Taphophobia is a severe form of claustrophobia that is triggered by the fear of being buried alive. It’s a psychological phenomenon that is as old as human history itself. A fear that has been encoded in us since ancient times, when the possibility of premature burial was very real. These are some legends of those from history who suffered this fate, and whose spirits attempted to contact those closest to them for help.

In honor of St. Patty's day, travel with me to the misty forests of the Emerald Isle and hear some tales of the resident fairy folk.

All around the world, there are a plethora of legends and folktales surrounding the monstrous undead. Every culture has some sort of tale about the dead coming back, often being the harbingers of death themselves.  It's been the center of many of our superstitions and even some of our holidays.  The fear of the undead and the horrors they bring about on the living was a very real thing for many people throughout history.  Let's delve into the history of zombies and other variations of the undead.

For this week's Monster Monday, we're delving into the story of one of my all-time favorite monsters/cryptids - Mothman.  Throughout history, there have been many stories of monsters and spirits that appear to warn mankind of impending tragedies.  These creatures and spirits are said to come about days before a tragedy, seemingly haunting the area and the people living near it, in attempts to provide a warning about the impending disaster.  Sometimes they might make a strange noise that serves as the warning, while other times is the sight of them that is said to be the warning.  Other times, these warnings come via the dream world, where the creature or spirit appears to people in their dreams, either showing them or telling them of the impending disastrous events.

We've all had them, and probably all have our theories on why they occur.  Nightmares have been with humans since the very beginning.  Throughout history, their origins have been attributed to all manners of the paranormal - from the vengeful spirits of the dead to mischievous otherworldly beings.  Let's take a little romp through time and learn a little bit of the history behind nightmares. 

We're starting something new this week - Monster Mondays!  Each Monday we'll delve into tales of cryptids, monsters, and other strange beasts.  This Monday we're diving into the murky realm of swamp monsters. There are some places that are just naturally spooky, even in the daylight.  Swamps and bogs are just such places, there’s an air of mystery about them.  The secretive dark waters (and what lives just beneath) fill us with a shuddersome sense of foreboding.  Swamp water is often stagnant, and the stench of decay that often wafts from them, makes us associate swamps with sickness, misfortune, and even death.  It’s a feeling that has remained a constant throughout history and is something that has inspired countless stories of ghosts, curses, and mysterious creatures. It doesn’t matter what country you live in, if there is a swamp, bog, or any type of wetland near you, odds are, if you dig deep enough, you’ll uncover some spooky legends about it.

We know it today as a popular sleep-over game, and as an overused horror trope. However, how did this talking board actually get its start? Was its original intention truly for spirit communication, or was it always intended as a game?

What do Charles Dickens, W.B. Yeats, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have in common?  They were all members of one of the first established ghost-hunter groups, The Ghost Club!  While the original intention of the club was to debunk fraudulent mediums, by the time Doye joined the group, it was more about proving than disproving.  This is the story of the Ghost Club, and how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle went from being known as a man of logic, to someone whose desperate need to believe left him gullible and easily taken advantage of.

Many out there have claimed to have captured photographs of spirits.  Believe it or not, spirit photography has been around as long as photography itself. In fact, during the Victorian era, photographs of spirits were not only oddly common, but for some years it was quite the craze.  While there were many photographers during this time producing such photos, it all began with one man in particular, and this is his story.

The devil is a creature, which throughout most of history, has been deeply rooted in the folklore and belief systems of much of the Western world.  It is commonly seen as the adversarial type, one which is the antithesis of morality.  It often represents the desire for power, wealth, and the pleasures of the material world, which many spiritual leaders hypocritically say is a horrid sin.  But, what is the history behind the devil we know today?  Where did this imagery come from, and has it always been around?

Electronic Voice Phenomena, known more commonly by the acronym – EVP, is a sound found on an electronic recording, that is believed to be the voice of a spirit.  These voices can be intentionally captured - but most often are captured by complete accident.   If you like watching ghost hunting shows, you're probably more than familiar with the phenomenon - but have you ever wondered about the first EVP?  Who recorded it and how it happened?  Today we delve into the history behind the humble EVP.

