Solstice Smiles

 

photo copyright S. Giron 2012

 

 

Everyone has personal battles in life.

We have triumphs and failures.

We live through dreams and nightmares.

Another Solstice has arrived.

As this long night journeys towards dawn, I count my blessings.

I have health and love.

I have family and friends.

I love so many people deeply even if I haven't seen them in months or years.

I am filled with gratitude at the wisdom my life's journey has taught me this past fifty years.

This Solstice brought great news from several fronts and indicates a fresh chapter as a brand new year will begin.

The future looks bright. I know it's still going to be hard, unrelenting work but I also know that it's worth every step up the hill so that I can finally see the view. And will have time to play with dear friends once more.

I have a lot of gratitude for the life I'm living right now. What would I really do with a mansion? With a castle? With an island? I still would just sit in the same room day after day writing.

And so I'm grateful for having the ability to write, for health, for heat and hydro and a somewhat decent home.

I'm very grateful to have peace, no arguments or hysterics. Just a calm quiet artistic household as it should be.

I marched in the parade, I banged my tambourine and held my candle. I watched the fire dancers and the huge bonfire. I cried tears of gratitude as I realized how much my life has finally moved foward in ways I never dared to dream. I am stronger than I ever thought. I will make it. My lovely talented friends will all make it. When we have love for life and fill it with people we love, we have everything.

We don't need to experience this joy only once a year. We can draw upon this love whenever we desire.

Blessed Be. What are YOU grateful for?


(Photos may not be used without written permission from Sephera Giron.)

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Telling Tales Of Terror __ Damnation Books

Meditating for Stress Relief

 

 

There are many ways to meditate.

 

The goal for meditating to reduce stress is to simply calm the mind.

 

Some people prefer to sit in a quiet spot, perhaps in the same chair every day. You can burn incense, put on soothing music, light candles and hold crystals. Whatever you feel you need to do to enter a state of relaxation will work.

 

Walking is a good meditation tool for me.

 

 

 

I like to go for a walk every day if at all possible. I find that when I'm walking, I do a lot of thinking. Sometimes I'm able to work through problems with people. Sometimes I work through problems in my work. Other times, I just walk around, listening to my favourite tunes on my ipod and smile at people, dogs and babies.

Everyone reacts to stress in different ways. You may become irritable and angry. You may withdraw. You may scream and fly into rages. Perhaps you burst into tears for no reason.

You need to take time for you.

If you get a fifteen minute break at work, instead of sitting around gossiping or having a smoke, go for a really brisk walk. If you can't get outside, do a few flights of stairs.

When I had an office job, I brought a pair of sneakers to throw on for my breaks. Getting away from the desk even for five minutes and getting the blood flowing can really wake you up and bring you back to life.

Don't focus on negative thoughts. If you're working through a problem, think of a positve outcome for everyone. Think in terms of abundance and manifest a productive future.

A positve attitude sometimes just needs a few minutes to peak through in our busy lives.

Taking a few minutes out each day to meditate will boost your energy and enthusiasm for the tasks at hand.


All photographs on this page are copyright protected by Sephera Giron 2012. They may not be used without written permission from Sephera Giron and the models.

Seeing Auras

 

Ellis Island Copyright Sephera Giron 2012

 

I still haven't quite put my finger on the whole aura thing.

It comes and goes for me.

When I used to play violin in an orchestra, I'd get swept into the music and see auras glowing and rising above us all as we played. Of course, it could have been the lighting since we always practised on a stage. But it was a strange transcendental sensation.

Rainbows or Halos
In school, staring at teachers teaching, I would suddenly see flashes of colours around their heads. When I was little, I just thought I saw things like everyone else.

Only when I was older and in fact, taking tarot classes in my thirties, that I realized I was seeing auras.

Of course I'd read tons about auras for years and even wrote a book with an aura painter in it. But I thought they were something like a Vegas show, not the gradual rainbows eminating from the tops of people's heads.

Relax When You Want to See
The reason I see auras when I'm watching a speaker is that they are usually rather static and sometimes have a plain back drop. As I listen to them and start to drift, my eyes likely lose focus and in that rather blurred state of actively listening and being in outer space, auras are easier to see.

Sometimes I meet people who have huge auras, not necessarily charisma and I can see them instantly.

