Dave_h
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PoltergeistsPoltergeists
Poltergeists have existed for many years. They have been reported for centuries and are commonly thought of to be Ghosts. This is a very common misconception. The word Poltergeist is literally translated from ancient German and means Noisy (Polter) Ghost (geist).
The usual phenomena associated with a poltergeist case include Strange and inexplicable odours, Sudden loud unexplainable sounds, the movement of objects, interference with electrical appliances, unexplained markings or writing that can appear on scraps of paper, walls and even floors, apparent possession of the human mind or body and apparitions. All these can also appear as or even in support of a traditional haunting, this is why the common misconception occurs.
One of the most famous poltergeist cases to occur in Britain took place in the 1970’s. The Enfield poltergeist was widely reported in the national press and caught the attention of the Society for Psychical Research. The SPR sent along one of there best psychical researchers, a man named Maurice Grosse. He investigated the case for several months. Phenomena taking place was witnessed by newspaper reporters and the local police. Objects and large furniture moved of its own volition, electrical appliances played up, and the human agent (one of the teenage daughters) was seen to levitate through the air. The same daughter was later to be possessed by the apparent poltergeist and spoke in a voice that would have been extremely difficult for the young girl to sustain for long periods of time.
The poltergeist phenomena that occurred in Enfield ended quite abruptly, this is not uncommon in poltergeist cases. The phenomena, although very frightening, can come and go very suddenly. It can last for a couple of hours, a couple of days, or weeks, even in some cases it has been known to go on for years at a time. Also, there are two main types of Poltergeist, 1) The Person Based Poltergeist, is often centred on a human agent (as mentioned above), this is typically a pre-adolescent female, although in some rare cases, males have been known to be effected. 2) The location based Poltergeist, as the name suggests, these Poltergeists are often linked to a building or area, and have an attachment to them.
In the past research has been carried out into Person based Poltergeist activity. It was thought that Poltergeists are the manifestation of human emotions or energy. This can include stress or depression. It was tested that mental therapy or cancelling may cure some person based Poltergeist cases. This actually turned out to be quiet effective. It was noted that Poltergeist phenomena that manifested as a result of stress or emotion was often very violent, involved the movement of objects and the usual audio phenomena such as sounds, bangs and raps. All this phenomena was very sporadic and often uncontrolled. However, some cases that were not cured by cancelling, the phenomena often appeared to show some kind of intelligence and even interaction between investigator and energy. This suggested that a spirit or intelligent force was motivating the actions expressed in the phenomena being produced.
This research shows that, while some Poltergeist cases are a result of human emotion, stress or repressed anger. Some Poltergeist cases do appear to have a link with some kind of spirit or intelligent force, as shown in the interaction, through experiments or questioning.
Poltergeist phenomena is often referred to by Parapsychologists as recurrent spontaneous Psycho kinesis (RSPK), this is basically a more descriptive term for what is believed to be happening, basically human mind over matter. It is often thought that the phenomena is associated with teenagers (as mentioned above) again, this can be a misconception because RSPK actually effects all age groups from children, too the elderly. More powerful Poltergeist cases have been known to produce extreme phenomena such as sudden spontaneous fires, the sudden appearance of water, disembodied voices, interference with electrical items and lights, and even in very peculiar situations, make objects arrange themselves into patterns, patterns that in some cases can not be reproduced by human hands. This can even occur in locked rooms or empty houses.