For centuries the area of Loch Ness has been home to a wide array of supernatural phenomena.  Throughout its deep history, the land itself has been home to ancient sacrificial rituals, necromancy, occult summoning rituals, UFO sightings,  and most notably home to a strange creature.  Loch Ness is most well known for its famous monster, the alleged long-necked water serpent-like creature, the Loch Ness Monster, or as it’s affectionately known, Nessie.  The story of the Loch Ness Monster is one that has resided within Scottish folklore for centuries. Just how far back these sightings go may surprise you.  

.Throughout most of ancient history, magic was seen as an important part of daily life.  For the Egyptians, was not only an integral part of their religious practices but also an important part of daily life.  For the Greeks and Romans, magic was used for every purpose under the sun – from ensuring a good harvest to making sure one looked their best.  In fact, every single ancient society out there employed some sort of magical belief system – magic is just something that goes hand-in-hand with animism and connection to the natural world. So how did magic take the turn in history from being a benign part of daily life to something to be feared and combated?  In this episode, we dive into a brief history of witchcraft.

Many castles of old still have a strong presence about them. When looked upon they seem to resonate with an energy all of their own, and stir within us a mixture of wonder, reverence, and melancholy.  Though many like to romanticize what life was like behind those seemingly impenetrable stone walls, castle life was often a lonely and dangerous affair.  It was a place where ambition prevailed over loyalty, where jealousy triggered rage, and where power (and the unquenchable thirst for more it created) led to bloodshed.

Many of our attitudes, superstitions, and uneasiness concerning mirrors date back to ancient times.  The first mirrors were made of polished stone, copper, and silver.  Because these materials were often difficult to smooth and polish, the reflections in these mirrors were often dark and distorted, giving an almost unsettling appearance.  It probably would have been a little eerie to gaze into, and no doubt had another worldly and spooky feel to it.

There are some places that seem to have a mystery about them.  The air feels heavier, the energy more electric, and the mindset it creates within us allows us to be more open and accepting of the stranger things in life.  These places are where ghosts come out to play, mysterious creatures lurk about, and strange objects dart through the skies.  One of these such places is a rather unassuming ranchland that resides in Utah.  It’s known by many as the Skin Walker Ranch. 

We're all familiar in some shape or form with tales of the blood-sucking undead stalking about during the night, but what do you know about the history behind these tales?  In this episode, we'll explore the history of vampires and some of the stories from history that inspired them. 

The finality of death is perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the act. The idea that once it’s over – it’s indeed truly over. Nothingness is a frightening thought, a thought which can be so daunting and truly terrifying that we will look for any glimmer of hope that it’s something we don’t need to even consider.  False hope can come in many forms – a faulty religion, being deluded by a personality’s false claims of power or allowing one to push aside disbelief, toss aside gut instincts, and allow oneself to be soothed by trickery.  From the late 1800's to the early 1900's many found their way to fortune by preying on such fears and claiming to prove the existence of the afterlife.  They were known as mediums, and one of the most renowned (and dubious) of his time was a man named Daniel Dunglas Hume.  

How can a simple deck of cards supposedly give someone insight into a person’s life?  How do these cards have such a reputation for accuracy, and where exactly did these cards and their strange pictures come from?  How did Tarot cards become such a staple for psychics and followers of the occult?  In this episode, we explore the history of the Tarot.

How far back do the legends of werewolves go?  Where did they originate from, and are they the same as our modern-day depictions?  In this episode, we explore the history of werewolves. It seems, that the tales we know of today come to us from an event that dates back to the 16th century.  In 16th century France,  communities were being plagued by a series of bizarre disappearances and brutal murders – the corpses often being horrifically mutilated as though they had been ripped apart by some sort of monstrous animal.  Whatever it was that seemed to be tormenting the villages seemed to prefer the cover of night for its attacks.