It was during my busy lecture and book signing season, when comedian Jack Simmons called me with a request. He was bringing his one-man play "Buddy's Gift" from California to Long Island, and he wanted me to not only see his play, but partake in it as well. When he told me the heartwarming story of his father, Michael "Buddy" Simmons, "a man who never stopped loving his family, even after he died," I knew a connection had been made. I agreed to briefly talk about after life communication immediately following his monologue in both East Marion and Huntington, Long Island.
There were so many similarities to Jack's story and my own. His dad, like my father, was a down to Earth, loving and sarcastic Irishman who lived life to the fullest. He was the patriarch of his family...strong, confident, until a disease began to take what life was left in him.
One of the worst things I've had to live through was watching my father suffer from Multiple Sclerosis for close to sixteen years, and even worse, watching him die those last few months. Listening to Jack talk about the denial, the hope, the all-encompassing thoughts that permeate every waking moment of your life...well, it all hit home because I too, had lived it with my own family.
I always said that during that time period, as well as the months that followed my father's death, that I was a part of some secret society. A society I didn't want to belong to. A society filled with grief and loss. Looking back now, I see that it was a part of a journey for me. It's what lead me to write the Ghosts of Long Island books, and to ultimately help others to overcome their grief through my writing and my lectures.
That's not all that happened though. As the months went on, strange things began to happen. I always have a radio playing softly in my house. I had gone out for an hour and when I came back, I could hear the radio playing from outside! It was blaring! How could this be? No one else had been home. Other times in the middle of the night, my Ipod would start playing in its charger. It would wake me, and I would hear one of my father's favorite songs or a song that actually answered a question to something that had been on my mind. Signs. They were signs from my father, without a doubt, and they were comforting.
I took this one step further and went to see medium Richard Schoeller who is now a very good friend of mine. He told me things he couldn't have possibly known, and I was reassured that my father was well, and was in a better place. I also came to realize that just because a person dies, it doesn't mean they leave us. Physically they do, of course, but they are always here with us spiritually. They know what we do each day, they know when we're feeling sad or stressed, they're there at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and at the birth of a new baby. They're always there, helping us on our own life's journey.
I can help people through my writing. Jack Simmons through his play. Jack's life changed when he came to his own realization that Buddy was still there, loving his family like he always did. It's nothing short of a beautiful gift.
There are a lot of people out there suffering and feeling alone from a loss of someone who has died. Look for the signs, and don't give up hope. Those we love who have died live on, and we will be reunited with them again someday. After life communication is an amazing thing. Be open and believe, and maybe one day, you'll be writing about your experiences and helping others too.
If you're interested in attending an upcoming performance of "Buddy's Gift", now playing in Huntington, go to HuntingtonPatch.com and search Jack Simmons. You'll also see a wonderful video about the play from reporter Chris Collora. Be sure not to miss it. Lastly, visit my blogtalk radio show "The Kerriann and Joe Show - Spirit Connection" for an interview with Jack Simmons, as we discuss after life communication.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Can Ghosts Play Practical Jokes?
I would never have believed that ghosts could play practical jokes until it actually happened to me. It was back in 2006, when paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto and I set out for Eastport one miserable rainy and foggy afternoon We had plans to interview Lloyd Gerard of Lloyd Antiques on Main Street. He was going to tell us the story of his great-great-great-great-uncle Levi, who’d been haunting the place for years. He’d become sort of a legend in Eastport, according to Lloyd.
Andrew Simon Levi came from Russia to Long Island in 1860. He was a teenager determined to avoid serving in the Russian Army — in a sense a draft dodger. He became a traveling salesman, a peddler, selling needles and pins door to door. It is said he walked two months from Brooklyn to Montauk to Greenport to Orient, and then back to New York for supplies. He traveled alone, and never married. Levi died in 1926. For reasons unknown, his spirit has returned to haunt his great-great-great-great-nephew’s store.
“I’ve always been a skeptic,” Lloyd told us. “But what I see, what I hear, and actually what I smell…I have to believe, skeptic or not. Levi used to smoke cigars, and we have smelled cigar smoke. I don’t let anyone smoke in here, but we have smelled cigar smoke. Not only me, but the girl who works here once a week. She said to me one day, ‘Boy, who’s smoking a cigar around here?’ I said, ‘Nobody.’ A few minutes later she said, ‘But I smell cigar smoke.’ I said, ‘Well, it’s Uncle Levi.’ ‘Who’s Uncle Levi?’ she asked. I had to explain to her who Uncle Levi was. He’s here.”
Uncle Levi had always enjoyed playing practical jokes, and Lloyd said he still does. “He tips over tables, knocks things off shelves. He told one of my customers that a table upstairs was $65.00. It was a $400 table, and he tells this guy it was $65.00.”
Joe had asked Lloyd if he did, in fact, sell the table to the man for $65.00 and Lloyd replied, “I thought I better sell it for $65.00, or else. I didn’t want to incur his wrath. He’s been seen. He’s been heard. I hear him. He walks around upstairs. It could go for months with no indication that he’s here, then all of a sudden he’ll knock something off a shelf, something will fall over in front of you when you’re walking down the aisle.”
The apparition of Uncle Levi has appeared to many people, although Lloyd himself has never seen him. “Logical or not, people come to see me and say, ‘Where’s Levi?’ and I say, ‘It beats the hell out of me,’ but usually he’s upstairs. People go up to see him. Little kids come in and say how do we get to see Levi? He does come down here, though, and knocks stuff down. He loves practical jokes. People used to play practical jokes on him when he was alive."
After Joe and I had finished our interview, Lloyd said we were more than welcome to look around the store and take some photographs, adding that maybe Uncle Levi would knock something over for us. Joe and I laughed and headed to the infamous “upstairs,” talking about Uncle Levi and his jokes. It was quiet up there, and Joe walked around with his recorder while I took photos. Back then, on assignments, I had been shooting both manual for black and white, and digital for color. I had just taken some photos with my manual camera, and set it down in the middle of a table behind me. I picked up my digital camera and turned slightly to take a photo, when suddenly my manual camera crashed to the floor. Besides being concerned about its condition, I was completely stunned. I had a bag over one arm and a battery pack over the other. Possibly I might have knocked it over, but it was not as if the camera had been at the edge of the table. I’ve had my manual equipment for twenty years, and have never dropped it, damaged it or even scratched it, ever. I found this “accident” hard to believe.
