Full Version: Emotional Baggage from Sightings
Rumor has it that you've had a sighting of your own. As someone whose had some not sures, and out of strict curiosity, would you care to share your experience?
Well, under the advise of legal counsel... ... ... j/k.
I wanted to make sure with the management here, that I wouldn't create "cross forum issues", so on their advice, I'm going to post what I did there (at BFD).
The only issues are that because it's a long-term research area for the team, the bulk of 'that' can't be discussed. There are aspects of our research that will be coming out soon, but that's not for here in this... though it's related. For those who don't know, the group is involved in a long-term project in northern Michigan. I wasn't actually out looking for a Squatch at the moment the sighting happened which was around 3am on Sunday July 5, 2009.
http://bigfootdiscussions.invisionzone.com...?showtopic=3330
First, I want to stress that the point of my starting this thread isn't to discuss my recent sighting. The objective of my starting this thread is to see from other researchers, investigators or "everyone else" HOW they delt with all the emotional aspects of their sighting. I WILL try to give you a "best outline" to start with, but it was a very short sighting, yet clearly in my highbeams at the side of the road while I was out doing some recon work. It was right about 3am, Sunday morning July 5, 2009 at the research location that a group of us are and have been working together for several years.
Having been driving around for nearly 30 minutes on these highly rural roads, I had on a couple other occasions had to slow or brake to avoid deer which were running all over the place out there that morning. As I was headed east on a road I had just turned onto a few hundred yards back, I came to a slight rise in the road, doing mid 20's in second gear of 5 (2002 Mitsubitsi Eclipse) and perceived "something ahead" which instinctively caused me to hit the high beams. (less than 2 month old GE replacement bulbs... not the $40 premium ones, the next step down you can get at Walmart) At the point of perception, our measurements put me around 150' from the 'object'. By the time I hit the highs and fully picked up on the 'object', I had closed my distance down to around 75 to 90 feet. At THAT moment, I completely freaked out and became highly excited and emotional as I watched a tall, lean, very black, around 6 1/2 foot tall sasquatch coming out of the ditch, completely in profile, never looked toward me (that I can remember), took at least 2 or 3 long fast steps with arms fully down at it's side swinging in sync to the rate of speed it was "fast walking"... and then moved off south between a planted field of smaller pines (west) and a grove of hardwood trees (east) thru a variably sized corridor running to the south. It obviously disappeared from my sight as I became parallel to the point it was, as I DID NOT slow down at all, and IF my memory serves me, I likely stepped on the gas. At that point, I just fully floored it when the "fight or flight" impulse kicked in, and I 'fleed'. I was alone, and it scared me. The next couple minutes I was driving like a nut and got back to the campsite about .8 or .9 miles off the road whose drive was about 1/2 to a little more miles down the east of the sighting.
So, that's what happened, and I really don't want to talk about it here... OK? What I'm wanting to know is, from all you other "sightees"... did it create in YOU any real emotional baggage? A sense of internal un-resolution? I've had some really odd conflicted feelings this last week, and I'm just wondering how others have delt with having a sighting. It was SO spontaneous, so UNplanned... I had no time to react in a rational way. I had a video camera beside me turned "on" but not running (thank God) or you'd hear a 47 year old man screaming like a little child.
Part of me needs to talk about it some... part of me just wants to let it go for now. I have a 'snapshot' in my mind of 'it'... but I can't give you any detailed description. I have a little video clip in my mind that I can play over and over, but when I do, I know I'm missing pieces to it. It really creates frustrating feelings in me to try and relive it, at least for now it does. I always said I didn't want to see one at night, and I didn't want to be alone when it happened. Both of those came true. Sheeeesh.
So.... how did YOU deal with your sighting? How long did it take to 'own' your event and move past it? Does it still bring back strong feelings LONG after it's happened?
Got Baggage? I do for now. Anyone WANT IT?! LoL
I know... I'm lucky. I got to see one, and there's not a single ounce of reservation or doubt about it. But dang... now what?
Chime in if you feel you can.
Thanks.
