Paranormal Lens - A Crossroads Of Curiosities, LLC Production

This is a rare, completely off-the-cuff and unplanned episode of Paranormal Lens. While prepping for a totally different episode, we got the longest, most specific and frantic Instagram DM ever on our main Crossroads of Curiosities page. It was from a frightened homeowner begging for us to come and rid an alleged "demon" from their home, that was scratching her children and attacking her husband. Unlike most paranormal groups out there though, we don't take on residential cases. And in this raw conversation, we explain why. We discuss all of our concerns regarding residential cases, ranging from the ethical to the psychological.

GEMINI Summary: This episode of Paranormal Lens features hosts Ben, Angela, and Brienna discussing why their team maintains a strict policy against taking on residential paranormal cases (1:17-1:26). The discussion was sparked by an intense, frantic message from a homeowner requesting help with a situation they believed to be demonic (0:53-1:03).

Key reasons for their policy include:

Lack of Expertise and Qualifications: The team emphasizes that they are not "paranormal experts." They highlight that there is no such thing as an expert in this field and warn against those who claim otherwise to gain money or attention (0:01-0:13, 20:14-20:51).

Ethical and Safety Concerns: The hosts discuss the risks of entering a stranger's home, citing safety concerns for themselves—especially as young adults—and the potential for encountering volatile situations that require professional mental health or environmental help rather than paranormal investigation (18:14-19:42).

The "Quick Fix" Fallacy: They argue that it is misleading and unethical to promise families a resolution, such as "cleansing" a home or "sending a spirit to the light," after only a single night of investigation. They believe such claims are often deceptive or based on misinterpretations of data (12:14-13:11, 16:14-17:14).

Nuanced Perspectives: The hosts reject the idea that all haunting activity is inherently "demonic" or "evil," suggesting that much of it may be misunderstood, psychological, or simply environmental in nature (3:06-3:40, 11:36-11:53).

Ultimately, the team explains that when they do receive these requests, they politely decline and suggest that individuals seek help from local resources that align with their personal beliefs or professional psychological support (7:29-8:02, 25:52-26:42).

This episode of Paranormal Lens dives into the eerie world of ritual “games,” including the infamous Hooded Man Ritual and the unsettling legend of Baby Blue, Blue Baby (which co-hosts Ben and Angela actually attempted on their 2nd date). Are these games merely modern folklore, or do intention, belief, and repetition open the door to something genuinely unexplained? This episode explores where imagination ends and where something else might begin...

GEMINI SUMMARY: This episode of Paranormal Lens explores the eerie world of ritual "games," modern folklore dares or challenges that require specific steps to contact the supernatural. The co-hosts discuss these rituals, including a terrifying attempt Angela and Ben made together on their 2nd date.

Key Highlights:

The Hooded Man Ritual (2:12): Ben describes this ritual, which involves summoning an entity to drive you to the "other world" in a black cab. Despite a danger level of two (according to the Paranormal Rituals Wiki), Ben notes the steps are highly specific and seemingly impossible to fulfill in the modern world (15:33).

Baby Blue, Blue Baby (19:53): Angela and Ben recount attempting this ritual, which involves summoning an angry ghost baby in a dark bathroom. The ritual requires balancing the weight of a ghost baby and involves specific rules to avoid being scratched or killed by the baby's mother (25:53).

Egregore & Belief (7:10): The hosts discuss the concept of an egregore, a thoughtform created by collective belief, suggesting that rituals can become genuinely dangerous if enough people believe in them and put intent into the actions (33:53).

On this episode of Paranormal Lens: we give a free-wheeling recap of the incredible 10th annual MidWest WeirdFest we attended in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

A slew of behind-the-scenes stories that honestly sound too weird to be true take center stage in this episode, as our trip to the MidWest WeirdFest turns into a whirlwind of uncanny encounters and bizarre coincidences. From strange interactions with people who seemed to know a little too much, to mind-blowing synchronicities that lead to even more mysteries of Jacques being revealed... we unpack the eerie energy surrounding the festival itself while also highlighting some of its standout films:

The Philip Experiment - https://thephilipexperiment.com

The Hole Story - https://www.facebook.com/TheHoleStoryMovie/

The Mid-Night Driver - https://www.instagram.com/alex_cherney/

Seven: The Mystery Of Jacques - https://paraflixx.vhx.tv/seven-the-mystery-of-jacques

GEMINI Summary: This episode of Paranormal Lens provides a recap of the 10th annual MidWest WeirdFest in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, highlighting the eerie energy of the city and various uncanny encounters (4:54). The hosts discuss their experiences at a haunted motel (5:17) and an antique store (Mabel's) where they encountered a strange mannequin (11:55).

