I'm glad the question is about the paranormal rather than the supernatural, which is more often associated with religion and the occult. I don't believe in the supernatural because I don't believe anything exists outside the laws of nature. I do believe in the paranormal, phenomena that is outside of science's current ability to explain or measure, and, eventually, the paranormal just becomes normal.
I suppose the most predominant paranormal phenomena that I believe in is the existence of a spiritual world, but I almost always question certain experiences. I guess I'm both a believer and a skeptic. In Santeria, it's common to celebrate the anniversary of your initiation, which is often referred to as cumple, short for cumpleaños, "birthday" in Spanish. It can be a smallish, quiet affair in a private home or a big blow-out with drums, song, and dance to call down the orisha to possess their priests.
In 2006, I went to a blow-out of a ceremony. In was in a banquet hall and while I enjoyed the greater space and the air conditioning, at times the event felt more like a spectacle than a religious celebration. The throne (altar) was large and beautiful. The drumming was excellent though few people sang and danced. Most sat watching and eating. Nevertheless, the music brought down seven Orishas -- Oya, Yemaya, Oshun, Chango, Eleggua, Ogun, and Obatala -- into eight men (there were two Obatalas). Orisha Superstars!
It's hard for me to believe at times that I'm really seeing possession especially in a scenario like this one. There's some pressure to perform at these events. After all, you've shelled out hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars, and invited half of Miami. Something better happen and it better be good. The priests to be possessed had been pre-selected and a few skeptical critics observed that some orishas, such as Yemaya and Oya, don't get along so well and are not usually called down together. And yet, in retrospect, I think at least some of them were really possessed. That day, Ogun reached over a crowd to me and put a dollar in my hand, holding my hand a moment while he looked directly at me and spoke words I didn't understand. That was my first contact with Ogun and I didn't understand the significance of it at the time. Three years later, I would learn that Ogun is the ruler of my crown.
Coincidence? Paranormal? I don't know. I don't care. I carry a lot of questions and I tend towards skepticism, but I'm also comfortable with not knowing certain things and accepting a mystical interpretation over a scientific one. I don't think these two tracks have to be mutually exclusive anyway or conflict. And that's pretty much routine in the life of a religious person, from gods and spirits to healings and magic.
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