Big Seance: My Paranormal World

Step into the Victorian era with an author and Victorianist, Steele Alexandra Douris. Steele specializes in Victorian crime, gothic fiction, and Spiritualism, and is the author of Spirits, Seers & Séances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural. In this episode you'll discover the hidden gems of 19th-century newspapers, periodicals, and the women's magazines that helped to shape the Spiritualist community. Need a response to someone worried about the dangers of practicing any form of spirit communication? Try a timeless quote from prominent Spiritualist, W.T. Stead. Are you ready to try something new at your next party? Plan a Tableaux Vivant, the fascinating and long-lost Victorian party activity! You know that old curio "curiosity" cabinet in the corner? You can thank the Victorians for that. And criminal investigation, detective fiction, and psychometry? You can thank the Victorians for that too! Visit BigSeance.com/243 for more info.

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In this episode:

Intro :00

Steele Alexandra Douris is an author, artist, and Victorianist, specializing in Victorian crime, gothic fiction, and spiritualism. She is a PhD candidate in the English department at Stanford University, where she has taught courses on Victorian spiritualism, ghost stories, and the gothic novel. She holds an MA in English from Stanford University and a BA in Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin. As an undergraduate, Steele observed the social behavior of lemurs, wielded a trowel as part of a central Texas archaeological dig, and learned to identify primate fossils and human bones. As a graduate student, she disappeared into the archives of Victorian Britain, and now emerges only periodically to collect new tarot decks, hunt for fossils, and hoard art supplies. Steele splits her time between foggy NorCal and sunny South Texas, towing her mountain of journals and sketchbooks with her wherever she goes. You can learn more about Steele by visiting SteeleAlexandraDouris.com :50

Steele's book is Spirits, Seers & Séances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural. 2:36

What is a "Victorianist?" Plus Steele's academic passions. 3:26

A passion for archaeology, art, and literature. 5:01

What did the newspapers have to say about it? "I work a lot in newspapers… 19th century newspapers, 19th century periodicals and early 20th century women's magazines." 6:38

In her research into Spiritualism, Steele was amazed by how many Spiritualist magazines, newspapers, and periodicals there were at the time, like The Medium and Daybreak. "The material really just gave me a glimpse into the entire engine of the Spiritualist community beyond just what I had pictured at the beginning." 7:38

Steele includes really great "try it yourself" exercises at the end of each chapter! Examples include instructions for holding a traditional spirit circle, sitting for a solitary seance, meditating like Dr. Mesmer, automatic writing/automatic art, channeling blindfolded, sitting for a psychic portrait, practicing psychometry, channeling your inner folklorist, exploring your own shadow/reading a gothic tale, scrying, making a Halloween card, or holding a Christmas seance! 8:55

Patrick discusses some of the really cool fall issues of The Delineator, an American women's magazine of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 10:51

Tableaux Vivant, a fascinating, long-lost Victorian party activity. 12:02

"It's hard to move in many modern occult circles without tripping over the Victorians. And yet, somehow, in the process of becoming ubiquitous, the Victorians have also become invisible." 16:16

Patrick on one of his "a-ha" moments from the book: "Some of us dream of putting away our modern tools and technology to pretend we're Victorian. But in reality, Victorians were all about becoming modern, with the huge advances in technology that was happening at the time." 16:16

What economic class of Victorians are we usually imagining? 21:12

Need a timeless response to someone worried about the dangers of using the Ouija Board or practicing any form of spirit communication? Try this great mid-1890s quote from prominent Spiritualist W.T. Stead, which he claims was channeled by his spirit guide, Julia. 22:28

Victorian personal ads! 26:06

The unique Victorian practice of Psychometry 27:59

Criminal investigation, detective fiction, ballistics, fingerprint analysis, criminal psychology, profiling, and paranormal investigation! 32:23

Curiosity "curio" cabinets, curiosity shops, and specimen cabinets. 33:30

The Worlds Fair Expositions 35:28

Christmas lore and the legends of bells underground and under water. 36:52

The Victorian activities that Steele incorporates into her daily life! 41:50

Final thoughts from Steele 47:13

Outro 48:43

A special THANK YOU to Patreon supporters at the Super Paranerd and Parlor Guest level! 50:03

For more on Steele Alexandra Douris

SteeleAlexandraDouris.com

Spirits, Seers & Séances: Victorian Spiritualism, Magic & the Supernatural (Amazon)

Facebook: @steelearcana

Instagram: @steelearcana

The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at [email protected]. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! You can also call the show and leave feedback at (775) 583-5563 (or 7755-TELL-ME). I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the seance!

Listen in as psychic medium April Roane, who can always be depended on for powerful insights, discusses the evolution of her journey since her last appearance on the Big Seance Podcast in 2016. She provides a unique perspective on the shifts in paranormal investigation and how psychic mediums contribute to them. Hear a powerful discussion on the dangerous side effects of paranormal investigation, including the chilling tale that led to the need for an exorcism. April candidly discusses her move to East Texas and the area's complicated paranormal culture. Other topics include the 2020 pandemic and the positive shifts it brought to society. Visit BigSeance.com/242 for more info.