I remember Joe looked at me and said, “Uncle Levi?” Luckily the camera itself was just fine. But the protective lens filter was broken, and the flash attachment had taken a bit of a beating; the part that attaches to the camera was broken. I was still in disbelief, trying to figure out how this could have happened.
Several days later, I had an e-mail from Joe. He had picked up some EVP’s on his recorder. He wrote, I honed right into the camera episode which I thought would be a good starting point, since I also asked Levi to talk to us afterwards. The best EVP is when your camera crashed and I said something like, “Oh, Levi? Was that you?” Right after, you hear a guy go, “Psssst!” Like someone is saying “Come over here.”
I listened to what Joe sent over, and sure enough, I heard the voice saying “Pssst!” In another EVP maybe five minutes later, the sound of glass breaking could clearly be heard. There was definitely no glass breaking in the store at that time. We would have heard it. Was Levi making fun? Perhaps this time the joke was on us.
You can read the extended version of this story in the chapter entitled "The Ghost of Uncle Levi" in Ghosts of Long Island; Stories of the Paranormal. Stay tuned to blogtalk radio on Thursday, January 5th when Joe and I will be discussing Uncle Levi and his practical jokes on the air. Visit us at www.blogtalkradio.com/kerriannandjoeshow.
Andrew Simon Levi came from Russia to Long Island in 1860. He was a teenager determined to avoid serving in the Russian Army — in a sense a draft dodger. He became a traveling salesman, a peddler, selling needles and pins door to door. It is said he walked two months from Brooklyn to Montauk to Greenport to Orient, and then back to New York for supplies. He traveled alone, and never married. Levi died in 1926. For reasons unknown, his spirit has returned to haunt his great-great-great-great-nephew’s store.
“I’ve always been a skeptic,” Lloyd told us. “But what I see, what I hear, and actually what I smell…I have to believe, skeptic or not. Levi used to smoke cigars, and we have smelled cigar smoke. I don’t let anyone smoke in here, but we have smelled cigar smoke. Not only me, but the girl who works here once a week. She said to me one day, ‘Boy, who’s smoking a cigar around here?’ I said, ‘Nobody.’ A few minutes later she said, ‘But I smell cigar smoke.’ I said, ‘Well, it’s Uncle Levi.’ ‘Who’s Uncle Levi?’ she asked. I had to explain to her who Uncle Levi was. He’s here.”
Uncle Levi had always enjoyed playing practical jokes, and Lloyd said he still does. “He tips over tables, knocks things off shelves. He told one of my customers that a table upstairs was $65.00. It was a $400 table, and he tells this guy it was $65.00.”
Joe had asked Lloyd if he did, in fact, sell the table to the man for $65.00 and Lloyd replied, “I thought I better sell it for $65.00, or else. I didn’t want to incur his wrath. He’s been seen. He’s been heard. I hear him. He walks around upstairs. It could go for months with no indication that he’s here, then all of a sudden he’ll knock something off a shelf, something will fall over in front of you when you’re walking down the aisle.”
The apparition of Uncle Levi has appeared to many people, although Lloyd himself has never seen him. “Logical or not, people come to see me and say, ‘Where’s Levi?’ and I say, ‘It beats the hell out of me,’ but usually he’s upstairs. People go up to see him. Little kids come in and say how do we get to see Levi? He does come down here, though, and knocks stuff down. He loves practical jokes. People used to play practical jokes on him when he was alive."
After Joe and I had finished our interview, Lloyd said we were more than welcome to look around the store and take some photographs, adding that maybe Uncle Levi would knock something over for us. Joe and I laughed and headed to the infamous “upstairs,” talking about Uncle Levi and his jokes. It was quiet up there, and Joe walked around with his recorder while I took photos. Back then, on assignments, I had been shooting both manual for black and white, and digital for color. I had just taken some photos with my manual camera, and set it down in the middle of a table behind me. I picked up my digital camera and turned slightly to take a photo, when suddenly my manual camera crashed to the floor. Besides being concerned about its condition, I was completely stunned. I had a bag over one arm and a battery pack over the other. Possibly I might have knocked it over, but it was not as if the camera had been at the edge of the table. I’ve had my manual equipment for twenty years, and have never dropped it, damaged it or even scratched it, ever. I found this “accident” hard to believe.
I remember Joe looked at me and said, “Uncle Levi?” Luckily the camera itself was just fine. But the protective lens filter was broken, and the flash attachment had taken a bit of a beating; the part that attaches to the camera was broken. I was still in disbelief, trying to figure out how this could have happened.
Several days later, I had an e-mail from Joe. He had picked up some EVP’s on his recorder. He wrote, I honed right into the camera episode which I thought would be a good starting point, since I also asked Levi to talk to us afterwards. The best EVP is when your camera crashed and I said something like, “Oh, Levi? Was that you?” Right after, you hear a guy go, “Psssst!” Like someone is saying “Come over here.”
I listened to what Joe sent over, and sure enough, I heard the voice saying “Pssst!” In another EVP maybe five minutes later, the sound of glass breaking could clearly be heard. There was definitely no glass breaking in the store at that time. We would have heard it. Was Levi making fun? Perhaps this time the joke was on us.
You can read the extended version of this story in the chapter entitled "The Ghost of Uncle Levi" in Ghosts of Long Island; Stories of the Paranormal. Stay tuned to blogtalk radio on Thursday, January 5th when Joe and I will be discussing Uncle Levi and his practical jokes on the air. Visit us at www.blogtalkradio.com/kerriannandjoeshow.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Lighthouses, Legends and Lore
When we think of lighthouses, all sorts of images come to mind. Perhaps you picture a man of the sea smoking his pipe while looking over the vast ocean, or perhaps you see treacherous storms, or a life of loneliness and solitude; mystery and intrigue. Oddly enough, a great majority of people envision a ghost, the spirit of a previous lighthouse keeper who could not leave his watch, and who remains at his former post indefinitely. Are lighthouses truly haunted? If so, why? Or is it our imaginations conjuring up romanticized visions of days gone by?
An Internet search reveals hundreds of haunted lighthouses from all over the world. In the United States they stretch from Maine, to Georgia, to Florida, to Oregon and to California, just to name a few. And then of course, there's New York, home to its own haunted lights.
