THANK YOU! 4,000 READS!!!

I just want to thank all of you who have read my blog! Just today, it has breached the 4K-reader mark!

THANK YOU!

Who is on the line, anyway?

Evan had never believed much in the existence of the paranormal until he moved into the house where he stayed for a few years in the Central district of Seattle. He had several experiences there from dancing Native Americans, to whirlwinds inside his own bedroom. This particular night was no exception.

He was fast asleep when he was woken up by what he said was “…someone jumping on the bed.” He decided that it must have been his imagination, so he fell asleep. He was woken up again with the same, but this time he heard a voice tell him, “You are going to die.” He promptly got out of his bed and turned on the light to his room. Scared he called Jeb.

Evan had never mentioned the experiences to Jeb, fearing that Jeb would think him insane. But, after having had shared experiences at the house, Jeb became the person he could turn to for support.

After Evan finished telling Jeb about the latest episode of activity, Jeb tried his best to calm Evan down. As Evan’s mother had instructed him to do before, Jeb suggested that he read the same passage in the Bible that he did last time

Ten minutes into the phone conversation, Evan grew quiet for almost a minute. But, when “Evan” began to talk again, Jeb noticed that his voice sounded different; it was “dry” and in a lower in tone. It wasn’t Evan on the other end.

“Who are you?”

”It’s me! What the fuck is going on? Is this some sort of joke?”

”I don’t know who you are. Who are you?”

”Quit kidding around, Evan!”

”Who are you? What are you? I don’t even know who you’re talking about… I’m from Africa.”

”Start reading the Bible.”

After another half-minute pause, Jeb heard Evan. “Why did you do that?!”

”Do what? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

”You were asking me all these questions.”

Jeb explained what just happened over the phone, and Evan didn’t remember asking any of the questions. It could be a possibility that Evan was “possessed” for a few moments, or whatever it was decided overtake the connection and talk to Jeb.

MJ’s Spirit is Still Felt in His Songs… and in His Childhood Home? [Video]

In this video, La Toya Jackson, sister of the late Michael Jackson, tells an interviewer that his spirit is felt in his childhood home in Encino, CA.

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Do you want to know if you’ll get some tonight? Or, maybe just a peck on the cheek? Or, a hug? Is there any potential with that guy or girl that you had a date with?

How will that job interview go? Will you get the job? Do you want the job? Should you keep looking?

Scroll down to find out how to get the answers you need…

Get insight into these and more questions now!

Get The YiJing Oracle to gain insight from the ancient Chinese Book of Changes, the Yi Jing (I Ching) all on your Android phone or device.

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Called Before Bed

When you live most of your life hearing stories about the paranormal, you tend to think that because nothing like it has happened to you, you question the sanity of the people who tell them. Until the paranormal world contacts you…

Jim lived with a roommate who was a believer of the paranormal. He had talked about his roommate’s experiences and the experiences of a few other friends who had run-ins with the “other” world. But, he, himself, had none.

It was a Saturday night and Jim’s roommate was out on the town. He thought about going out, too, but he had work early Sunday morning, so he stayed in and watched TV. Around 2 AM, He decided that it was time for bed. He walked up the stairs. Once he reached the top, he went to the bathroom, and headed towards his bedroom. Just before he opened the door, he heard his name called from the top of the stairs only a few feet away.

At first he thought it was his roommate coming up the stairs after being out all night. But, the voice wasn’t that of his roommate. Then, it occurred to him – He didn’t hear the car drive up nor did he hear the garage door open and close! He was the only one in the unit! He promptly rushed into his bedroom and shut the door hoping that whatever it was had not followed him in.

Days later, Jim told his roommate.

It was Jim’s first encounter.

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Do you want to know if you’ll get some tonight? Or, maybe just a peck on the cheek? Or, a hug? Is there any potential with that guy or girl that you had a date with?

How will that job interview go? Will you get the job? Do you want the job? Should you keep looking?

Scroll down to find out how to get the answers you need…

Get insight into these and more questions now!

Get The YiJing Oracle to gain insight from the ancient Chinese Book of Changes, the Yi Jing (I Ching) all on your Android phone or device.

A Seventeen-year-old Girl Goes on Ghost Hunt, Experiences “Amling”

Came across this video posted by +Amy Michelle in "The Paranormal" community in Google+.

Dawn goes on a ghost hunt in Eastern State Penitentiary, the first of its kind in the US, and relates her experiences in the video below.

At about 5:00 in the video, she talks about how a spirit attached to her. What she describes sounds very much like what the Ilocanos of the northern Philippine island of Luzon would call “amling” or “spiritual visitation”. From her description of what happened, she was, in my opinion, “naamlingan” or afflicted by a spirit.

The Ilocanos have a ritual to alleviate the victim. Chanting, praying, burning of, inhaling and a rub-down with certain  tree leaves, seem to be common among the few accounts that I've managed to gather.

A post with information about "amling" will be published in the future.

Early Winter Morning

Winter in Seattle

I interviewed Evan previously about his experiences while he shared a house in the Central district of Seattle a while back.  In his first account (“The Dancing Trespassers”), he encountered the paranormal history of the house. He witnessed a group of phantasmal Native Americans dancing around a tree in the front yard. After he told me about that encounter, he promised to tell me more because according to him, “there were many” at that house.

