The scary, the strange, the paranormal...

[crazyclimber]

The whole dowsing thread got me thinking about the less physical aspects of the outdoors. It strikes me that A. I can't think of a culture anywhere in the world that doesn't worship something - some kind of God or being - and B. I think everyone's been scared of 'things in the night' at some point. Anyone got stories to tell? Revelations (of a spiritual kind!) that've happened outdoors, ghosts, things happening you couldn't explain etc...?

Personally I've always considered myself a believer more in science and empirical evidence than any Gods, but there have been occasions on various hillsides where I've wondered if I really have been alone. On one mountain in Scotland I had a very real sensation of being watched while climbing at night, one of those occasions where I had to keep swinging around with the headtorch to see if I was being followed (don't laugh!)... on another, after pitching a tarp in a wood after dark I found it was so creepy that after an hour I had to strike camp and move back onto the hill. This from someone who enjoys hearing the sounds of wildlife in woods at night and takes some comfort from the shelter they provide. There was something about it...

The other one that springs to mind; the old grey man of Ben Macdui. Not one I've experienced myself but something that you certainly think about walking alone on the plateau after dark!!

Go on then, this should be good, lets hear your experiences!

 

[Shambling Shaman]

In thick fog I was once mistaken for the Grey Man the couple I appeared next to had just been talking about him

From the other side when we lived in Oxford (Blewbury) would take the dog for a walk down the lane every night, some nights we were constantly looking back to see who was following and one nigh we got 20ft and just went back....very creepy that night..

 

[demographic]

I tend to lump god, fairies, pixies, ghosts, Leprechauns, evil space aliens and other "paranormal" stuff into one category.

B****cks

 

[hedgepig]

I camped up on Machrie Moor last week - if I hadn't spent half an hour watching barn owls hunt and known the noise they made I could have been mightily spooked when I was in my tent ... not a pleasant sound to hear unless you know what it is. I think that much of the superstitions are a result of the misunderstanding of nature.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Cats can sound just like a baby crying - very unsetling if your a good distance from civilization and it late.

 

[forrestdweller]

-some unwanted human visitors close to my camp every now and then- but only close to civilization( out in the bush i feel much safer anyway); thanks to some simple precautions they never knew they were just a couple of metres away from my tent.

-wild pigs foraging about 10metres away from me one night; and some animals can make REALLY strange noises!

-two times during my trip around the best and most beautiful country in the world strange lights at the night sky. first time it was very likely due to an army exercise, second time i do not know. and i met some other serious people who saw strange lights as well.
another time i followed a little creek to find it's origin and ended up in a little canyon when i suddenly had the feeling that my presence there was wrong and turned back


"disappointed by the monkeys, god created man. then he renounced to further experiments." mark twain

 

[Brendan]

My most profound experience was in my back garden, I had been studying Zen Buddhism for some time and had recently listened to Eckart Tolle's audiobook A New Earth.
I was looking at a tree in my garden and suddenly I realised that I was the whole of creation, that we are all One consciousness experiencing a subjective reality. I started laughing out loud, I had finally understood on a conscious level man's true nature as not an individual separated from all things but a part of nature connected with all things.
I have since worked out that this experience is commonly termed enlightenment, all I can say is wow, it really blew me away because it's not really just a realisation or a feeling, you actually are all of creation.
Before anyone asks no drugs were taken during this experience.
Cheers

 

[gregorach]

Yeah, I've had that a few times, both with and without drugs. However, you have to remember that no matter how convincing such intuitions may be, they're not necessarily true. I once experienced (without drugs) a similarly convincing revelation that Jimi Hendrix was the new messiah...

 

[verloc]

The one time when I personally felt very uncomfortable was a perfectly normal autumnal day at Rannoch Moor - well to be exact it was Rannoch Station.

Now I dont know if its just my mind making things up (with Schiehallion near by, and all the stories) but I felt as though I just really should not be there - not welcome.

A very eerie dead silence and an unreal feeling of slow motion.

I consider myself to be a logical thinker and have a science based approach to most things but that day I felt about as scared as the first caveman to witness fire.

