Virgin Investigation with Destinasi Kebenaran (Pasir Ris Tower)

My interest in the otherworldly started as soon as I knew how to read. Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl were alright, but I obssessed over Russell Lee. He made my hair stand, and expanded my imagination to near-paranoia, but still, I continued reading.

It's been a long while since I held any of his books, but my affinity for the paranormal has led me to search every avenue, from movies to libraries to Youtube, to maintain my regular dose of the other dimension.

Last Saturday night, I met with an old friend, Arif, who brought me to meet with local paranormal group, Destinasi Kebenaran (referred to as DK henceforth). A little backstory, DK was founded approximately 10 years ago, with the vision to investigate places involved with paranormal mysteries, and to rake the truth, separating man-made fiction from events that truly happened.

We convened with the team slightly before midnight at Pasir Ris Park. After introductions were made and a short briefing by the founder, Abang An, we set off for the Pasir Ris Swamp at 12.03am.

As we approached the entrance to the swamp trail, I had a brief flashback of my last walk here with the Singapore Paranormal Investigators in conjunction with Republic Polytechnic's Halloween Night programme, in 2006. I remembered being thoroughly freaked out, or maybe I was just feeling the energies of everyone else.

The darkness beckoned, and entered the trail we did. The air was still, the only sounds were of our footsteps and the occasional low-voiced chatter among the group. I did not come prepared with a torchlight, but was offered one by a member of DK. Unfortunately, barely minutes into the walk, it stopped working. My vision, from then on, was aided only by the light from others' behind, who were occasionally flashing their lights in the swamps, and at the trees on both sides of the swamp, in the hopes of catching a glimpse of an otherworldly being.

Truth be told, I do not know how much we walked or how much time passed till we came to our first destination, the infamous Pasir Ris Park Look-out Tower. Here, it was just as dark, if not even darker than the route leading to it, as not a single lamp post was in sight. The only light was the moonlight and the quick flashes of light from the team's cameraphones.

There are variations to the story of the tower, first being of a jilted, heartbroken female who took her own life from the top story of the tower, and another, of a murder of a couple. Both versions are available online. But more importantly, are the many accounts of hauntings at this spot.

I was intimidated by the fact that a suicide had possibly taken place at the very place I was standing, it gave me the creeps. I mean, it takes a lot of rage or sadness for someone to inflict violence upon themselves. You don't expect a soul with that much negative energy in life, to be cordial in death. Right?

Fortunately, my ego refused to let me be a wuss surrounded by the team of 13 men. Furthermore, I was not really feeling anything, I was frightened only by imagined possibilities and not what was in actual. So up the tower I went, an estimated 4-storeys in height. As the crew discussed the footage they would take, I snapped away on my phone, hoping to capture something, anything, on screen.

From the standing area in the middle of the top floor of the tower, I walked towards the area to the right of the staircase, and this was where I felt the hair on my legs stand. Strange, because I was dressed in long pants, and if I was feeling cold, I would have goosebumps on an exposed part of my body, which in this case, should be my hands, should it not?

At this point, the team's cameraperson captured a lady entity on screen, right behind the area behind me and Arif. Was the entity the lady who ended her life by leaping off this tower? We had to find out.

(Paragraphs here onwards have been typed 3 times, as the words kept on disappearing after every save. Freaky? Maybe. Annoying? Very.)

We came down from the tower and headed towards an area to the right of the tower which Abang An pointed out to us as feeling rampant with energies, also the same area from which the female entity was captured on our cameraman's screen. It led to yet another path into the swamp area, and we sauntered again into the forested darkness.

After a few hundreds of metres, we came to a resting point, at approximately 1am, which was to be where the presences were summoned. 

A hush fell over the group as Abang Man proceeded to walk a little further from us, and began chanting a mantra, calling on present entities to come forward.

A few minutes later, an entity entered the body of Wan, apparent as he started clawing at the wooden flooring, on his knees. He did not respond as another team member greeted, "Assalamualaikum". This is indication of a non-Muslim entity in possesion of the human body, as a Muslim entity would not fail to respond with "Waalaikumsalam".

Arif stepped in to enquire if the entity knew of the tale of the female who lost her life from the tower, to which it hissed, "Kenapa kau tanya aku? / Why are you asking me?"

Prodding further, Arif asked of the mystical happenings in the vicinity, to which the entity replied "Sundel bolong". The entity in possession of Wan's body claimed to be a sundel bolong, only one of the many present with us at the moment. When asked where were the rest, the entity turned 45 degrees toward its left, indicating that the rest were at the back, on the roof of the resting point.

As for the story of the girl who jumped to her death from the look-out tower, the entity offered, "She had problems, so we influenced her to jump".

Wallahu alam.