 

Here is another experience that Evan had at the same house. Because he did not witness the events alone, Evan felt some solace that he was not loosing his sanity.

  

All names are fictitious to protect the identities of those involved.

 

Winters in the Seattle a rarely severe compared to many northern cities in the US. On occasion it snows, but rarely. Usually if anything it snows no more than a few hours. The next day, it all melts. But, Winter is very noticeable with the very short days. In the dead of Winter, the sun doesn’t rise until 8AM, and sunset isn’t until 4PM.

 

It was still dark at 6AM or 7AM one Sunday morning, when Jeb grabbed Evan. Waking up and still groggy Evan asked, “What’s going on?”

”Do you see that? There’s been a shadowy figure by the bed. It’s been there all night long!”

 

Evan got out of bed and headed to the light switch. As soon as Evan turned on the light, they both heard something scurry from one far, dark corner of the bedroom to the other. They didn’t pay it much attention and assumed that it might have been a mouse. Not seeing anything else out of the ordinary, they went back to sleep. A few hours later, Zack woke Evan up again,“Do you feel that?”

The atmosphere in the bedroom started to feel heavy, dark and oppressive. Evan had never mentioned to Zack any of the experiences that he had at the house. He was afraid that Zack would think him crazy. So, he kept his stories to himself. But, this time Evan was not alone, he felt some comfort that he was not going insane because Zack was with him. Nevertheless, he kept his calm because he didn’t want to show Zack how terrified he had become.

 

Evan picked up the phone to call his mother. She was the only person he knew he could turn to at a time like this. He was always skeptical about the paranormal growing up, but in this case he had no other recourse now that it was right in front of his eyes. He couldn’t deny it anymore. And, now it was not only affecting him, but someone else as well – He just didn’t know what else to do!

Wintry Street on Capitol Hill

The room began to get colder and more frigid as he picked up the phone and attempted to reach his mother. When the line connected, the woman on the other end of the line didn’t seem like his mother as they talked. She wasn’t responding as his mother would. In the end, he asked, “Who am I talking to?”

 

“But, this is your mom!” was what he heard coming from the phone.

Bewildered and still not convinced, he hung up the phone and dialed the number again.

On his second try, all he heard was growling, screaming and incoherent grumbling. He was determined to reach his mother regardless of what the entity did to hinder his attempts. He hung the phone up and dialed.

This, on his third attempt, he was able to reach his mother. They chatted a bit and indulged in some small talk. Then, he got straight to the point and told her about what was happening in the bedroom.

The first thing that she told him to do was to get the Bible and open it to a particular book. She instructed him to start reciting the Lord’s Prayer with her. All the while, the air began getting colder despite the heater being on. All the windows and doors were shut, but the air began to stir creating a small whirlwind inside the bedroom. Zack became more terrified. “What the fuck is going on?!”

Evan continued to chant and pray, and the room became colder and colder. It got so cold, that they thought they would soon get frostbite. Pages of the Bible began to flip while he held it in his hands. But, as he continued, the temperature of the bedroom started to rise. It started to get warmer. The oppressive, dark and foreboding feeling began to lift. The bedroom returned to normal as they felt the heat return.

 

Another few weeks of calm would pass before Evan would have another encounter.

Blessing or Consecration Ceremony [Blog Post]

If you are ever bothered by spirits, I came across this blog post by the Paranormal Pastor.

How to do a Blessing or Consecration

Ghostly Houseguests Engage In Dialogue / Ghost Box

I just came across this from my Facebook feed from the “Paranormal Network”.

Ghostly Houseguests Engage In Dialogue

Excerpt:

”Phillip Brunelle of Boston, Massachusetts has long suspected his home of being haunted. Negative energy within the home has led him to suspect the presence of multiple spirit inhabitants, at least one of which having malevolent intentions. To explore his theory, Phillip uses a ghost box to communicate with the suspected spirits of his home…”

A “ghost box” is a modified radio that scans AM and FM bands. Spirits or entities are said to be able to manipulate it so that certain words come through.

Ovilus III
http://theghosthunterstore.com/shop/new-ovilus-iii-pre-sale/

I’ve seen various ghost-hunting and paranormal shows such as SyFy’s Ghost Hunters or Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures use the device during investigations. The responses that they receive are sometimes “cute” and sometimes unnerving, sometimes single words or full sentences.
I decided to check out the availability of these devices. I found a few on Amazon and eBay geared towards “ghost hunting” some with kits.

• Starter Ghost Hunting Kit with "Ghost Tech"
• P-SB7 Spirit Box ITC Research Device
• FM SWEEP MODEL ~ P-SB7 PSB7 Paranormal Spirit Ghost Hunting EVP Box Franks 

There are even similar apps for download:

• Ghost Radar®: LEGACY *
• Ghost Radar®: CLASSIC *
• Ghost Speaker

* I have installed on my cellular

After having contacted spirits or entities in the past, I’m not gung-ho about giving it another try.

Just Say “No!” to Ouija - Part 3

[The following story is a first-hand, cautionary account about the Ouija board and does not promote it’s casual use. It is NOT a game. It is NOT a toy. If you decide to use the board, please take spiritual precautions such as saying a prayer before use. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! All names are fictitious to protect the identities of those mentioned in the story.]

