WHAT IS THE VICTORIAN OCCULT SOCIETY?

The Society is an association dedicated to discovering the scientific truth behi nd unexplained anomalous phenomena. We have no corporate beliefs and encourage s an open-minded, undogmatic scientific approach to its subject. The main activi ties of the society are research into reports of anomalous phenomena and the ana lysis and publication of the results of such investigation. Members are encourag ed to actively investigate phenomena in a disciplined, responsible way WHAT ARE ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA? Anomalous phenomena are those reported events for which there is no widely accep ted scientific explanation. The subject area breaks down broadly into four categ ories: psychic phenomena (eg. telepathy, ghosts, premonitions), UFOs, earth myst eries (eg. alignments of ancient monuments) and Forteana (odd occurrences like f alls of fish, out-of-place animals). Though not strictly equivalent, we often us e the word paranormal interchangeably with the term anomalous. In the past many researchers have tended to specialise in quite small areas of this field. There has recently been a tendency for individual interests to cross these subject bou ndaries. This explains the need for an organisation like The Victorian Occult So cciety. There is also emerging evidence for connections between the fields, eg. UFO witnesses often have psychic experiences both before and after their encoun ter. WHY SCIENTIFIC? Science provides the nearest approximation we have to a value-free model of real ity. If anomalous phenomena are real, not simply misobservation, then they must inevitably be 'natural' and fall within the remit of science. The society seeks to add to scientific knowledge, not replace it with any alternative belief syst em. WHY NO CORPORATE BELIEFS? Anyone who has examined the evidence for the paranormal in detail is likely to c ome to the conclusion that the scientific evidence for the paranormal is slight, patchy and contradictory. There are very few undisputed facts in the field and even fewer generally accepted theories. Given this background, objectively there is precious little for anyone to 'believe' in. Therefore it makes sense to star t with a clean sheet and simply examine what there is 'out there' without precon ceived ideas of what we will find. In any case, science demands such an unbiased , disciplined approach to work. We are interested neither in starting new philos ophies nor in spreading unyielding scepticism. We simply want the truth, whateve r it may turn out to be. Of course, individual members will inevitably have thei r own beliefs and opinions on our subject as, indeed, do professional scientists , but we encourage a neutral, belief-free approach to the actual research. WHAT HAS THE VICTORIAN OCCULT SOCIETY DONE SO FAR? The following are just a few highlights of the society many activities to date. We have undertaken a number of investigations into allegedly haunted locations in australia and the Uk. It has also examined numerous reports of UFOs as well as many other phenomena. Anomalous photographs currently form a significant part of its case load. The society has worked with organisations such as Heritage a nd local authorities to investigate unusual occurrences. In addition, experiment al research has been conducted into such fields as remote viewing, hypnotic regr ession, numerology, tarot and table tilting. We have also funded scientific res earch projects proposed by members, eg. investigating magnetic fields at alleged ly haunted locations.

The Victorian Occcult Society has developed an investigation network to examine cases reported within Australia. We regularly publishes the results of its acti vities and holds meetings and conferences from time to time. HOW DOES THE VICTORIAN OCCULT SOCIETY RELATE TO OTHER GROUPS? We have contacts with many other organisations and individuals, part of an infor mal network of people interested in the paranormal and related subjects. Some gr oups are affiliated to the association, while others maintain looser links. In a ll cases the society does not seek to take over other groups but rather to work with them towards a common approach. WHAT IF I'VE WITNESSED SOMETHING ANOMALOUS? The Society operates a network of investigators covering most of Australia . We investigate reports of anomalous phenomena in a neutral, scientific way. If you report something paranormal to us you can expect a sympathetic, unbiased attitu de from our Investigations Department. Cases are investigated in confidence. Tho ugh case details might be published in the Association's literature, pseudonyms are used both for people and places involved (unless you specifically give permi ssion for disclosure of these facts). We operate according to a Code of Conduct which you are free to inspect. It enshrines our responsible approach to witnesse s, their property and privacy. Our main motivation in studying anomalous phenome na is to try to understand them in scientific terms. To report a case go here. WHAT GEOGRAPHICAL AREA DOES THE SOCIETY COVER? The victorian Occult Society is a national organisation based in the Australia . However i Do travel overseas two times a year to join other groups with resea ch and investigation How do I know I have a Ghost?

