Wednesday, October 19, 2016

WHAT SCARES US?

As we approach Halloween, and we are doing our live Halloween show on "Ecto Portal" tonight (www.fccfreeradio.com, Live Studio 1A 8-10pm), I wanted to think what truly scares all of us?  Ghost stories, horror movies, crazy and current clown scares?  Maybe the things that truly terrify us are everyday things, things we know can and do happen.

I began to think about 911 calls, and the horrible and frightening situations that people get into, these are the real terrors and scary situations.  An intruder enters your apartment or house and you are alone.  Someone follows you down a dark street and you begin to run, as do they, right behind you.  A missing child in a large, public store or parking lot. A mysterious cell phone call that is not all together ... normal.  These are what makes us truly frightened.

In the spirit of Halloween and our show this evening, I have decided to write about a specific experience of my own that happened about 7 years ago.  I was asleep and my cell phone rang and startled me awake early in the morning.  I picked it up and the readout displayed "999-9999".  I did not answer it.  I tried to go back to sleep, a few minutes later, another call and this one read "000-0000."  I also did not answer that one.  Now I was unnerved and wondered if I was being harassed, or was it wrong numbers, crossed cell phone lines?  A few minutes later a third call, this one I did not even pick up the phone to read the display, instead I let it go directly to voice mail.  Ten minutes had passed and I was too curious not to find out who or what left a message.  I called my voice mail and received a 2 minute long phone call message.  For the first minute and 30 seconds, I heard faint static on the line but no voice, or message.  Then a few second later I heard the faint sound of an ambulance or police siren with heavy static and noise, followed by a voice.  The voice seemed like it was neither male nor female, or I could not tell to be honest.  The voice was panicked and said in a static whisper, "Ohhh, pick up, pick up, somebody please pick up." Right after the message ends.

Here is a video I made about this unusual phenomena.  My own call is featured second in this video.

People have had strange cell phone calls and messages, and mine is not the first and probably not the last.  Who is to say someone who has passed on, who knows very well how to use a cell phone doesn't pick one up and try to make a call to get help?  Would their voice be recorded?  If it was simply the call itself and did not have 2 others that preceded it, would it have made less an impact on me?  Probably is the answer to that question.  Calls from both numbers reading 999-9999 and 000-0000 as the caller?  What are the odds of both happening within a minute or two of each other, then the call with the 2 minute message and a voice speaking at the very end?

If you listen to tonight's show you will hear how this call and stories like it have affected how I mixed the show's music and theme.  Disturbing sounding for sure, but it is a true scare.

We also explore a live Oujia seance tonight in the studio after our 9PM hour, which we will also videotape and have on our facebook page the morning after, for those curious in our findings.  Perhaps you would like to participate as well, if you call in we will ask the board your question!  Listen live for the number and join in on our Halloween fun!

Happy Halloween!
Anthony Anderson

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

When She Called Me Forth

My intention was about the craft of the wise otherwise known as wtichcraft and the most misunderstood craft for centuries. I was going to write about it and explain why it's so feared and explain what it really is and how far it goes back in many cultures throughout the world but the words wouldn't come. So in expressing my frustration with my sister she suggested:Why don't you write about your self and how you were called to this path. My answer was that no one would be interested. But in thinking it over the subject, I might as well tell my personal story and perhaps it may clear some misconceptions and help those who are on a similar journey.

It started in my late twenties at the work place out of all places. I was reading a book on Celtic mythology and my boss came up picked up my book and started telling me the meaning behind some of the stories. I listened with interest and gave him my own opinion on fairy tales and story telling and the symbolism behind it. He then opened his shirt collar and showed me his pentacle and told me that he was a witch and practiced the craft. He told me did you know that you are one too and this comes natural to you? I was a bit baffled by his statement  but knowing my history of being a sensitive and being called the little witch in childhood (not in a complimantary way either), It felt true, He then asked me to discuss it over lunch with him.


Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Thoughts From Beyond

It's not surprising that the subject of death is the first subject of our show this week. October is a month associated with Halloween, All Souls Day, and Day Of The Dead.The leaves on the trees begin to fall reminding us of the cycle of death and rebirth. With shorter days that get dark early we tend to stay inside more and our thoughts turn inward to studying, sleeping and dreaming. It's no wonder that traditionally it is known as the season where the veil to the other world is at it's most open and we can feel our ancestors and loved ones the strongest.

Death is such a personal experience for everyone that many stories are saved and told over again in families and circles of friends and communities, yet we often wonder from time to time that if a part of someone has survived, what are their thoughts and how can we reach them or vice versa? Being asked this question more often than ever, the thought that came to me is that we often get a glimpse of those answers when we are in mourning and in deep grief because that is when the newly departed soul is reaching out to us before their next journey. I know it's not easy because grief takes over your whole being and everything seems like a blur. Yet in looking back when others are telling me personal stories of their loved ones passing,  they often tell me they dreamed heavily about the individual the first year or so after the death occured. The messages through these dreams were varied. Most often  their loved one came to say goodbye, other times they were trying to reassure the person who was grieving that they are ok and not to worry.  I have even heard of unfinished business such as the case of my grandmother who had a dream about her aunt coming to her and asking for special masses to be said for her soul. She mentioned that her soul was in purgatory and she was in a terrible state.She then instructed my grandmother to go into their bedroom and their was a certain opening in the wall where there was a box of money hidden. She asked her to take that money and use it for special prayers for her soul to be uplifted and the rest of the funds was for my grandmother to keep. Well right after my grandmother had this dream, she told my mother and made her promise to keep it a secret. She then had my mother accompany her to the bedroom mentioned and after inspecting it, they found the opening in the wall and inside was the box of money just as it was revealed. I mention this story because I heard the story so often in my childhood and I do recall that the dream occurred when her aunt had only made her passing recently at the time. That is just one example and I do realize that for many people reading this, the story has religious over tones. I am recalling exactly the way it was told to me and it's important to keep the details in there as it was remembered.

However I have also seen grief become a stumbling block if it is prolonged for a period of time. I am aware that in grieving there is no time frame and everyone handles it differently but I have witnessed some sad situtations where grief seem to be holding  someone back and we should equally pay attention to what messages we are receiving when that happens. Years ago when I was looking for a place to live I ran across a former co worker who lived in a large flat and he lost his mate two years before.He was depressed and drinking alot, and he told me he kept having dreams of his partner leaving on a boat. I felt so bad for him and I learned that all of his friends and support group were trying to get him help. But the dreams were disturbing him the most. In another similar situation, a friend of mine lost her fiance and she was grieving for almost 6 years. He kept appearing to her in a boat that was sailing away and he was waving good bye just like the other guy's dream.

The journey toward death is a subject very few wish to speak of and it is often different and highly personal for the person involved. There are matters to be discussed, papers, inheritance. wills, relationships, concerns,forgiveness, memories.Often the person dying will start to talk about what he or she is seeing and dream of relatives and loved ones long passed as being present in the room or in a dream. This is the time to ask questions, pay attention, and see what we can learn from them. It's hard and it's painful but it can be rewarding for all involved if we make the journey easier. We will be forever having questions on what the process feels like and what is going on in the mind of the dying. By being open and attentive to details before and after the person has passed we can be better prepared and bring something positive back to the living.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences on the air.