Lots of Halloween spooky goodness, with special guests, including Jim Harold of the Paranormal Podcast and Jim Harold’s Campfire! This episode is jam packed with ghost stories and more!
In Part 2 of 2, Edwin F. Becker shares his story of the very real haunting experiences that he and his family experienced in 1970. The story, which involves the very first televised exorcism by NBC, and was featured on an episode of Paranormal Witness, is told in his bestselling book,True Haunting.
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!
In Part 1 of 2, Edwin F. Becker shares his story of the very real haunting experiences that he and his family experienced in 1970. The story, which involves the very first televised exorcism by NBC, and was featured on anepisode of Paranormal Witness, is told in his bestselling book,True Haunting.
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!
I wanted to share with you a reblog, which happens to be my very first guest blog post, from News From The Spirit World. Please enjoy Haunted Summer Reading Part One and look for Part Two at Newsfromthespiritworld.com soon.
Today I want to tell you about a great book I just finished! True Haunting by Edwin F. Becker is the true story of the incredible experiences that Edwin and his young family experienced in Chicago in 1970. In a time before there were thousands of paranormal groups and Ghost Hunters on TV, this family had to make quite a few brave decisions to survive. It ended up being the first haunting and exorcism to be reported on and covered on the news. I shared the old video footage in a previous post, but I’ll include it at the end of this one as well. I’ve read that the house had been empty for quite some time, recently. But I also found a photo online of a clearly remodeled home… and it looked fairly current. One can only imagine what, if anything, still goes on there.
How often have you or anyone you know asked any one of these questions?
Can a ghost move an object?
Do they hear us?
Can they hurt us?
Could they be demonic?
Should we be giving them attention?
Is it okay to show them off?
Can we get rid of them?
Should we move?
Most of these questions are still being asked today… and the “paranormal field”, for lack of a better term, has come a long way since 1970. Or has it? For sure, finding access to information, the ability to find and communicate with people having similar experiences, and finding help is a lot easier to accomplish today, but there are still individuals and families out there going through similar experiences. I know, because I get contacted often. They’ll sometimes ask for advice, they’ll often seem embarrassed, but most of the time they just need someone to listen… to tell them they’re not crazy. And that’s a good thing, because do I always know what to say? Of course not! But I sure try… and sometimes it’s just about getting them hooked up with the right resource.
Most of the paranormal books that I read tend to be more technical in nature. I try to learn as much as I can. This book reads like fiction… but it’s not! I clearly got into this book, because I read it in considerably less time than most of my recent reads. I have come to the realization that I can learn a lot from books like this, and there are a lot of them out there. It very much reminded me of Graves End: A True Ghost Story by Elaine Mercado. You’ll find it on my recommended reading list.
So check this book out! I heard in an interview that Edwin documented all of these experiences a decade ago and meant for it to be just for the family to have. Apparently there was never a goal of getting it published, until a loved one convinced him just recently. It was published in 2011. Also, the family’s story was featured on the SyFy show, Paranormal Witness. According to Ed, the producers predictably embellished some of their story, but for the most part did an “amazing job”. You can find the complete Paranormal Witness episode, named “The Tenants”, HERE.
And as promised, here is the 1970 NBC footage.
Related:
True Haunting(the author’s interview on Jim Harold’s Paranormal Podcast)
I’m excited to share with you the latest books to land on my doorstep. I started Speaking to the Dead with Radios today and am considering being brave and reading both of these at the same time. I don’t do that often. I’ve read several “spiritual” books recently so I feel it’s time to once again dig deep into some “ghostie” books. Sometimes I just feel the need to do some homework.
True Haunting by Edwin F. Becker
This is the story of a true haunting. It was the first ever filmed and televised by NBC in 1971. A young couple purchases a building that was built and occupied by a single family that refused to relinquish their hold, even after death. Investigated and verified by experts, this residence brought chaos to the lives of those who chose to reside there. Unlike a horror novel, this chronicles what a real ghostly experience would resemble. Long before the laws of disclosure, a young couple winds up in the midst of strange occurrences prior to the term ‘paranormal’ becoming a common description. Searching for help at time when supernatural events were a taboo subject and being ignored by the Church, sent them into a desperate search for any assistance. Only a little known organization came to their aid. Author Tom Valentine, brought in a nationally known psychic, Joseph DeLouise, who then asked assistance of an exorcist from England, Reverend William Derl-Davis. Together, they gave their best effort at exorcising the multiple spirits inhabiting the building and disrupting the lives of the living. Events were filmed by NBC, who sent their most prominent Chicago journalist, Carole Simpson, to cover the event. Follow a young couple with a newborn as they attempt to cope with inexplicable events, experience denial, plead for help from their Church, and step into the world of the paranormal. Understand why ghosts cannot be exorcised and a true example of their strong sense of domain, even after death. Learn what experts and gifted people did in a failed attempt to assist this desperate couple. There is no happy ending, as the young couple suffers emotionally, are physically threatened, have their pets terrorized, and eventually suffer financially by actually “giving” their building away. What was intended as a financial answer to their prayers became, instead, a curse to be abolished. Learn many of the various manifestations that can be common in haunting. Ghosts can be seen and heard. They can propel objects and interrupt utilities. They can affect your moods and feed off of your emotions. They can appear as solid as you and me. They can react and become hostile if threatened or violated. Most important, as this young couple learned, they can harm you and cannot be removed. This is a firsthand accounting of what a true haunting is like. There are certain subtle occurrences you may find the most frightening, because you just might relate and recognize them. If so, guess what? You may have a ghost! (Book description from Amazon.com.)