Lighthouses in general are intriguing, so if you add a ghost or two, all the better. Most of us can't imagine the life of the lighthouse keeper. It was an extremely difficult lifestyle. It is because of this, that many believe that some of the keepers may have lost their minds, and that upon their passing, their spirit remains. Their energy trapped within the conical walls of the towering spire.
I've had the privilege of having private tours of several of Long Island's lighthouses because I've written about them throughout the years. Eaton's Neck Lighthouse, Montauk Point, Huntington, Fire Island, and my personal favorite, Execution Rocks Lighthouse. Although I'm not a fan of climbing endless flights of spiral staircases, especially while carrying heavy camera equipment, I definitely have a fondness for these wonderful, historic places. I'm someone who loves to be out on the water as well, so I've jumped at every chance to visit these fascinating pieces of history.
The Huntington Lighthouse, as well as the Eaton's Neck Lighthouse, I have visited and written about in my earlier books on Huntington, where the focus was on preserving history, not ghosts. Do I think they could be haunted? Sure, but I'd have to do a thorough investigation to really find out. The Fire Island Lighthouse and Execution Rocks, were places I wrote about for the "Ghost" books. Both are presumably haunted.
At Fire Island, tales of pirating, illegal rum-running and shipwrecks abound, as do tales of ghostly phenomenon. The lighthouse is a now a beautifully restored museum. The volunteers I spoke to during the time I did my research, didn't believe in ghosts, but they did say that the rumor began after a children's book came out in 1987, which was written about a little boy who lived with his family at the lighthouse during the late 1970's to early 1980's. According to the story, the boy was lonely so the lighthouse became his friend. The boy said he heard the lighthouse talk to him. Not long after, workers at the lighthouse made up the name George, and claimed he was the one who haunted the old building. However, other stories I came across told of a lonely keeper who hung himself from the tower. Some claim to have heard footsteps on the metal steps, and music and moaning coming from the tower. Could this be the spirit of a keeper making his way back to the tower?
When I visited Execution Rocks lighthouse, I had a very different experience. Talk about a spooky place! Paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto and I, were taken out in a 25-foot Homeland Security Response Boat with the United States Coast Guard, to the abandoned lighthouse which sits in Long Island Sound. We had an entire tour of the boarded up 2 1/2 story, lighthouse keeper's house, and of the sixty-foot tower. It was an incredible adventure. Surrounded by treacherous rocks, I shuddered as I recalled the stories of the hideous acts that may have occurred there. As the legend has been told, during the Battle of Long Island in the Revolutionary War, British soldiers rounded up "American rebels" in order to put them to death. Because they did not want to "fuel revolutionary passions," they quietly took the Americans away for brutal torture and execution.
It has been said that the British secretly took them to this island of rocks and beat them, then drove spikes into the rock reef, and then chained them to the rocks at low tide. As the tide rose, the American prisoners drowned beneath the icy waters. Other tales reveal that many of the prisoners met their fate by hungry sharks that happened upon a free meal. As if this wasn’t enough, the newly captured were chained next to the skeletal remains of their former comrades…a way of torturing them mentally before they met their own watery demise.
There is a line in the Declaration of Independence which reads, “…the murders they commit on the inhabitants of these States…” According to my research, several historians believe that this line refers to accounts of the brutality that took place on Execution Rocks, and that the line was included in the Declaration as a memorial to those who died there.
It is said that the ghosts of the condemned prisoners remained. There is even one legend that suggests the ghosts sought revenge against the British. Not long after the hideous acts had taken place, a shipload of British soldiers were sent to pursue General Washington while he retreated from Manhattan to White Plains. The ship was wrecked at the reef, killing all the Redcoats aboard. Many people have claimed that the ghosts who haunted the reef caused the shipwreck.
Every lighthouse has its fascinating legends and lore. You can read more about these and other haunted locations in my books, Ghosts of Long Island; Stories of the Paranormal and Ghosts of Long Island II; More Stories of the Paranormal. Both books are available in local bookstores and on Amazon.com in hardcover and in e-format.
An Internet search reveals hundreds of haunted lighthouses from all over the world. In the United States they stretch from Maine, to Georgia, to Florida, to Oregon and to California, just to name a few. And then of course, there's New York, home to its own haunted lights.
Lighthouses in general are intriguing, so if you add a ghost or two, all the better. Most of us can't imagine the life of the lighthouse keeper. It was an extremely difficult lifestyle. It is because of this, that many believe that some of the keepers may have lost their minds, and that upon their passing, their spirit remains. Their energy trapped within the conical walls of the towering spire.
I've had the privilege of having private tours of several of Long Island's lighthouses because I've written about them throughout the years. Eaton's Neck Lighthouse, Montauk Point, Huntington, Fire Island, and my personal favorite, Execution Rocks Lighthouse. Although I'm not a fan of climbing endless flights of spiral staircases, especially while carrying heavy camera equipment, I definitely have a fondness for these wonderful, historic places. I'm someone who loves to be out on the water as well, so I've jumped at every chance to visit these fascinating pieces of history.
The Huntington Lighthouse, as well as the Eaton's Neck Lighthouse, I have visited and written about in my earlier books on Huntington, where the focus was on preserving history, not ghosts. Do I think they could be haunted? Sure, but I'd have to do a thorough investigation to really find out. The Fire Island Lighthouse and Execution Rocks, were places I wrote about for the "Ghost" books. Both are presumably haunted.
At Fire Island, tales of pirating, illegal rum-running and shipwrecks abound, as do tales of ghostly phenomenon. The lighthouse is a now a beautifully restored museum. The volunteers I spoke to during the time I did my research, didn't believe in ghosts, but they did say that the rumor began after a children's book came out in 1987, which was written about a little boy who lived with his family at the lighthouse during the late 1970's to early 1980's. According to the story, the boy was lonely so the lighthouse became his friend. The boy said he heard the lighthouse talk to him. Not long after, workers at the lighthouse made up the name George, and claimed he was the one who haunted the old building. However, other stories I came across told of a lonely keeper who hung himself from the tower. Some claim to have heard footsteps on the metal steps, and music and moaning coming from the tower. Could this be the spirit of a keeper making his way back to the tower?
