It is a very common question for people to ask me what it's like to investigate ghosts. How do I communicate with the spirits? What happens? Is it scary? I have been asked these questions countless times. It's unfortunate that what we view on TV or in the movies when it comes to spirit communication is really quite exaggerated. I tell people that I don't walk into a room and pots and pans are flying around and blood is dripping from the walls. It simply is not like that. If it was, I would surely stay away. Instead, spirit communication is subtle and for the most part, a very positive and uplifting experience. So many people communicate with those from the other side everyday and don't even know it. Things happen all the time and most people don't think twice about it. They don't open themselves up to the reality of what is happening, and that spirit communication is in fact possible.
Of course the most direct way to communicate or to receive information from lost loved ones is through a medium. It is important to go to someone who is respected in the field and who is legitimate and experienced. However, there are other ways to experience communication on your own, and it really is quite satisfying. There are everyday occurrences that most people don't think twice about. Well, it's about time that you open yourself up and become more aware of what's around you and you might be pleasantly surprised.
Spirits use scents, music, noise, objects and energy as a a means of communicating with us. Here are some examples. You're waiting at a bus stop or a train station when you have the overwhelming scent of your grandmother's sweet jasmine perfume. You look around. There are no flower beds or pots around you. You're surrounded by a handful of men, not women, so it's unlikely that one of the men is wearing your grandmother's sweet perfume. You think it odd that you are smelling this but you shrug it off. How sad it must be for your grandmother who is in spirit. She happens to be alongside you at that moment, and she's trying to make her presence known. However they are able to do so, spirits put forth a recognizable scent so we would know without a doubt that they're around. And what do we do? We disregard it.
The smell of cigarettes, a pipe or a cigar is another "scent" which is often associated with spirit communication. You're driving along a highway alone with your windows rolled up and your air conditioner on when all of a sudden your car stinks of cigarettes. Your dad was a heavy smoker and he died of lung cancer. He decides to take a ride with you in your car. He knows you can't see him, so he'll give you a scent that is recognizable. To him, it seems blatantly obvious. To us, we still somehow believe it is coming from somewhere outside. Well, it's not.
There are all sorts of stories connecting spirit communication with "smells". At one of my lectures a woman came up to me and told me about a strange phenomenon that continually took place in her house. Even when she was not cooking, the house would have the most amazing aroma of garlic and onions and sauce cooking on the stove. Everyone in her family would smell it, and for the life of them they could not figure out where it was coming from. One day a woman showed up at their door stating that she grew up in the house. She had come from a very Italian family and her mother loved to cook and make sauce. Her mother also happened to die a peaceful death in the house. All of a sudden, everything clicked for the present homeowner. She realized that this woman's mother was making her presence known in the house through the smell of sauce cooking.
Music is another powerful means of communication, one in which I have experienced many a time. You're driving along in your car and you're thinking of your mother who died several months before. You're really missing her when all of a sudden her favorite song, or a special song you had between you, comes on. Is it coincidence? Nine times out of ten it is not. It is your mother saying she's there and that she's alright. You're sad, but at peace when you hear the song. It's your mom offering you comfort.
Have you ever experienced music going on at the strangest of times and with no explanation? I have, and I've known without a doubt that it was my father. On more than one occasion I've had an incident with a stereo or an Ipod that could not be explained. Sometimes I will leave my Ipod in a docking station in my kitchen. It's turned off, and then all of a sudden in the middle of the night my husband and I awake to blaring music coming from the floor below. We run down to see what's going on. No one is around, but we take note of the song that is playing. It is never a song that was just previously played. It is usually a song I haven't listened to in ages out of the hundreds or so songs that are stored. The next day my husband and I would listen to the song when we were fully awake. Every single time the words of the song gave us a message, an answer to a question or to a problem, sometimes word for word. It's simply amazing. The spirit, in this case my father, used his energy to manipulate the Ipod. Since I can't call him up on the phone and ask his advice, this is the next best thing to getting an answer. If my husband and I didn't sit and listen to the song that came on carefully, we would never have known this.
Flickering lights is another sign spirits give us, along with misplaced objects or fallen objects. The more people and animals that I have loved who have passed on, the more experiences I seem to have. I'm aware and open to receive their messages and comfort. They are always with us.
Orbs in photographs, as well as EVP's (Electronic Voice Phenomenon), is also positive reassurance that spirits are with us. When one of my sons graduated from preschool there was a wonderful ceremony which had taken place. My mother-in-law, who just started learning about orbs, was completely shocked at what turned up in the photos she took that day. Hundreds of orbs! They all appeared above the children's heads on stage. My mother-in-law questioned me as to why this was. I simply said that there were a lot of grandparents who died who couldn't be there physically, so instead they came in spirit form. Why would they miss such a fun and joyful celebration?
So look for signs from the spirits in your own life. Talk to them. They can hear you and they will be elated that you're trying to communicate with them. Be open and pay attention. The signs and messages will come, and I hope that they'll bring you comfort and peace.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Children, God, Death and the Spirit World
As adults we are often skeptical of things, whether it is a belief in ghosts, life on other planets or even God. Why are humans in general so skeptical? The answer is because most often people do not want to believe in something that they cannot prove, that they cannot see or touch, and that they cannot understand. I'm open to just about everything because I honestly feel that we humans don't have all the answers, however there are times when even I doubt. Sometimes you just have to believe and have faith.
When it comes to children, they have a much different attitude. They see goodness, magic and wonder in just about everything. Because of this openness, they oftentimes experience more spiritual and paranormal phenomenon than adults do, and sadly we brush off their experiences as childhood fantasy. This is not always the case. Children have a huge connection both to God and the world of the spirits. After all, they recently came from there. What's not to believe? It is up to us as adults to listen to them and to try and understand. At all of my lectures I tell the group to really listen to their children and be open to any experience they may be having. If a child tells you someone was in his room one night, or someone became an "imaginary" friend, listen to him. Hear what he has to say. You may discover something wonderful, and you may learn a thing or two along the way.
