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At the young age of about five, my enjoyment of magic was sparked. I do not know if it was the Bozo Circus show (with Bob Bell as Bozo), or if it was something I had seen on the Ed Sullivan show. But it was 'wow' that is neat, and to a five year old it was magic. Sure I had seen the Mickey Mouse Disney cartoon where Mickey was a magician, but this was my first understanding of a 'human' creating magic.

My mother decided then to get me my first magic set. I still have my second magic set and have shared it with my Grandchild as I did with my two daughters when they were young. But I actually enjoy teaching my granddaughter the magic also, as she picked it up fast at a very young age with simple stuff. For those who live in the Chicago land area, many would know the name Ford City Mall and in the mall they had (and still do), Peacock Alley that housed a lot of little shops. That is where at around the age of eleven I was first introduced to 'Real Magick', as I just stood in a store in Peacock Alley staring at an object with a description that promised ' Real Magick', it was the very first time I had ever seen a thing called a Black Mirror. I asked my mother if she would buy me it, she said that I was not ready.

I wandered around the shop in wonder to this whole new vision for my eyes. Crystal Balls, incense sticks, Tarot Cards, what then to me looked like stars sewn on small bags with pull strings, candles, and other little neat stuff along with a small collection of books on Astrology, Séances, Mediums, Tarot etc... After wandering around the store for awhile and not knowing any more then what these items claimed to be, my Mom said it was time to go (and I give her credit today, even with her and I being a Catholic back then, she did not say anything negative about anything in the store and gave me the freedom to wander in there). Time went on and I came across stuff on TV that would mention ghosts. My own Uncle (my mom's brother) for a few years with his wife would appear on the Eddie Schwartz - talk radio show at night. Either it was on WLS or WIND and my Uncle would do Hand Writing Analysis and Eddie Schwartz a couple of weeks ahead of time, would have people send in their names written on post cards or a letter. My Uncle then would give readings over the radio to the listeners and others would call in with questions.

That was neat, but back then all I knew it to be was something called Hand Writing Analysis. That is also the same show that I heard for the first time the person who was and still many consider the Chicago Paranormal expert on locations, Mr. Richard Crowe. I was fascinated, as I heard him talking about all the happenings and experiences here in the Chicago area and to me back then (as is now), some where almost right in like my own back yard. Then came the teen years and all it provided a curious teen. Lucky for me I had a very strict mother, so I was more afraid of her during the early and middle 70's then the stories I heard about drugs and booze. So I never ventured there, but the teen years also seen me put on the back shelf the interest in magic tricks and such.

I would still try to catch a Richard Crowe or other ghost type radio interviews when I could, as it was always very interesting to me to hear the stories. There where many interests as a youth and teen, one was predicting I would do some day what I watched every Saturday night and Sunday morning on TV, and what would be a family outing once in awhile for my mom, my Uncle and Aunt to see it live when it would come to Chicago. That was Pro. Wresting. That did come about when I was in my very early 20's and for about 10 years. In 1975 and with the freedom to drive, I set out to go to one of those haunted cemetery locations that Richard Crowe spoke so much about, but what one? Let's see - Resurrection was (and is), 5 minutes away but it was all fenced in and closed at night.

Monk's Castle, I had no idea then where it was, as I knew of no castle in the area. But the one location that interested me, as it had the best stories told about it then, was Bachelor's Grove Cemetery. So I convinced my then girl friend (who is now and has been my wife for 30 years in 2007), she did not want any part of it, but I told her it would be OK, nothing would happen. Also my buddy Dave came along with us.

The thing about Bachelor's Grove Cemetery back then, is you where able to drive back there with your car and the stories about doing so was, you would hear scratching on the top of your car roof, allegedly from a spirit that back in a living form, was hung up side down from a tree by thier feet and left there to die and what you where hearing if you heard it, was the spirit's / ghost's fingers dragging across the roof of your car as you drove under it. Plus the other stories that even today remain from those years when I first heard them on the radio. All three of us piled into the front seat of my 68 Ford XL (a more sleeker car then the Ford Galaxy for those who can go back that far, and headed out to Bachelor's Grove Cemetery. Well not knowing back then what I (we), do now, my wife is very sensitive. We started driving down the single road into Bachelor's Grove in the pitch of darkness, a darkness that the headlights would only penetrate so far into. My wife could not take it, she actually climbed into the back seat area of the car, and demanded while crying that we pull out of there. With no other choice, I did so. But the end of one night brings another. Dave and I the brave young dudes we where and no little lady with to be scared, we headed out for Bachelor's Grove again at night. We drove all the way in and parked the car, got out (no flashlights or anything) and walked the direction that the high beams of the headlights lit for us.

This led us to the lagoon area, slowly we walked there as all our senses kicked in (more so then we thought possible), and we walked toward the lagoon with just a touch of headlight or maybe it was the moon, with a reflection shining off of it. About six feet away from the lagoon, and nothing between us and the lagoon. We started to hear on the ground heavy foot steps of wet shoes walking toward us, and yet nothing was there in front of us, yet something un-seen was coming toward us. Well needless to say thinking back on it, Dave and I must of looked like Abbott and Costello getting out of there in a full run toward the car and gunning our way out of there in the car. True to what has become, Dave and I went back there the next day during the afternoon and discovered the true Bachelor's Grove Cemetery in it's fullest light. Much was like it is today, but yet so different then compared to today.