The conversation covers several standout films from the festival:

The Philip Experiment (32:21): A film exploring the concept of creating a ghost through collective belief, known as an egregor. The Hole Story (22:15): A documentary paired with the hosts' own film, Seven: The Mystery Of Jacques. The Mid-Night Driver (38:53): A horror film loosely based on the Hooded Man ritual.

Finally, they discuss future plans to turn their short film, Seven: The Mystery Of Jacques, into a feature film (47:35), fueled by real-life synchronicities and local legends. After the film screening, a stranger looked into Ben's eyes in the light and claimed that "there were 27 in Jacques" but "there's still five inside of you" (50:08 - 50:27)...

On this long-awaited episode of Paranormal Lens: we dive deep into music and the paranormal. We discuss the popular Singapore Theory, which proposes that playing familiar music could trigger paranormal activity. We also discuss music as a ritual; how it might heal or help the potential entities present; and why old theaters and opera houses are so haunted.

This episode is dedicated to all the Swifties out there.

GEMINI Summary: This episode of Paranormal Lens explores the intersection of music and the paranormal, specifically diving into the Singapore Theory, which suggests that playing familiar music can trigger paranormal activity (0:14). The hosts discuss music as a universal language that can transcend the mortal realm and act as a connector to spirits (1:36).

Key Themes Discussed:

Music as a Trigger (Singapore Theory): (23:18) The hosts discuss how playing familiar music or audio clips relevant to a location's history can evoke responses from entities, referencing an investigation at the Howell Opera House (9:31) and a cemetery investigation involving Beethoven (10:02).

Emotional Energy in Theaters: (3:33) The intense emotional energy generated by concerts and plays in old theaters and opera houses is proposed as a reason for their high rates of haunting.

Spirits and Emotions: (3:07) Spirits might be attracted to or communicate through the emotions and frequencies invoked by music.

Music Therapy and Healing: (5:49) The conversation explores whether music can heal spirits, similar to how it works for the living, highlighting the Eloise Asylum (6:20) and suggesting unorthodox tests like playing musical chairs with spirits (7:19).

Future Paranormal Research: (27:46) The hosts plan to use immersive technologies, like 360-degree cameras and surround sound, to project historical audio and visuals onto modern spaces to test these theories.

On this BIG episode of Paranormal Lens, we finally tackle America's favorite cryptid in-depth. Is Bigfoot really an elusive unknown creature? Or could it just be a bear? Or a hairy man? Or maybe Bigfoot is really an inter-dimensional being! And why is there a correlation between areas with a high Furry population and frequent Bigfoot sightings???

This episode is a doozy, and might just serve as the inspiration for the next blockbuster smash-hit "Jacques vs. Bigfoot."

Hollywood producers, you know where to find us: [email protected]

GEMINI Summary: This episode of the Paranormal Lens podcast features a lighthearted, non-serious discussion about Bigfoot, exploring whether the famous cryptid is a physical creature, a spiritual entity, or something else entirely (0:00-0:25). The hosts debate the lack of hard evidence despite numerous sightings, joking that Bigfoot might actually be a very hairy lost man or even a furry in a costume (1:52-4:43, 11:54-13:25).

Highlights of the discussion include:

Michigan Bigfoot: The hosts discuss Bigfoot's role as a mascot for Michigan's wilderness and share a humorous story about a local man in Midland, Michigan, who leaves pizza boxes as offerings for Bigfoot, leading to national news coverage and DNA testing on pizza box hair (3:01-3:37, 24:43-25:45).

Interdimensional Theories: The conversation shifts to more esoteric theories, suggesting Bigfoot could be an interdimensional being or a spirit (10:02-10:41).

The "Summoning" Debate: Host Angela proposes summoning Bigfoot like a spirit, leading to a humorous role-playing scenario about calling the police to report a Bigfoot inside an apartment (34:36-39:53).