I'm not saying I "won't" answer some questions, but that really IS the story... love it or leave it. I started this topic elsewhere to see how other's have delt with the feelings the encounter/sighting left them feeling.
Thanks.
Mike
I wanted to make sure with the management here, that I wouldn't create "cross forum issues", so on their advice, I'm going to post what I did there (at BFD).
The only issues are that because it's a long-term research area for the team, the bulk of 'that' can't be discussed. There are aspects of our research that will be coming out soon, but that's not for here in this... though it's related. For those who don't know, the group is involved in a long-term project in northern Michigan. I wasn't actually out looking for a Squatch at the moment the sighting happened which was around 3am on Sunday July 5, 2009.
http://bigfootdiscussions.invisionzone.com...?showtopic=3330
QUOTE
QUOTE(GuyInIndiana @ Jul 11 2009, 05:50 PM) 
First, I want to stress that the point of my starting this thread isn't to discuss my recent sighting. The objective of my starting this thread is to see from other researchers, investigators or "everyone else" HOW they delt with all the emotional aspects of their sighting. I WILL try to give you a "best outline" to start with, but it was a very short sighting, yet clearly in my highbeams at the side of the road while I was out doing some recon work. It was right about 3am, Sunday morning July 5, 2009 at the research location that a group of us are and have been working together for several years.
Having been driving around for nearly 30 minutes on these highly rural roads, I had on a couple other occasions had to slow or brake to avoid deer which were running all over the place out there that morning. As I was headed east on a road I had just turned onto a few hundred yards back, I came to a slight rise in the road, doing mid 20's in second gear of 5 (2002 Mitsubitsi Eclipse) and perceived "something ahead" which instinctively caused me to hit the high beams. (less than 2 month old GE replacement bulbs... not the $40 premium ones, the next step down you can get at Walmart) At the point of perception, our measurements put me around 150' from the 'object'. By the time I hit the highs and fully picked up on the 'object', I had closed my distance down to around 75 to 90 feet. At THAT moment, I completely freaked out and became highly excited and emotional as I watched a tall, lean, very black, around 6 1/2 foot tall sasquatch coming out of the ditch, completely in profile, never looked toward me (that I can remember), took at least 2 or 3 long fast steps with arms fully down at it's side swinging in sync to the rate of speed it was "fast walking"... and then moved off south between a planted field of smaller pines (west) and a grove of hardwood trees (east) thru a variably sized corridor running to the south. It obviously disappeared from my sight as I became parallel to the point it was, as I DID NOT slow down at all, and IF my memory serves me, I likely stepped on the gas. At that point, I just fully floored it when the "fight or flight" impulse kicked in, and I 'fleed'. I was alone, and it scared me. The next couple minutes I was driving like a nut and got back to the campsite about .8 or .9 miles off the road whose drive was about 1/2 to a little more miles down the east of the sighting.
So, that's what happened, and I really don't want to talk about it here... OK? What I'm wanting to know is, from all you other "sightees"... did it create in YOU any real emotional baggage? A sense of internal un-resolution? I've had some really odd conflicted feelings this last week, and I'm just wondering how others have delt with having a sighting. It was SO spontaneous, so UNplanned... I had no time to react in a rational way. I had a video camera beside me turned "on" but not running (thank God) or you'd hear a 47 year old man screaming like a little child.
Part of me needs to talk about it some... part of me just wants to let it go for now. I have a 'snapshot' in my mind of 'it'... but I can't give you any detailed description. I have a little video clip in my mind that I can play over and over, but when I do, I know I'm missing pieces to it. It really creates frustrating feelings in me to try and relive it, at least for now it does. I always said I didn't want to see one at night, and I didn't want to be alone when it happened. Both of those came true. Sheeeesh.
So.... how did YOU deal with your sighting? How long did it take to 'own' your event and move past it? Does it still bring back strong feelings LONG after it's happened?
Got Baggage? I do for now. Anyone WANT IT?! LoL
I know... I'm lucky. I got to see one, and there's not a single ounce of reservation or doubt about it. But dang... now what?
Chime in if you feel you can.
