![\"Spiritual](\"https:\/\/lamesacourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/paranormal.-1jpg.jpg\")
<\/a>Psychic protection<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe paranormal instructors \u2014 as well as many of the participants in the classes \u2014 said they have experienced contacts with spirits, sometimes unwanted ones.<\/p>\n
Vlahos-Ravenhawk said she started feeling \u201cpresences\u201d in her late teens when she would visit historical sites in her native New Jersey. But it was when she moved into a 200-year-old \u201cvery haunted house\u201d with her now ex-husband that she realized she needed to learn how to deal with them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always been a magnet for ghosts, and a reluctant one,\u201d she said. \u201cI think everybody has had some kind of experience \u2014 some of us get a lot more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kessler, who led the class on psychic protection, said he was a complete skeptic about the paranormal and \u201calways thought there was a trick or scam behind it\u201d until an experience handling a pendulum that moved on its own began changing his mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had more experiences; it wasn\u2019t just a rock and a string that changed everything, but that\u2019s where it started,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to Kessler, protecting yourself from spirits and other psychic energy has everything to do with intention.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you decide you are protected or you decide you aren\u2019t protected, either way you are right,\u201d he said. Some of the techniques he suggested to use include calling on angelic protectors, imagining a protective cloak that surrounds your body, using crystals and burning sage.<\/p>\n
The techniques are used to ward off unwanted \u201chitchhiker\u201d spirits that can attach themselves to people for a variety of reasons \u2014 and the seasons even play a role in it.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the reasons why I wanted to do a psychic protection class at the beginning of October is because the veil is thin,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s lots of activity, lots of energy around and protection is a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n
Investigating 101<\/strong><\/h3>\n\u201cI\u2019ve been experiencing paranormal phenomenon my entire life,\u201d Bannion said. \u201cSo I decided I wanted to have answers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bannion, who led the class on paranormal investigating, has been investigating since 2007. He took an online course to get certified after moving to San Diego and experiencing lots of paranormal activity at the North Park pizza restaurant where he works.<\/p>\n
Although the Myztic Isle class is much more basic than the courses he took, he said it is a good way to learn how to do an investigation properly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a real simple way of doing paranormal investigating without using million-dollar gadgets,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can do paranormal investigation with just a few simple materials.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Spiritual](\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\")
<\/a>The devices of paranormal investigating (Foto por Jeff Clemetson)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAn investigation consists of using devices like EMF (electro-magnetic field) meters, radio sweeps, recording devices, and also less-technical tools like pendulums and divining rods.<\/p>\n
Investigators are supposed to sweep areas with the EMF to discover where the electro-magnetic fields are created by lights or other electric devices to rule out looking for spirits in those areas. If the EMF spikes in an area that is clear of any normal electro-magnetic activity, that should be noted. Laser thermometers measure drops or spikes in temperature. Radio sweeps that scan frequencies, or even white noise devices, are used with recorders to capture any potential electronic communications.<\/p>\n
It is believed by paranormal investigators that ghosts are energy and that is why they can manipulate electronic devices, and communicate through them.<\/p>\n
Old Town ghosts<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe trip to Old Town started at El Campo Santo Cemetery, the burial spot for one of San Diego\u2019s most famous ghosts \u2014 Yankee Jim, a serial horse thief who was the last man to be publicly hung in the city.<\/p>\n
Although there was no sign of Jim (other than the cigars left by tourists near his grave), Bennion did report some contact with a spirit familiar to him at the back of the cemetery \u2014 a spirit he previously told the class about.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have picked up a small boy there,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of other people who are paranormal investigators \u2014 that I hadn\u2019t even talked to \u2014 brought up the same thing, so since there\u2019s that distance between us, that brings a little validation to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The group on the trip had various backgrounds with the paranormal. There was a woman who said she was a medium who could speak with spirits; a woman who writes paranormal romance novels; a man who is skeptical but had experienced a paranormal event he couldn\u2019t explain; and a mother who came with her son who was a fan of the television show \u201cGhost Hunters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kessler said shows on the paranormal like \u201cSupernatural\u201d or \u201cGhost Hunters\u201d are a \u201cdouble-edged sword,\u201d for paranormal investigators.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn one hand, it brings more of this awareness to the public, almost mainstream,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if you look at the reality shows, at the end you can see all the writers and if it\u2019s a reality show, why would they need all these people scripting things out?\u201d<\/p>\n