You hear heavy footsteps in the upstairs hallway when you know no one is up ther e. Doors slam unaccountably. Commonly used items disappear and reappear without cause. The kitchen light turns on by itself. There's the unmistakable scent of a strange perfume in the air. These may be indications that your house is haunted. True hauntings are rare occ urrences, and it may be difficult to determine whether or not any strange phenom ena you are experiencing in your home might be due to a haunting. For one thing, no one really knows what a "real" haunting is - what causes it or why it starts

The Signs of a Haunting The first step is to determine, as best you can, whether or not you truly have a legitimate case of a haunting. Not all hauntings are alike, and they may exhibit a variety of phenomena. Some h auntings feature a single phenomenon - such as a particular door slamming shut t hat occurs repeatedly - while others consist of many different phenomena, rangin g from odd noises to full-blown apparitions.

Here's a partial list of phenomena that might indicate that your house is haunte d: 1: Does your home have cold spots...areas where there is no evidence of a draft, but you can feel one anyway? Oftentimes, spiritual activity is accompanied by c old wisps of air and chilling puffs against your skin. They can be a barely-noti ceable occurrence, or very strong. Goosebumps can result. Pay attention, these c an be very tell-tale.

2: If you hear l daylight, if g wherever the ng or shifting

ghostly footsteps, wait until the phenomenon has stopped (or unti you're more comfortable) and try to duplicate the sound by walkin footsteps came from. Was it really footsteps, or the house settli as the temperature dropped at dusk?

3: Do your dogs or cats tend to avoid or obsess about a particular location in y our home? Animals are extremely sensitive to paranormal occurrences and "vibes". They will often stare at a particular spot for no specific reason, growl at thi n air, flee from nothing and bark at something you can't see. Sooth the animal a nd get it to calm down. Take notice of when and where these things happen and se e what other signs might be going on. Pay heed to your pets. They're innocently psychic.

4: Do you find that friends or family mention feeling a particular way in your h ome or specific location in the home? Are they spooked at times? Do they talk ab out nighttime occurrences or feelings they have? Those who don't live full time in the house will often feel more spirit energy than those living there. We can grow "immune" to the feelings in our own house. Pay attention to what visitors s ay.

5: Very common scents that are not usual to your surroundings can indicate some spirit activity. The sense of smell is extremely strong in relation to memory fo r human beings. We can smell a particular aroma and be taken instantly back to a strong memory we've stored that is connected to that smell. Perfumes, flower sc ents, earthy scents and cooking smells are some of the scents detected in relati on to ghostly activity.

6: You can try meditation, open yourself to the experience of feeling the atmosp here of your own home. Clear your thoughts and breathe deeply, drawing in the am biance around your house and filtering it through your senses. Does it feel char ged with energy? Does it feel as though you're not alone? Does it feel like ther e are emotions there that don't belong to your or other inhabitants? These thing s all can indicate presences of spirit people and ghostly visitors.

7: If you have children, do they seem to have developed a imaginary friend. This is common we know with all children, but sometimes a spirit can attach itself t o a child and draw on there energy. Spirits are especially attracted to children as there souls are pure and are very easily manipulated. Children will believe anything.

It is not uncommon for a child's behavior to change dramatically. Signs of this maybe: Constant Fatigue, this occurs by the spirit drawing on the child's energy.

Increase in aggression Lack of concentration, this may be their performance at school. An increase in nightmares. I relise this just sounds like a normal child.

The best way to tell though is by listening to your child's conversations with s o called imaginary friend. Your child may use particular words or phrases or have knowledge of an event, th at they could not possibly know. Ask your child questions about who he/she may be talking to.

Is this person a boy or girl? How old is he/she? Where are he/she from? What do you talk about? etc!

8: Do you see or hear doors slam shut by themselves. This is very common and can be miss interpreted for a haunting. Check the surrou nding area for any drafts. Put your hand around cracks in doors and windows and try to feel for any drafts that may come through them. You must eliminate any na tural causes.

