| Thistle 05.10.2013 11:53 |
Following on from Rose's thread, link, as well as some interest from noorie and Brenski, I have finally given in and decided to share some of my own spooky Freddie experiences. At the risk of sounding completely and utterly nuts, here goes: firstly, let me begin with a little bit of my (non) religious background, and how I came into the world of Queen "fandom". As far as religion goes, I am agnostic bordering on full atheism. I have tried to "understand" religion, and have gone to a number of churches, chapels, synagogues and even Jehovah's Witness scripture meetings - I just don't get a feel for it at all, and my negative questions far outweigh the "positive" answers that Christianity and the like give me. However, going back to 1995 now (I was 15), and I finally found something that really excited me. Something that inspired me. Something that gave me solace, hope, serenity and enjoyment. It was a copy of Made In Heaven an old friend made for me, and I was instantly captured. Awestruck. Pole-axed. I had never, ever heard anything as magical as that before, and was my first "real" experience of Queen. Freddie's voice totally captivated me - I just had to hear it over and over again, and I found myself digging deeper and deeper into the vast catalogue of his, and Queen's music. To say that I was transported into a totally new world is an understatement - Queen, Freddie and everything about them totally took over my world. I had to find out all I could, hear all I could, see all I could. It was an obsession. Almost like a religion. In fact, it was MY religion. My whole world was Queen - I ate, slept and drank Queen and never shut up about them. When times were tough for me - with school, friends or family, I instantly took to my room, put the earphones in and played some Queen or Freddie. His voice calmed me down, and I took a lot of heart from the words he spoke. I saw everything as personal, with some sort of message directed at what do do with my own situations. It helped a lot. A few months later brought the summer of 1996, and my first real girlfriend. I had known her since I was only 8, at primary school, and we had always been friends. I had never known that she had felt the way she did about me, and I jumped at the chance to finally take her out. What made things really magical was....her love for Queen, too. We used to compete to see who could finish their collection of albums first, and we often just lay together listening to our Queen stuff. Happy times! I was with her for over three years. I loved her so, so much, and we did everything together. However, an event in our lives, and not totally within our control, caused us to split. It was a difficult time for both of us, and we didn't want to split, but things were just so difficult that it seemed the best option. I really wanted to end my life, but friends and family kept me going and I ended up going to University to do my media degree, as had always been planned, at the tail end of 1999. I put on a brave face for those friends and family, but I still hurt, and I hurt real bad. So I just listened, and listened more to Queen stuff, and threw myself deeper and deeper into that world. Trades, bootlegs, and moving onto collecting seemed to keep me going - I was like a junkie who had to get one more fix. It seemed to do the trick. But the messages in the songs were beginning to take new meaning. Freddie REALLY was becoming a religion, and I started liking his life to those stories I had heard in scriptures. Maybe he WAS god? Maybe he WAS my saviour? I started telling these things to those close to me, but it was just passed off as an obsession. But, to me, Freddie seemed spiritual - magical and powerful, and ever-present. I often found myself almost "praying" to him for things....and these things often came true. I then began having experiences similar to that of Rose, as explained in her thread above - I'd put the telly on and Freddie would be on it, I put the radio on and Freddie would be on it. Hell, I even borrowed a book from the library once, and a picture of Freddie fell out of it, having been used as a bookmark. He was around me, and I knew it. But was I nuts??? Well, let's forward about a year. My sister was at a party at her friend's house, and they decided that they would do a ouija board. Not really my cup of tea, tbh, but my sister was always into that sort of thing. I wasn't there, but apparently some really weird things started happening at the friend's house - s much so, that a lot of the kids started leaving, or going to different rooms. Eventually, there were two left - my sister and the host. The board, or "whatever" was controlling it, asked directly for my sister. Getting freaked, she asked what it was about, and the answer that she got was that it was about ME. When my sister asked why, she was told that my guardian needed to pass on a message. At this point, my sister began thinking that her friend was pulling her leg, so decided to ask the "spirit" to tell her