So back in 1975 at the age of 17 and a teenager innocent to knowing anything about the paranormal other then it was a spooky good time and in reality that is what it was. I would not even claim today that my 'Paranormal experiences, interest and feeling spirits', started back then, because honestly as a teen I did not have that way of thinking about spirits as a teenager. Spooky encounters - yes they would go back to then. Paranormal experiences with spirits and the spiritual world? That was not part of my teenage thoughts, so no I will not make claims of such thoughts going back to then. In my early late 20's there where a vacant home or two that a Real-estate lady friend took my buddy Pat and I too in the Chicago Ridge area, that had their own things going on in the Paranormal way of things. At that age I started to look at it differently then when I was in my teens, more of a "hmmmm, what is going on here?", way of thinking. Things where interesting, I re-established my interest in the early 1990's with Magic, more with the books then the tools, just for the knowledge of knowing how cards, ropes, doves and other magic was done that I would see on TV. Then other things started sending me down a road of a new journey.

Something was pulling at me, not on the paranormal side, but on the 'Magick' side. I was then able to hear the show - Coast to Coast, and that there was more then just Ghosts that existed and reminded me that there was 'Real Magick' somewhere out there. I was being drawn, but by what? I did not know then and not sure even today by what, but it was to find something, answers per say. I visited Psychics, the first well known one in my area that I visited had her own newspaper article and she was Ms. Jacki Marie. Plus I visited now and then others who where what I call storefront Psychics with all saying I was gifted and it will come.. I'd ask, what will come? "You'll know it" was their response (well that is no answer for my money, is it?).

Then I came across a Psychic who was on the radio, guests on many TV shows and we became friends back then in the early and mid 1990's. His name is Joe Who, and he showed me possibilities I only heard talk about on the radio. He took me into my Past Lives, he showed me his abilities and slowly showed me a little on opening my self up, as he said he knew what was there, but I had to discover it. He was also the only Psychic I've ever came across that was able to direct me (telling me where to turn etc...), to a house I knew about that was haunted because a mother and child was killed in it, by the husband and she remained as the child did not know to leave. He directed me right to it, by being able to 'read me' and know in his Psychic ways where I wanted to take him.

Then I came across our Annette, who is a High Priestess and she, her husband, my wife and I became friends. But she would explain her views and beliefs on Magick to me, this led me going deeper to discover what was inside me wanting to be discovered. Now I was in my early 40's, I would have to look at my old e-mails on my other computer to see how far Annette and I go back, but it has been awhile. Even though I'm not Pagan or Wiccan, I did realize then and still do, that there was and is much that is beautiful in their beliefs. I then came across our Amy, the one who helped and held my hand to walk me through to learning what abilities where inside of me.

Oh I put her to the test first about her abilities. She at the time when we started talking on the phone, lived what seemed more then an hour away by expressway driving, way north. She must of felt a question in my mind. She told me while on the phone, to walk to my basement window and look outside of it. I did so and then she went about telling me what I was looking at, brick colors, curtain colors of the house next door etc... Ok I believed. The Paranormal and web pages came first: The Unexplained World - web site, with me going out only during the day and capturing with my camera what I had no idea I would get. I was just receiving feelings to shoot the camera in a certain direction and I did so, nor was I and I'm still not, one that will photograph what seems like every yard of a location hoping to catch something. If I take 15 photos at a location that would be a lot.

I'm not an Investigator nor call my self one, nor will I use tools and spend hours investigating a location in the manner that Investigators do. That was never an interest of mine. At this stage and since Amy opened me up to my 'feeling' abilities, I go with what I'm feeling and being told through those feelings. Something others can also learn to do. From the web site slowly came our Paranormal Outings, where I take individuals with and interest in the paranormal and haunted locations, to those type of locations. Some of the locations like Ashbary Coffee House and the Humphrey House being haunted locations I discovered. Also well known locations like Monk's Castle, Bachelor's Grove Cemetery, the Miracle Child's grave site, Archer Wood's Cemetery and many more. Some of these locations you can view at my web page of video tours of haunted locations. What has become an almost regular demonstration I do at most of our Paranormal Outings at locations is my ' Circle of Energy ' with individuals creating the Circle of Energy with me picking who I feel are 'sensitive' to the Spirit World and the other individuals surround the Circle of Energy, as my goal is to have as many people feel and experience the Spirit World at the location.

Another demonstration that is done, is one when we are at a haunted location and Dowsing Rods are present and an individual is using them, I will walk up to the person and put my hand on the outside of the dowsing rods focusing my energy on them and then attempt without touching them, make them move in the direction I decide or at times make them cross. The very first attempt at this was a spur of the moment thought and a ' let's see what will happen if I try it ' and was caught on video tape and can be seen here and called Psychic Energy Fun. In 2006 I took it a step further with our Annette and Deanne and created the Internet Radio Broadcast ' The Unexplained World ' that can be heard every other Sunday Night at 9 pm central time and the archives can be heard 24 hours a day . The Readings: I started first with Palm readings, and I even say 'any one can learn to do them'.