After contacting Ya-Ya we used the board less and less often. What we thought was fun and a curiosity at first start started to become serious. Yet, because of that same curiosity, we would ask Ya-Ya questions if something were to happen that we could not explain. One such reason was when one of the other cousins, who was not participating, came down with “something”.

Background

Although the Philippines is for the most part Christian and predominantly Catholic, each region’s animistic and shamanistic folk beliefs still continue until the present day. Aside from being religious, Filipinos tend to be very superstitious as well. Many beliefs are shared among the various regions; each region has its own variations or concepts that do not exist in others.

My mother, my father and his sisters, which included my Auntie Pat and Wilma’s mother, grew up Ilocano. The Ilocano are a people and region located on the northern coastal plains on the Island of Luzon. Many of the folk beliefs that I’ve come to know are from that region. I’ve heard stories that they used to tell about the “kapre”, a tree-dwelling spirit that smoked tobacco and would get you lost in the forest, or the “aswang”, a vampire whose torso would separate from the lower body and had a taste for unborn children. The one belief relevant to my experience that summer with the Ouija is the “amling”.

The Unexpected, Inexplicable and Sudden Illness

I’ve only heard of this phenomenon in Ilocano culture. I’m sure that similar phenomenon exist in other Filipino languages and cultures under different names. When I researched “amling” , I found in Carl Rubino’s Ilocano Dictionary and Grammar the following definition: “Supernatural visit”. To become sick because of a “supernatural visit” is to be “maamlingan”. As for me, the short definition falls short of my own experience.

When I was in kindergarten and I lived with my Auntie Pat, I remember waking up from a nap and suddenly feeling ill for no apparent reason. I felt extremely weak and drained of all energy. I was clammy and nauseated. I’m sure that there must have more to it, but my Auntie Pat knew instantly what it was. I had been visited. She went into her closet and found an old flannel that my late uncle wore and placed it over me. I sat on a chair on the patio off of her kitchen as she chanted and asked for my late uncle to “cure” me of my affliction. After several minutes, I began to feel better.

Aside from my own experience with the “amling”, I have only seen it happen one other time.

Another “Visitation”

Although I never understood how or why I was visited, what happened to my cousin, Ike, that summer that Wilma visited and we used the Ouija board was like another piece of the puzzle falling into place.

Similar to when I was a five-year-old, Ike woke up from a nap and felt exactly the same way that I did, weak, cold, nauseated and devoid of energy. Looking back the only difference was that he was afflicted at an older age (he was in his teens; I was only five or six). Everything was the same, the place, the symptoms, even the remedy that my aunt used. Once again, she went into her closet and brought out the same flannel and proceeded to cover Ike. She chanted over him out on the patio and asked my late uncle to “cure” him.

Once Ike started to feel better, we had asked him if he had experienced anything odd before the episode. After some thought, he gave us a clue. Sometime before he took his nap, he was out on the patio outside the kitchen where my aunt cut his hair. As he was looking out into the five-acre lot, he saw a dark figure dart from behind the shed where they kept a small motor home. He didn’t mention it to anything thinking that it was the tree or the bushes casting a dancing shadow on the building. But, he remembered it odd because it had the form of a person.

After he was feeling better, our curiosity urged us to consult Ya-Ya. We went inside Wilma’s room and asked if the figure somehow had caused Ike’s sudden illness. The response we got was “yes”.

Later that week, he wasn’t the last one to see a shadow figure dart by before something unfortunate happened.

 

[Continued]

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Do you want to know if you’ll get some tonight? Or, maybe just a peck on the cheek? Or, a hug? Is there any potential with that guy or girl that you had a date with?

How will that job interview go? Will you get the job? Do you want the job? Should you keep looking?

Scroll down to find out how to get the answers you need…

Get insight into these and more questions now!

Get The YiJing Oracle to gain insight from the ancient Chinese Book of Changes, the Yi Jing (I Ching) all on your Android phone or device.

I Still Love You

You opened it. Good luck. Tonight at midnight your true love will realize they miss you. Something good will happen to you between 1:00 pm and 4:40 pm tomorrow, it could be anywhere. Tonight at midnight they will remember how much they loved you. You will get a shock of a lifetime tomorrow, a good one. If you break the chain you will be cursed with relationship problems for the next 2 years. Karma. If there is someone you loved, or still do, and can't get them out of your mind, re-post this in another city within the next 5 minutes. Its amazing how it works.If you truly miss someone, a past love, and can't seem to get them off your mind....then re-post this titled as " I Still Love You" Whoever you are missing will surprise you. Don't break this, for tonight at midnight, your true love will realize they love you and something great will happen to you tomorrow. Karma. You will get the shock of your life tomorrow.

Call Me Now! Ms. Cleo’s Tarot Power Deck

I came across this while researching Tarot decks. I couldn’t resist laughing remembering the TV commercials featuring this Caribbean-accent woman with her catch phrase, “Call me now!”

Aeclectic Tarot has a listing for it here, but doesn't have much to say about it.

