When Ghosts Speak - Mary Ann Winkowski [95]
Sudden or Unexplained Fears
When children suddenly begin avoiding a particular room or area of the house, or are inexplicably unable to spend the night in their own beds, it’s usually a good indicator that something—or more likely, someone—is disturbing their sense of security in their own home.
Pets
If your pet begins exhibiting strange behaviors, it could be an earthbound spirit is bothering it in some way. I have seen mean ghosts kick or pinch animals. They will pull a dog’s or cat’s tail or try to catch it with a closing door. They will close pets in a closet, or lure them into a forbidden room. If you pay close attention to your pet, you may notice it reacting to empty space as if there were someone there. A dog may bark while staring straight at a bare spot on the wall. A cat may arch its back and hiss in the middle of the room. By carefully observing where your animal is focusing its attention, and how its behavior changes if you remove it from a particular area, you may be able to determine if your pet is reacting to the presence of an earthbound spirit.
Documenting Earthbound Spirits on Film
Many people claim they can capture images of spirits on film. I have received literally thousands of pictures, and I’ll tell you that I view most of them with some degree of skepticism. Photographic equipment has become so sophisticated that it’s now quite simple for anyone to manipulate a picture.
Once in a while, when I visited homes to clear earthbound spirits, I used to bring my own camera with me. But eventually I realized how uncomfortable that might make clients feel. There I was, a virtual stranger, sitting in their dining room, snapping pictures of the empty wall near the grandfather clock. And so I stopped bringing a camera along.
When people tell me they want to take a picture of the ghost in their house, I advise them to use a simple disposable camera with the highest-speed film they can find (black and white is best) and no flash. Since the film is never out of the camera until it is developed—and since I don’t expect that the clerk at the local superstore where you develop your photos will have any idea why you have taken a whole roll of film of your living room drapes—there’s is very little chance the exposures will be tampered with. Point the camera in the direction where you sense the ghost is standing and hope for the best.
I have had some success in capturing ghostly entities on film, but the most exciting example for me was when one of the earthbound spirits on the set of Ghost Whisperer showed up on film. Jennifer Love Hewitt had just finished an intense scene when someone on the crew noticed a movement in the shadows behind her. The director stopped the shoot and the cast crowded around the monitor to watch the scene as it was replayed. They were shocked when the figure of a person loomed behind Love in one of the frames. The editor working on the scene was stunned and repeatedly asked cast and crew if they were seeing what he was seeing. Everyone agreed that for a fleeting moment, someone—or something—that hadn’t previously been there appeared on the film. Love was so astounded that she kept the film. She now shows it to anyone who wonders if there are any real spirits on the set of the show.
12
HOW TO DEAL WITH GHOSTS
Protecting Yourself from the Influence of Earthbound Spirits
IF YOU feel that you are in the presence of earthbound spirits, there are things you can do to diminish their impact and protect yourself, your family, and your home or business from their potentially harmful energy. None of the rituals or practices I recommend in this chapter will cause any harm or invite any negative energy. While you may not be able to completely clear your environment of ghosts or their energy, any or all of these steps may offer some relief.
I will admit right now that I don’t know exactly why certain things work to diminish the energy of earthbound spirits. For instance, I cannot tell