When I'm preparing for a reading, I am more open and can see auras rather easily most of the time. If a party is really aggressive and there isn't a separate area, the whole metaphysical connection can shut down.

If I could paint, I'd be an aura painter.

Ellis Island photo by Sephera Giron Copyright 2012

Aura Painters
I've had two characters who are aura painters in my work.

The first is Aurora in The Witch's Field. She's a aura reader and painter and travels to psychic fairs with her friends.

The second is Teacher's Pet, a book about an aura painter and her new young eager student. The handsome protege's renderings contain more than auras. His paintings allow them to travel on erotic adventures in another land.

I don't really put much thought into auras. They're just there, like hair or fingernails.

 The Witch's Field

Seeing Auras
Do you see auras?

Have your subject sit in front of a white background.

Sit in a comfortable chair and close your eyes.

Relax.

Breathe deeply.

Meditate for a few minutes.

Open your eyes.

Focus past the subject.

Relax.

The subject can talk or not, it's up to you.

Blur your eyes and relax.

Let your mind drift.

If you see colours, don't "look" at them just stay the way you are.

When you're finished, write down your experiences so that you don't forget.

Have fun!

 

 

 

 

Teacher's Pet

Why Do We Look for Ghosts?

 

 

 

What draws a person to paranormal investigating to begin with?

Most people grow more interested in it as they have experiences they can't explain.

Some want to use technology to prove that there is indeed something there.

Some want to use technology to prove that there is nothing there at all.

HEALTHY SCEPTICISM
It's a valuable tool to have a big whopping dose of scepticism. Even though you may be quaking in your boots at some unseen noise or whisper, part of you knows there has to be a rational explanation for it.

Searching for real life causes for an experience whether it's a photo, an evp or anyting else, is vital. Check for light sources, outside source, dust, angles of pictures and shadows.

This is the time to really play detective. Figure out how the situation could have occured in the real world.

Only when you've eliminated all possibilities should you investigate further.

 

 

NOTETAKING
Make notes as you go along no matter what devices you're using to capture evidence.
Record times.
Locations.
Disturbances outside or inside.
Cars, trains, planes, boats, waves etc.
Walking, people coming and going from the session.

ANALYZE
It takes hours to comb through evidence. Funny how you can capture loads of stuff in a mere few hours but it takes days, weeks, months to really examine raw data fully.

 

WHAT DO YOU WANT?
What do you want to gain from your experience?
Are you looking for specific answers to questions?
Are you being open minded?
Do you want the session to go in a specific direction?
What do you want to happen?
What do you hope to happen?
What will you do if you get what you want?

 

BE RESPECTFUL
As curious as we are, we need to respect the rights of the ghosts who we're trying to call.


Even if you're a sceptic, have respect for the entities with whom you wish to communicate.

All photographs are taken by Sephera Giron and copyright protected. Copyright 2012.

Listening to EVPS

In the past year and a half or so, I've been recording evp sessions at haunted places on a very casual basis.

I'm still not sure how to work this cheap but effective digital tape recorder. I already accidently the best recordings I'd ever heard, of a boy in a chapel in the Iron Island Museum in Buffalo. That was a scary night with the PIST101 crew.

However, I find listening to EVPs difficult and frustrating. I know I have hearing loss, likely due to the many WHO concerts I've rocked out to over the years but once in a while, I can hear a bit of something. Or maybe I perceive a sense, a vibration slightly different than other vibrations that the current batch of voices is creating.

Once I hear evidence with the "ghost voice" pointed out, I can 70% of the time hear it as well. That doesn't mean I believe it's a ghost but at least I can hear it enough to discern there is another sound there.

Some EVPs can be very clear. I've heard them myself.

But for the most part, it's a very long painstaking process to analyze your EVPs.

I've bought four different sets of headphones, none of them terribly expensive although two were excellent deals.

The advice I was given by the Ghost-Girls was to boost the bass.

It did help a bit sometimes.

However, the whole process of EVPs takes a long long time.

You have to transfer the recording into a special program on your computer. Most of the time, if you have a cheapie record such as I, you have to do it in real time. So twelve hours of EVPs means twelve hours of watching that your computer doesn't go into screensaver or power off in the middle of a recording.

