Bluff Creek Blues

On the 20th of October, 1967, Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin filmed what many still hold as the best Sasquatch footage ever. But has it stood the test of time? By celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the (in)famous and enigmatic Patterson-Gimlin film let us have a well deserved fresh look at it. 

[This analyse will strictly deal with the footage per se. Surrounding factors like time lines, the people involved etc. are deliberately kept out of this article. For such information, the english Wikipedia article is recommended.]

The Footage

The original video sequence from Bluff Creek, CA; as you can see, it's only in the last seconds of the footage the biped shows up.

 

At a first glance it looks convincing, but the shaky camera and lacking level of detail make it hard to be sure. Thankfully, digital manipulation is out of the question, thus leaving us with two possible explanations: we see a human in a suit or a genuine phenomenon not yet acknowledged or understood by our scientific institutions.

For a long time film analyst M.K.Davis enhances and stabilizes parts of the footage. The sequences he posts play a key role in this article, and ultimately in understanding the nature of this particular documentation. His continuing work can be found on his photo journal: The Davis Report.

Body ratios

In this first example [link] the main footage has been stabilized with added frames, giving us a much more crystalline look on the object of interest.

Even though it gives the impression of being huge, it moves smoothly, almost mechanically forward. One might notice the peculiar gait and the abnormally long arms reaching down to it's knees. We can also see it has a pair of female breasts. If it is a suit one have to wonder why the hoaxer bothered with those, considering it must have been an unnecessary detail on an already extremely complex costume.

As mentioned the size seems significant. Thanks to a few detailed renderings made by Davis (based upon comparison photos from 1968 by John Green), we can get a pretty fair estimate.

The man in the picture is said to be 195 cm tall in his boots. Supposing the comparison is accurate, the suit must have been of a considerable size, worn by someone with the stature of André the Giant. [link].  

The picture above highlights the arm length ratio compared to a human. In the footage the knuckles reaches down to the kneecaps, now for this to be possible the suit must've had arm extensions; however, the arm straightens out as the head turns to look into the camera - a feat human anatomy won't allow.

Muscles and Misc.

Moving along; in these three excerpts the movement of the back and buttocks shows remarkable detail. 

One might also notice the toes on the right foot. 

In the first and third sequence the buttocks move separate from each other. In all of them there's individual muscle movement going on, in the third we even see scapulae. Once again, if it indeed is a costume the level of sophistication is staggering. [pic1 link], [pic2 link], [pic 3 link]

Once more ...

The Gait

The gait is crucial. Many have pointed out that the way the entity walks not only is unnatural for a human being, but that it is straight down impossible for us to mimic. Thanks to the YouTube account ThinkerThunker we have a short but highly qualitative video outlining the anomalous aspects of it.

The 2 minute video analysis brings attention to the fact that the biped never fully extends its legs, and that the shin rise is way steeper than a humans. The picture is a screenshot from it.

The gait analysis. Another video of ThinkerThunker debunking a supposedly "successful" try 
to replicate the walk can be seen here. 

Imagine if one replicated the walk motion somewhat accurately. It would have to be in a huge monkey suit (with breasts), and be made to look completely natural, in order for it to be legit. 

Debunking attempts

There has been numeral people calling the footage into question. Some attempts have even been made to recreate the sequence with manufactured costumes. The most elaborate try was made by BBC in the late 90's.

In an episode of X-Creatures a film team hires one of the best costume makers in Hollywood to help them recreate the happening in 1967. This still picture comparison sums up the result.

Photo credit to: Undebunking Bigfoot

Even after obviously failing, they concluded that their attempt effectively debunked the PG-film (and therefore the whole Sasquatch phenomenon). This irrational way of presenting information must at best be confusing for the viewer, not to mention insulting.

For an in-depth look at this particular case I recommend this article on BFRO.net. No attempts with a bigger budget than BBC's have been made.

Conclusion

Thanks to shows like BBC's X-Creature et al. there's a wide spread "fact" that the Patterson Gimlin-footage is a hoax, but just as is the case with other mysterious phenomenon there's a lot more to it, than meets the eye of the official stand point.