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In this episode:

Intro :00

April Roane has been transforming lives worldwide for over two decades. In 2009, she started by transforming her life first. She was guided to join a recovery program for food addiction. Using tools of recovery, she began her very personal and challenging journey of self, transformation, service, and faith. April is a channel and vessel for messages of truth, hope, light, and love. This creates a natural healing and alignment experienced through, from, and of Spirit, Higher Power, Universe, Gaia, Source, God, Angels, Guides, Loved Ones, The Collective Consciousness, Ascended Masters, and Light Beings. April receives messages from Spirit in the form of feelings, visions, thoughts, ideas, sounds, knowing, smells, and tastes. And she uses the ability of remote viewing with Spirit when working with others, specifically in paranormal and missing persons cases. April is the author of several books, including the Love Your Inner Empath workbook and her children's book, Goodnight Just the Same. She is the co-host of Spiritually Rogue Podcast with Braxton and April Roane. April is the president and founder of The Divine Association of Sacred Women and strives to impact the lives of children, women, and Empaths worldwide positively and powerfully. She's been featured on A&E's My Ghost Story Caught on Camera, the BIO Channel, CBS Radio, Rogue Talk Radio, The Hotel Cassadaga, The Historic Jefferson Hotel, and Pawtographs for Pooches Parafest. You can learn more about April Roane by visiting AprilRoane.com. :51

April was previously interviewed in episode 70 of the Big Seance Podcast in 2016. Topics included cruises, finding balance, awakening after addiction, abuse, coming out, depression, meditation and journaling, paranormal Investigation and the role of psychic mediums in that space, and what life is like on the Other Side. 3:05

An update on the improvement that April has noticed in the paranormal space when it comes to psychic mediums in paranormal investigation. 5:05

The two clips from April's last appearance on the show that Patrick just loves and has used many times when promoting the show. "And my goal, in addition to being a psychic medium, is I'm April. I'm a person. And I have a family, and I have a life, and I have a path that I'm trying to figure out. And if I don't balance myself--my mind, my body, my soul--sometimes I do a really good job. Sometimes I flub it up a lot. But if I don't balance me, I'm not going to be a good intuitive." "You know, they don't ever want to talk about, 'Remember that time you stole my money, you ass hole!' You know, they never say that!" "They always talk about those moments that took our breath away, not the moments that we lost our breath." 6:25

April has moved to Texas, she's worked on missing person cases, but her work with balancing herself has not changed. 7:40

Those who are and are NOT pushing our species forward since 2016. 9:37

The 2020 pandemic and its effects on the world. "As a society, we still don't know what it did to us." 11:22

The positive effects of Covid. "It forced us as a species to look at things we refused to." 18:21

The paranormal culture in Eastern Texas, the Azalea Inn Bed and Breakfast, and her work with paranormal investigator husband, Braxton Roane. 22:24

Patrick originally met Braxton Roane at an event at Belvoir Winery before he or Patrick even knew April! 29:58

The side effects of paranormal investigation and the traumatizing story of April and Braxton needing an exorcism! "Let's just say Braxton's eyes went from green to blue. They were green, then they went to this period of just slate grey, and then to blue." "When you realize the devil's looking right at you, it's not a moment where you look away and you run and you lose them." 31:20

Patrick shared a funny memory about Chip Coffey at Belvoir Winery. 39:34

April talks about her book, Goodnight Just the Same. 42:27

April describes her book, "Love Your Inner Empath: A Healing Workbook & Tool Kit." 44:12

Food, diet, chocolate, and gravity. April and Patrick get real about it. 45:02

"You are the guru of you. And you honor you. Honor all that your ups and downs has brought you to this moment of awareness. And that is where your adventure begins. What does that awareness say? What do you feel? 'Oh my life's a sh*t show.' Okay then. Let's fix it. Let's change it. Let's start to seek the joy, whatever that is for you. Leave people alone. They're responsible for their own joy. So many of us live our life based on everyone else." 48:52

Outro 52:27

A special THANK YOU to Patreon supporters at the Super Paranerd and Parlor Guest level! 53:47

For more on April Roane

AprilRoane.com

April's previous appearance in episode 70 of the Big Seance Podcast in 2016.

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Instagram

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The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at [email protected]. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! You can also call the show and leave feedback at (775) 583-5563 (or 7755-TELL-ME). I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the seance!

Uncover the enchanting history of Yule and Christmas in this interview with Ellen Evert Hopman, master herbalist and Druidic initiate since 1984. Her book, The Sacred Herbs of Yule and Christmas: Remedies, Recipes, Magic and Brews for the Winter Season, gets beautiful reviews. The recipes, cocktails, and traditional Christmas meals from around the world will have you salivating. Ellen introduces you to mystical figures like Gully Gawk, Pot Scraper, Bowl Licker, Flora the Roman Goddess, Saint Lucia with the candles on her head, and of course, Krampus. Learn about the origins of putting candles in windows, and why we leave a place at the table for our dead loved ones, or leave our beds empty. Plus the history of mistletoe, the traditional red and green colors, and why you should absolutely NOT answer the door on Christmas Eve if a werewolf is on the other side! Visit BigSeance.com/241 for more info.