Thanks.
I'm not saying I "won't" answer some questions, but that really IS the story... love it or leave it. I started this topic elsewhere to see how other's have delt with the feelings the encounter/sighting left them feeling.
Thanks.
Mike
3am, looking for a BF, expecting to find a BF for years in the area, highly emotional. I bet you were tired... and you see "something ahead" and immediately freak out.
I'm not surprised, it might be the power of suggestion combined with exhaustion.
You were expecting to see a BF and you finally did.
Baggage is relative. Do you mean waking up at night screaming? Daydreaming of dozens of "what if" scenerios, ending with being ripped to pieces? There aren't many real big game hunters out there, who could say they don't carry any baggage from having 2 tons of animal running straight at you, and you only get one shot at it. A sudden and close encounter with a BF out of nowhere, would scare the hell out of anyone, I don't care how rambo you think you are. I ran like a school girl, and I'm about as cold as some can get. I've got baggage alright, but it's rational. Like, hell if I ever go out there alone again, hehe. I"m also 20 years older, damned well out of shape, and I'm not leaving the vacinity of my jeep. Let the rambos who've never faced one, build some baggage. 
Guy, I have two wishes. I wish I could reply to your question. Even more I wish I were a member of your group. Good luck to all of you. 
Nice story Mike, like smoke I wish I could answer your question.
QUOTE(gigantor @ Jul 13 2009, 01:52 AM)
3am, looking for a BF, expecting to find a BF for years in the area, highly emotional. I bet you were tired... and you see "something ahead" and immediately freak out.
I'm not surprised, it might be the power of suggestion combined with exhaustion.
You were expecting to see a BF and you finally did.
I'm not surprised, it might be the power of suggestion combined with exhaustion.
You were expecting to see a BF and you finally did.
Uhhhhhh.... as a member of the team, one who knows how Mike thinks and behaves in the field, and one who was there when it happened I can say hardly. Nice assumptions though.
Congratulations, 'GuyIn Indiana'. Reluctantly or otherwise, you have now joined the brethren of the elect. Now you got it and now you get it. Too late to take it back. Lucky or cursed? Be careful what you ask for, as the old saying goes. If you are like those more 'recent' witnesses who come pre-wired (through previous BF research activities) to the experience you may find it will haunt you for a little while; but eventually you will make your peace with the moment because you have the advantage of having already rationally learned a little about our hairy cousins. On the other hand, now you will know what Bindernagel and all the other primate/biology professionals in the field have been saying for decades: Nothing can prepare you for the moment when you see a large bipedal creature in the bush, even though you expect you will be able to handle it, no problem. Man seems to have some sort of weird, built-in, aversion and fear of such moments. The first encounter or sighting is almost always surreal; it carries the greatest psychological impact -- you enter what I refer to as the 'stun zone'. The next is marginally better because you have already gone through the psychological trauma, so the impact isn't as great. After a few more you will find a tentative and somewhat uneasy comfort zone that you will learn to live with, if by that time you have had the guts to keep going. I'm not trying to play the hero here; just saying it ain't necessarily easy. And I suppose I must admit that everybody will probably react somewhat differently, at least in terms of degree. But from my humble experience it never gets easy or easier. They are just too damned much like us, but with hair; and they are giants -- even the juveniles carry the promise of becoming Big Guys; you can see that in their body morphology. You can't deny what you see, you can only deal with it. Cold sweats, anyone? (Pass the meds!)Dudlow
Guy
So you still think crap of me now that you saw what you saw or do you think I am still talking crap , You were in car I was on foot about 20 yards from it .I am glad that you finally expieranced it.welcome to the club ,brother.
Mark
Michigan folk
So you still think crap of me now that you saw what you saw or do you think I am still talking crap , You were in car I was on foot about 20 yards from it .I am glad that you finally expieranced it.welcome to the club ,brother.
Mark
Michigan folk
speaking for myself, when I had an experience last year, one I'm still not sure about for the record, it was enough for me to kinda just sit there for a good thirty minutes or so, and not really say or do anything, mild shock maybe. But I've haven't lost any sleep or anything like that, but then again, I'm still not sure.