9: If an object seems to move by itself, check the floor or surface with a carpe nter's level. You can pick up a cheap one for under $2, and it'll fit in your pu rse or pocket. If the object is lightweight, check for drafts, too.

10: If windows open themselves, check the hardware. Make certain they're really closed. Try the window to see if the counterweight isn't right, and the window o pens too easily.

11: If windows close themselves, try propping them with a piece of pipe or other solid object. Ghosts pop those props out, gravity usually doesn't.

Poltergeist phenomena is its own animal, so to speak. First, try to repeat the i ncident yourself, using natural means that could have occurred the first time. ( A dish can fall off a shelf if the shelf is shaky. A dish cannot fly across the room and smash on the wall unless someone threw it, or rigged it.

Keep a log of any strange events. This will serve two purposes. It can be help ful in finding natural explanations for events that are time related. It is eve n more helpful if you do decide there is something more in your home and have in vestigators assist you. They will be able to see patterns and other useful info rmation that will make their initial job easier.

Once you cannot find any explanations for the events you are experiencing, you a re ready to get some help. I recommend you contact Us to come in and check out your home with our equipment to see if we can detect any spirit activity. Cont act us first just to discuss your case and make sure you feel comfortable.

Psychics can also be used but we recommend using them in conjunction with the ot her detection equipment. If a psychic feels a spirit in a particular room and t he other investigators get positive readings on the equipment and photos in the same room, that validates the psychics impressions and will make you feel more c onfident in the abilities of the investigators and psychic.

Remember, don't panic! There is rarely any reason for concern if you do have a spirit. Take it slow and step by step and you'll find the situation easier to d eal with. Stages of a Haunting There are several types of hauntings. Please read through the stages to determin e which type of paranormal activity you are having. This information can help us during our investigation.

Stage 1 Stage 1 usually revolves around your basic five senses. Cold (or hot) spots, str ange noises, odd odors, hearing footsteps, unusual animal activity and the feeli ng of being watched are common at this time. The odds are very good most people will chalk these experiences up to their imagination and not recall them unless the cycle increases and moves forward. Referred to as a Senses Attack because in the early Cold spots,a poltergeist the activity mainly revolves around the huma n body's basic senses.

?Cold spots Strange noises ?Odd odors and smells ?Hearing footsteps ?Unusual animal activity (dogs/cats running from rooms, etc) ?Feelings of being watched..

Stage 2 Much of the same activity as stage one may occur with an addition of one or many of the following: Whispers, laughs, giggles, moans or shrieking, moving shadows , breezes in closed areas, base apparitions appear as mist, fog or vapor, strong static electricity, marks on floors or walls that are not writings. You may sti ll be writing this off as imagination at this point. This level is where the noi ses and smells begin to turn into something more direct. Everything is still at its basic level but turned up a few notches. ?Whispers, Laughs or giggles ?Moans or shrieking ?Moving shadows ?Breezes in closed areas ?Visible clouds (base apparitions) ?Strong static electricity ?Marks on floors or walls (Not writings)

Stage 3 Most haunting fall into this category. Up to stage 2, you may have been able to pretend this is your imagination. At stage 3, you are going to have to admit you have a haunting. At this stage the poltergeist begins to make it's presence fel t. The difference is, in the first two levels it could be said that it was the m ind playing tricks. But now, it's hard not to notice something real is happening . This is the level that the classic haunting falls into. ?Lights and other electrical appliances turning on/off ?Unseen hands grabbing or touching people ?Writings on walls or pattern markings ?Doors that open/close or lock/unlock ?Hearing voices or words clearly ?Full apparitions or dark figures ?Showing levels of communication with living people

Stage 4 Advanced poltergeist activity is now moving toward the danger level. It is picki ng up a clearer consciousness. Object disappear and reappear, move by themselves or appear to fly, furniture may shake or move, people may be shaken or moved, t hings may be broken for no reason (mirrors, dishes etc). At this stage is when l evitation may occur. This is where an advanced poltergeist begins to gain moment um. Moving closer to the danger level and picking up a clearer consciousness. ?Flying/moving objects ?Objects disappearing and reappearing elsewhere ?Shaking furniture ?Pushing or shaking people ?Windows, mirrors or other household objects breaking for no reason ?Levitation