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In this episode:

Intro :00

Call in or reach out with your holiday traditions for this time of the year, no matter the holiday, and particularly if it's different from what we might think of as traditional American holiday activities. What are some of the interesting traditions that maybe have been passed down for centuries at this time of year? Email [email protected]. There are also a couple of ways that you can leave a voice message, and to learn more about that go to BigSeance.com/contact. Patrick can't wait to hear from you! :50

Ellen Evert Hopman is a master herbalist and lay homeopath, who has been a Druidic initiate since 1984. She is a founding member of the Order of the White Oak, the Archdruid Amerita and founder of Tribe of the Oak, a former professor at the Grey School of Wizardry, and a member of the Grey Council of Mages and Sages. She is the author of Celtic herbals and Druid novels, including Secret Medicines from Your Garden, The Sacred Herbs of Samhain, and Once Around the Sun: Stories, Crafts, and Recipes to Celebrate the Sacred Earth Year. She lives in Massachusetts. You can learn more about Ellen at EllenEvertHopman.com. 2:41

Reviews for The Sacred Herbs of Yule and Christmas: Remedies, Recipes, Magic and Brews for the Winter Season. 4:57

The similarities between our Halloween/Samhain traditions and Christmas. 6:20

Why do we put lights on trees? 8:20

Have goblins? Burn old shoes in the fireplace! 9:49

Have a persistent ghost that won't go away? Burn a strip of leather! 10:21

Guising and Mumming 11:19

Memories of May Day 12:05

Are you bad or good? Mystical Icelandic figures, including Gully Gawk, Stubby, Spoon Licker, Pot Scraper, Bowl Licker, Door Slammer, Sausage Snatcher, and Doorway Sniffer, and yes, Krampus! 14:03

"This is really a life or death time of year." Why have we been scaring children, for centuries, to get good behavior? 16:20

"Iceland is an unusually literate, book-loving society, and on Christmas Eve, Icelanders exchange books as gifts and then spend the night reading them, often while drinking hot chocolate or an alcohol-free Christmas ale…" 17:51

The Office (Dwight Christmas) and Belsnickeling 19:05

The Roman Goddess, Flora. "Bring a goat to the festival and liberate a rabbit." 19:58

The Goddess of Winter 22:24

Ellen reads her Call in the Three Worlds of the Ancestors, Nature Spirits, and Gods, and the Petition for Healing, which is from the Rite for the Goddess at the Winter Solstice. 23:04

Recipes, Cocktails, and Christmas meal traditions from around the world. 28:47

The Irish tradition of Women's Christmas 33:30

The spirit of Santa isn't the only spirit that comes down the chimney! Plus, lighting candles, leaving beds empty, and a place set at the table with food for dead loved ones. 36:09

Libation and the Essence of Food 38:52

Saint Lucia, the Christian figure with candles on her head. 41:31

Did you know all of Santa's reindeer were women? Plus, the red and white Amanita Muscaria mushroom. 44:15

Mistletoe 47:48

Where did we get the traditional Christmas colors of red and green? 51:11

Final Thoughts from Ellen Evert Hopman 53:01

Tip: Do NOT answer the door on Christmas Eve if it's a werewolf! 55:16

Outro 56:06

A special THANK YOU to Patreon supporters at the Super Paranerd and Parlor Guest level! 57:26

For more on Ellen Evert Hopman

EllenEvertHopman.com

TribeoftheOak.org

The Sacred Herbs of Yule and Christmas on Amazon

Facebook

Instagram

The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at [email protected]. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! You can also call the show and leave feedback at (775) 583-5563 (or 7755-TELL-ME). I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the seance!

Patrick's candid interview with the "Queen of the Paranormal" herself, Most Haunted's Yvette Fielding. She's a true pioneer in paranormal television, and she shares her thoughts on everything from how she thinks spirits communicate to SNL's hilarious 2006 parody of Yvette and Most Haunted. She looks back on the traumatizing 30 East Drive episode and a Most Haunted event where guests got stuck in a prison cell. How does the UK's Most Haunted compare to American paranormal television? Plus, did you know that there are 76 Most Haunted episodes that haven't seen the light of day? Listen to find out why! Visit BigSeance.com/240 for more info.

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In this episode:

Intro :00

Yvette Fielding has been crowned by many as "Queen of the Paranormal", "Queen of the Night", or even "First Lady of the Paranormal." Listeners from the US will no doubt know Yvette as the star of the hit paranormal TV series from the UK, Most Haunted. She and her husband, Karl Beattie, first created and produced the show in 2002, making them true pioneers in paranormal TV. They've been producing the show ever since. If you're a listener outside of the US, you may actually know Yvette originally from Blue Peter, a British TV show, which is the longest-running children's TV show in the world. Yvette was the youngest presenter ever on that show, and she even interviewed Princess Diana! She's the author of a series of new young adult fiction, and she has a memoir coming out next year! :50