Poltergeists have a very long and diverse history. As mentioned above, the word Poltergeist originates from reformation times in Germany, to describe Noisy Demons or Ghosts. Mrs Catherine Crowe first recognised Poltergeist activity as a distinct type of Disturbance that was different from Psi phenomena and traditional haunting. Modern Parapsychologists refer to the term Recurrent Spontaneous psycho kinesis (RSPK) as a description to what they think is actually going on. Some parapsychologists think that this term is too restrictive. It doesn’t give the phenomena the variety that it deserves and this implies that we know more about Poltergeist phenomena then we are actually do
Poltergeist activity also seems to be extremely universal, in the sense that it seems to know no divides in time, culture, religion, and environment. Indeed, no century has been without reports of Poltergeist activity, and loud bangs and raps, and showers of pebbles and stones, are very common in terms of phenomena and have been reported several times, in several locations, in several countries, since 355AD
Poltergeists and their activity were originally thought to be signs of Demonic Possession, or evil spirits. However, no one can be sure when the real first report of Poltergeist activity was made. Some think that the shower of stones reported by Livy was actually poltergeist activity, as opposed to meteorites, this event was said to be one of the Omens said to be sent to frighten the Romans during the second Punic War (201BC to 218BC).
Going from history, let jump right up to near present times. There were not many reports of Poltergeists after the Romans left, until a little while later. What we are going to do now, is take in depths look at England’s most widely publicised and famous case of Poltergeist activity, The Enfield Poltergeist.
Case Study
The Enfield Poltergeist
This story began in 1977, in an ordinary three bedroom semi-detached house in Enfield London. The house was just like any other normal house, not a great big gothic mansion with gargoyle statues and thunder and lightening. Just a bog standard plain Semi Detached house, the Occupant, a Mrs Peggy Hodgson, lived there with her four children. The story begins as simple as a report of strange shuffling sounds; the report was made by one of Mrs Hodgson’s daughters, Janet. Janet was aged 11 at the time and reported the shuffling sounds coming from her bedroom. This was later followed by the sound of knocking, the knocks could not be traced to anywhere in the house, and the origin of them remained a mystery. The phenomena then started to become a bit more worrying when the whole family witnessed a chest of drawers slide across the bedroom floor, this was a heavy piece of furniture, and seemed to move of its own volition, and without support. This was the beginning of a nightmare that was to last nearly two years. People who were unaware of the occurrences also began to witness the strange phenomena; Friends, neighbours, and even a local police woman sent in to investigate were among the numerous witnesses to this shocking series of events. Objects would fly across rooms, doors would open, only to slam shut again with force, the toilet would flush by itself at all hours, and more knocking sounds were heard. These phenomena, as well as being very frightening, was also presenting a danger when one of the young boys of the house, was struck on the head with a hairbrush, and there was absolutely nothing anyone could do to prevent this stuff from occurring.
A local Police Woman brought in to investigate the disturbances was to witness a chair floating over a meter of the ground. Things became decidedly worse when the Poltergeist started to physically attack the children. One occasion, Janet was nearly strangled by her own bedcovers. Only the muffled cries for help were to alert her mother who rushed to her aid. The nine year old son also had a lucky escape after an iron grate landed on his bed while he was sleeping one night. The Grate narrowly missed him, and he was without physical injury, but was undoubtedly much shaken.
After a while, The Society for Psychical Research got word of the phenomena being experienced by Mrs Hodgson and her poor family, and sent out their most experienced and best investigator, Mr Maurice Grosse, and fellow paranormal investigator Guy Lyon Playfair, to investigate on a full time basis.
The strange events continued to besiege the family, two of the children, Janet and Margaret began to speak in tongues, and even utter obscenities, a deep growling voice would be heard to be coming from their bodies, a voice that neither daughter would be able to fake for any length of time, and sustain it. Electrical equipment bought into the house would fail, only to work again perfectly once taken back out, pools of water would appear suddenly and in one event a wall was damaged. Janet would be held fast by her legs, unable to move. On one occasion she was dragged down the stairs. She was even known to levitate up through her bed covers. Apparitions were also sighted of an old man, a grey haired old lady and a child, and in one instance a case of Spontaneous Combustion occurred. All the mentioned phenomena were witnessed by several witnesses at the time.
It is widely believed that Poltergeists draw of a human source. This is known as the Agent. The Agent in this case appeared to be the daughter Janet, evidence to support this theory comes from the fact that the family still experienced this phenomena even when they were away from the house, on holiday in a caravan by the seaside. A typical agent would be that of a pre-adolescent female, in their early teens or around that age mark.
