Unusual Urges

About a week ago I was driving over the George Washington Bridge. Traffic slowed for a few seconds and I was able to look at the steel girders, beams, rivets, and thick wires that held the bridge together. My eyes followed the construction upwards and my mind put me somewhere out there about 100 feet up over the Hudson.

I could see the sparkling water below me and a seagull passed close to my right ear, and I could feel the grip of my left flip-flopped foot loose its traction--I could feel myself start to fall.

Just like in my dreams of falling, I jerked myself back to reality before I hit the chilly water, cursed aloud in the car and again wondered why my brain insists on playing these messed up games with me.

These odd moments do not happen infrequently.
 
When I was in Washington, D.C. I was strolling next to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting pool. I did not want to get wet, my balance is very good, yet as I walked hand in hand with my then boyfriend I was pretty sure if I stepped up onto the edge I would have a hard time keeping myself from jumping right in. Of course I would not drown there and most likely not even get hurt, but again--strange urge!

I have never wanted to kill or injure myself, and I do not fancy myself much of a physical daredevil with urges to climb slippery mountains or jump out of planes.

Then why, oh why do I have these odd urges and thoughts at such inopportune times?

Seems there is some real science behind this urge. A team in Florida State's psychology department gave this freaky feeling the name "high-place phenomenon." Over 400 people in the study were asked if they ever felt the urge to suddenly jump from a high place, and although people who had considered suicide in the past answered positively more often, over 50% of non-suicidal participants said they had experienced the phenomenon also.  (Complete article from NBC News here: http://bodyodd.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/03/13/10657767-that-weird-urge-to-jump-off-a-bridge-explained?lite )

Imagine you have just ascended the 217 steps to reach the top of the Barnegat Light House in Long Beach Island, NJ. You step onto the completely enclosed catwalk that encircles the top-most portion of the structure and you look down and panic. Even though it would be impossible to squeeze through the iron bars you find yourself stepping away from the edge, or even retreating to the perceived safety of the inner light room.

You look back outside and realize you would be 100% safe walking around out there and enjoying the view--so why did you run in? Possibly because we had some type of urge to jump?

We test ourselves in many ways. Some climb Everest, or base jump, or search for paranormal activity with EVP equipment and infrared cameras, some use Xbox for vicarious wars and battles. We want to feel brave and get a thrill, and we all do it differently.

When I was younger I used to go to graveyards at night with my camera and some friends to try and capture something otherworldly on film. We did see some other darkly dressed characters that we called grave robbers, and we were chased away by the police, but the only thing we managed to get on film was each other.

So my personal "thrill" is discovering and exploring the dark and scary. I do NOT like heights, yet I'm sure I will find myself once again daydreaming about being far to high above my comfort zone of sea level.

I would love to know if you have ever experienced the high place phenomenon, or anything like it.

I also like to stir the pot in conversations a bit--but I think that is something different... :)

Fears of the Famous--What Haunts the Horror Gods

Oh, how I love to get into a horror book--REALLY into it...so much so that I'll sit a bit more still than I normally would, because if I move whatever is waiting around for a victim will know I'm there...

...and I have to wait a bit to go to the rest room because God knows what is waiting for me behind the shower curtain...

...and I definitely will NOT look out the window because there will be a man standing about halfway up my walkway just waiting for me to peek out--and he'll be smiling--and as soon as I notice him he will finish his walk to my front door...

Yeeesshh.

I can scare myself more than almost any horror writer can. But I worship the few that can get under my skin.

I know it does not seem so from what I just wrote, but I am actually pretty hard to scare. I recently saw the movie Insidious in my sister's basement that was recently converted into a very cool movie viewing room, complete with old fashioned popcorn maker, comfy sofas, and a 75 inch drop down screen and projector. Next to me on the couch was my sister's stepson, all six foot three, 200 pounds of him, recently recruited to play college football on full scholarship. The lights were down and he remarked he was not very fond of the dark corner behind him, and I felt him move an almost imperceptible fraction of an inch closer to me.

He was not very good about tension in the film either. If he thought something was going to happen he would say, Ohhh, here we go....this is gonna be baaaaddd.... while curling into a bit of a ball and not quite fully looking at the screen. There was no mistaking our narrowing proximity on the couch, and when the music crescendoed and the monster appeared and we were startled, he screamed like Kim Kardashian at a shoe sale.

Exact moment of the woman scream.

Happily he is a good sport and laughed even though he was teased for the rest of the night. Apparently horror is not for him. Some are more easily scared than others.

So this got me thinking...do horror writers get scared of what they write?

Was Stephen King as scared writing about as I was scared reading about the dead boy with glowing eyes scratching patiently at the window, floating and asking let me iiinnn during Salem's Lot? What about the "other Mother" that Neil Gaiman wrote about in Coraline, with her sewn-on black button eyes. Did it creep him out for a while?