Welcome to the parlor, Yvette! 2:44

Yvette and her husband live in a house that is 400 years old! 3:20

Patrick had a lot to catch up on with Yvette and Most Haunted! 3:56

Where can you find Most Haunted these days? Plus Most Haunted has gone on the road with stage shows! 6:41

Investigate with Yvette and the team with Most Haunted Experiences! 9:25

Where does the knocking at tapping come from? And if it's paranormal, how do spirits produce it? 10:40

Yvette's calls for science to take the paranormal more seriously. 13:07

Looking back at Saturday Night Live's hilarious 2006 parody of Yvette and Most Haunted. 17:07

"I broke wind with fear!" 18:38

Building up energy with a trusted group of people. The current Most Haunted team has been together for several years. 20:00

Yvette's tapping board and the story of the Fox Sisters in the early days of Spiritualism. 22:25

Patrick compares the UK's Most Haunted to American paranormal TV. 23:55

Yvette says she doesn't watch other paranormal TV shows. She also doesn't watch horror films. After a terrorizing investigation, she drives home listening to Mary Poppins. 26:48

"How many weeks rehearsal do you do?" A number of years ago, Yvette and her husband talked to American producers of paranormal TV. 28:24

Patrick urges American listeners to check out Most Haunted if they haven't yet. 31:25

Yvette and her husband have 76 episodes on a shelf that haven't seen the light of day, because they're "so bloody boring!" 34:20

It only takes one doubting or skeptic person to block activity from spirit. Yvette calls these people "muters." 34:57

Most Haunted almost always has Glen Hunt or another parapsychologist or openminded skeptic on every investigation. 36:53

Looking back on the 30 East Drive episode, one of the most traumatizing investigations the team has ever been on. When the Lights Went Out is a 2012 film based on events at this location. 39:16

Burns, stitches, and scars inflicted by spirits. "It can be quite a scary occupation, and a bit dangerous, as well. So you have to be careful." 48:14

Stuck in a prison cell. Looking back on the investigation at Accrington Police Station & Courts. 49:21

Patrick wants to see a crossover episode of Most Haunted here in the US, or a guest appearance by Yvette Fielding on an American paranormal TV show! It's time! 51:47

"Just before I started Most Haunted, I didn't believe in life after death. I really, really didn't, Patrick, and it really affected my life." Final thoughts from Yvette. 52:30

Outro 54:16

A special THANK YOU to Patreon supporters at the Super Paranerd and Parlor Guest level! 55:36

For more on Yvette Fielding:

Most Haunted Experience

Most Haunted: The Stage Show

Most Haunted (YouTube)

Paranormal Activity with Yvette Fielding (Podcast)

Yvette Fielding's Books on Amazon

Instagram: @realyfielding

The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at [email protected]. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! You can also call the show and leave feedback at (775) 583-5563 (or 7755-TELL-ME). I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the seance!

Have you heard about the upcoming film, The Haunting in Wicker Park, starring Erin Moriarty (The Boys) and Jamie Campbell Bower (Stranger Things)? It was inspired by the experiences of the Becker family who invited NBC News cameras to film an exorcism in their Chicago home in 1971. Hear what we've learned about this new film, and take another listen to Patrick's 2014 interview with Edwin F. Becker, who sadly passed away about a year ago. Visit BigSeance.com/239 for more info.

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In this episode:

Intro :00

Today we reach back into the Big Seance archives to re-visit the two-part interview with Edwin F. Becker in 2014, about the frightening, real-life experiences that he and his family suffered through in the early 1970s in their home in Chicago. Those experiences led to NBC's Carole Simpson filming the first televised exorcism in their home in 1971. Edwin's book, True Haunting, originated as just a journal to document it all. The accounts of the activity are just amazing, and as Patrick said in his review for the book over 10 years ago, it reads like amazing fiction… except it's not. In 2012, the Paranormal Witness series featured the Becker family in an episode titled, The Tenants, and Patrick highly recommends that you check that out, if you can. The 2-part interview for the Big Seance that we're revisiting today, was one of the first interviews Patrick had that he felt was really big, he was super proud of it, and Edwin later reached out to him to tell him that to that date it was perhaps the best interview he'd ever been a part of. :50

Sadly, Edwin died about a year ago in November of 2022. But to Patrick's surprise, today he discovered that there was a major motion picture in post-production, called The Haunting in Wicker Park, directed by Gary Fleder, and starring Jamie Campbell Bower, who played Henry Creel and Vecna in the fourth season of the Netflix series, Stranger Things. iMDb says it was supposed to be released in 2023, but 2024 is just around the corner and there are no trailers yet. There are, however, some behind-the-scenes production photos. Edwin was aware and knew about the upcoming film, because he excitedly announced it in one of his last social media posts. If you know any details about the release of the film, please let us know at [email protected]. 2:22

Audio of the historic 1971 NBC footage of the exorcism of the Becker home with journalist Carole Simpson. Thanks to Edwin, the footage exists on YouTube. The aged audio is kind of atrocious, but it's worth a listen. 5:05

The following interview was originally released in two parts in November of 2014:

