Thursday, April 30, 2015

Not everything is paranormal.

I joined a page on Facebook....it is supposed to be about people needing help of a paranormal team. I have one of those...a paranormal team...so I joined. WOW.

It is scary how many people think that they are experts on the paranormal and their photo is showing...demons, ghosts, unusual animals, you name it. It is pure Pareidolia. Our brains are hardwired to look for "sense" in what we see.We can't help it.  Many of us have sat outside and looked at the clouds and said "that one looks like an elephant" or " I see an alligator". That is us playing with our mind's ability to "see things".

When we look at the world and something seems off, whether it is perspective, light, or an optical illusion, it catches our attention and makes us take a second look. How many times have you or someone you know said something along the lines of " I thought that was a cat on the chair, it's Bob's winter hat".
We do it all the time.

We need to make sense out of what we are seeing, it is a survival instinct that we don't need as much as we used to when we lived in caves, but it is neuroscience. It is real.

Today the paranormal is HOT HOT HOT. It used to be if you talked about ghosts or hearing things, you were nuts. Today it is almost the national past time (sorry baseball). Cameras do things on their own, especially the newer , more sophisticated automatics. They can create abnormalities, and they can "see" much better than their predecessors, bringing out things that we didn't see before (especially when it pertains to light). We are now seeing things that were always there, but we couldn't see them before. They must be paranormal! No, they must not be.....paranormal photographic evidence is the hardest to achieve (audio being the easiest). Cell phones are great at the number of pixels, but that ends it. They are terrible for taking "authentic" photos.

The internet is not only full of pareidolia examples, but fakes. It is so hard to weed out the one in a thousand these days. Everyone wants to have the paranormal photo, even if it isn't really a paranormal photo, they will make it one , by imagination or trickery.

I have learned a lot on the past few years about what cameras will do. I can tell you that a flash is your worst enemy. Flash creates false photos. When the light is just right, light rain, taken with a flash camera, can look like little balls of fire coming up out of the earth (rain bounces when it hits the ground). The photos look cool, but are not paranormal in any way. Once you see the way light reacts, and duplicate it, you understand what cameras can do. Pareidolia is a whole other issue.

One thing to know is that if you have to point it out, it probably isn't paranormal. When others say they don't see anything, it isn't because they are blind or idiots, it is because they are looking at it critically, which allows them to control how the mind is reacting to some extent.

The worst thing you can do besides take a flash photo, is take one in a mirror or other reflective surface. Never take a photo through a window, in a mirror, or shiny metal surface, you will see all kinds of things that aren't paranormal, including yourself. We will never use a photo taken in such circumstances as they are too open to not only not being real, but not being provable.

People mention orbs all the time. First of all, we don't even know if "real" orbs are paranormal, it is just energy. Some may be related to ghostly activity, some may not. It may be a moment when we see normal science . Energy doing its' thing, remember, cameras see better these days. I have NEVER had an orb guarantee paranormal events are happening. I will see a thousand photos of dust, pollen, pet dander, moisture, or bugs before I see an honest to goodness orb. They are rare, not as rare as a full body apparition, but rare. We don't call those streaks of light orbs, we call them "light anomalies". Light anomalies just means, the light is doing something abnormal. The abnormal reaction can be to normal things...including your camera flash. Movement of the light is important in determining what it  is, when it turns at 90 degree angles it is more likely paranormal.

Orbs don't mean there is a haunting, they don't mean anything, so most paranormal investigators disregard orbs altogether. Lay people get excited over them , real investigators ignore them. There are much better ways of showing a paranormal event, like an investigator picking up a voice on a recorder when the investigator right next to them does not.

When you have a real paranormal investigating team checking things out for you , they will investigate. That means, they try to find out alternative reasons, they try to recreate it, they try to find an answer, when there is not a "normal" answer, they say it is paraNORMAL, or above the norm. Now, paranormal, means above the normal, beyond what you will normally see, that does NOT mean it is a ghost. It means it is UNUSUAL.

I have lived in two haunted houses, have experience , training and life events galore, and I am so skeptical about most of what I see because I know what the real deal looks like, sounds like; what cameras can and can't do; what other explanations there are; I know what pareidolia is.....

Not everything is paranormal. When someone says it is not....don't be disappointed, and certainly don't be hostile, instead try to capture some other evidence. Now, that being said...NEVER do investigations where you live, in your own home. NEVER take out a recorder and ask if someone is there. Bring in someone to do that, and who will leave and take the communication device with them. When you investigate in your own home the level of activity increases. Some have thought that would be fun, but they thought that for a very short time, then they call in people to stop the activity. Sometimes people, not homes, become haunted and you really don't want to be that person .

Not everything is paranormal. When you have to imagine or create an image like you do with clouds, it isn't there. When you have to try to see it, it isn't there. It is just normal camera reaction 99% of the time.

