I look for consistencies in hauntings. As I often tell people, I’m a Virgo and logic-minded. It doesn’t mean there isn’t unexplainable stuff out there, it’s just that we haven’t figured out how to capture it and give it a name. None of this will be done until folks doing the research start taking note of commonalities.
Some of the commonalities I’ve witnessed are that ghost activity picks up when folks move into a place and move out of a place, renovate a place, take in a new member of the family, or lose one member of the family, or if they have young children. If they collect antiques, if they live in clutter, darkness, and loads of chatchki’s, they are also more apt to have issues. In fact, walking into a place to run a study, I can usually tell where the activity is occurring just by the way the house is laid out and even decorated.
It makes one wonder if ghosts are armchair decorators.
The principles of Feng Shui are that energy or “chi” moves throughout our environment, but depending on what’s in our environment, it can become very strong, very weak, or very stagnant. Different quadrants of a building represent different areas of our lives such as the northern part of the building represents career success and whatever you do with that room should attract and create success in your career.
I became intrigued by Feng Shui when I noted these things about hauntings that seem to be common issues. It had me wondering how it might apply to my psychometry abilities. If I have an easier time reading an object that is more dense, could it be that an environment that is very dense with objects might hold more energy there and create a situation that makes for haunting characteristics? If one believes in the concept of a ghost as a trapped soul, is this trapping the entity?
On my own, I’ve read up on it. A great book that I found is “Confessions of a Feng Shui Ghost-Buster” by Anna Maria Prezio. This has been extremely helpful for me. I have to admit, that on testing things in my own home, I’ve found many of the principles before I even got the book and learned there was a philosophy about those rules. That reinforced for me that Feng Shui is a significant study.
Have you ever seen TAPS go into someone’s home and it’s ultra modern, sleek, clean, neat, and without “do-dads?” Nope. The closest I recall them coming to a home like that was the Mansion Murders hillside home, but we’re talking about a strangely built home into a rock hillside, so that sort of cancels the whole decorating pro’s with that big Feng Shui no-no. Basements and attics are often big issues for folks. I don’t think that’s just by mistake. Have you ever seen an unfinished basement that’s neat? An attic that’s without stuff? Hmm…
According to Feng Shui, you want to avoid a house filled with yin energy which attracts ghosts. Yin is female energy (yes, ancients really did fear us mysterious females). Yin energy is dark and still, quiet and damp. Houses with yin are usually located near a cemetery or church, places where people experience pain, near or close to a burial site, houses where people died, where there are weeping willow trees or banana trees, too dark inside from trees or lack of sunlight, not enough windows, decaying houses, houses with windchimes inside, ones built into the side of a mountain, and ones where there were past owners very attached to the home. Energy passes in straight lines and does not like bends and curves. This also explains to me why I’ve noticed that hauntings occur often in roadways, paths, and hallways. I had wondered about that, as there is no logic for why they would be hampered by bends and walls. It also explains the constantly reported haunted lighthouses and their cylindrical shapes that would hold chi and have it running swirling patterns.
If we take this study one step further, is trapped chi attractive to ghosts or does it set up an environment where they can show themselves?
I have tested many of these principles in my own bedroom at night to see if my sleep changes. I have noticed differences in the quality of my dreams and my sleep. With a bit of tweaking, I’ve found ways to make an ideal sleep for me by changing my environment. That alone to me is a testament to the efficacy of considering the configuration of an environment and its contribution to hauntings.
If you want an ideal living environment, you’re going to have to some serious organizing and cleaning up. Keep pathways open, areas well lit, clutter to a minimum. I suggest you walk around your home and see how open your own pathways are. Check where it’s dark and where the mirrors are placed. Mirrors bounce back chi, and you want to keep yourself from trying to sleep in a place where chi might come in a window, hit a mirror and bounce back in a continuum over top of where you try to sleep or rest. So, basically, don’t face mirrors towards windows if you can help it, unless it's a work station or workout room where being alert and edgy helps. If you find issues in parts of your house with strange occurrences, try picking up the things around that area and leaving it clear. Play with it. Test and see what configurations work and what don’t.
If you have an adopted objects from deceased relatives, it’s always a good thing to showcase them and not store them away in a closet. If you decide to line them up together on a shelf, keep the area well lit and I’d suggest putting a plant or a desk fountain there as well. I’ve found that combination helps you to sense the love and remembrance of them more readily in your day to day life and not the loss and grief associated with the objects. They can actually nourish the living in the household.
The side benefit of all of this, of course, is that the living humans in the house will feel more at peace and relaxed, as well. Having a clear environment with no “to do” things lying around and darkening and cluttering your world allows you to rest without guilt and constantly living with a nagging voice reminding you to finish what you started.
Apparently Feng Shui is not just for the living, the dead seem to appreciate a home that is not a jail, as well.
