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Halloween Mystique
By Jacqueline Seewald
The paranormal aura surrounding Halloween connects to a series of beliefs, traditions and superstitions. What is the actual origin of Halloween? It appears to date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. By Celts we refer to the people who lived approximately 2,000 years ago in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, who celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer harvest and the beginning of dark, cold winter, a time of year often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, believing that ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. The Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.
During these celebrations, Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they put out earlier that evening. This symbolic lighting was done from the sacred bonfire to serve as a protection during the coming winter.
By 43 A.D., the Romans had conquered a majority of Celtic territory. During the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.
The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.
By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. The pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-Hallows or All-Hallowmas (All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-Hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in 1000 A.D., the church designated November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils.
Witches riding on broomsticks is a popular image of the Halloween mystique. Where did this originate? Brooms are symbolic of female domesticity. Centuries ago, a woman would push her broom up the chimney or prop it outside the door to show to callers and neighbors that she was out of the house. From there, it was an easy step to believe that witches, who purportedly could fly, would use their most common tool and soar up the chimney on it. Another theory is that flying potions contained hallucinogenic ingredients and if a broomstick was rubbed with such potions a sensation of flight would result. In addition, the association between witches and brooms goes back to ancient times and fertility rites to induce crops to grow high. People mounted pitchforks, poles, and brooms, and rode them like horses in the fields in ritualistic dance. The stereotyped connection between brooms and witches was common by the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
Werewolves are another popular manifestation of the Halloween mystique. Supposedly, the full moon (which controls tides in our oceans) also had some mystical pull on the human mind and can turn a man into a werewolf. In legend, the human became a shape shifter by either being born under a curse or by being infected from the bite or scratch (like a virus) from another shape shifter or werewolf. There are also rituals that can be preformed at the right times and under the right conditions that can allegedly turn the conjurer into a werewolf. So a man can turn into a wolf during midnight of a full moon-- or possibly on Halloween night.
According to common belief, the full moon brings out the worst in people: more violence, more suicides, more accidents, more aggression. It's been called "The Lunar Effect". The notion that the full moon causes mental disorders or peculiar behavior was widespread throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. Even the word "lunacy" meaning "insanity" comes from the Latin word for "moon." Films like Moonstruck encourage this connection. It's often claimed that emergency rooms are full when the moon is out in force. However, there doesn't seem to be any scientific evidence to substantiate this belief.
Vampire legends are another form of superstition that people relate to the Halloween mystique. Vampires are demons that inhabit the undead body of a resurrected corpse. The vampire stalks the night feeding off of the living, drinking their lifeblood, before returning to the grave at sunrise. Vampirism is an infectious disease, spreading from vampire to victim. The vampire mystique is a very popular one having captured our imagination through films and literature. Tourists often visit the medieval Romanian monastery houses the tomb of Vlad the Impaler, the 16th century warrior prince who inspired Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula.
Voodoo has also captured the popular imagination. The word conjures images of bloody animal sacrifices, evil zombies, dolls stuck with pins, and dancers gyrating through the hot night to the rhythm of drums. But what is the origin of voodoo? It's roots appear to lie in West Africa. The nation of Benin, once known as Dahomey, is considered the cradle of voodoo, which means "spirit" in the local language. A "spirit" religion, voodoo likely evolved from ancient traditions of ancestor worship and animism. Voodoo beliefs spread from Africa's shores to America on slave ships. In the nation of Haiti, slaves from different parts of Africa fused their different beliefs into a new spirit religion. Haitians not only blended different African beliefs, but also added other influences to the religious mix, including Native American traditions and the Catholicism of their conquerors. In Catholic New Orleans, Africans found ways to continue their faiths by merging their gods with the saints. Because New Orleans society permitted the existence of gens de couleur libres (free people of color) and because slaves were given more freedom to congregate than elsewhere in the colonies, African religious practices found a home in the city's early history, forming an environment open for spiritualism. Relationships between the living and the spirits are the essence of voodoo. Voodoo spirits are not distant, nor are they abstractions or symbolic. Believers have direct contact with the spirit world in a very real sense through the phenomenon of spiritual possession. Voodoo remains popular and is still practiced today in varied forms. Even some celebrities have been known to buy voodoo dolls and put pins in them for their enemies.
There are many people who maintain an interest in the occult and what is described as true paranormal occurrences. True paranormal experiences are described, for example, by Hans Holzer who has written 138 books on the supernatural and occult.