Stephen King admitted to being afraid of "Spider, snakes...and my mother-in-law," when he recently spoke at the University of Massachusetts, and Neil Gaiman doesn't seem to admit to being afraid of anything, except possibly repeating the sins of his parents on his own kids. (Have no fear, I am referring to an incident where he hoists his screaming son over his shoulder to bring him to sleep after refusing.) And he might also be afraid of falling...

Tim Burton of Edward Scissorhands fame admits to having a fear of chimps--interesting, since he directed a remake of Planet of the Apes. He said, 

“You don’t know whether chimps are going to kill you or kiss you. They’re very open on some levels and much more evil in a certain way.” I also remember him saying it is not the horror movies that scare him, but real life. I can relate.

Anne Rice, who brought vamps into vogue with Interview with a Vampire, admits to fearing the dark:   "I'm kind of scared of the dark. .... I've never seen a ghost. I've never seen an angel. I've never seen a vision of any kind. And I think I'm a little bit scared that I might."


Joe Hill, author of the shivery ghost story Heart Shaped Box says he is afraid of technology:

“AutoCorrect. AutoCorrect is the first phase in the war between the machines and mankind. I assume at some point in the near future, the President will send a text to Hu Jintao reading ‘Looking forward to our talks in Beijing soon’ and his iPhone will change the message to read ‘Looking forward to our tanks in Beijing soon.’ This will be followed by 30 minutes of frantic text messages, all over the planet, reading ‘omfg the world is ending amf!! @ least I dont have 2 go 2 work 2day lol!!’ Millions will die, but will still be unable to get out of their cellular-phone contracts. This is the stuff that keeps me up at 3 a.m.” (From Time Entertainment)

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, claims to fear nothing, just like Goosebumps writer R.L. Stine.

Lucky.

I imagine:

- Edgar Allan Poe was afraid of being alone, and of course being buried alive.

- Bram Stoker had a desperate fear of intimacy.

- H.P. Lovecraft was forced to eat squid as a child.

- George A. Romero spent far too much time with his older relatives.

- and Tom Cruise may be afraid of being weak or ordinary. (I know he has nothing to do with horror but he kind of scares me...)

And just so you know--I am scared of only a few things, but I won't tell you what they are because I don't want to pay for it for the rest of my life...okay--I'll tell you one.  I am a germaphobe...not for myself...for my kid. Oh, and I'm a little scared of flying...and dark, open water...

Now I would love to know what scares YOU.

The Peculiarities of Prayer

  
A universal belief in a higher being brings with it an almost innate need to adore, thank, please, or supplicate to the chosen deity.

Christians like Catholics, Russian and Greek Orthodox, Presbyterians and others pray to God and Jesus and believe in the trinity--Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Some ask for help from the saints just like they would ask a friend to pray for them.

Muslims pray to Allah (God) and Jews pray to Adonai (God). Buddhists do not believe is any specific god and meditate instead. Hindus seemingly pray to many gods. Shiva is the destroyer of worlds, allowing for rebirth with the god Brahma. He is also responsible for positive death as in the destruction of ego and the shedding of old ideals and attachments. Kali is the goddess of time and transformation.

It is said that there are 330 million Hindu gods, one that is perfect for each person, but if you ask a person who worships one they will tell you they each represent the same divine and shapeless force of one spirit, Brahman.

Some worship dark gods like Satan or possibly one of his lesser demons like Baal, who was depicted as the demon who possessed Anthony Hopkins in the film The Rite. The movie showed the priest played by Hopkins living amongst cats, and frogs were featured frequently throughout the film.

Baal has been depicted as a three headed creature, with one head of a cat, one of a frog, and one a man.

Most religions express love, respect, want, or need to their god of choice through prayer. We are told to express worship through prayer, and to dedicate a certain amount of time daily to this ritual. If you are praying to one of the darker gods there is also a pretty straight forward way to show your love and affection--simply sell your soul! You can do it right here: (NOT recommended) http://demonical.com/sellyoursoul.htm 

It seems it is much harder to pray properly to the Christian God. Although a devotee can pray at home or at church, I have seen endless websites and books based solely on the way to pray properly so this god can hear you, or not take what you are saying the wrong way. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/BibleStudyAndTheology/perspectives/correct-way-to-pray-luke-18-goodwyn.aspx  Among other things, this article talks about prayers that God cannot hear.

It says He can only hear prayers from the humble. Seems it might be a bit tough if you want to become humble and you are asking for help...

We are told to ask for forgiveness of the sins we have committed, and to be forgiven for the ones we don't even know we have done.  Here is a Wiki list of how to do it right: http://www.wikihow.com/Pray-to-Jesus

Hindu prayers are different than Christian prayers. The chosen god or goddess is invoked through mantras or prayer. He is said to appear as if after a long journey and will be offered water, food, and clothing, and a lovely place to sit and rest. He may be entertained with music, incense, flowers, lights, or candles. He is offered the utmost care and respect, and in return his essence fills the home or place of prayer. This is a form of communion with the divine.