QUOTE(gigantor @ Jul 13 2009, 01:52 AM)
3am, looking for a BF, expecting to find a BF for years in the area, highly emotional. I bet you were tired... and you see "something ahead" and immediately freak out.
I'm not surprised, it might be the power of suggestion combined with exhaustion.
You were expecting to see a BF and you finally did.
I'm not surprised, it might be the power of suggestion combined with exhaustion.
You were expecting to see a BF and you finally did.
LoL Gigantor. Cute. I'm glad I got a chance to read that on my PDA while I was at work today. I needed that. Cute.
QUOTE
3am, looking for a BF
Nope. Driving down the road dealing with other external issues relative to our research area... wasn't looking for one at all.
QUOTE
highly emotional
Ben Stein is my role model... so, no: not till I saw the Squatch.
QUOTE
I bet you were tired
Dang... you're shooting 0%. We sleep in in the mornings, nap in the afternoon. Tired... I can be tired an noon, but not a factor in my being out on the road at 3am like I was.
QUOTE
it might be the power of suggestion
Naw... just a sasquatch. See, it's just as easy to be an arm-chair therapist as an ... well, you get my analogy. There's far more behind the evening than you can know. In fact, while I didn't clear this *hint* with any of the other crew, stick around and pretty soon you'll be allowed to see some of our research online. When "The Power of Suggestion" makes his/her/it's presence known to you from across a river bank, on several occasions, "you know it".
QUOTE(julio12 @ Jul 13 2009, 09:56 AM)
Guy
So you still think crap of me now that you saw what you saw or do you think I am still talking crap , You were in car I was on foot about 20 yards from it .I am glad that you finally expieranced it.welcome to the club ,brother.
Mark
Michigan folk
So you still think crap of me now that you saw what you saw or do you think I am still talking crap , You were in car I was on foot about 20 yards from it .I am glad that you finally expieranced it.welcome to the club ,brother.
Mark
Michigan folk
Mark, I don't know where you got the idea I thought 'crap of you'. My seeing one has nothing to do with if you did or didn't. Any negative comments I HAVE made have been in the area of bigfoot being or conducting "paranormal" type of abilities or circumstances. Never about YOU, or that you've had a sighting. I'm sorry you got that idea, and I'm sorry you thought that, but it's not the case. If this situation has taught me anything about the witness and their mental frame of mind after a sighting, it's simply that due to the overwhelming emotional upwelling that results from being confronted with the reality of the creature, a person's ability to process and deal with it may greatly affect the conclusions they take away from it. THAT alone could and would make more sense of the perception of bigfoot being 'paranormal' due to the intense emotions and the disconnect a witness feels and experiences at and after their sighting. That's where we've differed.
As for being "in the club"... Thanks! I have to admit being a week 'in the club' is a little more settled than early on right after the sighting. I always thought there were only 2 distinct levels, like 'believing' and 'knowing'. For the last few years, I certainly 'believed' they existed because of my family memeber's sighting in 2003. Then last year, when our experiences began to escalate at the research site, I came to "know" that they were real. What I DIDN'T KNOW, was that only your eyes can take in as a fact, what the head and heart were hoping were real.
Once you see one... 'knowing' seems like a real understatement.
Well congrats Guy. I gotta get over to the BFD and see what's going on. 
I can only add that like Stacy, I was there, and I can only back what has already been said.
I am personally convinced that this was no hallucination and trust me on this also..if the events of that night by their nature were going to drive Mike to hallucinate...he'd have done so dozens of times in the past.
Obviously none of us have proof of the actual sighting outside of Mikes reaction to it...but on a personal level, I have zero doubt of what happened that night.
I would also comment on the actual topic of the thread. While I've never made an "official" notice or announcement, I"ve also had a sighting(at least, I believe I have) in the same general location.
I know from talking to the people in camp that night, that I also reacted in an emotionally charged manner(I believe I came up out of the woods and hugged Jim
), and thus while our experiences were a bit different, we reacted in a roughly similar manner.