Happy investigating!


(C) 2015 Dr R M Wolf. May not be used, copied or reproduced without priior written permission.


Earn a title, get more flack

I have noticed that ever since I earned my PhD, that people just LOVE to not only argue more, but get snarky. I had been thinking that for a while, and a friend brought it up to me today...she said "what is it, all you do is disagree with someone, you write professionally, clearly, and don't call anyone names, or make smart ass comments, and BAM, they get all snotty". She is right, well for the most part. Not everyone does that, but a lot more people do it than did before I had "Dr" showing before my name. I was actually talking to my husband about that the other night. People can be in a discussion , having the same opinion as me, and I am the asshole. It has to be the title. I asked some others if they have had the same experience and the response was anything from "Hell YES" to "I have certainly noticed that change myself". Many think it is the strength and confidence most people with titles have, theat may be part of it, but I think people see "Dr" and think...I am going to show how much  smarter, better, stronger, tougher, I am. They fail miserably.

The consensus is that people have lives where they generally do not feel empowered, maybe a bad job,relationship, income, home life. People who are secure in their place in the world don't attack, there is no need to. I especially think it is funny when talking about people's motivations and feelings...after all I do also have a degree based in Psychology. Yeah, I would have no idea about that motivation stuff.

I earned my PhD because I thought the subject (world religions, metaphysics, healing, empowerment) was fascinating. It is, and I loved every minute of the 3 years it took to complete. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I did it for me because I love to learn, not to get attention. I rarely use my title, but use it online as it doesn't help for people authentically looking for help from me. It gives them some confidence in me. I have learned to ignore the people who seem to have an issue with it. You can't win a debate with a person who is angry at you for no reason other than a tag in front of your name.(My Mom used to say that you couldn't win a battle of wits with an unarmed person, because it would be so inhumane to fight).

People also just aren't that informed (see I used a nice word), they don't get it, the whole "Dr" thing. I met a man once in person for the first time, he said something along the lines of me being a medical doctor. I told him no I was not, I was a PhD. He said....oh so you are an animal doctor, ummm, no that is a DVM. His response was, oh so you really aren't a real doctor. I said, I am not a medical doctor if that is what you mean, but I am a real doctor. That left him totally puzzled, how could someone have "Dr" in front of their name and  not lance boils?

There was also a young lady (again , believe me I am being nice) , the other day online who was asking about a photo she took of herself in the mirror and if it were paranormal. I told her no, and why. She didn't like that answer, so she told me to get off the page (yeah just a rude person to begin with), and go to a page about doctoring, like where they are talking about healthcare or something. I told her that I was not a medical doctor and thanks for the suggestion, but "no thanks".

People like to suggest I am some kind of idiot, people don't get PhDs being an idiot, they get them for thinking for themselves. When you are in grammar school and high school, much of what you do is memorize things and learn processes, like the capitols of states and your times tables. When you get to college you are expected to think. When you get to grad school you are expected to think to the level of figuring something out that no one did before you, and/or finding new solutions or ways of looking at something....all depending on what you are studying. My Thesis was on healing and people's beliefs, along with the power of the mind to heal. I guess I skated right up to that medical doctor thing everyone seems to be so hung up on. My psychology training helped greatly with that Thesis.

The psychology student from the past gets awakened when things happen like people being so aggressive and even nasty when you have a title. Most people I talked to call it "educational racism". Meaning, people who hate a person just becasue they had a higher education. No other reason...well that and you disagree with them.

 It isn't just "dr", but that is what I have had experience with. The internet gives people a wall to hide behind and makes them nastier than ever to each other to begin with. We used to call it "phone muscles" years ago....people would say things on the phone (especially to someone they didn't know), more than face to face. The internet takes the lack of "face to face" to a whole new level. I am a Jersey Girl, I could come up with things to say to people that would stun them, I lived in a place where people spoke their mind, and I can tear you up with words....I don't do that anymore, I am a better person than when I was younger, but I am good at holding back now, actually what I do is ignore them, makes them feel better, and keeps my BP down. You can't change the minds of people like that (they don't want to know any different than they believe), so you let it go.

I disagree with someone on the ne,t and I get an instant nasty, aggressive, and even smart ass answer. It is almost automatic. Another "dr" told me she figures , if you can't beat them....and she starts off anything she says aggressively. She says, "there is always one out there, sometimes two". She is sadly correct.

There are certain things I know a lot about, and certain things I know nothing about. The things I know nothing about, I listen/read carefully. The things I know much about, I speak up about. The things people say on the internet are just pathetic. A person posted a photograph asking what something in the photograph was, there was a person holding the object out from a cell phone to get the picture...some wonderful person said "it is a fat arm, go on a diet". Wow, talk about needing some empowerment in their lives.