Edwin F. Becker's bio. 11:06

Background on Edwin's book, True Haunting. 12:41

Edwin takes us back to 1970 and a story that begins with the purchase of an old two-story building, a home made up of two apartments, each on its own floor. 14:08

"Eddie, I'm never coming down here." Edwin brought his wife, Marsha, in to see the new home and the basement. He hoped that she would see that they could fix it up and make it into a home. She was not a fan of the basement. 21:03

Nasty fighting among the family of the deceased former owner, and a deal to keep Myra, a scary old remaining tenant for 120 days. 24:00

"We started having anomalies immediately. I believe spirits are intelligent. I don't know if they can look into your soul and see everything you've ever done, like a demon can, but I know that they can sense what you're going to do and read your mind. I learned that while we lived there, because they could anticipate my actions whenever I tried to record them on a tape recorder." 26:49

It all started with Marsha and the phone. 27:14

Edwin finally understands that there is a problem in the home, and he calls in a priest for a house blessing. It didn't go well and he bolted! 30:05

"What do you do about it?" 35:34

The mysterious sheds in the basement. 37:42

New downstairs tenants. 39:35

Runaway dogs. And Edwin borrows a tape recorder. 44:18

"But over time, what happens is you wind up walking on egg shells, number one, because you don't know what's going to actually happen next. And you don't know what to attribute to paranormal and what not to attribute to paranormal." 46:53

"…it started toying with me. That was the first time it actually turned on the gas on the stove." 50:15

"I started thinking about burning the place down." 51:25

"And ghosts lie." Paranormal investigation, Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP), and Ouija boards. 52:18

"No. I don't go ghost hunting, because you're going to walk into a room if you know there's an energy there, and you really don't know if it's a teddy bear or a raptor. And it can come home with you. There can be attachments." 54:07

Bullets and Yellow Pages. The Beckers turned to Joseph DeLouise, a famous Chicago psychic. 54:30

Turning to exorcism. 59:39

A phone call from Carole Simpson and NBC led to the first televised exorcism. 1:03:50

"But if you look in that YouTube piece at about the minute and a half mark, there will be a dark doorway. There is no door on that. It was a vinyl folding door. You're going to see a ghost start to come out and go back in briefly. You're going to think that a woman's skirt or a woman's robe or something is coming through the door. You're going to see the tip of it, solid as a rock, and then you're going to see it back off." 1:07:05

"That exorcism went on for three and a half hours, and it was very, very creepy." 1:08:25

"And then there's a clear child's voice that says, 'mama.'" 1:08:25

"If you look at the end of the exorcism, you can tell that they were not successful. You can look on their faces and they look like they just lost a basketball game by 52 points. And they left." 1:10:25

"The only thing we could do was get out of there." 1:10:43

A brief discussion of the Amityville story and that film. 1:14:55

A haunted piano. 1:17:34

Edwin's advice for anyone going through a haunting, plus current ghostly activity. 1:21:54

Edwin on orbs, photography, and Hollywood's representation of hauntings. 1:26:50

A Near Death Experience (NDE) 1:31:35

Outro 1:41:19

A special THANK YOU to Patreon supporters at the Super Paranerd and Parlor Guest level! 1:42:38

The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at [email protected]. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! You can also call the show and leave feedback at (775) 583-5563 (or 7755-TELL-ME). I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the seance!

Patrick revisits the mysterious story of Pearl Curran (1883 - 1937), the Saint Louis housewife who between 1913 and 1937, channeled entire books and other works from a spirit known as Patience Worth, and mostly through the Ouija board. Visit BigSeance.com/238 for more info.

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In this episode:

Intro :00

Patrick is planning for an upcoming speaking engagement and was looking back to some of the early episodes of the podcast. He was reminded of a short episode he produced about Pearl Curran and Patience Worth. :57

Patrick reads portions of "Patience Worth: Author From the Great Beyond" by Gioia Diliberto for Smithsonian Magazine from September of 2010. 2:20

"Speaking through a Ouija board operated by Pearl Lenore Curran, a St. Louis housewife of limited education, Patience Worth was nothing short of a national phenomenon in the early years of the 20th century. Though her works are virtually forgotten today, the prestigious Braithwaite anthology listed five of her poems among the nation's best published in 1917, and the New York Times hailed her first novel as a 'feat of literary composition.' Her output was stunning. In addition to seven books, she produced voluminous poetry, short stories, plays and reams of sparkling conversation—nearly four million words between 1913 and 1937. Some evenings she worked on a novel, a poem and a play simultaneously, alternating her dictation from one to another without missing a beat." 4:36

"The Patience Worth case remains one of the most tantalizing literary mysteries of the last century, a window onto a vanished era when magic seemed to exist because so many people believed in it. In the decades since Pearl Curran's death, in 1937, no one has explained how she produced Patience's writing." 8:32

"At first Pearl spelled out every letter with the Ouija board, but as time passed, the mere touch of her hand on the pointer loosed a flood of spoken words. Eventually, she abandoned the board entirely; a feeling of slight pressure in her head would announce Patience's arrival, and Pearl would begin reciting." 15:28

Check out the book, The Patience of Pearl: Spiritualism and Authorship in the Writings of Pearl Curran by Daniel B. Shea. 18:23

Looking back at episode 32 of the Big Seance Podcast from 2015, where Patrick reads the article, "Ghostwriter and Ghost: The Strange Case of Pearl Curran & Patience Worth" by Ed Simon, from The Public Domain Review. 18:47

Two Moms and a Baby from the article, "Ouija poet Patience Worth: 100 years and many moons later", by Jane Henderson, from the St. Louis Post Dispatch. 35:58

Outro 39:34

A special THANK YOU to Patreon supporters at the Super Paranerd and Parlor Guest level! 40:50

The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at [email protected]. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! You can also call the show and leave feedback at (775) 583-5563 (or 7755-TELL-ME). I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the seance!

