In my role as a psychical researcher I was invited to The Scottish Spiritual and Holistic Centre in Paisley by the owner named Magenta to see the rooms where some unexplained phenomena had been reported. I came to know Magenta as she was at my Strathclyde and Paisley University Psychical Research adult leisure courses. Magenta had an insight into my interests as she had read a copy of my book Seances with God, exploring the paranormal and she asked me to see what I personally experienced and thought on my first visit to the premises. I arrived about nine thirty at night immediately after one of my Psychical research Classes. I certainly felt very cold and claustrophobic when Magenta took me to the rooms where the first phenomena had been reported. I advised Magenta to use her cameras and recording equipment to see what could be visually and audibly recorded. This was put on hold due to us both being extremely busy at the time.
A few months later Magenta told me that security men had erected night vision cameras in the various rooms of the centre as there had been a break in. To test the cameras the security men asked if someone would go inside the darkened rooms at the back, one at a time, so that they could see if the cameras were detecting her presence and recording the image on the screen in the main hall. Magenta who gives psychic demonstrations at the centre volunteered.
Magenta went alone into the first room at the rear of the building and closed the doors in the darkened room. The security camera men stood in the main hall to view the screen to check that the camera was filming that room well.
As the security men who were watching the screen test seemed to have strange expressions on their faces, Dr Sharon Dungavile, the manager of the centre went over to see what they were looking at. Immediately she saw the strange images on the screen she shouted “Oh, God, it’s full of orbs.”
Hearing a commotion Magenta left the dark room to see what all the fuss was about. After hearing of the orbs that filled the screen Magenta who has reported many personal psychic experiences returned to the room as she said; “to attempt to make contact with spirit.”
Coinciding with Magenta’s return Magenta informed me that the security men and manager of the centre each testified to the fact that they saw orbs appear again and increase in number on the screen in the main hall. Magenta went to a second darkened room in the building to test the cameras again and this time to also test for the appearance of orbs. The screen in the main hall again displayed a room full of orbs.
I have seen a section of the film and confirm that a number of orb shaped objects seem to appear on the film. These orbs appear in a range of sizes and colours, some of which are tiny pinpoints of coloured or glittery light while others are quite sizeable. Significantly they seem to glide in different directions. The orb phenomena obviously need to be further examined and is made more interesting by the fact that other anomalies are occurring.
Interestingly, the centre is now experiencing electrical anomalies. Those who have been called out can detect no problem. Repeatedly Red Care Security and Security Group 4 have been alerted by sensors in the attic and cameras in the rooms to someone or a presence moving about in the centre. When Red Care and Magenta arrive at the premises the alarms cease of their own accord and they find that the sensors and camera recordings are clear. Magenta is hoping to make a copy of the film for me so that I can watch the orbs and make further analysis but so far she has not been able to do so. The workers and visitors in the centre report that the temperature changes quite noticeably. Furthermore, workers in the centre have claimed to see the figure of a human which seems to drift along the back wall. Magenta said that she has also seen a figure of a man in his later forties or fifties and a figure of a lady which apparently levitates. Magenta feels this person was a former cleaner. Magenta also believes she has made contact with the spirit of a young boy who she calls “Argyle.”
Magenta reported that an engineer went into the attic and flew down again in a state of panic claiming that he did not want to go back up there as; “there were strange ghost children giggling in the attic with me.” “Giggling children have also been heard by others who have visited the centre,” Magenta told me.
I enquired into the background of the centre on my first evening visit. Magenta informed me that when her grandfather was about fourteen years of age there was a terrible cinema disaster in Paisley. Magenta said that she has heard rumours that the bodies of the children tragically claimed by the fire were initially taken to the premises which is now the Scottish Spiritual and Holistic Centre. Magenta said that she has heard that at Hawkhead Cemetery there is a group grave for the victims who met their premature demise at the hands of this untimely fire.[427] [425]In the past 296 Radio Station worked from these premises and experiences were reported by the radio staff to Magenta when they came to visit. I am told that Derek Ogilvie worked as a medium in the back rooms of the building when it was a radio station.
I look forward to receiving film and recordings from the centre for further analysis. The centre is conducting its own film and audio recordings. Those in my psychical research seminars and classes will enjoy discussing the recorded phenomena. It would appear that the electronic sensors in our digital cameras are more sensitive to capturing orbs than our previous cameras and film. Obviously it is important to determine which apparent orbs when scrutinised are found to be simply dust, water particles or rain drops.
However I believe that there does seem to be a strong case for further monitoring of the centre with recording and visual equipment. I would be very interested if anyone could contact me if they have any further information to offer regarding their experiences at the centre and if anyone knows anything of the history of the premises, the street or the land the premises was built upon. I discuss with those on my Psychical Research Seminars and Classes the differences between orbs, apparent manifestations of energy and possible surviving intelligences. I seek to empower people to be analytical about all phenomena but this leads on to another article for another time.