Although I would not call Shinto a religion, many people in Japan follow the ways of Shinto, or kami. Kami is a prehistoric "religious tradition influenced by Buddhism and Chinese religions". Although they do not believe in or focus on one all-knowing entity, the kami are the powers of nature such as the sun, earth, mountains, animals, streams, etc. Offerings are sometimes made to the kami, such as food like fish or vegetables which are later eaten. The spirits of the deceased are also revered and celebrated. 

Shinto shrines can be found in groves of trees all over Japan. All the shrines have sacred gates (torii) and often contain water for symbolic purification of hands and mouth; larger shrines have main halls, buildings for offerings, and oratories. Inside the main hall resides the goshintai (god-body), which is sometimes represented by a mirror, but more often nothing at all. The classic Shinto shrine is the world-renowned Ise Shrine, the primary cult site for Amaterasu, arguably the most important kami. (from www.beliefnet.com)

Many prayers are focused on beings that are long gone and have left and important mark in history. We hear stories of Jesus if we are Christian or Kali if we are Hindu. No one that is alive has seen these beings. Although Mother Teresa died in 1997, her giving nature and offerings of help and caring are relevant to our lives now. Gandhi stood up against a harsh British rule and helped India through peaceful protest to find their way to freedom. Maybe they were both Jains, an Indian religion that focuses on non-violence to all living things.  I don't think it would be a bad thing if we all focused on how to be better NOW and what we could do about it.

I would love to hear your thoughts on prayer.

After thought:  I am not saying prayer is bad or obsolete, but it couldn't hurt to put as much positive thought and action into things that need help right now, and to support those that are currently helping.

WHITE MAGICK and ENERGY WORK

White magick is defined as magic or incantation for good intentions or to counteract evil.

This, in my opinion, would make it much harder to accomplish than grey or black magic. 

Think about it and remove the magical element from the equation for a second--when we are happy we are at peace. It is generally a feeling of well-being and calm. Of course there are times when we are excited and we spread the joy with hugs and kind words, but happiness is a relatively mild feeling--especially compared to anger. When we are mad, and I'm sure if you are like the rest of us this happens to you often, our emotions can go from zero to sixty in a matter of seconds. Sometimes we feel we can't control ourselves and want to hurt others not only with our words but sometimes with physical actions. Our heart rate increases, arterial tension increases, and our level of cortisol, the stress hormone, surprisingly decreases. The left frontal region of our brain is stimulated, an area that relates to feelings of closeness. It is an interesting contradiction because when we are angry we tend to want to get close to and confront the thing that angers us in order to eliminate it.

In other words, it feels GOOD to get angry.

You are experiencing the results of adrenaline and the rapid heartbeat and flushed feeling can be addictive. We think about what angers us over and over again, and it is easier to live in that hyped-up state than to calm ourselves down and forgive and forget. Plus we don't realize how good we feel.

Oooh--that wonderful feeling of putting someone in their place, or telling them how you really feel, or wiping that silly smile off of their smug faces.

How many times have you been happy about something, but someone you know is now jealous? Maybe we have been the envious ones, quietly wondering why the hell WE can't eat anything we want and keep our girlish figures? People say they want the best for us, but we really don't know their true feelings. We might be the accidental targets for negative energy. Some say no form of energy is truly negative, but we are not talking physics.

Have you ever met someone you instantly liked? You feel great around them and talking to them is a breeze. You may not have needed to spend a lot of time getting to know one another because it feels like you already do. It seems to be great to find this kind of person--and you miss them when they are not around. It is said that this type person fills some of your empty energy field--they are from the same soul family as you. You are better when they are around. When they are not that part of your field is opened again, and can easily be filled with with the energy of another--positive or negative.

We can feel negative around another also--an instant discord. They may not have any bad feelings about us specifically, but they feel wrong to be around.

Sometimes we feel it is almost impossible to move on from a hard or traumatic situation. Some believe part of our spirit leaves when something terrible happens and we remain psychically vulnerable. If a person passes away, part of you goes with them. If they are still around but the relationship is over, you may have some type of connection to them, along with a spiritually empty feeling because part of you is with them, but connected in an inappropriate way. 

Energy workers claim that we are connected to everything by cords. These cords are supposedly everywhere, connecting us energetically to friends, lovers, children, parents, and everything else. They say when babies are born they have cord connections to their mothers, physical ones and spiritual ones. The energy cords become less needed as the child grows and eventually fall away--unless theirs is a muddled situation where the proper rates of growth are not met, either by the mom or child. Friends have cords to one another that have grown from a relationship or existed already from generations past. Cords can become filled with negative attributes and get muddied, causing problems in the relationship that could eventually cause its end. Unclear cords can result from arguments, jealousies, dislikes, or simply bad feelings.   