Speaking to the Dead with Radios by Michael Hobert Edwards
Speaking to the Dead with Radios I will tell you is not this just another fish story to reel in readers for momentary mind entertainment. Communicating with the dead using a radio with recorder is achievable and any person can do it. You do not need to be a psychic, a medium or have any paranormal gifts to make contact with the dead using these devices, and that my friend is the luxury of this in that you do not have to pay someone else hundreds or even thousands of dollars to contact your deceased family members or friends as you can do it yourself in the privacy of your own home. (Book description from Amazon.com.)
For More on Edwin F. Becker, visit:
Today I want to tell you about a great book I just finished! True Haunting by Edwin F. Becker is the true story of the incredible experiences that Edwin and his young family experienced in Chicago in 1970. In a time before there were thousands of paranormal groups and Ghost Hunters on TV, this family had to make quite a few brave decisions to survive. It ended up being the first haunting and exorcism to be reported on and covered on the news. I shared the old video footage in a previous post, but I’ll include it at the end of this one as well. I’ve read that the house had been empty for quite some time, recently. But I also found a photo online of a clearly remodeled home… and it looked fairly current. One can only imagine what, if anything, still goes on there.This is the story of a true haunting. It was the first ever filmed and televised by NBC in 1971. A young couple purchases a building that was built and occupied by a single family that refused to relinquish their hold, even after death. Investigated and verified by experts, this residence brought chaos to the lives of those who chose to reside there. Unlike a horror novel, this chronicles what a real ghostly experience would resemble. Long before the laws of disclosure, a young couple winds up in the midst of strange occurrences prior to the term ‘paranormal’ becoming a common description. Searching for help at time when supernatural events were a taboo subject and being ignored by the Church, sent them into a desperate search for any assistance. Only a little known organization came to their aid. Author Tom Valentine, brought in a nationally known psychic, Joseph DeLouise, who then asked assistance of an exorcist from England, Reverend William Derl-Davis. Together, they gave their best effort at exorcising the multiple spirits inhabiting the building and disrupting the lives of the living. Events were filmed by NBC, who sent their most prominent Chicago journalist, Carole Simpson, to cover the event. Follow a young couple with a newborn as they attempt to cope with inexplicable events, experience denial, plead for help from their Church, and step into the world of the paranormal. Understand why ghosts cannot be exorcised and a true example of their strong sense of domain, even after death. Learn what experts and gifted people did in a failed attempt to assist this desperate couple. There is no happy ending, as the young couple suffers emotionally, are physically threatened, have their pets terrorized, and eventually suffer financially by actually “giving” their building away. What was intended as a financial answer to their prayers became, instead, a curse to be abolished. Learn many of the various manifestations that can be common in haunting. Ghosts can be seen and heard. They can propel objects and interrupt utilities. They can affect your moods and feed off of your emotions. They can appear as solid as you and me. They can react and become hostile if threatened or violated. Most important, as this young couple learned, they can harm you and cannot be removed. This is a firsthand accounting of what a true haunting is like. There are certain subtle occurrences you may find the most frightening, because you just might relate and recognize them. If so, guess what? You may have a ghost! (Book description from Amazon.com.)
Speaking to the Dead with Radios I will tell you is not this just another fish story to reel in readers for momentary mind entertainment. Communicating with the dead using a radio with recorder is achievable and any person can do it. You do not need to be a psychic, a medium or have any paranormal gifts to make contact with the dead using these devices, and that my friend is the luxury of this in that you do not have to pay someone else hundreds or even thousands of dollars to contact your deceased family members or friends as you can do it yourself in the privacy of your own home. (Book description from Amazon.com.)
