Warning: The following editorial is packed with pop culture references. Viewer discretion is advised. The world is what we make of it. It’s one of those lines that toxic-positivity enthusiasts love to spew into the aether. No matter how bad things get, they preach, we should “Always look on the […]
Resident Spirits
Parapsychology courses still lurk in Canada, you just have to find them
Courses in parapsychology have become as spectral as the phenomenon they teach. But, I somehow managed to earn myself a certificate in an introductory class to parapsychology. It’s nice to see experienced organizations teaching the history of parapsychology since more traditional institutions are dropping it from their programs. My course […]
No house-warming parties for now-cliché ‘Not Haunted’ signs
A common marketing ploy used by realtors these days is the “Not Haunted” atop the curbside FOR SALE sign. Now, it was charming at first, especially in the case of the Middlesex County house, just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. I mean, the Conjuring House in Rhode Island is just an […]
New Paraflixx documentary Spectre or Spectacle explores how pop culture influences belief
My university undergrad was mostly filled with anthropology and archaeology classes. I had a deep interest in how we as a species had developed from chipping chert in the Olduvai Gorge to standing with our eyes facing down into our smartphones. That interest in the development of people and culture […]
Groupthink and cults: a terrifying combination that is far too pervasive
The last week has been rather sensational for murder cults and couples. Former Manson Family member Leslie Van Houten is looking down the barrel of freedom, while Canadian serial rapist and teen killer, Paul Bernardo, was moved to a medium-security prison in Quebec. Van Houten, 73, witnessed California’s 2nd District […]
Folklore is littered with chimeras — all the more reason to dissect the fiction
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a chimera as an imaginary monster compounded of incongruous parts. It seems the perfect term to use when discussing the strange creatures our ancestors first bore witness to when they were exploring the world. Imagine the first time an explorer crossed paths with a tapir, capybara, […]
Peter Usborne influenced generations with The World of the Unknown books
The World of the Unknown: Ghosts is a book that sends an electrical current of energy through all of those involved in the paranormal. It connects us all. Its cousins, two further books on Monsters and UFOs published by Usborne Books, kept those with vivid imaginations hyperactive. All three of The World of the Unknown books […]
10,000 dreams interpreted, but not one explanation for why I dreamt about the paranormal
Our dreams are a fascinating reflection of who we are. They change as we grow as people, often dissolving our anxieties, interactions and thoughts into one big thick stew of images that are often challenging to interpret. Carl Jung once wrote in his collection of essays, Civilization in Transition, “The […]
When it comes to spirituality and the climate crisis, I’m more in tune with nature
The current climate crisis and accompanying erratic weather — deadly heat waves in Europe and the high swells in Hawaii — have me thinking about my spirituality. I’ve never been one for organized religion. I’ll admit to being an apatheist — one who has a general apathy towards the existence […]
True crime: The greatest influence on our modern ghost stories
There is a strong relationship between the paranormal and true crime. Tailing along like an awkward teenage third wheel is mental health because, in a lot of the more gruesome cases, there’s an element of deviation. Horror tropes borrow strongly from true crime. Look at a fair amount of our […]