The evening in Old Town was not scripted out. Other than the brief contact with the boy spirit in the cemetery and a few mysterious EMF spikes outside the Whaley House, there was little paranormal activity to record \u2014 certainly not the kind dramatized on TV. The visit to Cosmopolitan Hotel included a rundown on the hotel\u2019s ghost sightings, and one member of the group shared a story about a previous trip there where she was pushed by an unseen force, but there was no activity to record there that night.<\/p>\n
Bennion said that is to be expected at a lot of investigations \u2014 sometimes places are filled with paranormal activity and other times nothing, especially at places that are inundated with tourists.<\/p>\n
The next paranormal investigation field trip is scheduled at the less-touristy destination of Pioneer Park Cemetery in El Cajon on Dec. 10.<\/p>\n
More paranormal<\/strong><\/h3>\nIn addition to the ghost investigations, Myztic Isle also recently started hosting discussion groups on a variety of paranormal topics.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started \u2018Paranormal Explorations\u2019 to get a talking group started where people could have a confidential environment to talk about that part of their lives that is very important but rarely gets expressed,\u201d group host Adrienne Prince said.<\/p>\n<\/a>(l to r) Georgia Vlahos-Ravenhawk, Brian Bennion, Ken Kessler and Adrienne Prince host events dealing with the paranormal at Myztic Isle in La Mesa. (Foto por Jeff Clemetson)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nPrince began her interest in the paranormal as a child in Santa Fe, New Mexico when she asked for help from angels and soon after her mother discovered yoga and meditation and set her family on a new path.<\/p>\n
She hopes the Paranormal Explorations groups will allow people to talk about their own experiences with strange incidents that most people never talk about.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe it was Gabriel Garc\u00eda M\u00e1rquez that said, \u2018Every person has a public life, a private life and a secret life,\u2019 and I knew that was really true for me,\u201d she said, adding that her public life was being a teacher and writer and her private life was being a mother and partner. \u201cBut I had this secret life where I had these angelic contacts since about age 7 and guidance and things that have gotten me out of near-death situations and I\u2019ve been strongly led my entire life and I didn\u2019t feel I could talk to anybody about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first Paranormal Explorations was held in July and dealt with UFOs. About a dozen people came, Prince said, and people talked about their interest in UFOs, although no one shared any personal experiences or sightings.<\/p>\n
She hopes the more personal nature of the next topic, \u201cLife Beyond Death,\u201d a discussion on strange incidents surrounding death and dying will \u201cbring that part of their lives out and [that people will] be able to talk about it and find out they are not alone\u201d in their experiences.<\/p>\n
Prince said that sharing at the Nov. 14 \u201cLife Beyond Death\u201d discussion will be limited to personal experiences or experiences of immediate friends and family, and not include third-party stories because those conversations lead to debate rather than sharing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI try and maintain a respectful environment,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople should only talk about the experiences that they\u2019re having. A skeptic is welcome to come but they need to understand that people will be talking about their first-hand experiences. So if they\u2019re going to be skeptical on that, I wouldn\u2019t be interested in having them come because that would be telling people their experience wasn\u2019t trustworthy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other possible topics in the future include synchronicities, coincidences and divine guidance; healing miracles; and a talk on fated love in February.<\/p>\n
For more information on paranormal events at Myztic Isle, visit\u00a0myzticisle.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been experiencing paranormal phenomenon my entire life,\u201d Bannion said. \u201cSo I decided I wanted to have answers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bannion, who led the class on paranormal investigating, has been investigating since 2007. He took an online course to get certified after moving to San Diego and experiencing lots of paranormal activity at the North Park pizza restaurant where he works.<\/p>\n
Although the Myztic Isle class is much more basic than the courses he took, he said it is a good way to learn how to do an investigation properly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a real simple way of doing paranormal investigating without using million-dollar gadgets,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can do paranormal investigation with just a few simple materials.\u201d<\/p>\n An investigation consists of using devices like EMF (electro-magnetic field) meters, radio sweeps, recording devices, and also less-technical tools like pendulums and divining rods.<\/p>\n Investigators are supposed to sweep areas with the EMF to discover where the electro-magnetic fields are created by lights or other electric devices to rule out looking for spirits in those areas. If the EMF spikes in an area that is clear of any normal electro-magnetic activity, that should be noted. Laser thermometers measure drops or spikes in temperature. Radio sweeps that scan frequencies, or even white noise devices, are used with recorders to capture any potential electronic communications.