Then you have to sit and listen and listen and listen.

Your program, depending on what you use, I use a free one from the internet, might allow you to edit and boost the sounds of intriguing portions of your tapes.

There are websites where people upload their evps, photographs and other evidence for others to scrutinize.

When you're listening to your EVP, relax your ears and be open to any aberration in the sounds.

There might be a whisper, murmur, moan, laugh, scream, crying and so on.

Be open minded and listen in a very quiet place, no music or TV in the background.

When you're recording your EVPs it's helpful to state where you are and the time before the session. Describe any unusual sounds or if someone trips or sighs or walks over head. You'd be surprised how fast you forget what really happened in that room months later when suddenly think there's a monster banging at the window.

Keep notes in a notebook too if you remember or have the means. Write down the numbers of files, tracks and so on and where they happened and the time. Also make notes about anything usual to listen for or eliminate.

Be mindful of traffic, planes and other sounds that you may not have realized that was there at the time.

You'd also be surprised how loud and creepy a stomach growling can be. Make sure you note it when it happens.

The more notes the better although it can be distracting while you're trying to watch for evidence.





Another thing I've come to realize is that taking pictures while doing EVP can be distracting because whenever you hear the clicks, you get excited to think it's something but it was just a camera...

Do YOU Believe in Ghosts?

What's that you saw out of the corner of your eye?

It was gone before you could focus properly.

Was it just a trick of the light?

Was it a shadow?

A fleck in your eye?

Your nerves? But wait, you weren't nervous.

You were just sitting there.

And then a movement flickered just out of focus. As you turn to look, you have the sense something was there. And a chill floods down your spine as the hair on your arms bristle.

Sure most strange things can be explained.

Lights, dusts, bugs, animals, people playing tricks.

But now and again, things happen to us all that we can't explain.

Some of us shrug off these quirky little incidents, dismissing them as overactive imagination.

But sometimes, you can replay the scene over and over in your mind and realize that you can't come up with one single shred of an explanation.

So what do you believe causes "things that can not be explained?"

Is it our minds?

Are there really ghosts?

Timeslips?

Resisdual energy?

Aliens?

Spirits?

Astral projections?

What is it at all?


What weird experiences have YOU had and how did you explain it in your own mind?

Tarot Readings by Chat!

Photo by David Goodfellow Copyright 2012

I'm going to be available more to tarot read by chat for the next few days.

If you want to chat and I'm not on, pop me an email requesting an appointment. If I'm not doing my day job and am at home, I'll likely have a chance to answer your question.

In the past, I was always out and about, commuting, mom's taxi, walking the dog, at one point had a family of seven and so on.

But times have changed and I'm focusing more on doing the things in life that are meaningful to me.

Reading tarot is one of them.

I enjoy helping people or at least listening to their concerns and contacting the universe for messages to help them in their choices.

There's nothing magical about how we choose to make our own choices. But sometimes we need an outside eye to see the bigger picture and our own roles in the universe as a whole.

Sometimes what seemed so important, so gut wrenchingly neccessary isn't what it seems or what we wanted to begin with and in time can become a faded memory akin to a fleeting thought forgotten in a dream.

You can always count on life for changes so it's important to pay attention to the messages so  your transitions aren't

The tarot always provides the signposts we need when we need them the most.

I'm going to keep prices low for the holiday season while I try out the new chat room.

Sometimes there are specials where you can have the first three minutes for free so check back often!



The Who is Coming to Toronto!

I found this picture on the webiste of someone who is more into the Who than I am!

 

Cool Who Stuff

The Who Overture to Tommy Original Version

I was a new teen when I discovered the Who.

It was a rainy day in Maine and a few of us went to the movies. Some saw The Wind and the Lion. My brother and I chose "Tommy."

I really connected to the whole experience. The total trippiness of the photography and Ken Russells fucked up acid hallicination that tailored the movie, the music, the bizarre storyline, the creepiness of a summer in Maine. It just really, ha, rocked my world.

My brother loved it too and we've both been life long Who fans ever since.

I've seen them in concert multiple times, even twice before Keith Moon died.

Tommy opened me up to other rock operas too. Before that, I'd been more into opera, classical music, old broadway, and whatever my grandmother's record of the month club had sent. Finian's Rainbow was catchy, sure, but Tommy was hardcore.