I bring this all up because of something truly amazing which my children recently experienced. It was a moment which strengthened my own faith and beliefs, and it brought me much comfort. So I decided I would like to share it with you in this blog. But first, I would like to say that death is a difficult concept for children to grasp whether it is the death of a person they love, or a beloved pet. It is heartbreaking to watch a child mourn, let alone when it is one of your own children. No matter how much you try to help them or comfort them, they have to ultimately work it out for themselves. It is a process and a difficult one at that. To try to help my children understand death, I have been extremely open about the subject. We have a strong faith background in the Catholic religion and in God. Because of the work I do, I have also studied death and life after death for years. I know without a doubt that the soul lives on and that spirit communication is possible. So between our religion, my research and my own experiences, I have done my best to convey the concept of death to my children to the best of my abilities. I do not want them to be afraid, and I want them to know that whoever it is that has died is not that far away; that they stay with us and visit us in spirit form.
So this brings me to my story. Two weeks ago, my almost fifteen-year-old cat had to be put down unexpectedly. We were absolutely devastated. It had come out of nowhere. Just two months before I had the cat at the vet for a routine exam, x-rays and blood work. He had a thyroid condition for a year which he was being treated for with medication. It required me to bring him to the vet every three months to make sure his levels were good. He was doing exceptionally well and there was absolutely no changes in his behavior, appetite or weight. He never looked like an old cat. So when he suddenly couldn't walk and refused to eat we were taken totally by surprise. He was very wobbly and had some sort of a seizure. We rushed him to the vet immediately and had more blood work done. Upon giving him an exam, the vet found a tumor that did not exist two months prior. It couldn't be seen and I never felt it. There were other sudden indications that revealed he was going downhill. The vet told us to bring him home and keep him comfortable and to observe him. He would have the bloods back early the next morning.
That night nothing had changed and the cat still refused to eat and he seemed uncomfortable. My husband and I decided, as hard as it was, that it would be best to put him down. We knew in our hearts that something was terribly wrong with him, and we did not want him to suffer. Our thoughts were confirmed the next day when we got the blood work back from the vet. We found out the cat's red blood count was completely different from his last visit. Even the vet was surprised. Whatever tumor he had was an aggressive one and his body was shutting down.
My husband and I were upset enough, but we still had to tell our two sons, ages ten and seven, of our decision. Of course they were extremely upset. My older child told me he had prayed to God for over an hour the night before. He prayed to Jesus to save his cat and make him well. He was disappointed and a bit angry that God did not answer his prayer. Another hard concept which I had to try and explain to him. After our discussion, I felt like he understood, but he was still upset.
About an hour before we were to bring the cat to the vet, my son came to me again and said he changed his prayer. This time he asked Jesus to give him confirmation that our cat would visit once he died and went to Heaven. He asked our cat too, to give him a sign so we would know he was here. I asked my son, what kind of sign did he ask for? He answered that if God was listening to him, and if everything I said was true about the spirits visiting, then our cat would knock over the bunny on the wicker love seat in our sunroom after he died. I looked at my son and wondered just what to say. This was a pretty tall order. 'We do get signs and God does listen,' I began. 'But we can't expect them to come immediately. Over time we will get a sign. I'm sure.'He shook his head in protest. 'If God is listening, he will come back.' My heart was broken at his request and I prayed that after everything was said and done that he would forget about it upon our arrival home. We simply can't expect God and spirits to answer on cue.
So the hour came. My husband and I decided to get rid of everything belonging to the cat before we left, instead of coming home to it afterwards which is much harder. Before I carried the cat out of the sunroom I fixed the cushion and pillows on the wicker love seat and straightened the antique bunny. The bunny is made of sturdy cloth and the body is weighted down so it doesn't move. The soft, spindly legs rested gently on the sofa cushion while the upper body sat firmly up against the back of the couch. The sunroom was in order and I was the last person to leave the room. The windows were closed; the dog was in another room in her crate. No one was left in the house. We went to the vet and did the inevitable. To try to take their minds off of the situation, we took the boys out for ice cream sundaes afterwards to try to numb the pain. We arrived home an hour or so later. By this point I had completely forgotten about my son's request. The boys however, went running into the house and straight into the sunroom. Suddenly I heard screams and crying. 'He was here! He was here!' they shouted. I didn't know what they were talking about. I ran into the sunroom, and to my utter disbelief...the bunny was completely face down over it's spindly legs.
God had listened, and so did the cat. He had come back on his journey to Heaven to say goodbye and to let us know that his spirit will always be with us. It took seeing things from the eyes of a child to know that anything from this world, or from the world beyond, is in fact... possible.
When it comes to children, they have a much different attitude. They see goodness, magic and wonder in just about everything. Because of this openness, they oftentimes experience more spiritual and paranormal phenomenon than adults do, and sadly we brush off their experiences as childhood fantasy. This is not always the case. Children have a huge connection both to God and the world of the spirits. After all, they recently came from there. What's not to believe? It is up to us as adults to listen to them and to try and understand. At all of my lectures I tell the group to really listen to their children and be open to any experience they may be having. If a child tells you someone was in his room one night, or someone became an "imaginary" friend, listen to him. Hear what he has to say. You may discover something wonderful, and you may learn a thing or two along the way.
I bring this all up because of something truly amazing which my children recently experienced. It was a moment which strengthened my own faith and beliefs, and it brought me much comfort. So I decided I would like to share it with you in this blog. But first, I would like to say that death is a difficult concept for children to grasp whether it is the death of a person they love, or a beloved pet. It is heartbreaking to watch a child mourn, let alone when it is one of your own children. No matter how much you try to help them or comfort them, they have to ultimately work it out for themselves. It is a process and a difficult one at that. To try to help my children understand death, I have been extremely open about the subject. We have a strong faith background in the Catholic religion and in God. Because of the work I do, I have also studied death and life after death for years. I know without a doubt that the soul lives on and that spirit communication is possible. So between our religion, my research and my own experiences, I have done my best to convey the concept of death to my children to the best of my abilities. I do not want them to be afraid, and I want them to know that whoever it is that has died is not that far away; that they stay with us and visit us in spirit form.
So this brings me to my story. Two weeks ago, my almost fifteen-year-old cat had to be put down unexpectedly. We were absolutely devastated. It had come out of nowhere. Just two months before I had the cat at the vet for a routine exam, x-rays and blood work. He had a thyroid condition for a year which he was being treated for with medication. It required me to bring him to the vet every three months to make sure his levels were good. He was doing exceptionally well and there was absolutely no changes in his behavior, appetite or weight. He never looked like an old cat. So when he suddenly couldn't walk and refused to eat we were taken totally by surprise. He was very wobbly and had some sort of a seizure. We rushed him to the vet immediately and had more blood work done. Upon giving him an exam, the vet found a tumor that did not exist two months prior. It couldn't be seen and I never felt it. There were other sudden indications that revealed he was going downhill. The vet told us to bring him home and keep him comfortable and to observe him. He would have the bloods back early the next morning.