something personal as "verification". She nearly passed out when she was told the reason for my split with my then girlfriend. There was no way it could have been a prank now, as the host did not know about my past experience. My sister did, so was now sure that what was happening was real. So she asked who, exactly, it was speaking to her. It just replied that it was my guardian, and passed on a message that things would be OK. But my sister still wanted to know who the guardian was. She asked "are you male?", to which she was told no. "You must be female, then?", to which the board told her "NO!". Totally intrigued, my sister's friend asked "are you a god??". The board circled "YES!!". My sister knew I wasn't religious, and didn't believe in God, as it were. But I did have, in my eyes, another "God". Thinking "NO WAY", she asked "are you Freddie Mercury?". It instantly said "NO!". Bamboozled as to what the hell was now going on, she asked "are you Farrokh Bulsara??"......the board went haywire, circling round yes and no frantically, before dropping at "yes" and disappearing. I couldn't believe it when I heard it. Just a few months later, just before I moved house, I was sitting alone in the living room, watching TV. My mum and dad had gone to bed, and my sister was out. I heard movement slightly behind the seat I was sitting on. I turned around, and was startled to see - just for a few brief seconds - Freddie. He was clearly there, and appeared as he did in the TATDOOL video, except he looked healthy. Thin still on top, but healthy - vibrant in colour, wearing his cat styled waistcoat and smiling, directly at me, like "everything will be fine". And you know what? It has been! Just a few weeks later, my old girlfriend wrote to me, telling me that she missed me and still loved me. almost three years had passed since we split, and I hadn't heard from her in that time. But she still loved me! I felt great, and wanted to meet up with her. Present day = We have an eleven year old son and, finally, after some more tough times with regards to money, losing family members (and a few jobs in-between), we are planning our wedding after finally getting engaged on Xmas morning last year. Thank you, Freddie. You've helped me through some real shit, and I'll keep on listening!! |
| noorie 05.10.2013 12:41 |
Thanks Thistleboy! Really! Actually I wanted to hear your experience because I feel Freddie a lot in my life as well, especially when I was going through a really really hurtful time. But I just put it all down to an overactive imagination, and wishful thinking. So who knows?... I really do wish I could actually see him like you did, although it would probably freak me out. But I would still love the experience. Again, thanks for the story. And congratulations on the engagement. |
| Thistle 05.10.2013 12:58 |
^ Cheers noorie! I was really bricking it typing all of that, because I know exactly what it looks like.....crazy :) All true, though!! |
| brENsKi 05.10.2013 16:04 |
don't f**king rope me into this one....i was being sarcastic....lol oh God!!!!...on so many levels...and i'm an atheist |
| Thistle 05.10.2013 16:12 |
^ I know full well you were you big Irish ragamuffin :p Still all very, very true, though :) |
| brENsKi 05.10.2013 16:24 |
in your mind ... lol |
| Thistle 05.10.2013 17:38 |
Lol. Maybe the Freddie ghost, I'll grant you that. But how do we explain the ouija board thing away?? |
| Donna13 05.10.2013 19:07 |
I have never seen someone who has passed away, but I have two relatives who saw their deceased loved one for a few seconds prior to learning of their death. My own theory is that some of these unexplainable experiences help us cope with the difficult times in life, times when we otherwise might become too shocked or too sad. So maybe it is just nature's way of protecting or helping us, such as fainting, endorphins during highly painful events, etc. I think that if you had such a fondness for Freddie, it makes sense, maybe, that seeing him would bring the most comfort and assurance to you. So maybe that is why you saw him. Interesting. Thanks for sharing. |
| Thistle 05.10.2013 19:20 |
^ yeah, I used to think that way, Donna (thank you for your kind-hearted response). But what I don't understand about it all is: a) the ouija board incident when I wasn't even there, and, b) how my life took such a turn for the better so soon after these events (a turn for the better that I desperately wanted but didn't directly control....). Maybe it is all just coincidence, but what if there really IS something in it all? Either way, at least one of the events is not just "in my head" :) |
| Donna13 05.10.2013 22:51 |
