Communication with ghosts

Letter from a reader:

I'm pretty sure there's a ghost hanging around. This is fine with me, as he's never done anything harmful and actually seems rather friendly. I haven't actually seen or heard him, but occasionally will get a pleasant tingle on my shoulders or have doors open all by themselves...things like that. My question is: Is there any way for me to get better at communicating with him? Or actually seeing him?

AV

I'm actually in the process of writing a follow-up to Living With Your Psychic Gifts that will get into more depth in the details of enhancing psychic ability. That book will feature an entire chapter on spirit communication. In the meantime, there are good books that can help you with your goal - I particularly like The Unquiet Dead by Edith Fiore, and Divine Guidance : How to Have a Dialogue with God and Your Guardian Angels by Doreen Virtue. While Virtue's book is not about spirit or psychic communication exactly, it does have a lot of helpful advice about opening to psychic communication in a safe and positive way (I recommend just about any book of hers you can get your hands on, in fact).

Since this is a very deep topic, forgive me if I only scratch the surface here. I can't help you actually "see" him - people tend to either have that particular ability or they don't. I don't "see" spirits myself - I get a "feeling" for them. I sense emotions, and sometimes I can describe them, but the visions I have are more like memories than actual pictures in my head.

As for communicating with spirits, yes, there are ways to do this better. First - what not to do. Don't use an Ouija board. The Ouija is a powerful tool, but it encourages you to open up to any and all spirits who may come in, and a lot of what does come through is full of mischief. It may well be that the mindset of those using it attracts lower energies, but I have heard nothing but negative stories from people "playing" with it and I recommend against anyone using it under any circumstances.

I do recommend that you first purchase a copy of Living With Your Psychic Gifts, and make yourself familiar with the basic psychic protection techniques in the book before you start attempting to communicate with this spirit. While he may be a friendly spirit (most of them are), you still need to know how to shut down psychic experiences and to know some basic psychic protection techniques before you start enhancing them, or deliberately communicating with spirits. Once you let the genie out of the bottle you can't stuff it back in - all sorts of unanticipated things can start to happen.

Whatever you decide to do, start keeping a journal. Every time you have a spiritual or psychic impression, at each of the following stages, no matter how strange it may seem, write it down.

Once you have decided to try to speak to the spirit, draw a circle of protection (visualize a bright pink, blue or while globe or circle around you in your mind and affirm that only the most positive spiritual energies may enter for the greatest good of all concerned). Ask your spiritual guides (or angels, if you feel more comfortable with that term) to open up your spiritual awareness. Then simply ask your spirit, out loud or in your mind, who he is, and what he wants to tell you. Stay open to the impressions you receive. Write everything down, no matter how wild. Then, see what you can verify.

I also recommend that you "center" yourself or meditate at least twice a day. The Rainbow Lotus meditation in Living With Your Psychic Gifts is very good, there is also an excellent guided centering meditation in Ross Quinn's book Controlling Others for Love and Profit (don't let the title throw you - it's a clever play on words). He's going to offer guided centering CDs soon - when they become available I will let you know about it here.

Brandi

Brandi's Fun Tip:

If you feel that your life has become a bit boring this holiday season, get everyone together for a re-gifting party. Everyone brings clothing, nick-nacks and doo-dads that they no longer need ... puts them in a pile ... then everyone takes something they want. Anything left over? The host/ess takes it to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Throw in some potluck snacks ... plus everyone brings something to be donated to the foodbank.

Book Review: The Afterlife Experiments

October 21, 2004 - Book reviews ...

I have decided in addition to letters and comments from readers I am going to throw the odd book review into my blog. Some of these will be new books, some older, and I will be saving them in the recommended reading section of Living With Your Psychic Gifts. I will only review books that I can recommend. If you are a writer on psychic topics, and would like to have your book reviewed here, please contact me and I will send you an address where I can receive evaluation copies and galleys.