That night nothing had changed and the cat still refused to eat and he seemed uncomfortable. My husband and I decided, as hard as it was, that it would be best to put him down. We knew in our hearts that something was terribly wrong with him, and we did not want him to suffer. Our thoughts were confirmed the next day when we got the blood work back from the vet. We found out the cat's red blood count was completely different from his last visit. Even the vet was surprised. Whatever tumor he had was an aggressive one and his body was shutting down.
My husband and I were upset enough, but we still had to tell our two sons, ages ten and seven, of our decision. Of course they were extremely upset. My older child told me he had prayed to God for over an hour the night before. He prayed to Jesus to save his cat and make him well. He was disappointed and a bit angry that God did not answer his prayer. Another hard concept which I had to try and explain to him. After our discussion, I felt like he understood, but he was still upset.
About an hour before we were to bring the cat to the vet, my son came to me again and said he changed his prayer. This time he asked Jesus to give him confirmation that our cat would visit once he died and went to Heaven. He asked our cat too, to give him a sign so we would know he was here. I asked my son, what kind of sign did he ask for? He answered that if God was listening to him, and if everything I said was true about the spirits visiting, then our cat would knock over the bunny on the wicker love seat in our sunroom after he died. I looked at my son and wondered just what to say. This was a pretty tall order. 'We do get signs and God does listen,' I began. 'But we can't expect them to come immediately. Over time we will get a sign. I'm sure.'He shook his head in protest. 'If God is listening, he will come back.' My heart was broken at his request and I prayed that after everything was said and done that he would forget about it upon our arrival home. We simply can't expect God and spirits to answer on cue.
So the hour came. My husband and I decided to get rid of everything belonging to the cat before we left, instead of coming home to it afterwards which is much harder. Before I carried the cat out of the sunroom I fixed the cushion and pillows on the wicker love seat and straightened the antique bunny. The bunny is made of sturdy cloth and the body is weighted down so it doesn't move. The soft, spindly legs rested gently on the sofa cushion while the upper body sat firmly up against the back of the couch. The sunroom was in order and I was the last person to leave the room. The windows were closed; the dog was in another room in her crate. No one was left in the house. We went to the vet and did the inevitable. To try to take their minds off of the situation, we took the boys out for ice cream sundaes afterwards to try to numb the pain. We arrived home an hour or so later. By this point I had completely forgotten about my son's request. The boys however, went running into the house and straight into the sunroom. Suddenly I heard screams and crying. 'He was here! He was here!' they shouted. I didn't know what they were talking about. I ran into the sunroom, and to my utter disbelief...the bunny was completely face down over it's spindly legs.
God had listened, and so did the cat. He had come back on his journey to Heaven to say goodbye and to let us know that his spirit will always be with us. It took seeing things from the eyes of a child to know that anything from this world, or from the world beyond, is in fact... possible.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Apparitions
Throughout my ghost investigating years I've covered over sixty haunted locales. One of the first questions people ask me is if I've seen an apparition. For non-ghost investigators I can understand why this particular question comes to mind almost immediately. After all, it's ghostly apparitions which appear in movies, TV and books, so people assume that seeing apparitions is a common occurrence when actually it is really quite rare.
So if you are wondering if I've seen one, the answer is no. At least not yet anyway. It is when I wake up in the middle of the night and walk through the darkness to get myself a glass of water that I worry it will be the first time I happen to see one. In all honesty, I don't know how I would react, and I've been studying ghosts for years. If you've read my books you know that both myself and paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto have captured apparitions on film. For me, my favorite is the photo I took of the ghost of a little girl at Ketcham Inn in Center Moriches. It is so blatantly clear it is amazing, yet I could not see her with the naked eye.
Joe has always told me that it takes a great deal of energy for an apparition to form; that is why capturing orbs is more common. It takes less energy for a spirit to form an orb apparently, than a full-blown apparition. I have interviewed many people who have claimed to see apparitions however, and will even swear to their existence. Interestingly enough, it tends to happen more to skeptics than to believers.
Apparitions have been around since the beginning of time. It can be described as a way in which a ghost manifests itself by appearing as a partial or full figure. Although an apparition can sometimes appear to be solid, it is more commonly transparent. Early apparitions have been those of religious figures including saints, angels and Jesus Christ. Apparitions have also been found in folklore and in literature. Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is a great example of a well-known fictitious story which tells how apparitions appeared to poor Ebenezer Scrooge. Just like in the story, sometimes apparitions appear to us to give us information, to warn us or to even help us along our journey. It's just a matter of being able to interpret it correctly.
In my first Ghost book I wrote about Peter Underwood's "Ten Types of Ghosts". From London England, Peter Underwood is one of the most experienced ghost hunters in the world, and he describes many different types of apparitions. Probably the most common type of ghost or apparition is that of historical ghosts. These are usually the ghosts that haunt old houses and historical locations. The apparition is often seen wearing period clothing, and oftentimes they have suffered in some way or died of trauma. They sometimes cannot pass on to the other side, or they simply refuse to move on because they are attached to the place in which they haunt. That would make them "place-centered" or basically stuck in one location. One of the more famous places to see this type of apparition is in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the old battlefields. More locally, at the Country House Restaurant in Stony Brook, Long Island, the ghost of Annette Williamson has been seen by the restaurant's owner, waiters and customers. Annette died in the house tragically during the American Revolutionary War, and her spirit lives on in the house today.
Another type of apparition is that of the modern ghost. These are ghosts of the recently dead. People are more likely to see the ghost of a recently dead person than any other type of ghost, although most people will not realize it is a ghost until it has disappeared. Very similar is the crisis apparition which are the ghosts of the recently dead that appear for a limited time, usually not more than four days. Often it is the spirit of a loved one coming to say goodbye or to give a final message. Thousands of examples of crisis apparitions were reported during both World Wars.
If you believe that you have seen an apparition I would love for you to share your story. It is perhaps, one of the most unbelievable paranormal occurrences you can experience, and it one you most definitely will never forget.