When I visited Execution Rocks lighthouse, I had a very different experience. Talk about a spooky place! Paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto and I, were taken out in a 25-foot Homeland Security Response Boat with the United States Coast Guard, to the abandoned lighthouse which sits in Long Island Sound. We had an entire tour of the boarded up 2 1/2 story, lighthouse keeper's house, and of the sixty-foot tower. It was an incredible adventure. Surrounded by treacherous rocks, I shuddered as I recalled the stories of the hideous acts that may have occurred there. As the legend has been told, during the Battle of Long Island in the Revolutionary War, British soldiers rounded up "American rebels" in order to put them to death. Because they did not want to "fuel revolutionary passions," they quietly took the Americans away for brutal torture and execution.
It has been said that the British secretly took them to this island of rocks and beat them, then drove spikes into the rock reef, and then chained them to the rocks at low tide. As the tide rose, the American prisoners drowned beneath the icy waters. Other tales reveal that many of the prisoners met their fate by hungry sharks that happened upon a free meal. As if this wasn’t enough, the newly captured were chained next to the skeletal remains of their former comrades…a way of torturing them mentally before they met their own watery demise.
There is a line in the Declaration of Independence which reads, “…the murders they commit on the inhabitants of these States…” According to my research, several historians believe that this line refers to accounts of the brutality that took place on Execution Rocks, and that the line was included in the Declaration as a memorial to those who died there.
It is said that the ghosts of the condemned prisoners remained. There is even one legend that suggests the ghosts sought revenge against the British. Not long after the hideous acts had taken place, a shipload of British soldiers were sent to pursue General Washington while he retreated from Manhattan to White Plains. The ship was wrecked at the reef, killing all the Redcoats aboard. Many people have claimed that the ghosts who haunted the reef caused the shipwreck.
Every lighthouse has its fascinating legends and lore. You can read more about these and other haunted locations in my books, Ghosts of Long Island; Stories of the Paranormal and Ghosts of Long Island II; More Stories of the Paranormal. Both books are available in local bookstores and on Amazon.com in hardcover and in e-format.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Halloween Ghosts Versus the Real Thing
It's funny that every time Halloween comes around, my phone starts ringing off the hook. Organizations ask me to give lectures, reporters want me to give interviews, and people question me if ghosts are real. Don't get me wrong. I welcome all the hype and publicity, but what I do and what I write about really has nothing to do with Halloween at all! Yet I'm often dubbed "the ghost lady" this time of year.
I do happen to love Halloween, and the inside of my house is transformed into something that you might see in Disneyland. It's filled with skeletons, witches, ghouls and goblins; I have talking heads and brooms that glide around the floor. I even have a ghost that shakes and makes scary sounds. The fact remains, however, that these are Halloween ghosts, and they're not real.
About two weeks ago I was asked to speak to a third grade Cub Scout den about (you guessed it)... ghosts. This is not an easy topic to discuss with a bunch of eight-year-old boys. The last thing I wanted them to do was to go home scared. So my plan was to first squelch their idea of what ghosts actually are. I began with a go-around. Each boy was to tell me what he thought a ghost was. The answers were all quite similar. A ghost is "a flying dead body that can go through you." Really? I couldn't help but smile.
Kids are not the only ones who have misconceptions. I can't tell you the amount of adults who come up to me asking if what I do is like the movie Paranormal Activity. "Is that what it's really like?" they ask, bewildered. I cringe every time Hollywood comes out with another scary ghost movie. What you see in the movies and even on TV is not reality. I don't go into places and see blood dripping from the walls and pots and pans flying around the room. What I do when I work with paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto, is the positive side of spirit communication. Did you note that I used the word "spirit" as opposed to "ghost"?
I prefer to call them spirits because they are the souls of people who have passed from this world to the next. There are all different types of spirits. A very famous paranormal investigator by the name of Peter Underwood, from London, England, compiled a list of the "Ten Different Types of Ghosts" based on the research he has done. I have included his list in my book, Ghosts of Long Island; Stories of the Paranormal, because I find it to be quite accurate. You can't define "ghost" as any one thing in particular.
The type of ghost that most people are familiar with, are the historical or traditional ghost. These are spirits who are "place centered" or stuck here, for one reason or another. They have usually died tragically. There are modern ghosts, those of the recently dead who come back to say goodbye, or cyclic ghosts who make their presence known during an anniversary of some sort. There are ghosts of inanimate objects and animal ghosts, but really the most common ghost is not a ghost at all. Instead, it is the spirit of someone we love, who has passed on and has come back to visit, or to help us on our journey.
Everyone has their own belief of where we go after we die. I happen to believe in Heaven. To me, if Heaven is a perfect place, then why can't those we love come and be with us? Why do we have this image of everyone sitting on a cloud hundreds of miles up in the sky, wearing a white gown and playing the harp? My father passed away six years ago. I do not picture him like this. Instead, I picture him next to me when I'm watching my son's baseball game, or I get an orb in a family photo taken at Christmas time. He's there...right with us, still being a part of our lives.
Countless people come up to me at lectures and show me family photos. They all have orbs in them. Heaven is not as far away as we think, and also, it's comforting to know that we are never truly alone.
So when I'm asked what a ghost is, I find the need to explain. It's not something scary or evil or demonic. Instead, it's a beautiful and positive affirmation that life does in fact, exist after we die. We co-exist with spirits every day. It's not about October 31st. So while you're out trick-o-treating with your kids, know that the "real" spirits are there with them watching over and protecting.
Have a happy and safe Halloween!
I do happen to love Halloween, and the inside of my house is transformed into something that you might see in Disneyland. It's filled with skeletons, witches, ghouls and goblins; I have talking heads and brooms that glide around the floor. I even have a ghost that shakes and makes scary sounds. The fact remains, however, that these are Halloween ghosts, and they're not real.
About two weeks ago I was asked to speak to a third grade Cub Scout den about (you guessed it)... ghosts. This is not an easy topic to discuss with a bunch of eight-year-old boys. The last thing I wanted them to do was to go home scared. So my plan was to first squelch their idea of what ghosts actually are. I began with a go-around. Each boy was to tell me what he thought a ghost was. The answers were all quite similar. A ghost is "a flying dead body that can go through you." Really? I couldn't help but smile.
