Unquiet Ghosts - Part I

UNQUIET GHOSTS
PART ONE
by Barry Van-Asten

PREFACE

On Sunday 11th January 2004, Barry and his fiancé Aimee Mclaughlin, moved into their top floor rooms in West London. In the months they had previously spent together they had experienced many forms of phenomena at different locations, from visitations to poltergeist activity. At their new home these phenomena seemed to increase in the first year of their occupancy. Miss Mclaughlin, being a ‘natural’ if reluctant medium was persuaded to conduct a series of séances, assisted by Barry who was to take notes at the sittings. Barry Philip Van-Asten B.A. (HONS) describes himself as a ‘practising Thelemite and student of the occult’; previous to his association to Miss Mclaughlin, he had also experienced many forms of strange phenomena throughout his life, being a little what one might call ‘sensitive’ towards such things. On three occasions he had witnessed ‘spiritual manifestations’ – once in his rooms at his University in Surrey, and previous to that on two occasions while with his brother, they witnessed the ghostly apparition of a ‘lower half, legs and nothing else’ near the lake at Swanshurst Park in Birmingham, on approaching them they seemed to disappear, and on another occasion at dusk in the same location of a gentleman in a raincoat and trilby hat suddenly appear before them and seem to walk as if to go through them; on his passing the brothers turned round and he was no longer there. There were rumours of suicides occurring at the location in the past but that is all. Barry's father, also lived for many years in a haunted house at Tillingham Street in Birmingham; sadly all ‘photographic evidence’ that Barry remembers seeing as a boy has mysteriously vanished.
Miss Mclaughlin is also highly psychic and like her mother, is sensitive and able to ‘receive’ spirit impressions – visually and audibly; Miss Mclaughlin often feels her ‘gift’ is more a curse than a blessing.
Barry's diaries are not as comprehensive and ‘detailed’ as one would wish them to be but if they don’t list all the strange phenomena that happened, especially in the first year, then they do give a glimpse of the more curious happenings.

SOME OCCURRENCES IN THE HAUNTED ROOMS

As we have said the couple moved into the accommodation on Sunday 11th January 2004, and from this date phenomena seems to occur, but the first instance of anything out of the ordinary occurring is noted in Barry's diary when he writes that they both experience a ‘visitation’ all night. Miss Mclaughlin feels there is an ‘unwanted male entity’ that seems to come and go in visitation about the rooms. The house was built from appearances in the early nineteen-hundreds and is situated on a road alongside the Grand Union Canal. The couple have not researched the background of the house or the area but feel the ‘male presence’ has some attachment to the fabric of the house; but certain other phenomena are definitely attracted to the couple themselves from ‘outside’, either to Barry because of his spiritual inclination and practices or to Miss Mclaughlin because of her ‘gift’ for seeing the spirit world.
On Thursday 5th February Barry's’s deceased mother, came and spoke through the medium, Miss Mclaughlin (Wednesday 4th February was the anniversary of her birth). Miss Mclaughlin’s Aunt Helen died on Friday 13th February and her funeral took place on Thursday 19th February (Miss Mclaughlin had taken some of her dead Aunt’s hair from a hair brush and brought it back to their home). On Monday 16th February Barry’s mother came through the medium and from 11.40 P.M.-12.48 A.M. they held a sitting using the Planchette:


The board spells out the name BETTY.
Are you a relative? Yes.
Is Aunt Helen with you? Yes.
Are you Aunt Helen? Yes.
How many days/hours has Helen been with you? 4.
Confirmed – Yes.
How old is Helen? 56.
Confirmed – Yes.
What is the initial (first letter) of your son who died? A.
Confirmed – Yes.
Is Helen happy? Yes.
Is there a message from Helen? Yes.
(Message reads) I SAD (4) F (J) BLM
Confirmed LM? Yes.
(Letters continue) A
Is it Helen? Yes.
Is it a word? Unanswered.
(Letters continue) K.
Any more letters? Yes.
(Letters continue) D.
Are these the initials of your children? Yes.
Any more to tell us? No.
Are you happy and pain free? Yes.
Is your son with you? Yes.
Can we agree to a suitable time of contact? Yes.
Are you with your body? No.
Can you read/write in the spirit world? Yes.
Are you looked after by someone else we know? (a reference to Barry’s mother) Yes.
Is it Barry’s mother? Yes.
Are you with her now? Yes.
Did you come to visit me today? Yes.
Did you turn the boiler off? Yes.
To let me know that you are here? Yes.
Everyone is thinking about you, I’m happy you are happy. Were you aware I was thinking of you when I was at my Buddhist Temple and that I lit a candle and incense for you? Yes.
Did you like it? Yes.
Would you like to communicate with me again in the future? Yes.
How many weeks from today to communicate? 1.
Goodnight, rest well, rest in peace, talk soon. Yes.

