The Holy Nail

There are few things more popular throughout history than the Holy Grail, that simple chalice that is said to have collected the Blood of Christ during the Crucifixion. Legend tells that the Holy Grail can grant life, so on and so forth. It is quite literally the “Holy Grail” of all antiquities. It also happens to be the key feature of several of my favorite pieces of entertainment, from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade to the Da Vinci Code.

Yesterday I was browsing through the news when I came across a fascinating article from London’s Daily Mirror. The article is about an archaeological dig on a tiny island off the coast of Portugal, where a burial sight was found containing three bodies that are presently believed to be members of the Knights Templar. Nestled amongst these bodies was what was described as an ornate box that contained a single nail that is believed to date back to the time of the Crucifixion. This would not be altogether noteworthy as these nails are fairly common in the world given the fascination that the Romans had with that particular means of torture and execution, but what does make this find potentially remarkable is that this particular nail was seemingly being guarded by three members of the organization that is said to have tasked itself with the protection of the some of the most important relics of the Christian religion, including portions of the Holy Cross, the Holy Grail, as well as a variety of decapitated heads and other materials.

National Geographic’s Paranatural

Tonight is a momentous occasion for the denizens of L.E.M.U.R., as we take the television on National Geographic for the first time! The Mysterious Lights episode of the  Paranatural program is set to air at 9pm EST on National Geographic Channel.

Here is a video clip from the show.

In this video you will see myself and L.E.M.U.R. Hall of Fame inductee Brian Irish analyzing the video that Dean Warsing captured in front of the National Geographic cameras while observing the Linville Gorge. Also seen in the clip is L.E.M.U.R. historian Vance Pollock, investigators Forrest Connor and Micah A. Hanks, Shelley Wright, and L.E.M.U.R. founder and president Joshua P. Warren.

Predator: Science Fiction or Likely Scenario?

Last night and this morning, I’ve had a hankering for some older science fiction movies, and decided that I wanted to watch Predator and Predator 2. I stuck the first one in, and after remembering that the new rising star in the Conspiracy Theory field, Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura was in it, I thought to myself that I might write an article about Jesse’s Conspiracy Theory series, that aired last season on TruTV. I began thinking up an outline for it, until something else struck me; I remembered reading an article by Micah A. Hanks over at the Gralien Report about a month ago, that left me thinking about our little slice of the galaxy and the role that we (humans) play in it. His article is about Cambridge University Professor Simon Conway Morris, and his assertion that alien life would likely be very similar to humans, psychologically speaking. Namely, greed and exploitation.

Paranormal Activity – Eerily Real

Anyone who follows the movie scene most likely saw that Paranormal Activity was the box office surprise of this century, ferreting $142M USD out of the wallets of the masses, on a production budget of only $15,000. I proudly admit that ten of those dollars came out of my own wallet as I took in a late night showing a week or so after it went national. It’s hard to say how much my mental state going into the film was affected by reviews and opinions that I’d heard and read in the lead up to it; Many people (horror enthusiasts, even) declaring it the scariest movie they’d ever seen, even more so that The Exorcist. Those were big words for me to take in, as I regard the tale of Fathers Merrin and Karras to be the clinical masterpiece in inciting absolute terror. I don’t care what crazy small budget foreign films get hocked on me, I doubt that I will ever shake from my stance that The Exorcist is the greatest horror film ever, while being my own personal scariest.

With this skepticism in mind, I walked into the theater and took a good seat, flanked by my girlfriend, mother, and sister. The film came on after the usual ridiculous amount of trailers, and the ensuing hour and a half left me suitably impressed. I had heard the comparison to The Blair Witch Project, but I, as well as everyone else I personally know, found it be far superior in every way. But this is not a movie review; The purpose of this post is to take pieces of the movie and relate them to real life.

Harry Potter and the Psychomanteum of Erised

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series is, as we all know by now, the most popular written word since the Bible, having sold about 1 copy for every 12 people on earth and turned Rowling into the first, and to this day only, billionaire author. The Potter series, in addition to being the most popular series of books ever, is also probably one of the most paranormally themed series of books ever, touching upon so many familiar concepts that it’s almost difficult to know where to begin; Plain ol’ magic, or something a bit more esoteric, such as the Hand of Glory or remote viewing?