Kids are not the only ones who have misconceptions. I can't tell you the amount of adults who come up to me asking if what I do is like the movie Paranormal Activity. "Is that what it's really like?" they ask, bewildered. I cringe every time Hollywood comes out with another scary ghost movie. What you see in the movies and even on TV is not reality. I don't go into places and see blood dripping from the walls and pots and pans flying around the room. What I do when I work with paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto, is the positive side of spirit communication. Did you note that I used the word "spirit" as opposed to "ghost"?
I prefer to call them spirits because they are the souls of people who have passed from this world to the next. There are all different types of spirits. A very famous paranormal investigator by the name of Peter Underwood, from London, England, compiled a list of the "Ten Different Types of Ghosts" based on the research he has done. I have included his list in my book, Ghosts of Long Island; Stories of the Paranormal, because I find it to be quite accurate. You can't define "ghost" as any one thing in particular.
The type of ghost that most people are familiar with, are the historical or traditional ghost. These are spirits who are "place centered" or stuck here, for one reason or another. They have usually died tragically. There are modern ghosts, those of the recently dead who come back to say goodbye, or cyclic ghosts who make their presence known during an anniversary of some sort. There are ghosts of inanimate objects and animal ghosts, but really the most common ghost is not a ghost at all. Instead, it is the spirit of someone we love, who has passed on and has come back to visit, or to help us on our journey.
Everyone has their own belief of where we go after we die. I happen to believe in Heaven. To me, if Heaven is a perfect place, then why can't those we love come and be with us? Why do we have this image of everyone sitting on a cloud hundreds of miles up in the sky, wearing a white gown and playing the harp? My father passed away six years ago. I do not picture him like this. Instead, I picture him next to me when I'm watching my son's baseball game, or I get an orb in a family photo taken at Christmas time. He's there...right with us, still being a part of our lives.
Countless people come up to me at lectures and show me family photos. They all have orbs in them. Heaven is not as far away as we think, and also, it's comforting to know that we are never truly alone.
So when I'm asked what a ghost is, I find the need to explain. It's not something scary or evil or demonic. Instead, it's a beautiful and positive affirmation that life does in fact, exist after we die. We co-exist with spirits every day. It's not about October 31st. So while you're out trick-o-treating with your kids, know that the "real" spirits are there with them watching over and protecting.
Have a happy and safe Halloween!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Signs and Butterflies
Being a "summer" person, it is always hard to leave my favorite season behind and move forward into fall. So after getting my kids on the bus that first week of school, I headed back out to the beaches at Robert Moses for one last moment of peace and tranquility. I had been accustomed to hundreds of people being around, now there were six, and that included me. Everyone was spread out, so it was as if I had the beach to myself. As I sat quietly in my worn beach chair, rusted on the bottom from exposure to sea and salt, I suddenly was surrounded by butterflies! Butterflies? They were big, orange and black ones. I cannot say what kind they were, but they were definitely butterflies. I was in the middle of the beach! Where did they come from?
The first one hovered over my head, and then I watched as it disappeared along the beach. Before long another one came and did the same thing. Then another and another. I know for certain that it wasn't the same butterfly. That particular day I had a lot on my mind and was hoping for some guidance from the other side. Were the butterflies a sign? Were they spirits? I've heard so many people talk about the significance of certain living creatures coming to us, like the Cardinal and the butterflies. Many believe that it is our lost loved ones coming to visit. It prompted me to do some research and ultimately write this blog.
As we all know, butterflies go through an amazing transformation. These various stages of metamorphosis relate very much to our own lives. Our birth is the caterpillar stage, our death is the chrysalis stage, and our resurrection to the afterlife is the butterfly stage. There are many cultures and religions who view the butterfly as a symbol of transformation. Native American Indians are very connected to nature and to animals. They have what are called totems which represent the animals and the meanings behind them. They view the butterfly as a symbol of happiness and change. The Chinese view the butterfly as a symbol for long life, while the Japanese view butterflies as symbols of love, marital bliss and harmony.
Most other countries around the world believe that butterflies are, in fact, departed souls. The butterfly represents the soul's freedom upon death. In ancient Greece, the word for butterfly is "psyche" which means "soul". In modern day it stands for "psychology", the study of the mind. The Greek's believe that butterflies are the souls of people who have passed away. Same thing is true in Russia, where their word for butterflies is "dushuchka" which comes from "dusha" which means "soul". In Mexico there is a small town where Monarch Butterflies migrate to every year. It happens to coincide with a Mexican holiday known as the Day of the Dead. The town celebrates the butterflies because they believe they're the souls of the deceased returning. Finally, in Ireland, the Irish believe that butterflies "are the souls of the dead waiting to pass through purgatory".
If you love butterflies, I highly recommend taking a trip to see the new butterfly exhibit at the Long Island Aquarium (formerly Atlantis Marine World) in Riverhead. It's absolutely fantastic!
As for Cardinals, many people believe that these beautiful red birds are also souls who are visiting us. My grandmother was a firm believer of this, and a red Cardinal appeared to her several times after her husband (my grandfather) passed away. Especially symbolic in the Christian religions, the Cardinal symbolizes faith, and is also symbolic of the blood of Christ. So if a Cardinal appears in your window it could be telling you to keep the faith and remind you of Christ's presence in your life. That is also why the Cardinal is seen on Christmas cards and in Christmas displays.
So the next time a butterfly or Cardinal flies your way, take a second look. Maybe it's a connection to a long lost soul, or just maybe it's the answer to something you've been searching for.
Information for this blog was taken from the internet, "Religious and Cultural Symbolism of The Butterfly," "Butterfly Garden Gifts" and "Symbols of the Butterfly."
The first one hovered over my head, and then I watched as it disappeared along the beach. Before long another one came and did the same thing. Then another and another. I know for certain that it wasn't the same butterfly. That particular day I had a lot on my mind and was hoping for some guidance from the other side. Were the butterflies a sign? Were they spirits? I've heard so many people talk about the significance of certain living creatures coming to us, like the Cardinal and the butterflies. Many believe that it is our lost loved ones coming to visit. It prompted me to do some research and ultimately write this blog.
As we all know, butterflies go through an amazing transformation. These various stages of metamorphosis relate very much to our own lives. Our birth is the caterpillar stage, our death is the chrysalis stage, and our resurrection to the afterlife is the butterfly stage. There are many cultures and religions who view the butterfly as a symbol of transformation. Native American Indians are very connected to nature and to animals. They have what are called totems which represent the animals and the meanings behind them. They view the butterfly as a symbol of happiness and change. The Chinese view the butterfly as a symbol for long life, while the Japanese view butterflies as symbols of love, marital bliss and harmony.