Just read over what I wrote and realized I need to clarify. The glimpses or visions - whatever it was that my relatives saw - lasted for just a moment or a few seconds, similarly to how long you were able to "see" Freddie. I didn't mean it to read as if the visions happened a few seconds prior to the death. For all I know, they could have happened at the same time as the death occurring. I just meant that they occurred prior to my relatives learning that their loved one had died. Anyway, I wasn't trying to say or imply it was "all in your head". These things are a mystery. In regards to our being "in control", I think there is a possibility that we are being "given" a reality that sometimes exceeds anything we could dream of or hope for or work for. I mean, for example - the way our immune systems are working without us giving them specific instructions, or even having any knowledge of what is happening. Even before we could walk or talk, our bodily functions were handling things for us. So, to extrapolate from this concept, it isn't hard to imagine that forces or entities outside our physical bodies are working in our favor, for our benefit, without us knowing how or why or what. Now I will sound crazy. Ha. |
| Thistle 06.10.2013 08:22 |
LOL. I get you, and that's quite an interesting take on things :) |
| Bohardy 07.10.2013 13:48 |
Thistleboy: Can you seriously not think of any rational, non-supernatural, explanation for the ouija-board incident? |
| Thistle 08.10.2013 09:49 |
Bohardy wrote: Thistleboy: Can you seriously not think of any rational, non-supernatural, explanation for the ouija-board incident?In theory, of course I can, but logically - no. The only two people in the room were: a) my sister's friend, who couldn't have known the personal story and b) my sister, who I trust completely, and who wouldn't have been cruel enough to mention the personal issue had the ouija board incident not happened. |
| Bohardy 08.10.2013 13:38 |
Thistleboy1980 wrote:So, assuming that your sister wasn't lying to you about what the ouija board said, what about the fact that the she was one of two people controlling how the answers were given? Can you think of any logical explanation as to how the board gave answers and explanations that your sister already knew?Bohardy wrote: Thistleboy: Can you seriously not think of any rational, non-supernatural, explanation for the ouija-board incident?In theory, of course I can, but logically - no. The only two people in the room were: a) my sister's friend, who couldn't have known the personal story and b) my sister, who I trust completely, and who wouldn't have been cruel enough to mention the personal issue had the ouija board incident not happened. |
| Thistle 09.10.2013 07:24 |
Bohardy wrote:Don't patronise me. Just say what you want to say without "leading" me to the answer you want. The personal issue is not something that would have been mocked, so you can piss off with the notion you're getting at.Thistleboy1980 wrote:So, assuming that your sister wasn't lying to you about what the ouija board said, what about the fact that the she was one of two people controlling how the answers were given? Can you think of any logical explanation as to how the board gave answers and explanations that your sister already knew?Bohardy wrote: Thistleboy: Can you seriously not think of any rational, non-supernatural, explanation for the ouija-board incident?In theory, of course I can, but logically - no. The only two people in the room were: a) my sister's friend, who couldn't have known the personal story and b) my sister, who I trust completely, and who wouldn't have been cruel enough to mention the personal issue had the ouija board incident not happened. |
| noorie 09.10.2013 11:47 |
I have heard too many strange things from too many people (even from total skeptics) to disbelieve things I do not understand. Perhaps there is way more to life than the mere physical..? Okay, here is a strange story about a house in my neighbourhood when I was a kid. Whenever anybody went to visit, (and this includes my parents, who are completely unimaginative about these things) drops of water would fall on them whenever they sat next to the house owner, almost like a really light shower (yeah, you can laugh!). Naturally everybody thought it was some structural leakage and had engineers come take a look. But they could find absolutely nothing wrong. And the water was always around this person, not in a particular spot or room. Anyway to cut a long story short, after the engineers, they called in the priests (exorcists?), but there was no change. One day the people sold the house and left, and the entire water incidents stopped altogether. We still do not know what it was all about. Please feel free to speculate! I'd love to hear your ideas. |
| Bohardy 09.10.2013 15:32 |