Then there are the people who may be sending negative thoughts and vibes to us. Even if it is done unconsciously, sending this type energy might cause harmful results.  

This is where the positive actions of white magick are said to help.

Many think that any type of magick is the work of the devil. Another faction believes that prayer is merely a form of positive energy work, or benign magick.  

I know someone who was sent a gift from a dear friend. It was a lovely present, but nothing but bad things happened since my friend received the gift. She felt at first it was a coincidence, then weeks went by and she began to feel cursed. My friends eventually threw the gift away and has not been bothered since.

Simple solution, right?

Sometimes it is not so easy.

Whether we are being whammied from a jealous friend, envious co-worker, the "other" side of your family, or are just the unwitting victim of plenty of unfortunate but old fashioned hateful thoughts--sometimes we need protection.

Some turn to prayer, some to confrontation, and some to magick.

I read that anyone can do magick; you don't have to be a Third Degree Wiccan to protect yourself. In fact, all you need is intention. Read how to protect yourself here:  http://www.spiritofold.co.uk/magick/bos/protection.htm

Several years ago I was told by a friend that they visited an energy worker. She said they removed generational curses, murky cords, and even say a demon or two lurking in her field. I had to see this for myself, and ended up going to the same woman. The house she was renting was almost all white and enormous. There were statues in the high ceilinged rooms and despite the white paint and lofty ceilings I was creeped on even on the bright and sunny day it was. We went to a tiny room on the second floor and I was instructed to close my eyes and let my ego go so I could "experience" the guided spiritual tour. About ten minutes into it I could not take it for another second, and told the poor girl that I felt the experience was a bit too much for me, and was feeling ridiculous. She told me that was part of my problem, and all the "monsters and spirits" around me had a pretty good hold.

Hmmmm.

Now I was really creeped out. So I left.

Nothing changed much in my life, so those devils might still be hovering around.

Once again I cannot discount magick, prayer, spells, cords, or anything that has to do with energy work completely. 

But as an experiment, I will do a home-made protection spell tonight, under the almost full, almost pink moon. 

I'll let you know what happens next week.

Wish me luck--and let me know if you have any experience with spells or white magick.

**FREE** today: 100 UNFORTUNATE DAYS--click below.

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A DARKER DISNEY and some LOST DISNEY RIDES

Disney has done nothing but gain popularity since it first opened its magical gates in 1955. The Jungle Cruise, Mark Twain's Riverboat, and Peter Pan's Flight were all working attractions on this memorable first day, and patrons could visit Tomorrowland, Frontierland, Main Street U.S.A, Fantasyland and Adventureland. 

One of the reasons for Disney's timeless popularity is its family friendly atmosphere. There have been a few rides that did not make it to Disney's roster because they were too scary, and some because the story line did not quite work. One of the rejected rides, Museum of the Weird, was to have a grandfather clock decorated in human bones, a haunted organ played by a spooky skeleton, and wallpaper that seemed to stare at the guests. Read more about it here:
http://theweek.com/article/index/242416/6-rejected-disney-theme-park-rides

The youngest of kids can enjoy the scariest ride at Disney, the Haunted Mansion.

Waiting in the line is fun. An interactive wall, a slightly spooky graveyard, and a maze effect makes the time breeze by in a pleasant way.

But wouldn't it be divine if there was a Terrorland?

I always wondered what Disney could be like if it was just a touch darker. Yes, they have incorporated the world of Tim Burton and Jack Skellington to a point, but what if they put up a section that was truly scaaaary.

Zombies hobbling around is fun in the local theme parks, but Disney could make it epic. With an unequalled special effects team and a seemingly bottomless pocketbook, the Disney team could create a Terrorland could strike fear in the most daring of Mickey Mouse fans.

I envision the Haunted Mansion a bit less friendly. The graveyard outside could contain a maze similar to the end of The Shining. The pressure to find your way would be multiplied by the chain saw and axe wielding apparitions. The purple and blue lighting and dense fog would enhance the lightning bugs you are supposed to be following, and when you finally arrive winded but safe in a spiderweb filled clearing a series of doors would manifest. The happy lightning bugs would vanish--and you would have to choose an entrance before Mama spider appeared to feed you to her young.

The door to the left would be painted dark scab-red and be surrounded by Gothic black iron. When reaching for the hand-shaped door handle, a voice would subtly whisper there is still a chance to choose another door. You reach for the handle anyway and the wrought iron hand reaches out and grabs you, administering a mild but startling electric shock. The door opens inward and you are pulled into an almost black, candle lit and cinnamon scented chamber by gauze draped ghostly arms. You have chosen the door that takes you through a witch's house, and you will meet her face to face momentarily.