When you realize all nasty attacks come from people who have a low opinion of themselves inside (although they won't tell you that), and that they are just insecure people who wouldn't talk like that to your face, you just walk away and shake your head. I do that an awful lot lately.

When you are on the internet, in any form, be  nicer. Does it really make you feel better to tell people they need to get off the page (and then they don't), or that they will "never get it" (when they think...you will never get life),or that most other people are thinking...why is that person being an ass? People don't look up to rudeness, at least good, emotionally stable and secure people don't. You don't look "strong" you look like a whiny jerk. I have said this before and I will say it again...

TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED.

It doesn't matter if they have Mrs, Ms, Dr, Sir or anything else in front of their name. They are proud of that title, and should be, some worked hard for that title, and it isn't a carte blanche to be a jerk to them....and by the way, they can handle your bad behavior for the most part, people don't get to that level reacting badly to the nasty idiots of the world. People don't walk away because they are weak, they walk away because they have self respect and won't sink to your level.

Treat others as you would like to be treated....
AND
DO the right things for the right reasons.

People ARE allowed to disagree with you, really they are. Doesn't make them stupid, fat, or assholes. It makes them thinking human beings.

Treat people nicer and see how your world improves. Be secure with yourself and be happier. It really is not difficult at all.

NAMASTE!

(C) 2015 , the DR . May not be used, copied or reproduced without prior written permission, as always internet world, share by sharing the link! 


Tuesday, April 7, 2015

More spirituality, less religion.

What we need in this world today is LESS religion and MORE spirituality. Religion always has a premise that a particular belief system is THE way, the ONLY way, and anyone unlike that way, is an enemy of some sort. People have been getting killed over religion as long as it has existed.

The problem with religion is dogma. Those "rules" for life that are specific in how you need to do things, and how the world should be. Dogma causes people to get killed everyday. Organized religion is the biggest mess on this planet. It causes wars, family issues, violence, and even financial issues. It creates hatred through preaching that if you are certain things , like homosexual, or believe certain things, then you not only will have a terrible afterlife, you will be punished in this life by people who think they are more righteous that you are.

We are allowing our laws to be infiltrated by religion and religion does not belong in our laws, as we are a nation where there is freedom of religion (WITHOUT the state "religious freedom laws"...which are nothing of the sort). Religion should not tell a non believing woman that she cannot have an abortion, even if that baby will be born with terrible physical handicaps. How is that compassionate? Relgion should not tell us what we can do except in our own homes and our places of worship. Period. Not in our restaurants, doctor's offices, and workplace. Religion does not belong anywhere else as we are not a nation of one religion.

I had someone state to me the other day that Jesus is loved by all who believe in God. No he isn't. Jesus is an entity of Christianity (hence the Christ name). Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hinduism.....and more, do not believe in Jesus Christ at all, or as a son of God. In fact, most of the world does NOT believe in Jesus. People get wrapped up in their belief systems and think it is the only one and everyone should practice it and love it. We also have about 40 MILLION Atheists in this country.

Spirituality , on the other hand, does believe in a higher power, it doesn't give it a name, or is uses all names, from "God" to "The Universe". It does not have dogma, so no one gets upset with the way someone else is screwing in a light bulb. Spirituality tells us that we need to always strive to do what is best, to help others, and to be honest and straightforward. It tells us we are learning many lessons on earth and that in the afterlife we will be viewed on how well we learned our lessons. We are taught that this life or the next ca,n be effected by the biggest teacher of all...Karma.

Religion basically teaches that you can be as nasty, evil, vindictive, hateful and predjudicial as you want to, and as long as you confess or pray for forgiveness, it is all good. So how does that help people be a better person and treat others well? It doesn't. It does just the opposite.

We need people to be more spiritual. We need people to think about how they would like to be treated, to not judge people, to not break laws or moral codes and defend them in the name of religion or God. We need to stop condemming others and calling them unGodlike.

God, The Highest Power, The Universe created us all. It created the criminals, the other religions,the people you don't like,  the homosexuals, all of it.Good and bad.  Everyone is equal in the eyes of the Almighty, and that is what you should strive for. This doesn't mean that when there are people doing criminal acts we don't prosecute them, but it does mean that we do not persecute because someone is not thinking or acting like we were taught, or believe. Religion has no business being part of the law! Every time and every place that has been tried through thousands of years it has failed miserably and has resulted in death and destruction.

Christianity is just about the newest religion on the block. It is not far wiser or more "Godlike" than other religions, but it is about 33% of the major religion population (not world population). Now that may be the largest religion on the planet, but there still is 67% of the organized religion world who does NOT practice Christianity. This is only the religious population. Christianity's numbers get smaller when you factor in all religions and non believers, like the 42 million Atheists on the planet.The largest Christian population in America is Protestant. We are a planet of 7 billion people. Christianity has 2 billion adherents. The other 5 billion people of the world should bow down to Christian dogma written into our laws? I think not.