[UPDATE]
It was on sale on e-Bay, but they have since sold out.
Ms. Cleo's Tarot Power Deck

Just Say “No!” to Ouija - Part 2

[The following story is a first-hand, cautionary account about the Ouija board and does not promote it’s casual use. It is NOT a game. It is NOT a toy. If you decide to use the board, please take spiritual precautions such as saying a prayer before use. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! All names are fictitious to protect the identities of those mentioned in the story.]

English Spirit Board

In a previous post (Part 1) I mention how my cousin Wilma and I began using the Ouija board one summer. This is a continuation of those events.

We make contact…

We came in contact with several “spirits”, but none as memorable as what we found out was a female spirit named “Ya-Ya ___”. I’ve left out her name because after that summer, we agreed to never mention her complete name. Even as I write I’m a bit anxious.

One night back at Auntie Pat’s, we were in the room Wilma shared with a couple of other female cousins of ours. We asked a few questions, again, they were typical of teen-agers. We never really asked who we were talking to before. But, this time we asked. The planchette swung from the lower row of letters to the upper row: “Y”, “A”, “Y”, “A” - “Ya-Ya”. And, then it spelled the “her” name. Whomever we made contact with looks like they know something about Filipino culture to call herself “Ya-Ya”.

In Anglo-American culture, one addresses their superiors in the military with their titles such as “Major”, “General”, “Captain”, etc. And, at times with their last, or family, names: “Yes, Major Nelson!” But, it is more prolific in Filipino culture. In Tagalog, younger siblings and cousins address older sisters or cousins as “Ate” and older brothers and cousins as “Kuya”. You address your teacher, not just as “Mr. Smith”, but as “Maestro” or “Titser/Teacher” alone. And, children under the case of a nanny, address her as “Ya-Ya”.

We weren’t sure who or what exactly we we conversing with. Looking back the entity didn’t “feel” human. During one session with Ya-Ya, the planchette moved to “G” and “6” a few times. “G” is the sixth letter of the English alphabet, so it was a bit disturbing. It is quite possible that it could have been a demon or some other disembodied spirit playing around with us.

We talked with the our other cousins about the questions we asked and the answers that we received from the “other side”. We even convinced a few of them to participate. After a session or two they either satisfied their curiosity or became so scared that they refused to try again. Only a few would continue with us. The older ones warned Wilma and I that we were playing with fire, but we ignored them because nothing bad came of our sessions at the time. And, we were having fun. Our opinions changed later on, however.

 

As we talked more and more about our interactions with Ya-Ya with the other cousins or with friends, a pattern started to develop. One of us would mention her complete name and then something odd or inexplicable would happen shortly after. I had a biking accident while I rode my bike with the neighbor kids while I was telling them about what we experienced. Since then, we all agree never to mention her full name again. During a family get-together a few years back, one of my other cousins began to reminisce about that summer. He had forgotten the name (fortunately), but asked nevertheless. He must have forgotten why we stop at Ya-Ya. I answered knowing that something might happen. Nothing resulted. I don’t know how Wilma nor my other cousins feel, but I write this post with great trepidation. I even felt a bit strange finishing this portion.

I’m glad that nothing more sinister happened. I do wonder if we didn’t “catch” ourselves what else could have happened.

Contacting Ya-Ya was just the beginning. There were more strange things that happened such as shadow people sightings and unexpected illness. The Ouija board must have opened a portal that we were warned about…

As an aside, any requests for the name of the spirit or entity will be turned down. I plan on keeping the name secret until the day I die.

 

[Continued]

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Do you want to know if you’ll get some tonight? Or, maybe just a peck on the cheek? Or, a hug? Is there any potential with that guy or girl that you had a date with?

How will that job interview go? Will you get the job? Do you want the job? Should you keep looking?

Scroll down to find out how to get the answers you need…

Get insight into these and more questions now!

Get The YiJing Oracle to gain insight from the ancient Chinese Book of Changes, the Yi Jing (I Ching) all on your Android phone or device.

Video of a Ghost Attack

The following link is an article from the Examiner.

Ghost attack caught on security camera (Photos)

It shows security camera footage of a man walking down a hallway who is knocked down by a shadowy figure that drags him down the hall for several feet.

On Having Consideration for Your Client

As a card reader, or anyone who gives advice or guidance for that matter, you have to keep in mind that main focus during a reading is the person you are reading for, the client. I doesn't matter how trivial you think of the subject. You don’t matter! Your client is paying you to give them insight. If you don't keep that in mind, you tarnish your credibility and erode the trust with your client. They may even stop the reading or ask for their money back. What’s worse, they tell their friends about how awful you were.

Keeping focus on the client’s concerns is especially crucial with a "cold" reading sessions. These are readings with clients that you have not read before – They are complete strangers. But, you run the gambit with new clients. They may never had a reading before. They might be scared or apprehensive – They don’t know what to expect. Or, they have had a reading once before. They might already have someone they go to regularly and they wanted to just give you a try and are comparing you to their regular reader.  You never know after the reading whether they will tell their friends or family about you, be it good or bad. But, you want to give a good impression, even if you may not have connected with the client.