Most other countries around the world believe that butterflies are, in fact, departed souls. The butterfly represents the soul's freedom upon death. In ancient Greece, the word for butterfly is "psyche" which means "soul". In modern day it stands for "psychology", the study of the mind. The Greek's believe that butterflies are the souls of people who have passed away. Same thing is true in Russia, where their word for butterflies is "dushuchka" which comes from "dusha" which means "soul". In Mexico there is a small town where Monarch Butterflies migrate to every year. It happens to coincide with a Mexican holiday known as the Day of the Dead. The town celebrates the butterflies because they believe they're the souls of the deceased returning. Finally, in Ireland, the Irish believe that butterflies "are the souls of the dead waiting to pass through purgatory".
If you love butterflies, I highly recommend taking a trip to see the new butterfly exhibit at the Long Island Aquarium (formerly Atlantis Marine World) in Riverhead. It's absolutely fantastic!
As for Cardinals, many people believe that these beautiful red birds are also souls who are visiting us. My grandmother was a firm believer of this, and a red Cardinal appeared to her several times after her husband (my grandfather) passed away. Especially symbolic in the Christian religions, the Cardinal symbolizes faith, and is also symbolic of the blood of Christ. So if a Cardinal appears in your window it could be telling you to keep the faith and remind you of Christ's presence in your life. That is also why the Cardinal is seen on Christmas cards and in Christmas displays.
So the next time a butterfly or Cardinal flies your way, take a second look. Maybe it's a connection to a long lost soul, or just maybe it's the answer to something you've been searching for.
Information for this blog was taken from the internet, "Religious and Cultural Symbolism of The Butterfly," "Butterfly Garden Gifts" and "Symbols of the Butterfly."
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Hurricanes and Ghost Tales
By the time you read this blog, power will have been restored and the internet for me, will be up and running. When I first set out to write this, we were in the midst of Hurricane Irene. We had lost power, and wind and rain swirled around my 1930's colonial, which has withstood more hurricanes than I have. I know there are spirits from the past watching over my home and family, and this gives me comfort. I know this to be true because of the amount of times I've gone into my backyard on a clear night and photographed. I receive dozens of orbs...spirits. They're always here watching over and protecting.
My street is lined with Sycamore trees as old as my house. They've managed to stay standing despite fallen limbs. Power lines lay tangled in the street amongst the debris, while my oldest son complains that he can't play X-box. As for me, I've prepared well, and I'm satisfied with that. Sometimes it's actually nice. No TV, no radio, no phones ringing, no email to check. It brings us back to simpler times, and makes us realize what's truly important. We may not like to survive without these things, but we can.
So how then am I writing this blog without my computer? I am writing it the old fashioned way...with a pad and a pen. I will have to type it in later. It reminds me of my earlier days, fresh out of college, a young journalist hand-writing everything. My page is filled with cross-outs and arrows just like it used to be over twenty years ago. The creative process actively at work.
As I sit in my sunroom and gaze out upon the swaying trees, I recall a night in September of 2003 when Hurricane Isabel hit North Carolina. I was there with my family staying at our friends' B&B in the rural town of Siler City, 250 miles from the Outer Banks. The only other guests, were a mother and her adult daughter and their Border Collie. They were from Kitty Hawk, and their area was getting pounded from the storm. Siler City was hit with strong gusts and heavy rain. Trees fell in the forest around the post and beam country home with its tin roof. You haven't lived until you've listened to rain, and acorns from giant oaks, fall against a tin roof. It is a sound uncommon to most Long Islander's, but it is a sound that will be forever in my mind and heart.
As bad as the storm was, there was something enchanting about the experience we had that day. We made new friends. We shared a bond; we were experiencing something together. As the storm wore on, we eventually lost power. We had plenty of food, water and wine, and we made the most out of our situation. Although the ladies from Kitty Hawk were worried, we helped them to relax a little.
The place was beautiful. Candles shone all around the large open area that was the first floor. A beautiful kitchen, dining area and living room all drenched in candlelight. We sat around the long dining table, which was filled with food, and ate, drank and contemplated life. There was nothing else to do, but talk. It was quite amazing, and we had some of the best, and most thought-provoking conversations I think I'll ever have in my life. It was a time I will never forget, and one I will treasure always.
After we finished our discussion on the meaning of life, and darkness drew deeper upon us, the ladies of Kitty Hawk asked if any of us knew any good ghost stories. I smiled. They had not yet known what I did for a living. More wine was poured, as I began to weave my tales of Revolutionary War Ghosts, Native American Spirits, the lady in white... I told them of the ghosts of old whalers, of old lovers, of shipwreck and of peril. The faces of my captive audience glowed with a golden cast. With eyes wide, they were held spellbound on my every word. It was one of those perfect moment in time, one of which would never have happened if it wasn't for the storm. Sometimes I think these storms are God's way of reminding us to slow down, to simplify and to just "be".
The rain now has stopped in my Huntington home, and the wind is starting to die down as I continue to write. We've opened the windows, and the gentle breeze feels wonderful throughout the house. It has dawned on me that my windows have not been opened since the beginning of June. Because of air conditioning, I have not had fresh air in the house for three months! It's unbelievable, isn't it?
I know we all have a lot of clean-up to do, and we feel like we're inconvenienced, but in the midst of the storm and its aftermath, try to take the time to just "be". Maybe you'll be presently surprised at how wonderful it makes you feel.
Kerriann Flanagan Brosky is the author of Ghosts of Long Island: Stories of the Paranormal, and Ghosts of Long Island II: More Stories of the Paranormal. During Hurricane Irene, she was without power for four days. She enjoyed eating dinner with her family by candlelight, and spent quality time with her kids playing board games.
My street is lined with Sycamore trees as old as my house. They've managed to stay standing despite fallen limbs. Power lines lay tangled in the street amongst the debris, while my oldest son complains that he can't play X-box. As for me, I've prepared well, and I'm satisfied with that. Sometimes it's actually nice. No TV, no radio, no phones ringing, no email to check. It brings us back to simpler times, and makes us realize what's truly important. We may not like to survive without these things, but we can.