The two sisters Janet and Margaret were to throw more light onto the investigation when Margaret was witnessed jumping up and down on her bed screaming “Go away you ten little things”. She was still asleep, and when asked to give details of what it was she could see, she claimed to be able to see an elderly man, described as having died in the chair downstairs and being named Frank Watson, he was with his wife and a number of children. At the same time as this, Janet began to speak in the above mentioned growling voice; again, Maurice Grosse questioned her while in this state. The voice claimed to be that of Bill Hobbs, from Durant’s Park Graveyard. He had returned to the house to see his family, but was bitterly disappointed to find them gone.
Mrs Hodgson had no other choice but to stay and endure the horrific phenomena, she was a single parent and could not afford to relocate her family.
Then, one day, as suddenly as it had started, the Poltergeist Phenomena ceased, never to return. This is as often the case with such poltergeist events
Analysis
Let’s take a closer look at some of the details of the story. Mrs Hodgson lived at the address with four younger children; we know that at least two of these children were approaching the widely accepted age for a poltergeist agent. The two being the main source of the phenomena being Margaret and Janet. Having two main agents to draw energy from, and then the other two children and the fear of the mother on top, could be a reason why this case had such a long period of time, and so much phenomena. No less than 1500 separate events of reported phenomena took place within the house.
Lots of the most usual Poltergeist phenomena such as pools of water, objects being moved, electrical appliance malfunction and even apparitions, were all reported to have taken place. Even a case of Spontaneous Combustion (not to be confused with Spontaneous Human Combustion) was reported, this is a known piece of poltergeist phenomena, but doesn’t often occur.
The Poltergeist was definitely of Person based energy, as opposed to place based. This was proven when the family also experienced the phenomena away from their home, while on holiday in a caravan. Had the poltergeist been location babes, they would have had a break from the phenomena, and it would not have followed.
The two main agents were both seen to be in trance like states and gave information readily through this. This would in turn suggest that the poltergeist was of spirit and energy form and showed some kind of intelligence. Had the poltergeist been made up simply of the suppressed emotions being experienced by the girls, the phenomena would have been much more random and not aimed towards certain members of the family. Another point to suggest intelligence is the fact that two separate full names are given. That of Bill Hobbs and Frank Watson. These are both names that can or more than likely were researched into, however; I cannot get the results of this research. Also, to aid with the research, two locations or links were also given to the names and the story. Bill Hobbs being from Durant’s Park Graveyard, and Frank Watson, who allegedly died in the chair on the ground floor of the house.
The last point I’m going to look at was the apparent sudden stop of the phenomena. It’s well known that Poltergeist phenomena can start and stop as abruptly as lightning can strike.
Guy Lyon Playfair published a detailed account of this investigation entitled “This house is Haunted”, the reader may wish to read further on the case just looked at.
I hope this article has done somewhat to educate the reader on some aspects of Poltergeist. To try and educate someone fully on this very strange and complex subject would be quite impossible for a couple of good reasons. The first being, no one knows everything about Poltergeists yet anyway, and the second reason being that Poltergeist haunting are never exactly the same, and all cases differ a lot regarding circumstances and the type of phenomena encountered. I hope this has also inspired the reader to continue to read into this diverse and intriguing subject.
END
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Mandatas
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Great post Dave  , I think PG's are potentially very scary and very strange.
manda
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Dave_h
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I love poltergeist cases, they are often very complexed and take a while to solve, plus you often get a lot of phenomena, as mentioned above
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Mandatas
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Bit scary though don't you think?
manda
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Dave_h
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I don't really get scared, I know others would and from that perspective I suppose they are, but I just get more interested, lots to analyse and look at
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Mandatas
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Could they not potentially do some damage to someone if they threw something at them? If PG's can move objects, surely this would be possible?
manda
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Dave_h
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It has happened before. In the case related above, the children were struck on the head by a flying hair brush, and a massive iron grate nearly landed on the bed of one of the boys while he was asleep, it just missed him luckily
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Mandatas
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Thats what I mean - a bit scary! 
manda
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