How can you find out about such experiences and occurrences? Ghost hunting has become a serious interest for many people. These individuals are joining groups or organizations that hunt for spirits of the dead. Groups are proliferating that attempt to use scientific methods to locate ghosts. These organizations research, photograph, document, and, in some instances, seek to remove those ghosts that have proved inconvenient. Groups have sprung up across America in such diverse states as: Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Neb-raska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wash-ington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. From the number of ghost-hunting organizations with Web sites, there appear to be hundreds of groups with thousands of members in the United States.
However, the United States is not alone in its interest in ghosts. International organizations exist everywhere. Their purpose is to find scientific evidence of ghosts and an afterlife. Organizations exist in such places as the United Kingdom, including Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, and Sweden. There have been ghost sightings in Asia, in such far flung locations as Singapore--and in short, the entire world.
Today's ghost hunting organizations take pride in using the most modern technology possible. A variety of recording and measuring technology are used by ghost hunters who visit haunted houses, graveyards and other eerie locations, attempting to capture empirical evidence of paranormal beings. These ghost hunters utilize the latest in sound, video and still-image recording, as well as sensors that detect changes in temperature, electromagnetic fields and radiation. One website, http://www.ghost-trackers.org, discusses investigations and research, mentioning conferences, lectures, tours, and camp-outs in Northern California.
California is a hotbed for paranormal activity. Some of the most popular places that are visited are worth commentary, starting with The Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach, California, just south of Los Angeles, which is supposedly haunted. Originally a luxury cruise ship when she was built in the 1930s, the Queen Mary has an interesting history. In World War II, she was commissioned to serve as a troop transport ship and floating hospital. Nicknamed the Grey Ghost, she was such a thorn in Hitler's side that he put a bounty on her: $250,000 and highest military honors to any captain who could sink her--which no one ever collected. The Queen Mary crossed the Atlantic Ocean 1,001 times before coming to permanent dock in Long Beach, California. Now, visitors can stay overnight in a stateroom, take one of a number of historic and haunted tours, dine in the restaurants and attend special events. Since so many people have reported ghostly encounters while onboard the Queen Mary, the owners have set up special "Ghost Encounter" tours, made a film and created a unique, multimedia ghost encounter that would likely be at home in a theme park. There's even a Paranormal Research Center on board the ship.
The Southern California Ghost Hunters Society is located in the San Gabriel Valley region in Southern California. They state that their goal is to understand the paranormal and why it occurs. They are searching for knowledge and understanding of the supernatural and intend to provide that knowledge to those who want to learn more. Their team also consults with Dr. Barry Taff who is known for being one of the original investigators of the "Entity" case which was later made into a motion picture.
The California Society for Ghost Research was founded in 2002. They look for natural causes before seeking paranormal explanations for phenomena. They value a scientific approach in their investigations.
The 2008 California Ghost Trackers Conference took place on April 11, 2008 at the Sutter Creek Inn, a supposedly haunted location. 6 CENTS Investigations, located in Santa Cruz, California is a research team described as dedicated to all things paranormal. They provide free resources, information, and support for the haunted. You can check out their photos of orbs, ectoplasm, and shadow people, learn about the Santa Cruz/Alfred Hitchcock connection and the Brookdale Lodge. Visit their website at: www.6-centsinvestigations.blogspot.com/.
San Francisco offers a supernatural walking tour, more commercial in nature. The website for this is: http://www.sfghosthunt.com/. San Diego has its own share of haunted locations. For example, one can go ghost hunting at the Hotel del Coronado. This historic grand hotel is set on a beautiful beach in Coronado, California, just across the bay from San Diego. The hotel's resident ghost, Kate Morgan, was a young woman who checked into the hotel over a Thanksgiving weekend under an alias, stayed a few nights, and killed herself on the steps of the hotel leading to the ocean.
According to the legend, in 1892, the young woman checked into the Hotel Del Coronado to meet her estranged husband for Thanksgiving. He never arrived to meet her, and a few days later, she was found dead on the hotel steps near the ocean. Since then, guests and staff of the Hotel Del Coronado have noticed strange breezes, ghostly noises and the pale figure of a young lady walking in a black lace dress. Within room 3502, more than 37 abnormal readings were taken by parapsychologists in a single day. The Hotel Del Coronado published a book, "Beautiful Stranger: The Ghost of Kate Morgan and the Hotel Coronado."