Betty, are you here? Yes.
Thank you for looking after my Aunt. Is it why you have been here for the past few days before Helen died; to keep watch over me so that I feel safe? Yes.
Is Barry’s father good and well? Yes.
Do you visit Barry's brother? Yes.
Is he aware you are there? Yes.
Does he accept it is you seeing him? No.
Is there anything we can do? I.e. tell him of our experiences with you? Yes.
Is he sensitive enough to know it is you? Yes.
Is he ignoring the fact that it happens? Yes.
We must end this session now. When shall we talk next; how many weeks? 1.
Will you and Aunt Helen be at the funeral (and the wake)? Yes.
Just as observers? Yes.
Barry: I wish you well till next time.
Medium: Goodnight.
(Letters spelt out) BYE.
(And again) BYE.
Goodbye, safe journey… Yes.

A MOST PECULIAR TIME, INDEED

The next occurrence happened on Friday 20th February, the day after Aunt Helen’s funeral in Bury. The couple had felt a presence and decided to use the pendulum to make contact with any spirit which may be present. The formula for this was to indicate a ‘yes’ answer the pendulum swung back and forth in a straight line; to indicate ‘no’ it rotated in a circular motion. From 11.30 P.M. to 2.10 A.M. a sitting was conducted with Miss Mclaughlin as the medium and Barry as assistant and note taker. The results were as follows:


Are there any spirits present? Yes.
Are you someone we know? Yes.
Is this for Barry? No.
Is this for me (the medium)? Yes.
Are you a friend? No.
Are you a stranger? No (Strong).
Are you a relative? Yes.
Are you from more than one year ago? No.
Are you from less than one year ago? Yes.
Are you from less than six months (death)? Yes.
Did you die this year? Yes (Strong).
Are you male? No.
Are you female? Yes (Strong)
Are you Helen? Yes (Quite strong).
(The medium thanks the spirit) Thank you.
(The pendulum feels heavier than usual).
How are you? Are you well? Yes (Strong).
(The energy felt strong in the chain of the pendulum; not unpleasant).
Were you at the house when I arrived (in Bury, for the wake)? Yes.
Were you in the same room as your body? Yes (Strong).
Where were you standing? Were you near your head? Yes (Strong).
(Feeling of sadness)
Are you feeling sad and unhappy at the moment? Yes (Very strong).
Is it because you are missing everyone? Yes (Very strong).
Is A.......... (Helen’s son) with you? Yes (Very strong).
Are you happy to be with him again? Yes (Very strong).
(The pendulum feels lighter, happier).
What did you think of the whole day? (Meaning the funeral) Was it good? Yes.
Did it make you feel happy? Yes.
Did it make you feel sad? Yes.
What is it like on the other side? Is it good? Yes (Very strong).
You are not alone? No.
You have more than A.......... to look after you? Yes.
Is Grandfather there? Yes.
Is Grandmother there? Yes.
Is Barry’s mother there? Yes.
Is she helping you? Yes.
(First half of question inaudible)…you know that I care? Yes.
(Pause).
You know I am sorry I could not see you? Yes.
You don’t hold a grudge against me do you? No.
I hope you know I can help you now if I can and that I will be here, obviously there are, as Barry’s mother knows, terms and conditions on this – we need time to ourselves. We can agree a time to communicate instead of constantly attracting our attention, is this O.K. with you? Yes.
Do you have a preference in communication? Yes.
Pendulum? Yes.
Did you like the board (Ouija Board)? Yes.
Would you like to try automatic writing? Yes (Very strong).
Choose one; what do you prefer:
Board? No.
Pendulum? No.
Writing? Yes.
Helen, that’s quite funny as you never used to write!
You didn’t know how to write did you? No.
Was there anything you weren’t happy with yesterday? (Meaning the funeral) Yes.
Was it any of the people there? No.
Was it the service? Yes.
Something specific? Yes (Strong).
Did you want the service? Yes (Strong).
Was it too long? No.
Did you like the Priest? Yes.
Was it anything to do with your coffin? Yes (Strong).
Was it the way they carried you? No.
Did you like the Holy Water sprinkled on your coffin? Yes.
Did you like the incense? Yes.
Is it just the coffin? Yes (Very strong).
Is it the cross on your coffin? Yes (Very strong).
Are you particularly religious/Catholic? No.
Do you like the candle I’ve lit for you? Yes.
Did you like the incense and the candle at the Temple? (Meaning the Buddhist Temple the medium attended previous to the funeral) Yes.
Did you like the rosary placed in your coffin? No.
Did you like the colour blue inside the coffin? No.
Do you prefer bright colours? Yes.
Would red be better? Yes.
Would yellow be better? Yes.
Would orange be better? Yes.
Do you like warm colours? Yes.
Do you like white? Yes.
Is death how you imagined it to be? No.
Is it better than how you thought it would be? Yes.
Is it a different dimension to this world? Yes.
Is there a Heaven? No.
Are you disappointed there is no Heaven? No.
Have you lived before this life that just ended? Yes.
Do you know how many lives you have lived? Yes.
Is it two? No.
Is it three? No.
Is it less than ten? No.
Is it less than twenty? No.
Is it less than one-hundred? Yes.
Is it less than fifty? No.
Is it more than sixty? Yes.
Is it more than seventy? No.
Have you lived as both sexes? No. (Here Helen’s humour came through as she assumed the question to be lived as both sexes at the same time, which is impossible!)
Have you been male? Yes.
Have you been any other form other than human? Yes (Strong).
Were you a dog? Yes.
Were you a dog before your most recent incarnation? Yes (Very strong).
Were you a female dog? No.
Were you a male dog? Yes.
Did you live long? Yes.
Did you die of natural causes? Yes.
Who is right, Buddha or Jesus:
Buddha? Yes (Strong).
Jesus? No.
Were they the same soul? Yes.
Are you sure? Yes ((Strong).
Are the Egyptian Gods/Deities actual souls? Yes.
Did they exist? Yes.
Are they still relevant? Yes (Strong).
Are there other intelligences in the universe? Yes.
From other planets? Yes.
Have they visited Earth? Yes.
Did they have anything to do with the construction of the pyramids? No.
Did they have anything to do with the construction of Stonehenge? No.
Have they influenced anyone upon Earth? No.
Is there someone/thing that creates order? Yes (Strong).
Could you call it God? Yes (Strong).
Is it a He? No.
Is it a She? No.
Is it energy? Yes.
Is it Thought? Yes.
Is it Light? Yes (Strong/medium).Yes.
Does it have an opposite? Yes.
Is it Darkness? Yes.
Is it Negative? Yes (Strong).
Are they in equal balance? Yes (Strong).
Does that mean that we have choice in our lives? Yes (Strong).
Is there a Law of Kama? Yes (Strong).
(Pause and resumed at 12.35 P.M.)
How did you feel about the arrangements generally? Were they to your liking? (Meaning the funeral) Yes.
Are you happy with what R....... (Helen’s husband) did for you? Yes.
You do understand I can’t pass a message on to R...... as he would be too upset? Yes.
Would you like to? Yes.
I don’t want to upset him, is that alright? Yes.
You understand then? Yes.
It’s not the right time as yet; do you agree on later? Yes.
What about a message for my mother? Yes.
Do you want to write it? Yes.
Do you want to do automatic writing? Yes.
Are you happy to be in contact with me? Yes (Strong).
I want to help you in this form even if I couldn’t help you when you were here, do you understand? Yes.
Are you happy with that? Yes.
I feel awful; I’ve let you down. Do you consider that I’ve let you down? No.
Did you like me holding your hand? Yes.
Did you feel it? Yes (Strong).
Had you completely left your body? No.
Are you with your body now? No.
Do you feel a sense of freedom now without your body? Yes.
Did you like the music played for you at the wake? Yes.
Did you mind that I looked inside your wardrobe? No.
Was it you who opened the door of the wardrobe? (In the bedroom above the living room where the coffin was set; it was the room in which Barry and the medium spent the night. Present during the wardrobe door opening incident was Barry, the medium and the medium’s mother). Yes.
Was it meant for Aimee (the medium)? No.
Was it meant for the medium's mother? Yes.
Was it meant for Barry? No.
My mother knew it was you, you know that don’t you? Yes.
Were you saying hello? Yes (Strong/medium).
My mother will miss you, you know that don’t you? Yes.
Did you think you had so many people who cared about you? No.
You could have called on any of us for help, you do know that? No.
Is it the case you didn’t know you could call? Yes.
Is that yes? Yes (Medium).
Did you know before leaving, about Barry and me? Yes (Strong).
Are you happy for us? Yes (Very, very strong).
I wish you were well enough and still around, to come, would you come? (Meaning to the wedding of Barry and the medium) Yes.
Will you be at my wedding? Yes.
Are you coming with Barry’s mother? Yes (Strong).
Will it be just you and Barry’s mother in attendance? Yes.
Will Granddad be there? No.
Will Grandmother be there? No.
Will A........ be there? No.
Will Uncle Geoffrey be there? No.
Have you met Uncle Geoffrey? No.
Does Barry’s mother know Uncle Geoffrey? Yes.
Would you like to meet my Uncle? Yes.
My mother and he were close, did you know? No.
You’ll get on with Uncle Geoffrey, he’s nice and funny. Is that O.K.? Yes.
Is there anything else you wish to say? Yes.
Are you happy to be buried next to (and not with) A........? Yes (Strong).
Did you hear the poem I wrote for you? Yes.
Did you like it? Yes (Very strong).
There was a little gift for you, did you see it? Yes.
Did you like the idea? Yes.
Did you like the flowers we sent? Yes.
Have you ever seen so many flowers for you? No.
Did it make you feel happy? No.
Did it make you feel sad? No.
Did it make you feel loved? Yes.
I wish I could have hugged you, you know? Yes (Very strong).
I wanted to stroke your hair, you know? Yes.
Are you O.K. with me taking some of your hair from your hairbrush? No.
I’m sorry.
Is there a reason why that makes you unhappy? Yes.
Can you understand why I did it? Yes.
I don’t want any of your possessions; I just wanted a little piece of you to keep close to me, do you understand? Yes.
I only took hair that was on the hairbrush, do you understand? Yes.
Can I keep it? No.
Is there something I can do with it? No.
Do I need to give it to someone? Yes.
Do I need to give it to someone in my family? Yes.
My Mother? Yes.
My Dad? Yes.
My Brother D......? Yes.
Do you want me to share it? Do you mean I can have it but only as a shared item? Yes.
Is it O.K. to divide it and leave some with my mother? Yes.
I’ll leave some in N............ and some in London, is that O.K.? Yes.
Did you mind me taking the card from the flowers? My mum said it’s O.K. is it O.K. with you? Yes.
I loved your musical soft toys, they were very funny. Yes.
You really liked the dog, is that right? Yes (Strong).
Did you like it more than the other ones? Yes.
I like the new house, it’s really nice. Were you happy there? Yes.
Is there anything else you wish to say with the pendulum? No.
Can we agree on a time and date for our next communication – yes or no? Yes.
Shall we say next weekend? Yes (Strong).
Next Sunday? Yes (Strong).
Time: from 7 P.M.? Yes.
No later than 10 P.M.? Yes
Do you agree? Yes.
Do you still need to write a message? Yes (Strong).
Do you want me to do it now? Yes.
Would you mind if we did it another time? No.
Would you prefer to do it now? Yes.
Is it a long message? No.
Is it a short message? Yes.
(There follows a short message whereby the medium used automatic writing; the writing is a sort of childish scrawl but still decipherable – the message reads :)