Like the clients you encounter, their concerns will vary, but again – keep your personal opinions out! You may ask if you can interject, but never, ever overlay your concerns over what is their reading unsolicited. You are nothing but a tool, a conduit for information that is meant for your client. That information doesn't always come through as positive, however, and, although I don’t recommend “sugar coating” it, it is best to deliver the message the best possible way with the utmost consideration. Whenever, negative sounding info comes through, I always append it with the fact they, the client, have the power to change the outcome.

Free Readings Equals Practice

Back when I was considering starting up a reading business with my two friends Yvette and Tina, we spent a lot of time practicing and getting familiar with reading the Tarot. We would read the cards for one another for practice, but the readings always concerned with the same topics and we knew what to say to one another. We just weren't professional enough with one another. It was no longer challenging, neither were we learning. So, we decided to practice on strangers, or people we did not know very well, for free.

It didn't feel right to charge when we weren't experienced readers. I was comfortable and could easily interpret the cards in various spreads. After all, I had been reading and studying the cards since I was barely a teen. But, I knew that I needed more practice in weaving “the story” of the reading. Tina could interpret the cards and rarely needed to consult a book or some other reference during a reading. The one thing I noticed about her style was her delivery. She spoke with a tone that didn't convey confidence, and every now and again she would utter the phrases “Oh, I don’t know”, “I guess” or “What do you think?”. If I were a paying customer, I wouldn't be confident in her either. Tina needed to stop second-guessing herself and be more at ease and talk from a position of authority, but in a friendly manner. All in all, I didn't worry much about my prospects of working with Tina. But, after seeing Yvette read, I knew that there was more work to get her ready.

Just Like Coffee, If You’re Green, You’re not Ready…

Yvette was the total opposite to Tina when it came to reading. Yvette had only started reading within the last year, and she had just barely started to become more comfortable doing reading. But, she had an overly confident, arrogant and loud style as if she knew with certainty what was about to unfold in someone’s life. In addition, she was brusque and, yes, inconsiderate in some of the readings that I had witnessed. Yet, for as confident and certain as she came across initially, she would counter it all with what she would do as the reading progressed. She would often whip out a book and search for an interpretation, and sometime read it to the client. She would call out to me or Tina ask what a card or its position in the spread meant. She, like Tina would say “Oh, I don’t know”, “I guess”, “I’m not sure what this means…”, etc. It just all came back to the fact that she was not comfortable and wasn't ready to deal with the public. If I were a client, all my confidence in her would evaporate.

She was still too “green”. Many times, I told her that calling out to me or Tina, or looking up a card or a position in front of a client was damaging to her credibility. I even posed as a client to help her, but she wouldn't “play” along and, like usual, ask me questions. Keeping in character, I would replied, “What do you mean? I thought you were card reader. I came to you for some advice. Now, you’re asking me to do your job?!” Ironically, she was the one who insisted that we actually charge. But, after showing her where she needed improvement, she relented.

But, one reading that Yvette will always stick out the most in my mind. Not only did what was “predicted” come to pass, but Yvette’s insensitivity towards the subject always reminds me of whom the reading is for – THE CLIENT.

The Reading that Unfortunately Came True

The one place that we frequented was a small casino and card room north of Seattle. Tina’s boyfriend at the time worked there as a dealer during the late night. We would arrive sometime around midnight shortly before he would get off work and as we waited we would read for the employees for free during their breaks.

One blonde female employee with classes had Yvette read her cards. From the looks of it the employee looked both skeptical and anxious at the same time, but went ahead and sat down. As Yvette read her cards, there was an indication that she would separate from her partner. When Yvette saw that Yvette went on and on about he would probably cheat on her and a host of other things he would “most likely” do to sabotage their relationship.

Little did the shocked employee know, but Yvette at the time was having relationship issues with her own boyfriend. There had been incidences of infidelity between the two and Yvette brought that into the reading.

As I stated above, the reading is for the client. It is not a soapbox for the reader!

All the while, I felt for the employee. In some way Yvette thought she was “helping” by acting sympathetic with her own relationship woes, but from the look on the employee’s face it only made her more anxious. And, Yvette was so wrapped up in her reading that she failed to notice. In fact, I don’t believe that she noticed the impact of her wild readings on her “clients”.

I don’t remember going to the casino any more after that reading. Maybe it was because Tina and I thought that Yvette would ruin our reputations and we still had not even got our names out as readers. Nevertheless, we would find out that we were no longer welcome there.

During one of Tina’s boyfriend’s days off he told use about the blonde female employee that Yvette read that one night. Yvette’s prediction had come true! She and her husband did separate. But, it wasn’t via divorce or trial separation. In fact, her husband was depressed that he committed suicide!

Tina’s boyfriend noted how insensitive Yvette was during the reading and how she was rather embarrassing even when she wasn’t reading. He mentioned that the other employees also noted and that they were now scared to have anything to do with tarot readings.

If I haven’t said it enough, treat the other person that you are reading for with utmost respect. Respect their concerns in a semi-detached manner, but DO NOT dismiss even the most innocuous concern. It is about their lives that you are reading for – NOT YOURS! Gain their trust and they will tell friends and family where they can go to get great advice and insight. Treat them like they are guests on “Jerry Springer”, and they will ruin your reputation faster than you can shuffle your deck of Tarot cards.