So if you are wondering if I've seen one, the answer is no. At least not yet anyway. It is when I wake up in the middle of the night and walk through the darkness to get myself a glass of water that I worry it will be the first time I happen to see one. In all honesty, I don't know how I would react, and I've been studying ghosts for years. If you've read my books you know that both myself and paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto have captured apparitions on film. For me, my favorite is the photo I took of the ghost of a little girl at Ketcham Inn in Center Moriches. It is so blatantly clear it is amazing, yet I could not see her with the naked eye.
Joe has always told me that it takes a great deal of energy for an apparition to form; that is why capturing orbs is more common. It takes less energy for a spirit to form an orb apparently, than a full-blown apparition. I have interviewed many people who have claimed to see apparitions however, and will even swear to their existence. Interestingly enough, it tends to happen more to skeptics than to believers.
Apparitions have been around since the beginning of time. It can be described as a way in which a ghost manifests itself by appearing as a partial or full figure. Although an apparition can sometimes appear to be solid, it is more commonly transparent. Early apparitions have been those of religious figures including saints, angels and Jesus Christ. Apparitions have also been found in folklore and in literature. Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is a great example of a well-known fictitious story which tells how apparitions appeared to poor Ebenezer Scrooge. Just like in the story, sometimes apparitions appear to us to give us information, to warn us or to even help us along our journey. It's just a matter of being able to interpret it correctly.
In my first Ghost book I wrote about Peter Underwood's "Ten Types of Ghosts". From London England, Peter Underwood is one of the most experienced ghost hunters in the world, and he describes many different types of apparitions. Probably the most common type of ghost or apparition is that of historical ghosts. These are usually the ghosts that haunt old houses and historical locations. The apparition is often seen wearing period clothing, and oftentimes they have suffered in some way or died of trauma. They sometimes cannot pass on to the other side, or they simply refuse to move on because they are attached to the place in which they haunt. That would make them "place-centered" or basically stuck in one location. One of the more famous places to see this type of apparition is in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the old battlefields. More locally, at the Country House Restaurant in Stony Brook, Long Island, the ghost of Annette Williamson has been seen by the restaurant's owner, waiters and customers. Annette died in the house tragically during the American Revolutionary War, and her spirit lives on in the house today.
Another type of apparition is that of the modern ghost. These are ghosts of the recently dead. People are more likely to see the ghost of a recently dead person than any other type of ghost, although most people will not realize it is a ghost until it has disappeared. Very similar is the crisis apparition which are the ghosts of the recently dead that appear for a limited time, usually not more than four days. Often it is the spirit of a loved one coming to say goodbye or to give a final message. Thousands of examples of crisis apparitions were reported during both World Wars.
If you believe that you have seen an apparition I would love for you to share your story. It is perhaps, one of the most unbelievable paranormal occurrences you can experience, and it one you most definitely will never forget.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Ghosts of Inanimate Objects
Ghosts of inanimate objects are quite unusual and are very often misunderstood, with visions of the infamous "Chucky" doll coming to mind. Believe it or not, ghosts of inanimate objects are recognized as a type of ghostly phenomenon like any other type of haunting.
I have learned a lot about this type of paranormal phenomenon from paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto who spent years studying haunted objects, namely dolls. Dolls are not the only objects that may appear to be haunted however. Haunted objects can range from chairs to clocks to music boxes to basically anything.
One thing that needs to be cleared up is that the object itself is not haunted. In most cases there is a spirit attached to the object who is using the object as a means of communication. In other cases there is residual energy left behind on an object which can make it appear as if it is haunted. For instance, in the case of a doll you may have a little girl who owned a doll she loved with all her heart. She took the doll everywhere, she hugged it, slept with it, cried with it and treated it like a real person. The girl's energy over time can leave "imprints" on the doll. The girl loved the doll for several years and then one day when she was older, she didn't want the doll anymore. Maybe the doll winds up in an antique store or in Good Will. If the doll was exposed to the psychic and emotional imprints of the previous owner, this "energy" could surround the doll and the object could actually pick the energy up. The doll, to the new owner, may then appear as if it can move, change in appearance or shake, when all that it really is, is leftover energy that is dissipating.
In other cases, it may be an actual spirit who is causing the phenomenon to the object as I mentioned earlier. If a spirit has not crossed over, or even if a spirit comes back simply for a visit, they may go back to objects that were once important to them while on the earth plane. That is why another common haunted object is a chair. We all know someone who has their favorite chair; a chair that is always sat in by one person, a chair that was a special gift, a chair that just could not be thrown away. It would make sense then if a relative who is in spirit form who comes to check on us, takes up temporary residence in that familiar old chair, causing it to move or rock. To us though, it would appear to be "haunted". You may also find that when photographed, certain objects may have orbs around them. Again, this could simply be a spirit coming back for a visit.
Of course if you are witness to an object moving on its own, it's cause for alarm for most people no matter how much I try to explain things here. We are just not accustom to viewing such phenomenon. It usually is not something you should be afraid of though, especially if you yourself are familiar with the object and it's something that's always been a part of your home.
In some situations we obtain items that we don't know where it came from or the history behind it, such as when we buy things from antique stores. We don't know if there is energy or imprints attached to these items. Nor do we know if its past owner, possibly now in spirit form, was willing to give the item up. I'm not saying to never buy antiques, I'm just giving you a warning that anything is possible.
I have a story in Ghost I about a house that was very active in unexplained phenomenon and it wasn't a positive experience. Nothing bad had ever happened in the house or on the grounds before it was built and nobody had died in the house. It had been lived in by only one family. All of a sudden over time, all sorts of things began to happen. The house was clearly haunted. The owners were completely baffled as to how this could be. Not knowing what to do, the family called in a group of psychics to check the house out. The psychics came up with nothing. It was then suggested that perhaps they had items in the house that were haunted. The family thought this was ridiculous, but as it turned out the owner's father had been in the US Merchant Marines for over thirty years and had travelled all over the world. During his travels he brought home all sorts of items: daggers, a pistol, a bayonet and a flintlock pistol from India. No one knew the history behind these items, but it was likely that they contained negative energy. The family got rid of the items but unfortunately the incidents in the house did not cease. It is possible that the previous owners of these items did not cross over and stayed with the items and ultimately stayed in the house even after the items were discarded.