Thistleboy1980 wrote:Bohardy wrote:Don't patronise me. Just say what you want to say without "leading" me to the answer you want. The personal issue is not something that would have been mocked, so you can piss off with the notion you're getting at.Thistleboy1980 wrote:So, assuming that your sister wasn't lying to you about what the ouija board said, what about the fact that the she was one of two people controlling how the answers were given? Can you think of any logical explanation as to how the board gave answers and explanations that your sister already knew?Bohardy wrote: Thistleboy: Can you seriously not think of any rational, non-supernatural, explanation for the ouija-board incident?In theory, of course I can, but logically - no. The only two people in the room were: a) my sister's friend, who couldn't have known the personal story and b) my sister, who I trust completely, and who wouldn't have been cruel enough to mention the personal issue had the ouija board incident not happened. You're the one who said you couldn't think of a logical explanation for what happened. I'm trying to help you think of one. Seriously. Now, wouldn't it have been way more interesting if neither of the two people controlling the board knew the reason for your split with your ex, and yet the ouija board still gave the correct explanation? Of course it would. But that's not likely to happen, is it. I'm not suggesting your sister was mocking you. I'm suggesting that she obviously played a role in this whole charade. Consciously, unconsciously, subconsciously. Doesn't matter. But it was mainly her, and not a dead person who had no idea when alive that you even existed (I presume). |
| Thistle 10.10.2013 12:51 |
Bohardy wrote: You're the one who said you couldn't think of a logical explanation for what happened. I'm trying to help you think of one. Seriously. Now, wouldn't it have been way more interesting if neither of the two people controlling the board knew the reason for your split with your ex, and yet the ouija board still gave the correct explanation? Of course it would. But that's not likely to happen, is it. I'm not suggesting your sister was mocking you. I'm suggesting that she obviously played a role in this whole charade. Consciously, unconsciously, subconsciously. Doesn't matter. But it was mainly her, and not a dead person who had no idea when alive that you even existed (I presume)."Charade"? "Obviously"? "Played a part"? You, my friend, are an asshat. |
| Bohardy 10.10.2013 14:37 |
Thistleboy1980 wrote:You posted the story of a paranormal happening that, by your own admission, risked you coming across as completely and utterly nuts. You further stated that you couldn't think of a logical explanation for what had happened. I proposed a logical explanation for what had happened, that wouldn't involve anyone being completely and utterly nuts or any paranormality. You seemed not to like what I proposed.Bohardy wrote: You're the one who said you couldn't think of a logical explanation for what happened. I'm trying to help you think of one. Seriously. Now, wouldn't it have been way more interesting if neither of the two people controlling the board knew the reason for your split with your ex, and yet the ouija board still gave the correct explanation? Of course it would. But that's not likely to happen, is it. I'm not suggesting your sister was mocking you. I'm suggesting that she obviously played a role in this whole charade. Consciously, unconsciously, subconsciously. Doesn't matter. But it was mainly her, and not a dead person who had no idea when alive that you even existed (I presume)."Charade"? "Obviously"? "Played a part"? You, my friend, are an asshat. Do you want to come across as nutty? Are you not actually interested in a logical explanation of what happened? Do you not think it possible that what happened wasn't paranormal? Do you not think it more likely to be explained by normal rather than paranormal behaviour? Of course your sister played a part. She was controlling the ouija board. Obviously. To be honest, I didn't mean charade in the literal sense. I meant it more in terms of 'episode', 'escapade', 'adventure', 'incident'. But that's by the by, and my point still stands: Freddie's ghost was not talking to you via the medium of a ouija board controlled by your sister and her friend. I'm sure it'd be able to find easier ways to pass messages on to you if it really wanted to. |
| Thistle 10.10.2013 16:23 |
^ I know what you proposed is logical, but when I told you that your hypothesis was incorrect, you continued down the same route. Instead of just getting to your point, you have conversed in a largely patronising manner, and are continuing to do so, even now. I'm not an idiot - I know that what you are saying is feasible, and that there are folk out there who would do that to another person, and that other person would fall for it. But when I tell you, implicitly, that there is no way that this is the case here, don't continue to tell me it's "obvious" that it is. Yes, I've admitted that I could come across as nutty with the story, and couldn't think of a logical reason for what happened - but that doesn't mean that there is actually a logical reason for what happened. For what it's worth, do I *really* believe it was Freddie contacting me through my sister? NO! But do I believe her story happened? YES!! Do I *actually* believe it was Freddie I saw when on my own? NO! Is it just coincidence that my life took a better turn after all of this? YES!! I do believe in the paranormal, but I do not believe it is working for the good - hence I stay away from "psychics", "spiritualists" and the like. I believe that there are darker forces out there (paranormal) that pose as the people you have loved and lost, or feel a sense of comfort from (i.e Freddie's music is a comfort to me) and prey on that when you are at your most vulnerable. (And now I don't care if I come across as nutty) |