In this fascinating conversation, Lisa M. Gunshore, a multifaceted spiritual guide, shares her remarkable journey. She's a tantric yogini, quantum coach, psychic medium, and she's had initiations by the Dalai Lama. Lisa discusses her near death experiences, the connection between astrology and tarot, and her favorite paranormal and spiritual tools. She also dives into her nightly lucid and often prophetic dreams, offering tips on dream recall. The episode concludes with a glimpse of her upcoming revised edition of her book, Enlightenment Pie. Visit BigSeance.com/237 for more info.

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In this episode:

Intro :00

Lisa M. Gunshore is a tantric yogini, certified quantum coach, and functional Ayurveda wellness coach with initiations by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Lisa is also a medium and shaman, and a certified yoga instructor. If that's not enough, she's a psychic medium, she has a culinary background, and she's had several Near Death Experiences. She's a blogger, she has a podcast, the Buddhist Biohacker, and a YouTube channel by the same name. She's the author of Enlightenment Pie, with a second edition is coming soon! :49

Lisa's last time on the show was in episode 176. Topics included 11:11D, Enlightenment Pie, food sensitivities, Spirit photos, and Near Death Experiences (NDEs). 1:48

Welcome back to the parlor, Lisa M. Gunshore! 2:38

Catching up with what Lisa has been up to in the last three years. 3:16

Slowing down during the pandemic, the After Death documentary (2023), surviving a hurricane, and NDEs. 8:16

Patrick brings up a fascinating episode of the Buddhist Biohacker where astrologers discuss the forecast for the United States in 2022. How does Lisa work with astrology? 12:47

The link between astrology and the tarot. 14:50

Chatting about other paranormal/spiritual tools. 19:50

"[Negative spirits] can't bother you unless you let them." 24:52

Dreaming and journals. Lisa says she has amazing lucid dreams every night. She also has prophetic dreams. She recommends a book called Conscious Dreaming by Robert Moss. 28:27

But how do you document and remember your dreams? 38:54

Mantras and using the "Hu" technique for remembering dreams. 40:32

Lisa's experiences and lessons from the Dalai Lama. 43:56

About the upcoming, revised edition of Enlightenment Pie. 58:36

Final thoughts from Lisa M. Gunshore. 1:00:20

Outro 1:03:39

A special THANK YOU to Patreon supporters at the Super Paranerd and Parlor Guest level! 1:04:56

For more on Lisa M. Gunshore

BuddhistBiohacker.com

YouTube: @BuddhistBiohacker

Instagram: @Lisa_M_Gunshore

Enlightenment Pie (Amazon)

Lisa's previous appearance on the Big Seance (Episode 176)

10/30/20 – Paranormal communication with Patrick Keller (Halloween Edition)

8/7/20 – Paranormal Communication with Patrick Keller

The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeart Radio, and YouTube. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at [email protected]. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! You can also call the show and leave feedback at (775) 583-5563 (or 7755-TELL-ME). I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the seance!

Enjoy this special look back at highlights from two different Halloween episodes from the past -- The Legends, Lore, and Symbols of Halloween, with Special Co-Host Karen A. Dahlman (2014) and Halloween Withdrawal and a LIVE Report from Trick-or-Treating (2019). Plus hear a track from Sam Haynes' new album, Haunted House Party II. Visit BigSeance.com/236 for more info.

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In this episode:

Highlights from the following two Halloween episodes from the past:

17 - The Legends, Lore, and Symbols of Halloween, with Special Co-Host Karen A. Dahlman (2014)

108 - Halloween Withdrawal and a LIVE Report from Trick-or-Treating (2019)

A special THANK YOU to Patreon supporters at the Super Paranerd and Parlor Guest level!

Check out Sam Haynes' new album, Haunted House Party on Spotify!

For more on Karen A. Dahlman

KarenADahlman.com

YouTube: @KarenADahlman

Twitter: @KarenADahlman

Facebook: @KarenADahlman

Instagram: @KarenADahlman

The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, and iHeart Radio. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at [email protected]. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! You can also call the show and leave feedback at (775) 583-5563 (or 7755-TELL-ME). I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the séance!