This story is of course the extreme, but it is a good example of how objects can be haunted. Just remember, there are things that are sometimes beyond our comprehension, but they exist none-the-less. Ghosts of inanimate objects, although it may be hard to believe, is a type of paranormal phenomenon that is both researched and studied.
If any of my readers have experienced a haunted object, I would love for you to share your story on my blog.
I have learned a lot about this type of paranormal phenomenon from paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto who spent years studying haunted objects, namely dolls. Dolls are not the only objects that may appear to be haunted however. Haunted objects can range from chairs to clocks to music boxes to basically anything.
One thing that needs to be cleared up is that the object itself is not haunted. In most cases there is a spirit attached to the object who is using the object as a means of communication. In other cases there is residual energy left behind on an object which can make it appear as if it is haunted. For instance, in the case of a doll you may have a little girl who owned a doll she loved with all her heart. She took the doll everywhere, she hugged it, slept with it, cried with it and treated it like a real person. The girl's energy over time can leave "imprints" on the doll. The girl loved the doll for several years and then one day when she was older, she didn't want the doll anymore. Maybe the doll winds up in an antique store or in Good Will. If the doll was exposed to the psychic and emotional imprints of the previous owner, this "energy" could surround the doll and the object could actually pick the energy up. The doll, to the new owner, may then appear as if it can move, change in appearance or shake, when all that it really is, is leftover energy that is dissipating.
In other cases, it may be an actual spirit who is causing the phenomenon to the object as I mentioned earlier. If a spirit has not crossed over, or even if a spirit comes back simply for a visit, they may go back to objects that were once important to them while on the earth plane. That is why another common haunted object is a chair. We all know someone who has their favorite chair; a chair that is always sat in by one person, a chair that was a special gift, a chair that just could not be thrown away. It would make sense then if a relative who is in spirit form who comes to check on us, takes up temporary residence in that familiar old chair, causing it to move or rock. To us though, it would appear to be "haunted". You may also find that when photographed, certain objects may have orbs around them. Again, this could simply be a spirit coming back for a visit.
Of course if you are witness to an object moving on its own, it's cause for alarm for most people no matter how much I try to explain things here. We are just not accustom to viewing such phenomenon. It usually is not something you should be afraid of though, especially if you yourself are familiar with the object and it's something that's always been a part of your home.
In some situations we obtain items that we don't know where it came from or the history behind it, such as when we buy things from antique stores. We don't know if there is energy or imprints attached to these items. Nor do we know if its past owner, possibly now in spirit form, was willing to give the item up. I'm not saying to never buy antiques, I'm just giving you a warning that anything is possible.
I have a story in Ghost I about a house that was very active in unexplained phenomenon and it wasn't a positive experience. Nothing bad had ever happened in the house or on the grounds before it was built and nobody had died in the house. It had been lived in by only one family. All of a sudden over time, all sorts of things began to happen. The house was clearly haunted. The owners were completely baffled as to how this could be. Not knowing what to do, the family called in a group of psychics to check the house out. The psychics came up with nothing. It was then suggested that perhaps they had items in the house that were haunted. The family thought this was ridiculous, but as it turned out the owner's father had been in the US Merchant Marines for over thirty years and had travelled all over the world. During his travels he brought home all sorts of items: daggers, a pistol, a bayonet and a flintlock pistol from India. No one knew the history behind these items, but it was likely that they contained negative energy. The family got rid of the items but unfortunately the incidents in the house did not cease. It is possible that the previous owners of these items did not cross over and stayed with the items and ultimately stayed in the house even after the items were discarded.
This story is of course the extreme, but it is a good example of how objects can be haunted. Just remember, there are things that are sometimes beyond our comprehension, but they exist none-the-less. Ghosts of inanimate objects, although it may be hard to believe, is a type of paranormal phenomenon that is both researched and studied.
If any of my readers have experienced a haunted object, I would love for you to share your story on my blog.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Shadow People
Shadow people are probably the most mysterious of all ghostly phenomenon, and they are also perhaps the most misunderstood. I decided to write about this topic because I am amazed at the amount of people who have experienced them, and have asked me about them. In most cases they have no idea who or what they are seeing.
Many people have not heard of the term "Shadow People" but it has been a part of paranormal lingo for quite some time. There have been reports of people seeing shadow people as far back as the 1800's and within all types of religions. They can also be known as "Shadow Beings", "Shadow Figures" or "Shadow Men" but "Shadow People" is the most common term for the paranormal phenomena I am about to reveal.
When someone reports seeing a shadow person they describe a dark, shadowy, humanoid-type form which they see in their peripheral vision or out of the corner of the eye. It is often fast and fleeting and cannot be looked at straight on. Shadow people lack mass and features and appear to move into walls or furniture. Unlike a ghostly apparition where clothing or facial features can often be seen, shadow people are dark, distorted and two-dimensional and have no features at all. There have been some reported cases where shadow people have tiny red or yellow eyes, but this is uncommon.
I had never heard of shadow people until I met paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto who described the phenomenon to me. Since then I have spoken to or interviewed many people who have experienced them, and I have written about some of these accounts in both of my Ghost books. The people who have seen them tend to be skeptical because they can't put a finger on what exactly it was they saw. They usually begin by saying "I've seen a dark figure, like a shadow, out of the corner of my eye. It moved quickly and along the wall. When I turned to take a look at it, it disappeared". Right away I tell them they have seen a shadow person.
In a story I did on DEK's American Restaurant in Rocky Point, NY, one of the owners claimed to constantly see shadow people when he was working behind the bar. He would turn quickly in the hopes of getting a better look at it, but every time he did, it was gone. Shadow people can also appear in mirrors, but will quickly flee if looked at.
Scientists and skeptics alike have come up with all sorts of possible explanations, and some claim they are not ghostly at all. Some say it is a type of extraterrestrial being. Others claim they are "inter-dimensional" beings whose "dimension of origin" overlaps with ours on occasion. Of course there are those who simply believe it is a figment of the imagination, a hallucination or drug induced phenomenon, while some religious groups believe they may be demonic.
The people I have spoken to who have experienced shadow people have been regular, functioning people in the community, so I do not believe for a minute that they were hallucinating. Besides, they all have described exactly the same thing to me yet they knew nothing of the term and even doubted themselves. I always say the skeptic is the best witness.