The center door would look very modern and sterile with a distinct hospital feel, with a hand print of blood smeared across its center. The third door would be more like the entrance to a tomb.

All of the doors would take the guest on a different tantalizing journey through hell. The scares could be more psychological--inferred horrors and subtle mind-screws that might get you later on in the night.

There could be a few dark-themed restaurants in Terrorland. For instance, The Bates Motel Diner could serve Mother's Favorite Stew and Norman's Nachos. Lady Fingers would be the expected dessert.  Hell's Kitchen would take on a whole new meaning here.  Just Desserts would feature lovely Sundaes like Vendetta Vanilla and Cape Fear Chip.

Public rest rooms can be creepy to begin with, but with "glass" floors that provide a window to the troll and demon infested bottomless pit below, and ghostly shadows peeking from the dark and cordoned off back corner, a visitor might decide to wait for a calmer visit to the powder room in the Magic Kingdom.

And for the brave kids that DO decide to venture into Terrorland, they would be able to see how they would look aged after 100 years of bad living and debauchery in the Dorian Grey Portrait Room, and get a digital print out to hang in their rooms when they get home so it can haunt them forever. Parents could use it as a discipline tool and remind the little hooligans to always do the right thing because they would not want to sell their souls and end up like Dorian.

Instead of It's a Small World After All playing over and over in your head, you might leave the park with the theme to Halloween on your mind. Listen here:   http://youtu.be/Nq6pekM6sZQ

Just as the rest of the parks in Disney have the happy and friendly characters like Mickey Mouse and Ariel walking around and greeting guests and stopping for pictures, Terrorland will have the same. The mass murderers, ghouls, and other terrors like Freddie Kruger, Pennywise the Clown, and Michael Meyers running around Terrorland will probably be best captured for a photo-op by a Go Pro video camera that does well with running action shots.

Hop on kids!

The subterranean boat ride on the river Styx would take you on a reaper-guided ferry through the nine circles of hell which of course would include snake pits, fire raining from unnatural clouds and pitchfork poking, the basement of a funeral home with all its tubes, tables and formaldehyde, and give you a possibly unwanted underground glimpse of what happens below the ground in the glass coffins in a graveyard.

Oh, the fun I imagine we would all have!

Although I don't think Disney will ever go this dark and indulge me in my wildest haunted fantasies--a girl can dream.

I would love to hear any ideas you might have for Terrorland. Maybe we can gather them up and send them off to Disney on some Jack Skellington stationary. :) Looking forward to what you think.

GATHERING GHOSTS

According to some cultures, ghosts are not only real, but can be troublesome.

Here in the United States we tend to believe in ghosts and they are sensationalized on television shows like Ghost Hunters and Paranormal State. According to these shows, ghosts can do things like decrease the temperature in a room, cause orbs in pictures, occasionally move things like curtains or chairs, and speak in difficult to hear voices that are picked up on EVP recording devices.

If the entity haunting the house is demonic, supposedly it is much more dangerous to the inhabitants of the home. A demon or devil can possess a person and take over their lives.

There are many different types of ghosts according to Chinese culture, and even Confucius said: "Respect ghosts and gods, but keep away from them."

If a person died from hanging by either suicide or execution, or far away from home, a wrongful death, or was drowned, he will leave behind a spirit that is vengeful or evil. They can come to the party that wronged them or even seek to harm them.

Some ghosts are benign like Gui Po, who takes the form of a kindly old woman and helps around the house.

During the Ghost Festival, on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar year, ghosts and spirits visit the earth from the lower realms. People are told not to go out alone on festival night if they can help it or swim on this day for fear that a malicious ghosts will attack them or drown them in dark water as revenge. Those born during this month are said to be more sensitive and have the ability to see ghosts and apparitions.

According to folklore in Bali, ghosts clutter where it is dark and not many people walk or visit. If you have many useless papers or a dusty mess beneath your bed spirits may hide there in the quiet and interfere with your sleep. It is said we fear the dark not because of what we can't see, but what we CAN feel. 

Almost everyone feels a little trepidacious when walking down the basement stairs. The darkest corner is exactly where we do not want to go. That creepy corner of the yard by the fence that gets no light from the street lamps...you will probably get someone else to go and look what that noise was.

A Feng Shui practitioner might hang a wind chime in the dark corner of your yard to attract motion and rid the area of ghosts. According to Kartar Diamond, in certain instances hanging a wind chime can actually attract ghosts. (A great book on Feng Shui by Kartar Diamond: http://www.amazon.com/Feng-Shui-Skeptics-Kartar-Diamond/dp/0967193788  In a future post I will be talking about my own experiences with Feng Shui and Kartar Diamond after a long-distance consultation.)

Living too close to a cemetery can cause a property to attract more than its share of spirits also. There is a slang word in Chinese for cemetery because it is said the ghosts that inhabit the graveyard come "to life" at night, like at a nightclub.