I discovered the Who, well, Pete, played with stories in his work. Whether it was a "CONCEPT ALBUM" which was a popular catchpharase in the seventies or a full out rock opera, Pete always touched a nerve.

Quadrophenia is his other most known long work.

I saw the Quadrophenia tour in Toronto over a decade ago. I missed them the last two times they came to town so it'll be great to see them again in a couple of days.

The Who Quadrophenia Overture Demo

Borrowed Flesh by Sephera Giron

Borrowed Flesh is hot off the press from Necon Ebooks

Borrowed Flesh is the story of an aging witch, Vanessa, who has eternal life.

She is the local tarot reader in a small New England town.

She is very vain and bathes in blood to keep her looks.

Vanessa hangs around the local high school looking for virgins.

Ashley is a budding hip hop artist. Her idol is TnT and she raps about everything.

When her friend, Alex goes missing, Ashley suspects the witch.

Haunted Mansion Writers Retreat 2012

At long last, the wait is over!

Nearly two dozen horror authors and artists are spending four days at a beautiful retreat in California. Nestled in the mountains, this mansion provides a scenic historical refuge for those wishing to tap into the creative muse.

Perhaps because so much "consciousness" is floating around, poking around, exploring concepts and pleasures, there is an odd energy to the house.

The weekend will comprise of writers writing, artists arting and live blogging as it happens to record the more interesting to the outsider aspects of this retreat: paranormal investigation.

A professional ghost hunting team will be investigating with the standard gear.

Be certain to watch the blog as it happens! 

Haunted Mansion Writers Retreat

Festival of Fear, Fan Expo in Toronto August 23 -26, 2012

Come and see SLIME CITY MASSACRE for FREE at FANEXPO

The screening for Slime City Massacre is at TEN O'CLOCK Friday MORNING.

Here's me and Greg Lamberson, director and writer of SLIME CITY MASSACRE at a previous Festival of Fear.

Kealan Patrick Burke, Jennifer Bihl and Sephera Giron on the set of Slime City Massacre.

I will be at booth 1717 at the Horror Writers Association Booth!

I'm also on a panel on Sunday at 2 pm with Greg Lamberson, Kelley Armstrong and Monica Kuebler.

Talk to the Jackalope!

Join a bunch of horror authors discussing Jackalopes and other freaky oddities TODAY at 6 pm est.

If you miss today's event, you can listen to another time on the Scary Scribe's website!

The Jackalope Arrives on Scary Scribes!

UPDATE:

Here's the link to the show, you can listen to it anytime!

Archive of the Jackalope Radio Show with Sephera Giron, Jeff Strand and others.

What Would Lizzie Do?

What Would Lizzie Do? A short horror story

Lizzie in Fall River 1892

On August 4, 1892, the New England town of Fall River became baptised into the bloody annals of unnsolved crimes history.

Wealthy businessman and his second wife were found in their homes with their heads hacked to bits by an axe.

The axe was never found.

The murderer was never found.

There were many suspects, the main one being adult daughter Lizzie Borden. However, the Bordens weren't the most fun-loving crew on the block and likely had wracked up a few disgruntled people along the way.

Lizzie went to trial but there wasn't enough evidence to convict her. After all, she was a god-fearing woman who taught Sunday school and did everything her daddy told her to. However, many were suspicious, noticing odd behaviour over the years, perhaps some kind of epilepsy or other issue.

Everyone knew that Lizzie hated her step-mom.

Most likely suspected that dad was no picnic to live with, being stingy and rigid and all.

The murder occured the day after the household had fallen ill from the mutton dear old dad had made them eat to avoid waste despite the fact it was kept on the stove in the hot August heat for days.

Who wouldn't snap?

Lizzie? The maid? The sister? The uncle? Fired workers?


What Would Lizzie Do?

This is a story about ghost hunter Zoe staying over at the bed and breakfast yet again, trying to unravel the secret of who really killed the Bordens.

What Would Lizzie Do?  is available at Smashwords.


