Parapsychologist Loyd Auerbach has been in the field for over 35 years focusing on education and field investigation. He teaches parapsychology through HCH Institute in Lafayette, California and online courses through the Rhine Education Center. Joining Jimmy Church (email), he discussed how parapsychological research differs from what is seen on paranormal television programs, and why it provides a more accurate understanding of apparitions and hauntings. Auerbach defined parapsychology as the study of phenomena of consciousness which fall under the category of psychic, including ESP, psychokinesis, and survival of bodily death. On the subject of psychokinesis, he reported witnessing someone bend a spoon without touching it.
Auerbach criticized the rise of ghost hunting reality shows which shifted focus from experts to personalities. "The producers, for whatever reason they thought, wanted to go with people who didn't know what they were talking about... they didn't want to talk with parapsychologists, they didn't want to talk to experts," he said. According to Auerbach, most people's homes are not haunted and evidence shows most ghost encounters occur immediately after someone dies, just before the spirit departs. He recommended against ghost hunting in one's own home. "I wouldn't even go looking for ghosts because... they're going to show up," he warned. Auerbach also spoke about issues with EVPs, which can be influenced and even created by the living person using the recorder, as well as the list of equipment, such as EMF detectors, audio and video recorders, and temperature sensing gauges, he uses for investigations.
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Open Lines followed in the latter half of the show. Charles in Los Angeles discussed his love of the film Charlie St. Cloud, which he noted takes a subtle approach to the topic of reincarnation, and what he believes happens after death. "My mom made her ascension in 1989, that's why we're here on planet Earth is to make our ascension," he said. Bobbi from Ohio recounted the time she attended at party New York City where she discovered everybody in attendance was a witch or a warlock. According to Bobbi, she was in a room with one warlock who shape shifted into something resembling the god Pan. "Whatever entity took over this guy followed me for seven years," she revealed. Joe in San Diego told Jimmy about his childhood neighborhood which he claimed was built atop a Native American burial ground. A family with the ability to manipulate the spirits of these departed indigenous people moved into the neighborhood and began targeting children, he disclosed.