I am personally convinced that this was no hallucination and trust me on this also..if the events of that night by their nature were going to drive Mike to hallucinate...he'd have done so dozens of times in the past.
Obviously none of us have proof of the actual sighting outside of Mikes reaction to it...but on a personal level, I have zero doubt of what happened that night.
I would also comment on the actual topic of the thread. While I've never made an "official" notice or announcement, I"ve also had a sighting(at least, I believe I have) in the same general location.
I know from talking to the people in camp that night, that I also reacted in an emotionally charged manner(I believe I came up out of the woods and hugged Jim
), and thus while our experiences were a bit different, we reacted in a roughly similar manner.
Maybe Bittermonk would like to share his experience, this has the potential to be an interesting thread.
Well since this has become a cross-promotional thread I'll copy here what I posted at BFD..
ETA - Something I understated was the confidence factor after the sighting. That night we went out for some nighttime surveillance. I felt like I could have walked the whole mountain that night by myself without even a light, and in fact considered ditching the group for just such a solo outing. At the time I just assumed I was still "high" from the sighting, but I've since learned that this is yet another symptom of critical or combat stress.
QUOTE
When I had my sighting in Georgia I experienced several symptoms that I've since learned are consistent with combat or critical incident stress. Some of these didn't immediately manifest and some I didn't become consciously aware of until later when I was looking back on the events.
During the sighting I experienced tunnel vision, vividness, and time dilation. Even though I was in camp with three other people the only thing I remember being conscious of was the tree line immediately in front of me and the area I was scanning. They could have all been singing YMCA naked and I wouldn't have had a clue even though they were only about 15 to 20 feet away from me. I remember everything seemed incredibly sharp and in focus and my eyes seemed to notice ever single twitch of the grass and leaves. It was like I was watching a normal television that suddenly switched to HD. As far as the time dilation, time didn't seem to move any slower or faster, but when I finally gave up on seeing it again and turned my attention back to camp it seemed like a much bigger chunk of time had passed than had actually gone by. Over the course of that night and the next day I found myself being hyper-vigilant to every sound and motion around me. I wasn't tense or jumpy though. In fact I felt a strong sense of calm and confidence.
I told my wife the very same night about the sighting but it was three days before I mentioned it to anyone. In the days following the sighting I felt very disconnected. As sharp and in focus as the sighting was the following days seemed to just blur together. I had a hard time focusing on anything but reliving the sighting in my head. Since that time I haven't experienced any symptoms of PTSD despite the symptoms of combat stress I experienced. If anything that sighting has spurred me on, and I've spent many days and nights since then alone or in small groups in the woods.
During the sighting I experienced tunnel vision, vividness, and time dilation. Even though I was in camp with three other people the only thing I remember being conscious of was the tree line immediately in front of me and the area I was scanning. They could have all been singing YMCA naked and I wouldn't have had a clue even though they were only about 15 to 20 feet away from me. I remember everything seemed incredibly sharp and in focus and my eyes seemed to notice ever single twitch of the grass and leaves. It was like I was watching a normal television that suddenly switched to HD. As far as the time dilation, time didn't seem to move any slower or faster, but when I finally gave up on seeing it again and turned my attention back to camp it seemed like a much bigger chunk of time had passed than had actually gone by. Over the course of that night and the next day I found myself being hyper-vigilant to every sound and motion around me. I wasn't tense or jumpy though. In fact I felt a strong sense of calm and confidence.
I told my wife the very same night about the sighting but it was three days before I mentioned it to anyone. In the days following the sighting I felt very disconnected. As sharp and in focus as the sighting was the following days seemed to just blur together. I had a hard time focusing on anything but reliving the sighting in my head. Since that time I haven't experienced any symptoms of PTSD despite the symptoms of combat stress I experienced. If anything that sighting has spurred me on, and I've spent many days and nights since then alone or in small groups in the woods.
ETA - Something I understated was the confidence factor after the sighting. That night we went out for some nighttime surveillance. I felt like I could have walked the whole mountain that night by myself without even a light, and in fact considered ditching the group for just such a solo outing. At the time I just assumed I was still "high" from the sighting, but I've since learned that this is yet another symptom of critical or combat stress.