H...., (medium's mother)
I want to come home for my kids.
Be happy for me.
I’ll be seeing you,

Helen xx

Have you finished everything? Yes.

(The sitting ends at 2.10 A.M.)

SUNRISE OF THE SPIRITS

On Tuesday 16th March at midnight the stereo player starts by itself and plays a track from Miss Mclaughlin’s Beatles C.D. The song is ‘Come Together’. This also occurs the following night at the same time and the medium used the pendulum to attempt to discover the communication.
At the Vernal Equinox on Saturday 20th March Barry performed the Invocation of Horus magical ritual and on the next night Barry and the medium sat waiting for the stereo to begin again at midnight, which it did, with the same song ‘Come Together’. The stereo tried to start again the following night but failed for some reason and turned itself off. Other notable phenomena at this time is the Television switching channels and turning itself off and on; taps and bangs are heard and so are footsteps; there is also a sense of ‘cold spots’ and air being blown; another phenomena is the presence of odd odours which the medium recognises as a sort of ‘spiritual calling card’ to let her know a spirit is present and perhaps a communication is needed. These smells are sometimes only detected by the medium or sometimes only by Barry and on some occasions by both at the same time. Barry recalls that during this period, he often felt a presence in the bedroom when he was alone at night in the living room. He remembers this as a daily occurrence when the medium often worked late hours. Sometimes phenomena seemed to occur in the kitchen and at other times in the bedroom; presences were felt in all the rooms but the living room and kitchen was most often the centre for strange noises. Usually sounds occur in a different room to where one is situated but on some occasions it did happen close to where one happened to be. On these sounds being heard it was Barry’s habit to shout out ‘hello’ and he would greet the entity and even enter into an imaginary conversation with the visitor, usually to show he was not afraid, though sometimes he would be continually looking over his shoulder towards the bedroom door where things were seen out of the corner of his eye so to speak. These could occur at any time of the day or night but usually the hours of the evening and the hours between 11 P.M. and 2 A.M. were when most disturbances took place.

FROM MAGICK RITUALS TO MARRIAGE CEREMONY

Barry and Miss Mclaughlin attended a Thelemic conference at Conway Hall in London on Saturday 10th April and on Barry’s birthday (21st April) they went to view John Dee’s ‘skrying mirror’ and his ‘Angelic magical wax disc’ at the British Museum.
On Saturday 24th April Barry received a ‘magickal message’ from the medium between 12.30-2.30 A.M. from a certain ‘secret chief’ known to Barry in which certain knowledge concerning Barry’s magickal grade was disclosed. Barry was informed that he must begin a ‘water rite’ twice daily, upon waking and retiring to bed. On departing the Master ‘kissed’ the disciple Barry with the promise that he would return ‘on the longest day’ (Monday 21st June). The water was to be consecrated in a certain way within the Laws of Barry’s Thelemic belief system. This Barry began on Monday 26th April and he continued until Friday 18th June, a total of 54 days. Also on Monday 26th April Barry and the medium used the Tarot till 2 A.M. and endured a ‘visiting spirit’. Another Tarot reading occurred on Wednesday 26th May along with a ‘spell, chant, candle and incense’.
Barry performed the Invocation of Horus and the Egyptian Master Ritual on Monday 21st June at 9.15 P.M. He also performed a ‘ritual of acceptance’ for 'a certain grade'. That night the medium dreamt of the Goddess Nuit.
On the 23rd June Barry performed a ‘cup ritual’ from 10.40 P.M. to 12.00, but on this matter Barry will not speak.
Four days later on Sunday 27th June Barry had a dream in which he found himself in a room and Miss Mclaughlin was there too and two other gentlemen. The Stele of Revealing was on the wall and there was painted tiles in the manner of Ancient Egypt but there was a strange ‘milky substance’ upon the tiles. Also present was an angry female, a sort of witch figure who spoke in a threatening manner. A door which had occult symbols on suddenly went blank and then colourful circles of all different sizes appeared on the door and the two gentlemen left the room in disgust!
On Sunday 18th July at 7 P.M. Barry performed a ritual on the lines of the Thelemic Holy Book Liber Stellae Rubeae LXVI, and later Barry and medium did a Tarot reading from 11 P.M. to 1 A.M. During this Barry glimpsed the Medium’s ‘aura’. Another Tarot reading occurred on the following Thursday 22nd July and on Saturday 7th August Barry performed a ‘Ritual of Rebirth’ (part I) on behalf of the Medium from 11.30 P.M. to 1 A.M.
Barry and the Medium were married on Saturday 11th September 2004 at the Guild Hall in N................. and on Wednesday 22nd September Barry performed the ‘Ritual of Rebirth’ (part II) for the Medium on a narrowboat at dusk with the sound of the River Usk in the air on their way to Brecon in Wales.