But when I finally came out in public to do them, something happened that I was not even aware could. I was Palm reading Luanne, while doing so, she asked a couple questions to be answered. Something came over me, all I said was, "put your hand between both of mine", and that is when I discovered what later I learned was called Psychometry. But because I do it with an Individual, I call it one-on-one psychometry. From that I wanted to try something else a few months later that I internally believed I could do. While doing a reading at an individual's home, the person mentioned her dead husband. My internal feelings told me to tell her to bring me an item of his. That was the start of my Psychometry with an item of a loved one who has passed away. Being able to do that for others who have lost a loved one, is very special to my heart.

I started to pick up more books in the new-age field, as I was now going deeper for answers, something spiritual in knowledge was opening up thanks to our Amy who was still working with me. Then the miracle that the medical field called a miracle happened for my granddaughter, it was wished upon by me, a wishing and praying that went deep into the soul and I even offered up my own life in exchange for this little baby to be cured, as I lived my life. I call her 'God's little Angel'. The Spiritual side provided the Miracle. I also started to receive dream messages, one was - what I would have to do, because of the miracle and that was to open more people up to the experience of the Spiritual / Spirit World so individuals know it exists by experiencing it. That would happen with the paranormal outings and I was gifted the ability to allow the happenings that usually happen during my Circle of Energy at locations. This has also has taken me beyond what I was originally doing with my Circle of Energy, as once in awhile I end up doing some type of conscious channeling. Dream messages I still receive, to guide me in the direction I should and should not go. Even when to end some things.

What I am putting out here today and your reading, was something as a message to me in my mind told to do. One message a couple month ago was that I paid my debt to the Spiritual side for the Miracle, for I am a total believer in the Spiritual World and that has been shown by me in requesting other healing miracles at times and knowing where the living human abilities are limited when dealing with the Spiritual and Spirit side and much more that I will not discuss here, as it is Internal knowledge gifted and if only needed by one, to be shared knowledge. But for me to also never forget that one will not know all until one becomes a non-living soul again, nor is one more powerful then the Spiritual world.

Different knowledge found in books: Doing searches for different topics and knowledge in the New Age books area, I started to come across books in the Magic field by some of the same authors who wrote for the New Age book publishers, but these where not magic as we know it from TV and actually most have nothing to do with TV magic, they go much deeper in thought and thinking. The other thing I found out, is these books where in many cases limited editions, as they where learning tools and took the reader or student deeper then the books they sold on the New age shelf on the same subject. So what was one thing at the age of 5 for me, came around again full circle at a whole different and unknown level to me.

What many get confused about, is these books do speak of the belief and true psychic abilities, instincts, internal knowledge. They also bring back a nice return on the original investment in them because they are in many cases limited additions of print. Some people actually make a nice side income getting their hands on these books and reselling them at a later time, something I was forced to do with a nice collection of some I had that went back as far as the 1940's. I had to sell a few to put a gift for each of my children and my granddaughter, under the Christmas tree in 2005.

What is amazing also, some of the books that are a bit hard to find, go deeper into doing séances more then the new age books. I'm not talking about the gimmick and tools séances in the total darkness or better yet, the spook shows. I'm talking the lights on séances, where nothing is used.. But the sad thing is the majority of people and without the knowledge to know better, see these as only one thing because of where these unique books can only be found. Even though I can do what I do in total sunlight and have done so many of times, the darkness allows the senses of others to open up and experience. As they say about those that are blind (living in total darkness), they at times can see better then those who are not blind.

Also some of the books allow you to become aware of what may not be true 100% Psychic abilities or Paranormal activities. I've posted in the past at different web sites, if your allowed to tape at a Psychic reading, tell the reader you would like to know what type of tape to get for their recorder and use your tape if possible. It's just a suggestion because of what I read that has and can be been done if the reader may be the one who provides the tape. Also I showed a link recently to a little video on You Tube, that showed how one could be fooled by what appears as a ghost on a cell phone. The cell phone thing I knew about over a year ago and had to break the news then to an innocent individual who was duped by someone he worked with that showed him the cell phone appearing ghost. When the video appeared on You Tube, it confirmed what I told him, even though it was over a year later from when I told him.

During our Internet radio broadcast show on Karma, we received a phone call into the show thanking me for giving out the link to the video, as this was a friend of the individual that was duped by the ghost on the camera phone and she also just needed that proof to actually see what I was talking about. Well that is a short story about what has been actually a long journey. It will go on, as what is written here is like the cap on this leg of the journey and expanding on to another. One that may be more for the general public interests and enjoyment then those in the Paranormal Field and attempting to become known as experts, as the true number of those are limited compared to The Unexplained World that is unlimited with the number of individuals with an interest and desire to experience it and know it on a personal level.

My readings and demonstrations of abilities have always been basically for the general public and not a source for religious beliefs or to be accepted in or by a religious belief. I'm a firm believer we all have abilities to know and all have internal knowledge, different degrees and levels for each individual.

(c) 2007 Edward L. Shanahan