BitMo,
Can you tell us exactly what you saw, or post a link to it if it is already elsewhere?
Can you tell us exactly what you saw, or post a link to it if it is already elsewhere?
QUOTE(nightwing @ Jul 13 2009, 08:44 PM)
I know from talking to the people in camp that night, that I also reacted in an emotionally charged manner(I believe I came up out of the woods and hugged Jim ), and thus while our experiences were a bit different, we reacted in a roughly similar manner.
), and thus while our experiences were a bit different, we reacted in a roughly similar manner.I thought I came down into the woods and you hugged me?
At any rate I have no doubt that you saw what you said you saw at that time given the events that had taken place. I also have no doubt that Mike saw what he did given the event leading up to it either, or his reaction the following day.
And unlike most of the reported sightings that sit on the net for X amount of years, we can easily verify location within hours at the farthest time frame and in some cases minutes. My only wish it that the ground was more conducive to tracks, but the fact is, that while you may have an idea of where they passed, finding something worth photographing much less casting is a rarity.
QUOTE(Robert @ Jul 13 2009, 08:18 PM)
BitMo,
Can you tell us exactly what you saw, or post a link to it if it is already elsewhere?
Can you tell us exactly what you saw, or post a link to it if it is already elsewhere?
The report for my sighting is in the SRI database here.
This is a mockup I did of the sighting using a sketch done by Pat Barker along with a photograph I took of my view of the area when the sighting occured.
And this is Pat's wonderful sketch. She added a lot more detail than what I saw in terms of the face, etc., but the overall shape and posture are spot on.
Excellent report. What an amazing coincidence that there was a film crew there when you saw it.
I assume you went back to the area many times hoping to see it again, until you finally had enough?
What did the
I assume you went back to the area many times hoping to see it again, until you finally had enough?
What did the
QUOTE
lengthy, unidentified vocalization
sound like to you?
I'd been working that area for 4 years when it finally happened. After the sighting I continued to work that location and the surrounding area just as often. I don't want to derail the thread so I'll pm you about the vocal.
QUOTE(Bitter Monk @ Jul 13 2009, 09:13 PM)
Well since this has become a cross-promotional thread I'll copy here what I posted at BFD..
ETA - Something I understated was the confidence factor after the sighting. That night we went out for some nighttime surveillance. I felt like I could have walked the whole mountain that night by myself without even a light, and in fact considered ditching the group for just such a solo outing. At the time I just assumed I was still "high" from the sighting, but I've since learned that this is yet another symptom of critical or combat stress.
ETA - Something I understated was the confidence factor after the sighting. That night we went out for some nighttime surveillance. I felt like I could have walked the whole mountain that night by myself without even a light, and in fact considered ditching the group for just such a solo outing. At the time I just assumed I was still "high" from the sighting, but I've since learned that this is yet another symptom of critical or combat stress.
That's interesting Sam, as one of the things easily noticed when something happens of significance in the field is that if you are tired...poof, that's gone, and you know sleep is just not an option for some time.
Nothing clears the system like adrenalin.
LoL... yeah, and after I took Paul and Stacy out to the sighting area, came back and settled down, that adrenalin surge in my system gave me a massive tension headache.
Good thing we finally hit the sack about 5am.
Good thing we finally hit the sack about 5am.
I'm a member of the Michigan team. I will stand behind Mike 100%. If he said he had a sighting, he definitely had a sighting. Mike is skeptical and analytical to a fault ... and very smart. He's been my field partner on several occasions when we've had incidents happen in the dead of night. I trust him implicitly, and trust his judgement completely. If he says he saw it, then he saw it.
And just to add to what's been said about adrenaline rushes, on several occasions when we've had those incidents happen in the wee hours of the night, you're not tired at all ... you're PUMPED. Every sense is heightened. Adrenaline is pumping through you. Your body may be fatigued, but your mind is clear and racing. For hours after.
Congratulations, Mikey!
