News article titled "Infrasound linked to spooky events," which discusses a study by UK researchers on the connection between infrasound and odd sensations experienced at allegedly haunted sites (3:05).

Infrasound in Media: The hosts discuss how horror movies often use infrasound in scary scenes to induce a feeling of fear in the audience before visual or auditory cues (4:32). Ben, one of the hosts, reveals he intentionally used the ghost frequency in their short film, "The Possession Tape," to enhance the unsettling atmosphere (11:41).

Ethical Concerns of Using Infrasound: The hosts debate the ethics of using infrasound to induce fear. They conclude that it is not unethical in entertainment, such as films, where the audience expects to be spooked (14:42).

Infrasound in Nature and Other Connections: Bigfoot: Infrasound is believed to be one of Bigfoot's vocalizations, similar to how lions use infrasound in their roars (7:55). Some Bigfoot hunting techniques involve using amplifiers to detect infrasound (8:41).

Natural Events: Infrasound can be produced by natural events like volcanoes, earthquakes, and storms, as well as by animals and industrial machinery (19:49).

Bad Driving: The hosts humorously note a random quote in the 2003 article that links infrasound to bad driving, suggesting it might be caused by sounds from cars or radios (5:43).

Future Applications: The hosts discuss the potential for using infrasound in future paranormal investigations, particularly if they go Bigfoot hunting again (24:03). They also mention an upcoming project that might incorporate it (22:55).

In this episode of Paranormal Lens, we explore the chilling lore and theories surrounding the Hat Man, one of the most commonly reported shadow figures in modern paranormal accounts. Often described as a tall, dark silhouette wearing a wide-brimmed hat or top hat, the Hat Man frequently appears during episodes of sleep paralysis, in haunted locations, and in altered states of consciousness. Is he a single entity, a type of shadow person, or a shared hallucination shaped by fear, culture, and expectation? The discussion also dives into connections between the Hat Man and older occult concepts like the Dweller on the Threshold, the shadow self, egregores, and doppelgängers, questioning whether witnesses are seeing an actual entity... or merely its shadow.

GEMINI Summary: This episode discusses the Hat Man, a commonly reported shadow figure often seen during sleep paralysis or in haunted locations (2:18-2:22, 8:46-9:01).

Key theories and points explored include:

Nature of the Hat Man - The hosts debate if the Hat Man is a single entity, a type of shadow person, or a collective hallucination (8:09-8:16, 16:34-16:40).

Sleep Paralysis and Hallucinations - The Hat Man is frequently associated with sleep paralysis and is sometimes considered a Benadryl-induced hallucination (2:18-2:22, 3:07-3:10, 8:46-8:51).

Connection to "Dweller on the Threshold" - The discussion draws parallels between the Hat Man and the "Dweller on the Threshold," an occult concept described as a shadowy, demonic being that appears during a sleep paralysis-like state (10:00-11:07, 12:47-13:02).

Shadow of an Entity - A theory is proposed that the Hat Man might not be the entity itself, but rather the shadow of an entity, connecting to the idea of the "shadow self" or doppelgängers (12:36-12:55, 13:11-13:18).

Egregore Theory - The hosts consider if the Hat Man could be an egregore—a collective thoughtform that gains a form of reality through shared belief and repeated experiences (13:51-14:00, 14:09-15:15).

The Pocket Watch Lore - A lesser-known piece of lore is introduced: some sightings describe the Hat Man checking a gold pocket watch, leading to speculation about his purpose or connection to time (17:29-18:01, 26:40-26:51).

Appearance and Archetypes - The video touches on why ghosts, including the Hat Man, often appear in Victorian-era attire. It's suggested that intelligent entities might adopt these classic archetypes to fit in with perceived notions of ghosts (27:00-28:55).

First it was cheese. Then it was owls. Now, we're looking at Santa Claus through a paranormal lens. Who (or what) is Santa really? What if he's just a Coke-fueled capitalistic creation? Or worse: the devil in disguise? We sincerely hope this episode enhances your Christmas instead of ruining it...

GEMINI Summary: This episode explores the origins and nature of Santa Claus through a paranormal lens, moving beyond the traditional figure to discuss his potential as a spiritual entity. The hosts discuss how the idea of Santa may have originated from various pagan gods, spirits, and saints, with popular belief potentially creating an "egregor" (2:53-3:08).

Key points discussed include: Santa's diverse origins (3:51-5:24): Santa Claus is presented as a "hodgepodge" of different cultures, spirits, and gods, with Christmas itself being a holiday that combined various traditions, including the Yule log, Christmas tree, and St. Nicholas, when Christianity spread and absorbed local practices.

Pagan influences: Odin: The Norse god Odin, known for riding an eight-legged horse (7:26-8:18), influenced the concept of Santa's sleigh and reindeer. Children would leave treats for Odin for blessings, similar to leaving cookies and milk for Santa (10:01-10:13). Odin's "all-seeing" nature also mirrors Santa's knowledge of who's "naughty or nice" (10:29-10:49). Hera: The goddess Hera, who appeared in fireplaces to bring good luck, contributed to the legend of Santa coming down the chimney (12:05-12:37). Santa as Satan? (12:47-16:50): The hosts explore the theory that "Santa" is an anagram for "Satan" and the use of "Old Nick" as a name for the devil.

They discuss how Santa could be seen as a representation of greed and temptation, contrasting with the true meaning of Christmas. St. Nicholas (13:54-15:20): The historical figure of St. Nicholas, an actual priest who left coins on windowsills and front doors, is acknowledged as a component of the Santa Claus legend. Coca-Cola's influence (21:00-22:46): The discussion highlights how Coca-Cola significantly shaped Santa's modern image in the 1930s by using him in winter advertisements to boost sales, solidifying his red and white attire. Personal beliefs and the metaphysical Santa (31:00-33:29): The hosts share their childhood experiences of realizing Santa wasn't real and ponder whether they would believe in Santa as a metaphysical "spirit of Christmas" rather than a physical being. They also humorously caution against attempting to summon Santa due to the potential of accidentally summoning Satan (33:50-34:19).