In this interview, Patrick once again welcomes back Karen A. Dahlman, a paranormal researcher, licensed counselor and spirit communicator. The conversation starts with a humorous incident they both shared at the Haunted Castle House in Missouri, highlighting the importance of fun in paranormal investigations. Karen introduces her book, When Cats Had Wings, co-authored with her cat, Jack, who channeled the book's content on and off the Ouija board. The book focuses on the unconditional love between cats and humans, with stunning illustrations by Maaz Farzaan. The discussion also touches on animal communication and lessons learned from various pets. And finally, Karen dispels misconceptions about the Ouija board and stresses the importance of using tools that resonate with one's strengths in paranormal research. Visit BigSeance.com/235 for more info.

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In this episode:

Intro :00

Voicemail Feedback from Kevin! You too can call the hotline at (775) 583-5563. :48

You too can become a Patreon supporter by going to Patreon.com/BigSeance. 1:48

The conversation in this episode was taken from a LIVE broadcast with Patrick and Karen A. Dahlman from last week, on October 19th. Karen A. Dahlman, MA, is an author, paranormal researcher, licensed counselor and spirit communicator. She serves as an officer and director of the Talking Board Historical Society. 2:46

"Folgers in your cup." Karen A. Dahlman returns! She starts out with a funny story she and Patrick experienced at the Haunted Castle House in Brumley, Missouri. Fun and laughter is important in paranormal investigation! 4:11

"The audio got sexier." Patrick fixes his microphone. 8:12

This interview started out "off the rails." 8:51

Patrick introduces the audience to Karen's book, When Cats Had Wings. She co-authored it with her cat, Jack! Jack actually first announced this project to the world through the Ouija board during a special episode where we had a Ouija session with Karen. 10:29

"[Jack] started the book when he was very much alive, in physical form, and then he finished it in Spirit." Karen explains how channeling can happen over the Ouija board, and how the book came about. 13:05

"Little people and big people." Jack wanted this book to be for children and adults. 16:40

The beautiful illustrations in the book are by Maaz Farzaan. 16:40

"The book is about unconditional love between our animal friends (specifically in this case, cats, the felines) and human beings." 17:47

The book was channeled on and off the board, including from a dream! 18:20

Patrick asks, "Does it work the same way with dogs?" 19:58

Animals rescue US! "It's almost like they become a master teacher for you." 21:05

Different animals or pets teach completely different lessons. 23:10

Karen's first animal communication through the board happened in 1996, with assistance from one of Karen's guides, Mary Angel. 25:15

Where you can find When Cats Had Wings. Also, get the box of Kleenex! 30:35

Patrick and Karen are going to be "pulling some shenanigans" after they die. They also share some of the pacts they have with loved ones and how they're going to communicate. 33:11

Multidimensional multitasking and communication from Rosemary Ellen Guiley. 35:20

"If I can muster an apparition, absolutely, but I'm also going to perform some classic ghost tricks. Like, I might even look for a sheet with two holes." More on Patrick's pact with his mother and how he's going to communicate to her after death. 36:55

"Fat Cookie" and the fun that Patrick and Karen have had with the Estes Method. 38:00

Karen recently interviewed one our favorite guests, Claire Broad, and on a topic we recently discussed with her. Check out Karen's conversation with Claire. 39:18

When spirits use smells and other senses to communicate. 41:50

Using Lenormand cards for animal communication, and how to move off the cards. 44:52

Trying to communicate, telepathically, with a pet. 48:46

"I call myself the walking Ouija board." 51:00

Look for those lucid dreams about your pets. 52:35

What about negative experiences with animal communication? 55:38

"It's not the tool. It's yourself." Clearing up misinformation and the negative stigma about the Ouija board. 57:30

Using the Ouija board is no different than an EVP session, using a KII meter, or a Spirit Box! 1:05:20

Use the tools that resonates with you and your strengths! If a tool doesn't seem right for you, don't use it! 1:08:20

Final thoughts from Karen A. Dahlman. 1:12:15

Outro 1:15:30

A special THANK YOU to Patreon supporters at the Super Paranerd and Parlor Guest level! 1:16:46

For more on Karen A. Dahlman

KarenADahlman.com

When Cats Had Wings on Amazon.com

YouTube: @KarenADahlman

Twitter: @KarenADahlman

Facebook: @KarenADahlman

Instagram: @KarenADahlman

Karen A. Dahlman's Previous Big Seance appearances:

204 – The 10th Anniversary of BigSeance.com and the Top 10 Podcast Episodes

199 – Dallisa Hocking's Spooky Halloween Show – Big Seance

Friday the 13th with Karen A. Dahlman! (YouTube)

174 - Best of Halloween – Big Seance

165 - Ouija Paranormal and Beyond Part 2 – Big Seance

164 - Ouija Paranormal and Beyond Part 1 – Big Seance

157 - Haunted Castle House Part Two – Big Seance

156 - Haunted Castle House Part One – Big Seance

146 - Ouija at the Haunted Lemp Mansion with Karen A. Dahlman – Big Seance

119 - A Special Listener Feedback Episode PLUS Karen A. Dahlman – The Big Seance

78 - Highlights from the 2016 Halloween Seance with Ouija Expert Karen A. Dahlman – The Big Seance

Halloween Seance 2016 with Ouija Expert Karen A. Dahlman - The Big Seance (YouTube)