Book Review: The Afterlife Experiments
Gary E Schwartz, Ph.D with William Simon
Atria Books
ISBN 0-7434-3659-8

The Afterlife Experiments is an intriguing study of some of the top mediums in the United States today. The author has managed to pull together a "Dream Team" of mediums including Suzane Northrop, John Edward, George Anderson and several others who were asked to contact deceased loved ones in a series of experiments.

The transcripts from these reading leave little doubt that something incredible is happening when these gifted people get to work. Schwartz clearly started out as an interested skeptic, but the data he uncovered quickly led him to realize there was more than cold reading and self-deception going on. Skeptical arguments are fairly considered, but it is clear from the evidence that there are often moments where the mediums are made aware of details that it would be impossible to know, unless they are in fact speaking to the consciousness of the dead.

The Afterlife Experiments is destined to become a classic in the library of any spiritual seeker, but it is only the first step in a long path to discovery. Much more research needs to be done if we are finally to pierce the veil that blocks our understanding of the world beyond. It is an important work because it takes a serious and cautious approach to the subject, making the conclusions that much more credible and compelling.

Click here to order The Afterlife Experiments on Amazon.com

Ghost Story from a Reader

Letter from a reader ...

Dear Brandi, 

A ghost story? What a coincidence!

I just last night had an experience. Once again I was having one of those nights where I could not sleep. When this happens to me, I sort of roam the house checking locks on the doors and windows or some other activity, and usually I will have a small snack and a drink also. Then I might go onto the computer or even sit on the couch and read a book, what ever I do, it is an effort to calm my mind. As of lately my mind has been in need of a lot of calming down … thus I have not been sleeping well. This night I mainly just walked around the house looking out of the windows into the darkness and onto the lights. Not really looking though. What was very strange was as I walked through the house, I constantly kept feeling this cold chill brush my body. 

I made my way down the stairs, into the living room, through the kitchen, down into the study, and once again back up stairs where I walked into the bathroom. In my bathroom we have a huge window that oversees much of the neighborhood and a lot of the lights cast shadows around the trees. I also live in a semi-rural area where there are a lot of pine trees. I looked out into the night and the moon lit up the cloudy night as the lights from the houses made small area of the darkness visible. 

I stood there trying to ignore the cold chills that were starting to touch me more and more. I looked out of the window thinking I am psyching myself out. I at first looked ‘out’ of the glass as I tried to not think about the possibilities of the cold chills. The chills were persistent. Then a great chill came over me and made my entire body tighten and then tremble. I started to feel a little frightened at this moment. Then I told myself: “If I was going to get hurt, I probably would have been hurt already.” At this point the chills were racing over me making my hairs stand on end over my entire body. I had seen pictures of people in books and on the Internet looking into windows and in the reflection seeing figure standing by them or behind them. I tried hard to fight the temptation to look at the glass to see my reflection. I stole a quick glance and to my relief, I was alone in the window. The chilling wisps were still with me though. I quickly looked away just in case something might ‘pop’ up… and I did not want to see something scary looking. 

I had to admit to myself that I was definitely 'not alone' or I was completely fooling myself into thinking the cold chills were something other than my own thoughts playing tricks on me. I began to feel sleepy once more so I turned and made my way toward the door to leave. Just before exiting, I chanced to look into the mirror using my peripheral vision. In the mirror was a reflection of the window, in the window was a reflection of the mirror; and in that reflection was a gray misty image/shape of a human leaning forward and shadowing me out of the bathroom. 

I quickened my pace and leapt for the bed. Where I quickly snuggled under the covers and kept my eyes closed. Amazingly, I fell fast asleep and through out the day had nearly forgetting the incident until I decided to frequent your site once more. 

Sincerely, 
Your Friend,
C.S.

Halloween Ghost Stories

Halloween is coming! In honor of this special holiday, I thought I'd tell one of my favorite ghost stories. I'd like to put some of your ghost stories online too! Send my your ghost stories, and they may be featured in an upcoming blog entry.