Be spiritual, forget dogma, do unto others....and as I have been saying for years, do the right things for the right reasons! Let The Highest Power worry about religious and spiritual matters, it understands them FAR better than humans, as it would NEVER persecute any other belief system, or way of life, unlike humans do!

Triple Moon Goddess Gina

(C)2015 May not be used, copied or reproduced without prior written permission.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

What happened to seperation of church and state?

I am sure that unless you have become a hermit, you will have heard about Indiana's "Freedom of religion" act. A poorly written, in the best of terms, and a license for hate in the worst of terms, document.

I grew up in an age and place when times were greatly changing. It was about race and women's rights at that time, more than religion, but fighting over religion has been going on since written history. People talk about Christian values, but many do not demonstrate Christian values. Let's take a minute here and think about religion and law and its' history, shall we? The Spanish Inquisition is an epic example and an epic fail.
The goal was to maintain Spanish Catholic Orthodoxy .There was also the less "famous" Christian Inquisition, Portuguese Inquisition and Roman Inquisition. The Spanish Inquisition began as a way to force Jews and Muslims to convert or leave Spain, and spread beyond that already hateful goal. Over 150,000 people were charged with crimes and tortured, up to 5,000 died during torture or were sentanced to death, all because they didn't have the same religion.

When governing bodies try to force religion on the people, someone always suffers. It never has turned out to be a successful or "good" thing in any way. It has happened in every country. People jailed , tortured, killed, all in the name of religion. It is why we have a split Ireland, and Jerusalem, it is why we had a Holocaust, it is why we had the Spanish Inquisition, it is why England had "priest holes" to hide clergy. Millions died during the Holocaust, and they weren't all Jews.

There should never be laws defining religious actions in governments or courts. It never turns out well. The simple fact is that in the US today, if you look around you , you will see several types of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Taoists, Buddhists, Wiccans, and more. Who gets to have the final word? The Christians seem to believe it should be them, and want to force their beliefs into the state affairs. It doesn't work in Isreal, it won't work in the US.

We have religious freedom guaranteed to us in the Constitution. We also have separation of church and state. Neither should be messing in the business of the other.

The Governor of Indiana tried to sneak through a law that is an open door for discrimination. It's language and structure is completely different than any "freedom of religion" law ever. Many uninformed say it is "just like" other laws in other states. It is not, it is unique unto itself. The loudest and strongest groups to oppose the law have been the well organized LGBT community. This is not however just about gays. You could be refused service by a small business owner in Indiana because his Christian beliefs do not agree with you being in a mixed race marriage, not being married, but living with someone, being on birth control, having had an abortion....any information about you that they know, "can and will be held against you".

There are still Neanderthals out there who hate the Lesbians and Gays, they believe the LGBT community made this choice and don't care about God. I grew up around MANY Gay men, and they have no problem with God. They believe or don't on the same average as straight men do. Gays are not unholy, prejudicial idiots who hide behind the Bible and use it to defend hate are the unholy, that would be The Westboro Church!

I was taught to NEVER hate another just because they were different. I learned that a long time ago. I also learned to speak up and never allow hate and discrimination, even if people try to make it look like that is their religious right.

The Governor of Indiana thought he was smarter than everyone else. He wasn't. He wasn't even close. He tried to slip something by folks because it had a nice little title on it..."freedom of religion", he was acting like he was giving us something but we already had it! I do not, and will not tolerate ANY race, religions, sexual orientation, to be discriminated against. I am just one voice, but there are many people who are smarter and more successful that Governor Pence that also have the same non tolerant belief. They know that such laws will result in discrimination. They know that the law protects no one. They know that it was a backlash against allowing same gender marriage in Indiana.

Religion sparks such hatred in people. What does it matter that two people of the same sex marry? It doesn't cost you or the state a penny. It does not effect your life in any way. Being against same sex marriages is just being hateful. Period. You can spout what you THINK God wants, but rest assured, God made Gays and Lesbians too.

Stop being hateful.
Be smart READ the laws, not the headlines.

Thank you to all the companies, religious institutions, politicians, entertainers, organized sports, schools, and well informed people of the United States, that know when the wool is being pulled over their eyes and have the courage to not only speak up about it , but pull their business out of such a hateful state. It is a shame that the only thing that gets politicians attention is money, but that's a rant for another day.

True religion teaches us to hate no one. That is in EVERY religion on this planet, so if you think yours gives you permission to hate and discriminate against anyone, you best start back over in Sunday School before it's too late.

We are all different, celebrate that difference, becasue when you don't, you are not religious, holy, spiritual, or even a nice person  to be around.....you are a Hater, and one who WILL have to answer for that when you end this Earthwalk.

Be part of the world, not the world's problems.

NAMASTE!


(C)2015 TripleMoonGoddessGina