When Ghosts Speak - Mary Ann Winkowski [20]
They finally called me, and I went out to talk to the ghost. She told me that for nearly fifty years, she’d just been very quietly sitting in the house. She was a tiny little thing—probably didn’t weigh more than eighty pounds soaking wet. She’d gotten enough energy over the years from the occasional visitors to the house to survive. But when the work began, and she had enough energy to complain, boy did she make her presence known!
Ghosts Do Not Have Superpowers
The simple fact is that ghosts are just regular folks—who happen to be dead. I have noticed certain times when earthbound spirits seem to have more energy and be capable of moving physical objects, say, or creating the sensations of a physical presence to get your attention. When the moon is full or in the phase approaching full, most earthbound spirits seem to have access to energy that allows them to be more visibly active. Ghosts also need to be able to draw an amount of energy that corresponds to their size and personality when they were alive. For example, the little old lady ghost in the farmhouse certainly would not have the same energy needs as the earthbound spirit of a six-foot-four 185-pound stockbroker who ran marathons for fun!
I guess the only thing that earthbound spirits can do that might be considered supernatural is travel from place to place without transportation. Earthbound spirits have described their mode of travel to me as “I just think about going [from point A to point B] and then I’m there.” Still, I have encountered plenty of earthbound spirits who prefer to travel by train, bus, or plane. These ghosts are not hitching a ride, however. They are usually attached to one of the living travelers. As a bonus, from the spirit’s point of view, public transportation provides a great source of energy. Think of all the nervous fliers, harried travelers, and beleaguered families found on any single airline flight.
Ghosts Do Not Announce Their Presence with Cold Spots
One of the most common misconceptions about ghosts is that they cause a cold spot whenever they come into a room. People love to talk about these cold spots. I’ve always thought it sprang from the old wives’ tale that thinking about a ghost will make you feel cold. Folks have often told me, “Well, it’s cold in this corner all the time, so I know that’s where the ghost stands.” The truth is that, while earthbound spirits can create slight temperature changes, they’re subtle—much like a slightly warm or cool breeze that flows past you briefly. If you have animals in your house, you may notice that they seem to be attuned to temperature changes you can’t detect. Dogs may shiver suddenly on a warm day or begin panting when the house is cool.
Ghosts Can’t Walk Through You—and You Cannot Walk Through Them
Animals are also better than humans at being able to detect the presence of an earthbound spirit in a room. One lady called me because her dog had developed a very strange pattern of behavior. The ground floor of their house was connected through doorways, making sort of a circular track. A couple of times a day, the energetic young dog would race in circles through the house, just doing laps until his energy was spent and he’d collapse on the floor. The family was used to this behavior and even thought their pet was pretty smart to have found a way to burn off his excess energy.
Suddenly though, the dog’s behavior totally changed. He’d jump up and begin to race through the house, as always, but when he passed through the living room he’d do whatever he could to avoid a certain spot in the center: dodge or twist or come skidding to a halt. The woman told me that it looked as if the dog was trying to avoid knocking down a person standing in front of him.
Sure enough, when I arrived at the house, I came upon the ghost of an old man who liked to stand in the center of the living room, in front of the bay windows, and gaze across the property. He was a stubborn old guy, and he was not going to let some overenthusiastic puppy move him from his