<\/p>\n It is believed by paranormal investigators that ghosts are energy and that is why they can manipulate electronic devices, and communicate through them.<\/p>\n The trip to Old Town started at El Campo Santo Cemetery, the burial spot for one of San Diego\u2019s most famous ghosts \u2014 Yankee Jim, a serial horse thief who was the last man to be publicly hung in the city.<\/p>\n Although there was no sign of Jim (other than the cigars left by tourists near his grave), Bennion did report some contact with a spirit familiar to him at the back of the cemetery \u2014 a spirit he previously told the class about.<\/p>\n \u201cI have picked up a small boy there,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of other people who are paranormal investigators \u2014 that I hadn\u2019t even talked to \u2014 brought up the same thing, so since there\u2019s that distance between us, that brings a little validation to it.\u201d<\/p>\n The group on the trip had various backgrounds with the paranormal. There was a woman who said she was a medium who could speak with spirits; a woman who writes paranormal romance novels; a man who is skeptical but had experienced a paranormal event he couldn\u2019t explain; and a mother who came with her son who was a fan of the television show \u201cGhost Hunters.\u201d<\/p>\n Kessler said shows on the paranormal like \u201cSupernatural\u201d or \u201cGhost Hunters\u201d are a \u201cdouble-edged sword,\u201d for paranormal investigators.<\/p>\n \u201cOn one hand, it brings more of this awareness to the public, almost mainstream,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if you look at the reality shows, at the end you can see all the writers and if it\u2019s a reality show, why would they need all these people scripting things out?\u201d<\/p>\n The evening in Old Town was not scripted out. Other than the brief contact with the boy spirit in the cemetery and a few mysterious EMF spikes outside the Whaley House, there was little paranormal activity to record \u2014 certainly not the kind dramatized on TV. The visit to Cosmopolitan Hotel included a rundown on the hotel\u2019s ghost sightings, and one member of the group shared a story about a previous trip there where she was pushed by an unseen force, but there was no activity to record there that night.<\/p>\n Bennion said that is to be expected at a lot of investigations \u2014 sometimes places are filled with paranormal activity and other times nothing, especially at places that are inundated with tourists.<\/p>\n The next paranormal investigation field trip is scheduled at the less-touristy destination of Pioneer Park Cemetery in El Cajon on Dec. 10.<\/p>\n In addition to the ghost investigations, Myztic Isle also recently started hosting discussion groups on a variety of paranormal topics.<\/p>\n \u201cI started \u2018Paranormal Explorations\u2019 to get a talking group started where people could have a confidential environment to talk about that part of their lives that is very important but rarely gets expressed,\u201d group host Adrienne Prince said.<\/p>\n Prince began her interest in the paranormal as a child in Santa Fe, New Mexico when she asked for help from angels and soon after her mother discovered yoga and meditation and set her family on a new path.<\/p>\n She hopes the Paranormal Explorations groups will allow people to talk about their own experiences with strange incidents that most people never talk about.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe it was Gabriel Garc\u00eda M\u00e1rquez that said, \u2018Every person has a public life, a private life and a secret life,\u2019 and I knew that was really true for me,\u201d she said, adding that her public life was being a teacher and writer and her private life was being a mother and partner. \u201cBut I had this secret life where I had these angelic contacts since about age 7 and guidance and things that have gotten me out of near-death situations and I\u2019ve been strongly led my entire life and I didn\u2019t feel I could talk to anybody about that.\u201d<\/p>\n The first Paranormal Explorations was held in July and dealt with UFOs. About a dozen people came, Prince said, and people talked about their interest in UFOs, although no one shared any personal experiences or sightings.<\/p>\n She hopes the more personal nature of the next topic, \u201cLife Beyond Death,\u201d a discussion on strange incidents surrounding death and dying will \u201cbring that part of their lives out and [that people will] be able to talk about it and find out they are not alone\u201d in their experiences.<\/p>\n Prince said that sharing at the Nov. 14 \u201cLife Beyond Death\u201d discussion will be limited to personal experiences or experiences of immediate friends and family, and not include third-party stories because those conversations lead to debate rather than sharing.<\/p>\n \u201cI try and maintain a respectful environment,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople should only talk about the experiences that they\u2019re having. A skeptic is welcome to come but they need to understand that people will be talking about their first-hand experiences. So if they\u2019re going to be skeptical on that, I wouldn\u2019t be interested in having them come because that would be telling people their experience wasn\u2019t trustworthy.\u201d<\/p>\n Other possible topics in the future include synchronicities, coincidences and divine guidance; healing miracles; and a talk on fated love in February.<\/p>\n For more information on paranormal events at Myztic Isle, visit\u00a0myzticisle.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/a>Old Town ghosts<\/strong><\/h3>\n
More paranormal<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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