Who are these shadow people then? Are they disembodied souls who are lost or did not move on so they hide in "the shadows" as not to be seen? Whatever the case may be, it is extremely rare that shadow people are harmful or dangerous. The best thing to do if you find yourself in an area where they continue to appear, is to talk to them and tell them it's okay to move on. It's up to them whether they do of course, but it's worth the try.
If any of my readers have experienced this type of phenomenon I would love for you to comment on my blog, with the hope that all of us will get a better understanding of these dark, mysterious, ghostly beings known as shadow people.
Many people have not heard of the term "Shadow People" but it has been a part of paranormal lingo for quite some time. There have been reports of people seeing shadow people as far back as the 1800's and within all types of religions. They can also be known as "Shadow Beings", "Shadow Figures" or "Shadow Men" but "Shadow People" is the most common term for the paranormal phenomena I am about to reveal.
When someone reports seeing a shadow person they describe a dark, shadowy, humanoid-type form which they see in their peripheral vision or out of the corner of the eye. It is often fast and fleeting and cannot be looked at straight on. Shadow people lack mass and features and appear to move into walls or furniture. Unlike a ghostly apparition where clothing or facial features can often be seen, shadow people are dark, distorted and two-dimensional and have no features at all. There have been some reported cases where shadow people have tiny red or yellow eyes, but this is uncommon.
I had never heard of shadow people until I met paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto who described the phenomenon to me. Since then I have spoken to or interviewed many people who have experienced them, and I have written about some of these accounts in both of my Ghost books. The people who have seen them tend to be skeptical because they can't put a finger on what exactly it was they saw. They usually begin by saying "I've seen a dark figure, like a shadow, out of the corner of my eye. It moved quickly and along the wall. When I turned to take a look at it, it disappeared". Right away I tell them they have seen a shadow person.
In a story I did on DEK's American Restaurant in Rocky Point, NY, one of the owners claimed to constantly see shadow people when he was working behind the bar. He would turn quickly in the hopes of getting a better look at it, but every time he did, it was gone. Shadow people can also appear in mirrors, but will quickly flee if looked at.
Scientists and skeptics alike have come up with all sorts of possible explanations, and some claim they are not ghostly at all. Some say it is a type of extraterrestrial being. Others claim they are "inter-dimensional" beings whose "dimension of origin" overlaps with ours on occasion. Of course there are those who simply believe it is a figment of the imagination, a hallucination or drug induced phenomenon, while some religious groups believe they may be demonic.
The people I have spoken to who have experienced shadow people have been regular, functioning people in the community, so I do not believe for a minute that they were hallucinating. Besides, they all have described exactly the same thing to me yet they knew nothing of the term and even doubted themselves. I always say the skeptic is the best witness.
Who are these shadow people then? Are they disembodied souls who are lost or did not move on so they hide in "the shadows" as not to be seen? Whatever the case may be, it is extremely rare that shadow people are harmful or dangerous. The best thing to do if you find yourself in an area where they continue to appear, is to talk to them and tell them it's okay to move on. It's up to them whether they do of course, but it's worth the try.
If any of my readers have experienced this type of phenomenon I would love for you to comment on my blog, with the hope that all of us will get a better understanding of these dark, mysterious, ghostly beings known as shadow people.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Clairvoyance, Clairaudience and Clairsentience
Last month I wrote about mediumship. This month I would like to go over some of the senses a medium or psychic may have. These may include clairvoyance, clairaudience and clairsentience.
I had a wonderful opportunity recently to attend a workshop given by Scottish Medium Bill Coller, who gave a presentation entitled "Learn to Improve Your Connection with the World of Spirit". If you are a medium already, or if you are someone just trying to form better communication with the spirit world, Bill Coller's lecture is one I would definitely recommend. Having over thirty years experience as a medium, Mr. Coller travels all over the world and works with translators in order to help others get messages from the other side. During the presentation I attended, he gave the audience an exercise to do with a partner for fifteen minutes. We were told to give the person we were sitting next to a "reading". There were only a handful of non-mediums in the room, myself included, so I knew this would be a challenge for us. The woman next to me claimed she had no psychic abilities of any kind. We sat there staring at one another wondering where to begin. We tried to concentrate and as we did, we were both getting a "sense" of a spirit coming through on the other side, but we doubted ourselves, wondering instead if we were taking lucky guesses.
Mr. Coller had asked everyone in the room to bring through one family member and find out five details or points. The details included, male or female, relationship to the person you were reading, from what side of the family was this person, what type of personality did the person have, what kind of relationship did the person being read have with this person in spirit, and/or a possible description of the person in spirit to name a few. I had picked up on my partner's grandmother and she had picked up on my father. But how could we be sure? We called Bill over to help us. He said to go with it and to listen to our intuition and senses. We remained still, open and aware. Through Bill's guidance, he helped me to "listen". Within five minutes I knew I had made contact with my partner's grandmother on her father's side, that the woman had a very strong personality, but was softer with her granddaughter, and that they were very close when my partner was young. I also told my partner that her grandmother stays with her and helps her from the other side. I don't know who was more amazed, me or my partner. She has had readings from professional mediums before and it is always her grandmother on her father's side who comes through, she revealed. Everything I told her made sense to her, and everything was confirmed through Bill. When it came time for my partner to read me, my father came through. She described him physically, which was correct; she told me he died fairly young of an illness, she described our relationship and also picked up that we lived very near one another. Everything she told me was accurate as well. She was shocked that she was able to do this.
It convinced me that although many people are born with the gift of mediumship, we all have the "ability" to be a medium, and at the very least, we can all develop some sort of communication with spirits on the other side. In having studied the paranormal for years, I have seen first hand that it is truly possible to communicate with spirits even if you are not "gifted" so to speak.
There are three terms which relate to the ways people can communicate with spirits on the other side. The term most people are familiar with is clairvoyance. Clairvoyance is a type of extrasensory perception or ESP. It is also considered to be part precognition and part telepathy. The word itself comes from the French and means "clear seeing". A person who has the ability to see a person, event or image from the past, present or future is a person who has clairvoyance. Physically the eyes cannot "see" what is before them. Instead, what is visioned comes from the "inner" eye. It is a form of receiving information through visual images or symbols. The clairvoyant learns to interpret these symbols or images which may be given to them by people or animals in spirit form. There are many types of clairvoyance and this form of communication has been studied throughout history. I am only touching on it here. A whole blog can probably be written on clairvoyance alone.