THE GREAT BEAST

A presence was felt by the medium on Wednesday 6th October, which had been resident in the rooms since Sunday 26th September (the date of their return from Wales).From this date the door to the bedroom was kept closed.
On Thursday 7th October Barry’s Magickal Rose Quartz Ankh necklace broke, as if the feminine ‘loop’ were symbolically parted from the masculine ‘T’ of the cross. A few days later on the 11th October a sitting was held at midnight. Six candles were lit and some sandalwood incense. Upon the table was Barry’s Rose quartz Ankh. Instrumental music was also used for relaxation throughout the sitting. The medium drifted into vision and repeated what she saw and heard to Barry who wrote down the notes. The sitting is recorded below:


There is an old man present, dishevelled and wearing an untidy brown suit. His hair is grey and his face is miserable and unshaven. This person is to the right of the medium. There is also a ‘Merlin’ type male in front of the medium pointing to Barry’s Ankh which the medium is wearing – its energy seems to pierce the medium’s heart. The figure before the medium is wearing a blue robe and the medium senses he is entering the protective circle around her and Barry. He is staring at the medium in a threatening manner and no words are passing his lips.
He is in disguise; he is a man of many disguises. He is pacing in front of Barry and the medium. The medium has drawn the circle which he cannot enter once more. This ‘Merlin’ figure has the look of youth, but then he suddenly drops the disguise and becomes his usual form – Aleister Crowley! He dominates the room and his head is bald; he is leaning into the circle and he’s very angry that the medium has redrawn the circle. He utters no words yet still he paces and stares. The medium asks: ‘is there a reason why this Ankh is broken?’
He wants the masculine part of the broken Ankh (T).
He wants the medium to offer the Ankh outside the circle.
The medium refuses and he accepts her refusal with a smirk!
(Crowley speaks directly to Barry):
‘There is a path you must follow which you have the key. You MUST listen unto me. There’s many things you’ve asked of me, but why have you not searched for them? This is my new Aeon and my year of anniversary. Today and tomorrow are special Holy Days. You must do work for them!’ (2004 is the hundredth anniversary of the Aeon of Horus and the writing of the Book of the Law; also 12th October is the anniversary of the birth of Crowley in 1875).

He points to Barry, then points to the medium and then to Himself:

A B
O O
2 1

O
AC
3

‘Writing’ is inferred etc but not in words.
He says something about ‘dictating beyond the grave’.
He wants to know ‘have you not felt my presence?’
Barry answers ‘Yes’.
Crowley: ‘You have known!’
(Barry: I have to work for the answers. I have called Him.)
The Ankh has broken for a reason, to attract Barry’s attention: Broken Ankh/broken promise!


Osiris slain! T


Crowley is pointing towards Barry, in Osiris slain gesture – hands together in front of Him, which may be the Sign of the Enterer?
He is dressed in ordinary, everyday clothes; clothes don’t matter to Him!
Barry asks: ‘is there significance with the number 148?’
Crowley chuckles – Barry: of course I know!
Barry needs to do a ritual tomorrow. (12th October)
‘Rosemary’ came to the medium’s mind, the name and the herb.
Crowley pulled a red cloak from him and He appears quite grey and ashen. The cloak shows His grey image. He attempts to grasp the medium and the medium asks ‘why?’ He says ‘You know why!’
He then said ‘you are set to the path and both of you must follow!’ The medium has the Ankh placed upon her head and the energy is very strong. Crowley is standing in front of her, directing the energy towards her through the Ankh and through her head. He asked ‘do you like it?’
He says he will be back and ‘you don’t know when!’

The sitting ended at 1.09 A.M. on 12th October.