[Images are copyright their respective owners.]

Just Say "No!" to Ouija - Part 1

[The following story is a first-hand, cautionary account about the Ouija board and does not promote it’s casual use. It is NOT a game. It is NOT a toy. If you decide to use the board, please take spiritual precautions such as saying a prayer before use. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! All names are fictitious to protect the identities of those mentioned.]

During one summer when I was in middle school, my cousin from New York, Wilma, came to visit with her mom. They were staying at another aunt’s house in Port Orchard, Washington, where our Auntie Pat ran a berry farm. The early  part of the season was raspberry season, so my cousins and I would stay at Auntie Pat’s to pick berries. Considering that I have over twenty cousins around my age, this was free labor for my Aunt Pat. And, it was a good time to bond with the lost of them. In addition, it was a good time to get to know Wilma.

Previously, I had met Wilma briefly when they first immigrated to the US in the late 1980’s before they proceeded to New York City where they were living. When she came for a visit that summer a few years after, we found that we had a lot in common. Aside from liking the band, Depeche Mode, one of them was a curiosity for the paranormal. In one of our talks, the subject of the Ouija board came up.

We had only heard of some stories. But, they weren’t scary enough to dissuade us from buying one. We were pre-teens and thought that those stories were told by “scaredy cats”. If anything, the stories only added to our curiosity. We wanted to get one as soon as possible.

We buy the board

When we had a break from picking berries, Wilma, a few other cousins, my sister and I went to the local mall. One of things on our list was the Ouija board. We were so excited that when we reached my house, we immediately opened the box and began using it in my bedroom.

 

The directions were simple, touch the “planchette”, the heart shaped pointer, with the tips of the fingers and “follow” it. It was recommended that a boy and girl touched the planchette, so Wilma and I were the first ones. We were excited and apprehensive, but we managed to muster enough courage and took a deep breath. After talking about it for so long, our fear gave way to curiosity. It seemed that the other person was moving the planchette and we accused each other laughing all the while.

We asked many questions. It wasn’t the questions nor their responses that come mind, but the odd event that happened while we were in my room. A box that rested on a shelf and had not be touched in years inexplicably fell down while we were receiving an answer. We were so startled that no one slept in my room that night. We all camped out in the living room. But even after that scare, we continued taking turns asking questions until we went to bed late into the night.

We share the board with the other cousins

We returned to my Auntie Pat’s house bringing the board. We introduced it to the other cousins. A few of them, the younger ones, were scared and didn’t even want to touch the board. A few, others around our age, just didn’t believe in it. Wilma and I, however, were enthralled. Ever spare moment we had, we would ask the board something, "Are there spirits here?”, “Will Wilma find a boyfriend?”, etc. When we were done for the day, we’d use the board. Sometimes we were scolded because we were scaring the younger kids. We were so riveted by what the board revealed. We were in awe that we had the power to know things nobody else could know. It got to the point that we even brought the board to a local park where we were having a family picnic!

Wilma and I stole away from the rest of the family and found a bench where we could place the board. A stranger walked by and noticed what we were doing. He talked to us about the dangers of the board. He mentioned that it could open a door and that we would not have any control over what came through. Another thing he mentioned is how some people had become obsessed and relied on the board for answers so much so that they became “addicted” to it and couldn’t make any decisions without asking it first. We felt embarrassed, put the board away, and returned to join the rest of the family. But even his talk did not stop us from consulting the board once in a while after that. In fact, we used it more and more.

We were kids and “hard-headed” as my mom would say. We just didn’t know what was in store for us…

[Continued]

 

BuzzNet Tags: ouija

Spin Off Blog - The YiJing Oracle

I've decided to create a blog dedicated to the app, "The YiJing Oracle".

There will be posts in the new blog about the YiJing, the app and some sample readings with interpretations using the app.

Please, join me here.

The YiJing Oracle - April Fool's Weekend Sale

[This offer is now expired]
!!! 40% OFF !!!

MARCH 29th through APRIL 1st

Screen capture may differ from actual product.

 The YiJing Oracle is selling for over 40% off this weekend only! 
Get your copy during this promotional weekend before it sells again at its usual price.
Don't miss out on this great app and offer!
Please, rate the app and give any feedback that you find will be useful.

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FEATURES

Short and Concise

Now, you don't have to read pages upon pages of fanciful and cryptic text to gain an understanding of the interpretations. What you get is plain information that you can easily apply. As I told someone once, you don't have to read about dragons in the sky or about rulers long since past. Honestly, what do they have to do with YOUR concern?!

Categories Equals Shorter Texts

Categories make for the shorter texts. Each hexagram interpretation has one category in mind, so the text gets right to the point. You don't have to "think" too much about how the text applies to your situation.

Easy Look-up

You don't have to look up the interpretations for the hexagrams nor for the lines; the app does it all for you! Stop searching for a book and flipping through it. It's been done for you.

Stalks or Coins - Pick Your Method

Some apps only give you one option: The three-coin method. But, what they are not letting you choose is the more traditional yarrow-stalk method which has a different set of outcomes. Now, you have the choice of using either the three-coin method or the yarrow-stalk method. See which produces something more relevant to you.