Stage 5 This is the stage when people might be able to be hurt by the tremendous energy being exerted by the poltergeist. Dangerous activities could be noted like; bite s, scratches, objects animating, hair pulling, and heavy objects falling. The ot her events from the earlier stages may or may not have ceased. The people involv ed may be becoming sleep deprived and terrified. There is no set time frame for any of these stages and it will vary from one case to another. After this stage there is normally a dormant stage and then the cycle would repeat at its own pac e, and this activity would no doubt be occur over again. There can be a lot of d angerous activity at this stage. ?Biting, Slapping or punching ?Animating objects ?Use of household electrical systems ?Hair pulled ?Heavy objects falling There are many who believe that there must be a "poltergeist agent" that feeds t he spirit with its energy. This is frequently a Pre-teen child, male or female, but may also be a pregnant woman, menstruating female, a child-like adult or a m entally challenged person. The question remains is the person CAUSING this or ar e they merely a catalyst for this activity?

At this level the poltergeist is at its highest energy point and should be consi dered dangerous, not because it wants to hurt people, but because it has a great deal of energy and could end up hurting someone with it (either on purpose or b y accident).

The time frame here, and for all stages listed, will vary depending on the polte rgeist. It could end in days, months or years. After this stage, the poltergeist will usually go dormant and then begin this cycle over again.

These of course are still theories... and we are working as hard as we can to fi nd all of the answers. That is why we do what we do!! If you feel you are experi encing anything listed above please, do not hesitate to Contact us

Types of Hauntings: Intelligent or Traditional Hauntings This type of haunting is what most people think of when they hear the word ghost . Unfortunately these types of hauntings are very rare. An intelligent or trad itional ghost haunting the spirit is aware of you, and can interact. They are in real time not like residual hauntings where the spirit is more like a movie cli p, and you can not effect it playing out.

Some ghosts are able to attach themselves to people, so they are not bound by si te or objects. PLEASE read Ghost Hunting Safety Page so you don't take anything home with you! Here are some reasons for Spirits to haunt: They died as a result of a traumatic event, murder, car accident, etc. Have unfinished business. The spirit may have died suddenly and not realized he/she died. The living loved ones are so emotionally distraught they can t let go. The spirit is emotionally connected to their loved ones or an object,. They cannot rest due to an injustice done to them. Fear of the other side or judgment Ceremonies of the dark arts practiced in a location. Some just have no idea what is going on, who they are, or where they are, they a re very scared. These ghosts are generally associated with physical activity like slamming, open ing, closing, unlocking doors and windows, voices, and sounds. A strong presenc e, a scent, or touch may be experienced. People rarely see a manifestation of t he ghost in the form of an apparition or mist. Animal Ghosts yes animals can be ghosts too!

Residual Haunting A residual haunt is believed to be activity of reoccurring or traumatic actions from past events that leave an imprint on the environment. I have seen a few Res idual Apparitions and they appear doing the same thing over and over, almost lik e it was captured on film and the clip is playing continuously then resetting. T he most memorable was a warehouse working from the 1800's bending over and picki ng up boxes. Every time I saw him he was doing the same thing he appeared to be see through and a bluish cast. After researching the home found out it was a war ehouse and a man was killed working there.

This type is probably the most common type of haunting. Because its' characteris tics are similar to the intelligent haunting, people often mistake it for an int elligent/traditional haunting. Like intelligent haunts, some examples of activi ty are phantom footsteps, sounds, images, and scents. One major difference betwe en this haunting and the intelligent/traditional haunting, is that this type of haunting is not considered to be that of a ghost, and there is no interaction wi th the living.

It is believed that this activity is the dissipation of stored energy from the s ite. The theory is the energy is stored or absorbed by the site due to repetitiv e or traumatic events of the energy expended while performing such actions. Simi lar to a tape player, the energy is stored in the magnetic field of the environm ent. Over time the energy builds up and is discharged showing a replay of the ev ent, and then the cycle starts again. Some suggest that atmospheric conditions s uch as storms may initiate the playback. There is also a quantum physics theory that relates the energy as light particles that are dormant until they are stim ulated by an outside variable under the proper conditions. (Brandon, The Ghost H unters Bible) Researchers have observed that the energy tends to diminish over p eriods of time until eventually it is either exhausted, or the level is so low t hat it is not experienced again.