So how then am I writing this blog without my computer? I am writing it the old fashioned way...with a pad and a pen. I will have to type it in later. It reminds me of my earlier days, fresh out of college, a young journalist hand-writing everything. My page is filled with cross-outs and arrows just like it used to be over twenty years ago. The creative process actively at work.
As I sit in my sunroom and gaze out upon the swaying trees, I recall a night in September of 2003 when Hurricane Isabel hit North Carolina. I was there with my family staying at our friends' B&B in the rural town of Siler City, 250 miles from the Outer Banks. The only other guests, were a mother and her adult daughter and their Border Collie. They were from Kitty Hawk, and their area was getting pounded from the storm. Siler City was hit with strong gusts and heavy rain. Trees fell in the forest around the post and beam country home with its tin roof. You haven't lived until you've listened to rain, and acorns from giant oaks, fall against a tin roof. It is a sound uncommon to most Long Islander's, but it is a sound that will be forever in my mind and heart.
As bad as the storm was, there was something enchanting about the experience we had that day. We made new friends. We shared a bond; we were experiencing something together. As the storm wore on, we eventually lost power. We had plenty of food, water and wine, and we made the most out of our situation. Although the ladies from Kitty Hawk were worried, we helped them to relax a little.
The place was beautiful. Candles shone all around the large open area that was the first floor. A beautiful kitchen, dining area and living room all drenched in candlelight. We sat around the long dining table, which was filled with food, and ate, drank and contemplated life. There was nothing else to do, but talk. It was quite amazing, and we had some of the best, and most thought-provoking conversations I think I'll ever have in my life. It was a time I will never forget, and one I will treasure always.
After we finished our discussion on the meaning of life, and darkness drew deeper upon us, the ladies of Kitty Hawk asked if any of us knew any good ghost stories. I smiled. They had not yet known what I did for a living. More wine was poured, as I began to weave my tales of Revolutionary War Ghosts, Native American Spirits, the lady in white... I told them of the ghosts of old whalers, of old lovers, of shipwreck and of peril. The faces of my captive audience glowed with a golden cast. With eyes wide, they were held spellbound on my every word. It was one of those perfect moment in time, one of which would never have happened if it wasn't for the storm. Sometimes I think these storms are God's way of reminding us to slow down, to simplify and to just "be".
The rain now has stopped in my Huntington home, and the wind is starting to die down as I continue to write. We've opened the windows, and the gentle breeze feels wonderful throughout the house. It has dawned on me that my windows have not been opened since the beginning of June. Because of air conditioning, I have not had fresh air in the house for three months! It's unbelievable, isn't it?
I know we all have a lot of clean-up to do, and we feel like we're inconvenienced, but in the midst of the storm and its aftermath, try to take the time to just "be". Maybe you'll be presently surprised at how wonderful it makes you feel.
Kerriann Flanagan Brosky is the author of Ghosts of Long Island: Stories of the Paranormal, and Ghosts of Long Island II: More Stories of the Paranormal. During Hurricane Irene, she was without power for four days. She enjoyed eating dinner with her family by candlelight, and spent quality time with her kids playing board games.
Friday, July 29, 2011
The Fox Sisters, Spiritualism and Long Island's William Sidney Mount
At one time Spiritualism was believed to be more of a philosophy than a religion. It is based on the concept that spirits who have passed on can communicate with the living through mediumship, proving that life does continue after death. The Modern Spiritualist Movement began in 1848. Three sisters, known as the Fox sisters, are responsible for initiating what quickly became the latest craze. By 1855, Spiritualism had over two million followers in the United States and in Europe. By the turn of the twentieth century, however, Spiritualism was on the decline. Scientists tried to disprove the practice of mediumship, and many frauds were uncovered. However, as the years went on, real, gifted mediums continued to surface, causing a rebirth in Spiritualism. Today, Spiritualism and Spiritualist churches continue to grow and remain active in the United States, England and in several other countries. Besides mediuimship, the practice has expanded to include spiritual healing and energy work, amongst other things.
John and Margaret Fox, who were devout Methodists, moved into a house in Hydesville, NY, a small town located twenty miles from Rochester, in December of 1847. The Fox's had six children, four adult children who had moved away, and two younger daughters Maggie, fifteen, and Kate, twelve who lived with them. The house they moved into had a reputation of being "haunted", but the Fox's didn't believe in such things. A few months went by, and by March 1848, strange rapping sounds and bangs made their way throughout the house. It was so loud that the family awoke from sleep. Searching the house, they could not find the source from which the rappings came. Every night the noises could be heard. By March 31, Kate decided the sounds came from spirits who were trying to communicate with them. She was determined to communicate back. She and Maggie decided to clap their hands while asking questions to the spirits. If they clapped ten times, the rappings would be heard ten times. To further communicate, they set up a system by rapping for the letters of the alphabet. It was at this time that they received some amazing information. The rappings were coming from a man, a peddler, named Charles Rosa, who claimed he was murdered by the home's previous owner, John Bell. He also said that his body was buried in the cellar, although at the time, nothing was found.
The girl's became so proficient at communicating through rappings, that their skills began to elevate to a new level which included having the ability to move objects, levitate tables, and communicate with other spirits, including the spirit of Benjamin Franklin. News quickly spread of the girls' talents, and before long they were giving performances and making money. Other mediums began to emerge, and within a few years séances became the rage.
Many people, including journalists, spent time with Maggie and Kate, and could not find any fraud between them. The events that took place became known as the "Hydesville Rappings". By April of 1848, their older sister Leah, who lived in Rochester, saw the attention her siblings were getting and asked to join them so she could cash in on the act. Leah's husband had abandoned her and her young daughter, and she desperately needed money. She became Kate and Maggie's manager, and scheduled performances and séances for them.
The pressures placed upon them along with their fame, eventually became more than the girls could handle. By the late 1850's, both Kate and Maggie were alcoholics. Leah remarried a wealthy businessman and abandoned her sisters. Kate continued to perform, but Maggie grew resistant. There was little choice for her, however, and she remained working with Kate. In 1888, when Spiritualism began to die down, the girls made a shocking confession claiming they were, in fact, frauds and denounced Spiritualism. Maggie claimed that her sister Kate had started the prank out of boredom, and had wanted to play a trick on her parents. Apparently Kate had the ability to pop her toe joints, and taught the trick to Maggie. When they saw the commotion they were causing, they had decided not to divulge their secret.