Excellent article as always-this one really got me thinking of several things-first I agree right off -even though I am sure you know a ton more about the "ghost" part of the paranormal than I do (probably a ton of other areas also:-) but it does seem that when people seek to renovate or change anything that brings the ghosts right of of the closet (no pun intended)! About the female energy-this is kind of off topic-but there is a fascinating hispanic folk tale of the La Llorona -and darnit all-I hope you have heard of this-because i am wanting to "paraphrase" the legend here-but am afraid I will make a hash of it as I do not have the article in front of me. I moved into the condo I am in now in 2004 in July-in Sept 2004 a dear friend of our families died in Sun City-her son didn't need any of her furniture and it was eventually decided that they would give her furniture to me-which I was extremely grateful for as my place was so empty then it echoed! (vaulted ceiling too) although of course the circumstances were very sad and I would much rather have had her live and live in a pretty empty place than the opposite. One thing in the back of my mind-and I never said it aloud as I didn't want to offend anyone-I knew she had passed away at home-but didn't know where in the house-but I was always wondering if I would come out to the living room one night or early am -being a terrible insomniac -and see a shadow of "Aunt Jean" sitting on the couch-and in all honesty I dont think it would have bothered me in the least-except for the surprise of course. Needless to say it never happened-and I hope that means she is in a better place! I am going to do a google search and make sure I have spelled La Llorona right-there is also another Thai female folktale-that is downright scary-but I cant think of the name right now. Knowing hispanic people all my life and having a BF (of course thats "former" I would say now) that is I am pretty sure about spelling-but I will check-sorry to be so wordy-originally this was going to be three sentences believe it or not-but then I remembered the other things! I don't know how you do it -working with a family and all-I am keeping my history blog going-but am having so much trouble with MFM right now. I have started 3 different subjects now-and decided against for one reason or the other. OK I am going to do a net search will quick before I take up all of the comment space;-) and will come back and let you know if it is right-best as always!!
ReplyDeleteOk Autumn here they are-
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Llorona
and the Asian tale -this is widely believed in some Asian countries I believe and not just an urban legend like we think of them in the states-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krasue
thanks again for your wonderful blog!!
Devin;
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to get you thinking about your surroundings and the meaning of objects. It doesn't sound as if your items carried with them anything of consequence. Of course, the longer you yourself use them, they will begin to imprint your own life and emotions. Some folks burn sage throughout the house to try and clear it. I've found it's actually pretty effective for a time. I've done a reading on a place before and after and was totally floored when I couldn't get a read off the walls. Later, however, I came back and it seemed to be still there but not as much emotion locked into it, even though the information was still there. I did that one day in my house and it smelled like I'd been smoking pot all day. It's not a really happy odor. I'm going to look up that legend right now. Aha--I have heard of La Llorona. In fact, there is a wash in the Casa Grande area that has a La Llorona story of a woman walking the wash and crying for her child. Nearly all the SW of the US has some stories or others with that theme. I think it's a very popular tale amongst Hispanics, probably rooted in a real incident. Okay, the Asian one was just amazing. A beautiful head with intestines hanging out? Hmm... It truly is amazing. I wouldn't call myself a flag waving feminist, I'm a pretty typical Southern girl (love to cook and housekeep and take care of my guy) but even I roll my eyes at how many religions were born by men terrified of women and giving them any kind of power. I suppose to them it means they will be immasculated to have a woman do their work. Well, I wanna see a guy push a 10-pound baby out his butt and then I'll say they have a right to a religion that puts them above everyone else. Hee hee
Interesting article! I have lived in at three different homes that were haunted. Two when I was a kid, and one as an adult.
ReplyDeleteNow, my mom was/is a neat freak, and our home was never cluttered or messy in any way...but I guess at the time I fulfilled the child-in-the-home criteria.
I, on the other hand, am not the world's greatest housekeeper, so maybe the clutter thing would fit better with the haunting I experienced as an adult, haha :)
Pamela;
ReplyDeleteIt always interests me to hear about folks who have been haunted in multiple locations. I used to think that folks attracted it, but now I just think that some folks are more sensitive to the phenomenon when others aren't. I can't tell you how many times going to bed at night when my house does its nightly snaps and creaks that I don't even notice it and my husband comments on it. Sometimes we just filter out strange phenomenon. The other day I heard a door slam in the house when I was alone. I thought "probably the air turning on" but then later I noticed the air wasn't on. The windows were closed and the house was getting quite warm, so I turned on the air and then realized that the door slammed without provocation. Children seem to be little magnets for activity. Some folks would say it's spirits being drawn to them because kids notice them and talk to them. That sounds pretty good as explanations go. I also think that kids are simply without boundaries of physics and science because they don't know any better. As a kid, I saw several things move on their own and thought that's just the way objects are. It wasn't until I was a logical older person that I realized that's not normal.
I wonder what it says when I like several of the qualities that define yin spaces! That said, I currently have a bedroom that is mostly yin: half underground, north-facing (weak sunlight), with wind chimes where I can reach up to strum them because I like the sound. For a few nights I had horrific nightmares about this burnt human being screaming with pain and fury; it got so bad that one night I experienced the sensation of being held down, and when I woke up I had momentary sleep paralysis. I felt unnerved and the next morning I cleansed the place using water and smudged sage and chimes, balancing the water with the smoke of the sage to cool the room. I didn't have nightmares after that!
ReplyDeletePerhaps if people follow feng shui they need to adapt the practice to their own personal energy. Being a "mysetrious female" I feel empowered by the yin, rather than fearful of it. That said, I also have been letting more light into my room. Too much of either energy would create differing types of negative environments.
Great post, I am glad I found your blog, I am a follower now.
ReplyDeleteI'm a believer in furniture placement and cleansing spaces with sage. Certainly when I reorganize my environment and clear up the clutter--even when I throw out or donate things I no longer use or sometimes, simply doing my filing--I physically feel the difference in the surrounding energy of the space and as such, I feel more balanced. I become uncomfortable when I visit the homes of others who have clutter everywhere. I can understand how ghosts can be influenced by such practices.
ReplyDeleteI recall when we moved our bed from a south to north facing position to a west to east, my hub and I both remarked how the energy seemed to flow better, for lack of a better word. We also noticed we slept better.
Thanks for the reminder to put out the objects of those left behind. I was very close with my grandpa when he died 25 years ago. I've had many experiences both awake and asleep of him visiting me in one way or another. Lately I haven't been "feeling" him as much and have thought what to do, aside from ask of course, to connect with him again. I have his pipe in my top dresser drawer. I'll have to get that out and find a nice spot for it and see if that has any effect.
Very cool post!