Hocus Pocus, the 1993 Disney film starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, is one of America’s most popular family films to watch around Halloween. In this delightful interview, creator/writer and producer David Kirshner dishes on the inspiration for the story, behind-the-scenes talk, and what everyone wants to know about the upcoming sequel! Plus Patrick gets a tour of David’s magical creative office space!
Jim Harold, host of The Paranormal Podcast and Jim Harold’s Campfire, is America’s top paranormal podcaster! In my interview with Jim, he shares stories from his journey, and he gives us a glimpse of his latest book, True Ghost Stories: Jim Harold’s Campfire 3.
For More on Jim Harold:
Visit: JimHarold.com
Twitter: @ParanormalPdcst
Facebook: Jim Harold
Jim’s Podcasting Course: PodcastWithJim.com
Get this episode on iTunes!
Direct Download Link
Thanks, Jim!
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The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, Google Play Music, and iHeart Radio. Please subscribe, submit a rating, or share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at Patrick@BigSeance.com. 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!
My readers know that I’m a fan of good books written by psychics/mediums. Right now I’m in the middle of The Gift: Understand and Develop Your Psychic Abilities by Echo Bodine, which was a book that Chip Coffey suggested to an audience member when I saw him this last fall.
In her book, Echo includes a section called “A Special Note to Teenagers”, where she talks about how teens should probably not be encouraged to develop their psychic abilities or gifts, because of how challenging being a teenager can be already. According to her inner voice, this isn’t a good idea because it would just be too much for them.
Keep in mind that this book was written ten years ago, and that Bodine isn’t suggesting we not be supportive of teens and their psychic abilities or gifts… just that they shouldn’t be encouraged to develop these gifts further… I guess. Even so, I was shocked by what she was suggesting.
So I’ll just put it out there. I disagree completely. As a middle school teacher for twelve years now, I’ve seen students overcome so many obstacles, and prove that they’re wise beyond their years. I’ve also seen that, in general, we have much to learn from most young people. Who are we to decide to hold them back from developing the exceptional gifts that they may have been given?
I’m interested in your thoughts on this. What do you think?
Children who have spirit friends (Big Séance)
Was it a Ghost? A Sliver of a Very Early Memory. (Big Séance)
Yesterday’s Moment (Big Séance)
I realize that probably a very small amount of my readers are from my hometown of Lexington, Missouri, but I would still like to reflect on an amazing new book by the late Roger E. Slusher and the Lexington Historical Association. Images of America: Lexington kept me from going to bed at a decent hour two nights in a row… and it started the second I picked it up off my doorstep. I stared at the pictures. I compared the pictures. I pulled up current locations on Google Maps. And I did a lot of imagining.
Growing up in Lexington, as a child you quickly learn about the Civil War battle that took place there. For me, I was always specifically interested in the history of the buildings, what was where, what used to be, etc. I wonder what my now small and quiet hometown was like when it was the third largest city in the state, hustling and bustling with four colleges at one point, theaters and opera houses, an entire block full of saloons, headquarters for the Pony Express, factories, coal mines… the list goes on. I’ve seen a lot of the local photo collections that people have put together over the years, but I hadn’t seen so many of the photos in this book. Many of the photos are aerial or taken from the City Hall dome, and they are breathtaking. (I only wish they would have chosen one of the beautiful street photos for the cover.) When you think of the historic Main Street and Franklin, you think about the old buildings that still exist being the original structures. Then I find out that many of these beautiful and historical buildings were not the first to be on those lots. And there were blocks and blocks of buildings, neighborhoods, farms, and homes that just aren’t there anymore. If I went back in a time machine to the mid to late 1800s, I’m quite sure I would not be able to find my way around.
Lexingtonians know that there is something special about their town, but this book helps you to realize just how important those remaining gems of buildings and locations are. Lexington has unfortunately lost a few of these gems this year. I suppose these things are just bound to happen with the passing of time, but I wonder if residents felt the same loss when they lost buildings a hundred or more years ago? It also kind of makes you wonder if 100 years from now people will be fighting to save the historic Pizza Hut, the last remaining Sonic Drive-In in the nation, or the beautiful and historic Woodland Creek district. Or like many cities in the early 1900s, will we not recognize the future value of our neighborhoods and just bulldoze them down to build new?