One day in the middle of summer, my best friend and I decided to go for a long drive in Southern Ontario's countryside. After a long day of driving, we decided to stop for the night at the only lodging we could find, a quaint bed and breakfast tucked off side if the road next to the highway. Exhausted, we trudged into bed right away and settled in to get a good night's sleep.

Or so we thought. For the next two hours, my friend tossed and turned, which was odd enough, for my friend sleeps like a rock (and snores like a banshee!) at the worst of times. And I was kept awake all night by the presence of a spirit at the end of my bed, a rather prim and proper older woman in a Victorian costume and hat who insisted since I was the first to really see her that I must pay attention and relate her story and wishes to the owner in the morning!

Finally, desperate to get some sleep and with only a few hours left until daylight, I agreed to speak with him in the morning. Besides, I was curious to find out if this charming home had the colorful past she insisted had followed after her death. She'd told an interesting tale of all kinds of unsavory characters who'd used the place for "rum-running" as she'd called it, during the 20's and 30's. She insisted that these naughty characters had made a real mess of her beloved home, and it had passed through several hands before falling into the current owner's care, a "Fine gentleman, with a lovely family!" whom she clearly adored.

The next morning, I made my way down for breakfast and sat, bleary eyed, at the table nearest the back wall. When the owner came in, he gave me a kind smile and some orange juice and didn't even skip a beat when I asked him if he knew his inn was haunted. "If it wasn't, we'd have to make it up! Ghosts are good for business!" 

Yet he did seem bemused and surprised when I told him the story. It was true that the place had a shady past, just as the old woman had described it. And he pointed behind me to a picture on the wall that I had not seen before. It was a picture of the woman who had stood at the end of my bed!

I told him not to worry about this particular spirit. It was clear her intentions were loving and protective after all. And it was indeed a well-run place. Though I did not get much sleep there, it was a very interesting stay.

Brandi

Letter from a reader ...

Dear Brandi,

First, thank you for your time. I am writing because something occurred a few months ago that I just can't seem to get out of mind. I was riding in the country with my boyfriend. We had been drinking, but too much. All of a sudden it seemed like I was thrust into a movie or another place. It was very dark then there were these red streaks on both sides of me. As I watched I felt like I was watching something taking place from above. There was a car with a young girl in it lights were out, then there was another car with a boy, the boy hit the girl's car from behind, then the girl crashed. I felt like the two were close and this was a serious mistake in judgment. All of this was happening while I watched from above. I heard everything and felt very strong overwhelming feelings of sadness. Let me just say this is the first time anything like that has happened and I am not taking drugs or anti-depressants. I am really trying to stay open minded. There is another facet. 

There was a young girl in our town that was killed early in the spring from a car crash and I always have felt bad for the parents. I just really feel I need your opinion about this, so I can let it go, or learn more. Thank you again and take care.....

DW

Dear DW, 

When I first got your letter, I did not know how to respond exactly ... then something awful happened. Just last week, my friend and former boss Bill Campbell lost his son Chris last week to a terrible car accident (I still don't know all the details, only that his family is suffering an unbearable loss). So I can understand your feelings, and the feelings of the family in your town.

It sounds to me like you had an intuitive or psychic experience during a partial out of body (OOBE) experience. You don't say if the accident took place before or after your experience, but tragic events have this way of imprinting themselves in a place ... and they can reach backwards or forwards in time.

The experience you had is not really all that unusual, believe it or not. In most surveys I have seen more people have had them than haven't. We just think they are odd because people don't talk about these things too much.

Alcohol does have a way of opening you up to psychic experiences, and of course mixing drinking and driving can lead to disaster. I think your heart was telling you that you were taking an awful risk, and it is possible that the spirit of one of the young girl from the crash was reaching out to warn you of the danger.

The Campbell family has put up a memorial site for Chris. Please feel free to visit it. And remember to listen to your heart ... this experience did happen for a reason.

Brandi