And so the presence that has been in constant visitation since Sunday 26th September is found to be none other than the Great Beast 666 – Aleister Crowley! The Beast refuses to leave and stays, much to the annoyance of the medium!
Barry performs the Star Ruby Ritual at 11.30 P.M. on Tuesday 12th October (the anniversary of Crowley’s birth in 1875) and on the following day the medium reports that ‘Aleister has been hanging around the flat again!’ and she is distressed by it.
The medium woke during the night of Friday 15th October to find Crowley’s presence once more in the bedroom. The next day a Tarot reading took place and on Thursday 21st October Barry’s mother spoke through the medium once more at 1. A.M. Three days later on Sunday 24th October the medium refused to sleep on her usual side of the bed (left hand side, nearest to the door) as the visiting entity distressed her and made it difficult to sleep. She later attended the London Spiritual Mission at 13 Pembridge Place, Bayswater, W2 4XB.
Both of Barry’s deceased parents came to the medium and spoke on Monday 25th October from 11.45 P.M. to 1.15 A.M, though G........ was a little reticent to communicate, leaving the talking to B......., which is his usual manner on visitation.
On Friday 12th November Barry and the medium use the I-Ching.
The medium went to the Spiritual Mission once more on Wednesday 24th November from 7.30-8.30 P.M. where a presence came forth for her through the visiting medium.

FAMILY GHOSTS

A different presence was felt in the flat on Tuesday 7th December and continued for some time, connected to the medium’s family as she is researching her ancestors.
The next day, the medium discovered that the presence that she felt sit on the bed while she was in it was her maternal grandmother.
During all this time various other phenomena were felt within the rooms from temperature changes and sudden blasts of air; smoky shadows in certain areas… a statue of Isis belonging to Barry being mysteriously ‘turned round’ to face a different direction; footsteps throughout the rooms were heard along with the moving of a table on several occasions. The rattling of a candle holder lantern which suddenly for no reason threw its plastic side panel to the floor and on trying to refit it found it almost impossible to put back. There was also many different ‘paranormal’ smells from tobacco and struck matches to roses and cooked bacon, which were all relevant to visitations and eventual communication.

PENDULUM AND PLANCHETTE

The following year in 2005 phenomena continued but to a lesser degree. Barry assumed the energy created by the couple moving into the flat triggered certain other energies into effect and that some spirits were just ‘damn well nosey and wanted to see who was in the vicinity!’ This was sometimes inconvenient to the medium, but Barry always kept a welcome for the spirits, be they good or bad. On Sunday 16th January at 11.00 P.M. there was an Ouija/Planchette session lasting until 12.52 A.M. where contact was made with the mediums Great, Great Grandmother: Victoria Lucy C.........
On Friday 18th February from 12.00-3.30 A.M. an entity by the name of ‘Frank’ was contacted through the Ouija Board – there was a strong smell of burning rubber around the table. Another sitting took place on Friday 1st April from 11.50 P.M. to 1.40 A.M.
The medium did a ‘magical spell’ on Wednesday 11th May and later after the couple retired to bed at 12.30 A.M. strange noises were heard in the living room, as of things being moved and footsteps. The spirits were very active that night and the medium did not get much sleep!
On Saturday 18th June during a planchette session at 11.45 P.M. an ‘impostor’ posing as Barry’s mother Betty came through.
From 2 A.M. on Friday 8th July the medium insisted on the light being left on in the bedroom as spirit manifestations were occurring in the bedroom near the wardrobe, as shadowy forms, which disturbed her. The spirits often interfered with electrical appliances and the bedroom light was a favourite of theirs – this occurred and was noted in Barry’s diary for Monday 5th September at 12.10 A.M. to 1.30 A.M. The following day at midnight Barry’s mother and father were present and talked through the medium, saying that they had been with Barry most of the day. There was much worry for Barry’s brother D........ Barry’s father was there too but did not speak, as was his usual manner.
The medium attended the London Spiritual Mission on Wednesday 5th October from 7.30-8.30 P.M. and her Grandmother Kathleen S....... came through and also her Grandfather Rodger M.............
Another noisy night occurs on Sunday 30th October from 11.30 P.M. and once more the light has to be kept on, and so the year falls away with only minor disruptions.

HOCUS POCUS

2006 saw a more magickal turn of events! On Sunday 12th February Barry’s mother came through the medium once more at 1.20 A.M.
Barry set his ‘magickal altar’ on Monday 20th March and made his Invocation to Horus at 10.30 P.M. On Thursday 23rd March the medium had the spirit of Aleister Crowley present once more, near the wardrobe in the bedroom, sitting in a rocking chair and smiling at the medium – once again he refused to leave! The Beast returned again on Monday 14th August and disturbed the medium all night. The next day the medium says that Crowley has been here for the past few days, and the couple do a Tarot reading in the bedroom.
While the couple are away at Rottingdene, they both sensed the presence of ‘melancholy spirits’ on Sunday 20th August at Tudor Court on Dean Court Road, Rottingdene. At the couples return home on Saturday 26th August they are greeted with eight dead wasps in the entrance to the flat and then on Thursday 31st August Barry finds eight live wasps in the stairway hall outside the flat. On Friday 16th October at midnight a ‘presence’ is felt and the medium uses the pendulum which declares there are two spirits present, there is also the smell of struck matches which lingers for a long time.