Fascinating book! If you’re in town, you can pick one up at The River Reader today!
The Battle of Lexington & The Anderson House
The Cannonball and the Courthouse
Final Paranormal Investigation Report of Papa Jack’s Pizza
Machpelah Cemetery, Lexington, Missouri
Forest Grove Cemetery, Lexington, Missouri
Old Catholic Cemetery, Lexington, Missouri
Hey folks! I’m on page 218 of the first volume of House of Darkness House of Light, the true story of the events that happened in the movie The Conjuring, written by Andrea Perron, the oldest daughter. I’ve got to be honest. I was initially intimidated by the size of these books (the third and final book is yet to come), but at this point I’m pretty sure that there’s virtually no chance of me not buying into all three volumes. I’ve been sucked into the story all weekend, and I’ve not been able to think of anything else in the last two days. It is such a good book!
Early on in their story, not long after moving in, the Perrons experienced supernatural and never-ending amounts of flies that seemed to come from nowhere. This was in the middle of a very cold and snowy winter. No amount of swatting or extermination could solve their problem. It was making them crazy, and along with other bone-chilling events, it was gradually tearing a family apart.
Most likely, when you think of flies and hauntings, you think of the famous scene from the movie The Amityville Horror from 1979. Usually when I hear someone describe flies as being a sign of a haunting, I get the instant urge to roll my eyes. You won’t find many “experts” in the paranormal who are willing to validate flies as being harbingers of things to come in a haunted location, though Lorraine Warren supposedly told Mrs. Perron that this was the case. Referring to their nasty fly situation, Warren is quoted in the book as saying “You can’t really kill what’s already dead.” In The Conjuring, James Wan apparently chose to nod to Alfred Hitchcock and use birds as a harbinger, rather than flies. It could be that birds play a role in the book as well, but I haven’t gotten there yet. I’ll admit I’m conflicted. It just seems so Hollywood to me… and like talk of “demons” (which I’m sure I’ll be discussing soon), it seems to require a certain kind of religious belief that I don’t usually buy into. But I’ve done lots of researching into this story and the Perrons recently, and unlike the questionable history of the Amityville haunting, and though I don’t know the family personally (though I’ve enjoyed recently being connected with Andrea on Facebook), I really believe their story. So here it is. I feel like I have to tell you that all of this is really making me re-think my position on evil harbinger flies.
Thoughts? Experiences? Fly swatter recommendations?
The Conjuring Movie Review (Big Séance)
True Haunting: Reads Like Fiction… But it’s Not! (Big Séance)
Andrea Perron’s House of Darkness House of Light trilogy (Big Séance)
I’m not exactly sure why I find books by mediums so fascinating. Actually, that’s not true. I admire mediums… and as someone who is obsessed with learning about spirit communication and the afterlife, I’m envious of their ability to reach out to the Other Side, often helping souls, both living and deceased, at the same time. Sometimes when I read a string of books that are so serious or about paranormal research or something heavy, I just end up needing to put whatever I’m reading down. I end up breaking my rule, which is to never start a new book when there’s one that still needs to be finished. And it’s like a breath of fresh air. Messenger Between Worlds: True Stories from a Psychic Medium by Kristy Robinett was my most recent breath of fresh air.
About five months ago I discussed Kristy Robinett here on the blog after hearing her interview on a podcast. I found that just listening to her was a comforting experience. She is so very genuine, she has a beautiful personality, and she has some fascinating stories. Her book was teased in the interview at that time, but I had to wait months since it was released only a few weeks ago. It was well worth the wait.
From the back of the book:
At the age of three, Kristy Robinett predicted her grandmother’s death. When she was eight, the spirit of her deceased grandfather helped her escape from a would-be kidnapper. This captivating, powerful memoir is filled with unforgettable scenes: spot-on predictions, countless spirit visits at home and school, menacing paranormal activity, and Kristy’s first meeting with two spirit guides who became her constant allies. Born into a strict religious family, Kristy believed she was cursed and hid her psychic abilities for many years. Over time, she learned to use her talent to do good in the world, and now she has decided to share her incredible story. Follow Kristy’s emotional journey through a difficult childhood, stormy marriages, conflict with faith, job loss, and illness—and the hard-won lessons that opened her heart to true love and acceptance of her unique gift.
