Monday, October 8, 2012

Ghosts-What Me Worry?


I believe in ghosts. I think they’re just people who no longer have bodies. Some get stuck and don’t move on for a myriad of reasons. 

Some find ways to make themselves known (check out the ghost hunting shows: Ghost Hunters


I also believe some of the manifestations are residual, just a moment in time repeating itself like a broken record. Places hold energy as well, and sometimes spirits are attached to a place and can’t move on, usually when there was trauma or pain and distress of some kind.
 
Objects can hold energy and cause problems for those the objects are around (Haunted Collector), and if they disturb the living it can usually be stopped by removing the object. 

I mention all this because I have a ghost story to share this week. It happened when my daughter was very young, about eight years old. We have an older house (1920s era) and whether the haunting was associated with the house or the area or some object, I don’t know. (The house was owned by a coffin maker early on.)

Our house is known as an airplane bungalow, the kind with one room on top that is accessed by stairs at the back, through the bedroom (awkward). 

My daughter had that bottom room as her bedroom at one time and she used to complain of hearing noises and footsteps on the stairs leading to that top room. 

As in any scary movie, I dismissed it as due to the age of the house, with its many creaks and knocks that normally occur with the expansions and contractions that occur in an old wooden house.

One day she was especially upset about the noises, saying someone kept walking up and down the stairs.

Then she said it was a little girl. Uh, oh.

I casually asked her how she knew it was a little girl and she said she could see her. Uh, oh.

She wasn’t in the habit of making up this kind of thing and so I had to consider that maybe it was a ghost. It was really bothering her, and I decided to exorcise the ghost. 
(No, not with crosses and holy water. More like Ghost Whisperer and Psychic Kids) by talking to her and finding out what was keeping her here.

So, we went upstairs, burned a candle and pulled in white light around us. I asked my daughter to call to the little girl to come and talk to us. My daughter did this in her mind. The little girl came (I never saw her, but my daughter said she could see her and if nothing else, I figured this would clear it for my daughter to play-act this out so she wouldn’t be scared any more).

It seems the little girl was upset and told my daughter that she was waiting for her mother and could not find her. I had my daughter tell her that her mother was no longer here and that it was time for her to move on, that someone was waiting to take her to her mother and that she only needed to look around and find that person(s) and go with them. I suggested there was a white light to look for, and when she could see it, she would find someone to take her on to her mother.

The little girl soon said she saw the light and with a little coaxing left. The creaking stairs no longer creaked and the vision of the little girl no longer appeared to my daughter.

So, this week pay attention to those creeks and knocks you usually dismiss as house noises and watch to see if your dog or cat seems to be watching something you can’t see.

I hope to have another ghost story for you next week and all this month of Halloween.



Have you ever seen a ghost or felt a presence?

Ever picked up an object at a garage sale that just felt too weird when you got it home and then you had to get rid of it?

Do you have a ghost story?

22 comments:

Tami Clayton said...

I think I should have read this during the day... :)

Very cool story! I love how you and your daughter were Ghost Whisperers and helped the little girl move on.

Liv Rancourt said...

What a creepy-cool story! I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have had the presence of mind to fix things the way you did. The closest thing I've got to a ghost story is the fact that my bedroom closet door seems to open itself. Or maybe it's my husband who leaves it open...
;)

Rabia said...

Spooky. You handled this so calmly, though. I think I would've freaked.

I grew up in Pakistan, surrounded by stories of djinns, guardian spirits, and scary witches (sorry, don't have an equivalent word in English so I'm using a generic one). I've been spooked before, but never in such a way that I could say, "Something supernatural happened here". I'm a natural skeptic, but I do agree with Hamlet's "there are more things in heaven and earth..." speech.

Cora said...

Thanks, Tami. I hope that's what we did:)

Cora said...

. . .or maybe. . .someone is trying to get your attention!

John Brantingham said...

My wife used to work at USC's Doheny Library which is supposedly haunted by the young man for which is was built and named and who died tragically there. He's in the basement only accessible to the workers, and one day he put his hand onto her shoulder. YIKES! Supposed to be a nice guy, but YIKES!

Cora said...

I can't say I have ever seen a ghost (I hyper-ventilate at the thought) but I do feel energy. When I go into a place where the energy is off, I feel uncomfortable. When the energy is more than a little 'off' I get away immediately. On occasion, I have come across a stranger that has a very 'bad vibe' I avoid eye-contact and get away asap. I'm not sure that is paranormal, I think we all have that ability if we develop it. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Rabia.

Cora said...

I understand the YIKES. Unseen ghosts are alright in theory--just don't want to feel that hand on my shoulder, okay? Thanks for stopping by, John.

Lesley Diehl said...

Fascinating story. We have a creekside cottage built in 1874. I'm pretty certain there's a ghost in it who has a sense of humor as he always plays tricks on us. I really don't think he's in any pain or misery. I think he likes being in the house and, aside from his pranks, he's not a bother to us.

shannon said...

Children are so open to these things, it makes me sad that as adults we become so closed-minded. The way you handled it was wonderful. My dog is always staring at the ceiling, she'll even get up and follow "something" into a different room, while staring intensely at the ceiling. She doesn't seem bothered, just curious and I've never felt anything negative from whatever it is, so I pretty much just say hello and let it be on its way.

Marja said...

We have a dog who seems to "hear voices." Does that count? She can be doing anything and she'll suddenly stop and look up, and you can see she's listening. We live in a newer house and I don't think it's the house creaking. Besides, we've seen her do this when she's out for her walk. And then it's just over and she moves on.

jrlindermuth said...

It was nice of you to help the little girl 'move on." I won't say I believe in ghosts, but I've seen/heard too many strange things over the years not to keep an open mind on the subject.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like your daughter may be a psychopomp, one who helps spirits 'cross over' if they are stuck here on the earth plane. You too; you knew just the right words to have your daughter say to the little girl. I know there are ghosts, and far more than we can see here in the real world, because I'm a psychopomp as well. A really great story! Loved this! I look forward to reading more of your posts.

Cora said...

How fun. Sometimes they just don't want to leave. It happens.

Cora said...

Some animals are amazing. I wonder what it is about them that allows them to see beyond that veil. I think you are very sensible to say hello and let it go its way. Antagonizing doesn't go over well with some spirits (watch Ghost Adventures--above, to see what I mean).

Cora said...

From watching all the ghost shows (above) I would imagine that spirits can come and go through your house or have more attachment to the land than the house--or come over from the neighbors.

Animals definitely pick up more.

Cora said...

An open mind is a good thing.

Cora said...

I never heard that term before. I only know we had that one moment when something happened to relieve a problem. It was strange and awesome and nothing like it has ever happened to either of us again.

Michele Powers said...

You're freaking me out Cora! I'm going to show this to my husband and son when I get home. They'll love your story. They're addicted to all those Ghost hunting shows. They tape and watch everything. I can't watch any of it. I'm a scardy cat.
-Michele Powers

Cora said...

Ha, that's funny. I drive my husband a little crazy when I start watching those shows--he heads to his man room in the garage. I think I love it best when I watch Ghost Hunters and they ask, "If anybody is here, knock." Then there is a knock and they always say, "What the #ell was that?"

Michele Powers said...

My son Casey said to tell you his favorite shows lately are Ghost Adventures and Paranormal Witness.

Cora said...

I watch them both. Love the craziness of the Ghost Adventurers. They are so over the top with their antics.