HAROLD

More phenomena was to occur the following year in 2007 when Barry felt the need to set a ‘Seal of Abramelin’ over the entrance to the flat on Sunday 11th February (this was in reaction to a more physical threat than a spiritual one against the medium. The matter drew on for some time until it was eventually resolved).
A Tarot reading took place on Thursday 29th march between 12 and 12.45 A.M. Barry had asked a question concerning his magickal grade: ‘is it time to change grade and should I do it at Boleskine House?’ (Boleskine House on the shore of Loch Ness was once the home of Aleister Crowley where he practiced the sacred magic of Abramelin).
The Celtic cross was used for the reading and the cards turned were:
O. The Hermit.
1. The Knight of Pentacles (reversed).
2. The Queen of Wands (reversed).
3. IV of wands (reversed).
4. Ace of Wands (reversed).
5. The Star (reversed).
6. The Sun.
7. Page of wands.
8. VIII of Swords.
9. Ace of Pentacles.
10. Jupiter.


Earlier Barry had used the Holy Book – Liber Al vel Legis as an oracle and formed the sentence:

‘Beautifully fight, and world and he will rule!’

After the reading the room filled with strange smells of a ‘spiritual nature’ – the medium, smelling ‘struck matches’ asked why this was so and what did it mean. At 12.45 A.M. she fell to automatic writing and two presences, one named Harold, and the other a deceased relative of the medium named Elsie S......... came through. The medium continued but Barry retired to bed at 1.30 A.M.
The spirit named Harold returned again on Wednesday 18th April but the medium was too tired to connect with him.

A BREAK IN

On Wednesday 20th June the flat (known to Barry as his Temple and Sanctuary) was broken into. The Abramelin seal was intact and (to Barry’s knowledge) had prevented more damage and destruction than had occurred. The medium also believes that ‘some protection’ had manifested and caused the intruder or intruders to depart. There is a definite charge of energy throughout the rooms to which the couple intended to explore ‘spiritually’ on 22nd June but it was too late and they were too tired.
The occurrences seem to become less frequent and the next major phenomena occur on Sunday 18th November when a package of four kitchen rolls is ‘placed’ in the centre of the living room. It is normally kept on a shelf approximately two and a half feet from the floor but it was so obviously placed in the centre of the room as to cause attention. Barry was the first to awake and notice it but he said nothing thinking the medium had put it there for some strange reason. But on the medium seeing it she was as perplexed as her husband and it was obvious that some sort of ‘spiritual activity’ had occurred.
The next happening occurs on Sunday 9th December when the couple have retired to bed about 11.15 P.M. – at 11.40 P.M. there is a huge crashing sound and Barry thinks the flat is being broken into, along with his wife who with Barry rushes out of bed filling the air with obscene language as they realise the crashing has come from the bathroom! It appears that the mirror has ‘leapt off the wall’ and travelled a whole metre or so to the left to rest in pieces in the shower basin. It was as if it had been pushed by an unseen hand as a normal falling mirror would fall forwards and hit the sink before hitting the toilet, but the mirror went sideways. The medium had heard footsteps and the table moving in the living room prior to this incident which is recorded in Barry’s diary for 9th December.
The rest of the year was reasonably unadventurous, but the following year of 2008 began with a bang! On Monday 4th February (the date of Barry’s mother’s birthday) Barry heard two loud ‘knocks’ or bangs on the bedroom door at 5.17 A.M. He had awoken before it happened, curiously, as if he was meant to hear it. The medium had also complained of hearing the door ‘knocks’ previous to this. Barry later burnt some ‘rose’ incense as he usually does on the anniversary of his mother’s birth and death (4th February and 27th July). Phenomena slowly but surely continues!

TABLE GHOSTS

There now follows a record of the sittings that took place during the first year of occupancy in 2004.

The first sitting took place on Saturday 7th February and present were the medium and Barry. It was the first experiment with automatic writing and Barry’s mother Betty came through the medium. It was a short letter form in a slow scrawl addressed to ‘Barry Van-Asten’ and went on to say ‘please be happy’ and went into a lot of ‘yes’ and ‘no’ answers.
Sitting number two was held on Monday 16th February and is printed above.
Sitting number three took place on Wednesday 18th February at midnight. Present at the sitting were the medium and Barry, (Planchette). As it can be seen the entity known as ‘Frank’ seems to be present throughout to cause disruption and waste the sitters time:

(Following certain phenomena indicating that a Ouija Board session was necessary – the medium had the word ‘Grandmother’ in mind, after ‘knocking’ was heard at 5.13 A.M. one morning this week which woke both the medium and Barry. Tonight, confirmation of a reading was given when Barry and the medium were talking about such phenomena when a noise was heard in the bathroom – a brush fell from its hanging by itself).

Is there a spirit present? Yes.
What is your name? Frank.
Are you a relative? No.
Are you here for a reason? CIVRNIOVIAQSZB.
Please make it clearer. IARCRKI.
Are you from this world? No.
Did you at any time live on earth in some form? Yes.
Are you an angel? RBK.
(The pointer indicates the Angel Uriel).
Why are you here? DRKRAINIBRLILHSINININILI.
(Realising that the spirit is being mischievous they decide to end the sitting).
Thank you and depart etc.