Maybe we should start a camp-fire ghost story thread.

ps - I haven't been back there since, which I know is pathetic but I aint going in no car to Rannoch Moor fool!

 

[John Fenna]

My most profound experience was in my back garden, I had been studying Zen Buddhism for some time and had recently listened to Eckart Tolle's audiobook A New Earth.
I was looking at a tree in my garden and suddenly I realised that I was the whole of creation, that we are all One consciousness experiencing a subjective reality. I started laughing out loud, I had finally understood on a conscious level man's true nature as not an individual separated from all things but a part of nature connected with all things.
I have since worked out that this experience is commonly termed enlightenment, all I can say is wow, it really blew me away because it's not really just a realisation or a feeling, you actually are all of creation.
Before anyone asks no drugs were taken during this experience.
Cheers

I am a Spiritualist(for want of a label) and this is the understanding of life that I have as well.
Wierd things happening are not so wierd when you look at existance from this point of view!

 

[Brendan]

I am a Spiritualist(for want of a label) and this is the understanding of life that I have as well.
Wierd things happening are not so wierd when you look at existance from this point of view!

True John, a lot of things fall into place looking at life from this point of view, I understand what gregorach is saying though, something I understand is a very common trap during spiritual experiences, but if you end up worshiping a guru or messiah you are deceiving yourself, we are all gurus, messiahs if you like, no one is better than another because we are all emanating from this one consciousness.

 

[sandbender]

a similarly convincing revelation that Jimi Hendrix was the new messiah...

But he is!

 

[gregorach]

He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!

Sorry, I'll just get my coat...

 

[John Fenna]

True John, a lot of things fall into place looking at life from this point of view, I understand what gregorach is saying though, something I understand is a very common trap during spiritual experiences, but if you end up worshiping a guru or messiah you are deceiving yourself, we are all gurus, messiahs if you like, no one is better than another because we are all emanating from this one consciousness.

I have never followed a "Guru" or "messiah" though I have read fairly widely and meditated a lot.
As you say no one is better than anyone else, but hearing of others understandings can help you find your own understanding and your personal path through this physical experience we are having.

 

[Brendan]

I have never followed a "Guru" or "messiah" though I have read fairly widely and meditated a lot.
As you say no one is better than anyone else, but hearing of others understandings can help you find your own understanding and your personal path through this physical experience we are having.

Again I totally agree John, I found it difficult to meditate for any length of time until I found walking meditation, now I'm in a state of meditation much more of the time, quieting your mind chatter is the key to many spiritual awakenings.

 

[Matt Weir]

I aint going in no car to Rannoch Moor fool!

 

[ANDYRAF]

I think the Eeriest place I have been to has to Bergan Hohne in Germany, they had us Laagered up one field over from the old camp. Orders were no digging trenches only two inch deep shell scrapes, also don't eat the apples on the trees. Everything is so quiet no birdsong and everyone whispers, day five of exercise is an admin break "Any one want to go for a shower?". Not many took up the offer. Plenty of wild pigs wandering the woods to frighten the bejesus out of you if it decides to charge through the camp.

 

[rik_uk3]

Two of us saw a couple of UFO's back in 73, no drink or drugs involved either, I've been a real believer in off world life forms since then.

 

[David.from.Holland]

It was in Ireland, in the twelve pins area, I remember being very tired from walking through boggy terrain all day. While stopping to drink some water from a small stream I suddenly heard a choir of children singing. It was so real that I remember looking on the map over and over if I was close to any village or anything which could be the source of the singing children. But I was miles away from everywhere. It was more a comforting then spooking experience.

And like crazyclimber I once broke camp in the middle of the night. It was somewhere in Scotland, and upon setting up the tent I already had an uncomfortable feeling about the place but chose to ignore this. But while trying to fall asleep I had the feeling as if the whole surrounding terrain was willing me to leave (I hope you get what I'm trying to say here).

 

[NatG]

Never experienced it, but have been guilty of leaving recordings of werewolves in a cd player next to a mates tent and turning it on at midnight, followed by me pretending to be attacked by a werewolf


childish but fun