(Next post: Marang Trail, Singapore)

Watch PROMO: Dunia Lain Destinasi Kebenaran

I Had a Dream

Backed up against a corner, by a semi-circle of men in black suits. I could tell what was gonna happen, even though it was a dream. Then Specimen A, you came, and spoke words to me that I now dont remember. You spoke them as you stood facing me, and then you went on one knee.

Everyone was watching. I was so happy, in my dream. And then came a female, to relay a message -- that my father did not approve, he thought you were defective. You start to walk away, and my emotions took a 180° turn. I cried and clung on to you because obviously, I didnt want you to leave.

Now I'm awake, I cant even decipher who you are. But more than anything, it has left me perplexed. It was not about the crowd, or the concept of a proposal, it was not about Specimen A, or parental disapproval.

What has left me floored is how easy it is for anyone to walk away. Like how easy it has been for me to walk away from things, situations and people. It may be part choice, but more often than not, it is a decision made so as to avoid being hurt.

Because we know, being hurt sucks.

I understand now. I understand that is not all about ego, because sometimes it's part self-preservation, part self-defence.

And why do living things mate? To maintain a succession in a world where only the strongest survive.

As for the people like me? I guess the Universe thinks that it is unnecessary for our DNA to persist beyond our existence.

It's a Sad, Sad Situation

This society, we work like clockwork. Invisible strings, pushing and pulling, whipping you into action. Wake in the morning, run for your bus, rush for the train, work in access, rush back home and repeat.

As I stand by the sidewalk, watching everyone scurrying past, I knew that next to none actually enjoyed this routine. Where is the fire that ignites the soul, spurring you to do whatever it is that you do? No, I know you do not enjoy the office. No, I know you dread what is coming. You dread the day, you hate the routine. But why do you do what you do? Why do you let yourself fit the mould?

The mould created by the mothering G. You let their ideals squeeze, shape and make your life. My heart sincerely goes out to all of you, to all of us.

What do you really want to do? What inspires and sets your soul on fire? What would you do, if we were not told that success is working to the last drop of strength, and splurging your gains on everything latest because we live in a world where consumerism is the social order? 

My soul aches, for you, for me, for us. Because if it does not strike you the way it so painfully strikes me, let me tell you: We are lost.

We are a generation so educated, so wealthy and technologically advance, but we are lost.

All of us, we are people, yes we are people. But we are souls too. And in this society, our souls have been forgotten, because our egos have been fed to such a magnitude. That we forget, our souls are what we truly are, and our souls are the only thing we have, when we time weakens, destroys or finally removes the earthly body that we carry.

My soul, it has been ignored and denied long enough. I too, have been a victim of somebody else's ideals, and this is where it stops. Ask me what I wanna do, I will tell you - I want to run barefoot in the grass and feel the earth beneath me. I want to lay on the sand, feel the sun's rays on my face and seawater tickling my feet. I want to write to my heart's content, and I wanna capture the beauty all around me and immortalize them in photos. I want to do whatever it takes to make my heart sing, and I want to live, and love. 

We hang on to the familiar, for we fear the unknown. But who knows what magic awaits us when let go of the comfortable, and allow our souls and intuition to take over the driver's seat. It is scary, without a doubt, but the possibilities are endless. 

Everyone has a choice to the way they lead their lives, but I, for one, will not live, only to regret on my deathbed. My soul is bigger than it is allowed to be right now, and it is time to grow.

You only live once. 

Bali Nine Execution: Drugs, Politics, Death

This morning, I woke and reached for my handphone, as I always do. But instead of the mundane posts that I was accustomed to seeing as I scrolled Facebook every morning, I came upon an article on the execution of Bali Nine. By firing squad.

My stomach lurched.

So, a little past midnight last night, as I was soundly asleep in bed, Indonesia had put to death 8 human beings for drug trafficking, in the most inhumane way possible. No doubt, the war against drugs is real - individuals, families and nations are destroyed by drugs. But to put these men in front of a 12-men firing squad, to put a bullet straight to the heart... it is beyond me.

The death penalty in Singapore puts a condemned convict to death by hanging. I actually have not given much thought to capital punishment before this, but I have always believed that the death penalty is justifiable for those who have taken another's life AND not repented. I believe even murderers should be given a chance, to atone for their mistakes and LIVE (albeit in prison).

Aside from the fact that Bali Nine were executed by firing squad, it is to my knowledge that two of the executed eight had in fact, repented, acting as counsellors to other inmates on death row. One of them, Andrew Chan, was an ordained priest. The other, Myuran Sukumaran, who took to painting, was reported to have offered comfort and encouragement to his dear ones who were grieving over his impending death! It is human to grieve, and it takes a soul so solidly nestled in God's light, to look beyond his own death, and offer positive vibes to the people around him.