Changing or Moving Lines Have a Lot More to Say

Normally, you have a start hexagram and a result hexagram from changing all the moving lines. Now, each line has a story to tell by resulting in a "transitional" hexagram. You get a better idea of "how" the question will evolve by learning of the changes that you might encounter.

Instructional Info

No apps that I've come across tell you how to use the yarrow stalks or how to tally up the coins. In the Documents section, you can read all about it so you can input the values from real-world coins and stalks!

Use It as a Diary

You can add notes to each hexagram. Enter how it applies to your question. Make The YiJing Oracle your own fortune-telling diary. If you want to actually split the stalks or cast real coins, you have an additional option of inputting your results in the app. It will take care of getting you the right interpretations.

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The YiJing Oracle: Released!

I happy to announce that The YiJing Oracle which I mentioned in a previous post (The YiJing Oracle: An Android App for Divination) has been released on Google Play!

You can buy and download your copy here:

Features

A few of the key features to set it apart from the competition are:

• Stalks, Coins or User Input - Some apps only give you the option of using coins, when the yarrow stalks are more traditional. Now, you have the choice of using either. If you want to actually split the stalks or cast real coins, you have an additional option of inputting the results in the app. It will take care of getting you the right interpretations.
• Instructions - No apps that I've come across tell you how to use the yarrow stalks or how to tally up the coins. In the Documents section, you can read all about it so you can input the values from real-world coins and stalks!
• Shorter Texts - Now, you don't have to read pages upon pages of text to understand the interpretation of each hexagram.
• Categories - Categories make for the shorter texts. Each hexagram interpretation has one category in mind, so the text gets right to the point. As I told someone once, you don't have to read about dragons in the sky when it doesn't have anything to do with what you asked.
• No Consulting a Book - You don't have to look up the interpretations for the hexagrams nor for the lines. Because of the categories, the lines, too, are written to get to the point.
• Transitional Hexagrams - Normally, you have a start hexagram and a result hexagram from changing all the moving lines. Now, each line has a story to tell by resulting in a "transitional" hexagram. You get a better idea of "how" the question will evolve by learning of the changes that you might encounter.
• Journaling - You can add notes to each hexagram. Enter how it applies to your question.
• Saved Readings - You can save your readings to your device for review later.

Future

In future versions, you can expect:

• Addition of More Categories - New categories will be added to the basic four. Stay tuned!
• More Text Updates - The texts will not remain "as is". If there is a better way of phrasing an interpretation, it will be updated to better convey each hexagram's meaning.
• More Customizations - If you don't like the rice paper background, maybe a wood panel would be better. Maybe the sound of the coins should be different. More options will be added to make your reading experience unique.
• Spanish User Interface and Texts - ¡Se Hablará Español! Spanish speaking users will see a complete translation of the user interface and of the interpretations. Other languages and locales may be added as well.
• Interface Improvements - Sometimes after using the app, certain screens need to be streamlined or improved. Already, improvements to make a reading easier and faster are under development.
• Share with Friends - Soon, there will be options to share your reading via e-mail on on social networks such as Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter.

I would like to extend a big "Thank you" to all those who have already downloaded and bought the app! Also, I would like to thank those who tested the app and gave me invaluable feedback that went into the initial release and will go into future releases.

The YiJing Oracle: An Android App for Divination

What is the YiJing?

As I mentioned in a previous entry, I Ching or YiJing, I’d present the Android app that I have been working on for the past few months. Click the link above to learn more about the kind of fortune telling or divination the app deals with.

Goals

Several years ago I was inspired to create an app dealing with the YiJing after learning how to use it. There were several things I wanted to accomplish with the app to make the YiJing easier and more accessible, yet insightful, to the uninitiated.

• Make casting the lines easier, quicker and more convenientAlthough casting the lines using three coins is the quickest and most convenient, splitting the yarrow is the older of the two. I enjoy the time I spend counting and splitting the stalks, but it would take more than 10 minutes to cast all the lines. In addition, if you were not careful you could miss a stalk or two and it would throw off a reading and you would have to either restart or try to see where you made a mistake.
• The app eliminates any miscounts or other mistakes that can be made when manipulating coins or stalks. The user just chooses a method, taps the screen to get their “input” into the reading, and a hexagram results all within a very short period of time. But, an option exists in the app where the user can input the values of lines they cast after tossing coins or splitting yarrow stalks or some other method that the find useful. At that point, the app becomes more of a log of readings.
  
• Faithfully emulate the two most popular methods
   In order to make casting lines convenient, it behooved me to emulate the probabilities of both the three-coin method and the yarrow-stalk method. If the app were to be compared to a real-world reading, it would produce similar results.
  
  I researched statistics and found others’ finding on the probabilities of the methods, especially the probabilities for the yarrow-stalk method. This way whether the user chose to use the yarrow-stalk or the three-coin method, they would cast lines in a way that was similar to both, but quicker and more convenient.
  