The next term is clairaudience, which is what paranormal investigator and friend Joe Giaquinto experiences. Clairaudience is the ability to receive voices, sound and music psychically. It is not audible through normal hearing. The word in French means "clear hearing". Sometimes the "inner voice" we think we hear may not be us at all. It is possible the voice is that of a spirit telling us what to do or giving us advice. In Joe's case, since he is advanced in this form of communication, he can sometimes carry on a conversation with a spirit clairaudiently. For the average person we may hear something through clairaudience and not even know it. It may be the voices of deceased loved ones or possibly angels or spirit guides.
In clairsentience, a person receives information from the spirits through touch, taste, smell, a gut feeling or through intuition. It is difficult to describe, because in a sense, you just "know" that a spirit is around or is giving you information. I am most familiar with this form because I have experienced it myself during the writing of Ghosts of Long Island II, More Stories of the Paranormal. I just "knew" and "felt" things and information coming from the spirits, but I could not explain how it was possible. The word clairsentience in French means "clear feeling" or "sensing". While writing, researching and investigating I was more open and aware of what was around me which enabled me for the first time to experience this unique phenomenon.
Pay attention to things such as intuition, sense, sight, sound, fleeting images and feelings. You may begin to notice a pattern as to what you may be sensitive to. As I mentioned, we all have the ability to communicate with the spirits. It is up to us to be willing to open our hearts and mind to a whole new realm...the realm of spirit communication.
I had a wonderful opportunity recently to attend a workshop given by Scottish Medium Bill Coller, who gave a presentation entitled "Learn to Improve Your Connection with the World of Spirit". If you are a medium already, or if you are someone just trying to form better communication with the spirit world, Bill Coller's lecture is one I would definitely recommend. Having over thirty years experience as a medium, Mr. Coller travels all over the world and works with translators in order to help others get messages from the other side. During the presentation I attended, he gave the audience an exercise to do with a partner for fifteen minutes. We were told to give the person we were sitting next to a "reading". There were only a handful of non-mediums in the room, myself included, so I knew this would be a challenge for us. The woman next to me claimed she had no psychic abilities of any kind. We sat there staring at one another wondering where to begin. We tried to concentrate and as we did, we were both getting a "sense" of a spirit coming through on the other side, but we doubted ourselves, wondering instead if we were taking lucky guesses.
Mr. Coller had asked everyone in the room to bring through one family member and find out five details or points. The details included, male or female, relationship to the person you were reading, from what side of the family was this person, what type of personality did the person have, what kind of relationship did the person being read have with this person in spirit, and/or a possible description of the person in spirit to name a few. I had picked up on my partner's grandmother and she had picked up on my father. But how could we be sure? We called Bill over to help us. He said to go with it and to listen to our intuition and senses. We remained still, open and aware. Through Bill's guidance, he helped me to "listen". Within five minutes I knew I had made contact with my partner's grandmother on her father's side, that the woman had a very strong personality, but was softer with her granddaughter, and that they were very close when my partner was young. I also told my partner that her grandmother stays with her and helps her from the other side. I don't know who was more amazed, me or my partner. She has had readings from professional mediums before and it is always her grandmother on her father's side who comes through, she revealed. Everything I told her made sense to her, and everything was confirmed through Bill. When it came time for my partner to read me, my father came through. She described him physically, which was correct; she told me he died fairly young of an illness, she described our relationship and also picked up that we lived very near one another. Everything she told me was accurate as well. She was shocked that she was able to do this.
It convinced me that although many people are born with the gift of mediumship, we all have the "ability" to be a medium, and at the very least, we can all develop some sort of communication with spirits on the other side. In having studied the paranormal for years, I have seen first hand that it is truly possible to communicate with spirits even if you are not "gifted" so to speak.
There are three terms which relate to the ways people can communicate with spirits on the other side. The term most people are familiar with is clairvoyance. Clairvoyance is a type of extrasensory perception or ESP. It is also considered to be part precognition and part telepathy. The word itself comes from the French and means "clear seeing". A person who has the ability to see a person, event or image from the past, present or future is a person who has clairvoyance. Physically the eyes cannot "see" what is before them. Instead, what is visioned comes from the "inner" eye. It is a form of receiving information through visual images or symbols. The clairvoyant learns to interpret these symbols or images which may be given to them by people or animals in spirit form. There are many types of clairvoyance and this form of communication has been studied throughout history. I am only touching on it here. A whole blog can probably be written on clairvoyance alone.
The next term is clairaudience, which is what paranormal investigator and friend Joe Giaquinto experiences. Clairaudience is the ability to receive voices, sound and music psychically. It is not audible through normal hearing. The word in French means "clear hearing". Sometimes the "inner voice" we think we hear may not be us at all. It is possible the voice is that of a spirit telling us what to do or giving us advice. In Joe's case, since he is advanced in this form of communication, he can sometimes carry on a conversation with a spirit clairaudiently. For the average person we may hear something through clairaudience and not even know it. It may be the voices of deceased loved ones or possibly angels or spirit guides.
In clairsentience, a person receives information from the spirits through touch, taste, smell, a gut feeling or through intuition. It is difficult to describe, because in a sense, you just "know" that a spirit is around or is giving you information. I am most familiar with this form because I have experienced it myself during the writing of Ghosts of Long Island II, More Stories of the Paranormal. I just "knew" and "felt" things and information coming from the spirits, but I could not explain how it was possible. The word clairsentience in French means "clear feeling" or "sensing". While writing, researching and investigating I was more open and aware of what was around me which enabled me for the first time to experience this unique phenomenon.
Pay attention to things such as intuition, sense, sight, sound, fleeting images and feelings. You may begin to notice a pattern as to what you may be sensitive to. As I mentioned, we all have the ability to communicate with the spirits. It is up to us to be willing to open our hearts and mind to a whole new realm...the realm of spirit communication.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Mediums and Psychics
I receive a lot of questions at lectures about mediums and psychics: what are the differences, and who is legitimate and trustworthy? In response to these questions, in my book Ghosts of Long Island II, More Stories of the Paranormal, I included a chapter on well-known, Long Island medium and personal friend, Richard Schoeller. In a no-holds-barred interview, Richard explained how he became a medium, the difficulties he encountered, and how he uses his mediumship today to help communicate messages from the other side, or to help others through their grief. It truly is an amazing story and one in which I hope you will read.