Undoubtedly, both Chan and Sukumaran knew the consequences should they get caught on Indonesian soil. And they took their chance. They were caught. Spent 10 years in an Indonesian prison, and finally put to death. Had it been that straight-cut? No. The sentencing had changed over the course of the years, it has come to light that the judge had demanded $130,000 to grant them a lighter sentence, the only female was granted last minute reprieve to assist in investigations. Indonesia has a right to maintain its  sovereignty, but all the nitty bitty details that has started trickling out points toward politics and the corruption that is rife in Indonesia.

8 lives have been lost, and Indonesia has sent out a clear message on their war with drugs.

But would this completely deter others from drug trafficking?

Does the death penalty have a place in 21st century?

How does one stand in front of another with a weapon pointing to the latter's heart, and live with it for the rest of their lives?

I shudder to imagine their last moments as they face their killers, unblindfolded.

The world needs to eradicate the issues that causes people to turn to drugs, for the answer.

How I Found My First Crystal

I have heard and read of the healing properties of crystals, but my interest never piqued beyond minimal. Yes, they were pretty, and come in so many colours, but no, I did not understand how owning them could improve your social skills, or make you a little fearless, or lower your blood pressure, or protect you from evil forces, you get my drift?

In retrospection, now that I think about it, the possession of crystals and stones is more common than I realized, with the persons around me. So this cannot be some new age crap that was just gonna contain my interest for the next few weeks, tops.

For some reason, earlier in the week, I had the strongest urge to acquire one. I know it was gonna grow into a sizeable collection, ultimately. But I had my heart set on acquiring one.

Which one? I did not know. I have heard of the qualities of onyx, amethyst, tiger's eye, the more common crystals. I could have easily Googled the properties I was searching for and their correlating crystals, but I wanted to take the other route.

I was sitting on the idea for a few days, when an old friend, Wendy, told me of a store nearby, from which she had gotten some of her crystals. Needless to say, barely 2 hours later, I was walking into the store, completely clueless but with a knowing that I was in for an experience.

Prior to this first visit, I had read how others had chosen their first crystals, and some of the mentioned ways were to put your palm over the crystals, and try to feel their energy. Some held crystals in their fists, to see if they had any kind of heat/vibrational reaction from the crystal that they eventually brought home.

In the corner of New 8ge Treasures, located on the third floor of Nex, sat bowls and bowls of crystals, with a label and description of the properties of each type of crystal. Of course, this was to facilitate other buyers with their choices, but that was not what I was going to base my purchase on. In short, I did not want to choose my crystal, I wanted it to choose me.

Eyes consciously diverted from the little labels atop each bowl, I tried to feel for energy by placing my hand over the stones. ...Nope, I was not feeling anything, plus, I realized how silly it must look to anyone else in the store, or passing by.

My eyes glazed over the colourful stones, a little disheartened. I must have stood there for a few minutes when my attention was drawn to a greenish stone, a kind of Jasper.

Jasper is known metaphysically as a stone of gentleness, comfort, and relaxation. When its protective energies are also considered, it's no wonder jasper is sometimes called the "nurturing stone."

The lady at the store spoke, asking if I needed help. To this, I lamented that I had no idea what I was looking for (the truth!), but I was just going to feel around. After this, I turned around and could not remember which Jasper I had been eyeing. So I grabbed the two which I thought were the two most probable, and held one in each hand.

Again, nothing. I felt silly. What if I was one of those who could not feel energy from these stones? What if I was not as sensitive as I thought myself to be?

The lady in the store (I did not get her name) went over to a little cupboard behind me and took out some crystals which were not displayed. A packet of baby blue crystals I have never seen before, from which she took two out and placed in the plate before me. I took one in each hand, hoping for something, but not really expecting anything.

It took a few seconds. Then I felt a vibration, in my left hand. It felt like the crystal was emanating some sort of electricity, into my hand. My lips spoke, "This one!".

To ensure it was not a figment of my imagination, I released the crystals onto the plate, then took them in my hands again. And I felt it again. It was then I knew, that the crystal was calling it out to me. I found my first crystal, an Angelite.

Angelite is a stone of heightened awareness, with special focus on peace and brotherhood. It gives protection in the environment around your body.

• Promotes compassion and understanding
• Helps you to speak the truth when this is difficult
• Alleviates psychological pain
• Enhances astrological understanding
• Increases telepathy
• Facilitates contact with angels

I do not believe in coincidences. And the acquisition of my first crystal is a testimony.

Before stepping into the store, I had focused on two things that I was looking for, with no idea which crystal actually correlates to them. But I was determined to do it by gut.

Those 2 things were: Love and Protection.

And I found it. Thank you, universe at work.

❤️

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