And just to add to what's been said about adrenaline rushes, on several occasions when we've had those incidents happen in the wee hours of the night, you're not tired at all ... you're PUMPED. Every sense is heightened. Adrenaline is pumping through you. Your body may be fatigued, but your mind is clear and racing. For hours after.
Congratulations, Mikey!
Emotional baggage? The strongest emotion that I feel is just PO'd about the hoaxes and BS that surround the topic.
At the time I'm pretty sure that I reacted the same as I have with any large aggressive animal. Later, in the dark as other strange things happened I think that I started to go numb and ignore stuff as, well, there's no such thing as what I saw and no sense getting crazy about it as...this is the really real world and there are no monsters.
After I got out of the woods and back to the world I just tucked that little experience away as again, I couldn't have seen what I saw so why deal with it?
Whenever I have been in the woods since I "perk up" if I hear something that reminds me of the noises that I heard then and generally avoided any areas if I felt there was a chance that one might be around.
Now after reading/chatting about the topic, I'm still PO'd about the BS but I'm not too worried about running into one again as well, people spend countless hours in the woods and don't experience squat. If I do have a run in so be it, just another animal in the woods to deal with. I feel as though I know more now so I'm more comfortable with the idea of sharing the woods with them.
P.S. I guess when it happened my senses were very alert, even at camp in the dark when other stuff was happening. Was trying to bring myself down but it was difficult. Generally I get into a state of heightened awareness when I am stalking an animal when I can see them and am moving in for the shot, hearts pumping, breathing a little harder, hyper focusing on the animal ignoring everything else. It was kind of like that except prolonged...when I finally did start to come down I was very shaky and exhausted. Too much adrenaline wears you out I guess, LOL!
At the time I'm pretty sure that I reacted the same as I have with any large aggressive animal. Later, in the dark as other strange things happened I think that I started to go numb and ignore stuff as, well, there's no such thing as what I saw and no sense getting crazy about it as...this is the really real world and there are no monsters.
After I got out of the woods and back to the world I just tucked that little experience away as again, I couldn't have seen what I saw so why deal with it?
Whenever I have been in the woods since I "perk up" if I hear something that reminds me of the noises that I heard then and generally avoided any areas if I felt there was a chance that one might be around.
Now after reading/chatting about the topic, I'm still PO'd about the BS but I'm not too worried about running into one again as well, people spend countless hours in the woods and don't experience squat. If I do have a run in so be it, just another animal in the woods to deal with. I feel as though I know more now so I'm more comfortable with the idea of sharing the woods with them.
P.S. I guess when it happened my senses were very alert, even at camp in the dark when other stuff was happening. Was trying to bring myself down but it was difficult. Generally I get into a state of heightened awareness when I am stalking an animal when I can see them and am moving in for the shot, hearts pumping, breathing a little harder, hyper focusing on the animal ignoring everything else. It was kind of like that except prolonged...when I finally did start to come down I was very shaky and exhausted. Too much adrenaline wears you out I guess, LOL!
This is a great thread, people! About the picture above, something about the shape of the head is cowl-like. Or as my kids would say, "hoodie" like. It is so smooth and pointed, and it comes down so close to the eyes. The distance is such that there would not be much detail and if the creature is hairy, and wears animal skins, there would be a blending effect, I think. Anyway, just a diversion...
Are you honestly suggesting sasquatch wear fur clothing?
I'm glad you asked, as that was my impression too.
The real question is, do they need to?
Well perhaps you can start a thread about that rather than derail this one.
Like I told Mike, I'm happy and excited for him, but I feel for him also. A sighting that you are totally sure of can totally change your life.
Now, I don't worry so much about seeing another one, but I certainly have the need to hear one. I want a scream, and growl and a grunt dang it!
Now, I don't worry so much about seeing another one, but I certainly have the need to hear one. I want a scream, and growl and a grunt dang it!
QUOTE(JayleeD @ Jul 17 2009, 11:51 AM)
I want a scream, and growl and a grunt dang it!
We're still talking about bigfoot right?