| Bohardy 10.10.2013 17:43 |
I've seen your posts, and know you're not an idiot and that you seem like a decent bloke. But up until that last post it looked like you believed that Freddie's spirit was talking to you. Which is idiotic. And which is why is was trying to get you to see the logical explanation for what happened. You appear to have misunderstood what my hypothesis was, which is why I continued down the same route. I never doubted your sister's story, never doubted what actually happened. I never said she made it up or was mocking you or anything like that. I never doubted that she would intentionally bring it up. If you notice, I mentioned the subconscious and unconscious. She may have believed that a spirit was contacting her, but she was in control of the board, and controlling what it said. She told you what happened in complete good faith, as she was unaware that it was actually her (with help from her friend) that created the messages. That's my hypothesis. And that's that. |
| Thistle 10.10.2013 18:13 |
^ OK :) Tbh, it didn't come across that way, but on hindsight there's nothing really wrong with your suggestions. Fair's fair - I acted like an asshat in response and I'm sorry. Handshake? |
| Bohardy 11.10.2013 03:07 |
Yep, no problem. |
| ParisNair 11.10.2013 03:10 |
Wonderful story. I have also been thru that freddie/queen is my religion phase in my life and can totally relate to that. In my case I would even hear awesome imagined new queen songs in my sleep :) I wish there was some way of taping those :D i would have shared those on QZ in FLAC format. I am surprised no one asked this yet - why DID you break up with her? ;) And congrats for getting back together and the engagement. Everyone is not that lucky. |
| Thistle 11.10.2013 06:00 |
ParisNair wrote: Wonderful story. I have also been thru that freddie/queen is my religion phase in my life and can totally relate to that. In my case I would even hear awesome imagined new queen songs in my sleep :) I wish there was some way of taping those :D i would have shared those on QZ in FLAC format. I am surprised no one asked this yet - why DID you break up with her? ;) And congrats for getting back together and the engagement. Everyone is not that lucky.I'm sorry, but I can't share the reason why we split up, it really is quite a sensitive and personal issue. All I can say is it was out-with our control and was something we really didn't want to end up doing. Thank you for your good wishes for us getting back together in the end, though :) RE the Queen songs in dreams - yes, I have had all sorts of weird and wonderful dreams like that, too: I was just thinking the same thing about recording them lol (although FLAC didn't exist the last time I actually dreamt about Queen haha!!) |
| Thistle 11.10.2013 06:00 |
Bohardy wrote: Yep, no problem.Nice one :-) |
| ParisNair 11.10.2013 08:06 |
I was only kidding when i asked about the split, hence the wink. |
| Thistle 11.10.2013 08:47 |
ParisNair wrote: I was only kidding when i asked about the split, hence the wink.lol - I didn't even see that :) |
| Bohardy 11.10.2013 11:31 |
Back in my teenage obsessive years I used to have those dreams too. I still do, very very occasionally. Generally they centred around going to a record fair or CD shop and finding some, somehow, hitherto completely unknown album or bootleg that contained 100% new or unheard of tracks. The stuff dreams are made of, literally. In some cases they would be actual titles I could recall when awake (I can still remember one being called something about clouds - that was probably 15-20 years ago), and in others just gobbledegook (although I understood them in my dreams, of course). Happy days. |
| Thistle 11.10.2013 13:56 |
Bohardy wrote: Back in my teenage obsessive years I used to have those dreams too. I still do, very very occasionally. Generally they centred around going to a record fair or CD shop and finding some, somehow, hitherto completely unknown album or bootleg that contained 100% new or unheard of tracks. The stuff dreams are made of, literally. In some cases they would be actual titles I could recall when awake (I can still remember one being called something about clouds - that was probably 15-20 years ago), and in others just gobbledegook (although I understood them in my dreams, of course). Happy days.I have dreams like that VERY often. Probably because I travel up and down the UK with my mate particularly for the purpose of record shops. If we hear about a new one (to us), we'll head for it. The last time I had a dream about hearing an unknown song was years ago. Thank F**k I'm not the only one who dreams like this lol :p |