My emotions took a few turns while following Kristy’s journey, and I think most readers can relate to many of the struggles. Throughout the first half of the book, I found myself frustrated that not only was she often not treated kindly, but not accepted for who she was and the reluctant gift that she was given. I think that’s why for a long time she couldn’t find herself. But it’s easy to cheer her on. Haven’t we all had those “what am I SUPPOSED TO BE when I grow up” moments? I’m 35 and I’m still having them. I think we all want to land on the right track. Some of us don’t know we’re on the wrong track, and some of us know but we’re not entirely sure what train to hop and where it’s going… and how to pay for the ticket… and what will be waiting for us when we get to that mysterious destination, anyway? Well I found myself smiling and truly happy for her as she took a giant risk and bravely jumped onto the right track for the rest of her journey… and because she’s so young, there’s a lot of track left, with plenty of stories yet to tell. Okay, enough trains. But seriously, I look forward to reading about the next part of the journey.
Yes, the book is about the medium author herself, but if you’re wanting the stories of spirit communication in her readings, of helping to solve cold cases, of the conversations with spirit guides, don’t worry. If you’re looking for validation from the various messages she gets, it’s here. Those beautiful moments, the heartfelt stories, the changed lives… those gems can be found throughout as well.
I truly loved it! Thanks for being brave enough to share you life with us, Kristy!
If you haven’t heard or seen Kristy Robinett, I wanted to give you the chance to see and hear her below. The first is video of a recent radio show appearance that I enjoyed. Below that is Kristy’s appearance from this last October on the Ricki Lake Show. Kristy has several other videos online. For more info, visit KristyRobinett.com.
The Conjuring Movie Review
Running with the Bulls
Death Perception
Not a lot of structure today. I’m just going to blab a bit. Care to listen? Currently I am reading We Don’t Die: A Skeptic’s Discovery of Life After Death by Sandra Champlain, one of the books from my Five Books for Summer 2013. I just finished a section that the author wrote about her journey into remote viewing, and bells went off in my head (not the paranormal kind) telling me that this was a great topic for a blog! According to the International Remote Viewing Association (IRVA) website, Remote Viewing is the “mental faculty that allows a perceiver (a ‘viewer’) to describe or give details about a target that is inaccessible to normal senses due to distance, time, or shielding”. This is a practice that can apparently be learned by anyone and does not require a psychic or medium because it doesn’t involve channeling or the help of a spirit entity of any kind. It is also different from the practice of astral travel or astral projection because a “viewer” apparently “remote views” in a fully aware and awakened, conscious state. Remote viewing doesn’t have to be what a group of people do in a secret room while trying to obtain secret information from other countries, but can also simply be trying to correctly identify what’s in your mailbox before opening it, or even describing the details of the next page in a magazine before flipping it.
In reading both the author’s suggested exercises and the “how to” link from the IRVA site, I was reminded of the exercises in the books Astral Projection by John Magnus and definitely Know Yourself by Patricia Hayes. When I read Astral Projection a few years ago, I remember very clumsily attempting to astrally get out of bed (without the use of my body, of course) to identify objects on my night stand and attempting to read out of the book that was there. I remember even being disturbed by the fact that it was possible for anyone to astral travel into my home. What?! I wasn’t very far into my spiritual shift at that time and so this book seemed really heavy and far out. I do recall having some intense dreams during the time that I read this book, but I just wasn’t ready for astral travel yet. It’s on my list of books to reread at some point.
Know Yourself is out of print and very hard to find (check for used copies on Amazon or eBay), but it’s almost written as if it’s a text for a course on psychic development. Patricia Hayes collaborated and learned from Arthur Ford in the 1960s and 70s and has since founded Delphi University with her husband. Delphi offers courses in Healing, Metaphysics, Psychic Training, Transpersonal Psychology, and Spiritual and Intuitive Development. Boy would I LOVE to get my hands on any of her Delphi texts or materials.
In thinking about remote viewing, I also think back to exercises from the channeling course I took from psychic medium Marilyn Painter. Trying to correctly identify items in a paper bag. Holding a stone or crystal and feeling and describing the energy it has… psychometry stuff.
I can’t say that I’ve been incredibly successful with a lot of things like this that I’ve researched and tried over the last several years, but remote viewing is one that seems so interesting. Of course, in books they make these things sound SO SIMPLE! Even so, I think I’ll find a partner and experiment sometime.