Poltergeist Poltergeist (poltergeist)( German= knocking ghost], in spiritism, certain phenom ena, such as rapping, movement of furniture, and breaking of crockery, for which there is no apparent scientific explanation. Believers in spiritism interpret t hese phenomena, particularly common during sances, as evidence of the presence of supernatural spirits. I believe that it is a type of Telekinesis. In poltergeist Haunting's there is u sually a teenager at puberty ( usually a female) present or a woman at menopausa l age. I believe that the hormonal imbalance at both teenage and later in life c ause the person to unknowingly manifest physical force that moves objects and ca uses the chaos associated with this type of haunting. It is the same concept of CHi or life force somehow they have subconsciously tapped into it and it moves t hings, knocks things off shelves, slams doors etc.

Shadow People or Shadow Creatures Activity: This is a type of haunting activity that has no real explanation. They are diffe rent from ghosts. They are usually shapeless dark masses. Mostly seen with your peripheral vision. They are known to do things that are different from ghosts. T hey can move between walls, they have no human features, they wear no clothes (e xcept for the hat man/hooded figure shadow creatures). People who encounter them , have a feeling of severe dread. Clairvoyants that encounter Shadow People, say they do not feel they are human and consider them non-human.

I have experienced a shadow man twice in the same hotel in a des he was tall lar ge hat looked like a ten gallon cowboy hat black as a black hole he absorbed lig ht and not of this World! He moved differently than humans fast and without leg movements he went through a wall once he realized I saw him. I was frozen in fea r. With the Dread feelings Shadow People have no features you just see their silhouette. It is like they ar e made out of dark matter there is no light seen through them or reflected of th em. Many think they are from another dimension they are intelligent and are awar e of you.

Two common types of Shadow People are the 'hat man', that looks like he or she i s wearing a 1930s fedora hat or tall cowboy hat and the 'hooded figure', which l ooks like the shadow person has a hood over their head. The hood and hat stand o ut as clothing, some have overcoats outlined There are also reports of shadow an imals, such as a shadow in the form of a cat, with no discernible mouth, nose or eyes. Some believe they are demons but I believe they are from another dimension or ou ter space.

Out of Body The appearance of a living person who is actually in another location. They are not necessarily ill or dying, and can be either solid or translucent. Some claim to recall their OBE and can give verifiable details about the location they wer e seen. Probably related to Astral Projection.

Demonic Do not attempt to deal with this type of haunting only experienced Demonologists and Shaman can get rid of this type. Demon haunting's can follow people and are not usually restricted by place. We offer exorcism for free Physical & Visual Phenomena Phenomena such as moving objects, feeling a great w eight is pushing down on you, shadows seem to move or morph, scratches that appe ar in three lines, wounds appear for no reason the appearance of someone familia r, etc. can be signposts of demonic entities.

Auditory Phenomena Sounds such as growling, knocking on the walls or ceiling, a relatives voice calling for you but they are not there are symptoms of a demonic presence.

Stench smells putrid, sickly sweet foul stench like rotting flesh can accompany a demonic haunting. People influenced by demons seem to develop mental illness and dark obsessions o vernight. They have multiple personalities and seem to be falling fast down a da rk path. Drug and alcohol, internet and sexual addictions are all fuel for this type of haunting and the person will seem possessed by the dark side. Fear and d estruction is what a demonic haunting feeds off of, the more destruction of char acter, family and morals (good) it can destroy the stronger it becomes. Spirit Attachments: This is a type of haunting activity in which a person or items have attached spi rits to them. and the house itself is not haunted. Spirits can attach themselves to people as well as items. If there is a spirit a ttachment to a person there is usually more than one spirit attached ( they seem to like group together) . This type of attachment, is characterized by unidenti fied physical illness that has no medical explanation. Feelings of fatigue, stom ach pain, anxiety, feelings of dragging a ball and chain around and just not fee ling yourself.