If your house is very 'yin' it will attract ghosts also. A yin house is dark, damp, and possibly covered in plants. It could be built into a mountainside or have an overgrown garden or landscape.

If someone died in your current house before you lived there, the previous owner might decide to come and visit. If the death was particularly violent, the spirit might have a hard time detaching from the magnetic pull of the place where the death occurred.

If you have a long empty hallway make especially sure not to collect clutter there. The Chinese believe ghosts can only move in a straight line and call anything too straight a poison arrow. 

Ghosts dislike children and animals, especially if they are noisy and funny--so keep them laughing and busy!

Here is a list of things you can do to keep ghosts away:

* Burn crushed and dried orange peels

* Fu Dogs or Fu Lions placed at the front door keep away ghosts

* Placing a penny in the corner of each room in the house deters evil spirits. Copper conducts love. Even a jar of pennies in a room that seems a bit haunted could be the equivalent of psychic Raid.

* Play music in your house

* Live plants and flowers deter ghosts. Dead plants can give them a place to hover.

* Simply ask the ghosts to leave

* Keep the home immaculate. Fix dripping faucets and clogged drains. Get rid of clutter and pick up crumbs.

* Clean your mirrors and windows until they are spotless. Ghosts cannot inhabit them if they are clean

*Clean gemstones until sparkling and then cleanse them in salt

* Open your windows during the day--let in the sun and the air

* Take down pictures of people that give you any kind of bad feelings. Pictures of the dead can attract negativity and 'bad vibes' too

* Keep the entire house and yard well-lit

* Have your house blessed

* Place lines of salt before the windows of doors of your home. Supposedly ghosts cannot cross them and they cannot get in

* If ghosts are haunting your dreams sleep with a bowl of water beneath your bed. In the morning empty the bowl outside the house

* Remove suspicious or old items--dolls recently purchased from an antique store, ring that belonged to a deceased relative. Ghosts can cling to old items

Although the jury is still out whether ghosts actually exist or not, I will NOT be walking around on July 15th this year without a burly escort. For all I know a ghost could be looking over my shoulder right now...and wondering who is reading this.

If any of you have had any ghostly experiences I would love to know about them. I would also like to hear of any ways you keep the ghosts OUT. :)

More ghostly thoughts from 100 UNFORTUNATE DAYS: 

Day 57

Every single basement has a dark corner or room no one likes. Maybe the whole basement is dark and scary. Spirits collect in dark and cluttered spaces. They hide and wait for you because they are stuck. Some people can see them. Some people see the long thin black wispy figures with arms ten feet long that unfold as they slowly reach for you in the dark because you have to go down there to get something or fix a light bulb or retrieve a screwdriver. Part of you revs up and moves really quickly to get out of there because you know if you wait long enough and the arms fully unfold, they can touch you and then part of you belongs in the black corner in the basement. Then it will be very hard to be normal again. You will wake up in the middle of the night, and you won’t be able to get back to sleep because you will worry about all the things you have done wrong and how you are hurting people.

You can’t get this out of your mind now and you think that maybe if you count and envision each number in your head as you say it in your mind; you can block some of the bad thoughts. Or maybe you can pray—say the Lord’s Prayer over and over and over and God will surely be there to help you because you are saying his prayer.

But it doesn’t help. God doesn’t give a fuck when you are miserable—he doesn’t care if you pray. You can pray until there is blood dripping out of your mouth and nothing will change. God is an asshole that way. Even a relatively rotten person will assist you if you are begging for help. But your thoughts will just revolve through your mind over and over until you want to take a gun like the lead in Fight Club and shoot them out of your head. Maybe someday you will, but for now, you are trying to figure why God is such a jerk and you have to live like this. You wonder why you feel forsaken—well it’s probably because you have been forsaken and you don’t know how to live in that state. Because when you are a kid somebody probably told you everything would be all right, and now you realize they lied.

So you keep lying to yourself, telling yourself it’s not such a big deal, but actually it is. Because now the dark corners in your basement have started to get darker. And bigger. The arms get longer and longer and pretty soon there won’t be anywhere you can go where they can’t touch you. So you start to drink or take pills or do some other kind of drug so you can’t tell when you get touched. But now the problem is you get touched all the time, but you don’t know it.

At least now you don’t care.

 

CURSES! Can It Happen to YOU??

DROP DEAD!

If you uttered these words, even without thinking, according to some you have delivered a curse.

Although one of the definitions of CURSE is: foul language, a more common use is: a prayer or invocation for harm or injury to come upon another. Curses direct negative energy by thought and intention to a person or family or group that are filled with HATE with the purpose of causing harm, illness, pain, or even death.