57 - Highlights from the LIVE Ouija Session with Karen A. Dahlman – The Big Séance

LIVE Ouija Session with Karen A. Dahlman and The Big Séance Podcast! (YouTube)

47 - The Halloween Episode with Ghost Stories and More – The Big Séance

The Big Séance Podcast LIVE with Ouija and Karen A. Dahlman! (YouTube)

29 - The Spirit of Creativity and More Ouija with Karen A. Dahlman - Big Seance

17 - The Legends, Lore, and Symbols of Halloween, with Special Co-Host, Karen A. Dahlman - Big Seance

5- Spirits of Ouija with Karen A. Dahlman - Big Seance

The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, and iHeart Radio. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at [email protected]. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! You can also call the show and leave feedback at (775) 583-5563 (or 7755-TELL-ME). I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the séance!

In this episode, Patrick reviews a few vintage books on parapsychology and Extra-Sensory Perception (ESP), shares the spooky family stories inspired by a recent mediumship reading, and interviews longtime listener/friend/librarian Susan Davy on why you need to check out Uncanny. Uncanny, produced by Danny Robins, is an incredibly popular podcast/book/TV series from the BBC. Visit BigSeance.com/234 for more info.

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In this episode:

Intro :00

About today's episode! :51

Inspired by past guest and parapsychologist, Dr. Callum Cooper, Patrick recently read two books on parapsychology, and wanted to share his thoughts. The two books are Parapsychology: The Controversial Science (1991) by Richard S. Broughton, Ph. D. and Extra-Sensory Perception After Sixty Years: A Critical Appraisal of the Research in Extra-Sensory Perception (1940) by J.G. Pratt, J.B. Rhine, Burke M. Smith, and Charles E. Stuart. Next up is the even earlier groundbreaking book, Extra-Sensory Perception (1934) by J.B. Rhine. 1:43

Patrick recently had a mediumship reading from Jen Piwowarski, a listener who is also a budding new medium. This reading inspired some interesting stories that Patrick wanted to share with you. 6:44

The cake stand and a shattered glass: The poltergeist activity that Patrick's Great Aunt remembers from a time when he was still in the womb. 7:37

A spooky and sad story from Patrick's Great Grandma's old farmhouse. True? Embellished? The tale has passed through the family over the years. 9:02

Pour the tea for Patrick's conversation with longtime listener, librarian, and friend of the podcast, Susan Davy! 12:23

Susan was one of the very first listeners to call in and use the show's hotline! Did you know the show has a hotline? It's 1-775-583-5563. 13:23

Susan recently introduced Patrick to Danny Robins and the Uncanny. It's a book (Into the Uncanny: A Real-Life Investigation Into the Paranormal), a podcast (Uncanny), and as of this week, if you live in the UK, a new television show (Uncanny). 15:32

Susan Davy is a librarian by trade, and here's her pitch as to why Danny's work and the Uncanny is something you need to check out! 17:06

The audience is allowed to contribute to the cases in the Uncanny. Plus Room 611 and #BloodyHellKen. 21:00

For American's in particular, you'll be excited to learn that these stories aren't from the same old haunted locations. They're all new to us! 23:43

Danny Robins, a writer by trade, isn't afraid to be funny, and he podcasts from a shed. 25:55

There are two years of episodes to binge if you're just getting started! 28:26

In most episodes, Danny features at least two experts to discuss the week's story. One is usually more on the skeptic side (often Ciarán O'Keeffe), and the other tends to be more open to believing. Evelyn Hollow is one of the experts often featured, and Patrick has reached out to her for an interview. By the way, he's reached out to Danny Robins' team as well. He's gotten a response and hopes to be able to schedule an interview soon! 28:50

The Uncanny TV series just dropped on BBC Two in the UK! 31:30

UncannyCon! 33:01

Next up! Susan shares several of her own paranormal experiences, beginning with a frightening McDonalds trip that has caused her to avoid a particular bend in the road ever since! She later did research and found that reports of seeing that same apparition go back to at least 1878! 34:25

Susan describes the apparition, which reminds Patrick of an incredibly real dream from several years ago, in which he was gifted the experience of seeing a glowing apparition. 39:02

"Your Highness", a funny paranormal experience. 45:30

What's your favorite dessert? (Shoutout to Anne and Renata!) 47:40

When you're having a GREAT hair day! "I just heard, in my right ear, a mixture of what I will say is 'ha ha ha' and a belch." 51:33

A bowing, servant ghost. 54:15

Go to the library! Read a book such as This House is Haunted: The True Story of the Enfield Poltergeist by Guy Lyon Playfair, Is There An Afterlife?: A Comprehensive Overview of the Evidence by David Fontana, or The Scole Experiment: Scientific Evidence for Life After Death by Grant and Jane Solomon. 56:12

Outro 59:28

A special THANK YOU to Patreon supporters at the Super Paranerd and Parlor Guest level! 1:00:46

The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Amazon Music, and iHeart Radio. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at [email protected]. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! You can also call the show and leave feedback at (775) 583-5563 (or 7755-TELL-ME). I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the séance!