I’ve strayed a bit from astral travel today… I followed my mind where it wanted to go. Want to get right back on topic? Check out the video below. It is a video about remote viewing that can be found on the IRVA website. But before I go… have you experienced or tried remote viewing?
ESP Trainer (Big Séance)
How To Experiment with Remote Viewing (paranormal.about.com)
Russell Targ (ESPResearch.com)
Recently I shared a list of books for summer reading. From that list, Running with the Bulls was the one that I was the most excited to jump into… and as soon as it landed on my doorstep, that is just what I did.
The book did not disappoint, but it wasn’t really what I was expecting it to be either. Two weeks after 9/11, Joseph R. Lani, now a retired NYPD detective sergeant, was assigned to help command the Staten Island landfill where all of the debris from ground zero was taken. Detectives and federal agents sifted through every pile of rubble, searching for human remains, personal items, the black boxes from the planes, and anything relevant to the investigation. It was a giant crime scene. It was also where Mr. Lani suffered a heart attack due to stress, forcing him to retire. According the author, the combination of some powerful post 9/ll experiences and his heart attack resulted in him developing mediumistic abilities.
You’d think that this book would focus on the landfill and the author’s experiences around the time of 9/11, but the great majority of the book is really a memoir of his career leading up to his current experiences as a medium. Honestly, I would normally be the last person to get into a book about the NYPD or crime, etc., but I found myself really interested in his next career move, the move to the next precinct, the promotions, the embarrassing stories, and the amazing (and some terrifying) stories of bravery! It gives you a secret peek into the mind of the heroes that protect us every day, and I developed a renewed appreciation for these men and women.
At 199 pages, Running with the Bulls is an easy read with short chapters (Since I am a fan of breaking up my reading throughout the day, I LOVE short chapters.) and 39 photos throughout the book. And actually, this brings me to the only frustration I had with this book. Several of the photos supposedly contain supernatural elements, and some of them I either just don’t see or am skeptical of what he claims is there… but looking at an actual photo as opposed to a black and white reprint in a book could be a whole different experience, I’m sure. Weird pictures aside, I really loved the book, and I think Joseph R. Lani would be a fun person to hang out with and learn from!
The author can be contacted by visiting his website at theghostcop.com.
Messages: Signs, Visits, and Premonitions from Loved Ones Lost on 9/11
Shirley MacLaine has written several books, but the autobiographical Out On a Limb (1983) is the first book that really goes “out there” as she lets you follow her search for inner truth. If you not only go back a bit in time, but also think about the massive career that Shirley had built by this moment, it’s not hard to understand that she had a lot to lose by “coming out” to the public about her enlightenment. It’s not really a short read, and it’s not light and fluffy either. But I suspect many Big Séance readers can relate to much of what is in this book.
There are a few initial chance meetings that introduce Shirley to topics like reincarnation, mediumship, and aliens/UFOs. I found it interesting to hear her talk about her hunger for learning and finding information through books. She couldn’t stop reading and searching for answers. This is how I felt when I began what I’ve often called my “spiritual shift” several years ago. This blog has been a continuation of this shift. It took what seems like forever for Shirley to really accept some of these concepts. There were times she was downright skeptical and wouldn’t just take one person’s explanation or even one personal experience as proof. And the biggest moment that I could relate to happened after spending two and a half heavy and dramatic weeks in Peru with a friend and teacher. She became overwhelmed. The spiritual truths and learning was all too much and was happening so fast. I flagged this paragraph in the book.
“I spent the next few days walking and thinking. Sometimes David came with me, sometimes not. Sometimes I wanted to go home, back to America, back to the familiarity of my old world with its fast-paced involvement, its clanking relationships, its unrealistic romance, all the rushing with no seeming purpose–the events, the news, the arts, movies, hits, flops, sweat, hard work, black humor, competition, new fashions, profits, color TV, and success. I missed it all. I was used to it. I had survived in its colorful confusion, and I missed it. But I didn’t want to be unfulfilled in it anymore either. I watched the woman with no teeth wash her clothes by stamping on them with her feet. They came out clean. The clothes, I mean. (Probably the feet, too.) That’s what I wanted to do with my life… stamp on it until it came out clean. Could I go back to my old world now? Would I be two people? Was I more than one person anyway? I stopped and laughed right there. That was the whole lesson, wasn’t it? I was all the people I had ever lived. I had probably been through versions of this brain drain more than a few times before.”