One theory behind curses is that demons get released when a curse is uttered and they are set free to follow through with the curse until it is done. If the person is "protected", either by a counter curse, Jesus, white light, or another method, the curse may boomerang and get the person who sent the curse, or even an innocent bystander. Some consider it very simple to curse another, and name calling, slander, bad thoughts, gossip, envy, jealousy, or just bad will can cause the person to suffer from a curse of oppression.

Witches are said to be able to send curses, along with gypsies, medicine men--or anyone with a dark wish or hatred toward an enemy they want to see suffer.

In Australia "bone pointing" is a curse that is said to kill its victim without fail. A kundela, the bone used in the terrible killing ritual in the Aboriginal tribes of Australia, is usually human, but can be from an emu or kangaroo, and about 9 inches long and sharpened to a point to resemble a needle. They eye end is threaded with hair from the intended victim and held in place with a gummy resin from a local bush and charged with negative psychic energy and power. When the victim is found, sometimes after months of searching, the killer goes down on one knee and points the kundela and issues a short, harsh chant. The kundela is then ritually burned. The cursed is said never to survive, falling first ill, refusing food, and eventually passing away.  More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdaitcha

Damien Mulkrin, author of the book When Bad Things Happen to Bad People, says you do not need to be a witch or a gypsy to throw a curse--he thinks anyone can do it--and here's how--but be warned, he says it can cause harm--or even death:

1. Rise from your bed at midnight. Sit cross-legged on the floor in a dark, empty room and whisper the words: “Evil, live, live, evil” over and over for one minute. In your mind’s eye, picture the person you want to curse.

2. As the image of the person appears to you, visualize great harm coming to him or her. For example, you might watch with delight as a car runs over him or he falls down a flight of stairs.

3. Savor the victim’s agony – but don’t forget: the misfortune you visualize is the misfortune your victim will suffer in real life. If you visualize the victim losing an eye, he should lose and eye, if you visualize his death, he should die. Carefully consider the outcome before the invocation.

4. As you continue to revel in the imaginary evil you have brought to your enemy, whisper: “Powers of darkness, make this so.” Contemplate your actions for a minute or so and then, says Mulkrin, “your work is done.”

“If you are sincere in your desire to punish an enemy, and have absolutely no reservations about bringing him harm, the curse will work,” he said.

Daniel Mulkrin is said to have vast knowledge of the black arts and is known in the world of occult. (from the blog Peach and Things http://www.peachandthings.com/2011/07/casting-a-spell-or-a-curse/)

And please note that I am NOT recommending this.

The Vatican exorcist Gabriele Amorth, a Roman Catholic priest, states in his book An Exorcist Tells His Story, that there are four types of curses. He said "Spells and witchcraft are two different types of curses." He believes that the other type is through demonic intervention--although he does not claim to know how this works.  The four types of curses are:

1.  Black Magic, Witchcraft and Satanic Rites that Culminate in Black Masses-- Fr. Amorth believes these are all similar since they "obtain a curse against a specific person by invoking a demon but without the use of specific objects".

2. Curses--Fr. Amorth believes curses spoken with true feelings of hate, especially when directed and family and during special occasions like a wedding or Christening, can have terrible consequences.

3. The Evil Eye--this is a spell that is cast while looking at the victim--not by merely casting a glance, but by casting a spell on a predetermined person with the intention of evil.

4. The Spell, Malefice or Hex--the most common type of curse, often used with an object that has been "offered to Satan and imprinted with his evil powers". Items used to represent grace, a cross, baptismal water, or a host can be turned into a malefice, or instrument of harm. These can be used in a DIRECT way--for instance mixing cursed water, herbs, or ash into drink or food, or and INDIRECT way--which is cursing and object that belongs to the person such as a photo, a pen, a pillow, or doll. Fr. Amorth says that he has found "just about everything, from colored and tied ribbons to chunks of hair tightly knotted… animals – especially mice – or geometric shapes; and blood clots. I have seen chunks of wood or iron, twisted wire, and dolls full of piercing and marks and have witnessed the sudden appearance of very thick braids of children or women’s hair" inside of mattresses and pillows of the afflicted. He has also stated that these objects are sometime not visible until holy water is sprinkled on them.

More CURSED information:

A cursed item can be passed to an innocent party, and the curse can then affect them.

Burning a cursed item can cause more problems.

You can accidentally curse someone.

James Dean has a "cursed" Porsche he called "Little Bastard"--he died in a crash in that car and it supposedly caused more injuries and pain after it was sold. See more famous curses here:   http://people.howstuffworks.com/7-famous-curses.htm#page=0

Curses can be cast on generations of families.

God can supposedly curse a whole nation for not following his will.

A curse can befall even an unborn child.

There is a psychosomatic side to curses also.

