The Yeti, the Abominable Snowman, and Bigfoot have been legends for centuries. But do they actually exist? Here’s a few thoughts:

‘It’s been a legend for years, but few realize that Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch or Yeti, gained official status in 1975. That year the Army Corps of Engineers published an environmental atlas that first recognized Sasquatch as a species indigenous to Washington state. The $200,000 corps project found, among other things, that the big-footed animal is “covered with long hair, except for the face and hands, and has a distinctly humanlike form.”

‘The corps described a Sasquatch as agile and strong, but so shy that it leaves “minimal evidence of its presence.” It can grow up to 12 feet tall and weigh more than 1,000 pounds, eating mostly berries and small fish. Acknowledging that the creature is the target of some debate; the atlas claims to base its findings on hair samples taken by the FBI that indicate an undiscovered creature.

‘Is it actually possible that a reclusive man-like creature inhabits the remote areas of our planet? Why not ? Isn’t it arrogant of us to assume we know of all the species on this huge planet? Scientists will tell you that we don’t. Only a few years ago, a unknown animal now named the Okapi was discovered. What about creatures we know of , but are thought to be extinct ? The coelacanth was thought to be extinct for 70 million years until they were discovered alive and well in 1938. So is it really that hard to believe that a hair-covered, man-like creature could exist on the verge of discovery? In many remote areas of the world there have been sightings of just such a creature. Known by many names such as Sasquatch, Yeti, Almas and many more. Is this an unknown primate, the “missing link” or some other yet unknown species ? There is evidence to support the existence of just such a creature in the Northwestern United States as well as other remote areas.’

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The New Jersey Devil is a well-known phenomenon of the supernatural. Tracking it down in the field is not so easy though. It’s a simpler job on the Internet. Here’s what I discovered :

“The Jersey Devil, the supposed mythical creature of the New Jersey Pinelands, has haunted New Jersey and the surrounding areas for the past 260 years. This entity has been seen by over 2,000 witnesses over this period. It has terrorized towns and caused factories and schools to close down, yet many people believe that the Jersey Devil is a legend, a mythical beast, that originated from the folklore of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Others disagree with this point of view. The following text will show there is evidence to support the existence of an animal or supernatural being known as the Jersey Devil. The evidence consists of the stories of the Jersey Devil’s origin, the sightings of it, and finally, the theories on it.”

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We know that Rudolf Steiner didn’t regard spiritualism with much favour, although he certainly had a powerful gift himself. Here’s what Colin Wilson writes about his attitude in his book, Afterlife.

“… what Steiner disliked so much about Spiritualism was its literal-mindedness ~ the trumpets and accordions floating through the air, the tables dancing around the room, the spirits made of ectoplasm. His attitude could be compared to a Christian mystic who wishes to explain that heaven is not full of angels sitting around on clouds and playing harps.

“At the same time there is bound to be an element of unfairness in such an attitude. Many mediums who started off by producing automatic writing later became “voice mediums”, and some even “materialisation mediums”. It is impossible to draw a sharp line between them. Steiner is not really criticising Spiritualism; he is criticising spiritualists.”

The BBC’s drama Series “Sea of Souls” has long been one of my favourites because it doesn’t undermine the supernatural. OK, there’s always a character who says, “There must be a rational explanation!” But generally, the conclusion is that a supernatural cause is the most likely driver of the events in the plot.

For those of you who don’t receive this show, Sea of Souls is about a fictional investigation team at Glasgow University which delves into the supernormal using modern scientific methods.

It’s made by BBC Scotland and comes from a TV corporation that seemed to have lost the knack of producing good drama in recent years.

If you’re in the UK, tune in tonight at 9.10 BBC1 for the start of the third series. Much recommended.