What Would Lizzie Do? A short horror story

NexxLevel Dance Company July 26, 2012

“DUDES & DAMES”  

A World Premiere Playing at Toronto’s Premier Event Venue – Palais Royale

ONE NIGHT ONLY- Thurs., July 26^th, 2012  - 8PM

An open door into the complexity of both the male and female psyche, “Dudes & Dames” is a dance show like no other. 

A twisted fairy tale that reveals the truth about ourselves as people as we fess up to our contribution to the battle of the sexes that has gone on for centuries.

Using all forms of dance to tell the many different stories of romance, revenge and restoration that make up our unique emotional journies -

“Dudes & Dames” is entertainment at its best!

Featuring a diverse cast of Toronto’s top dancers under the creative leadership of renowned industry noted choreographers -

“Dudes & Dames” promises to be a night to remember!

 

A taste of what YOU will be privy to July 26th, 2012

PROMOTIONAL VIDEO

Dudes and Dames – a Teaser Promo for the Palais Royale Performance July 26, 2012 from Garage Lab on Vimeo.

 http://vimeo.com/44584961

 

Featuring Jazz, Street Jazz, Hip Hop, Dancehall and more - YOU will experience an exclusive gateway into the 

hottest attraction in today's entertainment industry - dance theatre!

 

 “Join us Thursday, July 26^th at 8PM at the fabulous Palais Roylae - a venue that is rich in Toronto’s cultural history and renowned for it stunning events.”

Chris Clarke – Artistic Director and Choreographer for “Dudes & Dames”  

Patrons are invited to stay after the show for a dance party.  This incredible evening is not to be missed!

THE VENUE:

Palais Royale

1601 Lakeshore Blvd. West

http://www.palaisroyale.ca/

TICKETS:

General Admission - $40

VIP Package Available – includes fine dining, a VIP gift bag and the show

For Tickets contact: dudesanddames2012@gmail.com

MORE INFO ABOUT THE SHOW:

Check out “Dudes & Dames” on Facebook for Photos, Videos and More!

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/events/433364336693979/

 

 

Stock Up on E-Book Reading!

Release

Smashwords is having a site-wide promotion. Most authors participated with at least one book. Here's a link to one of my own participating works:

Get Your Coupon Code Here!

Unnatural Tales of the Jackalope

What's a Jackalope? Find out in UNNATURAL TALES OF THE JACKALOPE! My story is called, "Running with Jackalopes." Get yours today on Kindle! Coming soon in print!

Download your own copy of UNNATURAL TALES OF THE JACKALOPE RIGHT NOW!

Nik Wallenda Walks Over Niagara Falls!

Nik Wallenda has entered history by becoming the first person to wire walk across Niagara Falls!

I watched this amazing man calmly walk across the roaring falls from my safe spot in the living room. I thought I was going to have a stroke just seeing it live on TV. The fact he wore a harness was a huge relief to me but it seemed to annoy him.

Congratulations to Nik for his amazing stunt!

His message was great too. He told us all to shoot for our dreams. He did and he got to live his dream!

Many people have tried various stunts over the years and most ended tragically.

If you want to read about some of the stunts gone wrong and the ghosts who linger in the Niagara Region, you should get this book:

Spirits and Death in Niagara

Alcatraz escape: 50 years later, still a mystery

Alcatraz escape: 50 years later, still a mystery

The Haunted Mansion Project: More Photos!

Get your own copy of The Haunted Mansion Project and read all about the creepy terrifying events that you don't see in the pictures.

Find out about the Black Mass that lurked in my room every night.

Learn about the voices that answered the tarot readers' questions.

Understand the interpretation of strange and unusual events by professional ghost hunters.

Read terrifying and mysterious fiction inspired by a weekend spent creeping through the house and writing. 

The Haunted Mansion Project Can Be Yours!

Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast, Fall River, Mass.

I've had the creepy pleasure of staying overnight at the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast a couple of times over the years.

Most of the photographs in this video were taken in 2008, but there are also a few from previous years. I included a few from the renovations that were being done one year.

Pictures from Alcatraz 2010

After my adventures in Alcatraz, I spent four days in a haunted mansion with other writers and paranormal investigators.

We documented our findings in both fiction and non-fiction accounts in

The Haunted Mansion Project: Horror writers spend a weekend in a haunted house with cameras, dvrs, laptops and their imaginations. Read the chilling truth about what really lurks in the house.