The Dorrington Hotel in Dorrington, California, was built in 1852 by John and Rebecca Gardner, this was a stage coach stop on the Big Trees Carson Valley Road, which was a toll road from 1862 - 1910. The hotel served as a depot for stockmen and as a summer resort. Noted for it's ice cold spring, it was called Cold Spring Ranch until a post office was established. Rebecca's maiden name was submitted to the postal department and the town has been known as Dorrington since 1902. Over the years occupants of the historic hotel have had a reason to believe in the old but persistent legend that Rebecca Dorrington Gardner's ghost still haunts the place.
Another hotel with a reputation for being haunted is located in La Jolla, California. According to legend, the rooms below the North Annex of the Grande Colonial Hotel were once apartments, occupied by two men in one apartment, two women in another. The foursome would often throw wild, noisy parties. Long after their deaths, the group continues the party, as guests hear loud sounds coming from below the lowest guest rooms in the middle of the night. The rooms now house a bakery, and every time the hotel employees investigate the guests' complaints, they always find the bakery empty and locked up tight.
In Groveland, California, the ghost of a man named Lyle haunts the Groveland Hotel. He lived in the hotel until his death in 1927. He is described as playing tricks on the guests. For instance, he doesn't like women's cosmetics on his dresser; so he sometimes moves them to a nearby sink or knocks them on the floor. He also turns lights on and off and turns on the water in the shower.
The Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica, California, boasts its own ghost. During the Prohibition Era, this hotel's speakeasy was a hotspot for the living. The ghosts here are heard more than seen, with odd noises, voices and sighs often reported. The Holbrooke Hotel in the Sacr-amento area has been the scene for a couple of ghost sightings, including a 19th century Victorian woman who appeared in an upstairs hallway and a cowboy in the Iron Door.
Located on Holly-wood Boulevard across the street from the Chinese Theater, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel was a focal point for the movie business in the 1920s and 1930s. Supposedly, Room 928 is where Montgomery Clift stayed during the making of "From Here to Eternity." The claim is that you can still hear Montgomery Clift play his bugle in that room. Cabana 246 is where Marilyn Monroe lived on and off. Her personal mirror is in the lobby of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, where it is claimed that you can see her image gazing back from time to time.
Mokelumne Hill, California boasts its own ghosts. All of the ghosts, it seems, are located at the Hotel Leger, George Leger the former owner being most prominent.
The original owner of the La Playa Hotel and Cottages in 1904 was married to Angela Ghiradelli, a member of the famous chocolate family of San Francisco. The legend often tells that Angela drowned in Carmel Bay and now haunts the shore and hotel. However, it seems that it was actually a visiting cousin who drowned, not Angela. Still, it is believed that the ghost is Angela's, watching over the guests of her hotel.
Madrona Manor in northern California is supposedly home to the spirits of two young girls, while at the Mendocino Hotel And Garden Suite in Mendocino, California, a Victorian woman's face appears in the mirrors. She has also been seen in various guest rooms, and has been known to play tricks on the hotel staff. The Nappa River Inn, located in an 1884 historic mill and warehouse is thought to be haunted by several ghosts, including Albert Hatt, the son of the original mill owner. At the Pierpont Inn, Ventura, in the 1980s, a gentleman in a dark suit is reported as having entered the bookkeeping office, sitting down, and then disappearing. Staff members believe it was the ghost of Ted Gleichmann, a former owner and manager who visited the bookkeeping office daily until his death in 1975.
At the Paso Robles Inn, in 1940, night clerk J. H. Emsley found a fire in the hotel. He rang the alarm and then died of a heart attack. Thanks to his quick action, the hotel was evacuated and no one else died, but Emsley didn't live to find that out. It is suspected that Emsley is behind the odd occurrences in Room 1007. The front desk often receives calls from the phone in that room when no one is staying there. The head of maintenance once went up to inspect the phone, and saw the line light up as it called the front desk. He picked up the phone to call himself, but his call was disconnected and the second line called the front desk. Once, the phone in the room dialed 911, perhaps to report a ghostly fire. At the Sierra Nevada House, built in 1850, has a mischievous but friendly ghost the staff has named "Christopher." A less friendly spirit, "Mark," was persuaded to leave Room 4 by a psychic. These are only a few of the famous ghosts that haunt California. Every state, every country, has its own unexplained paranormal spirit phenomena.
Many ghost organizations make the distinction that they are not hunting ghosts so much as investigating paranormal phenomena. They even offer to examine private dwellings and businesses for free. For the most part, they are ordinary people curious and fascinated with the paranormal. Ghost researching is an enthusiastic leisure activity for many people and not just during Halloween.