EXPLORING THE PHENOMENA
“From a psychological and physiological standpoint, these people (those who have encountered phenomena) have been deeply affected by their real or perceived experiences,” comments Christopher Chacon, one of the world’s leading experts on paranormal and supernatural phenomena. Chacon adds, “In some cases, they are seriously traumatized by these experiences, so it is imperative to first and foremost address the well-being of the ‘experiencers’ before further exploration of the claimed phenomenon.”
In addition to his background in magic and illusion, Chacon is a former scientific investigator from the Office of Scientific Investigation and Research (O.S.I.R.) with over twenty years of experience and has conducted thousands of investigations, traveling the world exploring every type of phenomena imaginable. Among the phenomena he has dealt with includes haunts and poltergeists, UFO close encounters, miracles and experiences of divine-intervention, possessions and exorcisms, encounters with extraordinary life-forms and all manner of psychic phenomena, from reincarnation and remote viewing to psychokinesis. Chacon has also participated on highly sensitive expeditions dealing with ancient rituals and artifacts, mysticism and the occult. While he has no doubt encountered phenomena that the majority of us cannot even fathom, Chacon approaches every situation with an open mind, typically refraining from defining it until otherwise determined.
BELIEFS AFFECT PERCEPTION
“It would be irresponsible to conjecture on the true nature of any specific phenomenon that is being experienced until I am at least able get a first-hand experience of it myself,” says Chacon. “I cannot emphasize enough the importance of belief systems when dealing with these phenomena.”
Chacon reiterates that the “mindset” and method of approaching these phenomena is as crucial as every other element and dynamic involving the experience itself. “Belief systems, both yours and the experiencer’s are certainly a pivotal key when exploring any phenomena,” he says. “From the analyzing of how beliefs affect the perception of such claimed experiences or exploring the possible connections to origins in quantum physics.”
Chacon points out that belief systems can also blind the observer from the true nature of a situation, stating, “Just as the complexities of predispositions and beliefs can cause a believer to perceive experiences that are not there, they can equally cause the nonbeliever to perceptually deny that an experience is taking place.” Chacon adds that the inclination and overemphasis to logically separate the “normal” from the “paranormal” could very well cause one to unknowingly lose sight on the real issue. “This might be a matter of semantics,” he says, “but one could certainly argue that there is no ‘true’ supernatural phenomena; there is only natural phenomena (things we can comprehend) and preternatural phenomena (things we have yet to grasp). Of course, whether we call it supernatural or preternatural, paranormal or anomalous, it doesn’t take away the fact that people of all walks of life, of all ages and belief systems are having these ‘experiences’, and it would be illogical and irresponsible to simply address and label the phenomena – explainable or real – without tending to the state of the ‘experiencer’.”
Chacon certainly has his work cutout for himself, with a backlog of hundreds of cases and requests for his assistance coming in daily from all over the world. These inquiries are as wide-ranging as the phenomena themselves and vary from an ordinary family on a South Pacific Island to an industrial company in the Middle East, from high-ranking religious officials to a law enforcement agency in South America.
THE HOLLYWOOD CONNECTION
As the paranormal and supernatural continue to be reported in more frequency, there has been much conjecture about the cause behind the massive popularity of these phenomena. A few skeptics have claimed that the media and Hollywood’s most popular movies on the paranormal are solely responsible for proliferating many of the beliefs in such phenomena. And while the media can certainly have an effect on reinforcing beliefs and the propagation of them, sociologists and psychologists disagree, stating that Hollywood’s creations are not responsible for originating beliefs, but rather have created an environment that allows for a more open dialogue for discussion of them. One only needs to look at the origin and source material that inspires paranormal-themed media to see that the overwhelming belief of these phenomena is based in actual experiences rather then what is later experienced on the big or little screen.
Many of the most successful Hollywood paranormal blockbusters, such as Poltergeist and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, are actually inspired by pre-existing research and real-life accounts taken from hundreds of sources. The phenomena in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, for example, was inspired by a mountain of research, both anecdotal and scientific, and then dramatically spun by Spielberg into his phenomenal smash hit. Spielberg himself had thanked many sources in the UFO-research community for their assistance, including Dr. J Allen Hyneck, who made a cameo in the film. The evidence that the media is solely responsible for paranormal belief is weak at best. This is additionally supported by the millions of people around the world, some in third world countries, who have never seen a Hollywood movie or western television for that matter, and yet have substantial belief systems and experiences associated with ghosts, extraterrestrials, strange creatures, and psychic phenomena. This goes to show that we certainly don’t need TV or movies to instill a belief or maintain the fascination in the paranormal and supernatural.
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