There are many cases of voodoo and curse deaths in medical literature. I read a story of a man who was cursed with bone pointing, and died in a hospital days later from no apparent cause. He was not poisoned, had no injuries, and had no illness. We could say he thought himself to death. The opposite of the placebo effect, these negative thought pattern deaths are partially a result of what we think is going to happen to ourselves, and what others tell us will.  More on voodoo death here:  http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-beast/201209/voodoo-death-i

Whether you believe that demons or negative energy can cause problems if someone curses you, you may doom yourself to seven years of bad luck if you believe TOO much. Or you an be like me and know for a fact that there is not a whammy in sight that can get through my self-made Superman shield.

Or is there... 

I'd love to know any stories you may have about curses--or any you have experienced yourself. Thanks for reading :)

Read about a psychic curse in 100 UNFORTUNATE DAYS:

Day 21

The jar from last year contains my hair. Beautiful long pieces of my hair from when I was 15 years old and the sun turned it golden, in a jar of water from a well with one drop of water from Jar 1.

Jar 1 was given to me by someone I no longer know. Last year’s jar is the only jar that has a screw-on top. This jar has to be put in a dark place, behind the stairs, adjacent to where many people walk every day. Seven years from the day the jar is sealed the hair turns into snakes. The person who owns the jar has two options—1. Release the snakes. They will slither away to find any person who has wounded you, bite them, and kill them. OR 2. Open the jar and place one grain of sugar inside. This makes the snakes sleep forever, but the water in the jar is now as potent as the poison of the snake and you can use it at your own discretion and have the joy of watching your victim die.

But—the snakes know what you are planning and they will try to bite and kill you first. This happened to my mother’s aunt—and they said she died from falling and hitting the back of her head on the wooden floor.

Is Magik REAL?

I do not doubt for one moment the existence of witches.

I know many, and some are great friends.

When I was young I bought a book from a old store called The Abbey in Elizabeth, NJ, as I was waiting for my dad to finish taking pictures of some local characters. This was no Barnes and Noble. There were books from floor to ceiling, in boxes, in barely-lit back rooms, and in bookcases that covered every inch of wall space. Wavy glass let the light into the front of the store, and the original light fixtures and scrolly woodwork gave the store a slightly ominous feel.

Although not labeled, my favorite section was in a corner and thankfully low enough to the ground for a little girl to view. As wide as my arms could span, this section would be called OCCULT in today's bookstores--but unlike today's bookstores, held copies of dusty and out of print gems I can only dream of now.

The book of my choice was filled with spells and illustrated in an almost Edward Gorey-esque style. For twenty five cents I could pay for the book myself, and I did.

The first spell in the book was for love and consisted of finding a personal artifact from the person you wanted to love you. After certain words were spoken the item was buried deeply in a place your love interest would pass often, for instance, near their front door. Within a month, supposedly, they would be yours.

The first entire first chapter consisted of light-hearted, easy-seeming spells. The middle chapter's spells were more complex, and to a girl my age, far more interesting. The Hand of Glory had you digging a grave at midnight and stealing the hand of a thief.

The final chapter had spells that scared me and haunted me--it was my favorite. It was very tempting to use the :To Harm Another" spell after my 5th grade class found my diary in my desk, read it, left their own not always positive comments, and put it back. I did try astral projection and fell asleep. I also tried the spell "See Into One's Soul". This consisted of sitting before a mirror and a candle in a dark room and watching for any changes or signs. It was very frightening to be in a quiet room alone at that age, and my face DID seem to morph and change--and I did NOT like what I saw. I still hope that was not my soul.

The book ended with the spell "To Call the Devil". It said I needed a black hen, black cat, and a black sheep. I was then instructed to kill them and skin them and pour some of their blood into a large receptacle of water. I knew I would not be calling the devil--but wondered what would happen to the people who did do the spell as they waited for his reflection to peer back at them over their left shoulders.

As I think back on this book I wish I had not thrown it into the running water near my home when strange events started occurring in my life. I can see why my father had no problem letting me buy this seemingly innocuous and almost child-like book at such a young age. I had no idea it would get as dark as it did either. I have searched the names of the spells in the book but alas, I can't find it anywhere.

About ten years later I purchased more books from Wiser's Bookstore in NYC. This book was a Golden Dawn manual of sorts, and contained not only spells, but information about rituals, ceremonies, and talismans. I also purchased a book by Aleister Crowley that was very confusing, and some tarot cards. I breezed through both books and got caught up in work and life, and never pursued it much further.

But my interest is still there.

I recently read, "A psychic can read your future--a witch can change it."

This made me wonder if spells can only be done by witches--or by anyone. I've tried several of the spells in several of the books I've had when I was young, to no avail. I do not call myself a witch and ponder what type of things a witch actually CAN change.

I would LOVE some input on this subject! I can look this up and read stories from people on the web but I do not know these people and would be interested in first-hand experiences.

Please tell me. :) And if you know the book I was trying to describe earlier--I'd love to know that too.