I have not had a sighting, but as a professional interested in the experiences of those who have had encounters I appreciate these first-hand stories very much. They are wonderful, rich and detailed descriptions of things that are often hard to talk about, and hard to understand if you have not had such experiences. Thank you, Mike and the others.
Folks who have had first-hand experiences may be interested in my post of several months ago regarding encounters with cryptids and psychological trauma. http://www.bigfootforums.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=532470
The accounts in this thread are thoroughly consistent with my perspective, and I will summarize what are for me the take-home points here.
1. The subjective experience (perceptions, emotions, thoughts, physical reactions, etc.) of an encounter is unique to each individual and can vary with each event. Everyone is different and each event is different.
2. The subjective aftermath of an encounter–the ongoing experience that follows--is unique to each individual and can vary over time. Again--we're all different.
3. One very important way we process such unusual experiences afterwards—and a normal reaction--is to go over them in our minds and replay them with others, reliving the event and thinking (both thoughts and feelings) about what happened in conjunction with everything else we know—all of our other knowledge and experiences—making connections until it fits, until it makes sense. This is usually a gradual process—it takes time for the confusion to dissipate and a new understanding to develop--and it takes place on multiple levels—thoughts, feelings, physical reactions, etc.
We are very social creatures, closely connected with our fellow human beings, so a very powerful way of making sense of difficult or overwhelming experiences is in conjunction with sympathetic and caring others. This social aspect is particularly useful if the others have had similar or analogous experiences. It really helps to be understood by those who are in a position to really understand. It appears this has been the case for some telling their stories here—they were lucky to have friends and colleagues who know the psychological territory because they’ve been there.
In my view telling highly personal and detailed stories here in this thread is very likely a step in the integration process, making sense out of what in the original event just did not fit. I also point out that avoiding ridicule and scorn is a really good idea. Not only do they not help in the making sense process, they can actively disrupt the mental and emotional connections that are required. They increase confusion rather than lessen it.
Finally—an encounter that may have such effects does not have to be a clear and compelling visual. It could also be a less clear visual, or hearing sounds, or finding tracks, and so on. Each experience is unique as is each individual and that individual's reaction.
C LeKanth
Folks who have had first-hand experiences may be interested in my post of several months ago regarding encounters with cryptids and psychological trauma. http://www.bigfootforums.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=532470
The accounts in this thread are thoroughly consistent with my perspective, and I will summarize what are for me the take-home points here.
1. The subjective experience (perceptions, emotions, thoughts, physical reactions, etc.) of an encounter is unique to each individual and can vary with each event. Everyone is different and each event is different.
2. The subjective aftermath of an encounter–the ongoing experience that follows--is unique to each individual and can vary over time. Again--we're all different.
3. One very important way we process such unusual experiences afterwards—and a normal reaction--is to go over them in our minds and replay them with others, reliving the event and thinking (both thoughts and feelings) about what happened in conjunction with everything else we know—all of our other knowledge and experiences—making connections until it fits, until it makes sense. This is usually a gradual process—it takes time for the confusion to dissipate and a new understanding to develop--and it takes place on multiple levels—thoughts, feelings, physical reactions, etc.
We are very social creatures, closely connected with our fellow human beings, so a very powerful way of making sense of difficult or overwhelming experiences is in conjunction with sympathetic and caring others. This social aspect is particularly useful if the others have had similar or analogous experiences. It really helps to be understood by those who are in a position to really understand. It appears this has been the case for some telling their stories here—they were lucky to have friends and colleagues who know the psychological territory because they’ve been there.
In my view telling highly personal and detailed stories here in this thread is very likely a step in the integration process, making sense out of what in the original event just did not fit. I also point out that avoiding ridicule and scorn is a really good idea. Not only do they not help in the making sense process, they can actively disrupt the mental and emotional connections that are required. They increase confusion rather than lessen it.
Finally—an encounter that may have such effects does not have to be a clear and compelling visual. It could also be a less clear visual, or hearing sounds, or finding tracks, and so on. Each experience is unique as is each individual and that individual's reaction.
C LeKanth
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