The next sitting took place on the following day: Thursday 19th February at 1.15 A.M. – (Planchette).

After Barry is looking at some of the medium’s photographs of her family and ancestors Barry suddenly senses a presence in the room:
Are any spirits present? Yes.
How old are you? 72.
Are you male or female? IMRMROZ.
Is there anybody you know at this table? No.
Thank you and depart etc.
(They try again):
Are there any relatives who wish to contact us? Yes.
Are you male or female? IMRMRMRORKRLZR.
Leave in peace. Will not.
Why? RJGJHLRJRMRMRKRJR.
Bye bye.

Later the medium is looking at photographs belonging to Barry and she feels a link at 3 A.M. The sitting is then resumed at 3.10 A.M.

Are there any spirits present? Yes.
Are you male or female? ISHTGKIL.
What is your name? Frank.
What is your surname? RAIJRJRJRJ.
Do you know my mother H......? No.
Do you know anyone in my family? No.
Do you know anyone in Barry’s family? No.
Do you have a connection with this place? No.
Do you have family living today? No.
Were you human? No.
Were you animal? No.
Were you an insect? No.
Were you mineral? No.
Are you happy? No.
Is it something we’ve done? No.
Are you an angel? No.
Are you a demon? (No answer).
Are you here for a reason? No.
Are you here for fun? No.
Is there some attachment? No.
Do you want to talk to us? No.
Are you here to stop others getting through? No.
Are you an alien? No.
Thank you and goodbye.
(The sitting ends at 3.30 A.M.)

Sitting number four took place on Friday 20th February from 11.30 P.M.-2.10 A.M. and the medium used the pendulum and automatic writing. The results are printed above.
Sitting number five occurred on Thursday 4th March from 9.15 P.M.-11.30 P.M. The sitters used the Planchette and for incense tobacco flower and opium was burnt; also an ‘oceanus’ candle was burnt:

Is there any spirit present? (The pointer indicates the Guardian Angel).
Is this you? Yes.
What is your name? ELDFPHN.
Are there any more letters? (The pointer indicates the Guardian Angel).
Is this your name? Yes.
Is it a puzzle? No.
Are you my Guardian Angel? (Asked by the medium) Yes.
Is this your first name? Yes.
Have you lived before? Yes.
Have you contacted me before? Yes.
Have you lived less than ten lives? Yes.
When was the first contact? How many years ago? 1.
Did you contact me through L.......? Yes.
Were you the one who said you would smash my mirror? Yes.
Was one of your incarnations as my mother’s uncle? Yes.
Were you at any time in the Middle East in one of your lives? Yes.
Is it you who sends smoke to let me know you are here? Yes.
Did you used to smoke? Yes.
In your last life did you smoke? Yes.
How long ago did you die? 9.
Is that years? Yes.
Is there a reason why you are here tonight? Yes.
Do you have a message? Yes.
Can you spell it out for us? CALM TL.
Is L the letter you want? Yes.
Next letter please. C.
Any more letters? SHAWL.
Was the letter W meant to be there? Yes. W.
Is this a new word? Yes. RM.
Is that the letter you want? Yes. O.
Is this word a puzzle? Yes. RUYE.
(The Guardian Angel picture is indicated on more time).
(The medium then thought of the question: Is there any more?) Yes.
NEST HERE U R LOVED WHAT ELSE DOCTOR NO DXN.
(The medium then thought the same question: Is there any more?) Yes.
Is DXN correct? Yes.
Are you female or male? Male.
U is this a word? No.
Is this a puzzle? Yes.
Are there any more letters? Yes. L(P)RAB.
(The medium thought of the question: Is this part of the same?) Yes. DT.
(How many more letters left? (Thought) 2. DG.
Are these initials for something? No.
Is it a word? Yes.
Is it more than one word? Yes.
How many words? 2.
Is it something to do with ‘doctor’? Yes.
Is it medical? Yes.
Is it the name of a drug? Yes.
Is it one I have tried? No.
Is it for my stomach? Yes.
Is the word ‘drug’ part of it? Yes.
What letter does it begin with? R.
Repeated question. V.
Repeated question. N.
What letter is the end word? D.
Is ‘lax’ part of the word? Yes.
What is the next letter? D.
Please spell the word – NAXD(KC)DB(F)LT.
Are there any more letters than before? 3. (KCF) U.
Please continue the message – CAN U B HAPPY
Is that a question? Yes.
Not at the moment – no I can’t. Y (as in ‘why’?)
U CAN DO EVERYTHING.
Is there a possibility of change in my career? Yes.
Will I leave in months or weeks? W. (weeks).
How many weeks? 3.
Will I get an interview? Yes.
Will they contact me within the week? 1. Yes.
Shall I ask any more questions concerning my employment and future? No.
Is there anything else you need to say? No.
Thank you. WELCOME.
Goodbye.
The sitting ends at 11.30 P.M.

The message from Eldfphn seemed to read:

Calm, TLC, shawl, worry u me.
Nest here u r loved. What else?
Doctor no drug.
Can u b happy?
(The medium answered ‘not at the moment I can’t’)
U can do everything!