I’ve read all seven books, and I found the first four to be absolutely phenomenal, with the fifth alternating between great and mind-numbingly frustrating. I don’t know what it is about Rowling’s characters, but they struggle with social situations more than the average mouse at a cat show. I didn’t particularly care for the sixth and seventh books (honestly. Ginny Weasley?), but they did contain a fair deal of interesting paranormal tidbits that are a bit off the beaten path, which we may get into later if I can force myself to dig them out of the back of my bookshelf, where they’re currently stowed behind an immense jar of pennies.

One of the integral, and perhaps most interesting minor scenes in all of the books takes place in the first volume, the Sorcerer’s Stone (Philosopher’s Stone in Britain), where our protagonist has a chance encounter with a certain item in the castle of Hogwarts. Not a moving staircase, flying keys, or a stone that promises eternal life, but something more innocuous; An old mirror.

Getting Started

To kick things off here at Popular Paranormal, the first post is just going to be some easy reading. Behold, a list of my favorite paranormal topics that will be getting a lot of attention devoted to them in ensuing posts!

1. Psychomanteum – Mirror gazing, time travel, communication with the other side, and alternate dimensions all rolled into one convenient package.
2. Conspiracy Theories – While not really a traditional paranormal theme, I still feel that it falls under the umbrella. The only real question is, when does it stop being conspiracy theory, and start being conspiracy fact?
3. Astral Projection – Floating, floating, floating through time and space. Limitless possibilities and places to go.
4. UFO, Alien Phenomena – Having grown up in a Star Wars household, this is a gimme. I believe.
5. Alternate Dimensions – A fascinating topic to cover in a multitude of different ways. Endless possibilities for endless realities. Slips, tucks, folds, holes, and so much more.
6. Demonology – A bit of a darker side of the paranormal, but fascinating no less. Psychological conditions, or something else?
7. Underground Everything – My good friend and famed Gralien Report writer Micah A. Hanks once hypothesized to me that we as a species are fascinated and very often terrified of what lies under our feet. I believe him, and Homo Hadalis remains my number 2 fear behind zombies.
8. Cryptids – I feel that most people have at some point looked at the vast openness of our world, and asked themselves “What’s out there?” Whether it be Bigfoot, Mothman, Nessie, or other creatures, it is simply fascinating.
9. Ghostly Phenomena – The classic, timeless favorite. Disembodied spirit, restless soul, loved one paying a visit, or something else entirely?
10. Vampires – Another haunting classic, easily the most bloodthirsty of the lot, yet at the same time possessing such charming qualities to make them revered rather than reviled among many people.

While this is my top 10 list that I can think of off the top of my head, it is not exclusively the list of topics that will be written about in this blog. I welcome most all subjects of the paranormal into my home, and by way of my computer, save for zombies.

Stay tuned for whatever comes next!

First Post!

The first post for Popular Paranormal, the newest paranormal blog on the internet!

This blog will be dedicated to taking a closer look at the paranormal themes that are featured in popular culture, both historic and modern. There are many obvious themes in movies such as Poltergeist, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Mothman Prophecies, however there are also deeper paranormal themes in places you may not expect to look, such as Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, and The Epic of Gilgamesh.

The paranormal has been considered in a variety of lights over the centuries, from worship to hatred and paranoia, but in today’s modern society we are experiencing a surging growth in popularity with the success of television shows such as Ghost Hunters, authors such as Jim Marrs and Whitley Streiber, and movies such asParanormal Activity. More and more investigation and research teams are popping up all over the world, and with this development, more and more people are opening up and coming forward with experiences. It is these stories that drive the continuing growth of the field, and with it, the pressing desire for more information, more wisdom, and more answers.

Follow along with updates as we look deep into the realms of fantasy, history, and modern society to find the roots of the esoteric themes that creep into our every day world.