On this episode of Paranormal Lens: we discuss a recent Estes Method session that caught us all off guard, because it was conducted... telepathically. What are the implications of this session? Is telepathy real? And if so, what does it mean about psychic phenomena and the paranormal at large?

"Pere Cheney: Plague In The Pines" is now streaming on PARAFlixx: https://paraflixx.vhx.tv/pere-cheney-plague-in-the-pines-paraflixx-paranormal-plus

On this episode of Paranormal Lens: we discuss the superstition, lore, and perceived risks surrounding whistling in the woods at night. Could merely whistling alert something supernatural to your presence? The conversation also veers (or as Brie calls it, "devolves") to discuss Bigfoot calls and their effectiveness. This episode has a little bit of everything, including references to our recent projects "Pere Cheney: Plague In The Pines" and "Seven: The Mystery of Jacques"!

GEMINI SUMMARY: This episode discusses the superstition and perceived risks of whistling in the woods at night (0:00). The hosts share their varying opinions on whether whistling can attract supernatural entities (1:33), referencing folklore from different cultures (1:57) and the idea of whistling as a universal invitation (4:40).

Key points from the discussion include:

Personal Experiences with Whistling (1:41): One host accidentally whistles frequently, while another avoids it in the woods.

The "Invitation" Theory (4:25): The idea that whistling acts as a call or invitation to unknown entities, akin to a universal language (4:55).

The Pere Cheney Cemetery Incident (9:06): A detailed account of an experience during filming where both groups spontaneously started whistling at the same time in a haunted location, followed by coyotes howling (11:30).

Bigfoot and Dogman Whistling (14:12): The conversation "devolves" into a discussion about Bigfoot and Dogman calls that incorporate whistling, raising questions about the existence and nature of these cryptids (14:26).

Fear and Activity (29:45): The theory that being scared while whistling can influence paranormal activity due to the energy generated by fear.

Individual Discretion (30:31): The hosts conclude that ultimately, the decision to whistle in the woods at night is up to the individual and their comfort level with potential risks.

"Pere Cheney: Plague In The Pines" is NOW STREAMING on Paraflixx: https://paraflixx.vhx.tv/pere-cheney-plague-in-the-pines-paraflixx-paranormal-plus

The legend of Pere Cheney has long been one of Michigan’s most talked-about ghost stories. With the help of the local historical society, this documentary offers a fresh and entirely new perspective on Pere Cheney’s haunted history.

By separating fact from folklore, putting real names to long-muddied legends, and uncovering a historical discovery that changes everything, the film reexamines what we truly know about this infamous piece of Michigan folklore.

GEMINI SUMMARY: This special episode discusses our latest documentary "Pere Cheney: Plague In The Pines," (0:43) which explores the history and paranormal phenomena of Pere Cheney, a well-known Michigan ghost town. (1:28)

The discussion covers:

Pere Cheney's History: The town was once a bustling village (2:30) with 1,500 residents that served as a county seat. (2:34) It declined after two diphtheria outbreaks (2:49) and was eventually burned down by people who believed it was cursed, leaving only 18 residents. (3:51)

The Cemetery: All that remains of the town is its cemetery (4:36) and some building foundations. (4:45) The cemetery's headstones were heavily vandalized, (5:26) leaving only five or six readable names. (5:32) The historical society revealed that the cemetery was originally four times larger than what is visible today, with many graves extending into the woods, including a lost mass grave. (28:56)

Paranormal Experiences & Technical Issues: The hosts share numerous paranormal encounters that did not make it into the film, such as a child apparition (7:34) and a "monster" sighting on the railroad tracks. (29:25) They also experienced recurring technical difficulties (8:50) while filming and editing, including corrupted footage (9:31) and internet outages (11:42) that they attribute to the location's haunted nature.