This "Remote Contact" outtake/deleted scene broke my mind, and I knew we needed to discuss on the podcast. Can we trust our own memories, and recounts of paranormal experiences? We watch this interview outtake clip with Lauren Haunts together, and react in real time. What are the implications this has on one of our most impactful paranormal experiences EVER, at Madison Seminary this past May? This is a MUST-listen episode of PARANORMAL LENS.

Lauren Haunts: https://www.laurenhaunts.com

GEMINI Summary: This episode features an outtake from our "Remote Contact" film, delving into the reliability of human memory, especially concerning paranormal experiences (0:04). The hosts react to an outtake interview clip with Lauren Haunts, who discusses how our brains can create or alter memories based on beliefs, trauma, or preferences (3:40). This neuroplasticity suggests that even visceral paranormal experiences might not have happened exactly as remembered (4:10).

The discussion then shifts to a specific, impactful paranormal experience at Madison Seminary (7:47). The hosts recount hearing a loud, disembodied voice that sounded amplified but not electronic, saying "I'm here" and something else they couldn't clearly make out (8:30). Immediately after, cat balls on the table turned on, and an EMF meter went berserk (10:33). What makes this particularly relevant to the memory discussion is that despite all being present, their recollections of the exact words and clarity differed (12:38).

This leads them to propose a new method for future investigations: documenting experiences immediately by writing them down (6:18). They suggest comparing these written accounts with later recollections to see how memories might change over time, drawing parallels to a past investigation at Rosevear Park where four people experienced three things simultaneously, but none recalled the same combination of events (16:44).

The episode concludes by emphasizing the importance of diligent documentation to ensure accurate recollection of paranormal events (22:56).

Watch "Remote Contact" - NOW STREAMING on PARAFlixx: https://paraflixx.vhx.tv/remote-contact

Participate to our ongoing Remote Contact experiments: https://www.crossroadsofcuriosities.com/remote-contact

What happens when you swap a blindfold for VR Headset while doing the Estes Method? "Remote Contact" details preliminary experiments using immersive, 360 degree renders of haunted locations in these investigations.

What started as a fun twist on the traditional Estes Method quickly evolves into something more— Contemplating how these immersive spaces can open a person up to have a more impactful, meditative, and potentially "psychic" paranormal experience.

"Remote Contact" invites viewers to follow these preliminary trials, witness the strange data being collected, and discover how you can take part in this ongoing experiment.

GEMINI Summary: The episode discusses "Remote Contact," a new film and ongoing experiment by Crossroads of Curiosities, LLC, now streaming on PARAFlixx Paranormal+ (0:58). The project explores a new take on the Estes Method by replacing the traditional blindfold with a VR headset displaying immersive 360-degree footage of haunted locations (0:00-0:13, 9:40-10:00).

Key aspects of the "Remote Contact" project:

Genesis of the Idea

Ben, a film enthusiast, acquired a 360 camera and began using it to capture immersive renders of haunted locations, initially to preserve historical sites (2:10-3:29). This evolved into the idea of using these immersive videos with VR headsets for paranormal investigations (3:33-4:24).

Modification of the Estes Method

The core experiment involves participants wearing VR headsets with noise-reducing headphones, viewing 360-degree footage of known haunted locations, while an operator asks questions (9:40-10:00, 7:43-8:14). The goal is to see if responses from a spirit box (audio heard through the headphones) correlate with the virtual location (10:09-10:30).

Controls and Validation

The team intentionally uses locations they are intimately familiar with to validate responses (10:30-11:18). They also bring in individuals unfamiliar with the locations to minimize bias and enhance credibility (11:37-13:13).

Meditative and Channeling Aspects

The participants discuss how the Estes Method, especially with the immersive experience, can induce a meditative state and potentially lead to channeling or remote viewing experiences (14:40-15:07, 21:07-21:16).

A pivotal part of the film involves experimenting with Madison Seminary's Resonance Chamber and guided meditation instead of the spirit box to further explore these meditative states (21:18-23:01).

Call for Participation

The project is designed as an ongoing experiment, and the creators encourage viewers to participate by downloading the 360-degree video footage from their website and conducting their own experiments (1:46-1:53, 28:50-29:01, 30:26-30:58). A questionnaire is available on their website for participants to share their experiences (30:31-30:58).

Future Experiments

The team also briefly touches on potential future experiments, such as attempting to catch EVPs (Electronic Voice Phenomena) within the 360-degree audio from the locations (27:12-28:20).

The film "Remote Contact" is 40 minutes long and is presented in a documentary style (25:58-26:10).

According to the Catholic Church, the amount of exorcisms are rising at a surprising rate. But what’s really behind the increase? In this episode of Paranormal Lens, we examine the official signs of “demonic possession” recognized by the Catholic Church, what actually qualifies someone for an alleged exorcism, and how these cases are evaluated alongside psychological and other explanations.

Along the way, we share our candid, grounded thoughts on possession, spirit attachment, and channeling, exploring where belief, mental health, and the paranormal intersect, and why these conversations matter now more than ever.

"The Possession Tape" is available to stream for free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZnKoemd7qw

Catholic Exorcists Say They Are Overloaded With ‘Possessed’ People: Study

https://www.newsweek.com/catholica-exorcists-say-they-are-overloaded-possessed-people-1712382