talkmagic.co.uk

You don't have to "believe in it"... only in the possibility. The growing majority of present day "skeptics" are in fact CYNICS that want it all cut & dry/Black & White, refusing to allow room for the grey... which by the way, science even allows room for.

I see myself a rather ardent skeptic but I'm not, nor will I ever be a Cynic when it comes to the paranormal, spiritual and surreal... seen far too much that goes outside the abilities of both, magic and science. Yet, the pseudo-intellects of the magic world would paint me the fool for admitting to such things going so far as to bring in drug use (past as well as present medical treatment) and of course other "personal" health and personality issues... they don't disprove my claims or those made by others, just strive to taint the publics' perception of the "messenger" and his/her credibility.

I'll admit that we've had some rather "honorable" discussions on this forum when it comes to such things but we still host more than our fair share of "Prove It To Me" cynics who absolutely refuse to believe in anything. This is partly due to the nature of their own psychological bend and the need to feel superior (especially at intellectual levels) and partly due to the thorough sense of programming we've seen surface within the magic world over the past 12-15 years or so, pertaining to a very strong Atheistic agenda; one that forces the "believer" be it those that believe in God, Miracles, Ghosts, or whathaveyou... to stay silent and thus, suppressed for the most part while jackasses like myself, speak up; volunteering for the brunt of the burning, so to speak.

This unwritten "law" (myth) that to be involved with magic means you can't have faith or belief in anything outside intellect and logic not just deteriorating the effectiveness of key craft techniques, but the enchantment perceived by the public; simply because the majority of us see it all as being "just tricks" and thus, we don't try... we aren't invested in the idea of making magic a reality... and after watching Billy McComb work his version of the old Vanishing Bird Cage, I'm convinced that magic can be made real, regardless of what it is we are attempting.

There is a line that somehow got crossed a few years back, that have made stage performers evangelists for an atheist agenda. Just like those Sunday morning Preachers they see no wrong in what they do and strive to justify their acts of intimidation as well as very clever (rehearsed) modes of manipulation -- manipulations that invoke doubt in the minds of others along side unfounded anger or aggression, as it were.

Don't get me wrong... I have major problems with the religious fanatics as well... I'm an equal opportunity bigot when it comes to those that cling to extremes or live down to the social type-cast of their sect/minority group.

I've lived in and investigated many "haunted" facilities and though I've walked away from most without having an "event" or else finding logical reason behind the phenomena, I've also had those encounters that went against the grain of logic and explanation... then too, I kind of like the idea of living in a haunted house and watching as my fellow cohabitants tease and show off for visiting guests from this more terrestrial dimension.

It's sad, at least in my mind, that so many want to dispel the idea that magic could be real and that there is good reason for honoring the departed and even acknowledging visits by their souls. But as a psychologist friend of mine explained, most who do such things do so out of ego and oneupmanship... the idea that "I know more than you"... which has been the driving air of all things mystical and spiritual for eons. [insert sound track -- John Denver's "Ashes in Wildwood" for a better understanding]

You could try your local paranormal society f
or some pointers. You can go sit in old buildings with your night vision camera ready to catch anything on film. The one is Hull as far as I can tell seems to mainly investigate haunted pubs as far as I can tell. Usually ones with quite decent beer.

Your cheap bookshops like the works often have local history on this sort of thing.

http://www.essexandkentparanormal.co.uk/

http://www.ghostfinder.co.uk/pluckley.html