How many of us have experienced this? I know I did. I still do sometimes. Well according to her book, it didn’t take long for her to snap out of the confusion. You might say that since then she’s been one of the few Hollywood faces of the paranormal/spiritual. Her site has the following as a part of their mission.
“The objective of our center is to afford visitors of all ages the ability [to] explore and interact with the myriad of alternative views relating to Spirit, Mind, and Body. These are vast realities that range from the very human concerns of health, well being, aging, and alternative therapies, to universal topics of extraterrestrials, UFOs and phenomenon, to our delicate environment, to life after life, and the spiritual truths of the Divine that each of us is striving to connect with.”
For those in a younger generation that may only know her as playing the role of Martha Levinson on the hit PBS series Downton Abbey (AhhhhMAZING show!), below is Shirley’s Oscar acceptance speech for the amazing film, Terms of Endearment in 1984, a year after Out On a Limb was released. In it, she makes a joke about past lives, but she also talks about there being no such thing as accidents and that we all manifest what we want. I love it and I’ve watched it several times. Just look at the amazing talents and personalities that are shown. The ending of her speech is classic. This video started me out on one of those endless labyrinths of addictive videos that kept me from sleeping. I’m only slightly embarrassed to admit that this same all-night obsession has happened in the past with Esther Williams and Gloria Swanson. Anyway, view at your own risk.
Unfortunately, Shirley has most recently been in the news after her daughter, Sachi Parker, wrote and released a book Lucky Me: My Life With — and Without — My Mom, Shirley MacLaine. In the book, Parker apparently claims that Shirley was an absentee mom.
The 1986 TV Miniseries Out On a Limb based on the book
Shirley MacLaine Chose Career Over Me, Daughter Says (ABC News)
Coming Out of the Paranormal/Spiritual Closet
Communicating with Dead Celebrities and the Famous
I’m here to tell you that if you’re checking out this blog, chances are you will absolutely love this book! I’m not even finished with it and I’m totally ready to recommend it. I’m not ashamed to admit that I often fall for book covers, and this one is beautiful, but all I needed was the title this time. And then when I saw the quote by James Van Praagh, I knew for sure that this book would be rushed to my doorstep in two days time.
The author, Bonnie McEneaney, lost her husband in the events on 9/11. Years later, after getting to know other folks who lost loved ones on the same day, she realized that there were so many beautiful examples and stories of loved ones leaving signs, messages, etc. I am so happy that Bonnie put the work and effort into collecting these stories for a book.
Sure, you’ll be touched by the feelings of great loss, but you won’t be dragged through the events of the tragic day. The awesome part is that every single story (and there are so many!) leaves you with the same feel-good confidence that our loved ones are still with us when they leave the physical.
Click HERE for an excerpt of Messages: Signs, Visits, and Premonitions from Loved Ones Lost on 9/11 by Bonnie McEneaney.
Here’s a book description.
Bonnie with her husband, Eamon, who was killed in the World Trade Center on 9/11/01.
When Bonnie McEneaney’s husband, Eamon, died in the attacks on the World Trade Center, she thought she had lost him forever. And then something unexpected happened that would shake her to the core and reassure her that her husband was still with her. As Bonnie reveals in this groundbreaking book, she began to have experiences that convinced her that her husband, in spirit, was sending her signs, indeed messages, that he was still present and watching over his family.
A mother and former business executive, Bonnie was always the rational one, and quite skeptical of the spiritual world and all that it represents, but after talking to a number of other families and friends of loved ones lost on 9/11, she realized she was not alone.
Numerous others connected to the tragedy—from financial executives to stay-at-home moms—described their own experiences: premonitions, signs, dreams, visitations, and communications through mediums and psychics. Bonnie began recording their compelling stories in a groundbreaking four-year-long project, illuminating the power of love and the unbreakable bond love creates.
Now, in Messages, she shares these miraculous spiritual stories while weaving in her own heartfelt message of comfort and hope for all those who are searching for their own deeper connections, proving that love and relationships can continue after death.
— From the publisher’s website.
Do You Have a Plan for Afterlife Communication?