The "Witch" Folklore: The documentary aims to separate fact from folklore, specifically addressing the legend of a witch who allegedly cursed the town. (3:25) The film intentionally minimizes the "witch" narrative (23:08) because it is not historically verifiable. (23:26) The hosts mention a "witch's tree" (23:47) or stump where the witch was supposedly hanged, but historical accounts vary, and they encountered odd weather phenomena when investigating it. (25:55)

Filming Challenges and Goals: The film is feature-length (0:53) and was made in collaboration with A Non Sasquatch Production, What Goes Bump In The Night, and the Crawford County Historical Society. (1:22) Many paranormal occurrences and pieces of evidence were excluded from the final cut (14:38) to prioritize the historical narrative and create a cohesive story. (18:29) The documentary aims to shed light on Pere Cheney's overlooked history (20:25) and a significant historical discovery, which is revealed in the film. (38:32)

In this free-wheeling "old-school" episode of Paranormal Lens: We bring the FUN back to ghost hunting! What are the benefits of bringing joy, laughter, comradely, and fantasy to the haunted spaces we investigate? Brienna also educates us on the nuances and misunderstood history of Dungeons & Dragons; and we come up with a pretty interesting Stranger Things theory that surprisingly explains the lackluster ending (and excuses the Duffer Brothers in the process).

GEMINI SUMMARY: This episode of Paranormal Lens highlights the benefits of bringing fun and games to ghost hunting (0:00). The hosts discuss how playing games like Dungeons & Dragons (6:07) or "haunted" Jenga (25:38) can positively impact paranormal investigations.

Key discussion points include:

The "Man Eyes" ordeal (0:00-1:52): The hosts open with a humorous anecdote about Ben's inability to find a specific comment, leading to a playful discussion about "man eyes" and stereotypes (2:00-3:04).

Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons (4:49-6:51): The conversation shifts to the show Stranger Things and its connection to Dungeons & Dragons, including a theory about the show's ending (19:12).

D&D and the Satanic Panic (7:57-14:20): The hosts delve into the historical misunderstanding of Dungeons & Dragons, particularly how it was linked to the "satanic panic" of the 1980s.

Bringing fun to ghost hunting (22:53-26:30): Inspired by a comment, the hosts explore the idea that joy and fantasy might help spirits wandering haunted spaces. They share their experience with "haunted" Jenga (25:38) and how excitement during the game seemed to feed paranormal activity.

The importance of fun (27:47-28:26): The episode concludes with a call to bring more fun and games into paranormal investigations and everyday life, emphasizing that not everything needs to be serious.

In honor of Groundhog Day, we discuss strange "glitches" in the memory matrix: the Mandela Effect, deja vu, and the Backrooms. Come break your brains with us, as we analyze some of our favorite memory mind-f*cks!

GEMINI SUMMARY: This episode of Paranormal Lens discusses strange "glitches" in the memory matrix, such as the Mandela Effect and deja vu, relating them to the movie Groundhog Day (0:00-1:30).

Key discussion points include:

Deja Vu Experiences (1:55): The hosts share their experiences with deja vu. Brie and Angela both mention feeling like they've been in certain places before, even if they haven't (2:35-3:33).

The Backrooms Phenomenon (5:21): They discuss the concept of the "Backrooms" and if they've experienced similar disorienting feelings of being lost in a mundane, never-ending space. Brie shares a childhood experience in her church that felt like a "backroom" moment (5:50-6:30).

Mandela Effect Examples (9:42): The hosts delve into various examples of the Mandela Effect:

South America's Map Location (10:52): Angela recalls South America being directly south of North America, differing from its current southeast position on maps (12:21). The discussion highlights how map projections can cause such distortions (12:30-13:20).

Monopoly Man's Monocle (19:30): Ben and Brie recall the Monopoly Man having a monocle, but he does not in reality (19:34).

"Possession Tape" vs. "Possession Tapes" (20:51): Ben points out that their own film title, "Possession Tape," is often misremembered with an "S" at the end (21:07).

Fruit of the Loom Logo (23:41): They discuss the popular belief that the Fruit of the Loom logo used to feature a cornucopia, which the company denies (24:45).

Berenstain/Stein Bears and Looney Tunes (26:46): The common confusion over the spelling of "Berenstain Bears" (E vs. A) and "Looney Tunes" (U vs. OO) are brought up (27:10).

Theories on Mandela Effect (30:04): They offer theories for the Mandela Effect, ranging from changes in marketing and improved imaging technology to childhood memories being inaccurate, or even the idea of shifting universes/timelines (30:09-33:05). The Nelson Mandela example, where many recall him dying in prison before he actually did, is presented as the most puzzling (31:10-32:00).