In this case we do not only lack a suit, but we are seemingly unable to recreate one, even 30 years later. How one would go about to move around convincingly in such a creation is a problem we can't explore; so far we only know that no one has managed to do it without one.

Seeing as the man-in-a-suit argument is such an unsubstantiated explanation, the logical mind would have to at least, for the time being, accept the alternative explanation as being a distinct possibility: Perhaps Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin were telling the truth all along.

Special thanks to:

Patty & her People

Roger Patterson (R.I.P)

Bob Gimlin

M.K.Davis

ThinkerThunker

Meditation

Meditation is the dissolution of thoughts in Eternal awareness or Pure consciousness without objectification, knowing without thinking, merging finitude in infinity. 

-Voltaire

* * *

I believe that meditation is the most powerful and accessible tool for us to grow as individuals and for humanity to prosper. Unfortunately people aren't doing it, perhaps because they have erroneous and confusing ideas about this practice, which in reality demands nothing more than a daily moment of time. 

As a person who's been meditating on a daily basis for the last 7 years, I can vouch for the gifts this practice has to offer. Gifts like insight, joy and love for all parts of the life experience. However, words are not enough to convey the essence, in order to realize/feel its potential one has to try it out. 

Sometimes people ask me how I meditate; positions, breathing techniques and miscellaneous eastern references are often mentioned. As a matter of fact meditation is just about as simple as it gets.

This is how I do it: I sit down on a cushion on the floor, in a comfortable lotus position and keep my spine straight. Then I close my eyes, breathe regularly and relax. Focusing on the breath keeps me in the moment. 

That's it. 

I sit like this for circa 10-15 minutes every morning before breakfast, and often one more time when I come home from work or before bed. The first years I listened to music (solfeggio frequencies), nowadays I prefer silence.  

The key to success is persistence, i.e. every day you can.  

What I just said has been said by others before me. The most accurate and striking description of the practice comes from someone calling himself Hatton. This material surfaced circa 1960. It is the foundation upon my meditation firmly rests on. 

[…] Proper meditation is of uppermost importance, and I should like to dwell for a moment on this subject, for proper meditation is most important in your growth. First of all, place yourself in a position that is proper for meditation. The best meditation can be had in a sitting position. Sit the body comfortably but erect, with both feet placed firmly before you. Keep the body and head erect and straight. Place the hands open and upward in the lap. Allow those racing thoughts to race. Do not try to force them to stop, but bring yourself into a relaxed feeling. Let your mind relax; do not try to control it, and you shall find these racing thoughts in time will slow, will become slower and slower until they eventually stop. And with practice, my friends, this time shall become shorter and shorter, and in due time you shall reach that state of stillness quickly, and in this state of stillness you become one with Creation and life begins to speak to you. In this stillness you can bring yourself in attunement with whatsoever you wish. In this still, very still quietness, all things can flow to you, for your mind is open and receptive to higher knowledge.

[…] Now to some of you it may seem that it is impossible for you to relax in this position, but I say to you, my friends, that is the only true relaxation. For when the body is in positions for which it was not intended, true relaxation does not come, you cannot be receptive. Much of the Universal Energies comes to you through the spine when you are in the physical and unless the spine is erect, they do not flow. You would be amazed when this art is mastered, at what you can do; how quickly you can attune yourself in this state to anything that you desire. […]

-Hatton, 15/6 -1959

In a later communication the necessity of daily practice gets addressed.

[...] In the first place, it is necessary to discipline one’s self, to some extent, and set aside a certain time each day for this practice and you will never become proficient at the art of meditation unless you practice consistently. It is not enough to practice this art once a week or once a month, or even every few days, but this should become a daily ritual. For unless you do this, your progress shall be slow in mastering the art. […]

-Hatton, 23/6 -1961

The first couple of months of meditation were challenging for me, but this was also at a time when I had much emotional baggage to sort through. It might be helpful to begin with shorter time periods, just remember that patience is a small price for wonder.