People are often confused as to what the difference is between a medium and a psychic. I have had readings from both, and they are two totally different experiences. The medium's sole purpose is to act as a channel of communication between those living on the earth plane and those in spirit form. In other words, they communicate with the dead and provide valuable messages for us. Oftentimes, mediumship begins at an early age. Parents often disregard it. I have to point out however, that many children do see spirits. Children have just come from that world and they are more open and accepting of the spirits than adults usually are. So don't disregard a child's "imaginary friend" or tell your son or daughter to go back to bed when they claim to see someone in their room. This is not to say that children who experience these things will be mediums later in life. Most children outgrow these experiences. It is the ones that continue to see spirits as they age, who probably have the gift.
For adults who become mediums, it is often quite alarming. Although Richard did experience spirits in his room as a child, it wasn't until he was an adult that he actually became a medium. His mediumship was brought on one night and he actually thought he was dying. He saw both sets of his grandparents in his room, all of whom were dead. So for the person who has been given the gift of mediumship, it requires careful training to be able to control it. It is imperative for the medium to be able to function normally in society. The medium who has learned to control this gift, can then share it with others. They offer a valuable service to those who are grieving or those who simply want to communicate with their loved ones on the other side. The medium provides people with messages that are beneficial to them. Many people, especially skeptics and those who don't believe in an after life, are blown away from the experience. Mediumship is a way of proving that life definitely does exist after this one, and that the after life, Heaven or whatever you may choose to call it, is a wonderful and positive place. It also gives us the comfort of knowing that our loved ones who have passed over are still with us and are helping us on our own life's journey. They are there for us. All we have to do is ask for their help and guidance.
A psychic is something different, although there are quite a number of mediums who are also psychic mainly because they are already "sensitive" to things. A psychic who is not a medium, however, does not communicate with the dead. In general, a psychic is someone who obtains information through ESP (extrasensory perception). Psychics usually tell us things about our own lives and can often tell us of future events or happenings. Interestingly enough, everyone has the ability to be psychic, but most of us choose not to tap into it. Some people are born with psychic ability, some people tap into it later in life, while still in other cases it can be brought on when something triggers it. Like mediumship, psychic ability is considered a gift and should be used wisely.
Since human nature tells us to be frightened of the unknown, many people are skeptical when it comes to mediums and psychics. It goes back to my old saying, just because you can't prove something, it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. On the other side of the coin, you should definitely be cautious when choosing to have a reading from a psychic or medium. It's like anything else in life. Check the person out. Make sure they are reputable and/or come recommended. When you are in need of a doctor, lawyer, accountant or any other professional person, are you going to open up the yellow pages and just pick one? Most times you are not. You will ask your friends and family who they recommend and what their experience was. The same thing holds true when looking for a reputable medium or psychic. Do not open your phone book and call 1-800-psychic, ask around or do a thorough internet search until you find someone you are comfortable with. When you do, you will have a wonderful and rewarding experience.
During any reading, be open to the spirits and they will come. You will be amazed at the information you will receive. It truly is a remarkable gift.
People are often confused as to what the difference is between a medium and a psychic. I have had readings from both, and they are two totally different experiences. The medium's sole purpose is to act as a channel of communication between those living on the earth plane and those in spirit form. In other words, they communicate with the dead and provide valuable messages for us. Oftentimes, mediumship begins at an early age. Parents often disregard it. I have to point out however, that many children do see spirits. Children have just come from that world and they are more open and accepting of the spirits than adults usually are. So don't disregard a child's "imaginary friend" or tell your son or daughter to go back to bed when they claim to see someone in their room. This is not to say that children who experience these things will be mediums later in life. Most children outgrow these experiences. It is the ones that continue to see spirits as they age, who probably have the gift.
For adults who become mediums, it is often quite alarming. Although Richard did experience spirits in his room as a child, it wasn't until he was an adult that he actually became a medium. His mediumship was brought on one night and he actually thought he was dying. He saw both sets of his grandparents in his room, all of whom were dead. So for the person who has been given the gift of mediumship, it requires careful training to be able to control it. It is imperative for the medium to be able to function normally in society. The medium who has learned to control this gift, can then share it with others. They offer a valuable service to those who are grieving or those who simply want to communicate with their loved ones on the other side. The medium provides people with messages that are beneficial to them. Many people, especially skeptics and those who don't believe in an after life, are blown away from the experience. Mediumship is a way of proving that life definitely does exist after this one, and that the after life, Heaven or whatever you may choose to call it, is a wonderful and positive place. It also gives us the comfort of knowing that our loved ones who have passed over are still with us and are helping us on our own life's journey. They are there for us. All we have to do is ask for their help and guidance.
A psychic is something different, although there are quite a number of mediums who are also psychic mainly because they are already "sensitive" to things. A psychic who is not a medium, however, does not communicate with the dead. In general, a psychic is someone who obtains information through ESP (extrasensory perception). Psychics usually tell us things about our own lives and can often tell us of future events or happenings. Interestingly enough, everyone has the ability to be psychic, but most of us choose not to tap into it. Some people are born with psychic ability, some people tap into it later in life, while still in other cases it can be brought on when something triggers it. Like mediumship, psychic ability is considered a gift and should be used wisely.
Since human nature tells us to be frightened of the unknown, many people are skeptical when it comes to mediums and psychics. It goes back to my old saying, just because you can't prove something, it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. On the other side of the coin, you should definitely be cautious when choosing to have a reading from a psychic or medium. It's like anything else in life. Check the person out. Make sure they are reputable and/or come recommended. When you are in need of a doctor, lawyer, accountant or any other professional person, are you going to open up the yellow pages and just pick one? Most times you are not. You will ask your friends and family who they recommend and what their experience was. The same thing holds true when looking for a reputable medium or psychic. Do not open your phone book and call 1-800-psychic, ask around or do a thorough internet search until you find someone you are comfortable with. When you do, you will have a wonderful and rewarding experience.
During any reading, be open to the spirits and they will come. You will be amazed at the information you will receive. It truly is a remarkable gift.
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