• Make hexagram lookup quickerThe method I use when consulting the YiJing differs from the usual way of consulting the YiJing. Normally, if there are changing lines in your first hexagram, you change them all to produce a result hexagram. In his book The I Ching Handbook Mondo Secter proposes that only the first changing line is flipped to produce a “transitional” hexagram. And then, from that hexagram its first changing line is “changed” or “flipped” or turned into its opposite value. The process repeats with each subsequent hexagram until there are no more changing lines. Therefore, the maximum number of hexagrams that you would need to look up would be seven: The hexagram that resulted from casting the lines and each hexagram produced from each of the six lines. But, in addition, the texts of the changing lines needed to be considered since the line might completely alter the interpretation of the hexagram. That is a lot of texts to look for read and digest just for one question!
  
  Once all the lines are cast and a hexagram results that starts the response to your question, the app will already have the sequence of hexagrams, their interpretations and their details, their changing lines and their texts ready.
  
• Write more succinct and focused textsOnce I came across a book on the Tarot that had card interpretations for some area of life, such as “relationship”, “money” or “business”. So, I envisioned that something similar for the YiJing could be done. Many of the on-line YiJing applications that I have encountered might have specific interpretations with a focus on “love”, but there were no interpretations for other areas. Even when consulting books for interpretations, you have to sift and read a lot of texts to get an understanding. But, even when you’ve done the reading, you can get so caught up in just sorting through all that information that you can forget what it is that you asked.
  
  The interpretations in the app have been redacted to keep them short and adapted for a particular category. Nevertheless, some hexagrams intrinsically lend themselves to one of the areas in life and do not need to be adapted. This idea extends to the interpretations of the changing lines as well.

Development

Because The YiJing Oracle is an Android app, it was written in Java using the Android SDK (Android System Development Kit) and the Eclipse IDE (Integrated Development Environment) – I was not familiar with the programming language, the SDK nor the IDE. But, after using them in concert, I’ve grown accustomed to them all and have learned a great deal about the Android platform.

At first, I wrote what would be the “core” or the “heart” of the app in C# (which continues to be my preferred programming language along with .NET being my preferred platform) several years ago with the idea that I could create a Windows desktop application. I had programmed most of the core components and tested them. It was working well, but soon I discovered that it was difficult to “hook” it up with other components. So, I rewrote and refactored many aspects of the core parts over the past few years.
In June of 2012, I bought a new smartphone. My previous smartphones were Windows Phone-based, but when I bought my new phone, I chose a Samsung Galaxy III. As I explored my new phone and grew accustomed to the latest Android version at that time (4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich), I grew more and more curious about creating an app for it.
At first I was reluctant to write an app because 1) I had never owned an Android-based phone nor had I used one for an extensive period of time; 2) although I was “familiar” with Java, I had never written anything in that programming language; and 3) I was not familiar with the tools needed to write an app for Android.
I can write an entirely new blog entry just on my experiences, so I will leave that for later. I will focus more on this app in this entry instead.

Another App

When you search for “I Ching”, the more common, and older, name of the “YiJing”, Google Play returns a approximate total of 242 Android Apps! After combing the listings many of them that are not related to the YiJing.  A more accurate tally is about 60+ listings (apps). Many of the “legitimate” apps are free of charge and come in a few languages or are multi-lingual. Of the total apps, there are about 10 are for-pay with the least expensive at $0.99 USD and the most expensive for $5 USD.

I’ve installed many of the free apps and “played” with them. Since I’m already familiar with the YiJing, I knew immediately how to use many of the apps. But, the initial screen of one of the apps, did not easily lend itself to easy interpretation; it was I Ching, oracle, book and aid. There was not text nor any other indication of where I could start a reading. After a bit more exploring, I finally understood how to enter a question and consult the app. In my opinion, the thousands of installs each month are because people are curious and it is free. In general, you get what you don’t pay for with many of them. Some of them, should charge because it was written and laid out very well!

Of the paid apps, I have installed only a small handful. They all are well designed and well written.
But, one was not worth buying after using its free version. I Ching by Design in its free version and its paid versions have various problems. First, it does not have an intuitive user interface. I started the app and had no clue as to where to start. After playing around with it, I found out that you must tap Query first and you must enter a question to continue. Secondly, it was also difficult to close. Pressing the device’s Back button gets you nowhere. When I tapped the ? button, I discovered how to gracefully exit the app. The texts are English translations of Helmut Wilhelm’s interpretations. There are 12 reviews of the free app, but most of them are one-star reviews! I would not want to spend any money on this one. I have noted what the issues and hope that my app does not suffer from the same problems I Ching by Design has.

Availability

Beta Testing

As of this writing, the app is available to an exclusive number of people who have volunteered to use (and abuse) the app. During this period, functionality problems, crashes or compatibility issues with various version of Android should arise and be fixed. But, functionality has been very stable and I don’t expect to see any crashes. Texts, however, are being written and rewritten, so problems such as typographical errors and grammatical errors will be reported. Of the categories, “General”, “Love and Relationships” have been written. The categories “Money and Finances” and “Work and Career” are currently being written. I am considering adding another category, “Personal”, before version 1.0 release.

Releases

Below is a summary of what is planned with each release.

Version 1.0

• English only
• Stable functionality
• All texts written for all categories

Version 1.1

• Updated and expanded texts
• Minor issues fixed

Version 1.2

• Additional categories
• Spanish user interface
• Spanish texts

Future versions and ideas

• Background music
• Ability to send readings via e-mail
• Share reading on social networking sites