Some were still convinced that the girls were legitimate mediums, and that Maggie's rantings about the fraud had more to do with being an alcoholic. Others claimed that a reporter put them up to the story, by offering them money. As it turned out, the sisters may have been true mediums after all. In 1904, a few years after each of their deaths, some school children were playing in the old Hydesville home, which became known as the "Spook House", and made the discovery of some human remains. William H. Hyde, who was a respected citizen and the new owner of the house, ordered a full investigation. An entire human skeleton was found between the old walls and the earth, just like the girls had said. Many believed that they were the remains of Charles Rosa, the peddler who was murdered.
One of the people who was inspired by the Fox sisters was Long Island's famous genre painter, William Sidney Mount, who was born in Setauket in 1807. When William was seven, his father died, and William's mother Julia decided to move her five children to nearby Stony Brook, to her parent's old farmhouse which was built in 1725. It was known as the Hawkins-Mount Homestead. William began painting scenes from everyday life, and later studied at the National Academy of Design in New York. Art wasn't his only interest. He was extremely intrigued by the paranormal, and many of his early paintings dealt with death, ghosts and the supernatural. By 1854 he was actively involved in Spiritualism, and wrote about it in his diaries.
Mount became part of the "Miracle Circle" which was comprised of a small group of friends who got together to do séances. The séances took place down the road at the home of Mount's good friend, Thomas Hadaway. The Hadaway house, as it was called, is what is today's beautiful Country House Restaurant, which is haunted by the ghost of Annette Williamson, among other spirits. Some claim that Mr. Mount's spirit comes by on occasion. The old Hawkins-Mount house is also said to be haunted, possibly by William's cousin Elizabeth, and also by Mount.
The full story of William Sidney Mount, and the interesting events which occurred while I was researching and investigating the house with paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto, can be found in my book Ghosts of Long Island II; More Stories of the Paranormal.
John and Margaret Fox, who were devout Methodists, moved into a house in Hydesville, NY, a small town located twenty miles from Rochester, in December of 1847. The Fox's had six children, four adult children who had moved away, and two younger daughters Maggie, fifteen, and Kate, twelve who lived with them. The house they moved into had a reputation of being "haunted", but the Fox's didn't believe in such things. A few months went by, and by March 1848, strange rapping sounds and bangs made their way throughout the house. It was so loud that the family awoke from sleep. Searching the house, they could not find the source from which the rappings came. Every night the noises could be heard. By March 31, Kate decided the sounds came from spirits who were trying to communicate with them. She was determined to communicate back. She and Maggie decided to clap their hands while asking questions to the spirits. If they clapped ten times, the rappings would be heard ten times. To further communicate, they set up a system by rapping for the letters of the alphabet. It was at this time that they received some amazing information. The rappings were coming from a man, a peddler, named Charles Rosa, who claimed he was murdered by the home's previous owner, John Bell. He also said that his body was buried in the cellar, although at the time, nothing was found.
The girl's became so proficient at communicating through rappings, that their skills began to elevate to a new level which included having the ability to move objects, levitate tables, and communicate with other spirits, including the spirit of Benjamin Franklin. News quickly spread of the girls' talents, and before long they were giving performances and making money. Other mediums began to emerge, and within a few years séances became the rage.
Many people, including journalists, spent time with Maggie and Kate, and could not find any fraud between them. The events that took place became known as the "Hydesville Rappings". By April of 1848, their older sister Leah, who lived in Rochester, saw the attention her siblings were getting and asked to join them so she could cash in on the act. Leah's husband had abandoned her and her young daughter, and she desperately needed money. She became Kate and Maggie's manager, and scheduled performances and séances for them.
The pressures placed upon them along with their fame, eventually became more than the girls could handle. By the late 1850's, both Kate and Maggie were alcoholics. Leah remarried a wealthy businessman and abandoned her sisters. Kate continued to perform, but Maggie grew resistant. There was little choice for her, however, and she remained working with Kate. In 1888, when Spiritualism began to die down, the girls made a shocking confession claiming they were, in fact, frauds and denounced Spiritualism. Maggie claimed that her sister Kate had started the prank out of boredom, and had wanted to play a trick on her parents. Apparently Kate had the ability to pop her toe joints, and taught the trick to Maggie. When they saw the commotion they were causing, they had decided not to divulge their secret.
Some were still convinced that the girls were legitimate mediums, and that Maggie's rantings about the fraud had more to do with being an alcoholic. Others claimed that a reporter put them up to the story, by offering them money. As it turned out, the sisters may have been true mediums after all. In 1904, a few years after each of their deaths, some school children were playing in the old Hydesville home, which became known as the "Spook House", and made the discovery of some human remains. William H. Hyde, who was a respected citizen and the new owner of the house, ordered a full investigation. An entire human skeleton was found between the old walls and the earth, just like the girls had said. Many believed that they were the remains of Charles Rosa, the peddler who was murdered.
One of the people who was inspired by the Fox sisters was Long Island's famous genre painter, William Sidney Mount, who was born in Setauket in 1807. When William was seven, his father died, and William's mother Julia decided to move her five children to nearby Stony Brook, to her parent's old farmhouse which was built in 1725. It was known as the Hawkins-Mount Homestead. William began painting scenes from everyday life, and later studied at the National Academy of Design in New York. Art wasn't his only interest. He was extremely intrigued by the paranormal, and many of his early paintings dealt with death, ghosts and the supernatural. By 1854 he was actively involved in Spiritualism, and wrote about it in his diaries.
Mount became part of the "Miracle Circle" which was comprised of a small group of friends who got together to do séances. The séances took place down the road at the home of Mount's good friend, Thomas Hadaway. The Hadaway house, as it was called, is what is today's beautiful Country House Restaurant, which is haunted by the ghost of Annette Williamson, among other spirits. Some claim that Mr. Mount's spirit comes by on occasion. The old Hawkins-Mount house is also said to be haunted, possibly by William's cousin Elizabeth, and also by Mount.
The full story of William Sidney Mount, and the interesting events which occurred while I was researching and investigating the house with paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto, can be found in my book Ghosts of Long Island II; More Stories of the Paranormal.
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